The Art Of Slurping (been eating Ramen wrong my entire life 🤦‍♂️)

[@hiroshi.n9352]

I am an elderly Japanese. The way to slurp noodles began with soba noodles in the Edo period. After that, the Japanese began to sip on a variety of noodles, both hot and cold. Just like tasting wine, the more air you breathe in, the stronger the flavor of the noodles and soup. But even in Japan, it is bad manners to make noise while eating anything other than noodles. Japanese people are accustomed to it from an early age, but I don't think foreigners need to force themselves if they can't do it.

[@billy6044]

IM GOING TO IMPRESS EVERY JAPANESE PERSON I SEE WITH MY NOODLE SLURP ABILITY.

[@ningenkiyoki5445]

Since Alex understands the importance of slurping noodles now, I think he should also discover that the length of the noodle is more important than you think

[@Deadern]

Ah I knew it ! The length of the noodle does matter ! 😅

[@CelestialLites]

Girth too!

[@RobGThai]

I think people used to lift a bowl in one hand and chopstick in another. Which should effect the slurp and splash as well.

[@Tzee_Aeff]

Thats what she said..... sorry 😅

[@aajohnsoutube]

He needs to go to Japan and taste Ramen. What does he think he’s trying to accomplish?

[@michaeljrgensen5107]

please don't take betterhelp sponsorships. To my knowledge, they are a borderline scam and have had huge problems with lackluster vetting of their "therapists"

[@Skund79]

Yep, they are completely unethical and selling your data

[@conundrum196]

It's a shady business practice at best. Therapy is already something that doesn't work that well through a screen but it's even worse if the therapists they hire are not fit for the job at all. Blame late stage capitalism i guess.

[@jacoboblanco1555]

Just to provide a different (rather anecdotal) context, I’ve used them for a few months. The therapist was fairly useful but we didn’t quite click. Better Help itself was responsive when I contacted them one time.

[@oranac]

They have also been documented sharing/selling private user data while claiming to not do so.

[@F_wan]

You think he cares when getting 10k for it? 😅😅😅. Nah he doesn't give a shit.

[@MartinJablonski]

To prevent your shirt to get splashed ask for 紙アプロン kami-apuron (Paper-Apron) when in Japan. They give you one that you can put on to protect your shirt. And it's not seen as a childish thing or something just for foreigners. Japanese patrons also wear it, especially the lunch crowd that has to get to the office afterwards will wear them often.

[@AM2PMReviews]

Alex is like putting out serious content weekly. It’s like a documentary or full show. It’s nuts. I appreciate it so much. The story telling. The cinematography. The editing. 🤌🏻

[@siongheeleong8078]

A number of ramen shops provide spoons too if you do not want to get messy from slurping the noodles. If you're in the Far East, you will find that many noodle shops provide both chopsticks and spoons for the eater to use. The spoons are not the Western style spoons but the Eastern soup spoons that can hold a good amount of soup.

[@tpenicaragua]

Not sure if spoons can be 'western' or 'eastern'. Gringos and europeans may not use them but latinos very commonly use the same spoons to eat soup.

[@Jarrah_Kilgour]

I once visited a ramen shop in Tokyo that provided a disposable plastic bib also.

[@v000000000000v]

@@Jarrah_Kilgour yes it's pretty common, they are called kami epuron (paper apron) a lot of ramen shops have them on request

[@illtellulatta03]

In Korea the spoons look western but the handles are very long. It is disrespectful to pick up both rice and soup bowls which is why a spoon always accompanies the chop sticks.

[@GDIGhostStalker]

@@tpenicaraguathere’s a difference between Western style oval or circular spoons and deeper Chinese style soup spoons though

[@ShadowGunt]

Epithelium just means surface layer in scientific speak, which is pretty non-specific if you think about it because there are tons of different epitheliums all over the body, like your skin for example is one big epithelium haha. I think the place you are referring to would be more accurately termed the olfactory epithelium! (: Love your videos! Keep it up (:

[@younlok1081]

yeah , but to add to it epithelium is a type of tissu in the body , it can be found in the stomach , intestines , skin ,blood vessels and moore

[@cawashka]

thanks for clarifying!

