The Truth About Opening A Japanese Restaurant in Singapore: Misato

Misato uses premium and stellar ingredients imported directly from Japan. Tony Young, the restaurant owner, talks about some of the struggles and difficulties he's faced as an F&B owner in the competitive industry of Singapore. #sp
Part 2: • Founder's life is wors...
Misato
176 Orchard Road #01-33E
The Centrepoint Singapore 238843
Review: sethlui.com/mi...
Produced by: Nathaniel Lim
Edited by: Nathaniel Lim
Shot by: Nathaniel Lim and Merin Kung
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Website: sethlui.com/
Facebook: / sethluimarketing
Instagram: / sethluicious

[@Observer168]

Being a entrepreneur is a very tough thing to do. Worst part about being a entrepreneur is everyone thinks your rich because your the boss but you could be taking looses every single month and have huge debts.

[@leponpon6935]

I'd like to go eat there one day, someday. I sure hope his passion stays alive until then... And quality Japanese food shouldn't cost him so much of a fortune but unfortunately, we see that it does... Perhaps he should learn that by now, not all excellence comes from Japan. Japan is a very heavy importer of raw materials like timber and I would suggest that perhaps anything worth buying from Japanese cuisine is learning the skill and culinary arts unless if those ingredients are absolutely necessary to import from Japan. Otherwise, might as well set up shop in Japan itself.

[@LaNguyenBTong]

High risk, high reward.

[@leponpon6935]

@@LaNguyenBTong you have a point

[@leponpon6935]

However, note that it could be possible that some of the old generation people refuse to buy Japanese because of the lack of reparations by Japan for the occupation in WW2 and the current stance of the Japanese government or so I heard, inching ever closer to military Imperialism. Taking PM Shinzo Abe's far right into consideration. The people never forget.

[@chris052692]

@@leponpon6935 Ok Kind of dumb to punish every day people. Also war reparations have been paid and apologies have been made. It's just the people didn't think they were genuine or enough. And that's a whole other level of subjective. Japanese PM might be a revisionist POS but that doesn't mean the people are. I highly doubt your theory that people avoid Japanese food because of that. Hell, even Koreans take vacations to Japan but comfort women still demand more apologies and payments (this means that they believe the issue hasn't been resolved).

[@freewayhighway3959]

This really hurts I wish all success for this guy....high quality amazing food

[@whatisthemeaningofthislife1758]

me too, i really wish this guy success

[@zuhdikamardin9204]

He is selling some dishes at cost. No wonder he is losing money

[@sumarsonopardiman9528]

This guy is wrong in marketing, japanese restaurant well known with michelin star chef, if u can hire michelin star chef u cannot selling in high price even ur food is have high quality standard. If u cannot hire michelin star chef at least middle grade chef. I live in Jakarta, and ever have lunch at Pearl JW Marriot Hotel, 7 star hotel in Jakarta, and the chef suggest me to have dinner at Asuka, Japanese restaurant also located in JW Marriot, he told me that the chef is from Japan and have won a lot of japanese dishes competition and much more I dont know exactly what is was.. but I pretty interesting to try even the price is pretty expensive, maybe 500 usd per person

[@Michael-sc7yt]

You wish you wish you wish.. Wish cannot make anything happen............

[@alnaing]

@Sara.C who are you to say what others should do. 🙄

[@joesamplez]

What is missing? He still uses fashion design operating model in running the restaurant. In fashion design, you can be as unique as you want. You are creating one of a kind product for each of your customers. In running a restaurant you need to balance uniqueness with food cost. You are creating mass repetitive products. I guess old habits die hard.

[@fc7307]

And with Covid-19 hitting the globe I don't think the restaurant will survive.

[@truth8307]

@@fc7307 he can design special packaging for delivery.

[@RookieN08]

Yea, it must really sucks when you pour all your heart into your work but nobody recognizes it.

[@phuongnguyen-yd3bn]

RookieN08 if all people out there were rich and in freelance job, they would like to care about their own taste. Business is tough, and dream is what each person gets struggle to fight for it.

[@fauziahmohddinmohddin7988]

By now he is already closed the door .. what is the point he loves Japanese food when people goes to Japanese restaurant runs by Japanese .. imagine eating Chicken Kungpoo Chinese food prepared by Latino Chef !

[@monkeystrive7501]

Yeah if he’s done marketing right. Reach out to a couple KZbin ppl that do food review he probably catch a few eye. Doesn’t matter if in the mall or a hole in the wall. Word from mouth is a powerful thing.

[@aduhaneh1057]

@@fauziahmohddinmohddin7988 when i eat at a restaurant I'm not worried of whether or not the chef's ethnicity matches the cuisine that was served. What really2 matters is the taste/portion/pricing.

[@DXTokusatsu]

this is so sad to hear, i love singapore and japan. 2.2m is a lot, I hope you can bounce back.

[@haidangben5015]

I really did not expect to see you here haha

[@nubcut12]

Imagine he is lying and making 2.2 millions from you guys

[@ct-ef6wx]

Real respect to this man who was able to get back up from losing a passion and finding a new love.

[@ivangoh5619]

This is a great example of a viral marketing video to drive awareness. His restaurant is full thanks to this video.

[@kennethmajorSG]

Is the queue always full of people after this video? I'm planning to check it out ! :-)

[@havenxitx5904]

@@kennethmajorSG Yes, I waited 50min lol, book reservation then safe liao.

[@kingstonkwong9447]

@@kennethmajorSG so true, he called himself authentic meanwhile serve salmon in his restaurant lmao

[@alexcheng5276]

@@kingstonkwong9447 what's wrong with serving salmon?

[@69elchupacabra69]

@@kingstonkwong9447 I also don't like the term "authentic" but why is serving salmon "not authentic"?

[@caro-d9q]

Guys, I’ve tried the food at Misato and I can confirm that you can feel the pride the owner takes in his food! You can see this especially from the expensive lacquerware he uses - the presentation is lovely. Food is great too. I highly recommend this place

[@Twiddledeetwiddledum95]

I've tried a few of the dishes featured and spent almost an hour queueing in line for this restaurant. And it was worth it. The food is of very good quality, and so is the presentation. (Particularly loved the miso cod presented in a "castle" shaped dish") I would come back here again just for the stellar experience I had :) Good luck Mr Young!

