"Cuisines of the Stars: A Magical Journey of Food & Culture" at Ko Olina Resort

KO OLINA, OAHU, HI--(Marketwire - Aug 29, 2012) - JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina Executive Chef Scott Higa, who's prepared meals for heads of state, including President Barack Obama as well as numerous professional athletes and celebrities, is preparing for the final night dinner of the "Cuisines of the Stars: A Magical Journey of Food & Culture" at Ko Olina Resort on Sunday, September 9 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

"I'm looking forward to joining an esteemed group of culinary professionals as we will all prepare ethnic dishes utilizing Hawaii produce and products in order to showcase a menu that's representative of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds," said Higa.

Admission and tasting packages are available for purchase before September 8^th. Ticket prices are $200 for general admission. For VIP Early Entry and Reserved Seating at 5:00 p.m., tickets are $500 each. Prices are per person and excludes handling fee. There will be tickets available for purchase at the event, but only based on availability. Guests at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort on Oahu are able to stop by the concierge desk to inquire about ticket sales. 

In addition to Executive Chef Scott Higa of JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, there will be other world-renowned chefs at the finale dinner to be held on the beachfront Lagoon One. The list includes:

• Chef Mourad Lahlou who's pioneered Moroccan-American cuisine.
• Chef Jacqueline Lau who's been a key player in the expansion of Roy's Restaurants and attributes much of her culinary influence to her Hispanic upbringing in California.
• Andrew Sutton is executive chef of Napa Rose at Disney's Grand California Hotel & Spa.
• 2011 Nominee James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Pastry Chef Patrick Fahy who is Executive Pastry Chef at Café des Architectes Restaurant, and at the Sofitel hotel in Chicago.
• Marcel Vigneron will feature his cuisine "Modern Global."
• Chef Dean Fearing is known as the Father of Southwestern cuisine.
• Chef Susan Spicer who was inducted into the James Beard Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America, recently opened MONDO, a casual, family style restaurant in New Orleans
• Celestino Drago has become one of the country's most lauded Italian chefs, with numerous honors.

For more information about "Cuisines of the Stars: A Magical Journey of Food & Culture" at Ko Olina Resort visit: www.hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.

About JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa
The luxurious JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina offers 387 spacious guest rooms including 36 suites, which have been completely transformed to feature a residential resort look-and-feel and upgraded amenities including a 42-inch flat screen LCD TV. The AAA Four Diamond award winning resort fronts the first of four lagoons in the 640-acre Ko Olina Resort & Marina, offering the island's most complete resort experience with a relaxed Hawaiian elegance and gracious, warm personalized service. The resort has been home to the NFL Pro Bowl players and coaches since 1993 and has hosted the 2012 Asian Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Summit, making the hotel ideal for Oahu meetings and weddings with a total of 77,694 square feet of outdoor and indoor meeting space, including the newly expanded 15,600-square-foot Hokulani Ballroom. Resort activities include 18 holes of championship play at Ko Olina Golf Club, tennis courts with ocean views and a variety of restaurants showcasing unique and distinctive island cuisine, including the AAA Four Diamond award winning Azul restaurant. The world-class Ihilani Spa, voted one of the "Top Spas in the World" by readers of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines, has been completely redesigned with a new layout, couple's treatment room, the brand new Ho'onanea suite for private events, and a 24-hour fitness center. Ihilani Spa is internationally renowned for its full complement of invigorating body treatments and massages, using products harvested from the honua (earth) and the moana (ocean) here in the islands. The resort recently ranked as one of the "Top 15 Hawaii Golf Resorts" by Conde Nast Traveler, one of the "World's Best Hawaii Resorts" by Travel + Leisure, and number one in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's "Best of the Best Hotel & Resort" poll voted by island readers.

About JW Marriott
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today's sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 53 JW Marriott hotels in 22 countries; by 2015 the portfolio will encompass 80 properties in 29 countries.

About Marriott International
Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.