Our Story
Joy’s Place Live was founded on a simple belief: that good food, made with care, can support everyday life in meaningful ways.
Joy White (Owner, 1998-2025) & Ben Diamond (Current Owner)
The roots of Joy’s Place go back to 1998, when Joy White opened the original Joy’s Place restaurant in Kihei with a focus on healthy, satisfying meals made for everyone.
In 2012, Joy’s Place Live was established in Pukalani as a small commercial kitchen designed to meet the needs of busy lives. The goal was to make nourishing food more accessible to the Upcountry community.
Our philosophy has remained consistent throughout the years: the foundation of good health starts with food that is simply prepared from quality ingredients. Rather than prescribing one way of eating, we believe in offering real, nourishing food that allows each person to make choices that feel right for their body. Whether you eat meat, vegetarian, or vegan, our aim is to make it easier to indulge in good choices—food that supports daily life without feeling restrictive.
Everything we make is freshly produced in small batches to ensure freshness and flavor. We source locally and organically whenever possible, and our small team is rooted in care—for ingredients, for process, and for the people we serve.
In 2025, Joy’s Place Live entered a new chapter. After two years of working closely together, ownership transitioned to Ben Diamond, who continues to carry the heart of Joy’s Place Live forward with deep respect for its history and community.