Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection — Partnership
Partner: Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaiʻi Format: Seasonal popup — Blue Ribbon Sushi beachfront omakase Venue: Surf Shack at Mauna Lani Season: Holiday (December through New Year’s) Reservations: OpenTable; resort guests only
What It Is
A seasonal hospitality partnership in which Blue Ribbon Sushi operates a beachfront omakase experience at Mauna Lani’s Surf Shack venue on the Kohala Coast. Fish sourced daily from Japan and beyond; full sake, wine, and cocktail pairing program. Nightly dinner service, 5–9pm during the active season.
The experience is positioned as a destination event for resort guests — beachfront omakase as a signature holiday activity alongside CanoeHouse dinners and New Year’s Eve programming.
“Pristine fish. Time-honored technique. Unwavering attention to detail. That’s what defines the Blue Ribbon Sushi experience.” — Mauna Lani / Auberge marketing
History
2023 — Mauna Lani Culinary Classic (inaugural) Bruce and Eric Bromberg participated as featured chefs in the first-ever Mauna Lani Culinary Classic — six gourmet events in intimate settings across the resort, inspired by the legacy of CanoeHouse, where the Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine movement was founded over 30 years ago.
Ongoing — Seasonal Holiday Popup Blue Ribbon Sushi returns annually for the holiday season, operating the Surf Shack omakase program as part of Mauna Lani’s holiday and New Year’s experience package.
Strategic Notes
- No permanent overhead — Blue Ribbon gains access to Hawaiʻi’s luxury travel market without a fixed location or year-round staffing commitment
- Brand alignment — Mauna Lani is borrowing Blue Ribbon’s 30+ years of culinary reputation to differentiate its holiday programming; Blue Ribbon gains association with one of the Big Island’s premier Auberge properties
- Toshi Ueki legacy — Auberge marketing explicitly credits the original Bromberg/Ueki collaboration as the foundation of the Blue Ribbon Sushi identity brought to Hawaii
- Pattern of resort partnerships — alongside Caruso (The Grove, Palisades Village) and Brooklyn Bowl (entertainment venues), this continues a model of Blue Ribbon extending into curated, high-touch partner venues rather than standalone buildouts
Notes
Stub: Specific season dates, annual recurrence confirmation, and any ADS work tied to this partnership to be added.