Chef: U'ilaniku'ulei Vele

Cuisine: Pacific Island

Locations: Pop-ups

Instagram: @freshlyslicedpineapple

I’m hoping to make Imua a frequent pop-up for now since I still run the Hoxton Hotel. Portland is the city to make that happen!

I have 17 years of working in kitchens throughout the West Coast. I started taking cooking seriously in my 20’s when I moved to Sacramento California. I've bounced around different restaurants and gained as much knowledge as I could.

I moved to Portland in 2015, and worked my way throughout the city. Notable restaurants would include Departure under GG, and Yonder under Maya Lovelace.

During the pandemic I was the Vice President for MealsOnUsPDX, a mutual aid organization aimed at providing meals to houseless folks around Portland Metro. I’m currently the executive chef for the Hoxton Hotel in downtown Portland.