Pete Ghione spent nearly a decade overseeing high-volume kitchens as an executive chef at resorts such as Jumer’s Casino & Hotel in Rock Island, Illinois; the Horseshoe Casino in Cincinnati; Caesars Palace and the Rio in Las Vegas, where he managed 22 kitchens and 16 restaurants.
But in 2009, his focus on food began to change when the owners of Dragon Ridge Country Club in Henderson, Nevada, encouraged him to use organic ingredients. It led to him shifting his cooking to menus that were based on science and their nutritional value.
Months later, after earning a reputation as the “organic guy in town,” a country club member asked Ghione to cook for him and help change his diet just two weeks after his third lung cancer surgery. The chef did even more exploration to learn how food influences long-term health.
Now, Ghione has brought that experience to his new role as culinary director at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on the North Shore of Kauaʻi. He arrived in late March with a goal of helping expand the luxury resort’s evolving wellness identity.
His approach centers on the idea that food can play a meaningful role in long-term health when it is grounded in science, sourced from quality local produce and meat, and prepared thoughtfully.
Ghione made the move to Kauaʻi from the Canyon Ranch Lenox, an award-winning wellness resort in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. He said the Garden Isle offers a “similar pace. It’s a tight-knit community.”
He said seeing 1 Hotel Hanalei Bayʻs operation “was really impressive, just on a different scale.”
Ghione’s arrival comes as the resort evolves beyond traditional luxury, becoming a more immersive wellness destination that blends hospitality with health-focused programming, hotel executives said.
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay recently introduced Nature’s Wellness Sanctuary, a program whose framework is focused on multi-day wellness retreats with curated itineraries that blend healing spa rituals, mindful movement, metabolic support, restorative time in nature, and personalized healthy cuisine.
This includes Cryotherapy, where guests spend 2 to 3 minutes in a chamber at -166°F that lowers skin temperature by 30 to 40°F, allowing blood to flow rapidly to the body’s core.
The spa also offers a new Contrast Therapy experience, one of the hotel’s Touchless Therapies, which combines near-infrared heat with cold immersion. The energizing treatment uses deeply penetrating wavelengths to stimulate cells, boost collagen, and enhance skin renewal.
“It’s not just what you eat,” Ghione said. “It’s environment, movement, community. It’s a whole lifestyle.”
He explained that his role will eventually include more personalized guidance for guests, helping tailor food choices to individual lifestyles and preferences.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all,” he said. “You have to understand where someone is starting from.”
In this new role, Ghione said he’s excited to continue to elevate himself and his craft.
“For a chef, having a whole new opportunity to contribute what you believe in and to be in an environment that matches my style and is open to all my feedback is really special to me, Ghione explained. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there, but I like to look at what the science actually says — not just trends on the internet.”
His menus will emphasize rich, nutrient-dense foods, high-quality proteins, and locally sourced ingredients, while avoiding the common perception that healthy food lacks flavor.
“People think it’s going to be flavorless if it’s quinoa, kale, or tofu, but that’s a misconception,” he said. “Flavor is still the priority.”
Menu updates are expected to roll out gradually, focusing on reducing fried foods, incorporating alternative cooking techniques, and highlighting seasonal ingredients.
He adds that he plans to use fried oils that are made from fruit.
“You can ferment them– like sugarcane or fruit juice, and it turns into oil, so it’s more of a natural source of oil,” he said. “It’s got a great micronutrient content, including the healthy fats and how they relate to our body and brain function.”
He said his food also is about inspiration.
“If they try something and feel great, maybe they take that home with them,” he said. “I’ve done the hard work — how the food works inside of you, and that combination of food is what I have figured out, and is what I will put intentionally into the menu structure itself.”
How does that structure look?
“High-quality meats, really high-quality flavor, the dishes are seasoned well, everything that you would expect in a luxury restaurant, that doesn’t change,” Ghione said.
In Hawai’i, heart disease is the leading cause of death and has consistently been the leading cause of mortality in the state since 1999, followed closely by cancer and stroke. Research shows that eating a few fully plant-based meals each week can significantly improve overall health outcomes.
As a former private chef, Ghione customized his dishes as anti-cancer cuisine for clients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. He saw his philosophy succeed when two clients achieved positive health outcomes after several years of adhering to his diet and lifestyle changes.
“I cooked for a doctor for three years before I went back to the casino business, and since I started cooking for him and incorporating anti-inflammatory ingredients such as garlic, leeks, scallions, brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, turnips, eggplant, and bok choy, among many others, he’s never had cancer again.”
He added that in 2010, he cooked for another man with incurable leukemia who was given a prognosis of 2 months to 2 years.
“I began cooking for him, and that turned into meal prepping for him about twice a week,” Ghione said. “And now he’s doing great. He’s very active.”
Ghione explained that he understands the pain and loss that come with such a diagnosis. In January 2010, his mother, who lived in Connecticut, was told she had ovarian cancer.
“She battled cancer for two years and lost the fight,” he said. “So, itʻs a form of vengeance for me. I want to keep families together, healthy and happy.”
While in Las Vegas, Chef Ghione helped raise significant funds over three years for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, now Blood Cancer United. The funding supported efforts to find a cure, pass legislation to help people facing medical debt, and ensure patients have access to care.
Recognizing Kauaʻi’s agricultural abundance, Ghione has expanded his relationships with local farms, including Lydgate Farms, where he has visited the cacao groves and beehives.
He said working directly with local producers has shaped his approach to sourcing ingredients.
“I’ve never worked with farmers who immediately have fresh coconuts before,” Ghione said. “Having access to farmers, I can call for fresh coconut cream or coconut milk, and having that local relationship is what makes this place special.”
He added that the same applies to chocolate, honey, and other locally sourced ingredients.
“I might not know all of the farmers yet, but I want them to know there’s a place for them at 1 Hotel,” he said.
Ghione also plans to expand community partnerships, educational programming and farm collaborations.
He pointed to the Waipā Foundation as an example, noting its efforts to preserve Hawaiian traditions through farm tours and education.
“That’s something we’ll collaborate on,” he said. “Guests can enjoy breakfast, tour the land, and I’ll source produce from the farm for a farm-to-table dinner.”
He added that it’s important for him and the hotel to give back and be present: “I really want to be involved in this community and give as much back as I can.”
As 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay continues to refine its identity as a wellness destination, Ghione hopes guests — and the local community — will approach the evolving menu with curiosity.
“Now on the menu is a ʻUlu Salad with citrus, cilantro dressing, chives grown from the hotel’s rooftop garden, and roasted leaves with Brussels sprouts,” he said. “So, just be open-minded. You don’t have to change everything. Just try something new.”
Despite the changes, Ghione said the goal remains simple: create food that people genuinely enjoy. “Every Sunday, we’ll offer fresh ideas, so keep coming back to us and see what’s new on that buffet,” he said.
Chef Ghione’s menus are scheduled to debut this summer at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on Kauaʻi’s North Shore.
