Our Story

If Chef Jim wasn’t born with an actual culinary gene, the passion for cooking was definitely in his blood. Life in his large Mediterranean family —Armenian on his father’s side and Sicilian on his mother’s—was centered around the kitchen. In fact, one of Jim’s earliest memories is there, helping his grandmother roll stuffed grape leaves. And, when other kids were playing outside, he was watching The Galloping Gourmet, Yan Can Cook, and Julia Child’s The French Chef. Chef Jim’s journey took him to Chicago and to California, where he met lifetime mentor, Joyce Goldstein, chef/owner of the venerable Square One in San Francisco, and two-time James Beard Award winner. From her, Jim cultivated a meticulous respect for the senses of fine food—the sounds and rhythm of the kitchen, the final presentation, scent, texture and taste. His philosophy today brings the warmth of his family kitchen together with sophisticated technique to create a dining experience worthy of his culinary ancestors. Like them, Chef Jim believes in a regional, seasonal, and artisanal approach to procuring foods, and achieves that through strong ties to local farming, fishing and ranching families. He also imports some of the finest products in the world to meld with the freshest, locally sourced ingredients, from the plant to the plate. “At Pueo’s, your culinary adventure will be grounded in Hawaiʻi,” Chef Jim is fond of saying. “But the flavors will take you abroad to Italy.”

Not only is Christine Babian the Proprietor and 50% of Team Babian; she’s an award-winning top producer for Compass Realty. And while the worlds of real estate and restaurants may seem different, to Christine they’re all about the same thing: making people happy. Christine’s 30+ years of experience includes front and back of the house service, banquets, catering, and now as co-owner. She believes in five-star guest service from soup to nuts. As a result, she’s fostered lifelong friendships through the restaurant with both local residents and folks traveling from abroad. “Restaurants, food and wine, it’s a passion,” Christine says. “For Jim and I, it’s what we do.” She and Chef Jim operate as a team at home and in the restaurant, finding that balance that makes everything work.

Born on Hawai‘i Island, Yadao brings more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant and tourism industry to Pueo’s. Yadao began as an in-room dining server at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in 1998 and then served as bartender at the Orchid at Mauna Lani/Fairmont Orchid from 2001 to 2006. That was when he first worked with Pueo’s owner James Babian, who was the executive chef at the Orchid at the time. Yadao then worked as the bar manager at Rio’s of Kona from 2003 to 2008. He moved to Montana in 2010 and continued gaining professional experience on the mainland as general manager at The Montana Club and The Craggy Range. After returning to the Hawai‘i Island in 2016, he was the general manager of Abay’s Bar and Grill in the King Shops in Waikoloa until 2022. He began working at Pueo’s Osteria in January 2023 and is honored to be named the new general manager.

Highly-respected by the Pueo’s culinary team, Chef Jaron takes particular pride in crafting daily specials that take taste to the next level, and bring guests back just to see what he creates next. Hawai‘i Island born and raised, he has an innate understanding of our diverse food culture, and the special local ingredients that bring it to life. Chef Jaron graduated from the Culinary Arts program at Hawai‘i Community College, and right away went to work at some of Hawaii’s finest resort restaurants: Westin Hapuna Beach’s Meridia, and Four Seasons Hualālai’s ‘Ulu, and Beach Tree Bar & Grill, where he met his professional mentor, Chef James Babian. In 2017, Jaron’s journey took him to Calistoga, California where he stepped up his game at the Michelin-rated Solbar at the Solage, an Auberge Resort. He returned to Hawai‘i the following year, and joined the enthusiastic team at Pueo’s Osteria, as the enjoyed increasing success. And, although Chef Jim calls him his right hand man, Jaron is a humble man with a pure love of good food, and the special flavors of his island home.