Returning to Japan with a specific skills visa! "A company that values its employees" - I want to contribute too (Mai from Vietnam / Restaurant Bank Co., Ltd.)

[Staff Profile]

Pham Thi Mai (from Vietnam)

He came to Japan as an international student and returned to Vietnam once, but he couldn't let go of his desire to work in Japan, so he came back to Japan with a specific skills visa. He is currently working in the dining area and kitchen at Sakana no Jinbei, an izakaya restaurant in Namba, Osaka.

【Company】

Restaurant Bank Co., Ltd.

Founded in 2006, this restaurant company primarily operates Italian and izakaya restaurants. The company has locations in the Osaka and Hyogo areas, as well as in the United States. Under the leadership of CEO Hidemitsu Hayashi, the company promotes a corporate culture that values its employees and is working to develop its business in a way that paves the way for the future of the restaurant industry.

https://restaurant-bank.jp/

This time, we visited Sakana no Jinbee Namba store and spoke with Mai, who is from Vietnam!

──Why did you want to work in Japan?

I first came to Japan about six years ago. I lived in Tokyo as an international student and attended a Japanese language school and a beauty school specializing in makeup. After graduating, I returned to Vietnam, but I still had some attachment to Japan, so I came back to Japan to look for work . I love Japanese culture. Also, the sky in Japan is very clean, the air is fresh, and the scenery is beautiful. I wanted to live and work in that kind of environment.

Why did you want to work in the food and beverage industry?

When I was an international student, I worked part-time in a variety of restaurants, including ramen shops, fast food restaurants, beef bowl restaurants, and set meal restaurants. During that time, I found that customer service work, which involved direct contact with customers, was . I also had experience working in a factory, but I felt dizzy after doing repetitive tasks... Also, everyone was wearing masks so I couldn't see their faces and there was very little conversation, so I didn't feel like it really suited me. I realized once again that I really do like interacting with people, and I thought that working in the restaurant industry would be the best option, so I decided to get a job using the Specified Skilled Worker System .

──There are many food and beverage companies out there, so why did you choose to work at Restaurant Bank?

I chose Restaurant Bank because it is a large company with multiple branches and I felt it was a reliable company . I also wanted to earn money in Japan for my family in Vietnam, and I was attracted to the fact that the salary level at Restaurant Bank was high. Furthermore, they provide dormitories and home appliances, and they offer a lot of support for daily life, which gave me the impression that it is a company that values its employees, which was the deciding factor.

──Please tell us about your current job.

I am in charge of both hall and kitchen duties. My main job is hall work, taking orders and bringing out the prepared meals. Our restaurant is an izakaya, but we also offer pizza, pasta and other dishes from our neighboring Italian restaurant, so there are a wide variety of menu items, which was a bit overwhelming at first. Izakaya menus often have a lot of kanji, which is also difficult to remember. However, thanks to my senior colleague writing the kanji menu in hiragana and handing it to me , I was able to remember it little by little.

In terms of kitchen work, I can now make most of the menu items, but in the future I would like to learn how to prepare sashimi.

──Please tell us what makes you happy about your work.

What makes me happy is that everyone at work is very kind . If there's something I don't understand, they'll explain it to me slowly, so I feel at ease. Some customers speak quickly, but when I ask them to repeat themselves, many of them are very helpful and patient in explaining. The most gratifying moment is when I see the customers' smiles . Izakayas are places where people who are good friends visit, so when I see customers having fun together, I naturally feel happy too. Seeing the smiles on customers' faces makes me feel rewarded .

──On the other hand, when do you feel it's difficult?

The hardest thing is that it can be a little physically exhausting when it's busy. But I enjoy being busy and moving around more than having long periods of free time . No matter how busy I am, I've never once thought about quitting my job! I really enjoy working.

──What do you think is good about the company environment and support?

First of all, as I mentioned in my reasons for applying, the support provided with the dormitory and home appliances was extremely helpful. When I started work, I was able to start with peace of mind knowing that everything I needed for daily life was already provided.

In terms of work, it's also good that it's easy to request shifts . You can request four days in each half of the month, and they generally adjust your schedule to accommodate your requests, so it's easy to plan your own lifestyle and schedule with friends, which is great.

What's more, I'm happy that we have company trips ! Last October, I was able to go to Okinawa, which was a valuable opportunity to interact with employees from other stores. By talking with my seniors who work at other stores, I was able to share my goals and dreams for the future, and I was greatly inspired. In particular, there were five Vietnamese employees at the other store, and we were able to have fun talking about common topics, which really boosted my motivation.

The company values its employees, so I will do my best to contribute to the company .

──Finally, please tell us your goals for the future!

I have been working for about a year now, but since the Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 visa only allows for a maximum working period of five years, I am aiming to obtain Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 status so that I can continue working in Japan after that .

My family lives in Vietnam, and my younger sister is 16 years younger than me, so I want to work hard and earn a lot of money. I want to be able to not only have a stable life for myself, but also send money home to my parents.

In the future, I would like to have my own restaurant ! To achieve this, I will continue to hone my cooking and customer service skills, improve my Japanese, and first become a manager at Restaurant Bank, where I currently work. I hope to gain experience and eventually aim to have my own restaurant.

Thank you Mai for sharing your valuable story!

Mai-san, who spoke with a smile and enthusiasm throughout the session, said,

I was able to feel their gratitude for the work environment and the satisfaction and enjoyment of their work.

I'm really looking forward to seeing it grow even more in the future!

The Food and Beverage Association will continue to support you.

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The Japan Food and Beverage Association for Foreign Employment

We support companies that want to start employing foreigners .

Through our own network,

Securing the talent companies are looking for - interviews - starting work and providing support afterwards

We provide comprehensive support.

"We want to resolve the labor shortage."

"We want to promote globalization"

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us !