KAHULUI, Maui — Drugs derailed Kimberly Mollena's early dream of becoming a chef and landed her in prison for burglary.

Years later, when the 37-year-old inmate was offered a chance to participate in last week's culinary arts "boot camp" at Maui Community College, Mollena hesitated because she felt ashamed to face her former instructors.

"But none of them looked down at me, and they are hopeful and want me to succeed and make it. And I really want to do that," Mollena said at the completion of the weeklong cooking exploration sponsored by Maui Economic Opportunity's BEST (Being Empowered and Safe Together) reintegration program.

The BEST program, administered in cooperation with the state Department of Public Safety, prepares Maui Community Correctional Center inmates for life on the outside by providing job training, housing assistance, family reunification services, mentoring and other help.

The Public Safety Department offers longer, more in-depth culinary arts programs at its Waiawa and women's correctional facilities on O'ahu, but the Maui boot camp is the first program with a setting that's outside of prison walls, said Deputy Director of Corrections Tommy Johnson. "It provides them with marketable skills for Hawai'i's service-based economy and teaches self-worth," said Johnson, who attended Friday's graduation lunch at MCC's Class Act restaurant.

Taking full advantage of MCC's sparkling $17 million Pa'ina Culinary Arts Center, chef Dean Louie guided 13 boot camp participants — 11 inmates and two former inmates — on a learning journey ranging from basic kitchen skills and sandwich-making to preparation of a gourmet feast for 50 diners. The feast featured escargot in shallot butter in a potato shell, bay shrimp canape with goat cheese, poached mahimahi with dijon mustard sauce, and perfectly pink carved roast strip loin with mushroom sauce and horseradish cream.

Shortly before Friday's lunch service, the participants, dressed in white tunics embroidered with their names, looked like chefs. Louie, distinguished by his toque, brought the group together to review the game plan and offer reassurance.

"You don't want to let that stress transfer to the food," he said.

Louie said the boot camp showed participants that good job opportunities could await them when they enter the workforce.

Regarding the kitchen lessons set outside of prison, Louie said, "when they do it in this facility, it widens their eyes and their appreciation for what the possibilities are."

John Kealohapauole, 39, of Aliamanu, O'ahu, said he enjoyed Louie's teaching style and enthusiasm.

"He looks at it like it's art more than cooking," he said.

Kealohapauole, serving a 20-year sentence for robbery, completed a variety of job training and correspondence courses at Mainland prisons before qualifying for the work furlough program at the Maui correctional center. He said he signed up for the boot camp to get a taste of what a career in the culinary arts may hold.

During the session, he prepared eggs Benedict, a dish he had never tasted before.

Mollena, who is due for release in 2010, already is employed at a Wailuku diner under the work furlough program. She said the boot camp reaffirmed her aspirations to become a chef at a fine-dining establishment and she plans to enroll in additional classes.