More than $20,000 raised to help Kapiolani Community College culinary team go for the gold

Support from Carole Kai Charities/Great Aloha Run, Whole Foods Market and others help Team Hawaii compete for national championship

Kapiʻolani Community College
Contact:
Frank Leake, (808) 734-9204
Kapiolani Community College
Kristen Bonilla, (808) 956-5039
External Affairs & University Relations
Posted: Jun 23, 2009


HONOLULU — Thanks to a $5,000 donation from Carole Kai Charities/Great Aloha Run and numerous other donations and contributions from the local community, Kapiʻolani Community College‘s Junior American Culinary Federation (ACF) Competition Team—also known as Team Hawaiʻi—is half way towards reaching its fundraising goal of $40,000 and continues to prepare for the national championship in Orlando, Fla., in July.

To date, approximately $21,735 has been raised in support of culinary education in Hawaiʻi and preparing Team Hawaiʻi for the national competition. Additional funds are expected to add to that amount from the team‘s remaining practice lunches, for which the public can purchase tickets, and Whole Foods Market‘s upcoming Community Support Day benefiting Team Hawaiʻi. On Wednesday, July 1, five percent of net sales for the day at Whole Foods Market‘s Kahala Mall Store will be donated to help fund Team Hawaiʻi‘s efforts.

Team Hawaiʻi captured the top prize at the ACF‘s Student Team Western Regional Championship in April, and is one of four teams that will be competing for the national title at the 2009 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Fla., July 11-14. The team with the highest score will be named ACF Student Team National Champions for 2009.

"The Board of Directors of Carole Kai Charities/Great Aloha Run‘s decision to help provide financial support to the culinary students‘ education and their preparation for this competition will further enhance health, wellness and education in our state," said Carol M. Jaxon, Race Director for Carole Kai Charities/Great Aloha Run. "Through their culinary training, these outstanding students are learning about sustainability and healthy eating. We are confident these future culinarians will take their education into the future and help create a healthier Hawaiʻi."

Individuals or organizations wishing to make a donation in support of the team can do so by contacting Linh Hoang, UH Foundation Director of Development for Kapiʻolani Community College, at (808) 734-9570, or donations can also be made online.

This is the first time a team from Kapiʻolani CC has captured the top prize in a regional ACF competition and the second time a UH community college team has won. Maui Community College captured the Western Regional Championship in 2000.

"Participation and preparation for this competition is important in so many ways," said Louise Pagotto, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Kapiʻolani Community College. "Through this experience, students develop a range of important skills that will make them stand out and be highly attractive to employers as they enter the workforce.

"Participation in the competition is also important for our state as the quality of our state‘s culinary programs is elevated through this significant public recognition," said Pagotto.

Team Hawaiʻi is comprised of student chefs Anna Hirano (team alternate/sous-chef), Keaka Lee, Tate Nakano-Edwards, San Shoppell (team captain), Rena Suzuki and Ken Yi. Kapiʻolani CC Professor Frank Leake and Instructor Alan Tsuchiyama serve as team coaches and managers.

Team Hawaiʻi is very grateful to the numerous Hawaiʻi individuals and businesses who have stepped forward to date in support of the team, including those who provided support to help get the team to the Western Regional Championship in April.

Just some of the many individuals and businesses who have supported the team‘s regional and national efforts include:

  • ACF Kauaʻi chapter
  • ACF Kona Kohala Chefs Association
  • ACF Maui Chapter
  • American Culinary Federation
  • Big Island Goat Cheese
  • Big Wave Tomatoes
  • Bob Carpenter
  • Carole Kai Charities/Great Aloha Run
  • Chaine Des Rotisseurs
  • Children‘s Alliance of Hawaiʻi
  • Chef Works
  • Culinary Fast-Trac and Associates
  • Mr. & Mrs. J.P. and Beth Damon
  • Christopher Darval, Kapiʻolani CC
  • Doubletree Guest Suites—Walt Disney World Resort
  • Mr. & Mrs. Rich and Brendan Ethington
  • Eyes of Hawaiʻi Photography Club
  • First Hawaiian Bank
  • Guslander Foundation
  • Hale ʻAina ʻOhana
  • Hale Kuʻike, LLC
  • HFM Foodservice
  • Ho Farms
  • Honolulu Advertiser
  • Honolulu Magazine
  • Honolulu Star-Bulletin
  • Ms. Carol Hoshiko
  • Hukilau Foods
  • Y. Hata & Co. Limited
  • Grant Itomitsu, Kapiʻolani CC
  • KHNL 8
  • KITV 4
  • Kona Blue Water Farms
  • Kona Cold Lobster, Ltd.
  • Kevin Omura, Kuleana Design
  • Meng-Ling Erik Kuo
  • Mr. & Mrs. Michael and Tomoko Malaghan
  • Clifford Manansala, Kapiʻolani CC
  • Mr. & Mrs. Earle and Valerie Matsuda
  • Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Mazuk
  • MidWeek
  • Dr. & Mrs. Earl and Karen Miller
  • Nalo Farms
  • Joan Namkoong
  • OC16 TV
  • Dr. Louise Pagotto
  • Glenn Poulain, Ocean Arts Hawaiʻi
  • D. Otani Produce, Inc.
  • Mr. & Mrs. Al Ogata and Amy Jampel
  • Gene Phillips, Kapiʻolani CC
  • Plate-Mate, Inc. U.S.A.
  • Roy‘s Restaurants Hawaiʻi
  • Seawind Tours & Travel
  • Senate, Hawaiʻi State Legislature
  • Share Your Table
  • Dr. Garrett Saikley
  • Starwood Hotels & Resorts
  • Sub Zero Wolff
  • Tropic Fish Hawaiʻi
  • Whole Foods Market
  • Keane Yorita, Kapiʻolani CC
  • Hawaiʻi Chefs Roy Yamaguchi, Alan Wong, Hiroshi Fukui, Rodney Uyehara and Lindsey Ozawa, Chef Ernesto Limcaco, Chef Jon Matsubura
  • A friend, a chef, an ACF judge, a soldier proudly serving