Maelani Iokepa
Executive Chef

Maelani, who goes by “Mae” to friends and family, has been part of the BASALT culinary team since its opening in 2017. Her style of cooking is Hawaii Regional Cuisine, and it was her grandfather Mario Cordero, Sr. who inspired her to become a chef. Mae has a long history with BASALT’s former Executive Chef Keith Steel Kong, who was her mentor at Duke’s Waikiki for more than ten years. Most recently she graduated from University of Hawaii’s GoFarm program fulfilling one step in her goal towards helping Hawaii’s food security. Today, Mae assists with development of all menus incorporating locally grown ingredients from small farms throughout Hawaii. She is the creative source behind BASALT’s signature Charcoal Pancakes, which are the number one breakfast item requested by visitors and residents, in addition to being the most photographed BASALT dish on social media. As a result of this success, Mae creates a special holiday pancake for guests and their children to enjoy each Halloween, Christmas, and Easter. Prior to joining the BASALT team, Mae was a sous-chef at Hula Grill in Waikiki. She currently lives in Honolulu with her fiancée, Christopher H. Aoki.