Chris Kajioka spends most of his time in a cave.

"I don’t get out much. We’re in our own world over there," he admits.

Kajioka is executive chef of Vintage Cave Hono­lulu and spends his mornings, noons and nights at the formal, exclusive venue beneath Shirokya, whipping up gourmet meals for the most discriminating clientele.

So he was excited when Mela­nie Kosaka offered him a chance to participate in a summer series in her bright, airy new cooking studio, Cook­Space, at Ward Warehouse.

The series, "Get Fresh," spotlights fresh-farm products prepared by local chefs, most of whom recently opened or will open a restaurant. Many folks are familiar with the cooking of Wade Ueoka, formerly of Alan Wong’s, and Lance Kosaka, who recently left Cafe Julia. But there’s also Colin Hazama, senior executive sous-chef at Sheraton Waikiki, whose own cooking is rarely enjoyed by the public, and Kaji­oka, whose multicourse meals at the Cave cost upward of $200.

"‘Get Fresh’ allows me to be more interactive and see more people," Kaji­oka said. "This is a great opportunity to show what we do and who we work with."

Kajioka kicks off the series July 7 and will feature the produce of Hira­bara Farms, which he uses every day at the Cave. Once he gets started talking about the virtues of the farm’s veggies and farmer Kurt Hira­bara, he can’t stop.

"Kurt is growing a cabbage I asked for, the caraflex cabbage. You know how cabbage can have a smell? This one is tender with no aroma, and sweet," he said. "At the restaurant, I slow-cook it with butter and salt, and char it till it’s almost burnt. We serve it as individual leaves with konbu, dill and a miso crème fraîche. This dish was on the menu since Day One and continues to be on the menu. It’s one of the most well-received dishes."

Kajioka hopes to feature the Hira­bara cabbage during his session, depending on what’s available from the farm. But he says that whatever he uses, his job is really quite simple.

"Maybe we do a lot of steps, but if we just take care in cooking, the food can really be amazing. … My only job is to not mess it up."

Melanie Kosaka says the "Get Fresh" sessions will start with a question-and-answer portion with the chef and farmer, then move into the cooking. The intention is to profile the chef-farmer partnerships, the ingredients and the cooking process, as well as the finished dish.

"Our goal is to get people back into the kitchen," she said. "To eat local and support farmers, at some point you’ve got to cook, because most locally produced food is not processed food."

CookSpace is a 1,000-square-foot studio opened in March by local food advocate and video producer Kosaka. The space is intended for use as a classroom, dining room and event space. But however it’s employed, food and cooking are central to its mission.

"Part of what we want to do is spread the idea of food fostering community. We’re using the kitchen as a place of good beginnings, for our own health and the economic health of the community," Kosaka said.

"In Hawaii we have a cultural food tradition. Food is how we identify ourselves; it’s like the soundtrack to our lives. It’s in our DNA."