PHILIP IPPY AIONA

CHEF AND OWNER

IPPYS HAWAIIAN BBQ, THE THREE FAT PIGS & THE THIRSTY WOLF

[ BY IA N K A I | P HOTO TOBY HO O GS ]

INGREDIENTS FOR

SUCCESS
Philip Ippy Aiona

Philip Ippy Aiona strolled through the door, grinning ear to ear and
brimming with confidence. His laidback, yet magnetic personality radiated
good vibes while he cooked for Food Network Star chef and host Giada De
Laurentiis. A pair of practiced hands sliced and diced various ingredients
to render a unique twist on a traditional Italian salad, expertly garnished
and served. Cooking is in my blood. Thats all I know how to do, Ippy
explains. It was an easy choice for me when I decided that I wanted to be
in the restaurant business.
At 26 years old, the Hawaii
native has launched two restaurants
in Waikoloa on the Big Island. His
restaurants exemplify the best of
Euro-Pacific cuisine, a convergence
of classical European culinary craft
and Pacific Rim ingredients. Ippys
Hawaiian BBQ offers a unique twist
on the iconic Hawaiian plate lunch;
his gastro pub, The Three Fat Pigs &
The Thirsty Wolf, is a restaurant and
bar serving high-end food and beer,
the first of its kind on the island of
Hawaii. Its evident from the menus at
his eateries that Ippy remains true to
his Italian and Hawaiian heritage while
incorporating his own innovative style
of Euro-Pacific cuisine.
Ippy picked up the ins and outs
of the restaurant business from his
Italian mother and Hawaiian father,
who worked in the food and beverage
industry. After graduating from
Hawaii Preparatory Academy in 2007,
Ippy attended Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco to further his studies in
culinary arts and gastronomy. After completing his training, he returned
home to help his family open a frozen food and espresso bar next to his
mothers Italian restaurant, Solimenes.
Working at his parents restaurants yielded valuable experience, but
Ippy has made his mark on the culinary industry as the youngest chef ever
to be featured on season 8 of Food Networks Food Network Star. Ippy
was selected to team Giada and represented Hawaii well. Throughout
the competition he battled through each challenge until he was eliminated
as a finalist.
Despite the results, the Food Network limelight boosted his credibility

and exposure. Ippy returned to New York City to film the season finale,
and was welcomed by a flood of unexpected attention. The local boy from
Hawaii was well received by the Big Apple. His stint in the Food Network
spotlight led to appearances on various Honolulu TV news-chat shows,
Forbes 30 Under 30 list and at invitational culinary events such as Taste
of the Hawaiian Range and A Taste of Hilo. Ippy continues to remain
optimistic for the future of Hawaii as a culinary locale. There are a lot
people pushing the envelope in Hawaii, especially on Oahu, says Aiona.
Chefs are doing some things that they
never did here in Hawaii and I think that
were going to continue to do that.
Not one to take life too seriously,
Ippys easygoing demeanor has allowed
him to strike a balance between a relaxed
and stringent kitchen environment.
He realizes the importance of having
a flexible, knowledgeable staff that
cohesively meet their own culinary
goals as well as prioritize the needs of
the customer. Since opening his own
restaurants, Ippy has learned a great deal
about the divide between ingenuity and
the business world. I had to learn when
to separate the artistic [side] from the
business side, he reflects. Sometimes
you have to back off from certain things
or certain techniques so that you can
actually make money. Its not about what
I want to cook, but what the customer
wants to eat. The strong work ethic
Ippy gained from his parents is a value
he emphasizes at both the management
and kitchen levels.
Ippys passion for cooking has never been stronger since his rise to
stardom. Cooking is, hands down, my life, Ippy says. I think my passion
and how long Ive been cooking actually outweighs everybody elses. Its
weird because Im from such a small town, such a small island, and to be
able to have some of the best chefsIron Chefstelling me how good
my food is, its a really good feeling. Ultimately, the competition and his
recent success has reinforced Ippys presence in the culinary community.
With humility and passion, Ippy continues to trail blaze a promising future
in Hawaiis culinary scene.

Cooking is in my
blood. Thats all I
know how to do. It
was an easy choice
for me when I decided
that I wanted to be
in the restaurant
business.

Ippys Hawaiian BBQ | Queens Markeplace 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr. | The Three Fat Pigs & The Thirsty Wolf | 250 Waikoloa Beach Dr. #C01

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