Apr 6, 2007

Sculpting edible art

Sushi chefs compete for state's top prize

By Bernadette Harris / Staff Writer

At the 2007 SushiMasters regional competition in San Francisco this past Sunday, the perennial California roll was nowhere to be found. Instead, the "Wonder Bread of sushi," as described by event emcee and KTVU reporter John Sasaki, made way for the heavyweights of Japanese cuisine.

Sushi lovers from around the Bay gathered to see the five chefs, and one master chef, who were challenged to make two dishes in a fast-paced 45-minute competition to win a spot in the 2008 state SushiMasters Finals.

The event, paying tribute to Japanese culture, called for each chef to create a Morikomi plate, a traditional combination plate that included nigiri, maki and temaki style sushi, along with a signature roll. The dishes tested each chef's ability to infuse their own styles with customary preparation and presentation.

Ty Mahler, executive chef of Roy's Hawaiian Fusion in San Francisco, joined Sasaki as co-emcee and gave informed narration as the chefs created delectable eats that appealed to the eye as much as the palate.

Chefs ranged from relative newcomer chef Weyman Li to master chef Akifusa Tonai, who has been master sushi chef at Kyo-ya Restaurant in San Francisco for more than 13 years. The varied levels of experience affected how true the chefs adhered to tradition and the inventiveness of their signature rolls.

Chef Tetsuya Kodama, of Sushi Ran in Sausalito, described his wholesome approach to making sushi as "Mama's food." His signature roll, called the "Pear Citrus Roll," used two different types of cheaper fish, to supplement the high-quality salmon, and presented the dish with artfully cut lemon peel and thick slices of melon.

Tonai's jewel-like "Celebration" sushi roll was streamlined and subtle, and decorated with a liberal sprinkling of gold leaf.

Chef Ken Hang, also from Sushi Ran, and chef Li incorporated more exotic ingredients like jalapeno and tea-infused oils into their rolls.

Li said that his sushi was "tastewise, more toward Japanese style, where food is already seasoned - no wasabi or soy sauce. (It's) ready to go."

Spending the bulk of his time on his Morikomi challenge, Hang rushed to plate his signature roll with less than five minutes on the clock, and eventually left sauces off the dish. He was very nervous competing against more experienced chefs for the first time, he said after the competition.

The biggest risk-takers of the competition were chef Tomoharu Nakamura, of Sanraku Four Seasons in San Francisco, and chef Kenichi Kawashima, of Blowfish Sushi in San Francisco.

Nakamura tackled his signature roll titled "Golden Gate" first, an admirable effort that was awed by onlookers. The roll was a snapshot of the bridge, the hills and the water of the Bay. The crowd drew a sharp breath as the bridge fell apart while in transit to the back of the room. As Nakamura rearranged the roll, he laughed at his shaking hands.

The aromas from Kawashima's table intrigued the audience, as he added many ingredients that the other chefs had not, like red meat and blowfish. Blowfish, if not prepared with extreme caution, can poison and even kill those who eat it. His plating was as precise and intense as he was throughout the competition.

The evening's award ceremony and pagentry included sushi samplings from each of the chefs' restaurants, quality sake and Japanese beers, drumming from the Taiko Drummers, sake barrel-breaking (which signifies good luck) and the announcement of the competition's top-prize winner.

The judges deliberated for three hours, and awarded Best in Show and a spot in the 2008 finals to Nakamura. He will compete with the winners of the regional competitions in Sacramento and Los Angeles, and vie for the state title of SushiMaster and a monetary prize of anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.

As Nakamura stepped offstage, beaming, he seemed speechless, but said, "It's great, just great," about his win.

For more information about SushiMasters, visit www.sushimasters.com.

E-mail Bernadette Harris at bharris@dailynewsgroup.com.