It Only Took a Lifetime To Be This Good (Ivan Orkin)
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- čas přidán 7. 04. 2023
- I met Ivan Orkin in his NYC restaurant, and ate his signature Shio Ramen. SquareSpace : 10% off your 1st order using www.squarespace.com/frenchguy
Ivan Orkin is an American chef and cookbook author who is known for his expertise in Japanese cuisine, specifically ramen. He is the owner and founder of Ivan Ramen, a ramen restaurant chain that started in Tokyo and now has locations in New York City and other cities in the United States.
Orkin grew up in Long Island, New York, and worked in the restaurant industry before moving to Japan in the 1980s. He fell in love with Japanese cuisine, and after a few years of studying and cooking in Tokyo, he opened his first ramen shop, Ivan Ramen, in 2007. Orkin's approach to ramen combines traditional Japanese techniques with his own creative twists and influences from his New York upbringing.
In addition to his restaurants, Orkin has authored two cookbooks, "Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo's Most Unlikely Noodle Joint" and "The Gaijin Cookbook: Japanese Recipes from a Chef, Father, Eater, and Lifelong Outsider." He has also been featured on numerous television shows, including "Netflix Chef's Table" and "PBS Mind of a Chef."
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Salut,
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I feel like if Ivan had his approach to ramen as his approach to Italian food he would be public enemy no 1 of all nonnas 😂
Yes it's unthinkable what he thinks like his eating experience is supposed to be. In Italy you're at a restaurant for like houuuurs
It's probably because ramen isn't Japanese in the first place, but was a localized version of the Chinese noodle soup. On the other hand, pasta has always been considered native to Italy
👍
Maybe he is the public enemy no 1 of all obasans and they are just too polite to tell him...
@@kaiskid5849 The same way that Pasta was brought over from China by Marco Polo? If you’re going to claim that Ramen isn’t Japanese, then pasta isn’t Italian you fucking dunce.
“I’m American and I want an oven.” I felt that.
But then he has a problem how Americans eat his noodles. It's a double standard. "I don't give a shit, I'm American and I will eat how I want to."
@@charliep9066 but to be fair, leaving noodles in soup for too long, whether it's ramen or any other soup noodle, makes them worse. Wanting an oven is a bit different
@@charliep9066 Ivan never said anything about how Americans eat ramen. Ivan had an issue with Japanese people ordering his food and taking a phone call during the best time of eating his food.
@@awesomestuff9715 If your product degrades so greatly in quality so such short time, then human factors engineering would prescribe you to redesign your product - not change human behavior. I've had countless bowls of ramen in my life - most I've eaten in roughly 15-20 minutes - some longer, some shorter. I cannot eat food quickly. And in 95% of the cases, I've loved my bowls of ramen. The noodles are thick enough and cooked just enough to prevent any soggy noodles, as well as, ingredients that give it more structure. That's why the best ramen shops also ask what thickness of noodle you want. Any good quality product or service needs to consider human factors and the audience that you're catering to. His approach is ridiculous and pompous. The similarity to the oven examples lies in the fact that he can't change his own behavior when it comes to an oven, and reasons it with a ridiculous use for a single ingredient, but negates the behavior of different cultures and doesn't allot for any much more logical reasons. To be fair, it's absurd.
@@r2doucebag595 He stated that Japanese culture is just entirely different than Americans, and in Japan people come and eat and go. I don't know the timestamp, but you can rewatch and find him stating that.
Guy has that New York intensity. No wonder he came back to the states for his Ramen Shop lol
Yes he's uh.... Special
@@liriosogno6762 I find him a bit terrifying... 😳
I'm British and used to eat at a very chichi restaurant near Claridges in London owned by Gordon Ramsay.
We were warned before we dined that if anyone asked for salt or pepper, we'd be asked to leave.
The food was immaculately seasoned (for my palate) but I often wonder what would've happened if you had anything wrong with your tastebuds...
Intensity to Tokyo, LOL
I immediately heard NY State of mind from Nas play in my head when i saw him 😅
@@221b-Maker-Street That guy is such a tosser. Presumably, just wait until the last course and ask for salt to get a free meal?
The editing and camerawork (and the host of course lol) make me feel like I'm watching a high-budget production, with ramen as the main character. Bravo, Alex, you never fail to impress!
It might not have the highest budget but his dedication makes this video hit harder than its budget allows
Ivan definitely has the personality of both a New Yorker and a Japanese Ramen shop owner/chef at the same time, and I love it. lol
This was so spot on. I could feel that and I am not even from america.
