A Boudin Runs Through It
March 20, 2019
Two chefs, 348 miles, and a bottle of antacids in search of the kind of truth found only in a sausage casing.
ChefRichie Nakano
San Francisco
About Richie Nakano
Richie Nakano is the chef/co-owner of IDK Concepts, a pop-up restaurant that is currently serving fried chicken sandwiches, snacks and sides. His brick-and-mortar ramen noodle shop earned him a 2013 StarChefs Rising Star Community Chef Award. His involvement with his restaurant ended, but he continues to experiment with new recipes.
Accolades
- Next Generation of Kitchen IconoclastsSan Francisco magazine
- Local LuminarySan Francisco Chronicle
- ChefsFeed WinnerOne of the Best Things to Eat in SF
Featured Content
A Review of That Movie Where Anakin Skywalker Makes Heart-Shaped Kale Pizza
November 14, 2018
From a chef who watched it over someone's shoulder on a plane and further investigated for the greater good.
Musings I Will Probably Regret on The Doppelgängers of the Food World
September 27, 2018
Wisdom acquired at a cost.
The Best-Worst Food News From This Month
September 14, 2018
Keep it coming, humanity (and bees).
Hell Hath No Fury Like a Kid's Palate
April 13, 2018
Especially when their parents are chefs.
Some Very Stupid Food News
March 30, 2018
It's baaaaack.
When You Have To Hit Up a Celebrity To Cover Your Shift
March 28, 2018
Five front of house managers and their celeb second-stringers.
Chefs Decode The Food World of 'Atlanta'
March 26, 2018
A world of wings, Cheetos, and the best ways to stretch a buck. (Read: The real, best world.)
Hey! Remember When Kitchen Confidential Was a Show?
January 12, 2018
Let's go watch it!
6 Ways To Jazz Up Your Water When You're Too Broke To Go "Raw"
January 4, 2018
None of these include having to siphon a spring in the middle of the night.
Let's Make Some Predictions About The Shadowy, Far-Flung Future of 2018
December 27, 2017
Gird your loins, food-lovers.
Burn It All Down
December 13, 2017
On relinquishing our idols, and taking back our industry.
Things To Remember As You Amp Up For Thanksgiving
November 16, 2017
We've all got weird hang-ups when it comes to this one, but: it should rule.
OPINION: Our Track Record On Speaking Up Sucks, And It Shouldn’t
November 14, 2017
We braced for a wave of accusations and none came. Why?
Donald Trump Asked The White House Kitchen To Make Him A Quarter Pounder and It’s The Dumbest Thing I Have Ever Heard
November 9, 2017
Happy Anniversary to us.
How To Vanquish Your Problems By, Uh, Literally Running Away
November 1, 2017
Chef Ginger Pierce on how she manages to make time for personal wellness.
It's #SandwichWeek! Here's How To Hack Your Sandwich Game Like a Chef
September 25, 2017
The Tenets of Sandwichdom, from the experts.
Things To Drink Before You Even Consider The PSL
September 14, 2017
Nope, nope, nope. Don't even look at it.
Ranking The Top Ten Popsicles Of All Time
September 12, 2017
May the most honorable popsicle win.
11 Road Rules To Master The (Realistic) Road Trip
September 5, 2017
Including how to make what is known as a "salty Armageddon."
Why Anything Served On Ice Makes Our Hearts Melt
September 4, 2017
Know what's nice? Ice. (We'll stop now.)
Put a Little Frost On Your Glass
August 29, 2017
Tropical, trashy, perfect: there's no wrong way to go frozen. Alright, there are a few.
The Quintessential Guide To The Burger Species
August 22, 2017
The good, the bad, and the over-hyped.
The 10 Iced Coffee Commandments
August 20, 2017
(As based on the Ten Crack Commandments by Notorious B.I.G.)