[@Twiddledeetwiddledum95]

@Brabus MercedesIf leaving a good comment about a restaurant is tantamount to lying, you're a very sad sad individual :)

[@MayankRages]

I can see how much you love the food you make, i too had a similar experience in India. I opened a restaurant because i loved food and wanted to give people high quality food at reasonable prices but due to several factors i had to close my restaurant. Closing was the hardest thing i have ever done, made me heartbroken to see my dream close down before my eyes. Now i am aspiring to become a chef and in future will be opening a self operated restaurant. Keep up the good work man, most people will not value the quality and they will look for cheap prices and quantity but there are a few who will value what you are serving and praise it. If i ever come to Singapore again i will surely visit your establishment. Good luck brother :)

[@JordyPlaysHere]

The food is really good, I think the problem is that Singapore has too many Japanese food right now.

[@Jordantzd]

Jordy wring. People don’t know the difference between good and proper Japanese food and the shitty cheap ones. They just go for the latter. Not about too many, just too many cheap shitty ones and people with shitty tastebuds visiting them.

[@garylinyongjia2574]

Trust me there’s more in HongKong

[@JordyPlaysHere]

Teo Jordan I agree, there is however cheaper japanese food who you said was “cheap shitty ones” as normal working people won’t be able to afford the authentic ones all the time. The amount of this restaurants or food places is divided like our countries wealth gap.

[@karansena]

@@Jordantzd that's how business run

[@leongweikai5867]

To source this kind of products from japan is very expensive. And if it’s not a well branded restaurant, there’s no point. And one thing everyone dies when running a business in Singapore, RENTAL, period.

[@democracycat2513]

"Even the tables are from Japan". A good example of Overkill - spending on unecessary expenses.

[@keffinsg]

Just because he is Japanophile, he expects others to be too.

[@joesarb6455]

Yup, its an overkill.The moment he set up this business , he knew that passion would precede profits. Because some people set up a business rely on gut feeling as well as passion. I hope the best for him and his endeavour.

[@MrBuash]

He is a good chef but bad businessman.

[@kirei2006]

He sounds so show off... as if only japanese things are good.

[@alpacal1268]

Why are y’all so negative? This is a Japanese restaurant, it’s supposed to be Japanese themed.

[@ChristopherBuenviaje]

Hats off to you sir for your passion. I will most definitely find your restaurant and eat there when I find myself in singapore. Praying for you continued passion and success.

[@sk8ergalx]

Just tried the food today and I have to say the quality of food is soooo good + great presentation. The kind people would pay around $50-$60 for. And omg the A5 wagyu is just $60+ for a very generous portion with great sauce and accompanying ingredients. But food is priced at cafe price point around $20-$30 for mains, despite all being handmade. Just want to tell the boss that I hope you are doing your accounting well to make sure you can balance profitability and the quality of food and service, cuz it is to Singaporeans' benefit to eat such authentic Japanese food with such accessibility, but if your business fold, it isn't to anyone's benefit. But looking at the queue to get into this 30 seater, I think a lot of business was lost due to long table turnaround. People are not here for quick dinner. They are slowly savouring the artful dishes. So again, might want to price carefully.

[@CL-zm2pq]

Nice guy he seems. I would suggest skip import of all your products, try and source local meat and ingredients, great way to cut cost and support the local farmers. He should also niche himself in what he offers food wise, dont offer the whole range of Japanese cuisine, just pick one aspect and go with it. Next, fancy presentations are all great and dandy, but fine dining in a shopping mall doesn't really do justice to anyone or concept. Scale down on the fanciness and start making excellent tasty food for the typical customer walking about in that shopping mall. Let normal people enjoy your creations, too fancy will put people off thinking its a ripoff or too expensive. Wish you all the best

[@leilei8772]

It is Singapore. Everything is imported.

[@d15z1sux]

Wonder what is the viability of Singaporean farming even on a small scale, perhaps trying to build it into the residential or commercial spaces. That would be interesting.

[@raditya5663]

Singapore farmer? You mean another ASEAN farmer?

[@d15z1sux]

Raditya Putra actually trying to make small farms in Singapore, possible multi level to save space.

[@daniallau4717]

Local farmer in Singapore. I chuckled a little reading that.

[@KIMJUNGEUNism]

The only reason it’s expensive is ‘everything 100% from Japan’.

[@StrawberryPocky11]

Tableware is 110% from Japan

[@SDZ675]

it definitely costed him at least 10% extra.

[@Kpopzoom]

I wouldn't eat anything from Japan especially from the sea - Fukushima is still spewing radiation to this day.

[@kwphoon8020]

Some people cannot accept not standard. But reality very cruel only rubbish chicken rice sell better than quality food

[@fauzo]

And his Fendi jacket

[@thebabykangaroo]

I've eaten here before and I really liked it! And after watching this video I have a greater appreciation for the amount of effort and detail that goes into making the food! I haven't been in a while but I will definitely be back.

[@skyfranx7710]

Good chef? probably. Good businessman? Maybe not All in all I really hope he does become successful in future

[@RayMak]

He used all the finest most pristine ingredients all the way from Japan in all his dishes... Legend...

[@Yepheonix]

god you are here as well

[@ylc870]

Don't shame him for being a honest business man.

[@KimoKimochii]

go away

[@mariichan333]

I wish this man luck in his business and that more people go. He puts so much heart and love into his food, everything is made with care and all from Japan to maintain authenticity and high quality. I always thought having your own food business would gain lots of money, however, after watching shows like Kitchen Nightmares, documentaries or short clips like this about struggling owners, it is a very difficult business to be I in. I wish this man the very best in his business.

[@MisterX3866]

There's his problem : Importing everything from Japan. Going local for some things doesn't hurt.

