Chef Tori Hiro, Hawaiʻi CC Culinary Arts Grad and Program Lab Manager, Named Featured Chef at the 26th Annual “A Taste of Hilo”

Hawaiʻi Community College’s culinary and agriculture programs took center stage at the 26th annual “A Taste of Hilo” on October 27, where Culinary Program Lab Manager and alumna Tori Hiro was honored as the event's featured chef. The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii’s annual fundraising event brought together more than 30 local vendors at Sangha Hall and spotlighted the collaboration between Hawaiʻi CC’s two programs through farm-to-table creations.

“Ninety percent of what our agriculture program grows and harvests at the Pana'ewa Farm is delivered to the Hawai';i CC culinary arts program for our students to use in the learning lab,” says Hiro, who has participated in “A Taste of Hilo” for 12 years. “I really wanted to highlight our unique partnership.”

Hiro’s liliko‘i tart has been in the works since the summer of 2024 as agriculture professor Lew Nakamura, lab assistant Dustin Chin and their summer interns kept the Pana'ewa and Pepe'ekeo farms in full production. “They had liliko‘i growing at both farms over the summer and the  harvests were so lush,” says Hiro. “We juiced it and processed the liliko‘i right away so we could freeze the juice for future projects.”

A Hilo native with roots in Laupāhoehoe and Panaʻewa, Hiro discovered her culinary passion early on, gaining experience in the family kitchen through classic Filipino dishes she prepared with her grandparents. Immediately after high school, she stepped into the professional culinary world as a Pastry Chef IV at the Four Seasons Hualalai. Hiro moved from the high-pressure kitchen of a luxury resort to establishing herself as an educator at Hawaiʻi CC, where she now teaches patisserie, culinary nutrition, and fundamentals of baking.

"Being chosen as the featured chef for A Taste of Hilo is an incredible honor for Tori and the college, and represents the importance of our culinary program in the community,” says Hawai‘i CC Chancellor Susan Kazama. “We are so lucky to have a homegrown talent like Tori leading the next generation of culinary professionals. Not only does she bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our students, but she also instills those intangible values of teamwork, ‘ohana and perseverance that our chefs will need to move forward in their careers.”

The partnership between these two Hawai‘i CC’s Culinary and Agriculture programs was also showcased in another dish created by Hawai‘i CC Culinary Program Chef Shawn Sumiki, who served a Korean-inspired lettuce wrap using the Agriculture Program’s hydroponic lettuce and ‘uala, as well as housemade kim chee and sashimi. 

"I would like our community to know that our culinary team here at Hawai'i Community College includes all graduates from this program,” says Sumiki, who has been participating in A Taste of Hilo for 22 years. “Chef Tori Hiro, Chef Philton Velasco and myself are working hard to produce workforce-ready individuals who have a passion for their craft and a strong work ethic."

As a fundraiser for Hawaiʻi Community College, “A Taste of Hilo” enriches the college's programs by contributing directly to scholarships and program development. Over the last 25 years, The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawai‘i has generously donated over $200,000 to Hawai‘i Community College. This fall, 17 students in the culinary program will each be awarded a scholarship in the amount of $500.00.

“I am honored to be named the featured chef, but the real ‘featured chefs’ should be our Hawai'i Community College Culinary Arts students,” says Hiro. She noted that every year A Taste of Hilo gives the college’s culinary students the opportunity to work with community and industry individuals who may one day be their potential future employers.

For more information about A Taste of Hilo, visit tasteofhilo.org. For more information about Hawai‘i Community College’s Culinary and Agriculture programs, visit https://www.hawaii.hawaii.edu.