About
San Diego native and general manager and certified Sake Somm at Oceanside’s Matsu
has long been immersed in the culinary realm.
Starting as a pastry chef in San Diego, Kim quickly discovered her talent and passion
for the culinary arts. After a back injury forced Kim to step away from professional
kitchens, she found herself drawn to the events and marketing side of the food industry.
There, Kim managed retail cafes and handled offsite events at Chuao Chocolatier
before moving on to Baker & Olive, where she managed restaurant accounts and
coordinated food-related events such as the North Eats food festival and Best of SD.
Her expertise in curating and executing sake dinner pairings became evident during her
time at Setting Sun Sake, where she played a crucial role in showcasing sake’s rich
history and Japanese cultural heritage. In addition, Kim contributed to the organization
of the annual San Diego Sake Day, hosted at the Japanese Friendship Garden in
Balboa Park.
With a deep passion for sake, Kim became an International Kikisakeshi (Sake
Sommelier) during her time at Setting Sun Sake. This expertise translates into Matsu’s
sake program, where Kim curates a unique selection of small-batch sakes, making Matsu’s selection stand out among its competitors. Her dedication to sake education for
both the team and guests, as well as her enthusiasm for creating exceptional sake
pairing dinners, adds an extra dimension to the dining experience at Matsu.
Other credentials include a WSET Level 1 in Sake and a Certified Sake Adviser, 2020
through Sake School of America. Kim is dedicated to elevating the holistic bar program
at Matsu alongside Bar Director Rowland and Wine Director Chaos.
