WHY waste a perfectly good appetite on a lousy meal?

That is the philosophy of Hans Strasser, Hawaii's Austrian consul, former general manager of the Colony Surf Hotel, and a founder of the 25-year-old Honolulu chapter of La Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs.

The Chaine is the world's oldest and largest epicurean society, started in 1248 in France as a guild of geese roasters (rotisseurs).

"The Chaine today really is for those who appreciate the finer things in life," Strasser said, "exquisite food and wine, the art of good conversation and friendship among the members.

"It spans the globe," he added about the Chaine, with chapters in 110 countries. U.S. chapters total 142 with 6,500 members. The Hawaii Pacific region includes five chapters - Honolulu, Kauai/Oahu, Big Island, Maui and Guam.

Indeed, why squander a robust hunger when one can indulge in a six-course "Hawaiian Pacific cuisine" luau, as 70 members of the Chaine gang did recently at Ihilani Resort & Spa?

The quarterly Chaine repast featured upscale variations on the poke, laulau and haupia themes. First, a cocktail hour presented colorful Hawaiian entertainment and tasty pupu of charred ahi with pickled ginger aioli; spiny lobster laulau; grilled eggplant roulade; and smoked duck summer roll.

The sit-down main event started with a poke-style trio: a chewy sashimi of smoked venison with matchstick slices of piquant pickled kabocha; lamb tartare with taro chips; and beef carpaccio topped with a lomilomi tomato salsa. The wine complement was Domaine de Triennes Cinsault Rose "Vin Gris" 1993, a light, elegant French vintage.

Next, tender saddle of rabbit with herbed stuffing was accompanied by a blini, or small pancake, with a chutney of Waimanalo corn and a dollop of avocado creme fraiche. The course was enhanced by Ca' del Solo Malvasia Bianca 1995, a fruity white wine with berry tones.

A sublime intermezzo of pomelo and tarragon sorbet refreshed the palate before a standout seafood entree: A large, extraordinarily sweet Kahuku prawn was offset by a velvety passion fruit buerre. Accompaniments included a roll sushi-style laulau of moi and scallop mousse; couscous delicately laced with limu; and pohole fern shoots. The course was punctuated by Beyerskloof Pinotage 1995, a slightly dry red wine.

A fruit and cheese course offered fresh Hamakua goat cheese rolled in slices of ginger-poached apple; greens with a tangy guava vinaigrette; and crusty bread sticks.

The riveting dessert - titled "Ali'i Lani" (heavenly royalty) - featured a Hawaiian helmet of caramelized almonds, with a solid chocolate crest. Melt in the mouth coconut Bavarian cream nestled beneath the helmet. Surrounding these elements were mango and lilikoi coulis arranged in a feather-cape design. A Quady Elysium 1995 made of California black muscat grapes was the light dessert wine with a potpourri bouquet.

The diners were as colorful as the dinner with Chaine medals hanging on colored ribbons indicating "rank" - green for bailli (club president or regional deputy); blue for club officers; orange for chefs; and purple for maitre d's and gastronomes. Attendees included TV celebrity Carole Kai, restaurateurs Guy Banal of Bon Appetit Bistro and Tony Manzo of the former Trattoria Manzo, and Oahu Country Club GM Fred Honda.

Hotel staff had provided a myriad of details, including orchid wrist lei for ladies, kukui nut lei for men, and centerpieces of tiny outrigger canoes on blue cellophane waves, floating candles and ti-leaf lei. Kawai Cockett and hula dancers entertained. The price tag: $150 per person.

Chaine costs include $175 initiation fee and $175 yearly dues. Events cost from $50 each. Chaine events have themes and are planned a year ahead. Recent productions included "An Evening with Genji" formal kai-seki dinner at Kyo-Ya Restaurant, and a "Wreath of Aloha" formal Christmas dinner at the Hawaii Prince Hotel; at that time, 24 members were inducted, including chef/restaurateurs Glenn Chu, Jean-Marie Josselin and Alan Wong.

"There's a waiting list of 12 people," said Bob Lee, an ophthalmologist and Honolulu chapter bailli, or president.

Recipes follow from the Chaine's Hawaiian Pacific cuisine luau, courtesy of Ihilani Resort & Spa executive chef Mark Adair.

4 (8 or 9 count) Kahuku prawns
1 tablespoon softened butter
2 tablespoons nuoc mam, or Vietnamese fish sauce

2 shallots, minced
2 cups Gewurztraminer wine
1/4 cup passion fruit puree
1 tablespoon passion fruit vinegar, available at food or kitchen speciality shops, such as Strawberry Connection
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup unsalted butter (82 percent or more butter fat)

Peel and devein prawns; wash thoroughly under cold water and pat dry.

To make passion fruit buerre: Sweat the shallots over medium heat in a 4-quart saucepan. Add wine, fruit puree and vinegar. Reduce by 2/3. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in butter slowly, a piece at a time, until all is incorporated. Keep warm.

Heat a large saute pan and saute prawns in 1 tablespoon butter. Finish with fish sauce to glaze the prawns. Serve immediately in a pool of passion fruit buerre. Makes 4 servings.

2-1/4 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons white chocolate
2 tablespoons coconut pure
1-1/2 leaves of gelatin (1-1/2 tablespoons
Scant 1/3 cup brandy

In a large saucepan over high heat, scald 1-1/4 cups of the heavy cream.

In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar and egg yolks until mixture forms a smooth ribbon when beater is lifted from mixture. Combine scalded cream, white chocolate, coconut and egg mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Soak gelatin in cold water for 6 minutes. Drain well. Gently heat brandy and mix with gelatin.

Beat remaining 1 cup heavy cream until it forms a ribbon.

Mix custard and brandy mixtures; gently fold in beaten cream. Refrigerate mixture in a 10-inch glass pie plate until set (4 hours).

Use a 3-inch circular or other shaped cutter to cut Bavarian as desired. Place on a dessert plate. Makes 4 servings.