Yuji Ramen and Whole Foods Market extend partnership to Brooklyn and beyond

Whole Foods Market has announced that YUJI Ramen, home of the mazemen (brothless) Bacon & Egg ramen dish, will be opening an in-store venue at the retailer’s newest location opening in December at Third and 3rd in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. Originally a seafood salesman, Chef Yuji Haraguchi has become known for his ability to reimagine classic American flavor combinations. In conjunction, YUJI Ramen’s current space at Whole Foods Market: Bowery, originally meant to be a two-month pop-up test kitchen, will be staying as a permanent offering due to demand from shoppers and ramen enthusiasts. “We’re so excited to continue to grow our relationship with Chef Haraguchi,” says Elly Truesdell, local forager for Whole Foods Market’s Northeast Region. “YUJI Ramen at Bowery has become a real destination beyond our regular grocery customers, and we’re looking forward to bringing that same enthusiasm to our first location in Brooklyn.” “It’s been an incredible opportunity to help bring ramen and mazamen to the forefront as a quick and easily accessible dining option for New Yorkers,” says Yuji Haraguchi, chef and owner of Yuji Ramen. “Working with Whole Foods Market, and partnering with their butchers and fishmongers, has created opportunities for us to develop unique seasonal menu offerings for our guests, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in Brooklyn.” At the YUJI Ramen at Bowery venue, Haraguchi will continue hosting his regularly sold-out multi-course omakase dinners. December’s calendar is currently in development. These meals give consumers the opportunity to experience Haraguchi’s innovative style of cooking, which might include anything from smoking mussel shells with a blowtorch to using a French press to infuse shoyu broth with smoke and other flavors per order, company officials say. For take-out at Bowery, Chef Haraguchi has introduced a new menu item, Uni Miso Mazemen. Whole Foods Market’s partnership with YUJI Ramen began last year when the retailer teamed up with Brooklyn Flea to launch Smorgasburg Bowery, a monthly in-store pop-up of rotating local Smorgasburg vendors. The Bowery store is continuing to offer its popular Smorgasburg Snack Bar venue, offering a wide selection of items, highlighting vendors from the famed weekly food markets in Brooklyn and Manhattan.