[@someonewithaphone3108]

Yep, almost every organ has an epithelium or two. There's an epithelium for every surface that touches the 'outside' (skin, corneas, respiratory tract, digestive tract) or 'inside' (body cavities, where organs touch each other, blood vessels, etc.)

[@gregornowak]

I think je might have mistaken the ethmoid bone for epithelium, since it’s there, where the olfactory sensation starts.

[@bertol97]

@@gregornowak well epithelium has the neuro cells, bone is just bone - it doesn't transduce any sensation

[@joseherrera708]

Mexican here, this video really got to me because a lot of my international friends ask me what is the right way to grab a taco, for me, it comes natural. I have done it all my life but for some people it's weird and now that I see something like this about the right way to slurp ramen (which I also love) it all comes together.

[@zeroThreeSixHD]

I grab the sides, supporting the bottom of the taco with your dominant ring finger then tilt the top (opening) toward you while biting sideways from your dominant side. Is that basically it?

[@PixelDNB-kv2mr]

I just eat and enjoy it tbf

[@evelioguaperas]

Bro, you can't do us dirty like that, you have to explain it, please hahahaha

[@HeisenbergFam]

6:40 this segment is indisputable proof this man is a perfect chill teacher who doesnt take himself too seriously

[@defenestrated23]

You, again! Everywhere! This is what I mean. We must have very similar interests 😊

[@nicholascox4545]

I just want to say that season 1 of ramen is what changed the way i think about cooking. After a few trips to Japan, it was already my favourite food, but you are the one that made it accessible and exciting for me to cook. Over the years I have made concentrate ice cubes, large batches, and as a young male I went out and bought a pot for me and my passion, and it makes enough ramen to feed an army. It led me to exploring my passion for food on a totally different level and I cannot thank you enough. Im so excited to continue to watch what happens this season as things get levelled up.

[@spearminty]

Alex! Try placing the noodles in your spoon with some broth and slurp from there rather than the bowl. This way you can remove even the tiny bit of flopping you mentioned. Ivan did this too. Also your interview with him was great! His ramen is amazing, I go all the time!

[@__________bc__________]

There's another intermediate move Ivan pulls at 1:42 - use the spoon to bring up a little reservoir or broth to coat the noodle while you bring it to your mouth. That way you can get at least one spoonful of soup that isn't as hot as the surface of the sun 👍

[@VoidPatron]

I think western cultures also have more thicker sauces rather than broths for eating noodles which means slurping will make a mess compared to the lighter broths of Asian noodle dishes. Hence why you have lighter Asian cultures are more likely to slurp and don't consider it rude compared to the Western cultures that believe the opposite. The editor notes and clips shows alot of noise but also makes me curious about how Alex eats western noodle dishes if he is faster, less rushed, etc.

[@betaich]

In the West until about 100 Years ago slurping was perfectly aceptable

[@NothingXemnas]

I think the opposite to be true. Thicker sauces are stickier to the noodles/pasta, so they splash less than low viscosity broths. As least from my own experience with it, I and my table both get a lot dirtier with noodles soups.

[@imabirdo]

@@betaich not quite slurping was and is bad table manners in western Europe culture like using the wrong cutlery chewing with your mouth open burping... and that is all culture of royalty and noble table ettiquete from centuries ago, it had nothing to do with what type of food you were eating some foods would have specific etiquette to eat it, but the whole purpose was a "I am holier than thou and not an animal like the peasentry" type of thing.

[@kindabluejazz]

@@NothingXemnas I don't think you'd want to slurp pasta with tomato or alfredo sauce. It may not splash far, but it will likely get goopy all over your lips and face. The only real Western 'noodle soup' I can think of is Chicken Noodle, and that is often with small pieces, either cut spaghetti, noodles, macaroni or pastina like alphabets, stars, balls or squares.

