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Photos throughout by Nat Meier of @softboifilms.
I didn’t start in food — I actually began in fashion. I managed boutiques under Betsey Johnson, merchandised windows at Bloomingdale’s, and later became a top stylist at the legendary Henri Bendel, working with clients like Beyoncé and Michelle Obama’s family. But in 2015, I left fashion to pursue cooking at the Institute of Culinary Education. From there I trained under chefs like Melba Wilson & JJ Johnson and worked in kitchens from Duane Park to Untitled at The Whitney. During the pandemic, I launched Ramen by Ra through Ada Supper Club. That experience changed my life — it showed me that food could be both cultural storytelling and comfort, and it pushed me fully into ramen.
Ramen by Ra started in 2023 at the Bowery Market as a four-seat stall. It was intimate, direct, and rooted in connection — every guest sat in front of me, every bowl mattered. That space made history as the first Black woman–owned ramen shop in America. The East Village space also marks New York City’s first dedicated Asa-ramen shop. Now I’m moving into my own home in the East Village: a six-seat, reservation-only ramen shop dedicated to Asa-ramen, Japan’s morning ramen tradition reimagined through New York’s breakfast culture. The new shop is designed with intention — a four-seat Chef’s Counter, The Cusp for solo diners, and The Nook, a window seat looking out onto the corner where the East Village meets the Lower East Side. The relocation has been a chance to refine the rituals and create a permanent space that feels both like Tokyo and a prewar New York apartment — warm, lived-in, personal.
Resilience. New York’s food scene is relentless, but that’s what makes it special. Chefs here are constantly pushing, adapting, and telling stories through their food. It’s not just about what’s on the plate — it’s about culture, identity, and community. Being part of that conversation keeps me sharp, and it pushes me to honor both tradition and innovation every time I serve a bowl.
My inspiration lives at the intersection of Japanese technique and New York culture. Asa-ramen traditions give me structure — shoyu broth and aroma oils that create precision and balance. From there, I layer in American breakfast and brunch flavors that every New Yorker knows: bacon, egg and cheese, lox, steak and eggs, even an “everything” bagel moment. I also pull from my Southern roots with seasonal specials — the slow, soulful way broth is built has parallels to the way we cook in the South. So every bowl is a cross-cultural story: Japan meets New York, tradition meets brunch, past meets present.
Yes. The East Village shop expands the menu with seven signature bowls — including the Maple Sausage & Soy-Cured Yolk Ramen that’s smoky, sweet, and layered with depth. I’ve also refined the soy egg and bao offerings to mirror the bowls, so guests can experience flavors like BEC, Everything Egg, and Lox in multiple forms. And the to-go window adds Broth by Ra — shoyu-based broth cups with rotating finishes like citrus, sesame, spicy, or even espresso. It’s a playful nod to bagel-and-coffee culture, but through the lens of ramen.
Season 2 of The Build, presented by TILIT and Square, features Chef Rasheeda Purdie against the backdrop of NYC’s vibrant restaurant scene. Hosted by TILIT founders Jenny Goodman and Alex McCrery, the season follows Rasheeda as she opens a new location of Ramen by Ra in the East Village, featuring special guest Tom Colicchio and other culinary icons and experts - available wherever you get your podcasts.