We had the good fortune of connecting with Kenshi Kobayashi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kenshi, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I don’t know that I would have come this far in my life and career without taking some risks. And Kenchan Ramen definitely wouldn’t exist without risk taking. I took a leap of faith and moved from my hometown in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania (shoutout to the mushroom capital of the world!) to LA, a new city with no friends or family. After two years at a comfortable corporate job, I took an even bigger leap by leaving to join a start-up. Then 2020 happened, and the pandemic changed everything. As risky as it seemed, I took the biggest risk of my life so far and dropped everything to pin it all on Kenchan Ramen, which was just a fun side-project up until then.

What should our readers know about your business?

Kenchan Ramen makes restaurant-quality, at-home ramen kits. What sets apart is our focus on the customer experience. Particularly our customers’ growing demand for more vegan and gluten-free options. Speaking of risk-taking, I’ve dedicated an immense amount of time, money, energy, and focus on developing plant-based options that are not only vegan-friendly but also delicious and top-quality. Ramen sacrilege some may say! But the risks are paying off and our business is growing because of it.

We’re not the only ones becoming believers either. People are coming back weak at the knees at the idea that they’re in love with vegan ramen. My biggest takeaway, throughout the whole process of building Kenchan Ramen from an idea to a full-fledged business that’s now expanding into plant-based alternatives, has been to follow the customer, because they’ll lead your business to the next step. Following their lead I’ve been able to bring the food I’ve loved since I was a noodle-slurping baby to the homes of people who’ve never tasted ramen or who never thought they’d taste it again. In a box.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

My best time ever in LA only takes three days.

Day One. Speed from LAX to dim sum in SGV. Like a lot of dim sum. Laker game (vs. the Sixers and the Sixers win). Secret omakase sushi for dinner. I can’t tell you where.

Day Two. Beach day. Take PCH to Malibu for a dope hike. Lobster rolls at Broad Street Oyster Co. Some surfing. Night out in K-Town. KBBQ. Lots of soju and beer. Karaoke?

Day Three. Ramen to recover from the night before. Kenchan kits at home (you know!). Lunch ramen at Tsujita. A dope podcast while we sit in traffic going to LAX.

Why? Because the less time you spend in LA traffic the better. And just spending time together is the most fun.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Without a doubt, Motoki Teranishi. Mentor, former business partner, former client, master chef, and Ramen genius. He was my first client in LA and (to my surprise) quickly developed into a friend. It was really important that I impress him as a client, and I spent countless hours with him. In that time, he began to trust me, and, in doing so, shared with me invaluable lessons that I still lean on today.

One time, he scolded me for wasting some packaging that came with a set of chopsticks. I can hardly remember the specifics, but what I do remember (to this day) is what he taught me. He told me to never do that in front of other clients, as it was terrible manners in Japanese culture. A small detail that I overlooked that could have been deadly to my business. He may not even remember this, but it made waves. To always keep the client’s experience in mind. Always. And it’s a philosophy I still live by.

Website: www.kenchanramen.us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenchanramen.us/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenshikobayashi/

Image Credits
Tomoni (Yoshi Achiwa and Spencer Toledo) and Kristi Fukushima

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