French Food Stall "Remi San Chi": Cherishing Every Encounter - An Interview with Chef Remi

Fukuoka's yatai (food stalls) are iconic symbols of the city's nightlife. Among them, "Chez Remi" stands out amongst the crowd - a French food stall operated by the French owner and chef. We interviewed Chef Remi about how he created his unique culinary world by combining French cooking techniques with Fukuoka's traditional yatai culture.

First Encounter with Japan

Please tell us about how you first encountered Japan.

I first visited Japan back in June 2001.. Coming from a humble background, Go was the perfect hobby as it only required mental skill, not expensive equipment. I achieved good results and went on towards winning  student championships in France. This is what made me dream of visiting Japan someday.

Why Fukuoka?

What made you specifically choose Fukuoka?

It was purely by chance. I initially planned to travel around Japan, and I started from Fukuoka because it had an international airport and I loved mentaiko (spicy cod roe). On my last night there, I was eating ramen at a yatai when the Fukuoka Hawks won the league championship. Everyone around was celebrating, shouting 'Congratulations!'

Although I couldn't speak Japanese then, the atmosphere reminded me of France's 1998 World Cup victory celebrations. I ended up spending the whole night celebrating with complete strangers, and my planned three-day stay turned into three months! During that time, I fell in love with the warmth of Fukuoka's people and decided I wanted to live here.

‍

Learning Japanese Through Work

How did you learn Japanese?

To learn Japanese, I started working part-time at cake shops and bakeries, but I felt limited by the repetitive conversations. So I took on three part-time jobs: serving at an Italian restaurant during the day, working at a wine bar in the evening, and at a bar in Nakasu late at night.

Working in different environments helped me learn various aspects of Japanese and customer service. Since I was focused solely on learning Japanese, I worked seven days a week. With no time to spend money, I even managed to save some!

Journey to Opening a Yatai

Did your experience in the food industry lead to your current yatai business?

After working as a full-time employee at a cake shop for five years, I opened my own French restaurant. However, I had to close it temporarily due to an illness. After I recovered, I applied for a  yatai license when they became available in 2017.

Unique Menu and Features

What are the special characteristics of your menu?

While our base is French cuisine, we've adapted it for yatai style. We make everything from scratch - handmade sausages, lasagna, and pasta. Unlike typical yatai, we have a refrigerator, which allows us to offer a wider variety of dishes.

We maintain a 4.7+ rating on review sites with over 500 reviews. While our prices are lower than regular French restaurants, customers seem to enjoy both the food and the atmosphere.

Daily Operations and Values

What do you value most in your daily yatai operations?

I cherish the concept of 'ichigo ichie' (treasure every encounter). Although we only have about 45 minutes with each customer, I do my best to let them know about Fukuoka's attractions and sometimes even go on trips with customers on my days off.

For international visitors, I want to be more than just a food provider - I want to be a gateway to Fukuoka's charm. We get many visitors from Taiwan and Hong Kong, followed by Americans and Europeans. Our unique French menu often brings comfort to long-term visitors missing the tastes of home.

Fukuoka's Appeal

What makes Fukuoka attractive in your opinion?

I think it's a city with abundant nature and low stress levels. For example, in big cities like Tokyo, people are too busy to give directions when asked. But in Fukuoka, elderly ladies might even accompany you to your destination and buy you souvenirs. While this might  be partly due to  foreigners still being relatively rare here, there's a genuine warmth and kindness towards outsiders.

Also, Fukuoka's affordable rent means most people can live within a 30-minute commute of their workplace in the city center. This means no early wake-ups, and there's time for after-work socializing. Despite being a city, you can see the sky, and both mountains and the sea are nearby. It's a compact city with a great balance of nature and urban elements.

Yatai Regulations and Challenges

Could you tell us about specific regulations and challenges in operating a yatai?

I actually built my yatai myself. A new one can cost over 6 million yen, and you can't really customize premade ones. Building one myself cost around 1 million yen, and created a unique and easily maintainable stall.

Relationship with Fukuoka City

How is your relationship with Fukuoka City?

Fukuoka City values yatai as a tourism resource. I occasionally participate in city tourism promotions and events. Recently, I've been involved in cooking classes using yatai ingredients and tourism promotion video shoots.

We have a yatai association where we exchange information and help each other. New 'neo-yatai' offering various cuisines beyond traditional yakitori and ramen have emerged. This diversity enriches Fukuoka's yatai culture.

Future Plans

What are your future plans?

My yatai license expires in 2027, and instead of renewing it, I'm thinking about new challenges. I'd love to open a guesthouse where I can have longer interactions with guests, cook together, and show them around Fukuoka.

Although I used up my savings during COVID-19, I'm slowly preparing for this next step. My ultimate goal is connecting people through food.

Advice for Foreign Entrepreneurs

Do you have any advice for foreigners considering starting a business in Fukuoka?

Fukuoka is an excellent place for startups. Rent is cheaper than Tokyo, and there are great support systems like Fukuoka Growth Next that offer office introductions and rent subsidies.

Most importantly, it's easy to build connections here. While language barriers exist, Fukuoka's people are very accepting of foreigners. I recommend starting small and expanding gradually. Like how I'm planning to use my yatai experience to work towards my next step, Fukuoka offers various possibilities. Please come to Fukuoka!

Editor's Note

Chef Remi, who brought a French breeze to Fukuoka's yatai scene, values human connections above all. After our interview, we noticed a long line forming before opening time - a testament to his passionate dedication to people and his craft.

‍