Nakoa Pabre
Executive Chairman
Born and raised in Kona and the chef behind Umeke's, known in the islands as the Prince of Poke. Food Network brought cameras to his kitchen for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and again for G. Garvin's Road Trip. Back-to-back Sam Choy's Poke Contest grand champion in 2013 and 2014, followed by Best Poke in Hawaii honors in 2016 and 2017. His tie to this group runs generational — his father bused tables at the Kona Inn, and Nakoa met his wife at that same dining room he now helps oversee.
Michael Hofstedt II
Vice President of Operations
Michael moved to the Big Island in 2016 to continue a hospitality career that started at age twelve as a dishwasher in a northern Wisconsin supper club. A decade of luxury operations followed — Director of Food & Beverage at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and restaurant leadership at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. A veteran of two wars who has experienced cultures across the globe, he brings a broad perspective and a deep respect for the diversity of people and traditions. At heart a collaborator who values community and shared success, he looks forward to continuing to grow alongside the Big Island community.
Jeric Genavia
Executive Chef
More than fifteen years in hospitality and multi-concept restaurant leadership, Jeric came up the long way — dishwasher to executive leadership, one station at a time. A Filipino chef raised in Hawaii from a young age, his cooking sits at the intersection of cultural tradition and island hospitality, a foundation laid early by his mom's intuitive sense of flavor and kept alive by the dishes he and his wife chase together. His work centers on thoughtful menu development, operational discipline, and systems that let a kitchen hold a consistently high standard — balancing creativity with structure across every concept in the group. He stays grounded in what he calls the "average Joe — Joel" mindset: humility, hard work, and leading by example.
Jayson Genavia
Executive Chef
Jeric's younger brother and his partner on the line. Jayson moved to the Big Island at seventeen, trained up through prep and every station, and runs service alongside his brother, holding the same standard across the group's kitchens while continuing his own culinary education.
Tawny Hanakeawe
Director of Community Relations
Tawny runs the floor across the group's properties and is the engine behind its charitable footprint. Hawaii County Fire Department pulled her father out of Kealakekua Bay after his fishing boat capsized at 1:30 in the morning, and she turned that night into a standing partnership with the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation — every fourth Tuesday, every year, and a new 27-foot rescue boat handed to the Kailua-Kona station alongside it.
