When you live in the island state of Hawaii, there are several islands you can choose to live on. Most of Hawaii’s largest cities, including Honolulu, Pearl City, and Hilo, are located on Hawaii’s main island. In fact, most of Hawaii’s 1.4 million residents live on the state’s main island. Partially due to its large tourism industry, the cost of living in Hawaii is 78% higher than the national average. However, the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the median income in Hawaii is more than $14,000 higher than the national average.
Hawaii is home to a bevy of great restaurants. Some of the highest-rated restaurants in Hawaii include Le Bistro, Chai’s Island Bistro, Azure, and TOWN.
There are six culinary schools in Hawaii. Three of these schools are located on the main island, and the other three are dispersed throughout the rest of Hawaii. Earning a culinary degree can be very affordable in Hawaii, since the average tuition cost is $2,509. The average scholarship award in Hawaii is a sizable $1,618, which can make your education even more affordable.
One of the things you have to decide as a culinary student is if you want to focus on culinary arts or baking/pastry arts. A culinary arts degree is designed to give you a thorough education in all different parts of cooking, including savory foods, menu planning, and more. A culinary arts course may touch on pastry arts. A baking/pastry arts course, on the other hand, delves into the field of baking and desserts. You can expect an in-depth education on different desserts and baking techniques. In both of these fields, you may be able to earn an Associate’s degree or a certificate.
The goal of a culinary arts program is to prepare you to be a productive member of a restaurant kitchen. As a result, you’ll need to learn how to prep different foods, how to quickly and effectively prepare a variety of menu items, and how to time food so that everything goes out at the same time.
Another very important part of culinary arts program is food safety. One chef that does not know about safety laws and procedures can get an entire kitchen shut down.
Choosing your career path is one of the most important parts of becoming a chef. While some chefs may work as caterers or private chefs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that 46% of chefs work in a restaurant setting. As a new graduate, you will likely have to start out as a line chef before you can work your way up to being a sous chef or executive chef.
There are lots of established culinary employers in Hawaii. Some of the main employers include Flying Food Group, Landry’s Restaurants, and Fatburger North America. There are also opportunities for restaurant ownership for business-minded chefs.
Hawaii allows restaurants a lot of freedom in who they hire, since they do not require licensure or certification for chefs and cooks. However, employers may prefer to hire chefs that have been through culinary school, since they are more likely to be able to adhere to Hawaii food safety standards.
American Culinary Federation certification is an optional certification that you can choose to pursue. Having a certificate can prove your skills to potential employers.
Salaries in Hawaii range, on average, from $17,500 per year to $90,400 per year (O*Net, 2010). The huge variance is due to differences in experience, education, and seniority amongst chefs. The average chef’s salary in Hawaii is $47,100 per year (O*Net, 2012). The average cook’s salary in Hawaii is $27,100 per year (O*Net, 2012).
The overall culinary job outlook in Hawaii is stronger than the national average. O*Net reports that job growth for chefs in Hawaii is expected to increase by 1% per year between 2010 and 2020. The demand for cooks is expected to increase by 16% in the same time frame, which is higher than the national average (O*Net, 2010).