Sushi, a traditional Japanese culture, is now a dish loved by people all over the world.
Since it is a well-established genre, one of the attractions of becoming a sushi chef is that there are many job opportunities overseas.
Sushi chefs are sought after both in Japan and overseas, and are expected to be missionaries of Japanese food culture.
In this article, we will focus on the United States among other countries, and explain the recruitment situation for sushi chefs in the United States and the knowledge required to become a sushi chef.
America is one of the most difficult countries in the world to find a job, but it also has many attractions and opportunities.
Please use this as a reference when planning to work as a sushi chef in the United States.
Spread of sushi culture in America
Increasing popularity and demand for sushi in America
SUSHI is now popular all over the world, and there are many sushi restaurants in American cities, and its popularity is increasing day by day.
There are several reasons why sushi is popular among Americans, one of which is that it is healthy.
Low in fat, high in protein and vitamins, sushi is widely recognized as a healthy diet that suits modern tastes.
Of course, the taste and appearance are also one of the reasons for its popularity, and creative sushi arranged in combination with a variety of American ingredients is also gaining popularity, allowing you to enjoy new flavors.
Establishment of sushi in America
The popularity of sushi in America is remarkable.
American sushi rolls such as California rolls and Philadelphia rolls have been imported back to Japan and have become one of the most popular types of sushi.
It is already common for sushi to be served as fast food, and it can be easily purchased at supermarkets.
Furthermore, interest in Japanese culture is also supporting the spread of sushi. Many Americans have become interested in Japanese culture in general through exposure to things like Japanese anime, and as part of that experience, they are increasingly eating sushi.
Current status and challenges of sushi chef recruitment in the United States
Average salary for a sushi chef in the United States
The average salary for sushi chefs in the United States has more than doubled from $26,000 a year (approximately 3 million yen at that time’s exchange rate) to $44,000 (approximately 6.2 million yen) in 2008, with supply exceeding demand. Given the shortage, it is expected to grow even further.
In addition, these average incomes are just the average income of sushi chefs who are mainly American, and if you are Japanese and have some experience as a sushi chef, we often see job openings for more than $80,000 (approximately 11.5 million yen). .
Average salary and high demand for sushi chefs in the United States
The regions where the average salary for sushi chefs is high, or in other words, in high demand, are as follows: In the northeastern United States, centered on New York, the average salary is over 9 million yen, even for non-Japanese craftsmen.
In the case of a Japanese craftsman with experience, the cost is likely to exceed 10 million yen.
New Jersey $83,573 (approximately 12 million yen)/year
Pennsylvania $67,170 (approx. 9.7 million yen)/year
New York State $61,011 (approximately 8.8 million yen)/year
The runners-up are the following regions, in which case prices start from around 7.5 million yen.
San Francisco $54,786 (approximately 8 million yen)/year
Chicago $53,105 (approx. 7.5 million yen)/year
Los Angeles $52,293 (approx. 7.5 million yen)/year
Boston $51,727 (approx. 7.5 million yen)/year
Considering prices in the United States and the average annual income in the United States as a whole being $95,000 (approximately 13 million yen), this is not a particularly high income, but compared to the 4.5 million yen that is said to be the average annual income of a Japanese sushi chef. Working as a sushi chef, especially in the New York area, can be an attractive option.
Another point is that, unlike Japan, there is a tipping culture.
In particular, at high-end sushi restaurants, tips alone can exceed 500,000 yen a month, and working at a high-priced sushi restaurant can significantly increase your income compared to what you would earn in Japan.
Skills required for sushi chefs in America
Required skill level as a sushi chef
To work as a sushi chef in the United States, you will need visa support from the company you work for, but visa support requires a lot of cost and effort, so companies do not easily provide support.
What skills are required to actually go to America?
Basically, if you have no practical experience as a sushi chef, you should consider that you will not receive visa support.
Although there is no specific number of years, you will need at least 3 years of work experience, preferably 4 to 5 years of work experience, so when working as a sushi chef in the United States, the first thing to do is It is realistic to plan while gaining practical experience in Japan.
In particular, high-end restaurants in places like New York require skills equivalent to or better than those in Japan.
If you’re not confident in your skills, another option is to target casual sushi restaurants.
These restaurants place emphasis on efficiency, so they tend to be relatively easy to hire even if you have little experience.
When looking for employment overseas, it is important not to be too particular about brands, but to conduct a strategic job search that includes obtaining a green card.
Required language skills
American work visas do not require proof of English proficiency, so you may be able to obtain one even if you are not fluent in English.
It depends on the type of visa, but for an L-1 visa, experience as a manager and work history are more important, but for a J-1 visa for purposes such as training, it is important to have at least a daily conversation level of English. Power is required.
