Interviewing Chefs in Japan Across Time Zones

Interviewing a chef who lives in Japan usually means a video call across a large time difference, with a candidate who is working lunch and dinner services. Most scheduling mistakes are avoidable: the wrong day because of the date line, a missed clock change, a slot in the middle of the candidate's service. This guide gives you the time gaps, the clock change dates for the next year and a way of writing invitations that prevents no-shows. For what to ask once you are on the call, see our interview questions and remote skills test guides.

1. Japan's clock: one time zone, no clock changes

Japan has a single time zone, Japan Standard Time (JST), set by law as the time of the 135° east meridian. That is nine hours ahead of UTC. Japan does not use daylight saving time: the standard time order of 1886 is the only time rule in force, and Japan's legal database lists no current summer time law.

In practice this means the gap between your restaurant and Japan changes only when your clocks change. If you are in a country without daylight saving, the gap is fixed all year.

2. The gap from your city

Hours by which Japan is ahead of each city. "Winter" and "summer" refer to the city's own standard and daylight saving time.

3. Clock changes in 2026 and 2027

The weeks around clock changes are when most missed calls happen, because calendar apps and people disagree about which time was meant. Dates confirmed from official sources:

Note the week between 25 October and 1 November 2026. During it, London has already changed and New York has not. If you coordinate a panel across the UK, the US and Japan, check every participant's time again that week.

4. Slots that work for a cook in Japan

A cook working in a restaurant in Japan often works a lunch service and a dinner service with a break between them, and finishes late. Ask the candidate for two or three windows that suit them rather than assuming. As a starting point:

Two practical points. First, for US and Canadian employers the best slot is usually your evening, which is Japan's next morning. Offer it; it shows the candidate you are willing to bend. Second, for Europe the overlap is thin. An early morning call from London or Paris is often the only option that avoids the candidate's service.

5. Japanese holidays to avoid

National holidays listed by Japan's Cabinet Office for the next year:

Restaurants are often at their busiest on holidays, so a cook may be less free on a holiday, not more. The late April to early May cluster (often called Golden Week) and the New Year period are the hardest times to schedule. Only 1 January is a national holiday at New Year, but many people take time off around it. See our recruiting calendar for Japan for when chefs tend to change jobs.

6. Writing an invitation that cannot be misread

Put both times, both dates and both weekdays in the invitation, in 24 hour format. Write the Japan time first for the candidate. For example:

• Always write the date on both sides. For the Americas, the Japan date is usually the next day. This single habit prevents most no-shows.
• Send the invitation from a calendar app with time zones set, and also write the times in the body text in case the candidate's app converts it wrongly.
• Confirm the day before by the channel the candidate actually uses. Many people in Japan use LINE for messages; ask which they prefer.
• Name a backup. Give a phone number or messaging contact in case the video link fails.

7. Running the call

• Keep the first call short: 30 to 45 minutes. A practical test can be a separate session on the candidate's day off.
• Decide the language in advance. If your team does not speak Japanese, book an interpreter and tell the candidate beforehand. See our guide to language requirements for what to test.
• Test the set-up. Ask the candidate to join five minutes early. If you plan a cooking demonstration, agree camera position and ingredients in advance.
• Close with next steps and dates, stated in Japan time.
• Follow up within 48 hours, even with a no. Candidates in Japan compare how employers treat them, and word spreads.

General information. Time differences shown are standard offsets; daylight saving rules and dates can change, so confirm against an official source when scheduling close to a clock change.