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Kirk and Paula Coult have spent years building restaurants that reflect the places they call home. As hospitality entrepreneurs, they have opened seven restaurants across Colorado, Whistler, and Kauaʻi, with each one shaped by its local community rather than a standard formula.
Their latest venture, Kiahuna Sunrise Cafe, brought them to one of Kauaʻi’s most historic properties. Located within the restored Plantation Gardens building at Kiahuna Plantation, the café has given new life to a space that had remained closed since 2020. More than simply opening another restaurant, the project allowed the couple to restore a landmark while creating a welcoming place for both residents and visitors to begin their day.
In this interview, Kirk and Paula discuss what they’ve learned from decades in hospitality, why creating a memorable guest experience goes far beyond the menu, and how restoring a historic building became one of the most meaningful projects of their careers.
What first drew you to the restaurant business?
We’ve always enjoyed creating places where people naturally want to spend time together. Restaurants have a unique way of bringing people together, whether it’s over a quick coffee before work or a long breakfast with family. Over the years, we’ve opened several restaurants, and each one has taught us something different about hospitality, service, and the importance of creating an experience that people remember.
How did your career in hospitality develop over the years?
Our journey has taken us to several different communities, with restaurants in Aspen, Breckenridge, Salida, Whistler, and Kauaʻi. Every location has been different, but the goal has always stayed the same. We want people to enjoy great food in an environment that feels welcoming and reflects the character of the place. Those experiences helped us understand that successful restaurants aren’t built from a formula. They’re built by listening to the community and creating something that belongs there.
What made Kiahuna Plantation the right place for your newest restaurant?
The opportunity was about much more than opening another location. The Plantation Gardens building had been closed since 2020, and we saw the chance to bring life back to a place that means a great deal to many people. We wanted to respect its history while giving it a fresh purpose. Restoring a building with so much character felt like the right project at the right time.
What was your vision for Kiahuna Sunrise Cafe from the beginning?
We wanted mornings to feel easy. People shouldn’t have to rush through breakfast, especially in a place like Kauaʻi. We imagined a café where guests could enjoy fresh food, quality coffee, and beautiful surroundings before heading out for the day. Whether someone stays for an hour or simply grabs a coffee and pastry, we want the experience to feel welcoming and relaxed.
Your newest restaurant is your seventh. What have previous businesses taught you?
Every restaurant has reinforced the same lesson. Good food matters, but it’s only one part of the experience. Guests remember how they were treated. They remember the atmosphere and whether they felt comfortable enough to return. We’ve also learned that every community is different. A successful restaurant reflects its surroundings rather than trying to copy what worked somewhere else.
For example, what works in a mountain town doesn’t necessarily work on an island. The surroundings, the pace of life, and what people are looking for all influence how a restaurant should operate. Understanding those differences has become one of the most valuable lessons we’ve learned.
How did you decide on the menu?
We wanted to offer familiar breakfast favourites while also including dishes that reflect the island. That’s why you’ll find everything from Eggs Benedict and pancakes to loco moco, sweet and savoury crepes, Chicken and Waffles, and Chicken Fried Steak. We also wanted the coffee and pastries to be just as strong as the breakfast menu, so partnering with local businesses made perfect sense.
Why was it important to work with local suppliers?
Local partnerships strengthen the entire community. We serve coffee from Kauaʻi Roastery and pastries from Orly Patisserie because they share our commitment to quality. Guests appreciate knowing where their food and coffee come from, and working with talented local businesses helps create a more authentic experience.
Restaurants don’t exist in isolation. They become stronger when they work with local producers, bakers, farmers, and craftspeople who care about the same things you do.
The setting is unlike many breakfast restaurants. How much does that influence the guest experience?
It plays a huge role. The lanai overlooks gardens filled with orchids and koi ponds, and many guests arrive just as the sun is coming up. That environment naturally encourages people to slow down. The setting becomes part of the meal, and we think that’s something people continue to value.
People often remember how a place made them feel as much as they remember what they ate. Creating that atmosphere is just as important as preparing a good breakfast.
Restoring a historic building must have come with challenges. What did you learn from the process?
Projects like this require patience. Older buildings have their own character, and you have to work with that rather than against it. We wanted to preserve what made the property special while creating a space that functions well as a modern restaurant. Seeing guests enjoying the building again has made all the work worthwhile.
It’s rewarding to know the building has become a gathering place once more after sitting empty for several years. Giving it a new purpose while respecting its history has been one of the highlights of the project.
What role do you think restaurants play in a community?
Restaurants often become gathering places without people even realising it. Families celebrate milestones there. Friends meet over coffee. Visitors create memories they’ll associate with a destination for years. We think restaurants have a responsibility to contribute positively to the communities they’re part of, and that’s something we’ve always tried to do.
Hospitality is really about making people feel welcome. When you consistently create that feeling, a restaurant becomes part of the community rather than simply a place to eat.
Looking back, what has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?
Opening a restaurant is always rewarding, but seeing people return is even more meaningful. Repeat guests tell you that you’ve created something worthwhile. Watching people enjoy a building that had been sitting empty for years has been especially satisfying because it means we’ve helped give an important local space a new chapter.
There’s also something special about seeing visitors discover the restaurant for the first time and then recommend it to friends or return later in their trip. Those moments remind us why we enjoy this industry so much.
What continues to motivate you after opening seven restaurants?
Hospitality is always evolving because every guest is different. There are always new ideas to explore and new experiences to create. We still enjoy seeing a full dining room in the morning, talking with guests, and finding ways to make each visit a little better than the last. That’s what keeps us excited about what we do.
After all these years, we’re still motivated by the same simple goal: creating places where people can slow down, enjoy a great meal, and leave feeling like they’ve had a memorable experience.