[@NothingXemnas]

@@kindabluejazz I don't slurp, though. I swirl it around my fork and get it all in my mouth at once. Its cleaner in every way. Some see it as childish, but it works!

[@radosawzygowski5444]

Ivan also used spoon. He put noodles on it with some broth. Maybe if you do it like this you won't get any splash on your shirt :)

[@RickTait]

thank GOD someone said this. you know how to eat ramen. Alex perhaps not so much

[@SkyWKing]

This. The ramen soup ladle is designed that way for a very good reason. It serves as a "parking space" for a small amount of noodle and soup to cool down a bit. It's very wide and shallow to provide a large surface area for cooling. This way, after you slurp, the soup left in the ladle is already cool enough to drink and that adds another layer of sensory satisfaction. It also reduces the distance between the noodle and mouth, so less mess when slurping.

[@stevenpham9117]

9:57 very glad the editor mentioned how slurping actually looks less worse than the other way of eating noodles. I find it gross when people chew with noodles still out or biting so noodles fall back in the bowl. 😅 Either slurp or swirl and put all the noodles in.

[@NothingXemnas]

That is something of an issue I had with my dad. At times, he would look like he stops midway through with pasta dangling from the mouth, and I am left thinking "will he cut the pasta with the teeth? seems like he wont take more inside", but he doesn't because "cutting pasta is disrespectful". So he just starts chewing with pasta dangling out. I know it may be bad to some, but I just swirl pasta around my fork and put it all in at once into my mouth (I am Asian, so of course I still slurp ramen noodles like an Asian would).

[@1988hoob]

Do you eat your burgers with a fork and knife? Or doesn't biting on one disgust you too? 😂

[@stevenpham9117]

@@1988hoob if they are chewing with the burger hanging out their mouth, it would be disgusting.

[@stevenpham9117]

@@1988hoob if they are chewing with the burger hanging out their mouth, it would be disgusting.

[@stevenpham9117]

@@1988hoob if they are chewing with the burger hanging out their mouth, it would be disgusting.

[@elainebruckman9888]

No slurping required. Use a Japanese soup spoon and a fork. Catch some noodles on the fork and swirl in the soup spoon. Leave the swirled noodles in the spoon and remove the fork. Dip the spoon in the broth. Now you can eat the noodles and some of the broth together. No noise needed. No splashing of the broth. It's all good.

[@scott2600]

Best extended series yet! Keep up the good work.

[@InShortSight]

Watching the way Ivan carefully slurps the noodles with the chopsticks & the soup spoon is a game changer.

[@talkyr]

10:07 hahahah thx editor. LOL’ed for real. Great advice!

[@Kasumizawa.Miyu_RABBIT04]

I'm 100% going to need this when I eat my daily meals of meat and vegetables. Thank you for this video, and I 100% will not forget the slurp technique.

[@TravelGeeq]

I literally just came back from Japan and I are a lot of noodles that I ran my own experiment on to see whether slurping actually made a difference and I can validate everything you are saying. Thanks for another great video.

[@Ryan_gogaku]

The time pressure is why I prefer tsukemen style. I really hate the rush, and I like the customization of it, too. Some people really love the piping hot feel, but I am just as happy to eat it at a normal level of heat. Slurping tsukemen has the same benefits as with "normal" ramen, but just without the time pressure from the noodles being in the broth.

[@ElJosher]

Interesting

[@dabisu]

I don't think there is really a "rush". You can eat slow in a shop with a long queue and nobody will tell you anything. What is frowned upon is eating slow because you're talking with your friend or looking at your phone... and anyways, it depends on the shop. I can eat fast a normal bowl, but for example in Jiro I need my time, is a lot of stuff ;)

[@ntaxell651]

As always a great video from you! Love how you always eperiment with your production, the only thing is those spring soundeffects...

[@noname-dk7ri]

Basically, many people in all cultures do not have the habit of slurping because slurping is not considered good manners, and many people are not good at slurping. Ramen is like fast food and is as casual as eating a burger or sandwich with your hands.

