Orlando’s Ramen Rumble Once Again Shocks and Amazes

The annual event pits a curated group of restaurateurs and chefs against each other to see what they can do with the popular dish and this year’s event featured the star-studded lineup of Wendy Lopez of Reyes Mezcaleria, Yoko Takagi of Ramen Takagi, Lewis Lin of Susuru and Juju, Sonny Nguyen of Domu and Takeshi Ikeuchi of Morimoto Asia.

Each chef was responsible for presenting their own unique take on the Asian noodle dish, which traditionally consists of wheat noodles served in a rich broth with a protein like sliced pork, nori, and scallion, in a competition that was founded by the popular online Facebook group, Orlando Foodie Forum and the Good Salt Restaurant Group.

The chefs really threw down this year with some incredibly innovative takes including a decadent a la cart option by Domu’s Nguyen, which featured a selection of raw fish alongside a bowl of chilled ramen noodles and a spear of charred green onions that had people moaning into their napkins.

Lopez’s entry for Reyes was a pozole-inspired dish with a spicy and aromatic broth with hominy and a lime wedge that put a twinkle in my eye and a bead of sweat on my forehead. I slurped that broth up like Barry Keoghan drinks bath water. Nothing was left behind.

Chef Ikeuchi sent out a decadent bowl of oiled ramen noodles that was so ooey gooey it looked like a heap of noodle brains, psychically beckoning me to dive in and shove them in my face hole. The lady next to me nodded her head in agreement when she caught me shamelessly licking the bowl and grunting like an animal.

Chef Lewis won me over with his flavors of ribeye, wagyu fat and shoyu egg. A combo that I could feel would bring me closer to heart failure, but with a knowing Mona Lisa smile on my face.

The winner of this year’s showdown though, was Chef Yoko Takagi of Ramen Takagi, who served ramen made with a beautiful wide-cut noodle and a simple broth of beef and pork, with a slice of melt-in-your-mouth roast beef. The crowd was electric when we announced the winner, and for a split second, with everyone yelling at the top of their lungs in the swanky environs of Morimoto, I forgot that I was emceeing a soup competition, and was transported ringside to a knockout wrestling match. Chefs clapped each other on the back with wild abandon, sous chefs screamed and tossed their hats in the air, mothers shook their babies until they were potty-trained and wearing little chefs’ outfits and competing in their own Baby Ramen Rumble. It was chaotic, and amazing, and a great example of how supportive our local chef community can be when given the opportunity to flex their talent and express themselves.

This year’s event succeeded in raising a record-breaking $13,000 for charity partner Give Kids the World, a non-profit resort that caters to children with critical illnesses and their families by offering free vacation packages.

Buy your tickets in 2025 as soon as they’re available, you won’t be sorry.