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Chef Mark Oyama, President
Chef Mark Oyama is the founder and President of award-winning Contemporary Flavors Catering, the largest and finest full-service licensed catering company on the island of Kauai that is lauded by island residents and Hollywood celebrities alike. With more than 20 years of international culinary experience, Oyama specializes in Pacific Rim and continental fine dining cuisine and is skilled in the art of sauce and candy making. Oyama also owns and operates Mark’s Place, a take-out eatery that serves local bento and plate lunches created with a gourmet twist. Moreover, he is an assistant professor at the esteemed Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kauai Community College. Oyama has garnered numerous accolades, such as the 2000 Small Business Administration’s Small Business Persons of the Year Award for the island of Kauai and the prestigious Pacific Business News Forty under 40 Award.
Prior to founding Contemporary Flavors Catering, Oyama was formally trained by seasoned culinary masters Alan Wong, Daniel Delbrel, Christian Bertrand, Ernest Hiltbrand, and Bob Chinen, and served as a chef at Black Orchid in Honolulu, the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Big Island, and Restaurant Bertrand, which is located in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was also the owner and Executive Chef of Island Flavors Whales Resort on Prince of Whales Island in Alaska, and holds an Associate of Science Degree in Culinary Arts from Kapiolani Community College.
Oyama has professional affiliations with the American Culinary Federation, National Association of Catering Executives, National Education Association, Kauai Chamber of Commerce, and the Lihue Business Association. |
Chef Kevin Nakata, Executive Chef
Noted for his skill in cross-current Asian cuisine, Contemporary Flavors Catering Executive Chef Kevin T. Nakata boasts an extensive culinary repertoire deriving from classical French cuisine, and encompassing genres of Pacific Rim, Mediterranean, and Japanese. He has served as Executive Chef at Nick's Fishmarket at Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui, as well as at Honolulu establishments including Tokyo Tokyo Japanese Restaurant and The Blue Tropic Restaurant and Night Club.
Before joining Contemporary Flavors Catering, Nakata received world-class training from acclaimed chefs George Gomes, Jr., Jean Marie Josselin, and Danny Morioka. He has served as Executive Chef at Nick’s Fishmarket and Fairmont Kea Lani, both located on Maui, as well as at the Honolulu establishments including, Tokyo Tokyo Japanese Restaurant and The Blue Tropix Restaurant and Night Club. Furthermore, Nakata was Sous Chef at Aaron’s Atop the Ala Moana and Executive Sous Chef of A Pacific Café.
While obtaining his Culinary Arts degree from Kapiolani Community College, Nakata garnered valuable experience in the catering business as an employee of family owned and operated Nishi Catering on O`ahu.
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