[@chyu89]

Japan then source them from China, Taiwan, Malaysia haha

[@hakunamatata202]

togarashi u can even buy that in Singapore’s supermarket. Plus its also japanese. This guy has good knowledge regarding taste, however not really good in sourcing.

[@rabbitbobo4131]

That was what i was thinking too.. don't import seafood from Japan, Malay got a bountiful volume of fish that is worth discovering. Japanese got some of the best Asian food, but most of those could be replaced by local ingredient. Tiger prawn for example are best in Thailand and Veitnam, even north of Maly.. those are the best prawns out there. EDIT: never do wagu over a coal frame.. unless it is huge with a copper grill.. sorry big no no for foodies.

[@kalo2810]

He's not going for profit though, he wants to provide an authentic service and experience for locals and because he's so passionate about it he's not caring about profit but instead wants to reach out to more people so they can try his food.

[@an-wy3gh]

Local in singapore ? 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@Jjjjjjccccc]

I've been here a couple of times and have been struck by (1) the really commendable quality of the food, including the presentation (2) the reasonable price and (3) the warm and professional staff. I think his challenge is the branding and location. Branding-wise, it's rather nondescript; I don't get an emotional "feel" of the restaurant just by looking at the decor, wordings, colours, etc. Location-wise, it's tucked away in a corner in Centrepoint. I wish him well, and he's obviously passionate about his craft. I'll be back for more.

[@i556x45]

his passion really shows in the way he talks about everything, mad respect!

[@narsingkopo8267]

this guy dont mind losing money as long as his food integrity is superior and aiming 100% customer satisfaction..

[@Rhoxe]

Entrepreneurs dislike that

[@kiryukazuma7508]

In theory sounds good. In reality how long can you burn? Whose money are you burning? Investors? Parents? Partners? Bank loans? Monies from any other source other than your own are also a product of labour by someone else. Are we confusing entrepreneurism with socialism?

[@rohaizadaziz7001]

Lol.. talk easy.. no people do business for charity..

[@Sephira08]

Tried this restaurant before, it's very very good. I think they would make more profits if they had a better and more accessible from public transport location, considering how almost all japanese restaurants in SG are full during mealtimes.

[@ilbv5]

Yeah maybe the transportation cost is killing your business.

[@tanbui5007]

The fact that even the sea salt was imported from Japan...completely unnecessary.

[@tienha3939]

@TAN BUI, ya I did see in this video that he import sea salt from Japan. That makes me surprised. He should have asked himself questions like, Does Japanese sea salt really enhance the taste of his dishes? And will local diners to his restaurant taste a difference between using local salt or Japanese salt? I don’t know whether he really mean it when he said that he even import the most basic condiments, sea salt from Japan? Why would a ‘true entrepreneur’ do this without considering other aspects of the business?

[@ryanho228]

@@tanbui5007 that's what they wanna keep the quality and you know people just won't appreciate his effort tho..

[@icmull]

@@tienha3939 Yeah basically he isnt an entrepreneur. He is just a guy that likes the shit out of Japanese food.

[@imeldomarcos4126]

Yeah. The salt is overdoing it. He should try to source more regional stuff.

[@h.s.m7104]

I could feel the guys passion and sincerity. Hopefully people will come to support his business upon seeing this video. Kudos to this channel for featuring this kind of topic. 😊

[@daryld357]

I recommend watching the artichoke restaurant on this same channel as well. Guy is very real and talks about how hard it is to survive in SG as a restaurant with no name

[@minmaungmaung8129]

One restaurant chain selling Chinese cuisine with No Signboard has been successful till now. =))

[@Silkstuy]

@@minmaungmaung8129 not really, bro. Heard they are struggling as well.

[@mugnuz]

its his idea that is too costly too...

[@lovepeoplehu9883]

Even the wood in the interior here are from the furniture from the Tokugawa Shogunate period

[@boeingnz]

Probably need to reduce cost of the operation for the long term success. Looking at today overall economy. Another thing about authenticity is that if the customers havn't been to Japan. The customers probably don't know what that like. Make familair and inexpensive menu for local customers and see what sales what doesn't and build up from there. I wish you the best of luck : )

[@sagorsas6217]

Yes man you're absolutely right.

[@shiinaai2978]

Everything seems like high class. Meanwhile in Japan, customers go to okonomiyaki restaurants and cook them themselves.

[@reii_uxu_]

Seems more fun to cook it yourself though. Good thing about Japan is that you'd be able to eat 2 varieties, the Hiroshima and Osaka style. In SG it's just the usual SG .ver of Osaka style.

[@e.t.5256]

Some chef cook for you in Hiroshima, Tokyo and Osaka. But on a teppan. Am surprised that Okonomiyaki is cooked on a pan. That kill the whole authenticity thingy.

[@Foxy11123]

True... maybe he setting this resto for wealthy people that don’t like cooking themself or eat street food.... but the problem the number this kind peoples only little population and if he want tourist or businessman that go to Singapore in this situation like covid 19 he will go bankrupt .... one things he forget as “chefs “ is not just about integrant ... the good and creative chefs can cook international quality dish using average integrant .....

[@kennytan5055]

Very honest business owner who provides quality in his food. But the reality of the world is harsh, you have to make good business decision. I feel that being located in Centrepoint is already a wrong move. High rent low volume, even heartlands areas like Jurong & Tampines are better. Just my 2 cents worth

[@hagendiszero]

Kenny Tan problem is Big Mall refuses to take them even he had the money so his option is Centrepoint... And you know what that means Singaporean attitude..😒

[@user-uo2sl5us8f]

That's why Sg food no quality, owners have to resort to making shortcut because of high rental and cost.

[@lifeisgood2542]

Caped Baldy yep cheap materials + cheap labor + high markup = profit

[@kennytan5055]

To be in f&b business is not easy. Saturated market and competition is so strong. Have to do a good job in food quality, marketing, make right business decision. That's why now he market his restaurant through sethlui

[@SparkzMxzXZ]

marketing!!! you guys need more marketing. take advantage of virality and social media. your food is very pretty and there's always an obsession with japanese ingredients because of the perception that those are of higher quality. all the best, will go down and try soon.

