Kapiʻolani Community College’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP) is taking the lead in a groundbreaking initiative to transform meals served in Hawaiʻi’s public schools, with a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and student appeal.
“Getting students to want to eat school meals starts with menus that are tasty as well as nutritious,” said Roy Yamaguchi, CIP director. “That’s why [we are] engaged in a collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America, which has worked with school districts across the country to develop student-informed menus that keep meals fresh, flavorful and appealing.”
With funding from the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) contracted CIP to spearhead the redevelopment of public school menus as part of the state’s broader regional kitchen master plan. CIP has partnered with the nationally acclaimed Culinary Institute of America to design menus that are both culturally relevant and informed by student tastes.
A kickoff meeting was held in July with key stakeholders, marking the official launch of this innovative collaboration between education, health and agriculture sectors.
A win for our keiki
The new menu initiative supports the state’s push to improve nutrition, reduce food insecurity, and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s agricultural economy. In tandem with the menu redesign, cafeteria staff across the state began training in July to build skills in preparing and serving the revamped meals.
“Our students deserve meals that fuel their learning and reflect the flavors of Hawaiʻi,” HIDOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “This partnership is about reimagining school food to better serve our students while also strengthening our communities. We’re proud to be building a model that connects education, agriculture and health in a meaningful way.”
The project also helps meet goals outlined in HB110 (Act 137, 2025), which reaffirms the state’s commitment to sourcing at least 30% of school food locally by 2030 and 50% by 2050.
“School meals are a proven way to address food insecurity for our keiki. Using more local foods to create nutritious meals is a win for our keiki, our farmers and our economy.” said First Lady Jaime Kanani Green.
For more see the HIDOE story.
