Sang Yoon grew up by the beach in Los Angeles but hates sand. He was born in Seoul but as a chef only "lightly dabbles" in Korean cooking. His first restaurant, the gastropub Father’s Office in Santa Monica, is famous for its burger (dry-aged beef with arugula and blue cheese), so naturally his workshop at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival Friday will be about … rice.

The chef may be many things, but never obvious.

Devotees of Bravo’s "Top Chef Masters" are getting to know all of this about Yoon, an audience favorite in the ongoing fifth season. Filming is over, allowing Yoon the chance to reflect on the "stress and brilliance" of the competition, although he can’t talk about how he fares.

"Fun" is his description. "It feels like you’re in summer camp. Of course, a really stressful summer camp. Kinda like summer camp and boot camp."

Like when the chefs had to sky-dive into a food event, then start cooking. "Nothing in your career can prepare you to do that."

Like when the chefs were handed squid, lamb, celery root and pomegranate and given just minutes to make a dish. "It takes a certain personality. I wasn’t sure I had that personality."

"Masters" chefs compete for a charity; Yoon’s is the Worldwide Orphans Foundation. "You want to win," he says. "You always want to win."

Which brings us to … ice hockey.

"I grew up by the beach and I hate sand and I don’t surf and I play ice hockey," Yoon says. It’s as though he worked to find a sport far removed from any hint of the ocean. But he says the appeal is the sport’s fierce competitive nature. "It’s edgy, fast, powerful, gladiator-ish."

He takes a beat. Then: "One of my friends told me, ‘You know why you don’t like sand? You can’t control it.’"

Yoon arrives Thursday in this place surrounded by sand, planning to spend no time in it. He will be among 19 chefs featured Saturday in the dining event "Taste Our Love for the Land." His dish will be lomi salmon, Yoon-style (salmon brine-cured in dashi, then cooked at very low temperature, with pickled onions, a gelee of tomato water and dashi, jalapeño and salmon-skin cracker).

His cooking seminar Friday is called "Rice Plus," exploring unique facets of this staple food. "People think rice, they think of white rice — starch, carbs," Yoon says. "They don’t really think of nutrients in other types."

He’ll share a black rice dish that he serves at Lukshon, his second, more upscale, Southeast Asian restaurant in Culver City.

He likes black rice for its firm chewiness, its nutty taste and the antioxidant benefits each serving packs.

So try cooking like a master: This is a dramatic dish that would score points at any party.

Two ingredient notes: Black rice can be found in many supermarkets — I got a 16-ounce bag under the Hinode label for about $3.50 at Foodland. Shaoxing is a Chinese cooking wine available at Asian groceries. Substitute gin, dry white wine or sherry.

HEIRLOOM BLACK RICE WITH LUP CHEONG, ROASTED GARLIC AND FRESNO CHILIES

2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 ounces (4 pieces) lup cheong (Chinese sausage), thinly sliced and diced
1-inch-piece ginger, peeled and minced
10 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
16 ounces black rice, cooked
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice cooking wine)
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili oil
6 red Fresno chilies, minced (or use red jalapenos)
Salt and white pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a wok, heat oil. Add sausage, ginger, garlic and onion, tossing 1 minute.

Add rice and mix well. Add wine, soy sauce, chili oil and chilies. Toss about 3 minutes, adding salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serves 6.

Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (not including salt to taste): 500 calories, 21 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 900 mg sodium, 66 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 16 g protein

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Write "By Request," 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Or email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.