Traditional Hawaiian kahu blesses Malibu’s beloved restaurant before imminent reopening
A traditional Hawaiian custom from across the Pacific was celebrated at Duke’s Malibu — a ceremonial blessing at an auspicious time for Malibu’s beloved family restaurant.
It’s been more than a year since the Palisades Fire and the closure of the popular gathering spot, one of the biggest employers in Malibu. But as Duke’s is readying to reopen after the tragic fire where the parking lot served as a staging area for first responders and then last February’s avalanche of mud flooded the community establishment so dear to locals’ and visitors’ hearts, the restaurant took a meaningful step at the brink of its imminent reopening.
In traditional Hawaiian custom, when a new home or business is about to open, a spiritual leader, known as a kahu will bless the space, “expelling the bad energy and bringing in good energy and aloha into the building,” according to Jimmy Chavez, Duke’s’ general manager and partner, who added, “as we get closer to reopening we’re just trying to move forward in the most positive way that we can. It was very special.”
Kahu Kawika Viloria, has a long history with Duke’s as a performer of traditional Hawaiian music at the restaurant whose origins started in Hawaii and that was named for the legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku, five-time Olympic medalist in swimming and “father of modern surfing.”
Duke’s staff, now about 30 since the restaurant has been closed, management, and executives from partner restaurants in Hawaii flew in especially for the meaningful ceremony and lunch gathering. “They all came up,” Chavez said, “so, it was just nice to have extended family here and just celebrate this special day.” Chavez treats his team as “ohana,” the Hawaiian word for extended family, mentioning, “We had, obviously Gidget and her husband Marvin, our local contractors, and everyone that was here just celebrating, and then we served lunch to all of them afterwards.”
Chavez praised the work of the contractors and first responders who have been working tirelessly to get the restaurant back in shape. It was inundated with 4 feet of mud that wiped out kitchen equipment, furniture, and exotic koa wood that’s a key feature in the restaurant’s Hawaiian décor. Koa is a traditional material used in building outrigger canoes and is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, but rare elsewhere.
The ceremonial rite was held because the landmark restaurant, that is the first to greet visitors driving north, is about to reopen its doors, but Chavez is reluctant to say exactly when because of unforeseen delays, including supply chain issues, recent heavy storms that caused some additional roof damage, and “things like that.”
While the restaurant has been closed for over a year, last summer many employees were able to get back to work when the restaurant’s banquet room was able to reopen.
Chavez is hopeful about the future.
“For the first time, getting everyone together and the whole process of expelling the negative thoughts and energy and bringing the positive thoughts, it just really felt very uplifting for everyone to see light at the end of the tunnel and that we should be less than a month away,” he said.
Chavez has also been overwhelmed with positive energy from the community that is anxious to return to Duke’s.
“Everyone on social media has been reaching out and super excited for us to open,” he said. “I think there’s one shared sentiment from everyone in Malibu and that’s just not sure what the future holds for PCH and construction, when is that going to feel normal again? I don’t think anybody has the answer to that, but it’s going to be a little while. We just are excited to be able to have our restaurant back open and have our community back in our building as soon as we can.”
Before opening to the general public, however, Duke’s will host a special pre-opening dinner exclusively for first responders as a gesture of gratitude to the fire crews from Los Angeles to Ventura County, local law enforcement, and lifeguards “who helped save our building.”
The restaurant’s always upbeat “Ambassador of Aloha,” the original Gidget, Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman, reflected on the spirit of her colleagues and their initiative to get Duke’s running again.
“Seeing all my co-workers was a real rush. I was so happy,” she said. “It’s been a year! Loved seeing Chef Calvin back and having a sneak look at the fantastic, ‘bitchen’ kitchen, all new and sparkling. Everyone has a truly strong sense of community among us. We are all a big unshakeable family. The spirit of Duke is omnipresent.”