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Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation

EIN 55-0911478 · Honolulu, HI

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood86 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE HAWAII CULINARY EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S (HCEF) MISSION IS TO PROVIDE HAWAIIS CULINARY STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS ACCESS TO THE BEST KNOWLEDGE AND EXPOSURE TO CUTTING-EDGE TECHNIQUES THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CHEFS AND FOOD EXPERTS. HCEF IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT OF CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF HAWAII TO PROMOTE HAWAII'S UNIQUE CULINARY TRADITIONS. CREATED IN 1998, AS THE HALE AINA OHANA, THE HAWAII CULINARY EDUCATION FOUNDATION RECOGNIZES THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE CULINARY INDUSTRY TO HAWAIIS ECONOMY. HCEF COORDINATES AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE HAWAII RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND LEADERS OF CULINARY PROGRAMS MEET REGULARLY TO PLAN ACTIVITIES AND FUND-RAISING EVENTS.

Income
$305,065
Spending
$77,845
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
37.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
0
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$57,925, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 37.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 74% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 604% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $73,953 spent. HAWAII CULINARY EDUCATION FOUNDATION (HCEF) PROVIDES FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES TOWARDS ACTIVITIES THAT ENHANCE THE SCOPE OF LEARNING BY CULINARY STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS. HCEF FACILITATES THE SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE BY EXPERTS WITH STUDENTS. HCEF IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE OF HAWAII AND THE U.S. ACCOMPLISHED CHEFS AND FOOD EXPERTS ARE PARTNERED WITH HAWAIIS CULINARY STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS THROUGH HCEF PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING: VISITING CULINARY EXPERTS INTRODUCE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FOOD TRENDS AND IDEAS THROUGH DEMONSTRATIONS AND WORKSHOPS CENTER OF THE PLATE WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE FEATURE TOP ISLAND CHEFS SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE MASTER CHEF CLASSES HELP HONE STUDENT SKILL SETS BY FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES AND PHILOSOPHIES PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS TO IMPROVE AND UPDATE THEIR SKILLS HIGH SCHOOL CULINARY MENTORING PROGRAMS HCEF IS ALSO INVOLVED IN: PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS CELEBRITY CHEF DINNERS ANNUAL FUNDRAISER GOLF TOURNAMENT FOR CULINARY SUPPORTERS RAISING THE CULINARY BAR IN HAWAII THROUGH ONGOING CULINARY EDUCATION HAWAII CULINARY EDUCATION FOUNDATION (HCEF) PROVIDES FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES TOWARDS ACTIVITIES THAT ENHANCE THE SCOPE OF LEARNING BY CULINARY STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS. HCEF FACILITATES THE SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE BY EXPERTS WITH STUDENTS. HCEF IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE OF HAWAII AND THE U.S. ACCOMPLISHED CHEFS AND FOOD EXPERTS ARE PARTNERED WITH HAWAIIS CULINARY STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS THROUGH HCEF PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING: VISITING CULINARY EXPERTS INTRODUCE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FOOD TRENDS AND IDEAS THROUGH DEMONSTRATIONS AND WORKSHOPS CENTER OF THE PLATE WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE FEATURE TOP ISLAND CHEFS SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE MASTER CHEF CLASSES HELP HONE STUDENT SKILL SETS BY FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES AND PHILOSOPHIES PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS TO IMPROVE AND UPDATE THEIR SKILLS HIGH SCHOOL CULINARY MENTORING PROGRAMS HCEF IS ALSO INVOLVED IN: PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS CELEBRITY CHEF DINNERS ANNUAL FUNDRAISER GOLF TOURNAMENT FOR CULINARY SUPPORTERS RAISING THE CULINARY BAR IN HAWAII THROUGH ONGOING CULINARY EDUCATION

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 2007.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.