Kiki Aranita x Partytrick

Kiki Aranita spent seven years as co-chef and owner of Poi Dog, a restaurant and catering company that served Hawaii’s local food. She closed its Center City Philadelphia location in July 2020 but has kept the brand alive in large-scale pop ups and retail sauces. For years, her goals involved celebrating the underrepresented cuisines of multicultural origins and collaborating with other chefs. She has continued to cook, through chef residencies at Jose Garces’ Volver, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Bok Bar and partnerships with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, Marine Stewardship Council, and the Mushroom Council, among many others. She is frequently tapped as a speaker and panel moderator for engagements like the Global Foodservice and Hospitality Conference, Food Tank-organized events, FAB Charleston, and the Terroir Symposium in Canada. She has created content, recipes, and recipe-driven videos for companies such as Hormel’s SPAM (her SPAM Musubirthday Cake went viral), Vulcan Equipment, La Colombe Coffee, Savencia Cheese, Vitamix Commercial, Sakara Life and the Norwegian Seafood Council. Her sauce company Poi Dog has had featured dishes at Fette Sau BBQ, Chopt Salad, and has collaborated with dozens of brands.

*Photo Credit Claudia Gavin