"The fish in Hawaii is like no other place in the world," says Chef Barrett," and is incredibly exciting to work with. When the opportunity arose to come to Kauai, I couldn't pass it up. It's a beautiful island with amazing local ingredients."

Executive Chef Todd Barrett

The culinary bug bit Executive Chef Todd Barrett at a young age.  His early inspiration was on the sweeter side of culinary – mainly, how to bake pastries, cakes and cookies, but he quickly moved over to savory, where he discovered his love for cooking emerge as he experimented with meals that he would prepare for his family. 

Chef Barrett has worked in a variety of locations, including restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, where he began to gain notoriety. In 2000, Chef Barrett’s love of seafood brought him and his family to Maui where he expanded his knowledge on Pacific Rim cooking under the tutelage of Chef Todd Carlos of Seawatch, one of Maui’s premier restaurants. His latest move has brought him to Plantation Gardens on Kauai where he serves as our Executive Chef and combines his classical approach with traditional Hawaiian favorites.