When Japanese restaurateur Takahiro Mogi, 32, came to Dubai seven years ago, he set a mission to not only establish a chain of authentic Japanese restaurants but also spread Kodawari, a way of life which essentially means ‘pursuit of perfection’.
Kodawari, Mogi told Khaleej Times, “is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture and philosophy – guiding every aspect of their lives, including work, aspirations, personal development, and social relationship.”
For Mogi, his pursuit of perfection is not only to bring food with authentic Japanese flavour and flair, but also to boost human resources development. “That’s why at our restaurants, we not only serve world-class cuisine, but we also ensure employee empowerment and well-being through continuous learning and education,” he added.
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“We have a study programme designed to inspire our staff to advance their careers, which in turn translates into top-tier service expected by customers. If a restaurant wants to achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction, then employee satisfaction must come first, because they are our frontliners,” Mogi, who is originally from Hachiōji (city located in the western portion of Tokyo metropolis), underscored.
Career advancement
Mogi has more than 200 employees across his two Mogi-ya restaurants in Al Barsha and Al Seef, as well as Fujiya, Kimura-ya and Hisaya restaurants. His Dubai-based company has teamed up with several learning institutes to provide his staff with free courses in culinary arts, project management, accounting, business operations, human resource management, and even photography, graphic design, and social media marketing.
“The company pays for their tuition and other relevant fees,” said Mogi, adding: “This is our Kodawari – it’s about always striving for improvement and continuous commitment to excellence. It goes beyond simply doing a task but improving one’s line of work and learning new skills.”
“If my staff are not happy to work in our restaurants, how can we make our customers happy? This is my logic and strategy,” he underscored.
“I strongly believe improving the abilities of our employees will raise the company’s core strength. I also believe our restaurants are not only places where employees work long hours, but places that provide them with career development and advancement,” continued Mogi, who started working part-time at a Japanese restaurant when he was only 16 years old.
Satisfied staff
Filipino chefs Gary Pangilinan and Noah Jay Cantuia are among those studying advanced culinary arts. They said they rose on the ladder of chef levels because of continuous education provided by their company.
Cielo Ann Luboton, who currently works as a waitress, is studying online computer courses and is planning on taking further roles in the company like admin or office work.
Angelica and Janica, two sisters who both work as servers, are studying business management, which they said will equip them with a strong foundation when they open up their own restaurant in the future.
Mogi is optimistic his strategy “would encourage his staff to become more dedicated at work and also to have the dream to start their own businesses – whether in the UAE or back in their home countries.”
“I’m also open to investing in their potential business ideas,” said Mogi, adding: “I want them to not only advance in their careers but to also have the courage to run their own businesses, whether it’s a coffee shop, convenience store or restaurant.
“I want them to set high standards for themselves and exceed their capabilities by continuously raising the bar and striving for Kodawari,” he underscored.