Eric Garrett at the Beach House
Many members at Hualalai consider the Beach House the heart and soul of Hualalai. It was the first “members’ only” venue. (Did you know there was a spa under the upper deck?) Because it is on the Beach and is ultra informal, we all gravitate there for our Monday night mooches, our lunches by the sea and our full moon, campfire dinners. We pick up our pizzas and we watch the sunsets to see if we spot another green flash. We all know the front of house staff at the Beach House. They always greet us warmly, by name and with hugs. It’s like coming home. Whether we are seated at the bar or dining under the stars the Beach House always reverberates with aloha and good spirits. But who is the man behind the curtain? Who’s the person who always serves up those delicious fries, onion rings, bowls of gazpacho, spiced mussels, tender fish fillets, juicy steaks and sumptuous deserts? Why it’s Chef Eric Garrett!
Eric was raised on the Monterey Peninsula and has resided on the Big Island for the past 8 years. His interest in the culinary arts began in high school and after graduating from college he went directly back to his true love—cooking. He worked for 5 years at Little City in North Beach, San Francisco. He developed a love for Italian cuisine and soon it spread to all things Mediterranean. When a group of fellow chefs from the Bay area moved to the Big Island he followed soon after. What better place to work and play, especially when you are a surfer, snorkeler, golfer etc. Eric joined his cohorts and quickly got a job at Hualalai.
Eric lives in Kona with his girlfriend. His parents remain in Monterey and a sister lives in SF. His brother, however, is now living a long way away, Germany.
Eric thrives at the Beach House. Though he would love to have a little bigger kitchen, especially during the Mitsubishi Electric Open and he’s serving over 300 meals a day, on the whole he can’t think of a better place to work. He loves it when it is very busy and the restaurant is humming. He loves the challenge of prioritizing his duties, balancing all the elements to make the Beach House click along in its relaxed atmosphere. He enjoys working with the staff. He never wants to go on cruise control; that’s when quality suffers. His favorite part of his job is preparing the food and experimenting with new dishes, rather than handling scheduling,etc.
He also loves chatting with the members. So, if he isn’t swamped, ask to say hi to Eric. He would love to meet you, spend time with you. And he wants you to know he is always open to feedback, both good and bad.
What cuisine would he love to experiment with? Well, his heart is with Mexican and Mediterranean food, but he would like to explore Moroccan and Spanish dishes; food with exotic spices and out-of-the-ordinary gastronomy.
Another thing Eric enjoys is cooking something special for members. Some bring him the fish they caught that day, others bring in crab or lobster from OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) and Eric cooks it up for them and their guests. He’s happy to do that when it’s not terribly busy. Always ask well in advance to see if he could accommodate you. If he can, you’re in for a real treat. If you need to contact him you can call him at the Beach House or email him at egarret@hualalairesort.com.
Where does Eric go when he wants to dine out? Right now he’s enjoying Balle, a Vietnamese restaurant in Kona, a new restaurant in Kona, Saketumi and the Original Thai Cuisine next to the Firestone store.
Thanks Eric for feeding us so well and making sure the heart of our resort is always like coming home to family.
Eric with fellow cooks Trina Simpliciano and Cy Hashimoto
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