The University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Community College offers a AAS (Associates) culinary arts degree, where students learn just about every aspect in the culinary industry. Learning everything from basic knife skills, food safety, various cooking techniques, food costing, to menu planning. Other classes offered is Culinary Nutrition, Fine dining, Garde Manager, Dining Room Services & Stewarding & Patisserie. All the current instructors & Lectures are former graduates of the Hilo CC culinary arts program. John Veneri visited Program Coordinator for the Culinary Arts Program & Culinary Instructor Shawn Sumiki to learn a little more about the program and how it sources it’s food.
“We have a strong collaboration with the HCC Agriculture program. 90% of the produce that the agriculture program grows, is harvested and processed then delivered to our culinary arts program. We then utilize the produce in our daily lab production creating healthy meals for our students, kauhale & community to purchase. This collaboration also supports students’ interest in both programs (Agriculture & Culinary). For example, after students graduate from the culinary arts program they enroll into the agriculture program and vise versa, which strengthens the bond between our two programs.
To learn more about the program, visit the culinary website at Hawaii.hawaii.edu/culinary or follow on Instagram @HawaiiCCculinary.