Culinary & Baking

Get ready for more fun in the kitchen.  Please join our mailing list to be the first to know about upcoming classes.

In this hands-on, one day class students will learn the primary components of all breads and the ratios used to make a number of bread varieties. Italian Country Bread, Challah, Rosemary Potato Bread, Lavash and Irish Soda Bread will all be made and of course, you get to take home your creations.

Date: Wednesday, March 18 (one day class)
Time: 9:00am–12:30pm
Location: Windward CC, Hale Akoakoa - Cafeteria
Cost: $75

SOLD OUT. Mahalo!

If you’re disappointed that this class is sold out, let us know so we can schedule another one! Email us at: wccocet@hawaii.edu

Food is Medicine: Where Culture and Cooking Come Together is a community workshop series that explores how traditional Hawaiian and local plants can nourish body, mind, and spirit through everyday meals. Each session blends cultural practice, culinary creativity and community connection showing that when we care for the ʻāina, it cares for us in return. The class honors ancestral wisdom while building modern kitchen confidence, creating a space where culture, community, and cooking come together on the plate.

In this series: Where Culture and Cooking Come Together will spotlight various Hawaiian plants in all its abundance, honoring both the nourishing root and the versatile leaf. Participants will learn the cultural and traditional significance of it, explore its healing values, and then head into the kitchen to prepare healthy, ʻāina-inspired recipes that continue to be a foundation for wellness today.

Dates:
Friday, March 27 - Olena
Friday, April 24 - Kinehe
Class meets:  9:00–11:00am
Location:  WCC, Hale Akoakoa - Cafeteria
Cost: $25 each class

Seating is limited.  

For questions or more information: wccocet@hawaii.edu or 808-235-7433.

Calling all young bakers ages 12–15! 
Join us this summer for a fun two-day baking camp. Learn the fundamentals of baking through hands-on techniques while using real tools of the trade.
Bake and take home your delicious creations, including yeast breads, quick breads, and cookies. You’ll also prepare and enjoy your own savory lunch.

Students will focus on learning, planning, organizing and executing traditional recipes to add to their skill set. In our baking camps students will learn the fundamental techniques that will lead to a lifetime of success in baking.

CONDITIONS & SAFETY GUIDELINES
Only children ages 12–15 may attend with parental or guardian consent. A parent or guardian mustcomplete the consent form prior to participation. Parents and guardians may not stay to chaperone during the camp. Consent forms will also be available on site.  DOWNLOAD CONSENT FORM (pdf)

Standard dress code applies. As a safety precaution students should wear non-slip covered shoes and long pants. Students may bring personal items, including an apron, a kitchen towel, and food containers.

KIDS CAMP I
Dates:  Monday & Tuesday, June 1 & 2
Class meets:  8:00am – 2:00pm
Location:  Windward CC, Cafeteria
Cost:$210

KIDS CAMP II
Dates:  Wednesday & Thursday, June 3 & 4
Class meets:  8:00am – 2:00pm
Location:  Windward CC, Cafeteria
Cost:$210

KIDS CAMP III
Dates:  Monday & Tuesday, June 22 & 23
Class meets:  8:00am – 2:00pm
Location:  Windward CC, Cafeteria
Cost:$210

Seating is limited.  
For class questions contact Daniel Swift. danswift@hawaii.edu or 808-235-7357.
For registration questions contact Carolynn Yamada: wccocet@hawaii.edu or 808-235-7367.

If you’re disappointed that this class is sold out, let us know so we can try to schedule another one! Email us at: wccocet@hawaii.edu

Take a break this summer.  Join us for a two-day adult baking camp for a fun, hands-on culinary experience.
Level up your baking skills while learning essential techniques and working with professional tools of the trade. Create and take home artisan yeast breads, quick breads, and cookies, and prepare your own savory lunch. Whether you’re a beginner or a passionate home baker, this immersive camp is the perfect way to relax, learn, and bake something amazing.

CONDITIONS & SAFETY GUIDELINES
This is an adults only class.

Standard dress code applies. As a safety precaution students should wear non-slip covered shoes and long pants. Students may bring personal items, including an apron, a kitchen towel, and food containers.


