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Event Date: September 8, 2015

Donors, dignitaries and members of the UH 'ohana came together on the former site of the Cannon Club to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head.

The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head will be home to the advanced professional certificate in culinary management that articulates into a bachelor of applied science degree at the University of Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu. The $25-million first phase of the advanced culinary facility includes two single story laboratory buildings, outdoor cooking area, landscaping, the first of two parking lots and all the offsite utility infrastructure for the entire project. Future phases of the project will include an administration/faculty building, auditorium, classrooms, advanced patisserie and confisserie laboratories and a teaching restaurant.

Dignitaries who spoke at the ceremony included Hawai‘i State Governor David Ige, UH Board of Regents Chair Randy Moore, UH President David Lassner, UH Vice President for Community Colleges John Morton, Culinary Institute of the Pacific Director Conrad Nonaka, Chef Roy Yamaguchi, Chef Alan Wong and student representative Tiffanie Masutani.

“The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head will be the epicenter for culinary innovation and education in Hawai‘i,” said UH President David Lassner.

Vice President for Community Colleges John Morton also praised the project. "It has taken many hands to reach this point of groundbreaking for the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head. When finished, the new site facilities will make it possible for chefs to continue their culinary and management education here at home and also help to make Hawai‘i a destination for other culinary students from the mainland and Asia,” said Morton.

The facility plans to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.