COURTESY JOY OF SAKE Shotaro "Sho" Kamio

Bay Area chef adds pizazz to Joy of Sake event

SAKE may be the centerpiece, but Bay Area chef Shotaro "Sho" Kamio is generating a good share of the star power for the Joy of Sake tasting event on Aug. 23.

Kamio is executive chef at Yoshi's Jazz Club & Japanese Restaurant in Oakland, and is opening another Yoshi's in San Francisco's Fillmore district this fall.

Chris Pearce, coordinator of the annual Joy of Sake events in Honolulu, San Francisco and New York, says Kamio is an expert in new ways of pairing food with sake.

His dishes: Summer Corn & Tokyo Green Onion Cold Soup with Puréed Sea Urchin, Miso-Marinated Roasted Fois Gras with Mushroom Soy Milk Risotto, Salt-Crusted Kurobuta Filet and Kona kampachi with Fresh Wakame.

Joining Kamio will be Lindsey Ozawa of Nobu Waikiki, and chefs from Chai's Island Bistro, Tokkuri-Tei, Hakkei, Musashi, Epic, Shigezo, Gyotaku, Marian's and Momoyama.

The Joy of Sake takes place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hawai'i Convention Center, featuring more than 300 premium sakes, including many not normally found available in the United States. Tickets are $65 in advance, $70 at the door. Call 739-1000 or order tickets online at www.joyofsake.com.