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Part of the reason Germaine’s Luau is known for creating such a family atmosphere, is because, well, we’re family. Many of our longtime employees are sons and daughters, even grandchildren of Germaine’s original lineup.

This includes our tour guide/sales manager Reno Kalima- Cuaresma whose mom worked as an MC at Germaine’s. Reno would come to work with his mom when he was 6 and began working at Germaine’s when he turned 16, joining the special events team. Reno worked for Germaine’s through college, eventually becoming a Polynesian dancer on stage. (“It’s my second home and second family, I can’t and will not go away,” he said.) He’s best known now as our tour guide, celebrated by comedian Gabriel Iglesias in his Aloha Fluffy comedy special.

We caught up with Reno to get to know him better. 

Did you always want to work at Germaine’s? Yes. I started on the special events team. I worked at the front gate in college. I was a Polynesian dancer so I then became a dancer on stage. I had danced my whole life and I always wanted to be on stage. It was awesome. I love entertaining people. Then I became a tour guide and I still do that. I also emcee special events, work as a bartender. I’m a man of many hats. I work as the sales manager in the morning.

What do you like about working at Germaine’s? To me, I don’t consider it a job, per se. I look at it as fun. I like being able to spread culture of aloha to everybody.

What’s the best part of your jobs? I get to make people laugh and share the culture and customs of Hawaii and our Luau. I try to share what the Aloha spirit is all about. It’s more than a greeting –  it’s a feeling from inside. It’s being real, not a sales person. It’s showing them not only what the Luau experience is, but showing the experience of Hawaii that most tourists don’t get to see. Most only see the tourist side.