“When I
walked into the kitchen for the first time, for whatever reason, this
was my house,” says Maui-based chef Bev Gannon. However, before owning
the house, she had to settle for renting it for 13 years.
It
was 1982, and Gannon had just stepped into a home designed by famed
architect C.W. Dickey. The house was built in 1936 for Mr. Tuttle, the
plantation manager of Maui Pineapple Co.
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| The
60-inch Wolf dual-fuel range dominates the kitchen. The model offers a
wide variety of stove top configurations, including an optional steel
griddle, infrared charbroiler and French top. The large electric ovens
feature the Wolf exclusive dual-convection system that delivers even
temperature and airflow throughout. |
For
13 years, Gannon and her husband, Joe, enjoyed renting the historic,
7-acre property in Upcountry Maui. They purchased a run-down building
about a mile down the road that used to be the company store for the
long-gone pineapple cannery. Together, the couple turned it into an
award-winning restaurant, the Haliimaile General Store.
The
Upcountry home, with gardens and mature fruit trees, became an
inspiration for some of Gannon’s recipes and menu items. “I try to grow
veggies and keep up with the fruit trees,” she says. “What we serve in
the restaurant is what I picked that day. And why not? Sometimes we
might have a lot of green beans on the menu, but that’s what’s in
season.
“As
we were going on our 14th year of renting, Mr. Tuttle’s wife passed
away, and, because of other circumstances, he sold the house to us,”
Gannon says. Four years later, the Gannons did their initial
renovation—everything except the kitchen—because they had plans for it
to be an extensive remodel.
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| Chef Beverly Gannon likes to keep things clean and simple, including her seamless, remodeled kitchen. |
“Because of who
designed the house and when it was built, the house had to keep its
plantation-era feel. In our renovations of the entire house, we’ve
always kept true to that,” Gannon says. “And, quite honestly, it’s my
style. I don’t do modern. I’m very eclectic in my cooking, in my art
and in my house. I just fit perfectly.”
In
the meantime, the Haliimaile General Store grew, and so did its
demands—including the need for a commercial stove. “So, the commercial
stove that was in my house went down to the restaurant,” Gannon says.
“For almost nine months we didn’t have a stove in the house. Then, we
got another stove, but I opened another restaurant and, again, the
stove went to the restaurant.”
Once
the first stove moved back home from Haliimaile, it was eight years the
worse for wear. “Only two burners worked and the oven was marginal,”
Gannon smirks. “Over the years, our dishwasher broke, too, but I kept
holding out for the kitchen remodel. I would have dinner parties here
using an electric skillet and a countertop convection oven.”
“I talked about redoing my kitchen for years. Finally a friend said, We are tired of hearing about you remodeling your kitchen. You find somebody. You do something. And, you get this kitchen done!”
“So, I did,” she says.
By the time she started the remodel, 20 years had passed. Not much still worked.
Here was her plan:
• Preserve the plantation-style architecture and feeling.
• Use classic materials, such as wood, marble, granite, stainless steel and timeless, white cabinetry.
• Enlarge the kitchen enough for it to function as a small classroom,
where she could teach cooking classes for eight to 10 students.
• Incorporate the obsolete butler’s pantry in with the rest of the kitchen.
• Upgrade to new Sub-Zero/Wolf appliances (none of which will ever leave the house).
Kristen
Totah, ASID, from Cutting Edge Studio, drew up plans for Gannon. “The
upgrading to professional appliances, such as Sub-Zero/Wolf, really
dictated the layout of the kitchen,” she says.
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| (left)
Sub-Zero’s all-freezer drawers allow homeowners to place products at
point-of-use—beyond the main refrigerator. Gannon’s all-freezer drawers
are placed next to the kitchen’s large sink basin, but they can also be
installed next to home entertainment centers, master bedrooms, workout
rooms or combined with a wine storage unit in a home bar. (right) Floor
plan courtesy of Cutting Edge Studio. |
“I
grew up with Sub-Zero refrigerators,” Gannon says. “I’m very nostalgic,
and the look and feel of Sub-Zero has been around us for a long time.
And, now that the company owns Wolf, too, it was a real easy decision
for me.”
As
a second-generation Sub-Zero buyer, Gannon walked into the company’s
Honolulu showroom knowing exactly what she wanted. For the
372-square-foot kitchen, she ordered 11 Sub-Zero/Wolf appliances.
