Junya Watanabe

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Junya Watanabe is the owner and executive chef of Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen in San Diego, California. Watanabe came to the United States as a teen and pursued his education at UCLA where he received a Master’s degree in Economics. Watanabe always held a keen interest in the culinary arts and had frequent cravings for ramen. After noticing that this staple Japanese dish could become a popular trend in the states, Watanabe broke into the culinary world to pursue his passion for ramen and Japanese cuisine.

Spending over six years dedicated to learning the basics of cooking, Watanabe quickly established himself as a devoted student in the culinary arts. He flew back to Japan and spent several months shadowing three of Japan’s most notable ramen chefs, learning about the importance of fresh ingredients and how to fuse them together to make a distinct bowl of ramen. Since then, Watanabe has added his own signature touch to original ramen recipes along with other Japanese style foods such as curry and tsukemen. After years of apprenticeship, Watanabe brought his vision into fruition as Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen opened in October 2012.