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Cameron Lewark
of Spago at the Four Seasons Resort Wailea

Spago-Cameron-Lewark.jpgMaster chef Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant Spago is world renowned for its imaginative cuisine, impeccable service and sophistication. When its Wailea location opened in 2001, Maui diners rejoiced in its stunning ocean views and seductive ambience, with a menu fusing the freshest of California and Hawaiian flavors and local organic products.

The current creator of this innovative menu is Cameron Lewark, a talented chef who spent 12 years at Spago Beverly Hills, under the tutelage of chef Lee Hefter, before opening Wailea Spago as sous chef. He was then promoted to chef de cuisine just last year.

ahi-kampachi.jpgLewark got his start at a young age. Growing up with a hardworking single mom in Southern California meant that he sometimes needed to prepare meals for himself and his older brother, and he quickly learned to get creative with the limited ingredients in the cupboard. He also had the support early on from his grandmother, an excellent cook who, along with his mother, encouraged him to continue cooking. He began volunteering in a hospital kitchen for experience, but soon after me with chef Hefter and inevitably his career with Spago began.

Now as head of his own kitchen, Lewark prefers to garner a close relationship with local farmers and fi sherman on Maui. He takes pride in knowing where each item comes from, which in turn inspires his constantly evolving menu according to seasonal availability. This freshness is evident in salads like the Olowalu Nui Farm’s vine ripened tomatoes with shaved Kula onions, or the Mauna Kea goat cheese with roasted baby beets.

But while Chef Lewark integrates his own passionate creativity and appreciation of local produce, he never forgets the signature international Spago style. His menu is just as likely to include an Indian spiced Papio with sweet pumpkin, Bengali tomato chutney, curried Kabocha squash, saffron rice and cucumber yogurt, as it would a caramelized pork chop with Maui pineapple and papaya, served with baby bok choy, Big Island vanilla, anise, cinnamon, Thai basil and Molokai yams.

With Chef Lewark at the helm, whether he’s in the kitchen or on the farm, Spago’s is ensured to continue their reputation for some of the world’s finest cuisine and freshest local flavors.
 
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