Honoring Michael Ginor

Supporting the Michael Ginor Scholarship fund

Distinguished chef Michael Ginor, co-owner and co-founder of Lola Restaurant in Great Neck, passed away in November of 2022. To honor Ginor’s legacy and dedication to the culinary arts, the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival is hosting a tribute dinner and raising funds for a scholarship fund in Ginor’s name.

Ginor was an award-winning chef, writer and restauranteur. He co-founded the restaurant Lola, which has received rave reviews from both Newsday and the New York Times Ginor also co-founded Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the premier source to purchase foie gras and duck products online in the United States.

Ginor has been a generous supporter and participator of the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival since its beginning in 2011.

According to the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival website, “over the years, Ginor became one of Hawaii’s greatest ambassadors embracing the festival’s mission to spotlight Hawaii’s unique food culture and sharing the aloha spirit with everyone he met along his journey. He often shared his passion for travel with fellow chefs, inviting them to join his culinary adventures-both in Israel and beyond-and, connecting them to different cultures through food.”

To honor Ginor and help continue his legacy, the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival has introduced the Michael Ginor Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will provide annual opportunities for Hawaii’s culinary students to stage at Hudson Valley Farm or Restaurant Lola in Great Neck.

The tribute dinner will take place on April 7 in Halekulani. The dinner courses will feature organic foie gras or Moulard duck from Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Michael’s award-winning farm in Ferndale, NY. All proceeds from the dinner will be donated to an endowment for the Michael Ginor Scholarship Fund.

For those interested in donating to the Scholarship fund, visit restaurant Lola or Lenny Messina’s social media pages. Visit hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com for more information.

—Information from Hawaii Food and Wine Festival with additional reporting by Julie Prisco