Ivan Ivanov

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Some people wait for permission to pursue their craft. I didn't.

In 2019, I made a deliberate choice to specialize entirely in ramen not as a career move, but as a personal obsession that demanded total commitment. No formal school, no Japanese mentor. Just relentless self-study, sourced ingredients, failed broths, and the discipline to do it again the next day.

From 2021 to 2024, I ran a weekend ramen popup at Papila Bistrot selling out almost every weekend. No brand, no certification, no backing. Just the product.

In 2024, I founded BARUKAN RAMEN Project a trademark-registered ramen concept now collaborating with Bistro Lanka and NOD Makersplace across Bucharest.

In 2026, I earned my TIRS Certified Ramen Chef credential formal recognition of a standard I had already been holding myself to for years. 

That same year I launched The Art of Ramen, a professional workshop that sold out immediately and generated a waitlist of over 100 people. 

This summer I make my first trip to Japan, deepening a relationship with a culture I've been studying from the other side of the world for over five years.

Built without shortcuts. Certified by choice. Still learning.