This world-famous ramen ‘master’ is opening a permanent restaurant in London

Plenty of chefs have made a living off of making ramen in its many forms, but one man is the self-proclaimed ‘master’ of the dish: Ivan Orkin. Born in New York, Orkin moved to Japan in the ’80s, and has been dedicated to perfecting bowls of soupy noodles ever since.

The noodle-aficionado is most famous for his 2017 appearance on Netflix’s Chef’s Table. The show took viewers behind the scenes in kitchens run by acclaimed international chefs, including Orkin’s buzzy New York joint Ivan Ramen. He ran a pop-up in London back in 2023, and now he’s preparing to jump across the pond once again, this time for good.

Orkin announced the launch of his first ever permanent London ramen restaurant, arriving at 98 Farringdon Road in November. The ‘intimate’ spot will seat 26 people, and offer classic dishes like spicy miso ramen and chicken paitan, alongside a brand-new recipe inspired by London; ‘the Salt Beef Bao’. This bowl is based on ‘the flavours of a classic East End bagel’ and will come with ‘warm salt beef, pickled cucumbers, and fiery karashi mustard mayo’.

The London branch of Ivan Ramen’s first day in business will be Tuesday November 18.

After decades of success in both Tokyo and New York, Orkin said that opening up a restaurant in a brand new city remains an ‘incredible honour’, adding that ‘London isn’t just a world-class restaurant destination. It is home to one of the most exciting ramen scenes anywhere.

‘I’ve always loved this city, and I’m beyond thrilled to finally be a part of it’.

Time Out’s list of the best ramen restaurants in London.

Did you see that acclaimed Camberwell restaurant Hello JoJo has closed without warning?

Plus: cult ramen joint Supa Ya is making a grand return to London.