The Cohn Restaurant Group will be expanding its family of restaurants to Maui, Hawaii. The Pineapple Grill at Kapalua, a collaboration among the Cohn Restaurant Group, g.m. and partner Chris Kaiwi, and executive chef and partner Joey Macadangdang, will open in June. Kaiwi, a native of Hawaii, most recently served as g.m. at the renowned Plantation House in Maui, while Macadangdang, also a native of Hawaii, has spent the past few years as executive chef at Roy’s in Kihei.

The Pineapple Grill at Kapalua will feature Pacific Island style Hawaiian seafood. It is to be designed by JLorene Gage, who also was the designer of Cohn favorites Kemo Sabe, Indigo Grill, Blue Point, and Mister Tiki Mai Tai Lounge.

***

Deborah Schneider

Chef Deborah Schneider, who we all love and remember from her days at Dobson’s, La Gran Tapa, The Grant Grill and most recently The Hilton Torrey Pines has been named executive chef at Jsix Downtown located at the Kimpton Group’s soon-to-open Hotel Solamar. The cuisine will be “coastal California” featuring seasonal food inspired by the region’s 2000 miles of coastline from Washington state to Baja California.

***

Barbara Marie, an alum of Joachim Splichal’s Patina restaurant, is the new g.m. at FRESH Restaurant in La Jolla.

***

The American Lung Association’s second annual Taste the Decade event is set for April 10 at Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn on Shelter Island. Shawn Styles, weather and lifestyle reporter on KFMB-TV, will emcee the event that has a “tropical paradise” theme this year. More than a dozen restaurants will participate by offering “small plates.” Several top-notch wineries will also participate, including Chalk Hill, Callaway Coastal, Charles Krug, Jakob Gerhardt and Luna Winery. Participating restaurants will be: Café Pacifica, California Cuisine, Continental Catering, Festivities Catering, French Gourmet, Humphrey’s, Pacifica Del Mar, Pamplemousse Grille and Star of the Sea. For tickets, call (619) 297-3901.

***

Gavin Kraysen

Rancho Bernardo Inn’s Gavin Kraysen will soon be heading to New York City to prepare a six-course meal for members and guests at the James Beard House. Kraysen, who is just 25 years old and a graduate of the New England Culinary Academy, took over as executive chef at El Bizcocho last year after Patrick Ponsaty left to open a catering company.

The meal, which will take place on May 23, will begin with tray-passed appetizers and then guests will enjoy farm-fresh fare such as sweet corn and leek flan, butter poached Baja prawns, and braised Kobe beef shortribs. He will be assisted by Lewis Butler, the executive chef.

Terryl Gavre believes the world would be a better place if everyone worked once as a foodserver. She is owner of Café 222, Downtown, and can be reached at (619) 233-4060, Ext. 316, or terryl@sandiegometro.com.