Skye Kaupiko is thrilled when she sees her students visit her restaurant.
After helping her husband, Oliver Kim, open Oli’s Kitchen, she is now running the comfort-food restaurant at Kapiolani Community College.
Kaupiko sees her restaurant as a provider of more than just food. She sees it as a way to connect to students and bring them a community.
“I love, obviously, helping people,” said Kaupiko. “The next best thing is to feed people.”
Kaupiko is both working part-time at Kapiolani Community College being a student support specialist and running the Oli’s that just opened in October on KCC’s campus. Getting to see her students and providing them with comfort is what motivates Kaupiko.
The Oli’s Kitchen on the KCC campus is located near the student counseling center. It offers a welcoming atmosphere serving affordable plate lunches, spam musubi, salads, and drinks for on-the-go students.
Her husband, Oliver Kim, shares the same passion for people and community. That was the goal when opening Oli’s Kitchen.
“(We want to) give the community a place they can feel at home and enjoy local comfort food,” Kim said about the aspirations when opening his restaurant.
Both Kaupiko and Kim were born and raised on Oahu, where the job market is mainly in the food industry. After having kids, they decided they wanted to open their own business.
“Being here is pretty awesome,” said Kaupiko. “It’s kind of a full-circle moment,”
After getting her masters in counseling, she dropped what she was doing to help her husband Oliver Kim chase his dream of opening a restaurant. Kaupiko shared how they combined their aspirations, food and counseling, to create Oli’s Kitchen.
“Our customer service really is more of the thing that draws people in,” said Kaupiko.
It hasn’t been easy starting and running a small business in today’s economy. Kaupiko mentioned inflation, landlords, and the economy as some of the biggest challenges that have come with the opening of Oli’s Kitchen.
Despite these challenges Kim and Kaupiko have gained valuable lessons: patience and learning to work together.
Kaupiko wants to continue to expand Oli’s Kitchen to other community college campuses, but eventually wants to lean more into working closely with students.
“And start back to what I was doing previously. I’d always have a hand in this [Oli’s Kitchen], but that’s my passion [student counseling]. That’s where my heart is,” said Kaupiko.
Kaupiko will always be a part of Oli’s Kitchen, but someday hopes to have more of a role in what she loves, student counseling.
“Skye’s passion for her students is unmatched and it’s amazing to see,” Kim said. “I back her up and I also want to provide a safe and affordable place for students to enjoy their favorite home cooked meals.”
