Job seeking!

I'm looking for a part time job. as a cook.

And so I applied for a job at this Japanese restaurant called "Tofu ya Ukai", about 20 minute by bike away from my house.

>>please check out! >> http://www.ukai.co.jp/oowada/index.html
This is one of the restaurants run by a famous high-end food group Ukai,

(some of them got Michelin stars) known for its high quality food.

To tell the conclusion first, I didn't get the job.

It was such a suprise and an honor to have an interview with the "TOP" chef of this restaurant.

I have a belief that if someone has a high status by his/her real ability, he/she is even easier to talk with, making you feel you can open your mind. And this chef Mr Kikuchi WAS the person of this type.





 "Tofu ya Ukai" it's a very beautiful restaurant...will come back as an eater.

 
After asking me some questions and listening carefully to what I said, mumbling, he gave me advise more or less like this...


He told me that this restaurant was just too big for someone like me(someone with aspiration to have own restaurant in a short period of time)to have work experience; all the works here are broken down to many small processes, so I might be asked to do just a few things, like, to cut onions all day long, for example..




Also he told me that by the rule of the company, this restaurant can change its menu only every 3 months, so dishes and food I can learn are very very limited.

Giving advise, he also told me that he loves and is always willing to backup people who are pursuing thier dreams to have restaurants, or want to learn cooking and Japanese culture, and so on.
 He exlained that he'd really like to keep the tradition of Japanese cuisine, the "core" of this cuisine, as nowadays there're plenty of japanese restaurants which serve fusion(in a not too good sense)food and they're often missing the core, the basic of the traditional japanese food. And still, it catches people's attention and popularity just because it's "new". "That's why I believe I have to give youngsters a chance to learn the tradition, just like I was given the chance" he said.




...It was so moving to see how a man can be so serious, so moving that my eyes got a little wet. during a job interview. haha...




I think he really shed a light to the right direction. His words let me think about a lot of things. over and over again.
So I withdrew my application.
I trully wish I could work under a chef like him(and he said he's willing to welcome me back whenever I have trouble finding a job;-))but given my limited time, this wasn't the right place.

So here I am still seeking a job.
but I'm holding my head up.

***
Usually the average wage of a part time cook is around 900yen (plz divide by 82 for US$)
In the center of Tokyo it tends to be a bit higher.(around 1000 yen)
So now I'm seeking job in Shinjuku, the very center of Tokyo.
And I have an interview this Friday!
Wish me luck!




cutting practice at midnight is fun









my school pic. it was a strange lecture....(sorry!)

 





My first step

Hello.


Woo it's been a really long time since I quitted blogging...(I blogged like for 2 years in Polish but couldn't continue for a couple of reasons) It's been only a few days, though, since I quitted MY JOB(maybe I'll write later on why I did so), and started leading a brand-new life, that is, I'm back to school again.

Only this time, it's a culinary school!! Now that I have more time than when I was a working poor, it occured to me that re-trying a blog might be good and fun stuff to do.


You might be asking why culinary school- well it's a long story, but to explain as short as possible, I LOVE COOKING. I finally realised that cooking (and eating) IS my lifetime passion, and wanted to prepare to have my own restaurants (or cafes or bistros-whatever it'll turn out to be) before I get old.Old here means around 30. Sorry ladies..


Why in English you might ask, it's simple: A)to brush up my rusty English(rusty might be a wrong word cuz it's never been good) and B)to maximize the accessibility to any kinds of advise, comments, supports from outside Japan, as I'm hoping to do work experiece abroad and eventually, have my restaurants not only in Japan but also in other countries (now my candidates are Poland, Canada and France-sounds weird eh...)

So, anyone who happened to visit my blog and got something to tell me, please kindly leave a comment.... And of course, if any foreigner thinking of going to a culinary school in Japan, there might be something I could help out with. (In my school there are some foreigners like Americans and Russians, not to mention Chinese and Koreans)



****


 On Suturday, April 8th, I had an entrance ceremony . It was a really nice feeling to be a student again, to be told about the importance of greetings, punctuality, and so on...


This is my school: http://www.hattori.ac.jp/

I think this is the best and most famous culinary school in Japan(and most expensive one). Principal Yukio Hattori sensei is such a lovely person, well know for his philosophy of "shokuiku", and also for his role as a commentator in a famousTV program "Iron Chef"(it's originated from Japan, btw) Thank you for reading. Sayonara:) byebye.