Prior to the 1980s, Ramen was seen solely as a fast-food meal. It was cheap (and still is!), quick, and not a place the public considered to be at the height of fine dining.
In the modern day, however, that has massively changed. With the first-ever Ramen restaurant in the world being awarded a coveted Michelin star in 2015, awarded to the world-famous Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta, the magazine now boasts more than 20 Ramen restaurants across Japan.
While the shift of Japanese Ramen to the global space was slow, a significant part of this transition can be attributed to the work of one man: Sano Minoru, the Ramen Demon.
Sano Minoru, who passed away in 2014, was known for two things: his meticulous care for Ramen and his very sharp and strict personality.
He opened his store Shina Sobaya in the 80s and saw national fame on television. You can still visit his store today, run by his wife, where the legacy of his flavours is still alive and well.
In the video below, I ate a bowl of Ramen inspired by Sano’s flavours and talked about more of Sano’s life and passion for Ramen.
If you like the video, as a bonus you can watch the latest episode featuring an insight into Tonkotsu Ramen and even some information about a unique Ramen shop that caters to a wide variety of dietary requirements – even vegan and gluten-free. This video also helps you understand what Tonkotsu is as well as some unique dining experiences you may have when eating Tonkotsu Ramen.
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