Best In
Paniolo Cook-Off Contest
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 5pm-9pm
Waimea's Historic Pukalani Stables
67-139 Pukalani Rd, Waimea, HI 96743
Register here to be a Paniolo Cook- Off Contestant
~ Enter one of these categories ~
🐄 Best in Beef Stew 🐄
🐄 Best in Chili 🐄
🐄 Best in Pipikaula 🐄
🐄 Best in Ake 🐄
🐖 Best in Smoke Meat 🐖
🐖 Best in Sausage 🐖
🐄 Best in Paniolo Delicacies 🐄
~ Important note for contestants ~
Attention Cook-Off Contestants!
Mahalo to everyone who participated in last year's Paniolo Cook-Off! We found that most contestants preferred to bring their own cuts of meat to prepare their signature recipes. Because of that, this year ground beef for the Chili category and Ake (liver) for the Ake category will only be provided by request.
If you are competing in the Chili or Ake category and would like us to provide the meat, please let us know in advance so we can arrange a convenient pick-up date.
All other categories (Stew, Pipi Kaula, Smoke Meat, Sausage, and other Paniolo Delicacies) will require contestants to provide their own meat and ingredients.
To ensure all attendees have the opportunity to sample the entries, we ask each contestant to prepare approximately 10 pounds of their completed dish.
Mahalo for helping us make this year's Paniolo Cook-Off another delicious celebration of Hawaiʻi's paniolo heritage! We look forward to tasting your best recipes.
Want to attend the event and try every entry?
Vote for your favorite table! Buy a ticket here!
BUY A TICKET $20 - Presale
Every person must have a 2026 AFIOH medallion to enter all events, this includes all contestants and kokua
(contestants get a complimentary medallion with your entry)
MEDALLION $10