[@XenonKirito]

Agreed.If you look at his Facebook page. He is wasting money on making songs for no reason at all.And wasting time not advertising on newspaper/magazines and so on.

[@tomvu4126]

True it's all about marketing and how you market to the people, it's not just about food..

[@SoranPryde]

He needs a good marketing guy to bring his social media pages into focus and make people aware about his restaurant No point doing all this wonderful food if nobody knows about it

[@praba991ify]

So shit Sherlocks

[@kyou_on]

Ironically, this whole video is an ad.

[@ouichtan]

When I come to Singapore I'll definitely try to go to your restaurant. It looks amazing. You should be proud of the food you serve my friend. Greetings from Thailand.

[@solecurious1448]

True but he mentioned popular Malls want brands. I love Rice Table at International building which is even more remote. The place is mostly packed. You seldom see Rice Table advertising but it has its followers.

[@pokiblue5870]

ouichtan i will eat at that restaurant aswell when i go to singapore! My goal is eventually get an electric van and lives in china or japan or singapore forever and be homeless but in my van !

[@makokhaw9596]

My best wishes to the owner. May you enjoy the fruit of success ASAP and hope ur employees share the same vision and passion like you

[@ahnzelcayanan1140]

The way he talks about his business, really tells how much effort, dedication and love he had for Japan. He just want to give the best quality, he wants to show to his customer the best taste and experience in his food, that's why he put too much effort in his business. He even have a dish that doesn't profit much, but since he values the experience he wants to share with his customer he is willing to take the risk. He even told us that he suffers from depression in years, but still he continues and strive since he is so passionate in his dreams to share his love for Japanese cuisine. I know he did a bad decision, but i want to understand and support him. You can see in his eyes how dedicated he is.

[@contrarian2496]

Singapore isn't a suitable country for start-up businesses, even established foreign brands can have difficulties in Singapore (eg. A&W). Because of Singapore's small market size, entrepreneurs will need to achieve at least 10% of Singapore's market share be somewhat successful. Another point that was mentioned is the difficulty in hiring Singaporeans for F&B businesses, being a highly educated country, Singaporeans are unlikely to accept below a certain wage per hour, and work in the F&B industry for the long-term. Whereas, in markets like China, you would only need to acquire 1% of its market share to be extremely rich, its labour wages are also favourable for businesses, but entry to China's market wouldn't be easy as there're monopoly players who'll slash prices just to eliminate the competition. With that being said, Misato's prices are fairly reasonable, I think the issue lies in its location and marketing. Point 1, location, being in Centrepoint (Orchard Road), it provides huge inconvenience for majority of Singaporeans, the bulk of Singapore's F&B market share is actually in regional centres like Jurong East and Tampines, or food-themed malls like Bedok Point, I've noticed fairly average outlets in those areas performing well simply because they're located in estates with a big population, furthermore I'm guessing the rent in Centrepoint isn't cheap, so that certainly doesn't help. The common misnomer is that a centralised location is good for businesses, which isn't always right (e.g. several businesses have failed in centralised malls like Plaza Singapura). Point 2, it's a pre-requisite for lesser known businesses to have a strong online marketing presence (e.g. you can cook the best food in the world and still people wouldn't know your store existed without proper marketing), and target marketing is crucial, every location has its own speciality (e.g. Tiong Bahru for its hipster cafes and bars, targeting the younger crowd), sometimes it's called the "Snowball Effect", a successful type of business in a location will attract other similar businesses to that location thereby giving the place its own specialty (e.g. transformation of Bugis into a F&B paradise after mid-1980s). Thus, businesses must analyse the demographics of their potential customers and utilise the appropriate targeted marketing (e.g. majority of people patronise Orchard Road for shopping rather than food, so that's probably not the right place to open your first F&B outlet in Singapore).

[@hanzz9083]

Location is very important, it helps on marketing side too if u have very strategic place for ur business. Question is how to get such place in SG? Eventually, u need to put more effort in adverts (such as posting videos on youtube) convinsing people to travel to your current less strategic place, such as centerpoint.

[@everythingwithgiselledanie1648]

I live in Singapore XD

[@rickyiestyn]

Wow you really care about giving information. Hats off

[@rpylamp8960]

Very nice analysis. I feel i should start a business with you just based on your analytical thinking and your observation skill

[@edwwjy]

This is a deep explanation about the business. Tq for sharing

[@TeleeFONE]

His never give up attitude is admiring, life is hard and you must always persevere from hardships 😍😍😍

[@eisa5254]

His food legitly looks very nice, premium. Makes me want to go and eat haha. I hope his business picks up!!!! He seems very eager, sincere and takes pride in his Japanese food. My suggestion to him is to hire a good marketer ...

[@AgakAgakEngineer]

He's already losing money, $2.2million to date, and your solution for him is to spend even more money

[@eisa5254]

@@AgakAgakEngineer Uhm, as you can see, he doesn't look like he is going to close his shop anytime soon. Which is probably why he asked SETHLUI to do a video for him.... which is also kinda marketing himself. Marketing is a good investment and a good investment might require money, but it is definitely not a waste of money.

[@kira84]

this is why he is featured in sethlui youtube, probably working on marketing at this moment

[@eisa5254]

@@kira84 exactly my point! I think at least now misato is gaining some great interests from this video.... i'm going down there tomorrow!!!

[@XenonKirito]

Well it's good marketing la. But no one told him to continue using actual Japanese produce. But this one is buffet so... Obviously will have lost in money. He needs to make his own facebook page and so on. to try and attract people.

[@victorlh8627]

Revisiting this video, as I’ve just went there today. Actually didn’t go all the way there to try, just so happened that I passed by and remembered this video, so I gave it a try. It’s actually pretty amazing. I got the seafood Kaminabe set which taste pretty premium. The salmon itself has a hint of yuzu freshness. I expected the broth to be some average broth that you get at other Japanese stores but for them, the broth is actually pretty authentic, as it is cooked, you can really taste the umami or the prawns and the mushrooms and onions infused into the soup. Pretty authentic and delicious. The ingredients including the tiger prawns definitely tastes premium, not the frozen kind you get from Fairprice. So I guess the owner really meant it when he said he just wanted to serve authentic Japanese food without earning a lot of profit. I know what he said sounds very cliche and all, but if you happen to pass by please do give it a try, as the price vs the quality that you get is pretty value for money. Portion is slightly larger, donburi is only about $15, comparable to what you get at normal restaurants like Ichiban or what but taste wise its really next level. Really hope they can continue to last.

