Boxed wine is a good option for restaurant by-the-glass programs. In Hawaii, chef Peter Merriman is using high-end boxed wines at his four Merriman’s Hawaii restaurants and six outlets of his Handcrafted Restaurants group. He estimates that switching to boxed wines will reduce the carbon footprint of his restaurants by as much as 50 percent or more, just by saving on transport and recycling of glass. He partnered with Matthiasson Winery in Napa, Melville in Santa Barbara and Linne Calodo in Paso Robles for the program.

Aired on March 31, 2024 at 6:46 PM on KGO-TV (San Francisco, CA)

TV coverage highlighting Chef Peter’s background and influence on Hawaii Regional Cuisine with his commitment to local farmers. The segment also mentions Merriman’s Kapalua’s efforts to help the community during the Maui fires and the employee-led meal effort.

Merriman’s Waimea, Hawaii’s first carbon neutral restaurant, is thinking out-of-the-box when it comes to sustainability. Led by chef owner Peter Merriman, the restaurant has engaged in green practices since its inception, and is now introducing even more sustainability processes to continue their mission. The goal is to expand these initiatives to the group’s other locations in Kauai, Maui and Oahu.

Merriman’s Waimea was recently featured in a TV segment for TBS Japan as part of the "Malama Hawaii" program, interviewing Ben Brinton, Merriman’s Waimea's GM, highlighting the companies commitment to Hawaii Regional Cuisine.

For years, Peter Merriman has been concerned about viruses like the flu spreading through the air of his restaurants.

So even before the pandemic, Merriman’s restaurant in Kakaako has pumped in enough outdoor air to turn it over 24 times per hour – more air exchanges than the standard hospital operating room.

More recently, he invested in carbon dioxide monitors and ultraviolet disinfection lights for the Oahu restaurant’s HVAC system, plus HEPA filters and carbon dioxide monitors at his Waimea location on Hawaii Island. His other two restaurants on Kauai and Maui are both open-air.

Cheers Magazine article featuring Merriman’s Honolulu along with our Sommelier, Jim Lunchick, with highlights of a few favorite dishes and beverages. The story touches upon everything – from Peter and the start of Merriman’s, our beverage program and our team’s COVID strategies.

2020 has not been easy for the wine world. To list off a few hurdles: a globe of bars shut down. A global pandemic. Climate change. California and Oregon facing the most destructive wildfire season in history.

In this ongoing series, we’re speaking with major players in the fine wine world to understand how the year is affecting the luxury wine industry.

We are moving into the second week of the shutdown on Oahu. For those in the food service industry, it has been a long six months grappling with the uncertainty around this health and economic crisis. Planning has been pretty hard to do - most people hoped for a short turnaround but recovery is moving ever so slowly. So many businesses have shut down and many more are hanging by a thread and the supply chain has a taken a hit.

Our show today discusses the challenges facing the food service industry caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Our guests:

• Peter Merriman, owner and chef of Merriman's Hawaii, a collection of restaurants across the state;
• Tambara Garrick, incoming chair of the board of the Hawaii Restaurant Association, and vice president of the Maui Pineapple Store; and
• Unyong Nakata, marketing manager, Y. Hata & Co., a 107-year-old Hawaii-based food industry wholesaler.

Merriman’s Fish House offers savory Hawaiian flavors to the lucky guests who make it out to the garden isle of Kauai. Although you probably won’t be traveling there anytime in the immediate future, you can still capture the island vibe with these tangy pork and sweet onion quesadillas.

Published Aug. 11, 2020
A list of things you can do during this partial island shutdown from Hawaii Magazine.

A visionary and veteran restaurateur, chef Peter Merriman is integral to the shift in agriculture and food practices on our islands.

Peter Merriman on current poke trends

The Food Network says... Merriman's Kapalua has the Best Dining View on Maui

According to Marriott Traveler, if you're a locavore... choose Merriman's!

From Pacific Business News | Photo by Eric Vitale Photography

From Wine & Spirits Magazine

Calgary Herald piece on the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement, its origins and evolution, and the restaurants on Maui that feature it, including Merriman's

Merriman's Honolulu made the cut on Thrillist!

Catherine Toth's Honolulu Magazine feature on Merriman’s Honolulu

Hawaii News Now segment featuring Peter & Merriman’s Honolulu