Pursuing quality, freshness, handmade preparation, and safety

「The results of our employee development efforts are steadily emerging, including an increase of 84 in the number of employees who have obtained chef qualifications.」

「Specifically, we worked to steadily improve cooking knowledge and skills by continuously providing hands-on and online cooking training, cooking knowledge training, and cooking skills certification examinations organized by Ohsho Academy. In addition, following last year’s gyoza improvements, we renewed our noodles under the theme “Make Gyoza no Ohsho Even More Delicious: Challenge 2025.”」

「These results reflect continuous efforts to improve QSC, including the steady enhancement of cooking skills and methods through hands-on and online cooking training, cooking knowledge training, and cooking certification examinations organized by Ohsho Academy; the pursuit of even greater deliciousness for gyoza as the first phase of “Make Gyoza no Ohsho Even More Delicious: Challenge 2024”; the acquisition of people-based hospitality through customer service training; and thorough hygiene management through upgraded cleaning manuals.」

「As the first phase of “Make Gyoza no Ohsho Even More Delicious: Challenge 2024,” we reviewed the cooking method for the ginger used in the gyoza filling and its balance with garlic. By bringing out the ginger’s flavor more clearly, we made the gyoza even more delicious and received favorable customer feedback.」

「At the Ohsho Culinary Training Center, we expanded participation in cooking training by using online delivery alongside hands-on training. We also further improved cooking staff’s skills by revamping the cooking skills certification examination and establishing “Cooking Knowledge Training,” titled “The Science of Deliciousness.” We also focused on “Customer Service Training” to provide customers with a comfortable dining environment.」

「To further improve cooking skills, we increased the capacity and frequency of hands-on cooking training at the Ohsho Culinary Training Center, expanding opportunities to participate. We also continued to provide cooking training online and worked to help cooking staff acquire skills through measures including a revamped cooking skills certification examination. In addition, we focused on “Cooking Knowledge Training,” titled “The Science of Deliciousness,” and “Customer Service Training” to provide customers with a comfortable dining environment.」

「To make our food even more delicious, we reviewed the recipes and cooking methods for major menu items and monthly promotional products. To roll these out across the restaurants, the Ohsho Culinary Training Center conducted hands-on cooking training for small groups alongside online training for large groups. Employees who completed the training then taught what they had learned to other cooking staff, enabling all employees to acquire the skills.」

「Specifically, to further improve cooking skills, we provided online and video cooking training from the Ohsho Culinary Training Center to each restaurant in light of the COVID-19 situation, while each restaurant held cooking classes focused on major menu items, in an effort to provide customers with consistently high-quality products. In particular, for our signature gyoza, we standardized the griddles used in the gyoza ranges at all restaurants to the Ohsho standard and reconfirmed the cooking method so that every restaurant could serve customers the best-tasting gyoza.」

「Specifically, we upgraded the recipes and manuals for 14 major menu items that account for a large share of sales, with the aim of further improving quality. At the Ohsho Culinary Training Center, we resumed cooking training and cooking certification examinations and continued online and video delivery, establishing a system enabling all employees to take the courses and further enhancing the deliciousness of our food.」

「Effective 14 May this year, we revised the prices of selected products. Prices for approximately 20% of the products on our full menu were increased by ¥20 to ¥30 before tax, while recipes were also improved in pursuit of even greater taste.」

「Even as COVID-19 began to subside after October this year, we continued to thoroughly implement infection-prevention measures for customers and employees, made further efforts to improve QSC standards, and prepared our operating structure for the post-COVID-19 period.」

「To raise QSC standards, we expanded online cooking training at the Ohsho Culinary Training Center and established a system enabling part-time employees as well as regular employees to participate. The curriculum covered not only the complete cooking process but also a return to basics, including how to polish the griddles used for gyoza and maintain cooking equipment, as well as various other subjects such as cooking methods suitable for takeout products. A cumulative total of 28,000 people have participated in the online cooking training to date. In parallel, we further improved cooking skills by expanding eligibility for the cooking certification examination beyond restaurant managers to deputy managers and regular employees.」

「As in the previous fiscal year, we made protecting the health and safety of customers and employees our top priority. To provide safe, secure, and delicious food essential to daily life, we complied with the guidelines established by the Japan Foodservice Association and worked on the urgent issue of COVID-19 countermeasures.」

