Ep. 54: From Ramen Dreams to National Recognition with Steven Pursley

Ep. 54: From Ramen Dreams to National Recognition with Steven Pursley

From Ope Cast The Pod by Ope Cast The Pod

June 20, 2025 · 34 min

About this episode

Braden interviews chef Steven Pursley about his journey in the culinary world and the success of Menya Rui.

This week, Braden sat down with Steven Pursley, the chef and visionary behind Menya Rui, for an inspiring episode. He opens up about his upbringing, Japanese-American identity, and the early inspirations that drew him into the culinary world. We dive into his journey building one of the most celebrated ramen spots in the country, the feeling of being recognized by Forbes and Food & Wine, his obsessive attention to detail, the possibility of a second location, and so much more. If you're into food, creativity, or the behind-the-scenes of building something meaningful, this one's worth a listen. Menya Rui is open Wednesday through Sunday from 5-10pm. You can follow Steven on Instagram at @Menyarui_stl #OpeCastThePod #Podcast #StevenPursley #MenyaRui #FoodPodcast #FoodAndWineBestNewChef #StLouisFood

People in this episode

Host: Braden

Guest: Steven Pursley

Topics covered

  • culinary journey
  • Japanese-American identity
  • ramen
  • recognition
  • food culture
  • creativity

Keywords

  • ramen
  • Menya Rui
  • Steven Pursley
  • culinary
  • Forbes
  • Food & Wine
  • St. Louis
  • Japanese-American

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Menya Rui, Forbes, Food & Wine

Places: St. Louis

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