July 2024 Part 11: A slogan I saw at the Ukrainian restaurant Zhyto: "Don't be afraid to fail, be afraid to not try."

A new lunch menu has been launched at the Ukrainian restaurant Zhyto. It is a limited menu with plenty of volume, including hamburger steak, borsch, torn bread, rice, and salad. This new menu may be a welcome addition for those who want a hearty lunch. Is there a particular purpose for introducing such a new menu at this time, just two months after the restaurant opened?
It's not just the new menu that has been released. Zhyto is now working to improve the restaurant little by little, collecting customer feedback through surveys on the existing menu and customer service methods.
There have been concerns about the management of Zhyto since it first opened. The restaurant industry is said to be in a very tough situation after the COVID-19 pandemic, so can an NPO that is not a restaurant management professional run a restaurant? Can Ukrainian refugees who are not fluent in Japanese serve Japanese customers at a restaurant? In a restaurant industry where the trend is to reduce labor costs through systemization, is it okay to insist on "handmade food" and "human service"? Also, can they attract customers in the first place? Can they afford the high rent for a location near Nagoya Station? The list of worries is endless.
However, the Ukrainians in Nagoya are serving customers in unfamiliar Japanese, developing new menus, and collecting feedback through surveys to make improvements. They continue to make efforts to protect their workplace, "Zhyto," and make it thrive.
Looking towards the back of the restaurant, I noticed a curtain separating the dining area from the kitchen. The slogan written on the curtain was "Don't Be Afraid To FAIL. Be Afraid To Not TRY." It seems that this slogan is at the root of their approach.

[Crowdfunding recruitment page]
We have begun crowdfunding to celebrate the opening. We aim to employ Ukrainian refugees and promote traditional, nutritious and healthy culinary culture. We appreciate your cooperation.
Building a bridge between cultures with heartwarming food and smiles. Ukrainian restaurant "Zhyto" opens at Wink Aichi in Nagoya! | Local Crowdfunding OCOS (in Japanese)

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