We were lucky to catch up with Tadashi Nakazawa recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Tadashi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Our mission is to open a Japanese food restaurant in Dallas, focusing on comfort foods like ramen and curry. Despite the abundance of Japanese restaurants in Dallas, many of which are franchises or have expanded from other states, we aim to build a Japanese food brand from the ground up and introduce authentic ramen and curry to the people of Dallas. With limited funds, connections, and experience, we are committed to making everyone smile by offering casual-style ramen and curry. We are determined to pursue our dream of opening a storefront with this mission at heart.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
At the age of 31, I moved from Japan to the United States and worked as an admissions director at an art school in New York for 12 years, starting in 2009. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt a strong desire to make a new start in another state, and in 2021, I made the decision to move to Dallas with my wife and two children. While exploring opportunities to challenge myself and start something new from scratch in Dallas, I became interested in the food business scene in Dallas and saw the potential for the burgeoning food scene in the city. Instead of hibachi or high-end sushi restaurants, I envisioned introducing Japanese food culture to the people of Dallas, focusing on comfort foods like ramen and curry. Subsequently, I worked as a chef at a Japanese restaurant in Dallas, learning cooking techniques and kitchen operations from the ground up. In May 2023, I opened Moriya Shokudo, where I currently offer ramen and curry at a food court. My ultimate goal is to open a restaurant on the street in the future. Thanks to the various forms of support from our customers, we are growing day by day. Without forgetting the gratitude, I will continue to work hard every day towards realizing my dreams.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
We believe customer satisfaction is measured by price, product, and service.
1. Price:
In light of recent inflation, driving up the cost of goods in the food industry, customers are keenly evaluating whether the meal prices align with the quality provided. We meticulously calculate the cost structure to set appropriate prices, ensuring customers are highly satisfied.
2. Product:
Providing meals that surprise and delight customers is key to increasing repeat visits. While maintaining a casual atmosphere, we passionately cook and serve each dish with care.
3. Service:
We uphold the following rules as our company’s core principles:
Rule #1 – ‘The Customer is Always Right’
Rule #2 – If the Customer is Ever Wrong, Re-Read Rule #1.’
We never forget to express gratitude to customers who choose our restaurant from countless options. Our ethos is to bring smiles through exceptional meals and service.
Any advice for managing a team?
I draw wisdom from the teachings of the Bible and strive to apply them to my life, especially when contemplating the essence of ideal leadership. The passage “whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant” serves as a guiding principle for me in understanding and practicing effective leadership.
While some may find this concept of leadership contrary to conventional wisdom, I firmly believe in its effectiveness. Leaders who blame individuals for company mistakes, adopt a dictatorial attitude towards their subordinates, express negative emotions openly, monopolize conversations without listening, or lack empathy for others’ perspectives and emotions, ultimately undermine team morale and cohesion.
The leadership I aspire to embodies principles such as viewing individual mistakes as collective learning opportunities, willingly taking on unpleasant tasks rather than delegating them, maintaining a positive attitude in all situations, actively listening to others, and encouraging a forward-looking approach to overcoming challenges.
A servant-leader enhances the potential of the company and boosts team morale. I remain committed to embodying and promoting these servant leadership principles in my journey as a leader.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moriyashokudo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Moriya-Shokudo/100092623595945/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoriyaShokudo
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/moriya-shokudo-dallas
- Other: https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/moriya-shokudo-dallas