“I think food is the great equalizer,” says Chef Mark Noguchi, aka "Chef Gooch". Though first connecting with his Hawaiian culture during his time spent practicing hula, Chef Gooch—born and raised in Mānoa Valley, O‘ahu—switched gears from the art of dance to the art of cuisine, and has since become a nationally-recognized chef. Graduating from the Culinary Institute of the Pacific and the Culinary Institute of America, Mark made a name for himself at Chef Mavro restaurant and his very own He‘eia Kea Pier Deli & General Store before forming his culturally-aware catering company, Pili Group. His latest passion project, Chef Hui, was born out of the need to feed families during the COVID-19 pandemic. He and his amazing wife Amanda mobilized their chef and local farm network to deliver thousands of meals to those in need. With a smile and heart as big as anyone we know, we count ourselves lucky to hang with the Gooch and the entire Noguchi ‘ohana whenever possible.