In this way, the English skills required to work as a sushi chef are not very high, but in order to work in the United States, you will need to have enough English skills to communicate to a certain extent, so it is important to study the minimum level of daily English conversation. is required.
Many sushi restaurants require English communication skills as a requirement, especially at high-end restaurants that require customer service at the counter.
Additionally, the interview process for obtaining a U.S. visa will be conducted in English.
It’s not a test, so you don’t have to speak correct English.
Simple English is fine, so it’s a good idea to relax and communicate smoothly.
Visa required to work as a sushi chef in the United States
Although the conditions for sushi chefs in the United States are better than those in Japan, a work visa is required to work as a sushi chef in the United States.
In the past, some companies provided visa support for sushi chefs due to the shortage of chefs, but now, due to the rapid increase in the number of Chinese and Korean chefs and stricter immigration regulations, visas are becoming more difficult. The difficulty level of acquisition has increased more than before.
In addition, the “H-1B visa”, which is generally required to work in a specialized occupation, is a highly specialized job such as a doctor or accountant, and requires a degree equivalent to or higher than a bachelor’s degree in the specialized field. This refers to occupations that require qualifications, and does not apply to sushi chefs and chefs, who do not require an academic background.
There was a time when American regulations were lax and it was possible to obtain an H-1B visa, but now it is almost impossible for a sushi chef to obtain an H-1B visa. To work in Japan, you generally need one of the following: E-2 visa, L-1 visa, or O-1 visa.
Also, if you are an apprentice in training, you will be eligible for one of the “J-1 visas”.
We will explain each of them below, so please use them as a reference.
*Visa information is subject to change, so please check the U.S. government website for the latest information.
E-2 visa (Investor/Expatriate visa)
The E-2 visa is often applied for by Japanese nationals working as sushi chefs in the United States.
The “E-2 visa” is a visa for investors, expatriates, and their families, and the condition is that the sushi restaurant that sponsors the visa has a foreign company’s investment ratio of 50% or more. must be of the same nationality as the investor or company.
Therefore, the majority of the owners of businesses such as sushi restaurants that sponsor visas are Japanese or Japanese companies without permanent resident status or green cards. The sponsoring company or investor must have a certain level of investment, and the investment involves bringing in Japanese craftsmen with the necessary track record.
Please note that applying for a visa as an investor varies on a case-by-case basis, but generally an investment of $500-100,000 is required. The number of people you can sponsor will depend on your restaurant’s situation, but since it’s an investment, you must also employ local staff.
L-1 visa (expatriate visa)
L-1 visas are so-called expatriate visas, and there are two types: “L-1A” and “L-1B visas”, and they take the form of going to the United States from a company in Japan.
L-1A (intra-company transferee) is a visa that applies when transferring from a company in Japan to a parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliated company in the United States as a “manager” or “officer.”
L-1B (in-house special skilled worker) is a visa issued to those who are transferred from a company in Japan to a parent company, branch office, subsidiary, or affiliated company in the United States as a “special skilled worker.”
O-1 visa (Visa for outstanding ability)
The “O-1 visa” is a visa issued to those who can prove that they have objectively outstanding ability in fields such as entertainment, sports, science, and education.
The O-1A visa is issued in fields such as sports, science, education, and business, and the O-1B visa is issued in the entertainment, film, and television industries. is also included, so it may apply depending on the sushi chef’s ability.
Although there is no general rule, it is difficult to be issued just because you are a good cook.It is difficult to be issued a certificate simply because you are a good cook. You must prove that you have objectively outstanding ability, such as having a qualification.
J-1 visa (training/training visa)
The J-1 visa is part of an exchange program, and there are two categories that you can apply for, similar to sushi chef apprenticeships: trainee” andintern.”
Trainees are required to have working experience, are approximately 40 years old or older, and have a validity period of 18 months (12 months for the hospitality industry).
Internships are for junior college/university students and first-year graduates, are under 30 years old, have no experience in the workforce, and are valid for 12 months regardless of industry.
For J-1 visas, screening tends to be stricter for part-time jobs such as restaurants and hospitality-related jobs, and for small companies.
Summary Possibilities as a sushi chef overseas
With the establishment of sushi culture in the United States, a career as a sushi chef in the United States has great potential.
The salary level is also higher than in Japan, and there are opportunities for high income, especially for Japanese people with experience as sushi chefs.
In New York and other parts of the Northeast, experienced sushi chefs are paid high salaries, and the pay is attractive.
However, the path to becoming a sushi chef in America is not easy.
Visa support costs money and effort, so if you want to succeed as a sushi chef in the United States, you need to chart a clear path and carefully prepare while gaining practical experience.
Although there are high hurdles to working as a sushi chef in the United States, some people have successfully opened their own sushi restaurants and earned quite a high income after working as a sushi chef.
Please use this article as a reference, prepare well, and achieve your American dream.