Someone Brought A Watermelon, Nobody Panic
August 18, 2017
Oh shit oh shit oh shi—
The Do's and Don'ts of Fair Food
August 10, 2017
If you're going to do it, you may as well commit.
If It's Really Too Hot, Bust Out Some Line Cook Fashion To Survive
August 9, 2017
Dishwasher shirts are office-appropriate, right?
Roll With SF's Fogust Like A Local
August 7, 2017
Sure, it's cold or whatever. COULD BE WORSE.
6 Things You Need To Know About Baltimore
July 27, 2017
Where to go, what to miss, and how to be less hungover than your friends.
Predicting The 5 Hottest Food Trends You Never Saw Coming
July 25, 2017
Avocado toast is basically a golden oldie now.
7 New Chef Shows The World Desperately Needs
July 14, 2017
No ifs, ands, or BAMS.
Oh Hi Just a Few Gory Kitchen Stories From Bourdain For Your Week
June 19, 2017
THE KNIFE FELL WHERE??
BREAKING: Kitchen Staff Still Alive at Mar-A-Lago
June 14, 2017
Mysteries and mayhem abound at The Winter White House.
Binge-Watching Master of None With a Chef
June 8, 2017
Tracking the show's food moments with someone who lives and breathes it like a regular Dev Shah.
Ceci N'est Pas Un Hot Dog
May 23, 2017
Stress testing the 'Silicon Valley' hot dog app.
BREAKING: The Declassified Kitchen Logs of Mar-A-Lago
May 18, 2017
Strength be with those brave kitchen souls.
Is There A Right Way To Steal?
May 9, 2017
The unspoken rules of the fickle inspiration game.
The Troubled Genius of Chef Jeremiah Tower, On The Big Screen
May 5, 2017
On the heels of Lydia Tenaglia's documentary, 'Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent.'
And Now, Chef Thoughts On Giant Chicken
March 20, 2017
This chicken will outlive and outperform you. Just hang it up now.
Unpopular Opinion Alert: I Hate Ramps. Yeah, I Said It.
March 9, 2017
A Californian throws down a springtime gauntlet.
01:24
December 9, 2016
Gather round children! Today's slang session concerns TOUCHED, which is either a nice thing, or a not-so-nice thing. In this brand new series, we devote time to the words and phrases chefs hold near and dear to their sweaty, stressed out, crass little hearts.
Why I Love This: Maya Erickson, Gregory Gourdet, David Kinch
November 18, 2016
A new column, because the world keeps turning, and cooking still rules.
Knife Life
November 10, 2016
A loving ode to the many roles knives play in a chef’s career.
02:01
October 20, 2016
What's the recipe for Outside Lands GastroMagic? Crazy talented chefs, the hottest musicians and comedians in the world, a few pigs, tubs of ice cream, hundreds of beignets, a lip syncing contest, a twerk off, and general mayhem and bad behavior. Check out our recap video featuring all the homies: Jillionaire, Ra Ra Riot, Jauz, Mustache Harbor, Big Freedia, Chris Cosentino, Stuart Brioza, Jon Shook, Vinny Dotolo, Stephanie Izard, Melissa King, Jane Danger, Maya Erickson, Richie Nakano, BJ Smith, Scott Vivian, Grae Nonas, Matt Jennings, Brenda Buenviaje, Humphry Slocombe, and Woodhouse Fish Co.
A User's Guide To Eating Fish Eggs With Grace*
October 14, 2016
*or sort of sloppily, like the animal you are.
01:38
October 12, 2016
The kitchen has its own language, forged equally from hot pans and sharp things coming around corners, and tight spaces shared for hours on end. In this brand new series, we devote time to the words and phrases chefs hold near and dear to their sweaty, stressed out, crass little hearts. Today's deep-dive: SHOEMAKER.
Quick Takes: Beau Schooler, The Rookery
August 23, 2016
Step 1: Get exiled to Juneau. Step 2: Foster a food scene unlike anything in the rest of the country.