The hottest item was the gleaming Wolf 60-inch, dual-fuel range, with six burners and a French top.
“I’ve
had a commercial stove in this kitchen before and the reality is that
it’s very hot,” Gannon explains. “But, this Wolf stove gives you the
heat you need in a unit that is made to be in a residential home. After
using my old stoves and electric skillet, I’ve had to adjust my cooking
times. Everything cooks so fast. It’s almost like cooking in the
restaurant.”
The
coolest appliances are the 36-inch all-refrigerator, plus the two
stacked all-freezer drawers. “I don’t use the freezer that much, so I
just wanted a full refrigerator—not a refrigerator/freezer. Plus, the
all-freezer drawers feel more wide than deep, which lets me see
everything in them.”
|
HOME COOKING FROM MAUI
Beverly Gannon is one of the 12 original founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement. The Haliimaile General Store Cookbook
celebrates her restaurant’s mouth-watering, down-home recipes that
burst with Island-fresh ingredients and flavors that define her
particular style. Written by Beverly Gannon, with Bonnie Friedman (Ten
Speed Press, $35).
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“Although
[Gannon] wanted all the modern amenities of a brand-new, high-tech
kitchen, it was important that the look still fit into the architecture
of the home,” says Totah. To make space for the 11 appliances, Cutting
Edge Studio took the kitchen’s two sections—the main kitchen and
butler’s pantry—and turned them into one large, functional L-shape
space. Dead space from under the stairs and around the stairwell was
utilized to enlarge the kitchen and to recess an elongated appliance
garage with horizontal sliding doors. The garage hides away Gannon’s
small appliances, keeping her counters clear.
To
match the kitchen’s plantation heritage, Gannon chose no-fuss, white
cabinetry from one of Cutting Edge Studio’s custom cabinetry lines
called Wood-Mode. The cupboard latches, bin pulls and traditional
cabinet knobs also complement the period of the home.
The
widened floor plan allowed room for a new kitchen island. It was topped
off with a block of custom-cut koa wood. The kitchen’s other
countertops include the custom stainless steel that flanks the Wolf
range, plus honed, absolute black granite for the back basin, with a
white carrera marble backsplash. “I wanted that type of marble because
the fireplace in my parents’ living room had a solid piece of carrera
marble, and it was just gorgeous,” Gannon says. “I would’ve had all
marble countertops, but it stains and I’m not that crazy. But, I love, love looking at marble. It’s the little snippets of things that help save memories.”
Although
Gannon likes to reflect, she says that she is working on letting go of
some of her unused possessions, such as childhood furniture and her
mother’s doilies. However, her kitchen is still dotted with mother’s
mixing bowls, water and bar glasses, sterling silver and even a
50-year-old potato masher that Gannon still uses. She says, “There are
times you go to open a drawer and when you touch something old,
memories come back.”
The
1936 house holds many memories. It embraces Hawaii’s collective memory
of our bygone plantation era. It harkens back to an architectural
heritage of Dickey-style houses with wide porches, projecting eaves and
wide, open windows. And, in its restoration, it safely holds Gannon’s
keepsakes, along with new memories in the making.
“When
we first moved in, we were so happy to be here that we had a
Thanksgiving dinner once a month,” Gannon smiles. “It’s my little bit
of Maui heaven.”
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| WHERE TO GET IT
Featured Kitchen: Sub-Zero/Wolf
Designer: Cutting Edge Studio
Backsplash: Correa marble, from BC Rock Showroom and Design Center
Cabinetry: White Wood-Mode custom cabinetry, from Cutting Edge Studio
Cooktop: 60” dual-fuel range, with six burners and French top, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
Counters: Absolute black granite, from BC Rock Showroom and Design Center
Dishwasher: Single dish drawer integrated, from Fisher & Paykel
Freezer: All-freezer drawers, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
General Contractor: Mike Malkovich, of Pacific Island Woodworks
Ice Maker: Undercounter ice maker, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
Island counter: Koa by Andrew Grier, of Pacific Millworks
Microwave: Convection microwave oven with trim, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
Oven: Two 30” ovens, part of the dual-fuel range, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
Refrigerator: 36” all-refrigerator in stainless steel, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
Vent: 66” wall hood with rail, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
Warming Drawer: 30” warming drawer with stainless steel front, from Sub-Zero/Wolf
Wine chiller: 46-bottle capacity undercounter wine storage unit, from Sub-Zero/Wolf |