True
The scene of you two going full force into that ramen is unironically beautiful. People enjoying food is such a wonderful thing.
yeah I felt a sweat on my forehaed xD That's why I prefer to eat soups at home: I can undress :V
This Aggressively French Man's quest to the Next Level Ramen is already taking us to new levels of knowledge, and I, for one, am here for it all.
Never heard of « aggressively french » before, but i’m stealing it :))
He isn't nowhere near rude enough to be aggressively French
It is amazing how some people go to this extent to make great meal that is common but different in each shops but some go to the extreme to make their food great.
Ivan really seems to know his stuff. I watch quite a few Japanese CZcamsrs and on the subject of why Ramen is supposed to be kept whole they always say "it's because you're supposed to slurp it" But I've never once heard the reason Why you're supposed to slurp it. which I finally now know is because you're supposed to eat it hot and fresh and you need to avoid burning your mouth while eating it which you could never do if the noodle is short. This is why I love this channel because you get to learn things here that you've never heard anywhere else. I'm glad this place isn't far from my house and I'm really looking forward to go try it out for myself! 😋
It is also understood that slurping it properly (not just sucking the noodles into your mouth but sucking in some air with them) allows the tongue to better taste the broth, which can bypass the tongue too quickly due to suction and heat without air bubbles to help you taste. It aerates the broth, basically, making the flavors of a hot food a bit more accessible. That is not the reason to do it, but it is a nice side effect.
@@AuntieHauntieGames I was kind of thinking that would happen too. I believe you're suppose to drink wine in a similar fashion as well for the same reasons.
@@AuntieHauntieGames I guess is a similar technique to coffee and wine tasting
I could have told you that and I don't need to live in a Marxist shithole to do so...
If you never heard it before then you must not have watched a whole lot of ramen videos. Isn't this like basic knowledge?
This is why Ivans food is so Spectacular! He puts in his Bowls what HE wants to eat. So he perfects it to the littlest of minute details. I have been eating his Ramen 4x so far on Business trips and i really hope one of his Franchise shops will be in Germany near me ;)
Ramen is an art, and ramen chefs dedicate their lives to the last 10 minutes. From my perspective as a Japanese, Ivan is a ramen master who deserves respect. In Japan, craftsmanship and professionalism are more respected than wealth, power, or status. Lies can get you money, power, and status, but lies have no place in ramen. Without honesty and diligence, it is impossible to impress people with ramen. I am glad that you have broken new ground based on the ramen culture brought to Japan from China, and Ivan, I wish you the best in reaching even greater heights.
from Japan🌏🌎🌍🍜
I'm a french Pastry chef that has been living in NYC for the last 6 years and Ivan Ramen is one of my favorite Ramen spot for sure , Don't sleep on the Chicken paidan ramen , triple garlic noodle ( No broth ) and the fried chicken .. Un pure bonheur !
As a cook I end up hating every job I have after a year or so. Sometimes I think it's because I hate cooking in general, but media like Alex reminds me why I do it. But I'm starting to realize that I need to do something else professionally, and just save the cooking for my friends, family and self. I mean, unless someone invests for me to open my own restaurant, which is pretty unlikely.
It's such a hard job! I don't blame you. My parents had a successful restaurant and the only thing they told me again and again is to not work in Gastronomy hahaha
I love cooking, I would never do it pro: once an activity becomes a job with all the constraints it stops being a passion.
Yeah, I learnt the same thing. I love to cook, and I could even get behind doing batch cooking like for a place that has a set menu per day, but line cooking just is NOT my thing. I even prefer just doing prep work to line cooking.
It truly is a hard job, especially as of late. Left behind my food service and restaurant dreams myself 3 years ago. Totally valid to feel that way.
I worked as a chef for 10 years, I love cooking, but not professionally anymore
Ivan actually grew up in my home town on Long Island and worked at the small Japanese restaurant in town that we went to as a family often. Awesome to see his mastery of the cuisine!
connections
His Chef’s Table episode was a ride, and I’m not ashamed to say it made me cry.
Your videos and productions are always top-notch alex! You deserve yout own netflix series!
While Alex is definitely on another level netflix and all those types of channels would ruin it. They would change everything we love about Alex. It’s better to keep growing his channel
netflix docs are shit tho, why even compare??
The masterful way you create these videos shines through soooo much with this guy’s personality along with your respective ways of approaching high appreciation of food, its preparation, and as you guys see it, its raison d'être (beyond basic sustenance anyway).
Thank you so much for the entertainment, education, and for so nicely poking my curiosities.