[@fuqingshen]

This is like an advertisement for his restaurant. The crux is he lost 2 million but he's still trying to stay afloat by talking about his "everything from Japan" and the quality of his food. What has not been talked about is his prices on the menu. Once you hit a certain price point, you price yourself out of the market. A good entrepreneur is someone who can balance price with quality.

[@yiminchen1988]

Wow will try. Share with my friends too.

[@PlebiasFate1609]

Your wallet will be gone but if you are rich then you will be alright

[@KohCuiWen]

Food there is really good.

[@kyou_on]

"See, our youtube ad is working" - owner probably

[@lovee321pink]

J why are you so negative. He is passionate and provides good quality food. I wish him all the success. People like you are what’s wrong with society.

[@solarsoul1617]

STOP DOING SELFIES JUST EAT THE FOOD NO NOOOOOO

[@-EchoesIntoEternity-]

so he imported almost everything from Japan, that doesnt ensure success. seems he missed the concepts a lot of chef entrepreneur rely upon... regionality and seasonality. Authentic Japanese cuisine makes efforts to highlight what is available locally and seasonally to the highest degree.

[@danesebruno]

THIS

[@luqmananuar226]

Singapore lack authenticity and given its limited space they cannot produce anything of their own. Being a city-state comes at a price. They even relying on Malaysia to provide them water.

[@0614aw]

@@luqmananuar226 No, Singapore is not relying on Malaysia to give them water. We have 4 water taps, Imported Water (Water from Malaysia), New Water, Desalinated Water(Sea water gone through the water of desalination) and Catchment Water. 4 taps and without imported water we'll still have 3 taps.

[@luckytofu6852]

@@0614aw but 60 percent of them are from malaysia lol, the other 40 is from those 3 taps

[@johnphan3444]

sneakapikachu trust me, the quality in the ingredients in Japan is a MASSIVE difference. The Japanese culture is driven by perfection. Besides Italy, there is no other country in the world that strives for this level of perfection in the culinary world. For instance, Japanese rice is the absolute best. You cannot get it outside of japan. And it’s true that it’s very difficult to export things out of Japan. Go to japan, your point of view will change.

[@forgotmuhname4718]

The definition of ‘It ain’t much, but it’s honest work’

[@Whimsicaltalesx]

I am gonna eat at this place because i want to support his business!! I can feel his sincerity and the food looks good too 😍

[@ngch8972]

Me too if go to Singapore

[@BearMeOut]

I wish I had enough money to eat there

[@wahpanda1520]

you should eat the whole menu so he can make a profit xDDD

[@MegaMalik90]

Better check your bank account first

[@Whimsicaltalesx]

wah panda 😂 I might

[@gustavgurke3389]

He is a good guy don't get me wrong, but definitely not a good business guy

[@latifhajjari5132]

how do you know,a lot succesfull business start with losing money first 5 year.

[@desaturated6049]

sounds like an expert and smart Alex lol..

[@sangeyasha5435]

@@latifhajjari5132 he should also build a strong marketing team

[@lycan2494]

Smart Alex spotted

[@kewtheii6764]

How do you define as not a smart business guy?

[@hellacooook]

can you imagine how frustrating it is to make that mochi then throw it away the very next day.

[@Mustang_G]

I know. They should just thrown it away in the same day instead of waiting for tomorrow.

[@77bovi]

I'll be there at 859pm for his left overs :)

[@unknownname8988]

He could just use an accountant..study the demand of all products and prepare them accordingly. Rather sell out due to not enough supply than throw food away

[@tienha3939]

@hella cook, yes it’s frustrating but he could have make that into a marketing strategy if by certain time of the day, he couldn’t sell it. Eg. by setting a free sampling stand with small bits of Mochi in the mall where many passers by passes through. In this way probably he could have get people to notice his brand Misato & get them to gauge the level of quality of his Mochi dish.

[@hellacooook]

tien ha or give it to hungry homeless 🤷‍♂️

[@danltc9392]

6 min video. 5 minutes of promotion. only 1 min of real experience talk.

[@watermelonjuicyy]

Exactly. 1 min of talk and all he shared is how much money he lost and that he it's difficult to find a mall that will take his store in.

[@xirzx9028]

I will eat in your restaurant when I come to Singapore in June. Thanks for the presentation.

[@chickeabiddy]

I tried Misato once.. it was really worth it. High quality food and it was nothing like the many other boring chains. The miso was amazing. Will visit again if got the chance.

[@frostymourne]

Just had a meal there. The food is really good vs most of the Japanese mediocre eateries I went, this one is exceptionally good. Maybe he needs to Budget on unnecessary stuff to actually profit. Example the furniture, maybe the sea salt can have alternatives, alternatives that are much cheaper, but can maintain the food standard. We ordered the wagyu beef, soba and gyoza. Beef is Soo good, it actually melts in our mouths. The soba is actually handmade, it’s QQ and it’s actually on par with the Soba I had in Japan. Gyoza is also really good, the meat filling generous. Other then that, I have to say the restaurant have bookings and a queue right now during the peak hours. It is definitely not unnoticed now. Me and my gf came at around 5 plus, there were several tables which are booked with timings. I really wish for good things to come for his restaurant, the service is good, the standards are there.

[@Noname-iz9uo]

So amazing, Singaporean’s so lucky to have this restaurant

[@Juslin7989]

Him: Everything is 100% imported from Japan, we also have non-profit dishes Restaurant: has losses of 2.2 million dollars Him: Surprised Pikachu face

[@GameFuMaster]

I think the clearest reason comes from this line: "I thought setting up a Japanese restaurant was easy." With his passion and knowledge, he could probably earn 6 figures as a chef at an upscale restaurant. He clearly lacks management skills.

