Michelle Karr-Ueoka

Born and raised in Honolulu, Michelle Karr-Ueoka obtained a college degree in Travel Industry Management from the University of Hawai‘i. Her passion for cooking was eventually ignited after an externship with one of the pioneers of Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine, Alan Wong. Pursuing her culinary dream, Karr-Ueoka furthered her training at New York’s Culinary Institute of America and completed stages at award-winning restaurants Daniel and Per Se, as well as an externship at The French Laundry. It was at Per Se, where Karr-Ueoka realized she wanted to be a pastry chef.

In October 2013, Karr-Ueoka and husband chef Wade Ueoka opened their first joint venture – MW Restaurant – with a menu focused on Hawai‘i Regional Cuisine. Both have traveled around the world, and draw inspiration from their journeys, but none bigger than the melting pot of Hawai‘i and its exotic local bounty. Since 2014, she has been a three-time James Beard Award semi-finalist for “Outstanding Pastry Chef.”

James Beard award-winning and Michelin starred chef Michael Mina partnered with Karr-Ueoka on his second Hawai‘i restaurant concept, The Street, A Michael Mina Social House. Karr-Ueoka curates the menu for Aloha Ice, one of the 12 food stalls found in The Street, where she puts her local spin on all treats – from shave ice to beignet donuts. Made with an emphasis on local foods and flavors, Karr-Ueoka creates a rotating shave ice menu with seasonal fruits frozen into ice blocks then shaved to perfection.