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Our Staff
General Manager, Mike White
 Mike
White has been the General Manager of the Kaanapali Beach Hotel
since 1985 and represented the seventh district in the State House
of Representatives from 1993 to 1998. In the Legislature, Mr.
White has served on the Tourism, Economic Development and Finance
Committees. During his tenure he has spearheaded the effort to
educate his colleagues on the importance of increased and dedicated
funding for visitor promotion as an economic development stimulator.
A lifetime resident of Hawaii, Mr. White received his degree
from the University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management.
His hotel career began in 1969 at the Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki,
bussing tables in the Hau Tree Terrace Restaurant. He has held
various managerial positions at the Hawaiian Regent, Mauna Kea
Beach Hotel, and the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel.
At Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Mr. White and Dr. George Kanahele implemented
Project Pookela, a program designed to enhance employees’
understanding of the Hawaiian culture and its values so that visitors
will have a more enriching and enjoyable visit. As a result of
this process, hotel employees have created an atmosphere in which
they freely share their aloha with visitors through song, crafts
and education. The Pookela process has resulted in KBH being recognized
as “Hawaii's Most Hawaiian Hotel.” The focus on the
Hawaiian culture has created true aloha and has provided the hotel
with a uniquely different guest experience.
Executive Chef, Tom Muromoto
Tom Muromoto, executive chef of the Kaanapali Beach Hotel in Maui, is renowned for his authentic Hawaiian cuisine and he currently oversees all culinary activities at the hotel’s signature Tiki Terrace and Mixed Plate Restaurants and the dinner show, Kupanaha.
Muromoto was born and raised in Hawaii. Before joining the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, he served as executive chef at Planet Hollywood in Lahaina and was Restaurant Chef for the Molokini Bistro at the Grand Wailea Hotel in Maui. Prior to that, Muromoto worked at several other prestigious restaurants in Hawaii including The Black Orchid, Nick’s Fish Market, and Bobby McGee’s. Muromoto began his career at the Black Angus Cattle Company, where he spent 13 years. Before launching his profession in the culinary arts, he was practicing another art form: surfing. Many of Muromoto’s creations are inspired by the extensive travel he did while on the professional surf tour.
Muromoto has demonstrated his talent at creating dishes based on regional influences, traditions and ingredients. Chef Muromoto visited Taiwan after being invited to oversee a three-week Hawaiian Food Festival. His recent travels include exhibiting his culinary expertise at the 2006 Monterey Wine Festival. He has appeared locally and on national television with Food Channel celebrity chefs like Jacky Pluton, the Fairway Gourmet.
Additionally, Chef Muromoto and Kaanapali Beach Hotel are regular participants, winning top honors at the annual Taste of Lahaina festival. The Tiki Terrace’s signature dessert, “Banana Caramel Eruption,” a fudge brownie and macadamia nut ice cream covered in warm banana caramel, along with others like Opae Soba, a crispy fresh-water shrimp over yaki soba and tobiko cream, and the Chef’s Miso Seared Moi with Crab and Rock Shrimp Poke are all first place winners.
The 2005 and 2006 competitions garnered “Best in Show” honors for Chef Muromoto. The ’05 winner, Pulehu Beef Tenderloin and Opae, is now a menu favorite at the Tiki Terrace. At this year’s Taste of Lahaina, Muromoto’s Seafood Lawalu also won “Best Seafood” for his innovative combination of fresh Opakapaka with a spicy pork meatball wrapped in taro leaves and steamed in a ti leaf pouch.
Chef Muromoto joined Kaanapali Beach Hotel in 1999.
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