I just moved to Japan 2 months ago on a working holiday visa. I was looking for jobs before going to Japan, compared to where I’m from it wasn’t easy, but I found a restaurant which was willing to take me in, without being able to speak Japanese. I expected that it wouldn’t be easy without speaking the language and the labour market is probably different (less demand for chefs I guess). I sent out 20 applications and one restaurant was willing to take me in. I thought it wasn’t bad for the fact that I’ don’t speak Japanese. Also I was quite happy about the place: 1 Michelin-starred, French cuisine, head chef worked abroad for a decade, speaks English and French and seems to be very nice and willing to pass on his knowledge.
Unfortunately it’s just a horrible place, not worth the Michelin star. To keep it short: he is full of himself and impossible-to-please even though he doesn’t know anything, he isn’t up to date with nowadays standards, lacks passion, lacks knowledge, lacks HACCP standards, is stingy and petty, and breaks a lot of French rules for fine dining only to serve basic stuff which is mostly not even prepped well. I could go into details, but it would be way too much. Just a few examples:
* Defrost and froze the same minced meat for the 8th time, it’s already half grey and smells sour (HACCP)
* All cut-offs have to be saved for staff meal, he screamed for two hours at his trainee because he threw away a 5g piece of salmon which was half grey because of the fish fat, also he charges us money for the staff meal (stingy)
* Serves same ingredients in many dishes, just to save money (French rules, stingy)
* None of his dishes are influenced by him, mostly basic, cooks more Japanese than French (lack of passion)
* We aren’t allowed to do anything without his permission, so he can double check on at least one or two steps. We aren’t allowed to most tasks which are considered normal. He is never happy with what we are doing even though it’s perfectly fine (full of himself)
* I’m not allowed to walk on specific areas on the floor, I’m not allowed to touch specific areas of the door when opening it, I’m not allowed to touch the dishwasher with wet hands, … (petty)
On top of that, his personality is just horrible. He hates talking, he hates music. He is always in a bad mood, never had a single day where he was happy.
Overall it just completely ties me down. I can’t work properly, because I’m restricted with everything, even if my hands not moving exactly like his or my pan is 0.5mm off it’s bothering him. Because no one can please him, it’s not a kitchen team trying to perform the passionate vision of the head chef, it’s a one man show, and everyone else in the kitchen is just assisting him and cleaning after him. Because of that concept, the menu is simple, otherwise he couldn’t handle most by himself. Therefore there’s rarely enough work. So we 70% of the time we just stand around and pretend to work, trying to avoid him as much as possible. And since he hates talking and hates music it’s most of the time silent in the kitchen. Quite frustrating and devastating.
Are many Japanese head chefs that extreme or did I just met the worst one?
I’m here for the experience and the culture, obviously not for the money, because I’d get paid double to triple in Europe. I could quit and leave immediately, but I’d really like to stay in Japan for that year. I really enjoy my spare time, the nature and temples are just beautiful, but I don’t want to go on like this.
I was applying for other places after working for a week at this place. In the beginning just for the Kansai region, but now even for Tokyo. So far only for fine dining restaurants. I probably sent out 40 applications within a the last 3 weeks. 3 restaurants replied after seeing my CV, asked a few questions: do I have a valid visa, when I’d like to start and my motivation. I replied, but never heard back from them after.
I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on my situation. Should I remind these 3 places or did they just rejected me? Should I try outside of the fine dining section or is it hopeless without language skills? Maybe some chefs around here who also made some experience or can give me some recommendations.
Happy for any suggestions.
Thanks for reading.
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11 comments
Are you sure you’re not in that “kitchen show”? Search for some hidden cameras)
open your own place
Not speaking the language will be your biggest obstacle unless you find somewhere with a foreigner chef/manager or English speaking environment. The chef sounds like a piece of human garbage but sadly the majority do seem to behave in that way (except the unhygienic part). Most chefs I worked with seem to be a bit on the extreme side, never had direct problems with them tho(I am 6’4/300Lbs maybe that plays a part lol). That being said, the guy I work with now is pretty chill, too chill actually but he runs a modest place not some Michelin star fine dining place.
Ps: took me months before I got any reply and could find a suitable position after I left the previous job, so just don’t get discouraged.
Have you tried contacting hotel restaurants?
Not speaking the language and your visa are the main obstacles.
Start by learning Japanese
Honestly, you probably should have learned some Japanese before you started your working holiday. You won’t be able to find a great job with little to no Japanese.
Come to Niseko mate, always work for chefs here🤙
1) working holiday basically screams “I’m here only for a year” and I’m not sure how many restaurants would actually sponsor visa.
2) Lack of Japanese limits like 90% of your options. Problem here is, doesn’t matter how much ability you have, I’d imagine if you learn the dish you don’t really need to speak the language but most will not hire you simply because they will be afraid you won’t understand whatever simple instructions. In most cases it’s not even the language but the fact you are foreign.
I worked in the kitchen of a French restaurant with a Michelin star in Tokyo during my working holiday, did t hat for about half a year. I was washing the dish and helping for desert prep but as the chef (he is French) saw I was doing things properly, he was just making me more of the prep so it ended up being quite fun. But hey, I had no kitchen experience, just home cooking. Quite funny to think that I plated desert for someone who does evaluation for the Michelin Guide (they got their star not long after I left).
Would not say the chef was easy, but if you did your job well, you would not have problem. Almost everything was hand made, menu changed to match seasonal ingredients, of course there is some dish that come back every year, but always new things too, try to use Japanese local ingredients.
The way I got the job is I sent e-mail to a couple of French restaurants and a couple of months later one called me, I went for an interview and and was told on the spot to come back next week. Note that I spoke
Anyway, I know he know people, likely foreign chefs, so if you want you can always send me a DM, but you have to sell your case, like do you have experience in good restaurants?
Look into Rigoletto or other restaurants run by HUGE Ltd. They take in a lot of non-Japanese people as employees (well, I can only speak for the roppongi and shibuya locations)
I can first hand say that one person who was hired at my previous workplace was here on a working holiday visa and as far as I could tell, barely spoke any Japanese