Culinary Institute of America training chefs at Culinary Institute of the Pacific

Chef Roy Yamaguchi, Director of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific

Kapi‘olani Community College and the Culinary Institute of the Pacific are collaborating with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the world’s premier culinary college, on a new workforce and professional development program. 

The program, which launches in September 2024 and is designed for both professional chefs and people aspiring to join the foodservice and hospitality workforce, will offer in-depth, weeklong courses highlighting the cuisines of the Pacific Rim, Asia, Latin America, along with other global, plant-forward cuisines, contemporary garde manger (preparation of cold foods), and more. 

"The collaboration between the Culinary Institute of the Pacific and the Culinary Institute of America marks a pivotal moment aimed at truly creating a world-class culinary institute,” said Roy Yamaguchi, executive director of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific. “By enlisting the support of CIA to introduce specialized classes for industry professionals and workforce development, we're not just expanding our educational repertoire; but more importantly highlighting the value of culinary education to the greater visitor industry and local community.”

• More about the program and application information

Yamaguchi will collaborate closely with the CIA’s chef instructors to develop a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship between the two organizations.

“We are excited to collaborate with CIP to provide this workforce development program,” said Chef David Kamen, director of client experience at CIA Consulting. “These hands-on programs—set against the beautiful backdrop of Diamond Head—provide a dynamic learning environment and will help ensure the talent pipeline in the islands remains robust for years to come.”

Participants will receive a certificate of completion from the Culinary Institute of America and the Culinary Institute of the Pacific complete with continuing education hours and a digital badge that can be shared on social media feeds and digital signatures. 

Yamaguchi said, “This initiative will uplift the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, signifying a commitment to excellence and a dedication in fostering a community of highly trained, skilled and innovative culinary professionals. It's a bold step towards realizing our goal of becoming globally competitive in culinary education and enriching the culinary landscape in Hawaiʻi for generations to come."

About The Culinary Institute of America

Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry, and its worldwide network of more than 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.

About Culinary Institute of Pacific

The programs at The Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP) at Kapiʻolani Community College planted its roots in 1946, then known as the “Hotel and Restaurant” program, under the Territorial Department of Public Instruction located at the Palama Settlement facilities. Since then, the program has moved from the Ala Wai Clubhouse to the Pensacola Campus to where it currently stands along the slopes of Lē‘ahi. The program has recently expanded its footprint to include the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head, where two state-of-the-art culinary laboratories have been built and will soon be home to three prized facility additions: a Tasting Studio, the Food Creativity Center, and the highly anticipated CIP restaurant. The CIP program prides itself as a conduit for supporting the State of Hawai‘i’s culinary industry through a multitude of educational avenues, both short and long term, including bachelor’s degree transfer pathways, associate degrees, certificates, workforce development, and non-credit programming. The Culinary Institute of the Pacific programs extend across the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges System including programs at Leeward Community College, Kauaʻi Community College, UH Maui College and Hawaiʻi Community College. 

For more information, visit: https://culinaryinstitute.hawaii.edu/