We Were Serious When We Said "Chef-Powered" Food Media, You Guys
June 20, 2016
Introducing the Chef Advisory Board.
The SoulCycle Experiment
June 13, 2016
Dispatches from the Spandex jungle, courtesy of Richie Nakano.
The Five Chefs You'll Find on Social Media
May 18, 2016
Hashtag PERSONAL BRAND.
01:29
September 9, 2015
9/12/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about McBrunch, the never ending pasta pass from Olive Garden, the new Apple Watch, and his new pumpkin spice ramen.
01:18
8/22/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about Burger King's low-calorie fries, the return of the pumpkin spice latte to Starbucks, and a murdered out Tim Horton's.
01:12
8/15/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) heralds the return of Burger King's chicken fries, discusses a really cool logo rebrand, and talks about the "bacon cycle."
00:40
September 9, 2015
Sorry guys. No Stupid Food News this week. We lost our host to the new, gold, iPhone 6.
01:51
September 9, 2015
8/8/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) tests the Push for Pizza app, talks about the new governmental regulations of gluten-free labeling, and delivers an important message from The Week in Stupid Food News Sponsors...aka us. ChefsFeed.
01:24
September 9, 2015
9/26/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about the Yum! Brands offensive logo at Banh Shop, Captain Citrus' makeover, and the emerging market for cricket bars.
01:16
September 9, 2015
6/27/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about Carl's Jr.'s new "sexy" men eating burgers ad campaign (and might, maybe, kinda make a cameo in one), discusses Nestle's food vending machines of the future, pot food trucks in Seattle, and reports on his trip to the Aspen Food & Wine festival to compete in Grand Cochon.
01:38
September 9, 2015
6/12/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) recaps the food news of the week including Starbucks' new "Band of Outsiders" mugs, The FiveThirtyEight Burrito Bracket, and 15-year-old gin distillers.
01:35
6/6/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) recaps the food news of the week including Yum Brands' expansion into banh mi, Seattle increasing minimum wage, burrito outrage, and a review of the Chef movie.
01:29
10/10/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about several important updates to previous Stupid Food News stories, ponders the internet's obsession over pizza cake, and reveals his favorite comfort food.
01:57
September 9, 2015
6/20/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) recaps the food news of the week including Domino's new "voice recognition" app software, McDonald's new techy office, and Lavazza's project to bring espresso to space...
01:51
September 9, 2015
7/4/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) recaps the week in food news discussing Wendy's new ad campaign around its pretzel bun, Doritos "Jacked" mystery flavor winner, Hormel acquiring Muscle Milk, and more.
01:30
September 9, 2015
7/10/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) recaps the week in food news discussing the shuttering of cupcake chain Crumbs Bakeshop, a Domino's pizza ordering error, the "making potato salad" Kickstarter campaign, and backlash to reservation startup ResHop.
01:25
8/29/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about Starbucks' application for a liquor license in Brooklyn, Little Caesar's new pretzel crust pizza, and a new Taco Bell Contest.
01:37
September 9, 2015
7/18/14: On our weekly recap of "news," chef Richie Nakano discusses the fate of giant snails confiscated at LAX, a French blogger who was fined for a negative restaurant review, and uncovers a letter from a culinary school president in response to a lawsuit from its alumni. Plus an exploration of Pizza Hut's giant cookie.
01:42
September 9, 2015
7/25/14: This week, chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about Ridley Scott's new movie venture around chef Marco Pierre White, some dude claiming he invented "Spray Cake," a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pizza launcher IRL, and gives a special recipe for his own Soylent blend.
09:46
September 9, 2015
8/1/14: This week, chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about color-changing ice cream in Spain, Yelp's new video feature, McDonald's rebranding, and a ramen trend sweeping Taiwan.
02:01
September 9, 2015
11/7/14: In this episode of The Week in Stupid Food News, chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) discusses the $200 sterling silver Starbucks gift card, the latest cronut knock off, and David Chang's new food delivery app.
