Ivan Ramen

“What Ivan Orkin does not know about noodles is not worth knowing.” Anthony Bourdain

In 2007, Ivan Orkin, a middle-aged Jewish guy from Long Island, did something crazy. In the food-zealous, insular megalopolis of Tokyo, Ivan opened a ramen shop. He was a gaijin (foreigner), trying to make his name in a place that is fiercely opinionated about 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. Soon enough, Ivan became a celebrity – a fixture of Japanese TV programmes and the face of his own best-selling brand of instant ramen.

Part memoir and part cookbook, Ivan tells the story of his ascent from wayward youth to a star of the Tokyo restaurant scene. With a foreword by David Chang, and more than 40 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, Ivan Ramen offers a totally unique look inside the cultish world of ramen making in Japan.

This mouth-watering book will both inspire you and leave you with a deep appreciation for what goes into a seemingly simple bowl of noodles.