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First-of-its-kind butchery and meat preservation training at CIP

Nationally recognized butcher and CIP instructor Bryan Mayer.

Participants will explore the techniques behind smoking, curing, dehydration and sausage production.

Advanced culinary courses will focus on whole-animal butchery, smoking, curing and sausage making.

The Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP) at Kapi’olani Community College is accepting applications for two advanced culinary courses focused on whole-animal butchery, smoking, curing and sausage making. Developed in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Cohorts 23 and 24 will be led by CIA chef educator George Shannon and nationally recognized butcher and CIP instructor Bryan Mayer. Applications are open through August 21.

The courses are the first training sequence of their kind offered at CIP and were developed specifically for HawaiÊ»i’s culinary industry, using ingredients and resources available in the state. Full tuition scholarships, valued at $1,500 per participant, are available for Cohort 23 and 24 through the HawaiÊ»i Ag & Culinary Alliance CIP x CIA Workforce Development Scholarship Fund.

Cohort 23: Butchery & Whole Animal Utilization (Part 1)

September 14–18, 2026

Participants will develop essential knife and fabrication skills while learning primal and sub-primal breakdown, nose-to-tail cooking and methods for improving yield and reducing waste. The course will also address ethical sourcing, craftsmanship and responsible whole-animal utilization.

Cohort 24: Smoke & Sausage: The Craft and Science of Preserving Meat (Part 2)

September 21–25, 2026

Participants will explore the techniques and science behind smoking, curing, dehydration and sausage production. Through hands-on instruction, chefs will prepare jerky, fresh and cured sausages and smoked meats while learning about temperature control, airflow, seasoning, curing agents and food safety.

Under the leadership of CIP Executive Director Roy Yamaguchi, the CIP x CIA Workforce Development Program helps strengthen HawaiÊ»i’s culinary workforce by supporting employee development, retention and career advancement. Since launching in September 2024, the program has provided advanced training to more than 240 culinary professionals across HawaiÊ»i’s foodservice sector.

"HawaiÊ»i is home to incredible culinary talent, and our goal is to expand opportunities for chefs to continue learning and growing without leaving the islands," said Grant Itomitsu, KapiÊ»olani Community College Culinary Arts Department chairperson. "By bringing nationally recognized instructors together with our local culinary community, we’re giving chefs the advanced skills to grow their careers and strengthen their kitchens. This program helps advance more sustainable and ethical practices while shaping the future of regional cuisine.”

Shannon is assistant director of CIA Consulting and an associate professor of culinary arts at CIA’s Hyde Park campus. A Certified Executive Chef and Certified Hospitality Educator, he brings more than three decades of experience spanning restaurants, catering operations, private clubs and four- and five-star hotels and resorts. Shannon is also president of the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. 

Mayer is a pioneer of the craft butcher movement with more than two decades of experience. Trained by master butchers, he has raised livestock, worked on harvest floors, mobile slaughter units and retail meat counters. He co-developed Fleisher's world-renowned butcher training program and co-founded Kensington Quarters, Philadelphia's first butcher shop and educational space. Mayer has lectured for the James Beard Foundation, Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture and the Culinary Institute of America. He previously held leadership roles with Kunoa Cattle Company and Maui Nui Venison and now teaches butchery and serves as an educational specialist at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have at least three years of experience in a hotel, resort, restaurant or other professional kitchen, and be a Hawaiʻi resident or active military member stationed in Hawaiʻi. Participants must attend all five days of their selected course, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Applications are open through August 21. To learn more or apply 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.