Full scholarships available for summer CIP x CIA Workforce Development Program

CIP x CIA cohort 5

CIP x CIA cohort 5

CIP x CIA cohort 5

CIP x CIA cohort 5

Building on the continued success of its groundbreaking Workforce Development Program, the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP) at Kapi‘olani Community College, in collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), announced that applications are now open for its summer 2025 cohorts. Cohort 9 and Cohort 10 will take place in June, offering full tuition scholarships for qualified applicants to access this prestigious culinary education experience at no cost. 

Each five-day course is designed to elevate Hawai‘i’s culinary talent through intensive, hands-on training led by CIA faculty, blending global culinary techniques with Hawai‘i-sourced ingredients. Full tuition scholarships, valued at $1,500 per student, are made possible with generous support from Y. Hata & Co. Ltd. (Cohort 9) and Jim and Lynn Lally (Cohort 10) through the Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance CIP x CIA Workforce Development Scholarship Fund. Applications for Cohorts 9 and 10 are open through May 20, 2025 at culinaryinstitute.hawaii.edu.

Global explorations of taste and technique

Cohort 9, Global Explorations of Taste and Technique will run June 16–20, 2025. Designed for culinary professionals with at least three years of experience in hotel, resort, or restaurant kitchens, this immersive course explores the physiology of taste, healthy cooking methods, global menu development, food and wine pairing, and use of specialty ingredients. Applicants must be 18 or older and be a Hawai‘i resident or active military stationed in Hawai‘i. 

Essential foundations of culinary, high school opportunities

In addition to providing working professionals with the opportunity to expand their culinary skills, for the first time the program will expand its offering to serve high school students through a special summer intensive tailored to juniors and seniors with a passion for culinary arts. Cohort 10: Essential Foundations of Culinary will run June 23–27, 2025 and cover essential kitchen techniques, service timing, plating artistry, and flavor building, ending with a dynamic market basket challenge showcasing creativity and newfound expertise. As with all cohort offerings, participants will receive a certificate of completion from both the CIA and CIP, as well as continuing education credits and a digital badge.

Both cohorts will be led by Chef Tom Wong, a distinguished instructor at the CIA’s Greystone Campus in Napa Valley and an alumnus of both the Culinary Institute of America and Kapi‘olani CC. Chef Wong’s impressive career spans 35 years in the luxury hospitality industry throughout the U.S., including executive chef positions at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, as well as features on the Discovery Channel’s Great Chefs of Hawaii and Great Chefs of the World.

Continuing excellence

Since launching in September 2024, the CIP x CIA Workforce Development program has provided hands-on advanced training for 95 culinary professionals representing a cross-section of Hawai‘i’s vibrant culinary industry—from hotels, resorts, restaurants and cafes, to healthcare, education, military, entrepreneurs and more. 

“We’re proud to continue offering opportunities that support the growth of Hawai‘i’s culinary industry through education,” said Chef Roy Yamaguchi, director of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific. “By expanding access to both professionals and high school students who aspire to pursue a culinary career, this summer’s cohorts reinforce our mission to cultivate future leaders and elevate Hawai‘i’s culinary landscape through world-class training.”

For more information on the CIP x CIA collaboration, workforce development programs, scholarship opportunities, and campus updates, please visit culinaryinstitute.hawaii.edu. To support this initiative through a charitable gift to the HACA CIP x CIA Workforce Development Scholarship Fund, contact HACA Vice President Aya Leslie at aya@hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.

ABOUT CULINARY INSTITUTE OF PACIFIC
The programs at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP) at Kapiʻolani Community College planted its roots in 1946, then known as the “Hotel and Restaurant” program, under the Territorial Department of Public Instruction located at the Palama Settlement facilities. Since then, the program has moved from the Ala Wai Clubhouse to the Pensacola Campus to where it currently stands along the slopes of Lē‘ahi. The program has recently expanded its footprint to include the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head where two state-of-the-art culinary laboratories have been built and will soon be home to three prized facility additions: a Tasting Studio, the Food Creativity Center, and the highly anticipated CIP restaurant. The CIP program prides itself as a conduit for supporting the State of Hawai‘i’s culinary industry through a multitude of educational avenues, both short and long term, including bachelor’s degree transfer pathways, associate degrees, certificates, workforce development, and non-credit programming. The Culinary Institute of the Pacific programs extend across the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges System including programs at Leeward Community College, Kauaʻi Community College, Maui College, and Hawaiʻi Community College. For more information, visit: https://culinaryinstitute.hawaii.edu/ 

ABOUT THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
Founded in 1946, the Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu. 

ABOUT HAWAI‘I AG & CULINARY ALLIANCE^®
The Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance (HACA) is dedicated to forging a vibrant link between our world-class culinary events and the advancement of culinary education, from community colleges to four-year universities. Founded in 2011 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, HACA’s mission is to elevate Hawai‘i’s culinary and agricultural sectors, enriching both the visitor industry and local community. As the parent organization of the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival^® (HFWF)—the premier epicurean destination event of the Pacific, HACA has donated $5 million to local community and ‘āina-based organizations that support food sustainability, culinary education and agriculture. For more information, visit www.HFWF.me, follow HFWF on Instagram @HIFoodWineFest and Facebook at @HawaiiFoodandWineFestival.