[Joining the company as a new graduate with specific skills] I'm going to become a top craftsman at my dream job at Hoshinoya! (Yang from Korea / Hoshino Resorts Management Co., Ltd.)

[Staff Profile]

Yang Soo-hyun (from South Korea)

Wanting to learn authentic Japanese cuisine, he enrolled in Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka. In April 2024, he joined Hoshinoya Kyoto as the first new foreign graduate to work there.

【Company】

Hoshino Resorts Management Co., Ltd. Hoshinoya Kyoto

This luxury resort boasts the natural beauty of Arashiyama, where you can enjoy the changing scenery of the four seasons, and the traditional architecture of a renovated Japanese inn. The on-site dining area serves traditional yet playful kaiseki cuisine, making use of local, seasonal ingredients.

This time, we visited Hoshino Resorts' Hoshinoya Kyoto and spoke with Yan, who just joined the company this spring!

Left) Winnie the Pooh, Right) Nan

──Why did you want to work for a Japanese company?

I originally came to study in Japan because I loved Japanese culture and food. I actually studied Japanese cuisine at a vocational school in Korea, but I still wanted to learn from authentic Japanese people, so I majored in Japanese cuisine at Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka and graduated this spring. I wanted to put the knowledge of Japanese cuisine I learned at school to good use and to acquire more authentic techniques, so I hoped to find work in Japan.

During my job search, I heard about various companies at company information sessions at school and through internships, but I was attracted to Hoshino Resorts' first-class service and cuisine that focuses on local ingredients, and I thought, "I want to be a chef here too!" and applied to join the company.

──Please tell us why you decided to get a job under the Specified Skilled Worker System.

I had decided to work mainly in cooking, so I got a job on a specific skills visa. Five years ago, this visa didn't exist yet, so even if you studied at a culinary school in Japan like I did, you couldn't get a job in Japan. I'm glad that this system was in place when I was looking for a job, and that I've now been able to get a job at the company of my choice.

──Please tell us about your usual work duties.

I joined the company as a new graduate in April this year, and although it's only been three months, I'm currently doing prep work like cutting vegetables and assisting the staff in each position. At first, I was taught how to cut vegetables for simmered dishes and how to manage the finishing touches. The way we wash rice is also a little different from what I learned at vocational school, so I'm learning the Hoshinoya method from scratch.

Additionally, at Hoshinoya Kyoto we serve many dishes using wild vegetables, many of which are ingredients I have never seen before, so I learn more about the characteristics of the ingredients and the best cooking methods every day.

Yang carefully and meticulously prepares the desserts

──When do you feel a sense of accomplishment?

Every day! My dream of finding a job in Japan has come true, and I'm so happy every day to be able to work at Hoshinoya, a top-class restaurant known by many people in Japan. Every task I do here is rewarding. So, in addition to cooking, I also take the initiative to clean the kitchen and dining area. I'm still a beginner, so I want to master the techniques and become a full-fledged chef as soon as possible.

──Since last year, the restaurant industry has also been subject to the Specified Skills [No. 2] visa. What did you think when you heard this?

When I was in my first year at vocational school, this status wasn't available yet, so I thought that if I wanted to continue working long-term, I would have no choice but to return to Korea and find a job. However, when I was in my second year, I heard that the restaurant industry was now covered by Specified Skills No. 2, and my dreams expanded: I could work in Japan for a long time, too! I immediately contacted the HR department at Hoshino Resorts directly and asked, "Can foreigners get a job here?" (laughs) I currently have Specified Skills No. 1 status, but I want to continue working here for a long time, so I plan to aim for No. 2 after gaining two years of work experience.

──Please tell us about your goals and dreams for the future.

I would like to study the best cooking methods to suit the characteristics of ingredients and become a chef who can be called a master chef. I would also like to try developing menus in the future. I want to make customers happy with the recipes I create. I would like to do my best to contribute to the service so that, especially for customers visiting from overseas, the meal at Hoshinoya Kyoto will become a fond memory of Japan, and they will want to come back to Japan and stay at Hoshinoya again .

To get to the hotel, take a private boat from Togetsukyo Bridge. Enjoy the scenery of fresh greenery on this truly elegant journey.

Thank you, Yan, for sharing your valuable story with us!

Yang has a lovely smile that leaves an impression. We are looking forward to seeing her future success!

The Food and Beverage Association will continue to support you.

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The Japan Food and Beverage Association for Foreign Employment

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