In one of the more unusual examples of employee appreciation seen here locally, Mark Kendall, president of Kenmark Real Estate Group, bought his employees lunch. A luau lunch.
A luau is a traditional Hawaiian feast, featuring a Kalua pig, which is a whole pig salted, wrapped and cooked in a pit oven. Kenmark manages the Half Moon Bay Golf Links and Mullins Bar and Grill.
 Richard Poncini, left, talks barbecue at the Mullins Bar and Grill Monday after cooking a whole pig for employees of Kenmark Real Estate Group. |
Not only was the party a good way to show appreciation to employees but it also served as a way to support the local 4-H club, Kendall said.
The 4-H is a national organization focusing on agriculture education, among other things. The pig was raised in Half Moon Bay by Megan Larratt.
"It was 100 percent Half Moon Bay," Kendall said. "The food was delicious and a great way to show support for the farming community."
There was one little dilemma - the problem of how to cook the pig. Luckily, one of Kendall's employees had recently been to a party in which Richard Poncini, a longtime waiter at Pasta Moon in Half Moon Bay, had showed off his new skills for roasting a whole pig. She recommended Poncini for the job.
On Monday, Poncini woke up at 4 a.m. to begin preparing for the lunch so that it would be ready by noon.
"I've done about five pigs now and it's absolutely fantastic," he said.
Poncini has started his own catering business focusing on luau type events, calling it Cooking For Friends.
He says he's already been asked to do several events, including a wedding at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, next month.
For your own luau contact Poncini at (650) 740-8726 or www.cookingforfriends.net.