Culinary Institute of America recently honored Japanese-American celebrity chef and restaurateur Roy Yamaguchi with dedication in October of the Yamaguchi Family Lānai at its New York campus.
Yamaguchi also is one of the founding members of the Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine movement and serves as executive director of Culinary Institute of the Pacific at University of Hawaiʻi.
The newly named gathering space outside Culinary Institute of America’s student commons, recognizes Yamaguchi’s many contributions to the culinary industry and enduring connection to his alma mater.
“Chef Roy has spent his career elevating Hawaiʻi’s culinary industry while creating opportunities for the next generation of chefs,” said Kapiʻolani Community College Culinary Arts Department Chairperson Grant Itomitsu. “This dedication is a fitting recognition of all he has accomplished and the work he continues to do through his leadership at [Culinary Institute of the Pacific], opening doors for our students and Hawaiʻi’s culinary community.”
The Yamaguchi Family Lānai is now a permanent part of the institute’s New York campus, providing a gathering place for students to share meals, connect and build community.
Yamaguchi traveled to New York with his family for the dedication ceremony. He then returned home to Hawaiʻi for kickoff of the Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival, a premier culinary event of which he is a co-founder.
The 1976 Culinary Institute of America grad was inducted in 2025 into the institute’s Alumni Hall of Fame in honor of his influence in the culinary industry.
His cooking, which draws on the multi-cultural heritage of Hawaiʻi’s kitchens, helped elevate local cuisine on the national and international stage, bringing greater attention and esteem to islands ingredients, flavors and culinary traditions.
Yamaguchi also has dedicated much of his career — beyond his accomplishments as a chef and restaurateur — to culinary education and mentorship.
He helps expand access to world-class culinary education and professional development opportunities in Hawaiʻi through his position as executive director of Culinary Institute of the Pacific, including a partnership with Culinary Institute of America to bring advanced culinary training to working professionals.