ADULT CAMP
Dates:  Wednesday & Thursday, June 24 &25
Class meets:  8:00am – 2:00pm
Location:  Windward CC, Cafeteria
Cost:$210

Seating is limited.  
For class questions contact Daniel Swift. danswift@hawaii.edu or 808-235-7357.
For registration questions contact Carolynn Yamada: wccocet@hawaii.edu or 808-235-7367.

If you’re disappointed that this class is sold out, let us know so we can try to schedule another one! Email us at: wccocet@hawaii.edu

Daniel Swift has worked in the restaurant business since 1985 when he started washing dishes in high school. He is a graduate of Boise State University’s Culinary Arts Program and Johnson and Wales University’s Baking and Pastry Arts program in Providence, Rhode Island. He has worked as a chef for top hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Kahala Mandarin Oriental, The Westin Seattle and the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

He began teaching in 2002 and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in 2005. He has taught Culinary, Baking and Pastry and Hospitality courses for the last 20 years at 5 different colleges and universities, including the Collins College of Hospitality Management, Chaffey College, the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration in Las Vegas and professor of food and beverage at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently he is the culinary coordinator of the Hiilaniwai Foodservice Innovations Training Program at Windward Community College in Kaneohe, Hawaii.

Daniel earned his doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the University of Laverne in California in 2017. He is a Certified Master Baker through the Retail Bakers of America and hold certifications with the American Culinary Federation as a Certified Executive Chef, Certified Executive Pastry Chef, and Certified Culinary Administrator.

Brandon Hanagami serves as a Hospitality/Culinary Faculty member at Windward Community College's Hi`ilaniwai Food Innovation Training. He brings a wealth of experience and a diverse academic background to the program. Brandon earned his Associate Degrees in Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts from Kapi‘olani Community College, complementing his studies in Business Administration and Communicology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Furthering his expertise in education, he also holds a Master of Arts in Education degree and is a National Board Certified Teacher.

With 15 years as a culinary arts teacher with the Hawaiʻi Department of Education in Career & Technical Education, Brandon is deeply committed to student success. He's passionate about equipping participants with the foundational culinary skills and techniques essential for the industry. More importantly, he focuses on cultivating the durable, soft skills that empower Hi`ilaniwai participants with a crucial competitive edge in the evolving workforce. Beyond his teaching, Brandon actively engages in community work, collaborating with organizations dedicated to food security, nutrition, healthy cooking, and supporting underserved youth and communities.

Noe Puaauli serves as the Kamālaakahoe Student Work Coordinator and Hawaiian Studies Instructor at Windward Community College where she integrates traditional healing and community well-being through lāʻau lapaʻau and mahiʻai kalo classes. As a lāʻau lapaʻau practitioner for over two decades, Noe is committed to nurturing a deeper understanding of how food is medicine. Her work centers on teaching, sharing, and serving the community by helping individuals reconnect with cultural practices that promote healthy eating, sustainability, and the vision of: A healer in every home.

John McGough  has been a culinary instructor and K-12 outreach specialist for Hiilaniwai Foodservice Innovations Training Program at Windward Community College since 2019. He  earned his Patisserie and Baking Certificate from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, John has held various roles—including chef, pastry chef, baker’s assistant, pastry cook, cook, and restaurant manager—at notable establishments in Las Vegas and Honolulu/Waikīkī.

John is also the owner and pastry chef of Hau‘oli Pastry Company, where he not only crafts customized dessert menus for à la carte dining, banquets, and special events, but also oversees the day-to-day business operations, including staff management, client relations, budgeting, and strategic planning to drive growth and maintain the company’s reputation for excellence.

Tiffanie Masutani is currently a Pastry Arts Lecturer at Kapi‘olani Community College. She received her Culinary and Pastry Arts Associate degrees and Advanced Professional Certificate in Culinary Arts from Kapi‘olani Community College.

She completed her Bachelor of Applied Science in Culinary Management from University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu. Tiffanie is passionate about kids cooking and baking and has worked with several community organizations for hands-on training to help get kids in the kitchen. She is a Certified Working Pastry Chef (CWPC) from the American Culinary Federation.

Alice Wu Swift is a Multimedia Instructional Designer for the University of Hawai'i System and Owner of Swift Hospitality Consulting, L.L.C.