Just in time for Mother's Day — but good for any occasion — are gift certificates to D.K. Kodama restaurants. The chef-restaurateur has teamed up with Costco: At the bulk emporium, for $80 you can buy two $50 gift certificates good at all D.K. Kodama restaurants — d.k steak house, Vino, Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas and Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar on O'ahu, and Vino and Sansei on Maui. The certificates are available at all O'ahu Costcos, as well as the Kahului location. Look for the special Mother's Day display, which, of course, includes sparkling wine and flowers.

NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF

FAMILY TIES AT GRAND CAFE & BAKERY

Anthony Kui Sin Vierra is the new executive chef at the Grand Cafe & Bakery in Chinatown, and there's a nice symmetry to that because he is the great-grandson of Ti Chong Ho, who founded the original Grand Cafe & Bakery in 1923. This revived version of the restaurant opened in 2005.

Vierra is a California Culinary Academy graduate, worked at Black Cat in San Francisco and 231 Ellsworth in San Mateo, and returned to Hawai'i in 2001. He has been a sous chef at 12th Avenue Grill, and the W Hotel. The Grand Cafe menu will continue to focus on old-style comfort foods, but Vierra is designing some new items. The restaurant is open 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays and for brunch from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; closed Mondays.