Food & Wine
Hula Hullabaloo
Savor the lingering warm days by throwing a luau to celebrate the season with family and friends.
BY
Corie Dugas
PHOTOGRAPHY
Michael Jacob


In 1819, Hawaiian King Kamehameha II hosted an exceptional, albeit unconventional, party that changed the way Pacific Islanders celebrate to this day. He defied ancient regulations forbidding men and women from eating together by hosting an enormous coed party. Mats were unrolled on the ground and large showpieces of flowers and leaves were centered on them. Bowl upon bowl of Hawaiian delicacies were served. As more of these parties were thrown they became known as luaus.

Details have changed since the parties were introduced to the mainland (we no longer sit on the ground and eat without utensils), but the most important elements have remained: food and friends. We kept these key elements in mind when we teamed up with hosts Dave and Susan Nestor and their four children, Kelly, Michael, Jane and Julia, at their Kirkwood home. With many parties under their belts, they offered valuable suggestions for turning your luau into an exciting, family-friendly evening.

Making the day run smoothly is a process Susan has perfected over years of hosting parties. Selecting a date and theme and setting the guest list far in advance are high priorities. “The invites should go out no less than a month beforehand,” says Susan. “Guests need plenty of time to plan.”

Susan and Dave then prepare the menu and decide on a signature drink, to keep things simple and cut back on time-consuming beverage mixing during the party. Choosing a restaurant or caterer is a simple way to go about this. Lisa Slay, executive chef at Blue Water Grill in Kirkwood, designed a menu for our party that captures the essence of island flavors. Additionally, Blue Water Grill brings staff to set up, cook, serve, bartend and clean up, allowing you to simply enjoy the day.

While the adults are sipping on mai tais, it is important to have some fun beverages for the kids, too. When shopping for party supplies, pick out paper umbrellas to pop in the kids’ juice drinks. Another tip is to float fresh, frozen fruit in your drinks for creative flair. The day before the party, toss some fruit (pineapple and strawberries work great for this) in the freezer – the next day you have a colorful and delicious way to cool off drinks.

Once the menu, drinks and service are in line, Susan moves on to décor. “It’s fun and easy to decorate for theme parties,” says Susan. We draped tables with tropical cloths and chose simple, plastic coconut glasses for the drinks to set a tropical vibe. Fresh flowers also add to the luau theme. 

Bob Hauck from Walter Knoll Florists created bouquets that popped with Hawaiian culture. He spruced up the gazebo with tropical arrangements and pieced together dazzling fresh leis to welcome guests to the party. To keep leis looking fresh, Bob suggests storing them in the refrigerator before handing them out. “If the flowers start looking droopy, soak them in water for 10 minutes,” he says. This will keep blooms in tip-top shape all day.

The Nestors suggest hiring a band or DJ to get guests into the luau spirit. The Nestor children love to dance, and music is a great way to get the whole family moving. The kids offered up their suggestions for entertainment: “We like to dance and do the limbo!”

“The more you can get the kids involved in the party the more fun it becomes for the whole family,” says Susan.

As the evening draws to an end, ornate, ceramic pineapples make excellent party favors in addition to the leis. Tropical-scented candles and grass skirts are also fun parting gifts. Send the kids away with a hula hoop and remind them to keep practicing so they will be prepared for next year’s luau!