"My passion is to serve great meals. The best way to do that is through the showcasing of Hawaii's farms and ranches and the food they produce. 'Fresh' and 'local' are the two words which guide every decision we make at Merriman's." --Peter Merriman

Chef and restaurateur Peter Merriman is a culinary pioneer, a man of vision who is ever-advancing Hawaii's thriving culinary scene.

After arriving on Hawaii Island in 1983 to work as a cook at the new, world-class Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, Merriman soon became executive chef of the resort's Gallery Restaurant.

It was at the Mauna Lani where Peter began to develop his vision as the pioneer of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. He climbed coconut trees to get just the right coconuts for his spicy fish sauce. He talked a laundry truck driver into bringing him the rare but supersweet number 10 corn from the other end of the island each day. He started serving innovative dishes like Ono with Mango Sauce and Poached Opakapaka with Snow Pea Puree and Ginger Lime Sauce, always focusing on local products. His reputation flourished.

In 1988, Peter and Vicki, his wife, opened their signature upcountry restaurant, Merriman's, in Waimea. "A gourmet in cowboy country," headlined Hana Hou, the Hawaiian Airlines magazine.

At his restaurant, Peter deepened his relationships with local farmers and ranchers, encouraging them to try new varieties of fruits, vegetables and range-raised meats, which he, in turn, could buy to serve at the restaurant. Waimea quickly became the culinary crossroads for Hawaii Regional Cuisine.

To Peter, his flagship restaurant offers a genuine Hawaii Regional dining experience.

"Our interpretation allows the natural flavors of the food to come through. Combining too many flavors disguises the food and you confuse the palette," Peter says. "We showcase the farmer's product, not a complicated preparation, so our guests can appreciate the authentic flavors of the organic Hirabara Greens and Lokelani Farms vine-ripened tomatoes."

Merriman's uses 90% local product in its dishes, a standard unsurpassed within the Hawaii culinary world, and many of his growers farm organically.

In addition to Merriman's Waimea, Peter teamed with TS Restaurants to open Hula Grill Maui in 1992. Peter continues to serve as operating partner of the Hula Grill Maui. In November 2003, he opened Merriman's Market Cafe, a casual cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, at Waikoloa Beach Resort King's Shops on Hawaii's Big Island. Here he serves a diverse Mediterranean menu, from fresh hummus with warm pitas to the Moroccan tagine-roasted fresh island catch.