Chef Jana McMahon, Maui Private Chef

10/23/2025

Dreaming of France. Panisse takes me there.
Garbanzo bean fritters are well known in the south of France but need a wider audience IMHO.
They are gluten free, simple to make, versatile and super delicious.
Here’s the recipe. Enjoy with a bracing cold lemonade or better yet, a Provencal rose.
PANISSES
2 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour (i use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 t. Sea Salt
2 t. olive oil
4 cups water
Avocado or Olive Oil for frying
Maldon Salt for finish

Oil a 9x9 cake pan

Pour garbanzo bean flour in medium sauce pan with salt & olive oil. Add 1/2 water and whisk until smooth. I have put the mixture into a blender to get the lumps out and smooth the batter.
Add the remaining water.

Over high heat, bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Once batter boils, turn down heat to medium low and continue to stir (i like a wooden spoon) until the batter has thickened and pulls away from the sides of the pot.

Immediately pour the batter into the waiting cake pan and let sit and firm up at room temperature. I wet my hands slightly to smooth the top and get the batter sitting evenly in the pan.

When cooled and set and you are ready to fry the panisses, turn the cake pan iver on to a cutting board. It should pop out easily.
Cut into 3/4” batons.

In a skillet, heat 1/4-1/2” of avocado or olive oil until shimmering.
Fry the panisses on all sides until golden brown.

Remove from pan and drain on paper towel lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle generously with Maldon salt. Sit back. Take a bite. You have made it to France. Sip your rose and enjoy the journey.

06/18/2025

Anatomy of a breakfast

10/28/2024

‘Twas a magical experience. Mahalo.

One of our favorite recipes with . Private Chef + storyteller extraordinaire! We can’t wait to share her incredible pie recipe!

09/29/2024

Stopped in Denver en route to Florida to see my Mama.

Dinner at Corsica was filled with scrumptious small plates, a couple spritz(es?), and the endless pleasure of scintillating conversation, memories and laughter.

Thanks Leah & Madame P for the delicious evening.

06/01/2024

Scrumptious little bites of summer.

Grilled seasoned baguette slices, lightly macerated Kula strawberries with fresh thyme, ricotta mixed with orange & lemon zest and more fresh thyme & a fermented garlic local honey.

Make sure you lightly salt the crostini. That hits the tongue first followed by the sweet strawberry followed by the citrus-y creamy ricotta.

It did not suck. Promise.

02/04/2024

Dang. Beautiful little melon.

Sweet perfection, these TERI grown organic Avara Melons are perfectly suited to grow San Diego.

Arava melons are round to slightly oblong, averaging 12 to 20 centimeters in diameter. The small fruits are covered in a thin, beige netting, and beneath the netting, the rind changes from green to golden yellow with maturity.

Arava melons are aromatic and very sweet, with prominent floral, tropical, and nectar-like flavors.

The word Arava translates to mean "desolate and dry area" and is derived from the Arabic word Arabah, or Arava in Hebrew, which is the name of a desert in Israel.

The Arava desert is approximately 112 miles long and is considered to be one of the harshest regions in Israel, receiving less than one inch of rainfall per year.

In 1959, a group of farmers decided to inhabit the arid land and used modern drip irrigation and greenhouses to grow produce such as melons, berries, tomatoes, and peppers. As word of the area's success spread, more farmers moved into the desert, and today there are over four thousand inhabitants in the valley. In the modern-day, the Arava desert region now supplies over sixty percent of the fresh produce exported from Israel.

Within the country, Arava melons are highly esteemed as one of the best varieties found in local markets.

I am preparing a chilled ginger melon soup 🍈 for this week’s special summer menu at

Stop by and see what all the fuss is about.

07/09/2023

YouTube.com/janaeata

06/11/2023

Had a wonderful evening working with Chef Hilary of

Got to proudly represent by sporting my new logo’d apron.

All I can say is: life is good, people. Life is good.

02/01/2023

01/31/2023

Amen

I've said it many times and I'll say again: plant-based does not = good, healthy, sustainable, death free, cruelty free, or eco-friendly!

That doesn't mean "planet-based" = inherently bad, but the current trend of deceptively slapping a "plant-based" label on cheap, industrial products in order to appeal to consumers is cause for concern.

Because people associate vegetables and fruits with health, green-ness, cleanliness, & virtue, "plant-based" labeling conveniently inspires a false sense of security, leading well-meaning consumers to blindly trust greedy corporations—who only "care" about your health to the extent that you're convinced they do.

As it turns out, the reality of many "plant-based" production methods is far more grim than mega-corporations and their media mouthpieces would have us believe.

If you’d like to learn more you can scroll through my feed, visit my website, or sign up for my weekly newsletter. Link in bio!

https://sustainabledish.com/newsletter-sign-up/

01/31/2023

Language escapes me. Rainy Maui day.

01/02/2023

Amen