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Retail: Cucina Bella

Retail Concept: Cucina Bella is Italian for “Beautiful Kitchen” and is Maui’s first, exclusive gourmet kitchenware store. Cucina Bella is a “Destination Store” offering mid to high-end products to a more discriminating buyer.The store is a melding of retail and live interaction. Demonstrations during store hours featuring how-to lessons such as knife skills, bundt cake baking, or barista training, keeps the store experience educational, fresh, and fun!Cucina Bella is also a kitchenware store that transforms into a live cooking theater. Leveraging the popularity of Food Network cooking shows like “Emeril Live” we created a live celebrity cooking show in our own Viking kitchen theater.

Design Concept: making the most of the available floor space the POS register area is seamlessly merged with the demonstration kitchen area. The center of the store is a designated flex space that converts after regular store hours into a 30 seat “kitchen theater” The back drop is designed to feel just like a home kitchen featuring Viking appliances that are used on a daily basis. Cooking “how-to” videos play during store hours on a large LCD video monitor in the center of the store.

Culinary Program: Bringing the very best chefs from around the world our celebrity chef program gives our guests an exciting evening of fine food and entertainment. Seating is in a theater format facing the Viking Kitchen stage where guests are served portions of all courses prepared. Student volunteers from Maui Culinary Academy assist in all prep and serving under the direction of our celebrity chefs. All shows are recorded in HDTV for playback during store hours.

	Film & Video Production: The unique design of the flex space offers a studio like environment for visiting film crews.CBS TV pilot starring world-famous chef and author Sam Choy in production at Cucina Bella.		Special events and private parties are also held in the store for a one-of-a-kind Maui experience.Roast Lamb “Pepperonata” is plated for a Chaine des Rotisseurs dinner hosted at Cucina Bella.

	Cucina Bella is also about mentoring and giving back to the community. Student volunteers from the Maui Culinary Academy have a rare opportunity to work with some of the best chefs in the world. These hands-on, real world learning experiences are an invaluable complement to their developing skill sets.		Chef de Cuisine Jojo Vasquez of Ritz-Carlton’s Banyon Tree Restaurant with Pastry Chef Ashlie Koehler and Maui Culinary Academy student volunteers.
	Maui Culinary Academy instructor showing students how to finish the dessert course.		Mark Hickson receives Chaine des Rotisseurs Coat of Arms plate from the Maui Bailliage at the end of a wonderful evening.