[@priaberkumistipiss]

even the water is imported from japan

[@WoWBookOfEli]

@@priaberkumistipiss Direct water pipes running from Japan 100%.

[@wahpanda1520]

@@GameFuMaster no he lacks business skills

[@ahmedj2458]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahshahahahahaha

[@CB-hx5ih]

I can feel you man! I've lost aud1.5mil in 18 months over in Melbourne for a bar restaurant. Same passion, same situation with you man! It brings back my struggled and tough time back then in 2014.

[@goodputin4324]

Whereabouts in Melbourne, mate?

[@CB-hx5ih]

@@goodputin4324 Swanston

[@goodputin4324]

@@CB-hx5ih Lol! You're mad to have opened it on Swanston, mate... Could have gone to either Camberwell or Richmond, aye...

[@davew359]

Tony, I really appreciate your story. I live in Sydney, Australia. Next time I visit SNG, you'll be on my list of restaurants to dine at.

[@MuchOfLife]

If we ever visit Singapore, will definitely come and eat at your establishment. You come across as a genuine person who is really trying his best. Just love that.

[@LAIZY_TM]

I was in Singapore few months back, didn't even occur to me to try Japanese food when I was there. Will give this place a try when I'm there next time.

[@chanparker7407]

That’s right! Never give up! I see the success in you sir!

[@JohnnyLee-ki3dl]

location is the key. open the store in vietnam. vietnam has a very low cost for rent and labor. my dad used to have a chinese restaurant in time square NYC for 15 years. rent itself cost 18000 dollars plus utility, and workers. it was a profitable business before 2001 but things got worse year after year. we ended up losing money for 2 years. if your business it losing money then close it up. dont hold on to it.

[@ArifPWijaya]

Hmm, it must be expensive, everything is imported. But, good luck to you sir!

[@amg_e2007]

I’m impressed about his big effort to pursuing perfection. Once traveling ban is lifted to Singapore, I would love to try out his dishes in Singapore! がんばって👍！from Japan 🇯🇵🇸🇬

[@calvincui9417]

Even the gas thats cooking the food comes from japan 110%

[@brettjames9088]

Even the toilet paper in the bathroom is from Japan!

[@philiplow1609]

The water used in this restuarant should be from Japan 110%.

[@hattrickster33]

@@brettjames9088 lmao that bamboo tp isn't for everyone

[@liangjiang3122]

You forgot the electricity and the air.

[@FaythLeidhog]

He even get hair cut from japan.

[@gregorychambai6886]

I know ur food is good, even though i have yet to try. I can really see ur love and passion for japanese cuisine.

[@jeffpeng1118]

and depression for losing money......

[@chutorosushi1925]

Sorry for the failure, it might caused from the high cost because everything imported from japan. Majority mall customer do not have the level of appreciation about where your interior come from. Not cost effecient for business The loses are way too much to recover back. Travelling to japan under company cost, to operate one restaurant totally not productive at all.

[@hagendiszero]

Keong Ng 5:28

[@XenonKirito]

HagendisThe issue is still that he is needlessly spending money on Making his own songs and not advertising his restaurant at all.He barely touches his facebook page.

[@babosing]

And he tries to do too many things. Most Japanese restaurant in Japan specialize in certain item, be it ramen, soba, curry, katsudon, tempura, sushi, etc. He tries to do all these, sure will not work.

[@marielosjauregui9065]

agreed perhaps he should open smaller cheaper profittable one item food restaurants seems to me that this restaurant is his high end restaurant and needs to have small simply franchise to feed everyday people...and keep tis as his high end place

[@lifeisgood2542]

XenonKirito duh. he has life and not a robot

[@redstar19]

Ok we are going to support him and try his food... now they are having buffet promotion.

[@GtaRockt]

how much is from Japan again?

[@Matzes]

Whats the point of Importing EVERYTHING? i m Sure They have good, local produce

[@Bimo552]

its singapore, most of the produce is imported. might as well import it from japan

[@marieljeanneseras]

I admire his great dedication. Plus, I would like to go to singapore just to try his dishes.

[@Shive1337]

when are you going?

[@nabilhacene5826]

@@Shive1337 she isn't

[@MegaMalik90]

You forgot you don't have money

[@rodtemplado9453]

@@nabilhacene5826 greatest 5/10 guess of all time

[@LuvLourdes]

Wish you well bro, but with such high cost be it rental & very high quality food source as described. Only time will tell how long your restaurant could last. God blessed

[@zongyang4707]

I had a failed restaurant before. When I started to make less then what it takes to work for someone else with half the hours I decided to sell it and found a buyer. Sometime following your passion isn't worth the risk.

[@johnnyjax6444]

Main important point here is when you open a Cultural Restaurant (food for a specific culture) in a Foreign land you always need to import many items since its not available in that country where establish , so you always needs to calculated the import tax and freight cost and preserve the import without get spoils over long shipments so the cost will get high so you have to put a hefty bill on the customer on that menu so if you have establish the restaurant where you have huge market for that food and you are the only game there then cost gets cover if it will be a loss

[@elitepunch1498]

Great spirit man, My best wishes with you and your team. Will visit you soon 👍🏻

[@sininv1]

had eaten at the restaurant once very nice.. i think is your location that is not so idea...maybe move to far down will help.

[@lifeisgood2542]

sininv1 maybe that rent is a bit cheaper

[@Chofrizzy]

"I used to be a fashion designer, I broke my wrist then switched to be a resturanteur" ?????

[@brandonle6236]

He thinks he doesnt need the wrist to cook

[@sorryicanttell]

I took the risk* not broke my wrist

[@brandonle6236]

He said he broke his wrist...

[@omgderyah]

I dont think he necessary cooks the meals. Looks like he hire ppl. He probably just manages the restaurant.

[@LeeBaoRen]

He used his wrist to design his clothes. For the restaurant, he just hire people to cook the way he want according to secret recipe.

