We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rasheeda Purdie . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rasheeda below.
Rasheeda , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
The story behind my business name RAMEN BY RĀ came about early during the pandemic. After so many ideas I felt I was overthinking it and wanted to keep it simple. So one day my partner said put your name into it somehow and build from that. We went back and forth with ideas with both ra, ramen, ramen, ra, ra-ramen, then BOOM RAMEN BY RĀ came up! It was like a light bulb went off and we both looked at each other and said THAT’S IT, that’s the one. RAMEN BY RĀ is IT!
Rasheeda , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Rāsheeda Purdie, New York City Stylist turned Chef, planting deep roots in the culinary haven of NYC & beyond.
I completed my studies at The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC in 2005. I then worked under fashion designer Betsey Johnson as a boutique manager for five years & continued onto Bloomingdales as a visual merchandiser & legendary Henri Bendel as a top stylist for eight years. Some elite clientele; to name a few, the one & only “Queen B” Beyoncé, & former First Lady Michelle Obama & family.
It was at Henri Bendel, where I decided to attend culinary school, combining my love for artistry with a newfound love for cooking.
In 2015, I completed my culinary degree at the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC, & gained experience at Duane Park, a burlesque restaurant on the Bowery & Untitled Restaurant, at the Whitney Museum.
I continued to refine & elevate my cooking techniques under notable chefs & restaurateurs like Chef “JJ” Johnson at The Cecil & Minton’s Playhouse, a Harlem restaurant praised for its innovative fusion of Afro-Asian-American cuisine; Melba Wilson of Melba’s Harlem, a premier comfort food destination in the heart of Harlem, that’s relaxed & cozy by day & bustling by night; & Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster Harlem, a popular, stylish restaurant that serves comfort food celebrating the roots of American cuisine & diverse culinary traditions of the neighborhood.
In 2019, I joined The Wing, a private Women’s Club as the Assistant General Manager, Hospitality focused.
Fall of 2020 as a result of the global health pandemic, ラーメン B Y R Ā was launched in partnership with Ada Supper Club, celebrating Black & female expression through food. The three partnership events “Renaissance”, “Resolution” & Revive were huge success!
In 2021, I launched ramenbyra.com, where we offered rāmen kits for you to indulge in the comfort of your home. That Fall, we began offering exclusive rāmen experiences through restaurant partnerships & collaborations.
By the winter of 2022, I began my teaching journey as a Chef Instructor with CUNY/Hostos alongside some of the best Chefs in the industry including the legendary & award-winning Chef David Waltuck.
Fall of 2022, I began hosting ramen demo classes with the Institute of Culinary Education through their Alumni Rewind Program. In November 2022, we launched our first chef residency with SOMMWHERE in the Lower East Side; offering her Rise + Dine ramen brunch experience.
To start the New Year 2023 off, I took the crown at the first Ramen vs Pho’ Battle at Essex Pearl in Essex Market and continue to host ramen popups and events throughout NYC.
Enjoy the journey one bowl at a time!
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Building my audience on social media has been such a blessing. My brand is completely community built and I’m so thankful for that. Social media has it’s good and bad times. However, it works for me, my brand, and my followers. Learning how to get the best out of social media is the task and when you come across great content you automatically know there’s passion involved. My style has remained authentic for many years and my community understands it. I’m a true storyteller and social media allows me the opportunity to do that gracefully.
As a food brand, people love a story connected to it. And through ramen, I can tell a story and offer you that same story through my experiences.
Social media is the canvas of my journey as a chef. You can see the experience unfold before your eyes and from there, you’re interested in being a part of it, but it doesn’t stop there. You can also reserve your reservations with me through my IG page. Being able to secure the experience all in one step, works wonders.
My advice to others that want to make a social media presence is to stay true to yourself, your brand, and what you choice to market to the world. Eyes are everywhere and never forget that.
Tell your story, share your journey, and most importantly stay true!
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
My advice for managing a team is to first be a leader by example. My background/work experience is quite diverse. I’ve managed high-end boutiques, I’ve been a leader in the restaurant industry and a chef instructor.
And the main skill set for managing a team and having respect for all is to set the bar high with your actions. They’re there to learn, and although we’re not perfect mistakes are a learning lesson too.
By setting the bar high with standards, you’re already creating structure and consistency. Your team should follow, but as important as that is. Holding yourself and your teammates accountable for when things go wrong is as important.
In this industry restaurant teams are family, we spend the most time together and want to make the best of each day. That starts from the beginning and applying these skills will be a great start.
Contact Info:
- Website: ramenbyra.com
- Instagram: @ramenbyra
Image Credits
Angela Bankhead @abankhead