Chef & Writer Kiki Aranita 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!
