In 2007, Ivan Orkin, a middle-aged Jewish guy from Long Island, did something crazy.
It will inspire you to forge your own path, give you insight into Japanese culture, and leave you with a deep appreciation for what goes into a seemingly simple bowl of noodles..
Written with equal parts candour, humour, gratitude and irreverence, Ivan Ramen is the only English-language book that offers a look inside the cultish world of Ramen making in Japan.
He also shares more than forty recipes, including the complete, detailed recipe for his signature Shio Ramen; creative ways to use extra Ramen components; and some of his most popular Ramen variations.
In these pages, Ivan tells the story of his ascent from wayward youth to a star of the Tokyo restaurant scene.
Ivan Ramen is essentially two books in one: a memoir and a cookbook.
Ivan opened a second location in Tokyo and has returned to New York City to open two US branches.
Soon enough, Ivan became a celebrity - a fixture of Japanese TV programmes and the face of his own best-selling brand of instant ramen.
At first, customers came because they were curious, but word spread quickly about Ivan's handmade noodles, clean and complex broth, and thoughtfully prepared toppings.
He was a gaijin (foreigner), trying to make his name in a place that is fiercely opinionated about ramen.
In the food-zealous, insular megalopolis of Tokyo, Ivan opened a Ramen shop.
In 2007, Ivan Orkin, a middle-aged Jewish guy from Long Island, did something crazy
