Our People

Inspired Individuals

 

 

Tokyo American Club is not just a place to provide our Members with a sense of community; it's a place devoted to nurturing careers, cultivating skills and achieving aspirations. A rich assortment of roles, from childcare and information technology to culinary and fitness instruction, gives our inspired employees the chance to pursue their passions, whatever they may be.


Nobukazu Toyama, Head Chef, American Room
"From the moment I first tried my hand in the kitchen, at 5 or 6 years old, I knew that cooking would become my life. Combining my passion for food and wine with my experiences cooking abroad, I aim to bring pleasure to our diners through well-matched pairings of cuisine
and wine."







Kiren Richardson, Special Events Coordinator
"I get to organize a diverse range of events, from trips to a traditional sake brewery to Halloween activities for kids to a lecture by one of the few women to have climbed Mount Everest. Every day is different and exciting, and I'm never stuck at my desk all day long. I like that I can interact with so many people, both Members and staff, plus it's great to see my hard work pay off as Members enjoy themselves at the events."






Makiko Hosokawa, Sommelier
"It's fascinating to meet famed winemakers from all over the world on the job and learn about their wine's history and culture. With every winemaker I meet, I'm always surprised and inspired by how much passion, how much love, they put into the grape. Through their experiences, I'm lucky to be able to deepen my own understanding of wine."

 

 

 

 

 

Erika Hara, Junior Administrative Assistant

"I spent most of my university holidays working at restaurants, so when I began working at the Club's Garden Café after graduation, I felt very comfortable and always enjoyed myself.I wanted to pursue something new and build a career, and I knew Tokyo American Club was the place I wanted to be. My current position was the perfect opportunity for me—I can grow and learn in a diverse environment, surrounded by fascinating people of all ages and nationalities. It's hard to find a place like this, especially in Japan, and I'm proud to be a part of it."

Employee Awards

The Club recognizes the hard work and individuality of itsoutstanding employees throughout the year with Employee of the Month, Quarter and Year awards. Winners receive a certificate and voucher as a token of appreciation for their dedicated work.



Employee of the Month


Maki Minegishi

Not long out of college, Maki Minegishi landed her dream job. An avid reader of the bimonthly lifestyle magazine Composite, she fantasized about working there after graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo.
In 1998, her ambition became reality, when she was hired as the assistant editor of Composite. “I loved that magazine,” she says. “My dream came true when I was 23.” After a year, she was made editor. But the grueling hours, constant looming deadlines and high-pressure environment eventually took their toll, and Minegishi decided to take a break.
For a year, she worked at a clothes store in the Australian city of Melbourne. “I love Melbourne. It’s a perfect size and a very attractive city to live, and the people are very friendly,” she says. “I didn’t want to leave there.”
Returning to Japan and publishing in 2002, the Tokyo native took over the reins at another magazine title. But she soon discovered that she had little interest in working under the same stressful conditions again.
Joining the Club’s Human Resources Department in October 2007, after four years as a restaurant manager in Aoyama, she was tasked with helping to update the Club’s staff rules and regulations. Since the document had last been revised in 1995, the project was a substantial one.
Finally, after two years of research into Japanese labor law, meetings with lawyers and translating, she finished. “I was really happy,” says Minegishi, who was named Employee of the Month for October. “I was very happy to have the experience and opportunity.”
After some departmental changes, the 36-year-old has taken on more responsibility this year, including handling the monthly salaries and social insurance of staff. “I enjoy working here,” she says, “because I learn so much.” And, no doubt, because sleeping at the office is no longer a part of her job description.



Employee of the Quarter

Rodel Dimaano

With his mind firmly focused on the complexities of electrical engineering, Rodel Dimaano was planning on starting a career at the new power station once he graduated from college. But he also knew the realities of the Philippine economy. Jobs were scarce. Just six months out from completing his course in Manila, he decided to quit.
While Dimaano had little idea then, in the mid-1990s, he had taken his first step toward becoming a chef. Traveling outside the Philippines for the first time, he took a factory job in the South Korean city of Incheon. “It was a really nice experience,” he says. “I was 21, and I really grew up in that time.” He stayed for two years.
Arriving in Japan in 1998, he was introduced to the owner of a restaurant in Kamiyacho. The Batangas native started out as a dishwasher but was given the opportunity to swap his scourer for a knife. “[The owner] taught me everything,” he says. “I had no knowledge but he said, ‘Just watch me and I will show you and teach you.’”
Dimaano immersed himself in his new profession, eagerly honing his skills at the stove and expanding his repertoire of dishes. “Everybody says you have to go to Japanese cooking school, but, in my experience, if you concentrate on something, nothing is impossible,” he says. “You can achieve anything if you focus on what you’re doing.”
That determination eventually brought him to the kitchens of Mixed Grille in the old Azabudai Club in 2005. Remaining in the popular restaurant, he now works in its new incarnation, American Bar & Grill. In August, he picked up the Employee of the Month award for his efforts there.
And even when the 37-year-old father of three heads home to Saitama, his enthusiasm for cooking doesn’t let up. “I’m always cooking Philippine food at home and in my free time,” he says. “My kids love it!”

 

Employee of the Year

Suranga De Alwis

Suranga De Alwis was excited to take on the newly created cost controller position in the Club’s Food & Beverage Department in January 2009. It meant he would be able to use his previous experience in the field from his time in the hotel industry while helping the department to keep its budget in check. “I think I’m good at analysis and wanted to take up the challenge,” he says of his move after four months in Mixed Grille.

What he didn’t expect was to add a few kilos to his own “bottom line.” Since he was unable to replicate the regular games of field hockey and cricket he played in his native Sri Lanka, De Alwis found it tough to curtail his expanding waistline.

Finally, ahead of climbing Mount Fuji with his wife and friends in August, he decided to hit the streets. Jogging near his home in Setagaya Ward two or three evenings a week, he lost five kilos in just two months. And although the ascent of Fuji was hard work, De Alwis, 33, says it was worthwhile. “The view from the top was amazing,” he says, “and we enjoyed the sunrise, too.”

Not entirely divorced from his old habits, De Alwis still enjoys the occasional casual game of cricket with other Sri Lankan expats in Tokyo. The get-togethers also allow him to partake in another tradition from his homeland. “When Sri Lankans meet, they like to talk about cricket,” he says.

Hockey, however, remains one of those things he misses from home, together with his family, friends and the country’s spicy cuisine. A talented player since his days growing up in Matale, in the hills of central Sri Lanka, De Alwis represented his country at college level and later played for the Colombo Hilton Hotel in a local hockey league. 

With the Club set to move to Azabudai at the end of the year, De Alwis is keeping a close eye on the Food & Beverage numbers—as well as the ones on the bathroom scales.