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| Culinary Institute of the Pacific student Ryan Iwamoto puts the finishing touches on a meal of duck and french green beans during a multicourse meal preparation lab class Nov. 16 at the West Hawaii Community College campus. - Photos By Michael Darden | West Hawaii Today |
Recipe for success
Community College Culinary Arts
Program serves up sizzling careers
by Karen Anderson
Special To West Hawaii Today
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 8:39 AM HST
Growing up in Kailua-Kona, Cy
Yamamoto always loved to cook, but he never imagined that one day he'd be the
executive sous-chef at a major resort.Special To West Hawaii Today
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 8:39 AM HST
He attended the Food Service Program at Hawaii Community College in Kealakekua, where he earned a culinary degree in 1999. Yamamoto's career immediately took off with a coveted position at the Four Seasons Resort. Now he's living his dream as a chef at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, and he's also a private chef for high-end clients at Kukio and Hualalai Resort.
Like many other local grads, Yamamoto credits the culinary school for jump-starting his career.
"I never would have landed my first job at the Four Seasons if it weren't for the program," he said.
According to Jim Lightner, hospitality division chairman of Hawaii Community College Food Service Program in West Hawaii and Hilo, graduates can earn $50,000 to $60,000 a year within six months of completing the two-year program.
"The pay in the culinary arts is high when you're with resort establishments like what we have here in West Hawaii," he said. "Most of our students are working part-time while they're in the program, so they already have a foot in the door."
Launched in 1988, the Food Service Program, which is taught at the Kealakekua campus and also in Hilo, covers all the basics for careers in the culinary field and can lead to other interesting careers -- everything from sales and marketing, purchasing and product development to catering, event planning and food styling.
Tuition is nominal, $3,600 for the full two years. Classes are held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for first-year students, and Tuesday and Thursday for second-year students. Enrollment is open to established Hawaii residents.
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Click Photo to Enlarge Culinary Institute of the Pacific
instructor Betty Saiki, right, watches student Samantha Moore knead french
bread dough during a multicourse meal preparation lab class Nov. 16 at the
West Hawaii Community College campus. |
"The school gave me a good foundation, including the business aspect," said Mangayayam, a 1997 graduate. "You can get into any aspect of the business, whether it's purchasing, management or nutrition, plus you need to learn how to run your own restaurant some day. It gives you a leg up on everybody else."
His colleague Yamamoto concurs, adding the school offers excellent opportunities for interacting with renowned chefs who visit here from across the state and around the world.
"The great thing is, we did 130 hours of community service events at the resorts and met a lot of the top chefs and had the opportunity to work with them. When it comes time to apply for a job, they already know who you are."
Executive chef and co-owner of La Bourgogne restaurant in Kona, Ron Gallaher was a teacher at the school. He says students who come out of the program are motivated and eager to work.
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Click Photo to Enlarge Guests to the West Hawaii
Community College Culinary Institute of the Pacific lunch were treated to
an appetizing presentation of duck and french green beans and
rice. |
According to Lightner, first-year classes include the fundamentals of cooking, purchasing, sanitation, short-order cooking, cost control, purchasing and menu planning.
Classes are taught by chef Betty Saiki, who previously served as the garde manger at the five-diamond Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai. Heading the second-year curriculum is chef Paul Heerlein, a former executive chef at Mauna Lani's Gallery Restaurant who was named one of the top 25 American chefs by "Food & Wine Magazine."
Lightner says there are currently 19 students enrolled in the Kona campus's program, while 51 students attend the Hilo facility. Hilo has a much larger facility, he notes.
"The food service cafeteria alone in Hilo is the same size as the new campus coming to West Hawaii above the airport, 21,000 square feet. Right now in Kealakekua, we only have a 500-square-foot classroom with a 1000-square-foot kitchen."
Despite the small classroom, the Kona program yields plenty of accolades from the local community. In addition to classes, students participate in weekly luncheon and breakfast offerings open to the public for a small fee. Lunches take place at 11:30 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays at the Kealakekua campus (first-year students host the Friday lunch, while second-year students host Thursdays). The breakfasts take place on Wednesdays during the second semester.
Students also participate in community events, such as the recent "Christmas at Keauhou" (previously "Christmas in Kona Village") held on Dec. 1.
A culinary program graduate, Muzzy Fernandez now works as executive chef at Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill in Kona. He says the best part about the culinary school is how it opens so many opportunities for budding chefs.
"It was great, and there's no better spot than Kona to have a culinary school because of all the resorts," he said. "For me, it opened up the door for future endeavors. I worked with a lot of celebrity chefs at some of the special events around town, like Alan Wong and chef Noble. The whole experience helped me get my foot in the door, and now here I am."
Lightner adds a career in culinary arts affords local residents the opportunity to stay on the island while earning excellent pay in a creative work environment.
"I think the benefits of working in the culinary arts here in Hawaii are that you can be creative, work with the latest equipment, stay on the island and not have to travel, and on top of it all, make good money," he said.
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Click Photo to Enlarge Culinary Institute of the Pacific
instructor Betty Saiki, left, gives french bread baking instructions to
student Samantha Moore Nov. 16 during a multicourse meal preparation lab
class at the West Hawaii Community College campus. - MICHAEL DARDEN | West
Hawaii Today |