Client Reviews Below

Retreat Menu & Philosophy

Designing Your Retreat

Designing your menu includes much more than the carbohydrate, protein and fat components of the meals. The food selected to make up the menu must be aligned with your highest purpose of the retreat. It must embody the essence of the teaching; reflect the depth of the message, and the integrity of the land.  This mindfulness, from menu creation to inception, will provide nurturing support for your guests, giving them the valuable experience they seek.

When people are away from home and opening themselves to expansion and growth, their receptivity is enhanced when all their senses are awakened with the divinity of the Earth’s food. Receptivity to the content of your retreats/workshops will also be enhanced when your retreat menus align with the integrity of your course intentions.

By nurturing the body, mind and soul with fresh, delicious, organic whole foods, health and vibrancy is promoted and thus a more enlightened experience.

My Retreat Menu – Essential Cuisine

Much like a yoga or meditation practice, Essential Cuisine is a practice, one that supports the deepest nature of our spirits. Becoming conscious of our cuisine promotes positive intentions leading to a more mindful life.

My intention is to create nourishing meals that enlighten, nurture and nourish guests to the core. The retreat menu is designed to awaken and dazzle the senses beyond the word “diet” by providing foods that the body loves and the palate craves.

The dining experience will leave guests feeling nourished on many levels. They will experience pleasure instead of deprivation, feel complete instead of full and satisfied instead of wanting.

Local green cuisine is the theme for the menu, which consists of a combination of the highest quality raw, cooked and cultured foods grown in harmony with our environment here on Maui, and in the Hawaiian islands.

Basic Menu of Foods

Vegetables & Salad Greens, Sauces and Dressings from Artisan Oils, Whole Grains, Legumes, Roots, Taro, Squash, Cultured Veggies, Fermented Beverages, Tropical Fruits, Nuts, Seeds and Humanly Raised Animal Foods; Eggs, Cheese, Fish, Venison and Maui Beef.

Salad Bar:
Fresh Organic greens, sprouts, herbs and vegetables with luscious sauces from the highest quality of oils of Flax, Olive, Coconut and Styrian Pumpkin Seed.

Vegetables: Beets, carrots, zucchini, chard, kale, cabbages, asparagus, green beans, ong choy, taro, egg plant

Whole Grains: Alkaline grains of Millet, Quinoa and Amaranth will be served with impeccable oils, herbs and Hawaiian Sea Salt.

Legumes: Mung beans, lentils and chick peas served in soups, side dishes and vegetarian main courses.

Squash & Potatoes: Molokai Sweet and purple Okinawan Potatoes add to more colorful squashes, pumpkins, and root potatoes of all colors.

Protein: Fish from local waters, wild island venison, Maui beef, poultry (optional-not local) and/or eggs. Vegetarian and vegan options available.

Cultured Vegetables: Sauerkraut type cultured veggies made from cabbage, kale, carrots and parsley will be served for lunch and/or dinner.

Fresh Fruit: Papaya, pineapple, bananas, berries and tropical fruits in season.

Alternate Treat Potentials: Raw soups, seed cheeses, sorbets, fresh seed milks, raw cacao and local roasted cacao desserts.

Breakfast: Fresh local seasonal fruit, yogurt, sprouted buckwheat/grain cereals, French toast, eggs, potatoes/taro. Most traditional breakfasts made healthy.

Beverage: Fresh island lemons/limes and Maui/Kona coffee as desired.

Special Diets: Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free. Can cater to diabetics and other special dietary requirements.

Fasting: Fruit and vegetable juices, vegetable broths and bone broths.

Wine Pairing: When suitable.

Alternative Priced Menus: Low, moderate and high-end dining as requested, buffets and full service. Usually runs from $65.00 to $95.00 per person per day, depending on menu and amount of people.

Customer Reviews

From: Joining Heart Retreat: February 2013

Dear Susan, I want to tell you that choosing to participate in the catered food from our Maui retreat was the second best choice I made after choosing the retreat.  Initially I as not interested in taking part as I am a very picky eater and the thought of eating vegan, vegetarian (plus fish) and fresh was so unfamiliar to me I was not sure if I would be able to eat anything. I made the choice when I got closer to the time that I was going to use this retreat to grow and care for myself and that one of the places I really wanted to do that was in my eating so I reluctantly signed on and I am so grateful I did!!!!!  I honest to God have never enjoyed food more than I did last week.  There was not one dish I did not love and finish.  I have never had Tofu in my life nor had a desire to and it was soooooo good.  I usually do not eat fish, I have never liked it but the fish you prepared on the bed of sweet potatoes was as delicious as a desert to me. I cannot thank you enough for all the time and effort and love that went into our meals.  Not only did you fix the most amazing food but your willingness to share all the information with us about it was so helpful and appreciated!  I came home and went to the grocery store with a transformed mind set.  I purchased Coconut oil and seeds and nuts and fresh veggies and actually planned all my healthy meals for the week and did it!  I feel so good.  I actually lost 4 pounds on the retreat, eating every meal and another when I got home and continued the path.  I am so looking forward to reading your blog and taking your on line courses and becoming the chef in my house.  Thank you for all you did and all you are!!!!!!!!!

From: Penny levin – Maui Agriculture Design Conference – August 2011

The Maui Agriculture Design Conference brought together a diverse gathering of farmers and resource people under the wonderful umbrella of Hale Akua in Haiku. For five days, people focused on creating a better agriculture future for the island. What made the event truly spectacular and drove home the message that Maui has the ability to become food self-sufficient was the incredible food coming from the kitchen of Chef Susan Teton Campbell. The food and how it was prepared also helped keep participants alert throughout the intense exchange and processing of ideas and information that goes on at a conference like this.

It began with the diversity and abundance of organic fruits, vegetables, poi, eggs, fresh caught fish and deer straight from Maui’s farmers, hunters, and fishermen and produce from organic grocers; herbs fresh from the garden at Hale Akua, salt from the ocean. And cream. I never knew that cream, without the milk (lactose), could be good for you (helps your pancreas). In the eggs, like silk. With the fresh lilikoi, in a cheese cake, it was divine. Every day, meals had an abundance of fresh fruits, salad greens, a diversity of sprouts from Kahanu ‘Aina Farms, unique herb dressings, complex carbohydrates in grains such as oats and quinoa, taro and kabocha pumpkin, a potted vegetables ferment. The herb quiche woke up all my senses. By the second day, my cravings for sugar, salt and carbohydrates were completely gone. The venison meatballs, chicken, fish, the soups were lightly seasoned to perfection so that the flavor of each element came through. Nothing was smothered, except my experience that organic dishes (except for salads) often meant sacrificing fine cooking and the palette. Chocolate mousse with avocados and sapote. Pumpkin soup seasoned with chipolte and spices. Water with roses. A feast of the senses – and to sharpen the senses.

Chef Teton uses food to heal the imbalances in the body. Each dish was prepared with her incredibly creative and enthusiastic energy and the help of a fabulous kitchen crew. We were all happy to help with the dishes for being fed so well!

A month later, I’ve gone into withdrawals and wishing that every farmers market, store and restaurant in Maui would wake up to the potential that resides right here in this community to feed ourselves with this kind of abundance and health. It starts with farmers healing the soil and culminates with chefs like Susan and cooks and consumers like all of us.

Penny Levin
Wailuku, Maui

aloha and good morning