“I believe this program will take 51²è¹Ý’s food to the next level,” said Joe McGinn, taking a break from prepping and cooking as a member of the inaugural cohort for a new workforce development collaboration between the at and the .
McGinn, who earned an executive MBA and BA from 51²è¹Ý ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹, and owns 51²è¹Ý Natural Farming, was one of 16 culinarians ranging from local and military cooks to executive chefs who chopped, sliced and sauteed their way through ʻĀina-based Mediterranean Cooking, taught by CIA Consulting Director David Kamen September 16–20.
“What we want to do is embrace the entire professional workforce in culinary so that we can continue to make 51²è¹Ý better,” said CIP Executive Director Roy Yamaguchi, a CIA alumnus who was instrumental in bringing the partnership together. “By doing that, I believe that we can continue to better our economy because we have better people in our workforce.”
Leah Julianni Rodriguez, a 51²è¹Ý Maui College culinary graduate and a cook at the Fairmont Kea Lani, said at first it was a little intimidating working side-by-side with executive chefs, at least one of whom had 3-star Michelin restaurant experience. However, she welcomed the opportunity to observe, learn and improve.
“It’s a nice stepping stone for continuing education for culinary graduates or any of the workforce that wants to further their education in different areas of the culinary industry,” she said.
Related 51²è¹Ý News stories:
- Inaugural CIP/CIA collab includes 51²è¹Ý, culinary professionals, September 5, 2024
- Culinary institutes unite for workforce development program in 51²è¹Ý, June 28, 2024
Community support
Each five-day series costs $1,500 per student. Applicants must be 18 or older and have at least three years of culinary experience in a hotel, resort or restaurant kitchen to apply. The 51²è¹Ý Tourism Authority provided the majority of tuition scholarships for 32 participants in the first two cohorts. Additional funding support was also provided by the Coast Guard Foundation and Zippy¡¯s.
Applications for cohorts 3 and 4 opened on September 3 and will remain open until October 11, 2024 at . Cohort 3 will focus on Small Dishes, Big Flavors—Appetizers, Hors d¡¯oeuvres, and Street Foods Using Hawaiian Ingredients (October 28–November 1, 2024). Cohort 4 will cover American Regional Cuisines (November 4–8, 2024). The 51²è¹Ý Ag & Culinary Alliance will provide full 100% tuition scholarships for up to 32 participants in cohorts 3 and 4.
Plans are already being finalized for cohorts 5–8.
“My long-term goal is to help the University of 51²è¹Ý establish a center of excellence for Pacific cuisines,” said Kamen. “It’s an amazing place to be just the opportunity to come to 51²è¹Ý to do some professional development or even workforce development is I think an opportunity that any chef would die for.”
—By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch