The Americanization of Ramen: An Immigration Story
Japanese ramen in America can be seen in many different forms. You can find the iconic noodles in pre-packaged styrofoam cups, trendy chain shops, and even in burgers. However, if you go to Japan, chances are that the ramen will taste different. Even though ramen was brought to the US by Japanese immigrants, the original flavor has been lost. In order to answer why, we have to look at the past’s immigration of foods, which has damaged today’s ramen’s authenticity and culture.
Ramen has lost its original Japanese authenticity through the immigration of foods. The dish was originally created from Chinese noodles, which were called shina soba in Japan. In the early 1900s, it became a popular dish for Japan’s working-class because it was both cheap and filling. Additionally, in 1958 a man named Momofuku Ando created instant ramen. It was branded “Chikin Ramen” and marketed as a complete meal for middle-class families.
This contributed to helping ramen become popular overseas, including the US. Slowly, ramen shops began to open in America, but the recipes and traditions have changed over time in order to adapt to American culture.
This is seen at Marukin Ramen, which was founded in the early 90s in Portland, Oregon. In an interview with Tasting Table, chef Masaji Sakai revealed that “Americans eat ramen slower and drink the soup first,” so the restaurant has to consider the “temperature of the soup served and the contents of the noodles. [This way,] they have the proper texture and taste with regard to the different temperature and time they are in the broth while eaten.”
When Marukin Ramen was founded over 20 years ago, they cooked ramen traditionally, but eventually they changed the noodle recipe to reflect American eating culture. By appealing to the public’s tastes, the ramen shop gains customers, but at the expense of the dish’s authenticity.
Another restaurant also shared their experience with the American immigration of food. Hiroki Odo is the owner of the New York sushi and ramen bar Odo, which has maintained the same Japanese food traditions with a more ‘American’ restaurant ambience. However, in an interview with The New York Times, he admitted that “the strict etiquette and radical simplicity of the formal meal are “not very welcoming to Americans.”
This repellent attitude is part of the Japanese-American culture clash. Japanese restaurants in the US that are struggling to compete against other joints may have to ignore their normal traditions or recipe to survive. The audience is different, meaning that their tastes are too. What was once authentic Japanese food quickly becomes Japanese-American food as we move from past to present. The immigration of ramen has led to different adaptations of Japanese cuisine, which has undermined its original authenticity.
Besides authenticity, a food’s cultural significance is also robbed during the immigration of foods. In America, the food we eat often reflects the people who eat it. According to Krishnendu Ray, author of The Ethnic Restaurateur, this trend goes back to the 1880s when Americans criticized recent immigrants. She shared during an interview with NPR that “until about the 1920s… social workers and nutritionists cautioned that Italian food was too garlicky and spicy — which they said increased the craving for alcohol. Today, Italian is the most popular ethnic cuisine in America.” For the longest time, American nativists were unwelcome to immigrants and frowned upon the food that came with them. This strengthened the negative discriminatory viewpoint that people held back then.
However, what if the stereotype is reversed?
Today in America, Japanese cuisine is commonly thought of as haute and upscaled, as we picture dimly lit bars serving delicate sushi rolls, exquisite ramen, and fine soba noodles. This public perception can be just as negative as the criticism that Italians faced, because the food is no longer about the culture, but the image. Thus, people eat Japanese food and regard it as classy because they want to reflect a higher social status. It’s similar in the way that people ignored Italian culture and criticized the food with the intent of keeping them inferior. The pattern has continued from the past to the present. During the American immigration of food, Japanese cuisine lost the cultural meaning behind it.
The American immigration of ramen has damaged the Japanese authenticity and cultural significance from the past to present. At Marukin Ramen, the recipe was altered to American taste buds, and at Odo the simplistic etiquette is shunned by Americans. The interviews with these two Japanese restaurants illustrate the modern-day struggle that all ethnic restaurants face when continuing their traditions. It becomes a battle of shifting the cooking methods to appeal to American customers, or keeping authenticity at the risk of unwelcome reactions.
Secondly, the cultural importance of this dish is lost during the immigration of foods. In America, Japanese food’s high standing can be detrimental since some people eat it to show off their status rather than take time to appreciate the culture. Recognizing food trends is essential because it lets us consider the limitations when eating ethnic foods in America. However, if Americans were more welcoming to foreign cuisine and embraced the culture, restaurants would not have to change techniques and everyone could experience the authentic flavors. By acknowledging the pattern from past to present, we can change our perspective and support all cuisines and cultures as they take part in the immigration of foods.