[@chloejingfu]

After watching the video I checked out the price of this restaurant. Actually not too expensive. However the renovation feels like a casual bar restaurant in a shopping mall which does not suggest it’s a fine dining place. I think the owner should think harder what is really the customer section he is aiming for.

[@fdqmstffa8915]

Talking about dedication! This is best of example. All the best of luck sir 💪👊

[@christophercudiamat5695]

i lost my fiance my 5 years saving because of my business too almost 3 years ago..now im trying to get up again..hard times

[@michaelpamotongan2411]

I admire your courage sir :) Keep inspiring others please.

[@denisbbb218]

Michael Pamotongan he probably would've saved $2million if he used local ingredients and materials.

[@iPhone1164GB]

there is no courage its purely stupidity

[@michaelpamotongan2411]

Im a musician.some people just cant understand the word passion.i cant make that much money on music,even my mother thinks im just a trash.so i applied my viewpoint by the time he said the word AUTHENTIC. I just admire the extra mile he took just to set his standard.

[@neokianweejimmy4739]

Hi Tony young, i hope you can success in nearby future, all the best to you🙏😀

[@spanishjo4282]

A lots of people thought that Singaporean can spend highly on food but the reality are they don’t have because most of their money are their housing loan and car loan. Most of the fine dining failed badly in Singapore. Only a few hand full have make it but they do it a very small way. Those who make it well is to serve cheap look quality food because their profit is high and the cost are low.

[@romeowong84]

If I go to a Japanese restaurant, i expect it to be 100% Japanese. This is probably the 110% authentic Japanese restaurant in Singapore. So much details and all the extra mile effort went into it.

[@skyle834]

All the best to your restaurant my friend !

[@snackgila]

In Indonesia, you don't have to be authentic food of japanese when open a restaurant. A lot of Japanese fake branded restaurant in indonesia but it becAME a sensation because the food have overseas brandname and taste suitable to Indonesian taste. Look at crispycreme doughnuts, why they can not win the competition in Indonesia compared dunkin doughnuts or jco, because the original taste was so much different from the real version of Indonesian taste. Use local taste while use an overseas branded restaurant name or overseas import japan products. It will make a success in South Asia market.

[@gunnie1991]

Snack Gila you are so RIGHT!!! You have to adapt to the culture. Fusion food os a great option.

[@hakunamatata202]

you can make the taste “FAKE” but it has to be cheap or else it will die too. The reason is bcse ppl in indo would likely accept the shittinest of the taste as long as it is affordable for them.

[@TedKrunich]

Hey ... are you not able to recognize that JCo stole the basic donut dough recipe and frying technique of Krispy Kreme ? They just put a local spin on the flavors. Typical Chinese .. can’t actually create something new & original .. can only copy or twist what someone else has already established. Btw .. I think Krispy Kreme caught on to what JCo did. I noticed the taste, texture and quality of the JCo donut is not as good as it was. I think KK threatened them with a lawsuit. 👍🏻 The reason KK cannot “win” is more about corruption and stealing than competition. The Indonesian KK Franchise buyers never intended to adapt KK to local tastes. They only bought in to get the secrets. Then let KK die and establish their “own” Chinese owned JCo brand. I watched them do it in real time.

[@snackgila]

@@TedKrunich i have taste the jco compared to crispy creme. crispy creme is too sweet. the only american doughnut that survive well in indonesia called dunkin doughnut. dunkin doughnut is one of the real american product that survive because they adapted the taste to indonesian market. remember, 200 millions people in indonesia . they care the taste more than brand name. jco owner is similar to bread talk. i had read theirs story. he opened the jco doughnut shop after they already have 50 branches of bread talk shop. and they saw the chance of doughnut because at that time, doughnut market have not so many competitor. after the jco open, few years later, crispy creme try to open a doughnut shop in indonesia. to telling you the truth, it not JUST ABOUT THE TASTE , you should learn to be first market and adaptable to the local market taste, so you can win the market. if you never been in indonesia and never taste the jco, dunkin doughnut, crispy creme in indonesia and never read theirs history, then dont judge too fast.

[@TedKrunich]

Snack Gila ... maybe you didn’t understand what I wrote? The local franchise owners of Krispy Kreme have NO INTENTION to make the donut less sweet to match Asian tastes. They only want to steal the recipe for the dough and the frying method and make their own business. The sweetness of a Krispy Kreme doughnut has to do with the frosting and fillings. It is easy to use less sugar and change flavors to Mango, Green Tea, etc etc. I watched a KK franchise open up at Discovery Mall Bali. They put it way off in a corner with very little traffic. I wondered “how stupid are they?” And I wondered, “how long can they stay in business in that crappy location?” The answer ... about 2 years. After the closing ... suddenly there appeared a new company JCo. In an excellent location. I tried their product .. immediately I recognized this was a less sweet Krispy Kreme donut using local flavor profiles. It was obvious ... they had USED Krispy Kreme to learn how to make excellent donuts to create a Chinese Indonesia donut company named J Co. Apparently you don’t understand .. Krispy Kreme existed before J Co. Don’t believe the lying “stories” paid for in newspapers and periodicals. That’s called propaganda. Also .. Krispy Kreme is American BUT the local shops are bought and owned by Indonesians NOT AMERICANS. They owners are free to adapt to the local market and its tastes. And furthermore .. Krispy Kreme also pre-dated Bread Talk in Indonesia. Krispy Kreme is from my home town in America. I have been eating there donuts for 50 years. Unlike you .. I don’t need to read the “history” from a newspaper article. I ACTUALLY KNOW THE HISTORY. With my OWN Eyes. Not a Propaganda newspaper article or TV program. I have been spending 6 months a year in Indonesia for probably longer than you are old. My wife is Batak. You should stop believing everything newspapers, TV and the Government tells you. Then you will have at least a chance to become Wise.

[@rycdz6956]

Centrepoint is a bad location for food tbh

[@akbarwibisono2945]

Why so?

