Excitement awaits as the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai welcomes a new wave of dining at the luxury resort. The first component of their revamped culinary program is the debut of the fully updated aesthetic and menu at ‘ULU restaurant. First opened in 2012, ‘ULU offered a social dining experience highlighting an innovative ocean-to-table menu and playful tableside presentation. While some mainstays of the original menu are returning in this reimagined vision, many new dishes will also emphasize Big Island ingredients, with 75% of all kitchen ingredients sourced from the island across 160 farms. 

Leading ‘ULU’s kitchen is Executive Chef Richard Polhemus, a celebrated chef with decades of culinary experience who spent countless hours at local farms cultivating relationships. Through his work, the restaurant sources the freshest and most sustainable ingredients while offering diners an experience to taste flavors that reflect the island. “My team and I have strengthened our commitment to sourcing ingredients from local farmers and purveyors, allowing us to create a truly hyper-local experience that reflects the spirit and flavors of the community in each dish,” says Polhemus. 

Open for breakfast and dinner, the menu at ‘ULU celebrates a variety of preparations such as oven roasting, flame grilling, and wok firing while integrating Hawaiian flavors and pan-Asian techniques. One standout menu item on their dinner menu is the Hualālai Oysters grown in Pūnāwai Pond, located on the resort’s property. Raised in waters that swell from a pristine subterranean seawater aquifer, the oysters are served with house-made hot sauce and a yuzu koshō vinegar  (Japanese seasoning blend of chili peppers, yuzu citron peel, and salt). Another outstanding starter on their menu is the Abalone “Rockefeller,” which features tender pieces of abalone topped with a blend of pancetta, lū‘au leaf (young leaves of the taro plant), spinach and Kuleana rum. One must-try entrée option is their ‘Ahi Tuna “Wellington.” The classic twist on Beef Wellington starts with a filet of ‘ahi (yellowfin tuna) surrounded by a mixture of Ali‘i mushrooms and foie gras kabayako. After being wrapped in puff pastry dough, the dish is baked until the exterior crust is flaky and the ‘ahi is cooked to leave the center rare. 

‘ULU will also offer premium reserve caviar selections, including Domestic Royal, Kaluga Hybrid, and Ossetra, and an interactive tableside poke experience. To complement the dishes that Chef Polhemus and his team create in the kitchen, the wine program at ‘ULU offers an extensive wine list curated by resort sommeliers, reflecting their world travels and tastings from renowned wine regions. 

In addition to the new menu elements, the restaurant received a makeover while maintaining the natural, calming aesthetic for which the restaurant was known. Modern fixtures and furnishings bring new life to the space, as well as the addition of increased lounge seating, which helps to evolve the beloved oceanfront dining experience. Still central to the restaurant’s ambiance are the breathtaking, panoramic views of the ocean, which serve as an unbeatable vantage point from which to view the sunset. Chef Polhemus reflects that “the design enhancements were created with the guest experience in mind, from the moment they step through the doors to the first bite of our reimagined menu.”

The second component of the refreshing changes to the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai culinary program is the introduction of their newest restaurant, Noio. Named in honor of a seabird endemic to Hawai‘i, which guides seafaring navigators to find land, Noio borrows from the exhilarating journey of discovery as guests embark on unforgettable, sea-driven experiences once they enter the restaurant’s doors.

Located one floor above ‘ULU, Noio offers guests access to world-class sushi and a signature omakase dining experience. Noio’s kitchens are under the helm of Sushi Chef Nuri Piccio, who apprenticed in Kyoto to learn the art of kaiseki dining. Piccio brings his innovative approach to sushi to Noio's menu, showcasing freshly caught fish and seafood. In addition to the melt-in-your-mouth sushi and authentic Japanese dishes, the crowning jewel of Noio is its seven-course omakase set menu, crafted by Chef Piccio. 

The meal begins with a traditional Japanese appetizer, Dobin mushi, that includes a mélange of snapper fins flavored with yuzu (Japanese citron), followed by an Otsumami course featuring a selection of Japanese snacks. Guests can also look forward to Chef Piccio’s savory chawanmushi (steamed savory egg custard) and bi-weekly selection of rare game sourced from Waimea Butcher Shop. The meal closes with a traditional tea service served alongside wagashi (Japanese confections) created by the resort’s Executive Pastry Chef, Kalani Garcia.

Guests are welcome to visit the reinvented ‘ULU and the newest addition, Noio, to experience the award-winning culinary program at the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai and appreciate the world-class culinary adventures each offers. 

‘ULU; 72-100 Kaupulehu Drive, Kailua-Kona; (808) 325-8000; fourseasons.com/hualalai/dining; open daily for breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Noio; 72-100 Kaupulehu Drive, Kailua-Kona; (808) 325-8000; fourseasons.com/hualalai/dining; open Wednesday through Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.