Meet Ashley Towner | Restaurant owner, cook, artist, creator, party planner, mixologist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Towner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi ashley, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I decided to open my own restaurant when I got pregnant with my son. I had worked in restaurants for 22 years and I wanted to create a work environment that included my family.
I didn’t want to separate my family from the place I spent so much of my time e and created the life we had together. I wanted to live my job and resent the fact that I had to choose between time with my kids and time making money to give them a good life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Aloha
I am the creator and owner of a family owned restaurant on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii…. The Smoking Boar and the Coconut.
I started working in restaurants when I was 16 years old at a pizza brewery and from there I tackled every position at in house at restaurants that ranged from small mom and pop style to large corporation and prestigious establishments that fed the rich and famous in California and Hawaii. During those 20 years I fell in love with customer service and the idea of making everything dining experience special. When I had the opportunity to manage a restaurant a decade ago, I felt torn between running the restaurant how the owners wanted, and offering my guests the experience I could in-vision for them. It was then I knew I wanted to open my own restaurant that could offer a special experience to every customer, every time. And when it got pregnant with my son in 2019, I decided it was time to open my own spot so I could bring my baby to work with me. I was due in April 2020, I qualified for a small business loan, found an old gas station available for lease and signed the papers March 2020. 2 weeks later Covid shut down the world, but not my dreams. My husband got laid off his heavy equipment job, and as other restaurants were closing their doors, my husband and I began buying kitchen equipment from them and built or restaurant in that old building. My daughters were 10 & 12 years old, and they started an on line Hawaiian immersion school, when we opened our doors to take out, they took the orders, and my husband and I cooked with a newborn baby strapped to my chest.
To say the least, I was taught to be flexible, from day one, and that’s what got us through.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
That’s so easy, being in a tourist destination, I get asked these questions all the time! In my opinion you need to stay in Waikiki for at least 2 nights! Experience the chaos. Walk the warm city streets at night, get up at sunrise as the world’s colors are painted and take a long board out in the small waves, swim every morning! The best hotels are: The Royal Hawaiian , The wayfinder or Tge Modern. Don’t waist your time at the busy expensive restaurants in the heart of Waikiki…. Go to China town or Kakaako to find the best restaurants with the best ambiance! Mana Pua is a must!! Grab snacks from ABC stores and 7-11! The old Hawaiian Marketplace was turned into to a mall with some of the best restaurants as well: Herringbone, Strip Steak & Eating House.
From there stay on the west side for a couple days at the Marriott Vacation club, they offer suites so you can cook in your room and they have the best pools!! You’ll want to go next door to the four seasons and eat at their ocean front restaurant and across the street to Monkeypod for happy hour with live music!
After that, come to the north shore and experience the true version of Hawaii! There is only one hotel, Turtel Bay, and it’s not cheap, but they do everything perfect! Every room has an ocean view, the lobby and bar is stunning. They offer hula and lei making. This is your hub for adventure: go hiking, visit every beach, take long walks on the beach, watch every sunset from different locations, go to Waimea valley and swim in a waterfall, eat at my restaurant! Aokis shave ice is the best!! Not a lot of great restaurants in Haleiwa, honestly but Turtle bay offers Rots on the beach which is great every time. Drive up the road to Kahuku and visit the beer garden, country eatery, seven brothers. Drive a little farther and have dinner at The crouching Lion. Make the extra trip to Kaneohe and have dinner at Haleiwa Joes, it lingers in a botanical garden with good local cuisine.
I would suggest your last day… drive the east side of Oahu and stop at Waihole poi factory for lunch, don’t miss out on the sweet lady of Waihole dessert, then stay the night at the Kahala resort. Maybe hike the diamond head crater or mania falls! But don’t miss that sunrise! Pick lots of flowers! They all smell amazing. West raw fish, fresh fruit and have a Mai tai contest at every restaurant you stop at. And beer labs is amazing!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have taken a little bit of every restaurant I’ve worked in, to create the environment I have today. I kept the best strategies and funneled out the corporate rules that stifled the creativity and success of the staff.
My biggest influences were : Kevin Mabbott at Delicias and his leadership skills, Chef Fred Deangelo and his wife at Ola at Turtle Bay and their clear commitment to Hawaiian Values.

But mostly the Hawaiian Culture and the will to stay alive and bring its HA to the world. My husband is Hawaiian and watching his family come together and put on family events focused around food was always so inspiring to me, unlike any culture I’ve been a part of. I knew I had to keep this culture alive and teach my children who they are and why it is so special to be Hawaiian.

Website: https://www.thesmokingboarthecoconut.com

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