01:42
September 9, 2015
10/31/14: In a special Halloween edition of The Week in Stupid Food News, chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) discusses how to make your own celebrity chef Halloween costume, controversy over Fireball, McDonald's new slogan, and more.
01:17
9/19/14: Chef Richie Nakano (Hapa Ramen) talks about the return of Surge soda, the results of the FiveThirtyEight Burrito Bracket, and Whole Foods' new rewards program.
01:19
What happens when chefs read the bad reviews written about them from around the web and beyond? We turned on the camera to find out. This episode: Chef Richie Nakano of Hapa Ramen in San Francisco. **UPDATE: Sometimes life sucks, especially when the ramen world loses a ferocious outpost—Hapa Ramen has since closed its doors.
01:53
September 9, 2015
Can you guess how many noodles Chef Richie Nakano's ramen stand Hapa Ramen goes through in a service? How many cups of coffee it takes to keep its staff slinging soup? How many people the stand serves in a day? Scope the stats behind this popular San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer's Market lunch spot. Covers tells a restaurant's story through its numbers. **UPDATE: Sometimes life sucks, especially when the ramen world loses a ferocious outpost—Hapa Ramen has since closed its doors.
02:10
September 1, 2015
A look at the first service ever at chef Richie Nakano's much anticipated brick-and-mortar location of Hapa Ramen in San Francisco. Opening Night immerses you in the rush of the unknown, as restaurants around the world open their doors for the first time. These things only happen once. Snag that coveted seat at the line, on us. **UPDATE: Sometimes life sucks, especially when the ramen world loses a ferocious outpost—Hapa Ramen has since closed its doors.
Where I Go Out
Pastries and coffee
$$, Outdoor Seating, Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Outer Sunset
"Andytown is relatively new but it's already become my go-to for coffee in the Sunset. Husband and wife team Michael and Lauren roast their own beans and make delicious breads and scones. Get their soda bread with jam, a sausage roll and the cornbread muffin."
Chocolate chip cookie
$$, American, Modern, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Breakfast, Coffee Shop, Full Bar, Outer Sunset
"Brooke Mosley makes a dense and chewy chocolate chip cookie with the perfect amount of salt. If I have them in my house, I'll eat them for breakfast. They're almost too good to put out for Santa."
Chicken shawerma
$$, Greek, Mediterranean, Falafel, Bernal Heights
"Holy crap, that was the tastiest thing I've had in a while. Delicious chicken, onions, jalapeños, yogurt, and crisp lavosh."
Omakase
$$, Japanese, Sushi, Western Addition
"Kiss is a tiny place in Japantown run by a Japanese couple that do everything on their own: cooking, serving, etc. There are only a couple tables and a counter, so it feels homey in there. The omakase menu starts off with a few little bites of fish and pickles, then meanders into sushi and beyond. Get a couple different glasses of sake and come hungry—it's more food than you would expect."
Bohemia beer battered fish tacos
$, Mexican, Food Truck, Embarcadero
"Primavera runs a stand at the Saturday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and they are far and away one of the busiest vendors. A lot of people go there for chilaquiles, but I get the fish tacos if they have them. They batter up whole fillets, fry them, and the whole thing is put on a Sam corn tortilla with guac and shredded cabbage. The batter stays crisp, and the cabbage is so refreshing. I always wind up eating these around 9 a.m. and usually make it the rest of the day until dinner."
Oven baked farm egg
$$$, Reservations, Full Bar, Wine Bar, Happy Hour, Modern, New American, Western Addition
"This dish started at Nopa when I was working there and has since become a staple on their brunch menu. Tomatoes are smoked over almond wood and made into a spicy tomato sauce, and during service, a gorgeous pastured egg is cooked in the sauce. Cheese is shaved over it, and it's served with warm grilled bread. It's great for sharing—if you don't wind up fighting over the yolk."