{"id":242904,"date":"2026-10-29T11:26:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T21:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=242904"},"modified":"2026-10-29T13:20:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T23:20:44","slug":"cia-honors-yamaguchi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/29\/cia-honors-yamaguchi\/","title":{"rendered":"Culinary Institute of America lanai honors Chef Roy Yamaguchi"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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(Photo courtesy of the Culinary Institute of America)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA<\/abbr>) honored Chef Roy Yamaguchi, executive director of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific (CIP<\/abbr>) of the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span>, with the dedication of the Yamaguchi Family Lanai at its New York campus in October. The newly named gathering space, located outside the college\u2019s student commons, recognizes Yamaguchi\u2019s contributions to the culinary industry and his enduring connection to his alma mater.<\/p>\n

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(Photo courtesy of the Culinary Institute of America)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yamaguchi traveled to New York with his family for the dedication ceremony before returning home to Hawaiʻi<\/span> to help kick off the Hawaiʻi<\/span> Food & Wine Festival, a premier culinary event he co-founded.<\/p>\n

A 1976 CIA<\/abbr> graduate, Yamaguchi was inducted into the college\u2019s Alumni Hall of Fame in 2025 in recognition of his influence on the culinary industry. Drawing on the multicultural heritage of Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s kitchens, his cooking has helped elevate local cuisine on the national and international stage, bringing greater recognition to the islands\u2019 ingredients, flavors and culinary traditions.<\/p>\n

Elevating Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s culinary industry<\/h2>\n
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(Photo courtesy of the Culinary Institute of America)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beyond his accomplishments as a chef and restaurateur, Yamaguchi has dedicated much of his career to culinary education and mentorship. As executive director of CIP<\/abbr>, he is helping expand access to world-class culinary education and professional development opportunities in Hawaiʻi<\/span>, including through a partnership with the CIA<\/abbr> that brings advanced culinary training to working professionals.<\/p>\n

“Chef Roy has spent his career elevating Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s culinary industry while creating opportunities for the next generation of chefs,” said Grant Itomitsu, department chair of Kapiʻolani<\/span> Community College Culinary Arts. “This dedication is a fitting recognition of all he has accomplished and the work he continues to do through his leadership at CIP<\/abbr>, opening doors for our students and Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s culinary community.”<\/p>\n

The Yamaguchi Family Lanai will remain a permanent part of the CIA<\/abbr>\u2019s New York campus, providing a gathering place for students to share meals, connect and build community.<\/p>\n

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(Photo courtesy of the Culinary Institute of America)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new gathering space celebrates a legendary chef’s culinary legacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":242909,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[679,184,181,63],"class_list":["post-242904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-alumni-recognition","tag-culinary","tag-culinary-institute-of-the-pacific","tag-kapiolani-community-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t