I am a service professional who was saved by customer service and raised by it.

I have worked in restaurant service, but I was not someone who entered this world with a grand ambition from the start.

Rather, the reason was vague; it began with the casual thought, 'I guess any customer service job will do.'

When my pursuit of a music career didn't go well, I found myself back in customer service before I knew it, and the job I happened to pass an interview for was, surprisingly, a members-only French restaurant.
From there, something as a service professional began to stir within me.

■ The first few years were just constant scolding

I can laugh about it now, but for the first two or three years, I was truly scolded all the time.

Depending on the environment, there were experiences that, looking back now, I think were actually bullying.

However, I had nothing else I could do even if I quit, so I kept going with a sense of resignation, and as a result, the moments where I could see the 'fun of service' gradually increased.

■ Meeting a service professional I could admire became a turning point

The biggest reason I was able to continue was meeting 'true service professionals.'

A certain senior sommelier, a certain maître d', a certain chef sommelier.
More than their titles, the way they created an atmosphere, chose their words, and carried themselves taught me that 'service is such a beautiful profession.'

And then, there were the thank-you letters from customers, and seeing the juniors I trained in new-hire programs engaging in wonderful communication.

Ah, I'm glad I kept going—
The events that make me feel that way have piled up one by one to bring me to where I am today.

■ What I want to do from here on

The job of service is still undervalued in many ways.
But in reality, I believe we are the 'shadow directors' who make the food taste better and the space more special.

That is exactly why I have come to think about:

• Raising the status of service professionals

• Making it a profession that people aspire to

• Creating a community where we can share our values

I have started to think about such things.

I am still on the path.
But as someone who was saved by service and raised by service, I want to convey the charm of this work, little by little, in my own words.

Thank you for reading this far.
From now on, on this note, I plan to share my aesthetic sense of service, insights from the field, and my own way of thinking.
I look forward to connecting with you.

Thank you for your support.