UHMC Awarded $10K on Behalf of Kapalua Wine & Food Festival

Chefs prepare desserts at Kapalua Wine & Food Festival. Photo by Kiaora Bohlool.

The University of Hawai‘i Maui College Culinary Arts Program was recently awarded a $10,000 donation by Kapalua Maui Charities on behalf of the 37th annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival which was held earlier this summer.

The $10K donation sets a record on behalf of the event to the Culinary Program, which has been its beneficiary for many years.

Over 3,500 oenophiles, gourmands and enthusiasts came together to celebrate, learn and commune about viniculture and culinary trends at the event with a portion of the proceeds raised to benefit UHMC Culinary Arts Program for Maui’s rising culinary stars.

“Our students have been a part of the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival for many years,” said UHMC Culinary Arts Program Chef Instructor Craig Omori. “Each year the event provides an invaluable, hands-on learning experience for our students.”

Omori says that during the event, the students get to work with some of Maui’s most talented chefs using local ingredients. “It’s a chance for them to put into practice everything they’re learning in our program. They get to see what the ‘real world’ culinary industry is like,” he added.

“We are most appreciative of both the warm welcome our students receive from everyone connected to this iconic event and certainly of the substantial monetary donation made to our program through Kapalua Maui Charities,” he concluded.

President of Kapalua Maui Charities, Richard Holtzman, commented, “We are pleased to provide financial assistance to support the University of Hawai‘i Maui College Culinary Arts Program and their efforts in developing future chefs for our Maui restaurants. The Kapalua Wine & Food Festival provides a rare opportunity for the culinary students to meet and connect with some of the top Chefs from the mainland and Hawai‘i. We are thrilled that this year we were able to double our donation to this very worthy Maui cause.”

This year’s event had record ticket sales and attendance throughout the weekend.

The 2018 Festival is scheduled for June 7 – 10, 2018 and tickets are projected to be on sale after January 15, 2018 with Kama‘aina tickets offered for a limited time — both of which may be purchased online.