Wino with Dado: McKenna Maduli and her one-man band dad Kata create the perfect pairing with Chuck Furuya

Talk Story Host McKenna Maduli and her one-man band dad Kata welcome Master Sommelier Chuck Furuya into the Talk Story Hale for some wine pairing tips and to Talk Story. McKenna learns what it takes to become a Master Sommelier, Chuck being one of only 269 in the world! His passion for wine and food inspired him to create the podcast “Chuck Furuya Uncorked”. McKenna and Kata learn some tips about pairing wine with poke and what to look for when choosing a wine to bring to da pāʻina.

ABOUT: in 1988 Chuck Furuya became only the tenth person in the United States to pass the rigorous Master Sommelier examination. It was his passion to fully at excel at wine service and education that led him on the path to certification as a Master Sommelier. Furuya first began working in restaurants while attending college as a way to earn extra income.  Chuck ended up managing some of Hawaii’s most highly regarded establishments including Bagwell’s 2424 in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, La Mer at the Halekulani, and serving as Cellarmaster at the former Kahala Hilton.

Sharing a mutual passion for wine and food and a desire to create exceptional, quality dining at reasonable prices, Restaurateur D.K. Kodama and Chuck Furuya began collaborating in 2003.  Today, they have 8 restaurants together.

A noted expert on pairing wines with Pacific Rim cuisine, Furuya created the pairings and wrote the wine introduction for the First Hawaii Regional Cuisine Cookbook, the New Cuisine of Hawaii.

Educating people about wine and discovering new talent, however, is what brings him the most satisfaction. “I love finding new wines, especially great values. I love pairing wines with foods. But most of all I love teaching.”

Check out “Chuck Furuya Uncorked” on podcasts, YouTube, and Instagram.

For More Information: @chuckfuruyauncorked

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