I love the references to Tampopo throughout the series (it’s one of my favorite films)
Alex, I'm really hoping by the end of this series you go to Japan! While it's definitely clear these guys know their stuff, I can't help but feel a bit so-so about the idea of you only talking to Westerners to get an idea of what the "best ramen" is. When you did your series on pizza, mozzarella, and pasta you went to the source - Italy. When you did fried rice, you studied with a Chinese (Cantonese?) chef. I hope you'll do the same for ramen and talk to Japanese chefs either in your area or in Japan itself - give the country that made ramen its chance to shine!
Always a fan of your stuff, hope you take this as a friendly suggestion!
I also really hope that he‘ll go to Japan in this series! However, the way I understood is that while he wanted to travel to Japan, it wasn‘t possible for a long time after Covid, at the time when he was filming.
Unless he’s doing a follow-up, then no. He filmed this series when Japan was still closed to tourism.
Japan just recently opened back up for tourist. Which Ramen shop would you choose and why?
@@robertp457 Waiting for Alex to come to Japan.
But there are so many Ramen shop to try...
I’m going to Japan in 2 weeks and I’m kinda hoping Alex goes and I run into him…..ah the dream!
"... you can set your bowl on a scale, but cooking should be FUN" THANK YOU. So many people get bogged down in the technicality of certain things but at the end of the day it's food and you shouldn't be miserable putting it together
Ivan is such a great man. Love him!
I need someone to explain to me how his cinematography is so good. Did you go to school for this? The drama. The suspense. The script. I love watching you Alex. How do I learn. This is cinema.
i''m glad to be part of subscriber gang, these videos are amazing.
Thank you for these videos! Love the inspiration and and enthusiasm you spread around ramen. One of my favorite meals!
Alex, thank you. I've read about this guy for years and you still brought things out that I didn't expect!!!
This was an awesome episode. Looking forward to seeing how you apply what you have learned from these two masters.
Your video got released just in time I was visiting NYC. Thanks to you we had the best ramen soup ever and great time. Thank you Alex! Superb series.
I am Japanese and grown up in Japan. Ramen became the thing! There are sooo many excellent ramen
which is made by mom and pop owned ramen shop! and cheap!!!
Love your ramen series. Please keep it coming
I very much look forward to these every Saturday
I love the no-BS pragmatism of the guy. He doesn't waste time or energy into concepts. He does what works and obviously with a lot of success
Dear Alex, thank you for all the hard work
You can still have a shio ramen with creamy stock. Using the tare as designation is more commonly of one other tier of the taxonomy for ramen at the shop level, and above that is the regional style. Not all styles and shops in Kyushu use shoyu tare for their ramen - Kagoshima style ramen for example commonly uses shio tare but the signature bit is the burned garlic oil, while a to the other side of the island, Ippudo's OG recipe and what they have front and center on the menu is their shio ramen (though I imagine they're more known for their miso bowls by today), but both require a primarily pork-based paitan stock. In this case, Edo ramen is traditionally chicken-based stock with shio tare, although that style also includes shoyu ramen. Up north in Kitakata where the lightnes and clarity of the stock is almost as important as in a shop in Tokyo where the diners are decked out in suits and trenchcoats on some days of the year, the more common is shoyu ramen, but they also have shio like in their most famous shop (that has also started expanding in the US). Similarly there's Tsuta, former-Michelin star shop, and front and center on the menu is shio but right next to it is shoyu. Oh, even these have sub-types as per shoyu - most use a blend even if they do, Edo and Kitakata are primarily koikuchi shoyu while Osaka primarily uses koikuchi shoyu.
That said this isn't the only way that ramen taxonomy is structured because some cases the regional type is locked to using a specific tare one way or another. Look at Hokkaido styles. Sapporo for example is more about the butter and corn than miso because shoyu and shio are options, traditionally, but if you eat in a Sapporo-style shop outside of Sapporo chances are miso isn't just front and center, but it's what Sapporo ramen is in that shop (to be fair, it's probably seasonal up there, ie shio in warmer weather, so they offer what you'd want to eat when you can barely walk from your hotel to the shop in Sapporo); Asahikawa is a not too clear stock with shoyu tare, and Kushiro is a fisher, clearer stock but still with shoyu, as well as snobbish obsession bordering on traditional Chinese and Korean noodle soup logic (without giving you a weak tare in the soup, nto to mention a fishy double stock); and Hakodate which is clear chicken stock with shio tare. And then you have Asahikawa-based Hokkaido Ramen Santouka that sells aromatics-enriched creamy stock with shio front and left followed by shoyu, miso, and spicy miso, but none have butter nor corn; and then in some larger locations, a clear chicken stock+shio and a version with clam-based double stock but still with shio tare (Mitsuwa foodcourt locations in the US usually don't have this).