「In response to these social changes, we identified our first management priority as “improving human skills and honing the skills of master chefs.”」

「At existing restaurants, in addition to measures in line with the guidelines established by the Japan Foodservice Association to prevent COVID-19 infection, including installing splash-prevention sheets, takeout areas, and additional cash registers to ease congestion, we have regularly replaced air-conditioning equipment to create a comfortable dining environment. We have also carried out renovations to kitchen and dining-area flooring and other work to improve in-store safety.」

「At our restaurants, all employees gained a thorough understanding of preventive measures through the infection-prevention handbook distributed to every location. We implemented measures including temperature checks and health screenings when employees reported for work, mask-wearing and handwashing and alcohol disinfection by employees, and thorough alcohol disinfection of cooking equipment and other areas of the restaurants, while creating in-store environments and providing customer service to prevent droplet transmission. We also progressively changed restaurant layouts to prevent the 3 Cs and droplet transmission.」

「With the health and safety of customers and employees as our top priority, our group quickly adopted infection-control measures in line with the guidelines established by the Japan Foodservice Association to address the “new lifestyle.” We have focused on providing the delicious food that is essential to daily life.」

「Our social mission is to provide a comfortable dining environment, warm hospitality, and delicious food that make people “happy,” while working to deliver these at high quality and affordable prices.」

「We are making active investments in employee training to create restaurants that customers will praise. Through the grade-based training provided by Ohsho University and residential training for restaurant managers, we strengthen restaurant management skills and foster the right mindset. We also improve cooking skills at the Ohsho Culinary Training Center, steadily improving restaurant QSC through the combined effect of individual employee development.」

「We have made active investments in employee training to improve basic restaurant operating skills. Through Ohsho University and the Ohsho Culinary Training Center, established within the company, we have improved employees’ restaurant management and cooking skills, fostered their mindset through residential training, and worked to improve restaurant QSC.」

「“A comfortable dining environment, warm hospitality, and delicious food make people ‘happy.’ Our mission is to make more people feel ‘happy’ by providing these at high quality while working to deliver them at affordable prices.”」

「Even amid surging ingredient and labor costs, we implemented productivity improvements and other initiatives to keep prices unchanged.」

「We believe that the steady improvement in restaurant QSC resulting from these and many other painstaking initiatives, together with the high ratings received from customers, was a major factor in achieving record-high sales.」

「The thorough employee training provided through the establishment of Ohsho University and the Ohsho Culinary Training Center improved restaurant QSC and increased the number of repeat customers.」

「We took seriously the results of the customer satisfaction survey conducted in 2016 and have continued to diligently address customers’ expectations by “keeping the storefront tidy,” “maintaining attractive restaurants,” “providing service that makes customers feel welcome,” and “adhering to cooking standards.”」

「Against this backdrop, our group resumed in-store training to strengthen its operating capabilities, building on the improvements to the working environment undertaken over 3 years. In addition to pursuing a thorough improvement in QSC, we implemented sales promotions expressing our gratitude to customers, organizational reforms to support them, and the recruitment and appointment of talent from inside and outside the group.」

「Based on the improvements to the working environment undertaken over the past 3 years, we established 4 operating policies to strengthen our operating capabilities: “keep the storefront tidy,” “maintain attractive restaurants,” “provide service that makes customers feel welcome,” and “adhere to cooking standards.” We have worked to improve QSC.」

「As we approached our 50th anniversary on 24 December 2017, we thanked all the stakeholders who had supported us over the previous 50 years. We positioned the year as one for taking bold steps toward becoming a 100-year company, beginning with the establishment of a strong foundation through enhanced governance. Under the banner “Back to The Basic,” we returned to our roots and worked to strengthen our operating capabilities by improving QSC, taking the next step forward as one united Ohsho.」

「A comfortable dining environment, warm hospitality, and delicious food make people “happy.” Our social mission is to make more people feel “happy” by providing these at high quality while working to deliver them at affordable prices.」

「We will continue to pursue and improve the safe, hygienic, healthy, comfortable, and speedy service we provide to our customers.」

「Our business policy is “Fast, Good, and Affordable.” We aim to expand our chain of casual Chinese restaurants, with a focus on the quality and freshness of ingredients and handmade cooking in each restaurant.」