Interview: A Dutch chef in Tokyo
WORK’IN JAPAN
01.03.2025
From Passion to Profession – A Dutch Chef’s Journey in Japan
How did you end up working at a Dutch restaurant in Tokyo?
“Well, I have loved Japanese food ever since I started working in the food industry in the Netherlands. Since then, I was intrigued by the fifth base flavor, ‘umami,’ which originates from Japan. Japanese food became my favorite cuisine, and I was always wondering what it would really taste like in Japan, so I decided to visit on vacation a few years ago.
I loved it so much that I decided to return to Japan for a longer stay, with a different purpose than just sightseeing. During my first trip, I visited this Dutch restaurant out of curiosity. Later, I was hired as the chef here and applied for a one-year working holiday visa.
Although I’m honestly more interested in Japanese cuisine, my limited Japanese language skills might make it difficult for me to work at a Japanese restaurant at the moment. So, I’m glad to have this opportunity to explore more of Japan and its food culture while I’m here.”
What is something that surprised you after moving here?
“I was surprised by how much you can learn just by eating out. Especially in smaller mom-and-pop shops and local restaurants, it’s easy to connect with people, peek into the kitchen, and even get advice and recipes from the owners. Many people are eager to help when they notice you’re interested in Japanese cuisine.
In the Netherlands, open kitchens are becoming more common in restaurants, but they’re still relatively closed-off spaces, and there’s usually no opportunity to casually talk to the chef as a customer. This is a very big difference.”
Culinary Culture: Training, Competition, and Customer Attitudes
Why do you think there is such a different mindset in Japan?
“I don’t think it’s necessarily a difference between the mindset of Japanese and Dutch people, but rather a result of the culinary school system. I attended culinary school in the Netherlands, where we were only taught how to cook French cuisine.
Most people trained this way tend to be more competitive and very protective of their recipes and techniques. It’s very much an ‘every man for himself’ mindset, as you have to truly excel in cooking French cuisine in order to thrive.
In Japanese kitchens, I see a lot of discipline, but the environment seems less competitive, and people are more open to helping each other. Perhaps this is also because many Japanese restaurants specialize in one type of dish. A restaurant here might focus solely on ramen or yakitori, leading to complete dedication to that specific dish. In contrast, restaurants in the Netherlands usually offer a variety of Western dishes, which influences the mindset of chefs as well.”
How do Japanese customers compare to Dutch customers?
“Japanese customers are very different from Dutch customers. In the Netherlands, most people eat food from all over the world, and nowadays, they are eager to try many different cuisines.
I notice that Japanese people, in general, tend to stay in their comfort zone and can be hesitant to try something new. On the other hand, Dutch people complain more—they are more straightforward and honest when giving their opinions. Japanese people tend to be polite, often saying the food is good even if they don’t mean it. However, if they truly think the food is amazing, they will honestly tell you!”
Challenges of Cooking Western Food in Japan
Did you experience any difficulties when you started working in this restaurant?
“It can be very challenging to find the ingredients I need. Even in Tokyo, I often feel limited. When using fresh vegetables, fruit, and dairy, I’m forced to use local ingredients, which usually aren’t Western ingredients.
This surprised me because, in the Netherlands, we have much easier access to foreign ingredients. I wouldn’t have this issue if I were making Japanese food in the Netherlands. For example, the only thing that was difficult to find for me there was taro.
In the end, you can find a lot in Tokyo’s shops, but often the price is higher. This sometimes makes it unprofitable to serve at the restaurant. So, my biggest challenge is making good Western food in a non-Western country, haha.”
What are your plans for the future?
“I’ll be in Tokyo until October, and after that, I want to learn more about other types of cuisines. I’d love to travel to different countries and explore their food cultures.
I’m very interested in casual fine dining, and I’m sure I can learn a lot in that kind of environment. My goal is to work at a different restaurant every year. This way, I can continue learning and gaining different experiences.
I’d love to come back to Japan in the future, and if I could get hired at a Japanese restaurant here, I would love to stay long-term and deepen my knowledge of Japanese cuisine!”
Mietta grew up in the Netherlands and moved to Japan in 2019 to work as an English teacher. Now, she has 3 different jobs, explores Tokyo on days off and takes trips around Japan whenever she can. But everywhere in Japan, the goal is the same: visit as many shrines, castles and parks as possible and eat everything!