And then there's Toyama which is not just a shoyu ramen, but traditionally, required not only koikuchi shoyu, but ONLY koikuchi shoyu but more like the dipping sauce for dumplings than the ones sold in champagne bottles in Osaka and Kyoto, in plain water (it comes out really, really black, unlike Kushiro and Osaka style that comes out a deep brown despite using koikuchi shoyu). Not stock. Why? Because this was from when the effects of using submarines to starve an island-based belligerent worked a hell of a lot better against Japan than what most people know about (ie the Battle of the Atlantic, which is more well-known not just because of who won, but because the US, Britain, Canada, and remnants of occupied nations' navies actually made it more epic by being effective against submarines). In short: this is the starving nation equivalent of starving student instant ramen. Note: AFAIK only the original shop as in the OG location even sells this extremely traditional version today; they've otherwise moved on to using actual stock instead of water by now because Rammage isn't rampaging in the area anymore.
Wow. This is one massive deep dive in ramen diversity.
That it is… there is no one bowl, they all do a thing.
Lots of words. Just gonna take your word for it
Thanks for the comment very informative!
OK Professor.
Congrats on being able to do this episode - travel, meeting Ivan, having some chat with him and a peek into his kitchen. I'm happy for you :) And I hope you'll be able to eventually travel to Japan and meet some Japanese Chef and have his perspective as well.
Congrats on the 2M subs milestone Alex!! Well deserved.
Thanks for you passion for food. I enjoy you content and the story you are telling. You are showing there is a lot more behind a dish then the most of us dont know. Waiting for the next episode.
Such a great “casual” meeting with such a legend. I love Ivan and his food so much. I was actually re-watching his Chef’s Table episode when this popped up on my YT. Had the chance to meet him and eat at IR last year and it did not disappoint
Ivan's Chef's Table episode is a must-see. The journey this man made to get where he is today is beautiful.
Thank you for your dedication to ramen! I found your channel during “ramen season 1,” so excited to see you delve in the bottomless art. Salut!
amazing! thank you Alex!
Fascinating and instructive!
Loved the video!!
Ivan was my boss . A very nice and talented chef with the sense of great taste. The first day Ivan Ramen opened up I remember his shop being completely filled with people enjoying the taste of great noodles. I recommend any and everyone to give his dishes a try.
I walked right past his place about a month ago and didn’t even realize it. Next time in New York, gotta remember to stop in.
Thanks for this.
A great story.
What a Legend. Im loving season two of the ramen series. Im very curious to see how your ramen game changes.
Your insight turns great food into great video. Thanks
The way Ivan talks about his food hit me in my soul.
Damn, this video left me with a big smile on my face, the energy Mr. Orkin carries is insane, such nonchalant perfectionism. I love it.
Probably my favourite ever episode of Chef's Plate. Epic collab here.
I hold myself for a month and not watch your vids when they come out so I can binge all of them at once in 1 super fun evening. Great work Alex.
I think for your own bowl don’t shy away from the French roots of your broth. Like ivan, who fused his culutral heritage into his soup, I think you can definitely make the French broth work!
Böt wör abüt sö ümümi?
Every chef must make a dish their own somehow.
“Le broth is just chicken and water?” French. Mind. Blown. Alex is so adorable.
Trop court cette vidéo, j'en veux encore ! :) Merci pour ce contenu encore une fois.
It just looks so good I can taste the soup and noodles through the screen.
That was the most intense eating montage I’ve ever whitenesses.
This will be rewatched many times!
Thanks Alex, now I have to step up my ramen game! ✊
Somehow you have made series that have been in line with two of my biggest food passions. Pasta and Ramen.
The best ramen I had is in Chiba and it was serve in a small stall on the side of the road during a matsuri. The food and place made the experience incredible.
Hey Alex you are an amazing creator. You spark curiosity and inspire people with your videos. It seems like you want to create the best videos for the world and not the best videos in the world.
The Video I was hoping for. 🙏🏼🍜
Awesome!!
I was so excited a couple years ago when an Ivan’s opened in my city… it was shit, gave it a second chance a month later and the impossible happened…it was even shittier!
Thankfully it’s long gone!
Oooooh man I've been waiting for this episode!!
Impressive video! The editing is fantastic
By far my fave. Ivan annihilated and Alex was like ... Doh 😂 Where to start! Merde! Had me laughing so hard. I kept rewinding. Fantastic all around.
Ur videos are just amazing man
Mr. Orkin👑... you're friggin' Legend!✨👍
And again you left me with a bouche bée !! Merci Alex
The edit was amazing, so funny 😂
OMG ALEX I DID NOT EXPECT IVAN TO GET ON HERE!! THIS IS AMAZING
Thats a very nice video and energy
Thank you, Alex.
