Manager Motoi came to the United States ten years ago. First he worked at various restaurants part time while attending language school. Motoi was looking for a new job when he came upon Daikokuya. In the four years since then, Motoi has been working as the store manager and area manager for Daikokuya. Motoi originally aspired to become a sound engineer in films, but now he says his life is all about ramen. When he hears his customers say “Delicious!” Motoi always feels even more motivated.

To keep the flavor of the ramen consistent and to meet customers’ expectations are not an easy task. The soup of Daikoku Ramen is rich and flavorful, and it tastes better and better the more you drink. The soup is delicate and must be cooked at exactly the right temperature. The medium wavy noodles have to be boiled to perfection, not too soft, not too hard. A veteran ramen chef instinctively knows the perfect duration for boiling the noodles, but inexperienced chefs use a timer as a guide. It is all about not betraying customers’ expectations. Therefore, the tension is always high in the kitchen at Daikokuya.

Manager Motoi also pays close attention to maintain a pleasant atmosphere in the workplace for his employees. Most employees have ambitions and dreams beyond their work at Daikokuya. Manager Motoi respects their dreams. He hopes that his employees find ways to connect their dreams to their work at Daikokuya and work diligently. His motto is to “try to put ego aside and treat everyone with love,” Motoi says shyly.