About Lotus Catering, Maui
A FEAST FOR THE SENSES
The lotus springs forth from the earth with the most elegant and fragrant bloom, which symbolizes harmony, prosperity, beauty, and fertility. As we prepare your feast from the finest local and imported ingredients, a transformation happens from the raw state to the divine feast – analogous to the beautiful, refined lotus blossoming from the organic Earth.
OUR STORY
At Lotus Catering, Maui, we are food fanatics!
Planning and creating events is our passion. Every person and event is unique, and we design your menu with you to ensure a culinary rhythm and experience that will certainly leave an impression.
FOOD PHILOSOPHY
We use only the highest quality, freshest ingredients and foods.
Some say, “Hawaii is in the middle of nowhere”. I say, “it’s in the middle of everywhere!”. We offer wonderful produce, seafood and meats, local coffees, and a wide array of delicious fare to satisfy the foodie at heart. We use locally sourced foods wherever possible, and can have imported ingredients in our kitchen within 72 hours.
PRINCIPLES
Our Founder
A BIT ABOUT CAROL LONGHI
I was raised by the ultimate gastronome, the original foodie; my father. Life with him revolved around food – selecting food, cooking, serving, discussing food, and, of course, eating! He taught me to cook from childhood, and food quickly became my passion, as well. My fondest memories are of planning and staging dinner parties; and if we weren’t cooking, we were sampling all manner of eateries in search of the ultimate gourmand experience.
My father eventually opened his own restaurant, trading the bustling culinary mecca that is New York for the serene tranquility of Hawaii. His whim was an astounding success, and lead to two more restaurant openings. I ran the kitchens for many years, which included a crew of over 100, spread out over the three locations.
During this time, I enrolled and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, and subsequently branched out on my own with catering in Maui and Oahu. Eventually, I moved back to New York seeking adventure and experience. Immersed in the food culture of NYC and Hudson Valley, I opened four restaurants, consulted on a number of restaurant projects, and ran a thriving New York catering company. Here, I worked closely with local farmers of the Hudson Valley – renowned for their cheeses, wines, meats, and produce – always sourcing locally, wherever possible.
Catering luxuriant parties in the Hudson Valley, NYC, and the Hamptons was fun and exciting, but nothing beats Hawaii. So, I followed in my father’s footsteps, and made the move back home to Maui. Now, after 7 years, I am back on my home turf, bringing my adoration of food and expertise in event planning to this wonderful island and its guests.