[@smonyboy]

@@akbarwibisono2945 when it comes to food, doubt many people think of orchard. Next, rental is skyhigh consequently driving up price of your meal. Lastly although orchard isn't really a food hub for average diners, there are many high end restaurants located there. And to position yourself as a relatively high end restaurant means you are limiting yourself to potential customers who are not willing to spend $50-100 for an average family of four. And I'm lowballing on the prices by the way

[@XenonKirito]

@@akbarwibisono2945 Orchard is more known for their shopping areas and not their food stuff. Which is why there's a shit ton of shopping malls like areas then food ones. And majority of the food places are pretty expensive because of the rental.

[@akbarwibisono2945]

I see. Thanks guys!

[@weiwenwwe2066]

@@akbarwibisono2945 what's your impression when you think of centrepoint? My impression is that it is dilapidated, laid back and not attractive to the younger people. That's my impression, not trying to say that everyone thinks this way

[@Chrisnoval]

Your passion and authentic Japanese food, good and fine. Years and money spend. Now have you identify your market. I think opening a restaurant is not just about good food. Good food alone does not guarantee good business. Restaurant business beside estates management there are most to it and has nothing to do with food. I am no expert. . I wish you success. God bless.

[@msbrownbeast]

What is the market like in Singapore for Japanese cuisine? I'm sure that with the fancy decor and the use of authentic imported ingredients, the menu prices must have been rather high. Singapore is an affluent city, but if the preference is more on Chinese and Indian cuisine, perhaps his business model needed to be adjusted to improve the success rate.

[@calvinyip364]

Wow fresh made and high quality ingredients. If it's at reasonable price I think lots of people will go for it. Food looks really good

[@V3NOMXIII]

The thing is "reasonable" from a restaurant owner's perspective at times would be to mark up prices in order to offset the import cost. That's OK with me as long as the quality is there.

[@kcazzzzz]

the thing about japanese food is that it is more expensive than others, thats the main killer. sure you want quality, but many people want affordable

[@skyyeo2858]

When u r not into business you wont understand. The staff issues/salary/rental/ingredients one big deal !

[@Obrak-Abrik-g8u]

That's true I have been in food business for 10 years. It's stressful when few people only bought then the ingredients spoilt then need extra fund. Paying rent paying salary ... Not enough money to cope .. went to bank for loan .. headache with loan payment etc

[@controllerismxg3516]

Speaks like a train. Fabulous. Seems like an honest heartwarming request for support. Worthy of supporting.

[@pyroromancer]

Imports Salmon from Japan when it originates from Alaska. Open up in shop in San Francisco or Las Vegas. The US already has importers specializing in fresh Japanese ingredients and like 90% of the salmon, tuna and shellfish is sourced from the US to begin with.

[@Jwalker0075]

let me show you a case study a d hope you know from here. there is one cook and he can be consider the best chef and cook in the company. and the company revenue mostly cones from his cooking style and preparation. so his boss promote him to be the CEO and hoping that he can managed the company at a higher profitability. As months passed by, the company revenue drops dramatically. the reason is that the new CEO who was formerly the chief chef doesn't know much about management and marketing skills but only good in cooking. after a few years, the company was in debt and closed down. so us the food or the marketing and management skills. this is the same as this guy story. too focus to be best in good but very weak in management and marketing skills.

[@sidmichael1158]

MM true.

[@SC-mh4gz]

Exactly what I was thinking. Fashion designer turned restaurant owner, doesn't know the business side of it, thinks it's easy because he "knows" how to cook (level of cooking is unknown) and has a lot of Japanese friends. He also says, "staffing issues. it's very hard for Singaporeans to come work for us" maybe because of terrible management, high stress environment, and/or low pay.

[@rockaphonics]

It's true. My first biz I focused on providing the best product but failed in management marketing and managing my funds. These 3 factors are even more important than the product itself.

[@Jwalker0075]

@@rockaphonics Before you want to star a business. you must have a business plan, which consists of management, marketing strategy and capital budgeting, ie cash flow management. Once you have a business plan in place, you can get good people or yourself to execute the plan. in the marketing strategy, look at the markeing environment and who are your competitors and pricing issue. Read Micheal Porters book on " The Competitive Advantage of a Nation: you will understand more.I have seen quite a lot of enterprises fail due to lack of marketing and try their luck. hope you can improve your business soon

[@brandonle6236]

He is a vhinese asshole, all he ca do is copy, but copied wrong, fisgrace of asia

[@Kanal7Indonesia]

the food look really pretty. i want to eat there someday.

[@naqibrahman9735]

Ugh racist

[@allanzheng]

A big big mistake watching this at 1:30am. Now I have to make myself a cup noodel.,,😭

[@jaychow57]

Please keep going on and never give up on this! Your resilience is greatly admirable.

[@shebang1294]

IMO as a customer, I would also consider if the chefs are authentic Japanese who are properly culinary trained in Japan specializing in Japanese cuisine... Just like for Indian food, would you prefer a Russian run Indian restaurant or an Indian run Indian restaurant?

[@mr.canlas4414]

I’ve been working as cook then later sushi’ chef for 12 years . I Helped open a restaurant and worked with many restaurants n catering companies cruise ships and went to culinary school. I’ll tell u from the beginning, he’s spending tons of money already on ingredients that’s being flown from japan. Go local and try n get lower priced products that doesn’t effect quality too much. Spending that much on miso paste isn’t cost effective or have diners excited to go to your place. So why? Decor is nice, but the price should get past down to the guests. Last and importantly, salaries and theft.

[@Food4thought1234]

It's called bad management. No one gives two F's about an ingredient being imported from Japan. As a chief he should know how to either make it from scratch or find a good substitute. Another giveaway, is if you're customers are asking why something cost so much... you're in the wrong area, or you're too expensive.

[@linlikai84]

At the start I was surprised by the way how fluently he spoke Singaporean English as a Japanese until I found out he was actually from Singapore.

[@merlecharge5303]

Are you kidding me, he is not Jap, he is Singaporean, so is he also telling other untruths I am from Singapore and always miss the food, authentic tasty and price is right..

[@jivenesspie]

this place is in a shopping mall, instead of an exclusive location that can support a premium quality restaurant?

[@hoppinghobbit9797]

maybe sell some japan-made ready made products (miso packs, etc.) to increase profit?