Kazuya Yamauchi

Kazuya Yamauchi is not your average international student. In fact he's the first to admit he "likes to mix things up a bit".

Although he is Japanese, Kazuya has forged a career as an Italian chef, and he is now living in New Zealand trying his hardest to become a Kiwi!

The remarkable 28 year old, who comes from Kagawa (near Osaka), has travelled all over Europe in his role as a chef. Now, for the first-time, he has headed Down Under, to study English at FERN English Academy and, of course, do a bit of cooking. He loves it so much here he never wants to leave!

"After graduating from high school I spent a year studying to be a chef. Although we learnt all sorts of styles of cooking, my favourite was Italian. I'd always loved things like spaghetti and lasagne as a child so I wanted to be an Italian chef," says Kazuya.

He landed a job cooking in Tokyo's renown Italian restaurant, Acqua Pazza, where he spent the next nine years honing his skills.

"It was an amazing job and very creative. The head chef is quite famous and goes all over the world to give seminars on Italian cooking. I was his assistant and he took me to Italy and many other places in this role. It was an incredible experience. It was very hard work I worked 16 hours a day - but I loved the cooking and making the customers smile."

After nine years Kazuya felt ready for a change.

"I quit my job and was thinking about either working for another restaurant or opening my own place but I decided to come to New Zealand instead! I've been to Europe four or five times but this is the first time I've visited here."

Kazuya has spent his first ten weeks in the country brushing up on his English at FERN. He is just about to graduate.

"I've really enjoyed studying here. When I first started I could only speak a little bit of English but I've worked hard on my grammar and that has helped a lot. I started off at elementary level but now I've moved up to pre-intermediate. We have lots of fun in class and our teachers are very professional. Some of the teachers here have studied and worked in Japan so they understand Japanese students well."

Kazuya has found classes quite different from his experiences of studying English back in Japan.

"In English schools in Japan you do a lot of speaking. That's good but you can't only do speaking. You need the grammar and all the other skills. They focus on all the skills here."

In just a few short months Kazuya has become hooked on Auckland and now has his sights set on staying here long-term.

"Now I'm going to try and find a job in an Italian restaurant. I think working with Kiwis will improve my English alot. I'd love to stay here permanently and eventually open up my own restaurant here."