Published on January 29, 2014 on AOL Travel || In tonight’s penultimate episode of Top Chef Season 11, the final three Cheftestants say goodbye to the Big Easy and arrive on the Hawaiian island of Maui. There they’ll slice, sauté and serve their way to the final, which airs February 5 at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo.

While on the Valley Isle, the chefs will be living the luxe life in the villas at the new Andaz Maui at Wailea. The hotel, on Maui’s South Shore, overlooks Mokapu Beach, which you can see in the background of this “Last Chance Kitchen” episode. The competitors also will be rubbing shoulders with Hawaiian culinary royalty: Sam Choy and Peter Merriman, two of the founders ofHawaii Regional Cuisine, and chef/owners at some of Hawaii’s most recognized restaurants. (Merriman runs Merriman’s Kapalua, and while Choy currently doesn’t have an outpost on Maui, rumor has it he’s considering a Kaanapali location.)

Following the chefs’ footsteps on Maui is easy and delicious — if you have the bank account to support it. But if you’re traveling here without a Top Chef-caliber budget or palate, and just want some ono grinds (aka yummy food), here are some must-try Maui foods, and where to eat them. Read more…