I’m an ardent fan of writer Tim Anderson, having previously reviewed two of his over half-dozen books on the preparation and consumption of tabled fare. Most of his works originate from washoku (traditional Japanese cooking), but Anderson, the gaijin (foreigner)/hukujin (white person), skillfully provides instructions on how it’s done using a refreshing, western twist on how to do it. His newest book, Ramen Forever – Recipes for Ramen Success, affirms his achievements at pursuing modern, inventive cuisine for adventurous dining and cooking enthusiasts.
Anderson has been studying Japanese food culture for over two decades — first as a hobby, then as a profession. An American born in Madison, Wisconsin, Anderson is also a British transplant who has lived in London since 2008. A cook and author, he was the youngest winner of the BBC MasterChef Competition at age 26 with his presentation of “souped-up ramen with porcini-infused pork broth and lobster gyoza with black truffle” — a dish causing eyeballs to widen and tummies to holler, “Howdy!”
Since then, Anderson has carved out an impressive career in food, working as an author, chef and restaurateur to become one of the most prominent voices on Japanese fare in the United Kingdom. To date, the cyclonic scribe has written 8 cookbooks. His newest, on the cuisine of Japan’s northernmost island and indigenous Ainu residents, Hokkaido: Recipes from the Seas, Fields and Farmlands of Northern Japan, debuts Autumn, 2024.
In 2021, Anderson shuttered his two Nanban (南蛮 lit. ‘Southern barbarian‘) eateries. Enormously popular crowd and critic pleasers, he perfunctorily proffered on social media posts, “I could write pages about why I’ve made this (very difficult) decision, but . . . my priorities now have shifted to focus on my family, my cookbooks, and other opportunities.”
These freedoms of latitude involved commissions as a development chef and consultant for a diverse range of clients, including Le Creuset, Citroën, KitchenAid, Twinings, Google, Oral-B, Unilever, and the Japanese National Tourism Organization.
Other projects: a designated contributor to BBC’s culinary panel show, The Kitchen Cabinet, discussing and debating the food news of the day; creating articles for various and sundry magazines (Newsweek and National Geographic), newspapers (The Guardian and The Telegraph) and food related outlets (Vittles, Pellicle, and Olive).
To date Anderson’s cookbooks have featured topics related to vegan fare, microwave meals, classic and modern Japanese recipes, simple and satisfying bowls and bentos, effortless izakaya bar food, Japanese soul food, traditional and cutting-edge takes on classic dishes by Tokyo chefs, shopkeepers, and home cooks. In 2023 he turned his focus on a Japanese cultural artifact: RAMEN.
The first known introduction of ramen to Japan was in 1859, when the Chinese ambassador to the Land of the Rising Sun presented the dish to reigning emperor. Ramen quickly gained popularity and by the early 20th century became one of Nippon’s go-to staples. By the 1980s it became a Japanese cultural icon with local varieties of the noodles invading the national marketplace. Momofuku Ando, inventor of the ubiquitous CupNoodle (カップヌードル, Kappu Nūdoru) brand, claimed the secret of his long life was by eating instant ramen every day. For skeptics, it was a sure-fire motivator to join in the civic sucking sound heard ‘round the nation as young and old joined in joy-filled slurp-athons.
For those living under a rock with no idea what ramen is, Anderson’s book, Ramen Forever, educates the uninitiated in seven basic chapters: 1. What is Ramen; 2. A Ramen Manifesto — what it isn’t and why it’s slurped; 3. Ramen and Me – a tell-all regarding ramen’s impact on his own life; 4.The Five Elements of Ramen – an analysis and break-down of ramen ingredients; 5. Tools of The Trade — common kitchen utensils used; 6. A Brief Guide — the six standard ingredients to have on hand; 7. How to Improve Your Ramen — means to refine and enrich a ramen dish.
The remainder of the book, enhanced with colorful photos and illustrated drawings, provides detailed information and recipes regarding ramen’s major components: Broths, Tare (seasonings), Aroma Oils & Fats, Slurp-able Toppings, and Noodles. In this section Anderson reveals that most ramen shops in Japan don’t produce their own noodles (quelle surprise)! They purchase them premade from specialty shops (quelle bonne surprise)! But he leaves the “to make or purchase” decision up to you. For diehard chefs, however, the intricate process of making noodles is explained completely.
Full Ramen is the portion of the book for which the preceding sections have prepared you: It’s Time to Make Ramen! This is where Anderson delivers on his promise of Ramen Forever. Nineteen ramen recipes are provided. They are segregated into types: Standard Ramen (such as Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen and Old-School Shio Ramen). Unusual Ramen (like Half a Pig’s Head Ramen, Pizza Ramen, Wisconsin Beer and Cheese Ramen). Useful Ramen (i.e., Leftover Nando’s Ramen, Nothing Special Ramen, and Double Soup Ramen). Not Quite Ramen: These involve recipes that don’t quite fit the standard guidelines of a ramen dish and “are different enough to be called something else”. They include Frozen Watermelon and Kimchi Raimen (a chilled ramen), the Ramen Sausage Roll, and Chicken Caesar Ramen Salad.
The last pages of Anderson’s opus to ramen consists of how to use Leftover Ingredients and, for new converts to the ramen world, Ramen Resources – lists of a variety of books, blogs, Instagram posts, and YouTube channels.
Anderson’s joy-filled, often quirky book on ramen is another thorough, detailed effort, adding to his unique cookbook style of bringing bi-cultural and multi-cultural nuances to kitchens undergoing a renaissance in edible experiences. Ramen Forever just might be a way of thumbing his nose at his adopted Brit family: Move over fish and chips — RAMEN‘S in town!
