PUHI — Tracy Tucker had an ingenious way of letting people know the new location of the used book sale, Sunday, at the 24th annual American Culinary Federation breakfast. “If anything, it’ll be good for a few laughs,” he said,
PUHI — Tracy Tucker had an ingenious way of letting people know the new location of the used book sale, Sunday, at the 24th annual American Culinary Federation breakfast.
“If anything, it’ll be good for a few laughs,” he said, waving a pink sign pointing to the Technology Building while wearing a modified apron announcing “Today!”
Tucker said normally the used book sale is held in the back end of the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center, but this year, there are too many things stored there.
Dr. Francis Takahashi volunteered the Technology Building, so everything worked out.
Takahashi took advantage of the traffic through the building to set up a Kaua‘i Beekeeper’s Association informational exhibit providing material on the threat of the Varroa mite on Kaua‘i.
To tie in with the culinary aspect of the day, a limited amount of Kaua‘i-made honey was available, and for those who missed out, their names and contact information were taken for callbacks.
Jimmy Trujillo, bouncing between the industrial arts station and the KBEE exhibit, said people wanting to get involved in keeping Kaua‘i Varroa-mite free are invited to the KBEE meeting from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the KCC Technology Building.
At the industrial arts station, Trujillo was joined by instructors Glen Taba and Ron Badua in displaying wooden folding chairs created by high school students in the program.
“We try to give one away each hour of the breakfast,” Badua said. “These are made by some Waimea High School students and they’ll also be giving them away at the WHS Alumni and Friends Foundation carnival coming up March 5 and 6. They’ll also have a set of saw horses and some toolboxes.”
Kaui Tanaka of the mayor’s office was one of the lucky recipients of the chair, amazed by her luck.
“I didn’t expect this,” she said. “We came because one of the culinary arts students is a relative and she had relatives from Honolulu flying over to take in this breakfast in support of her.”
More than 2,000 people took advantage of the crisp morning air, warm sunshine and clear skies to enjoy the culinary dishes created by the ACF chefs and vendors working alongside the culinary arts students of KCC and Waimea High School.
“We definitely have more people here than last year,” said Bonnie Honma, working the check-in desk. “There were a lot more tickets going out pre-sale and we haven’t gotten all of the returns yet but I would venture that we will work through about 2,600 people.”
Billy Gibson, a KCC culinary arts instructor, said last year’s breakfast drew about 2,100 people. With more than an hour remaining, the line of diners continued to extend down the driveway to the parking lot.
“I think, being it is Valentine’s, there are more people coming out,” he said.
Sandi Kato-Klutke of the Hawai‘i Hotel and Lodging Association, Kaua‘i Chapter, came to present 10 $250 scholarships to culinary arts students who came to help and prepare food for the recent HHLA golf tournament that generated funds for student scholarships.
“We already gave them $3,000 in scholarships, and we’ll have another scholarship during graduation,” she said.
“This is just to show appreciation for the help the students provided during the golf tournament.”
Chef Martina Hilldorfer, a KCC culinary arts instructor, said about $21,000 in scholarships were announced during the breakfast.
“Some of the scholarships are immediate and we pass them out today. Others are more long-term,” Hilldorfer said. “Today’s scholarships are from the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a, the Rotary Club of Po‘ipu, the Kaua‘i Cattlemen Association, the Mark Watase Scholarship, the Rotary Club of West Kaua‘i, the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association, the Arashiro Scholarship, ACF and the HHLA. We appreciate everything people do for us.”
In addition to the food and entertainment, diners could also browse through the offerings of the KCC art students as well as get free flu shots and blood pressure readings courtesy of the KCC Nursing Department.
Gibson said the ACF is like a drawing account for the college program in that if there is a need in the culinary program, it can approach the ACF for funding.
The Annual Culinary Institute of the Pacific KCC Gala is the next major event for the KCC culinary arts program. Tickets for that limited seating event featuring visiting chef Alan Wong should be going on sale soon.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
