Rise and Ramen
Wake up and smell the ramen at Chef Rasheeda Purdie’s New York City-inspired food stall.
Chef Rasheeda Purdie | Photos: Will blunt
A steaming bowl sits before you, beckoning with thick-cut bacon atop chewy noodles and a soy egg. They bathe luxuriously in rich broth as Chef Rasheeda Purdie shaves Parmigiano Reggiano directly onto the bacon. It’s noon at one of the few places in New York offering asa-ramen, or breakfast ramen
Purdie is the brains and the brawn behind Ramen by Ra, a one woman show with a rotating audience of five. From her petite triangular kitchen at The Bowery Market, Purdie merges the flavors of New York with the traditional art of ramen, creating a hospitality experience that has captivated the city's diners.
A former stylist at Henri Bendel, Purdie began her culinary journey at Duane Park and Harlem’s The Cecil, where she was first introduced to cooking Asian cuisine, before heading to Red Rooster and later Melba’s. In Harlem, she discovered her love of ramen, eating it at least twice a week at ROKC. The idea to delve into the dish came to her through both introspection and ample research at a time when the chef was pondering her own work-life balance during the pandemic. “We were quarantined and going through the motions, and I woke up wanting to cook. So I said, 'I'm going to study ramen.' Once I really honed in on the craft and culture, I started to make everyday dishes out of what we eat.”
Steak and Egg Ramen: Chicken Shoyu Broth, Sun Noodles, Ribeye, Soy Egg, Chimmichuri, Ginger Oil, Crispy Shallots, Sesame Seeds, Leeks
BLT Ramen: Chicken Shoyu Broth, Sun Noodles, Tomato Paste, Tomato Oil, Romaine Lettuce, Duroc Bacon, Roasted Tomatoes
Later, she launched a string of successful pop-ups, with eager new patrons flocking to try her riffs on the iconic Japanese dish, including bowls inspired by Southern ingredients like collard greens and bodega staples like the chopped cheese. “If I'm making traditional ramen like every other chef, I don't think I would stand out.”
After creating kits for restaurant-quality ramen at home during the pandemic, the opportunity for Purdie to establish Ramen by Ra in a permanent space came about; she embraced it and her Kickstarter campaign secured funding in just two months
There, she eschews walk-ins, focusing instead on reservations made through a pre-pay system “I don’t even have a register,” she says with a laugh—a decision she made through trial and error with her pop-ups, which allowed her to experiment with different formats. “When it came down to seeing if this truly worked full-time, I listened to not only myself and my body, but the guests and what felt the most comfortable and natural.”
This intimate model allows Purdie to carefully plan each service, ensuring every guest receives a thoughtfully prepared meal. Diners pre-pay when they reserve, streamlining the process and minimizing waste. Each guest has a 45-minute slot. “During that 45 minutes, I’m serving your tea, your ramen—and you’re spending the majority of the time enjoying it, instead of ordering and waiting.” Guests book in advance on Resy for a chance at one of five seats and a taste of Purdie’s personal takes on asa-ramen. “I wanted a menu that best reflects what we eat for breakfast and brunch in the States, New York specifically
Now open Wednesday to Sunday from 9AM to 6PM, she serves dishes like gravlax-style salmon ramen with nori shoyu and cream cheese foam, but she has the license to change the menu tomorrow if she wants—just one of the perks of her independent engine.
