L&L Hawaiian Barbecue – Kihei, Maui
Mokupuni: Maui | Moku: Kula | Ahupua’a: Ka'onoulu
Year Established: 2020 with new owner
Favorite Staple Crop to Work With: ‘Uala
At L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Kihei, Maui, something special is simmering behind the scenes. Kip Johner, owner and operator of the franchise since 2020, isn’t just serving plate lunches—he’s quietly transforming the fast-casual dining experience into a celebration of Hawai‘i-grown ingredients and culinary heritage.
A second-generation chef with a Swiss father and Chinese mother, Kip’s childhood was steeped in diverse flavors and hands-on kitchen experience. “Food has always been a really special part of my life,” he shares. “I wasn’t allowed to be a picky eater.” Starting from a cafeteria job flipping burgers, Kip was eventually pulled back into the professional kitchen by his father—and never looked back. Over the past two decades, he’s helmed restaurants, launched catering ventures, and built a reputation for curiosity and creativity in the kitchen.
That same curiosity led him to eagerly embrace the opportunity to work with our Cooperative when we contacted him about bringing traditional Hawaiian staple crops like kalo and ‘uala onto his menu. For Kip, the appeal was immediate: “I’d never had purple sweet potato before, and just seeing that bright purple color—it’s so beautiful and so embedded in Hawaiian culture.”
Sweet potato quickly became a favorite. “They’re just so easy to work with. You can roast, fry, or grill them, and they cook fast. The sugar content makes them so versatile.” Taro, however, presents more of a challenge: “I love the flavor, but if you don’t prepare it just right, it can be hard getting people who didn’t grow up with it to fall in love with it the way locals do.”
But Kip sees that challenge as part of a greater responsibility—and one he’s proud to shoulder. “You’re not just introducing people to a new flavor. You’re reintroducing them to their roots. If we don’t support the farmers and grassroots suppliers, those products disappear, and with them, a vital part of culture.”
Despite running a franchise—a business model not typically associated with local sourcing—Kip has leaned in to innovate. “I might be one of the younger franchisees, so I get used as the guinea pig a lot,” he laughs. “But I’m happy to try new things. If it doesn’t work, you stop. If it does, you grow.”
That open-mindedness has made Kip an essential partner in our greater efforts as a farmer cooperative. His L&L location doesn’t just serve customers—it educates them, too. Tourists come in looking for familiar comfort food but leave talking about purple sweet potatoes and fried taro slices. “A lot of our business is local, but when tourists ask hotel workers where to eat, they send them to us. Then those tourists go back to places like Denver or San Diego and tell their local L&L about what they tried here. That ripple effect—it’s powerful.”
Kip’s alignment with the cooperative’s mission goes beyond ingredients. It’s about food sovereignty, cultural continuity, and local resilience. “Hawai‘i’s in the middle of the ocean. Anything we can grow here is a win. And the more we support these crops here, the more likely it is that the rest of the world takes notice.”
He sums it up simply: “Farmers are the first step toward any successful food initiative. Without them, there’s no story to tell, no plate to serve, no future to build.”
In a world where fast food often ignores its roots, Kip is flipping the script—one purple sweet potato at a time.
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Kihei
Located in: Piilani Village Shopping Center
Address: 247 Piikea Ave #102, Kihei, HI 96753
Phone: (808) 875-8898
Hours: Tuesdays-Sundays 10am to 9pm
Closed Mondays