Episode 82 - Chef & Writer Kiki Arinata of Poi Dog
Often the words resilience, hard work, and creativity are used to describe the key skill sets required to be successful in this industry. But, there's one more really important skill set that can be easily overlooked, and that would be resourcefulness. Resourcefulness is defined as "Having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties". In fact, arguably the most resourceful person in the history of our planet is someone whose name has become an adjective when you need a quick fix just to get you through a challenging moment. Do you know what that word would be? How about MacGyver-ing it?
How many times have you had to use this skill when it comes to fixing a problem in your kitchen? As chefs, putting out fires is our specialty, and if it weren’t for this extremely important skill set, we would be overcome with stress and anxiety over challenges that can be overcome with a little bit of cleverness and resourcefulness.
In today’s episode with Chef Kiki Aranita, we discuss this at length, as well as a bunch of other great attributes when it comes to being successful in this industry. Or, like Kiki, finding ways to succeed personally, financially, and even emotionally when your dream restaurant is forced to close during Covid.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Growing up between Hawaii and Hong Kong
- A brief history of the difficult history of Hong Kong
- Hawaiian is an ethnicity
- How Poi shaped Hawaii as we know it today
- How Rice replaced Poi as the staple starch in Hawaii
- What exactly a Poi Dog is
- How chefs from ”ethnic” backgrounds are cooking with their heritage as the focus
- How SPAM became one of Hawaii’s most beloved proteins
- The importance of knowing how your food got to your table
- The adventures of Kiki learning how to drive
- Why you need to respect pineapple when you eat it
- Kiki’s pet river crabs Tomato, Tomato (in British pronunciation) and Basil
- Kiki’s experience having a very popular food truck
- How Filipinos embraced her Hawaiian cooking in Philadelphia
- How cooking is considered work for the lower class in Hong Kong
- Having to keep her profession under wraps to not disappoint her family
- The challenges with educating customers about her food
- Eli’s mind gets blown after learning about butter mochi
- How Kiki became so resourceful
- Why is interviewing people so difficult?
- Kiki’s hesitancy to put the “Chef” label on herself
- Kiki’s advocacy for chefs when it comes to charity events and asks
- Kiki’s diversification of her skill set
- Her line of Hawaiian sauces that she now sells nationwide
- Chili Peppah Water and Guava Katsu sauces
- Working with distributors to sell her condiments
- Huli Huli Chicken
Get connected with Kiki here
Listen to more episodes of The Chef Radio Podcast, and be sure to check out our other podcast Delicious City Philly!
Connect with Eli on Instagram:
A huge shout out to our sponsors Maxwell McKenney and Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, so we are able to bring these amazing conversations to you. Check out their websites for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make it more efficient and successful.