Original Cooks of the Big Island

The recipes on this site are scanned from vintage Hawaii cookbooks that are available in hard-copy only. We scanned them to ensure that they are preserved for the future, both for historical purposes and as a fantastic reference for all home cooks and bakers.

Some of these cookbooks include the names and home demonstration council regions of the people who contributed recipes. When available, we tag the recipes with these names and regions to help tell a story about the people and places behind these recipes.

One of the cookbooks that highlights contributor names is Favorite Recipes For Islanders published by the Hilo County Home Demonstration Council.

Here’s a list of the original cooks and bakers who contributed recipes to this cookbooks.

Recognize a name or a region? Send us a note to share a story!

• Mrs. Robert Beck・Lanakila

• Mrs. Helen I. Billings・Honokaa

• Mrs. Ethel Borges・Keaukaha L.D.S.

• Mrs. Alice Botelho・Honokaa

• Mrs. Anne Branco・Holomua

• Mrs. Carmichael・Naalehu

• Mrs. Mary DeRego・Honokaa

• Mrs Robert Fujimoto・Kapehu

• Mrs. Sueko Fukuda・Houselots

• Fumiko Fukumori・Puueo

• Mrs. Ida Garcia・Honokaa

• Mrs. Ivy Garcia・Hakalau

• Betty Hamano・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Rose Hanoa・Hualani

• Mrs. Mona Hao・Hualani

• Mrs. Doris Haraguchi・Ohea

• Mrs. Hirayama・Paukaa

• Mrs. Shigeko Honma・Haina

• Mrs. Michiko Inoue・Puueo

• Mrs. Mieko Inoue・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Hisako Ito・Hoolulu

• Yoshie Iwasaki・Kawailani

• Mrs. Matsue Izumi・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Leonora M. Johnasen・Honokaa

• Edith Kahaawi・Hualani

• Mrs. Iwalani Kamoku・Hualani

• Mrs. Mildred Kaneta・Paukaa

• Mrs. Jessie Kaukali・Paukaa

• Mrs. H. Kimura・Kurtistown

• Mrs. Loretta Kojima・Honokaa

• Mrs. S. Koide・Ohea

• Mrs. T. Koike・Naalehu

• Mrs. Harold Krank・Ohea

• Miss Kanaye Kuramitsu・Honokaa

• Mrs. Yasushi Kurisu・Hakalau

• Mrs. Masako Kuwaye・Houselots

• Mrs. Clarence Lyman・Puueo

• Mrs. Helen Mason・Houselots

• Mrs. Kiyoko Matsui・Paukaa

• Mrs. Kimiyo Matsuoka・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Kay Miyaji・Kawailani

• Mrs. R. Miyasaki・Kawailani

• Mrs. Sueo Miyata・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Michie Murakami・Kawailani

• Mrs. A. Muramatsu・Hakalau

• Mrs. Takako Nagahisa・Settlement

• Mrs. Haruo Nagatani・Waiakea-uka

• Mrs. A. Nakahara・Puueo

• Mrs. Fusae Nakakura・Haina

• Mrs. Hilda Nelson・Honokaa

• Mrs. T. Ohama・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Sachiko Okayama・Kurtistown

• Mrs. Fujie Ono・Ohea

• Mrs. K Oshiro・Kurtistown

• Mrs. Kiyotsugu Oshiro・Holomua

• Mrs. Gloria Pilapil・Kapehu

• Mrs. Masae Saito・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Thomas N. Saito・Houselots

• Mrs. Kimiko Sakai・Kurtistown

• Misue Sakae・Kurtistown

• Mrs. Fumiko Segawa・Ilima

• Mrs. Nami Shibuya・Kurtistown

• Mrs. Keni Shigeoka・Ohea

• Mrs. E. Simeona・Hualani

• Mrs. Doris Sumimoto・Ohea

• Mrs. Georgine Sutherland・Papaikou

• Mrs. Margaret Suzuki・Kapehu

• Mrs. Yukie Takae・Haina

• Mrs. James Takahashi・Kapehu

• Mrs. Bertha Takata・Kawailani

• Mrs. H. Takata・Kawailani

• Mrs. Kazuko Takemoto・Waiakea-uka

• Mrs. Alice Tanaka・Haina Macadamia

• Michie Taketa・Ohea

• Mrs. Nancy Teves・Honokaa

• Mrs. M. Toma・Kurtistown

• Mrs. Haruko Umeda・Hoolulu

• Mrs. Richard Umeno・Kawailani

• Mrs. Mary Ellen Valenciano・Hakalau

• Mrs. Sam Warren・Hakalau

• Mrs. Nani Whitney・Hualani

• Mrs. Thelma Woo・Papaikou

• Mrs. Janet Yamaguchi・Honokaa

• Mrs. D. Yamamoto

• Mrs. Kay K. Yamamoto・Ilima