That squarespace intro without sound etc felt so clean. Actually watched twice!
Possibly your best editing for the eating montage
I love this man.
This guy is such a New Yorker. I love it.
Such an amazing video. I love guzzling down ramen like crazy but i never seriously thought about trying to make a decent bowl myself. Too much effort. But i don't know, maybe with the tips from your series i might do that. Thanks for the video Alex
Grazie.
Ivan and Jean-Baptiste are crazy. True artists and students of culture.
thank you alex!
I’ve watched this 5 times in the last 3 days, standing ovation.
Its funny how im always happy when an alexvideo comes out. Keep it up! And i hope you're doing well.
I like this guy.
This is my favorite youtube video of all time
One of the best food culture channels 🌟
Alex, i'm always amazed to see how far you go the find answers. Since i've discovered your channel In Mirabel, Quebec, i'm waiting for a notification from your channel to watch every video. Man you are something special, Ne lache pas, superbe et j'ai l'eau à la bouche à toutes tes capsules. merci, Thanks, Salut
Japan trip must be coming!
4:58 bro was so happy. Nice video btw honestly provided some nice insight i subscribed to see more
Oh bon sang! J'adore ce monsieur!
All this for Ramen and here I am slurping through a $1.50 “Cup O Noodles”…😊
That's an expensive cup o noodles hahahaha 60ct in Europe
“Oh” “that” “sounds” ”nice”. “I’m” “also “a” “fan” “of” “quotations” “in” “incorrect” “places”.
@@cwg73160 wut
@@daanhallo25 I said…
“Oh” “that” “sounds” ”nice”. “I’m” “also “a” “fan” “of” “quotations” “in” “incorrect” “places”.
@@cwg73160 Just goes to show you're a young'un. Quotations as emphasis around words is an old-school method that isn't used much any more, but that doesn't make it incorrect.
Love all your series of developing the perfect recipe. Hope you stop by Malaysia one day ❤️
Alex needs to come to Japan.
After slurping wrong for all the 18 years of eating instant noodles, I finally learned how to do it right thanks to Ivan! Every weekend while I go and eat my bowl of Shio Ramen, I finish the ramen within 8-10 minutes and I think my slurping game has been the best ever after watching this video.
Wow those ramen looks good!
To make it in Japan as an gejin who opens a Ramen shop is next level! Alex will now take the baton put his spin on this dish! What an incredible journey. I have this episode saved so that when I am in NYC I know where to go to grab a bowl! Alex create a playlist of places you visited around the world that we can follow and book a take or get their dish that knocked your socks off.
*gaijin
The only thing harder would be a Traditional Sushi Restaurant :D
Ivan Orkin is my spirit animal.
Shio ramen is the only ramen I make now. Chintan broth, mayu oil, and I make sous-vide chashu-like pork because it keeps for 2 weeks in my fridge and it's fucking delicious. My ramen is probably shit compared to the masters, but it's kinda nice to see that my recipe ended up so close to a master's : whole chicken, chicken feet and dashi.
Respekt till Ivan, rätt filosofi skapar den mat han vill äta. 🙏
Been to this ramen shop twice. The second time due to a friend who wanted to try and insisted I give it another shot. IMO, whatever Orkin serves is mid at best and shouldn't be called ramen. It's wheat noodles in bullion with roast tomatoes. Only thing ramen about it is the egg.
Right, 'cause clearly you're the sheriff of ramen.
yeah, same experience here. The Asahi beer on tap was the best part of the meal. He even has the audacity of serving his version of a steamed pork bun too. That was also very mediocre.
The roasted tomatoes was the worst part of it for me. And to be honest this video did not help, because his whole reason for adding it was just “I have an oven and I want to use it”.
Look at his menu and know that he also used to have a bahn mi on it in addition to the steamed pork bun that offering that remains. It's just not good ramen. I'm surprised he doesn't have greens with peanuts and lemongrass to offer a "Thai salad" to his customers.
I'm the last guy to accuse anyone of cultural appropriation, but this guy deserves to be the first one I call out on it.
Also he said he’s using a wheat noodle because to him normal japanese ramen noodles (the one that most japanese ramens use) are flavorless, and he wanted more flavor.
Well, that wouldn’t be a problem in the first place if Ivan’s broth had any umami flavor at all, instead of just being salt water.
When he said that his approach to making ramen is analogous to how someone might think about making the perfect sandwich, that made sense to me. It's variations on the same handful of ingredients every time, with maybe like a special ingredient now and then to spice things up - and yet, some sandwiches hit the spot while other are absolute shit.