With over 15 years of experience with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Executive Chef Richard Polhemus brings his passion for cooking and enthusiasm for local ingredients to their Four Seasons Resort Hualālai property. Overseeing a dynamic food and beverage program, he coordinates and guides the Resort’s five dining outlets, in-room dining, catering, as well as the Resort’s residential clubhouses. Born in Barrington and raised in Lake Zurich, a suburb of Chicago, Chef Richard knew from a young age that a career in the culinary industry would be his dream and today, he shares his dream with all who dine with him.

What are some of your fondest food-related childhood memories?
I remember spending the summers catching blue crabs with my family in New Jersey. We would all get into this small boat and use bait fish to lure the crabs. After a day of crabbing, we would all go back to the house, boil the crab, and sit together cracking crabs open and eating them.

How did you decide you wanted to become a chef?

You know, I think I always knew I wanted to be a chef. In elementary school, we had this assignment where we had to write letters to our future selves and the school would mail the letters to us in 5 – 10 years. I remember getting my letter while I was in high school and as an elementary student, I aspired to be a chef in an Italian restaurant.

What were some of your first jobs in the industry?

I started out young. I remember being 14 years old and approaching a German restaurant in Lake Zurich, where I grew up. I knocked on their back door on a Saturday night asking if they had a job for me—they were in the middle of dinner service – and they told me to come back tomorrow, and we would talk. I ended up working there as a busser and then did pretty much all the back-of-house jobs. I even got to cook in the kitchen as the years went on.

I worked there through high school and would drive home from college to work there on Saturday nights. In college, I worked towards a two-year culinary degree and got an internship halfway through the program at the Four Seasons, Chicago. After the internship, they offered me a full-time position, so I worked full-time while finishing my culinary degree.

How would you describe your philosophy towards food?

I think working with food starts with a passion and a love for being in the kitchen. I also share a philosophy of having respect for the food itself. I think there needs to be a freedom and creativity when working with food and it is not something you can just program into someone. I also think food should represent a sense of place—for instance, even if you are eating Italian food in Hawai‘i, you should still get a sense that you are eating in Hawai‘i.

How do you gain inspiration when creating a new dish?

I think it often starts with the main ingredient. You will look for the best ingredients you can get, local if possible, and a seasonal ingredient is great. I try to create dishes that make the main ingredients shine and build flavors to complement that ingredient.

What drew you to the Hualālai property?

This property is legendary and captures the beauty of Hawai‘i. Here, we offer experiences here you will not find anywhere else—we have a Chef’s Table at ‘ULU Ocean Grill + Sushi Lounge, a multi-course Omakase experience at ‘ULU. You can even visit an experienced knife forger and return to the restaurant where we will host a knife skills class for you. I also love the gardens we have on property that allows us to use some of the freshest produce and we also grow our own shrimp and oysters.

What are some of your favorite local ingredients to work with?

I love the locally made goat cheese! We have a relationship with a local creamery called Hawai‘i Island Goat Dairy and they have some cheeses that I have never tried before I met them. The local lamb from Kahua Ranch is excellent and the local fruits are amazing. From mango to rambutan to dragon fruit—and a ton that I am not naming right now!

What is your signature dish?

I would say it is the Agnolotti pasta that we served at Beach Tree. I stuff this pasta with aged goat cheese, and it is served alongside lamb from Kahua Ranch that we braise for hours. There’s also vegetables and aromatics and topped with a bit of fresh parmesan cheese from Hawai‘i Goat Dairy called their Hawai‘i Gold—a hard, natural rind cheese made in the style of parmesan that they hand rub with extra virgin olive oil for 2–6 months.

If you could plan an entire day of eating at your Hualālai property, what would your dream menu be?

I would start my day at ‘ULU and if I were not eating their full buffet, I would opt for The Green Flash smoothie that blends pineapple, spinach, fresh mint, and chia seeds with non-fat vanilla yogurt. I would also order an avocado toast, a Mac Nut cinnamon roll, and a cup of French press Kona coffee. For lunch, I would dine pool side on a poke bowl and choose our classic—chunks of ‘ahi (yellowfin tuna) tossed with shoyu, sliced onions, ogo, kukui nut, and topped with a spicy aioli. Before dinner, I would grab a Mai Tai at one of our swim-up bars and dinner would be a toss-up between ‘ULU and Beach Tree. At ‘ULU, I would choose from their selection of amazing fresh fish or sushi and finish my meal with their souffle which is simple, classic, but out of this world. At Beach Tree, I would opt for a sharing menu with Grilled Octopus, Ricotta Cavatelli that is topped with black truffles, wild mushrooms, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, their Braised Veal & Beef Meatballs, and the Milk Fed Veal Milanese.

What are some things you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love hiking and exploring in nature. On O‘ahu, we did a lot of hiking, and I liked the trails with cliffs or ridges. My wife and I also love to cook at home and learn about wines. When I am cooking at home, I love to make fresh pasta and cook German dishes.

If you could dine with anyone, who would you invite to share a meal with you?

I would love to dine with Marco Pierre White. It might sound cliché as a chef idol, but I remember working a Chicago book signing lunch where we served his pig’s trotter dish. He sat with the kitchen staff for an hour answering questions and it was just fascinating. I just wish I had more time with him.

What is your favorite late-night snack?

I usually cook up some scrambled eggs and top that with aged cheddar. Another thing I like is aged cheddar with dill pickles—it is a great combination!

‘ULU Ocean Grill + Sushi Lounge and Beach Tree restaurants are located within the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai. For reservations, call (808) 325-8000. For more information, visit fourseasons.com/hualalai/.