The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) has unveiled plans for a network of new regional centralized kitchens aimed at modernizing school meal preparation, incorporating more locally sourced ingredients and boosting efficiency across public school cafeterias.

The regional kitchen is a centralized facility where meals will be prepared in bulk and then distributed to schools for final serving, allowing for more quality control and efficiency. 

The Department, which already serves over approximately 103,000 meals per day to students statewide, plans to operate up to two regional kitchens on O‘ahu, two on Hawai‘i Island, and one each on Kaua‘i, Maui and Molokai. Standalone production kitchens will continue at Hāna High & Elementary, Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary, Lānaʻi High & Elementary and Naʻalehu Elementary Schools.

The first regional kitchen will open in Central O‘ahu at Whitmore Village and is expected to begin serving meals to students in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area in Fall 2027, and will have a phased opening, based on availability of legislative funding.

• Phase I will include building an 18,000-square-foot facility that will have the capacity to produce 12,000 meals per shift — or up to 24,000 meals a day with two shifts.
• Phase II will expand the facility to 30,000 square feet and increase the capacity to 20,000 meals per shift, or 40,000 meals per day with two shifts
• Phase III will reach its full size of 45,000 square feet, capable of producing 30,000 meals per shift, or a total of 60,000 meals per day with two shifts

Upon full completion, the facility aims to serve all students in the Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua; ʻAiea-Moanalua-Radford; Campbell-Kapolei; Pearl City-Waipahu; and Nānākuli-Waiʻanae complex areas. 

The Department is finalizing the lease for the Central O‘ahu site and is currently assessing sites for a second regional kitchen on O‘ahu.

Beyond increasing efficiency, the regional kitchens are central to HIDOE’s farm-to-school efforts. By consolidating food preparation, the facilities will allow for greater use of locally sourced ingredients, streamline coordination with Hawai‘i farmers, and reduce the need for costly upgrades to individual school kitchens.

“Our vision is to build a food system that supports local farmers, reaches our 30% local sourcing goal by 2030 and gives students access to better, fresher meals,” Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “The regional kitchen in Central O‘ahu is our first step to making that vision a reality. It will be a place to test, learn, and eventually scale this model across the state.”

In 2021, the state enacted Act 175 establishing the Hawai‘i Farm to School program and setting a goal of 30% of food served in public schools to be locally sourced by 2030, along with promoting garden and farm-based education. 

Superintendent Hayashi and HIDOE Public Works Administrator Jadine Urasaki presented an update on the Department’s regional kitchens initiative to the Board of Education on June 19. 看法 presentation materials.