{"id":230887,"date":"2026-03-18T13:55:25","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T23:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=230887"},"modified":"2026-03-18T13:55:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T23:55:25","slug":"school-food-staff-cip-cia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/18\/school-food-staff-cip-cia\/","title":{"rendered":"School food staff gain culinary skills to use more local foods, elevate nutrition"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><figure id=\"attachment_230894\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-230894\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-5.jpg\" alt=\"Smiling people in a kitchen with food\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-230894\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-5.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-5-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-5-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-230894\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cohort 17-18<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Culinary Institute of the Pacific (<abbr>CIP<\/abbr>) at <span lang=\"haw\">Kapi&#699;olani<\/span> Community College is leading a powerful effort to strengthen <span lang=\"haw\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>\u2019s school food system focusing on improved health, flavor and the integration of locally sourced ingredients. In March, its Workforce Development Program, created in collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America (<abbr>CIA<\/abbr>), trained 14 school food service professionals with essential culinary skills to prepare appealing meals that meet rigorous nutrition standards.<\/p>\n<div style=\"float:right;clear:right;margin:0 0 0 15px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-2-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Assortment of prepared foods\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-230899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-2-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-2-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-2.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"float:right;clear:right;margin:0 0 0 15px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-1-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Two students working in the kitchen\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-230898\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-1-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-1-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-1.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"float:right;clear:right;margin:0 0 0 15px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-3-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Tofu dish on rice\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-230897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-3-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-3-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-3.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"float:right;clear:right;margin:0 0 0 15px;\"><figure id=\"attachment_230896\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-230896\" style=\"width: 214px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-4-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Chef teaching a class\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-230896\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-4-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-4-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-4.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-230896\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sharon Schaefer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>Participants represented seven <span lang=\"haw\">O&#699;ahu<\/span> schools, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#699;Aiea Intermediate School<\/li>\n<li>Alvah Scott Elementary<\/li>\n<li>Helemano Elementary School<\/li>\n<li>Mililani High School<\/li>\n<li>Mililani Mauka Elementary School<\/li>\n<li>Mililani Middle School<\/li>\n<li>Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary School<\/li>\n<li>the Department of <span lang=\"haw\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> State Department of Education School Food Services Branch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The skills learned in &ldquo;Cooking for Healthy Kids&rdquo; are designed to be immediately applicable, empowering staff to enhance the taste and nutritional quality of cafeteria meals.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This wonderful course has gotten me very excited and opened my mind to see the bigger picture on our goal to elevate and revamp <span lang=\"haw\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span>\u2019s school lunches with a focus on new innovative recipes using locally grown produce and proteins,&rdquo; said Devie Nakamura, Helemano Elementary School food service manager. &ldquo;I want to bring this excitement back to my school.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Collaboration with Culinary Institute of America<\/h2>\n<p>Workforce development program cohorts 17 and 18 were led by <span lang=\"haw\">O&#699;ahu<\/span>-based registered dietitian Chef Mari Wills, a <span lang=\"haw\">Kapi&#699;olani<\/span> <abbr title=\"Community College\">CC<\/abbr> culinary alumna and former high school culinary teacher; Chef Sharon Schaefer, assistant director of school foodservice programming for <abbr>CIA<\/abbr> Consulting; and Corrie Clark, project manager of school foodservice programming for <abbr>CIA<\/abbr> Consulting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Real change in our food system starts with people,&rdquo; said Chef Roy Yamaguchi, director of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific. &ldquo;This program isn\u2019t just about teaching new recipes&#8212;it\u2019s about changing mindsets. When cafeteria professionals see themselves as chefs who have the power to nourish their communities, it transforms how they approach the food they prepare every day. By investing in their skills, knowledge and confidence, we can help ensure that students receive meals that are both healthy and delicious.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Programs such as &ldquo;Cooking for Healthy Kids&rdquo; support the state&#8217;s goals of improving student nutrition, expanding farm-to-school partnerships and empowering cafeteria professionals with the tools they need to better serve their communities.<\/p>\n<p>For more information about the <abbr>CIP<\/abbr> and its workforce development programs with the <abbr>CIA<\/abbr>, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/culinaryinstitute.hawaii.edu\/\">culinaryinstitute.hawaii.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>To support this initiative through a charitable gift to the <span lang=\"haw\">Hawai&#699;i<\/span> Ag and Culinary Alliance (<abbr>HACA<\/abbr>) <abbr>CIP<\/abbr> x <abbr>CIA<\/abbr> Workforce Development Scholarship Fund, contact <abbr>HACA<\/abbr> Vice President Aya Leslie at <a href=\"mailto:aya@hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com\">aya@hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_230895\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-230895\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-6.jpg\" alt=\"Four smiling people in chef hats and aprons\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-230895\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-6.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-6-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-6-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-230895\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Far right: Devie Nakamura<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Top chefs train school staff to provide better tasting, healthy foods to students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":230894,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[184,181,63,71],"class_list":["post-230887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-culinary","tag-culinary-institute-of-the-pacific","tag-kapiolani-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/kapiolani-cia-cohort-16-17-5.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230887","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=230887"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230887\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":230903,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230887\/revisions\/230903"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/230894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=230887"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=230887"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=230887"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}