“I see it as an art, just like making music”(Ethan Zhu).
This is a type of art. Behind it, an artist holding a paintbrush that could create infinite possibilities. From music to making ramen and opening a shop. From a young person having a goal to a dreamer committing, achieving, and trying to make the traditional ramen he tasted. Here is the story of Ethan Zhu, the owner of YING RAMEN.
The Taste of Ramen
Ethan got into ramen in 2000 when he went to Japan for the first time for a show. He got the chance to taste all kinds of traditional ramen in Japan and soon realized that it was something that he would really be passionate about. He was in a band with his friends at the time, where they all made music together and had lots of fun. After learning more and more about ramen, he had the idea of starting a ramen shop in 2007. Ethan made up his mind to make the most traditional ramen in his shop, the perfect ramen he tasted and fell in love with that day, even knowing how difficult it was to achieve. To chase that dream, Ethan will dedicate everything he got to it.
Breaking Barriers
Learning something is not easy, especially learning something that usually takes 20 years to master. Ramen is an art, and it is very difficult to master. Ethan later came to America, making learning ramen even more difficult. He traveled across America, trying to find that perfect ramen recipe, honing his skills in the process. Ethan earned a Culinary Arts degree at Bunker Hills Community College. After years of waiting, he got a chance to go to Japan in 2017 to learn from ramen masters, thanks to a friend. Over the course of two years (2017-2019), he went to Japan in the summer for two weeks per year. He worked for long hours each day, finally getting the recipe he wanted. The COVID-19 pandemic stopped his plans for two years, but he wasn’t ready to give up. He finally started the ramen shop that he was looking for in October 2022. Ethan started his business, and it really set fire.
Life as a Ramen Shop Owner
Ethan faced many obstacles after he opened his shop. Ethan also works in an Italian pasta shop as a production manager. “Italian cuisine influences me a lot,” said Ethan. But it made it difficult to balance his jobs. To continue to make the traditional ramen, Ethan has to spend 8 hours after he gets off work from the Italian restaurant. Every detail requires hours of work for it to be “traditional ramen.” So far, Ethan didn’t hire any employees; only he and his wife work in the shop. Ethan also continues his hobby of making music when he has time. He implements music in his ramen shop. “Cooking is just like music, you know,” Ethan said, “you mix different ingredients to make something unmatched; I experiment with ramen when inspiration comes, just like how I make music.” It is natural for Ethan to make food, and owning this ramen shop changed Ethan. It takes lots of responsibility as he wants to represent the life of an Asian American. He wants to do everything to the best of his ability, and he wants to make a positive impact as a Chinese American. But above all, it is his sense of commitment to his dream that keeps him going, promising every customer the best ramen.
The Future of YING RAMEN
Ethan finds a lot of success in his new business, and he would love to expand his business in locations around the country. However, he wants to open small restaurants, just like the one he has now. Ethan wants to make the most traditional ramen shops like the ones in Japan, and smaller shops are a part of it. “Smaller shops feel like home; it is nice to keep that connection with customers,” Ethan said. For now, he wants to focus on his shop in Boston Public Square; focusing on the smaller picture is better for now, in his opinion. But then, if he does decide to expand, he would like his business to be in California and also wholesale his products to supermarkets around the country as well.
Conclusion- There are lots of challenges on the way. There is no special recipe that will send you to success. But your dream will keep you going. To Ethan, the small moments of reaching his goal, of doing something special, of creating something always fuel him in the most difficult times. And in the end, no matter how far away your dream is, as long as you keep on trying and keep on chasing, “you could always reach your goal”(Ethan Zhu).
Reported by Jenny Yue
Jenny Yue is a 13-year-old 8th grader in North Carolina. She is a member of GYP-Boston Youth Journalists’ Club. She enjoys writing and making music.