Rising Stars: Meet Kiana Hanaoka

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiana Hanaoka.

Hi Kiana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thank you for having me! My name is Kiana, I live in Southern California and have grown up by the ocean my whole life. I am passionate about living a simple life filled with people I love, and nourishing myself, friends, and family, with real, whole, good food. I love using food as a way to bring people together. Ever since I was little, I’ve always appreciated the simple things in life. It might have had something to do with growing up as an only child; I always had to get creative and find simple ways to keep myself entertained. I’ve always enjoyed being creative both in and out of the kitchen. I’d always see my mom in the kitchen cooking and I would go to the backyard, pick some flowers, cut them up, and arrange it on a plate, pretending to create my own dishes. Fast forward to today, I still love cooking. And even more than that, I love creating simple (aesthetically pleasing) dishes that everyone can make and enjoy at home.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I can’t complain- I love being able to do what I love and inspire others while doing so! However, everyone has their bad days. I’d say the biggest thing I struggle with is feeling discouraged when I lack inspiration. When this happens, I like to find inspiration in nature, cookbooks, cooking shows, Pinterest, and dishes from other cultures!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Aside from creative work, I work for a genetic testing company that tests for mutations in your genes/body. It’s super rewarding working for a company that makes tests like this affordable for everyone. I’m so proud to be a part of a company who helps saves lives every day.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I love love love connecting with my community on Instagram! My dm’s are always open and I’m always here to share a story with, give support, hype you up, or just chat!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: keeksitsimple