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An Interview with Christine and Paula, the collaborative team behind Maui Luxe Picnics

Christine and Paula are the dynamic duo behind Maui Luxe Picnics. Inspired by their love of food, nature, and gatherings, together they create unique and intimate experiences on the beautiful island of Maui. These amazing ladies designed a magical and memorable atmosphere for my husband and I to toast our wedding anniversary. The backdrop—the sun setting just in front of us on the horizon of Mōkapu Beach.

They found a talented photographer to capture the memories, and a ukulele player to set the mood. Their resources are endless, and you can add-on videography, drone footage, hula dancers, fire fighters, and more. 

The best part was that after a few friendly conversations with Christine, she understood exactly what I was looking for, and we simply showed up to enjoy the evening! It was one of the most seamless and effortless events I have ever planned, which made me a bit nervous, but it was truly perfection! When our magical evening ended, Christine and Paula arrived to congratulate us, and to take care of all the packing and cleaning. It was such a delightful, carefree evening—as all special occasions should be.

I am absolutely thrilled to share our conversation about intimate gatherings, being surrounded by beauty, and sourcing both healthful and delicious celebratory foods. 

If you are planning a celebration but cannot get to Maui, you will find useful tips for planning your own intimate celebration. 

Q&A

AF: Your mindfully curated grazing board for our picnic was both beautifully placed and delicious. When putting together your platters where do you start? What is the process, your recipe for success?

MLP: We usually work on our grazing boards as a team. One prepares the foods by cutting and handing them over to the other one who arranges everything on the board. By doing so, we try to pair items that complement each other like cheeses with meats, and veggies with dips and crackers. We choose fruits that add color pops to the board and fill little gaps with nuts and dried fruits. The last item to be added is normally the chocolate. 

AF: Please share with us your favorite picnic locations on Maui.

MLP: We prefer the Wailea area for its beaches. They are the easiest accessible and offer the best sunsets. As a contrast to that, Polipoli is the place both of us would choose for a personal favorite picnic spot. Unfortunately, we can’t offer this location for clients as we are not able to obtain permits but it’s ideal if you want to set up your own. 

AF: What is your go-to healthful indulgence to bring to a picnic?

MLP: If it’s available at the upcountry farmers market, we love to include moringa pesto by Niu Life Kitchen.

AF: Where do you source your decorative items? From the vintage beach umbrellas to the romantic rugs, blankets, and pillows—all curated for maximum impact, with a magical mix of color and texture—simply gorgeous! 

MLP: Thank you, Annie. We have collected all our items from different vendors and platforms like Etsy, Amazon, Pier1 and small sellers on Instagram. For example, we have blankets from Sardinia, Turkey, and Australia. Some items were gifted to us and others – like our umbrellas – are not being sold at this time.

AF: Do either of you have a background in interior design? We were surrounded by beauty, both natural and created which adds so much to any gathering. It helps create more mindful moments. What inspired the offering of such a curated space? 

MLP: No, neither of us have a background in design but we both have an eye for detail and aesthetic. At the beginning, we were motivated by picnic companies in Australia, and we now continue to be inspired by the diverse and incomparable landscapes of Maui. 

AF: What is the most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for picnic items?

MLP: We try to keep our style as we shop for setup items but still want to be able to create different schemes. We are constantly trying to improve and add to the diversity.

AF: It seems more and more people are celebrating life’s milestones with intimate gatherings rather than big, blow out events.  Perhaps encouraged by the pandemic, but do you feel these more personal fetes are here to stay?

MLP: Yes, this is exactly what we are witnessing right now, and we are expecting it to stay like this for a while. It feels like people are exploring new ways of celebrating different occasions and personalized picnics are the perfect way to do so. We are happy about it and don’t think it will get old any time soon.

AF: Our picnic foods were sourced the same morning at a local farmer’s market. Please share with us your favorite Maui markets, and your go-to vendors. 

MLP: We try to get most of our veggies, fruits, and flowers from the Upcountry Farmers Market at Kula Malu. The following are a selection of vendors we use frequently:

Niu Life Kitchen for their moringa pesto

Devine Dahlias for her flowers

Maui Raw for the nut-based dips

AF: Do you have a favorite recipe you could share, ether one of yours or something a chef or caterer created for a party you created? 

Chef Nicot’s Saffron Risotto with Scamp, and his Avocado Shrimp Ceviche

Avocado Shrimp Ceviche

Ceviche is one of the easiest cook-free dishes of all time, and when there is a heat wave, no one wants to be standing over a hot stove. It makes a terrific and light main course, and it can also be used as a filling for tacos: simply spoon it into warm tortillas and garnish with avocado slices. For an elevated presentation, serve this ceviche in champagne coups as an appetizer, or as an amuse-bouche on tasting spoons.

This Central and South American dish is so popular in the warmer months that I featured three ceviche recipes in Hamptons EntertainingAngel’s Ceviche, made with snapper, a lovely Sea Bream Ceviche with Anise, and the quintessential Hampton’s ceviche—Bay Scallop Ceviche

When Christine and Paula, the creative team behind Maui Luxe Picnics shared this recipe, I knew it would become a favorite—a dish I can enjoy in Palm Beach and the Hamptons. Seafood “cooked” in a citrus marinade calls for the freshest fish available. Like Hawaii, the geography of Palm Beach and the Hamptons offers an abundance of local, fresh, eco-friendly catches. 

Classic ceviche, marinating raw seafood in citrus juice, will not completely kill lingering bacteria; so if you feel skittish about the preparation, you can quickly poach the shrimp before marinating it in the lime juice. 

Chef Nicot uses just a few simple, fresh ingredients for this refreshing dish. Much like his Saffron Risotto, this recipe is no fuss and offers endless opportunity to make it your own. 

I added a touch of brightness with lemon zest, a sun-ripened, garden-fresh tomato, and served it over homemade tortilla chips. Nicot garnished his dish with thin slices of fennel and watermelon radish, while I opted for avocado slices. 

Yield: Serves 2

Chef Nicot’s Saffron Risotto (Risotto Milanese) with Scampi

This week I will be sharing a conversation I had with Christine and Paula, the creative team behind Maui Luxe Picnics. They specialize in producing the perfect backdrop for your special occasion or just because. Ultimately, creating unforgettable memories. 

Maui Luxe Picnics orchestrated an extraordinary evening for me on Mokapu Beach, which I talk more about in our interview.  During our chat, Christine and Paula told me about a delicious risotto recipe one of their go-to chefs creates for them. “When our clients are interested in booking our setup in combination with a private chef service, we love to work with Chef Nicot from Hawaiian Chefs Table,” says Christine. She adds that “One of our favorite dishes catered by him is the Saffron Risotto with Scampi.” 

Chef Nicot shared his popular recipe with us and it is perfect! It reminded me of how much I appreciate an easy recipe that will delight guests and please the gourmands in your life. It is one of those dishes that, once mastered, allows for endless variations as all risottos follow the same principle—sauté the rice, add liquid, cook slowly, then coat the rice with parmesan and butter. Here, Nicot uses vegetable stock in place of the traditional chicken or beef stock, and he adds shrimp, the perfect pairing for a Maui picnic and an easy way to elevate this dish for a special occasion. 

Cooking shell-on shrimp adds nuanced flavors that heighten this dish. If you are using supermarket shrimp, or prefer shelled shrimp then consider adding shrimp stock.  

Fresh greens are a lovely touch visually and help create a more complete one-course meal. For a family dinner, I topped this creamy risotto with garden-fresh arugula and just-picked chives.

Yield: Serves 2