Self-serve ramen restaurant coming to Mid-City, says San Diego celebrity chef

SAN DIEGO — San Diego celebrity chef and Food Network star Lauren Lawless took to social media Thursday to announce a new concept for an eatery she said will open in Mid-City.

Described as “the nation’s first-ever self-serve ramen restaurant,” Lawless said she plans to open RAMEN WORLD next summer, though a specific address has yet to be disclosed.

25 Southern California restaurants added to Michelin Guide in 2023

For a little back history, instant ramen noodles were brought to fruition in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, an inventor and businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co.

According to Britannica, the idea came to Ando after the end of World War II during a time of food shortages in Japan. He sought to come up with a nutritious, inexpensive, and simple way to prepare ramen — and that’s when this noodle craze began.

Fast-forward to present day, self-serve ramen restaurants can be found all over Japan as well as other Asian countries. Lawless now wants to bring that concept into the U.S., possibly creating a chain if the first location in San Diego proves to be a success.

What exactly does a self-serve ramen restaurant offer?

As explained by Lawless, noodle seekers will first pick from the wall of ramen. From there, they will choose from over 100 fresh toppings such as pork belly, spam, mussels, shrimp, vegetables, condiments, and more.

Once guests have their ideal ramen dishes ready, Lawless said the contents will then be cooked in “special machines” and weighed for payment.

“This allows customers to easily come and go and build their ramen bowls their way,” Lawless explained. “Forget the long wait times this literally takes minutes. Fast, fun, delicious and interactive.”

Here’s a look at some of Lawless’ achievements as a chef:

— Winner of Supermarket Stakeout 2

— Top 10 in Hell’s Kitchen 19

— Top 40 in MasterChef 8

— Roku Sushi Master

— Food Network Chopped 54

— Appearances on the Travel Channel

The local celebrity chef said more details regarding the opening of RAMEN WORLD will be announced soon.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego.