Ivan Ramen : Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo's Most Unlikely Noodle Joint

Ivan Ramen : Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo's Most Unlikely Noodle Joint
by Ivan Orkin with Chris Ying. 211 pages

     I saw this on our scrolling new books list on our catalogue and thought it looked interesting, which it was. This was a very quick read, with a little over half of the book being a short autobiography of Ivan Orkin followed by a step by step recipe for Ramen from scratch.  I have to say I enjoyed the quick narrative quite a bit, as I have been working as a line cook most of my adult life (and still do) and although I have no desire to ever become a chef, I do enjoy reading about them.
      Ivan Orkin is from New York City and managed to pull off an amazing feat: He opened his own Ramen shop in Tokyo and was a huge success.  We are not talking about Top Ramen that you buy at Schnuck's for 39 cents a pack.  This is the real deal, gourmet style.  The recipe for his signature Ramen in the tail end of the book is so complex that I dare not even attempt it, although it has given me some great ideas for my future Japanese dishes- It isn't that his recipe is impossible, its just that you must be patient and set aside the appropriate amount of time to dedicate to the recipe. After reading this book, I am sorely in need of some Japanese noodles ASAP.