Fri Apr 04 07:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Acclaimed Pastry Chef Killed by Falling Boulder During Kauai Hike
**LIHUE, Kauai (Fox News) —** Gianna Buzzetta, a 26-year-old pastry chef from California and rising star at the Michelin-starred restaurant Jeune et Jolie, died after being struck by a falling boulder during a hike in Kauai, Hawaii.
The incident occurred on March 23rd at Makaleha Falls. Buzzetta was hiking with her boyfriend, Connor Quinton, when a large boulder dislodged from above, hitting her. The remote location lacked cell service, forcing Quinton to run for help.
First responders found Buzzetta unconscious and bleeding heavily from a head wound. Despite being airlifted to a hospital, she succumbed to her injuries. Quinton reportedly told Buzzetta’s family that the hike fulfilled her lifelong dream and she had called it “the best day of her life.” The couple were planning to get engaged.
Buzzetta’s employer described her as “super creative, super talented, incredibly hardworking,” and a key contributor to the restaurant’s success. Jeune et Jolie is now raising funds for Buzzetta’s family through a special dinner service. The restaurant’s Instagram post expressed heartbreak and described Buzzetta as “our friend,” highlighting her “joy, intensity, passion and love.”
First Piper 