Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryohei Ito.
Hi Ryohei, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Since a young age, I have found culinary arts to be an amazing outlet to express my creativity. In order to pursue my passions and creative dreams, I enrolled in a specialized culinary high school and spent time as a chef in Japan. From there, I became a chef on a nonprofit organization cruise ship, traveling the world and experiencing numerous cultures and cuisines.
During that time, I realized there is a lack of authentic Japanese food around the world and decided to use ramen as a tool to bring Japanese food to the world.
RAKKAN Ramen started in 2011 in Nishiazabu, Tokyo, Japan as a small four-seater restaurant. With our humble beginnings, we strived to serve delicious, authentic ramen using high-quality ingredients and standards. After opening several locations throughout Japan, I brought RAKKAN Ramen to Los Angeles, CA in 2017 with our first location in Little Tokyo. From there, we have expanded to six states with franchise partners with many more coming soon!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When we first opened in Tokyo, I would never cut corners with our ramen and would only serve if I was 100% satisfied with the soup. On some days, I would not open the doors if the soup did not meet my standards. As time passed, I finally found a fool-proof recipe that was a big hit with our customers.
Keeping that recipe and my high standards, I brought RAKKAN Ramen to the United States. In the States, one of the main difficulties was adapting to the culture as it is very different from what I grew up with.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about RAKKAN Ramen?
RAKKAN Ramen specializes in authentic Japanese ramen made with a 100% plant-based broth. The name of the brand “RAKKAN” means optimistic, one of our driving motivations in order to deliver authentic Japanese ramen to the world.
Founded in 2011 in Tokyo, RAKKAN Ramen specializes in authentic Japanese ramen made with a 100% plant-based broth. With a wide range of conventional and vegan options, our concept has a broad appeal for all lifestyles.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I find optimism a vital part of the success of RAKKAN Ramen. RAKKAN means “optimistic” in Japanese and I use this as a driving force to push for further success. “RAKKAN” gives me a positive outlook for the future, whether that be expanding into new regions and countries or expanding our menu selection.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rakkanramen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rakkan_ramen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rakkanramenofficial
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rakkan_ramen
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4RgLcHObidYkEIGzuxNCIw
