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Recognize any of these names? Chef Sheldon Simeon, chef/owner of Tin Roof, "Top Chef"
alum and 2022 James Beard Award Best Chef Northwest and Pacific Finalist. Chef Jeremy Choo, innovation pastry chef at King's Hawaiian. Chef Jonathan Pasion, executive chef, Ko at the Fairmont Kea Lani. In addition to their impressive titles, they are all graduates of the UH-MC Culinary Arts Program. We'd like you to meet a few more.
Katerina Moser enrolled in our Culinary Arts Program shortly after she graduated from high school in 2010. She was on her way to her degree when "life had other plans" for her. She became a mother and, obviously, providing for her family was her highest priority so she went to work full time.
Fast forward nine years. Moser was a single mother of three young children and resuming her education presented some very challenging moments.
"Nonetheless, I wanted to show my children that if you're truly passionate about something you can do anything you set your mind to," she said. So, she reenrolled in the program in 2019, determined to graduate before her 30th birthday. And she did it! In May she was awarded degrees in both Culinary Arts and Baking -- "just in time to turn 30 in June!" She credits her instructors for keeping her motivated and focused during moments she felt so overwhelmed that she wanted to give up.
Today, she's a pastry chef at Sweet Bean Bakery here on Maui and her dream is to have her own bakery one day. From the dedication and perseverance she showed here at UH-MC, we know she'll succeed.
Motley Adovas and Danielle Soriano both came to Maui from the Philippines and graduated from our Culinary Arts Program in 2018 and 2017, respectively. They became close friends working together in a restaurant that, unfortunately, was forced to close at the start of the pandemic.
It was Adovas who initiated a conversation with Soriano about opening a food truck.
"I'm a risk taker and love to try new things," he said. So, they took a leap of faith and opened their food truck Merienda in 2021. Merienda is a multicultural term that translates to "light meals." They refer to what they serve as "Asian fusion light meals that feed the soul."
The pair's goal is to popularize Filipino cuisine and make sure folks know there's more to it than adobo or lumpia.
"We want to be known as THE outlet here on Maui that showcases Filipino cuisine," said Adovas.
(You can learn more about them and their truck at www.meriendamaui.com/ and you can follow them on Facebook and Instagram@merienda.maui.)
Their experience in our program provided much of the foundation they needed to open Merienda.
"The best part of the program is meeting and working side by side with seasoned chefs and people that have worked in the industry for years. The program's faculty can train and mentor great chefs. Students just have to have the desire for it," said Adovas.
"Enrolling in the Culinary Arts Program was one of the best decisions I've ever made," said Soriano. "It allowed me to hone my skills, opened a lot of opportunities for me, and has been a stepping stone to where I am now. The program provided us with knowledge not just about cooking but also about service, restaurant management and how the culinary industry operates."
We're not able to guarantee you "celeb chef status," of course, but we can guarantee that if you enroll in our Culinary Arts Program, you'll be taught by knowledgeable and passionate faculty who will guide and support you every step of the way. We can also guarantee the hard work will be sprinkled with fun. When you complete our program, you will be ready for the culinary industry wherever in the world it may take you.
As our dear friend, the late great Chef Tylun Pang always said, "Never believe that just because you're from a small island, you cannot be a world class chef. You can." Yes, you can.
For information about our Culinary Arts Program, please visit maui.hawaii.edu/programs/culn/. For complete information about UH-MC, please visit maui.hawaii.edu/. You can apply now for fall 2022 classes at maui.hawaii.edu/apply/. You can also get started at enrolluhmc.com/.
* Dr. Lui K. Hokoana is chancellor of the University of Hawaii Maui College. Ka'ana Mana'o, which means "sharing thoughts," appears on the fourth Saturday of each month. It is prepared with assistance from UH Maui College staff and is intended to provide the community of Maui County information about opportunities available through the college at its Kahului campus and its education centers.