"I want to make this flavor myself" - A rising star from Indonesia who joined ROKU KYOTO after being so impressed by its cuisine that he joined the company as a new graduate! (Samudra / Tokyu Resorts & Stay Co., Ltd.)

[Staff Profile]

Setio Januar Samudra (from Indonesia)

He studied abroad to learn Japanese culinary techniques and majored in Western cuisine at Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka. When he visited a restaurant at ROKU KYOTO during his job search, he was so impressed by the food that he strongly felt he wanted to make food like that, and decided to join the company. He is currently in charge of appetizers in the cold section, while honing his skills every day. He is accumulating experience in Japan with the goal of opening his own restaurant in his hometown of Surabaya in the future.

【Company】

Tokyu Resorts & Stay Co., Ltd. ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts

ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts, a luxury hotel surrounded by nature in Takagamine, Kyoto, is a high-quality resort facility operated by Tokyu Resorts & Stay. Located in an environment where you can enjoy the changing scenery of the seasons and hot springs, the hotel's restaurant, TENJIN, serves sophisticated French cuisine made with local ingredients. Through cuisine that combines tradition and innovation, the hotel delivers a special experience to its guests.

This time, we visited ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts , operated by Tokyu Resorts & Stay Co., Ltd. , and spoke with Samudra, an Indonesian who works at the hotel's restaurant!

ROKU KYOTO All-day dining "TENJIN"

──Please tell us why you decided to move from Indonesia to Japan.

The reason I wanted to work in Japan was because I wanted to try a challenge somewhere other than my own country . A friend originally invited me to come to Japan with him, and I thought it would be a good opportunity. That said, my Japanese knowledge only covered greetings, so I first attended a Japanese language school for a year and a half. After that, I wanted to study cooking, so I enrolled at Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka and majored in Western cuisine in the Culinary Technology Management Department at Tsuji Culinary Institute.

Here, I learned not only cooking techniques, but also hygiene management and the knowledge of store management necessary to open my own restaurant. Since I had taken the trouble to study in Japan and acquired cooking skills, I wanted to use them to work for a Japanese company , so I decided to apply for a job.

--What was the reason you chose to find employment using a specific skills visa?

I was recommended to do so by a teacher at a vocational school. At the time (2023), the Specified Skilled Worker System had already been in place for more than three years, and it had become common to use the system to find employment in the restaurant industry. So my teacher told me, "If you use this system, you can work with peace of mind ."

──Out of all the different companies, why did you apply to work at ROKU KYOTO?

It all started when I met a person from the HR department at ROKU KYOTO at a job fair at my vocational school. We got along well and they invited me to come and eat at the hotel restaurant, so I did. The food I had there was delicious, and I was particularly impressed by the scallops with truffle sauce. I thought, "I want to cook food like that too!" and applied to join the company.

──Please tell us about your current job and the moments when you feel most rewarded by it.

I've been with the company for two years, and I've always been in charge of appetizers in the cold section. This season, I'm creating a menu using winter yellowtail. I work on both lunch and dinner shifts, and I've gotten used to it now, but when I first joined, it was difficult to understand the flow of work.

It's the busy times that I feel most rewarded. During the summer holidays and the upcoming cherry blossom season, the number of tourists increases and the restaurant gets crowded. It's times like these that I get fired up and think, "I'll do my best!" and feel a sense of accomplishment when I can get the job done smoothly .

──What do you think of the environment and atmosphere at work?

The work environment is also good. Most of the appetizer team is Japanese, but when I have a problem, I ask my seniors and they kindly help me out, which is very helpful. Also, many of us share the same hobbies, so it's fun to have fun talking about Western music and other things outside of work.

──Finally, please tell us what your future goals are!

First of all, I would like to obtain Specified Skilled Worker Status No. 2. This would mean there would be no limit to the period of time I can work in Japan, allowing me to work for a long time. By doing so, I would like to further hone my skills and broaden the options available to me in the future.

I still have a lot to learn, but I want to become a fully-fledged chef, be able to do the job on my own in any situation, and be able to confidently call myself a "professional chef . "

My dream is to eventually open my own restaurant in my hometown of Surabaya, Indonesia . I would like to use the cooking techniques and restaurant management knowledge I learned in Japan to create a restaurant that local customers will find truly delicious. I would be thrilled to create a restaurant that is uniquely my own, fusing the best of Japan with Indonesian culture.

We also spoke with General Affairs Manager Ishimoto!

Left) Mr. Ishimoto, General Manager of General Affairs, ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts Right) Mr. Samudra

──Please tell us the background behind your decision to hire foreign talent.

When ROKU KYOTO opened four years ago, we were a new hotel and recruited staff, but we were unable to attract as many people as we had expected. As a Hilton hotel, many of our staff speak English, and we wanted to actively hire talented people regardless of nationality , so we also started hiring people with specific skills. Currently, we have 18 foreign nationals working at our hotel.

──How do you feel about Samudra's growth and success at work?

As a new graduate, I was initially worried about communication at work, but I was relieved to see that he was actively communicating with other employees, naturally forming connections and talking about common hobbies.

He is also very serious about his work and puts in steady, consistent effort. In particular, he is able to carry out his daily tasks well despite the limited number of people, and I feel that he is steadily improving his skills. He has grown to a level where he can stand on his own two feet , and I look forward to seeing him succeed in the future.

──Please tell us what you expect from Samudra's future growth and achievements.

He is currently in charge of cold cooking and is steadily honing his skills, but I would like him to try his hand at hot cooking in the future and broaden his range of cooking . Also, there is no doubt that the number of foreign personnel will increase in the future, so I hope that he will grow into someone who can mentor his juniors in the future .

We would also be delighted if you could deepen your interactions with overseas staff, not just in the kitchen but also on the restaurant floor, further invigorate communication throughout the workplace, and energize the entire team.

──What kind of people would you like to hire in the future?

With the Osaka Expo coming up this year, the demand for personnel is increasing in the hotel industry in the Kansai region. Our hotel would like to strengthen our system to be able to accommodate a diverse range of customers while maintaining high quality service.

Our hotel receives many domestic Japanese tourists, so Japanese hospitality is essential. For this reason, we are looking for someone who can communicate well in Japanese . We would like to actively recruit new graduates who , like Samudra, came to Japan as international students and can adapt to Japanese culture while also making the most of their skills .

Furthermore, as our multinational staff increases, we are looking for people with a strong team spirit who can deepen their understanding of different cultures and facilitate smooth communication throughout the workplace. Furthermore, we are considering hiring specific skilled workers in the accommodation sector in the future, and would like to create an environment where an even more diverse range of people can thrive.

Hotel entrance. A space that combines traditional Kyoto aesthetics with modern design

Thank you to General Affairs Manager Ishimoto and Samudra for your valuable insights!

Samudra was so impressed by the food at ROKU KYOTO that he decided he wanted to work there. His steady growth was very impressive.

I look forward to expanding my horizons even further in the future.

The Food and Beverage Association will continue to provide its full support! ^^

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