Prison Graduates Six Student Chefs

The menu was worthy of any fine-dining establishment: Caprese Salad Picks, Pork Bao Sliders, Chicken Roulade, Lilikoi Mandarin Ice Cream Crepes and more.

The chefs, however, were a little more unusual: a culinary class comprised of inmates at Women’s Community Correctional Center.

Head chef Lee Shinsato of KCC (center) stands with his newly graduated culinary class students at Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua. PHOTO COURTESY STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

The six-woman Intermediate Cookery class celebrated its graduation with a gala lunch in late April at the Kailua facility.

“We spent hours meticulously learning and fine-tuning knife skills, perfecting precision cuts, broadening our vocabulary and gaining excessive calories,” said graduate Tricia Lee to the crowd’s laughter at the ceremony.

In addition to gaining real-world job skills, the students earned 14 college credits from University of Hawaii under the guidance of Kapiolani Community College chef instructor Lee Shinsato.

“The bond that they have — it’s going to last them for the rest of their lives,” Shinsato said at the luncheon.

“They learned a lot of teamwork. A lot of them resorted back to the old Hawaiian values of giving without even thinking of receiving something, which I think is a very, very big deal.”

Other menu items — all developed by the students — included Roasted Bell Pepper and Mushroom Duxelle Crostini, Crunchy Pea Salad, Udon Chicken Salad, Tandoori Chicken and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.