[@YiggityYins]

We all saw Alex eating ramen and thought the same lol but he's gone back and addressed It. And it's important. "There is some seriousness in slurping" Love the vulnerability that you're not unwilling to call yourself out, make a video of it, and help others learn.

[@MichaelMaven83]

I love you insanely dedicated you are. "the art of the slurp" its almost too much. but I can't help but smile at the attention to even the smallest detail

[@sameregarde]

merci beaucoup alex pour avoir mis une barre qui défile pendant ta pub promotionnelle ca aide beaucoup a la regarder sans devenir impatient bravo egalement pour ton contenu varié

[@MightyPooPSTEAM]

If you don't want to slurp too much, that is fine. It isn't appropriate in a lot of settings. I'm from Asia and we have asian-style soup spoons to chase broth with each final bite and it works very well. But ya I get ur point about vaporising the broth for the olfactory glands etc. I will try this method of just slurping with chopsticks too.

[@acemanhomer1]

NOW properly slurp ramen without inhaling it and giving yourself an upper respiratory infection.

[@TheMegabam5]

I'm Vietnamese and what we've always done is collect the noodles on a spoon, dip the spoon to collect the broth and then slurp the contents of the spoon. Way more broth with similar airation and less mess.

[@fmfmnico]

great consideration and explanation

[@deshazo_henry]

I feel like at the beginning of this, slurpping was an afront to your delicate French sensibilities. Thank you for carrying it through to the end!

[@TheJPKaram]

Thank you editor... I was thinking the exact same when watching him eat those two bowls

[@TheNiters]

I am in Tokyo and I am at Ichiran Ramen right now. Half-way through the meal I remembered your slurping technique video and it has transformed my meal from "very good" to "friggin awesome", thanks for all the food journeys! 🇯🇵

[@timebound8883]

thanks for that, been wondering about the slurping thing for a while

[@bertol97]

So happy for this series, it's amazing

[@daxtron2]

My cool waiter chatted with me about this video yesterday haha, always great to find another Alex fan

[@freedomofnow]

This ramen series is turning out to be my favourite one so far. I knew about slurping but watching Ivan vs you last video really sealed the deal for me. I can't wait for the Sun Noodle visit!!

[@外露射武]

When eating ramen, it's recommended to slurp the soup with your mouth close to the bowl to avoid splashing!

[@moleary42]

Man this series is taking me back, I remember when I first started watching your channel you were making the first ramen series. I still can't believe it's been 5 years!

[@bxrxxy]

I think people are used to inhale the breath before spooning the food into their mouths, so they have a hard time to slurp. because when we want to make strong slurp we have to exhale before doing it.

[@PabloHernandez-yp1uf]

I just can't. I tryed to slurp, keeping the noise under the environmental noise, behaving as if nothing happened... Everyone was looking to me and I finished with a lot of stains in my clothes. In America it's not a good idea.

[@macfanguy]

Just watched 13 minutes on slurping… surprisingly satisfying! And I agree with Editor. 😊

[@lipardfilm]

The slowed down slurping clips made my day.

[@edytha2090]

This is just amazing pure Isaac newton stuff

[@MineshShah]

Brilliant video Alex!

[@BardiyaJ]

i love your editor ngl 😂

[@jeremychan94]

Ivan's head is much closer to the bowl to limit splatter. He also uses the spoon and/or the chopstick channelling method so noodle travels only a few inches to his mouth.

[@3MasterG]

I loved the you version of the blue fridge!! 😂

[@AM2PMReviews]

In the cigar world, we do something similar called “retrohaling“. It helps us taste the cigar better.

[@TheHugo1120]

Just had Ramen and tried the Slurping technique as explained in the Vidoe. I didn't manage to create enough thrust to actually pull the ramen in my mouth using the technique you explained.. I shall try again

[@kidchiko9435]

Notice Ivan's use of the broth spoon as well on 1:40 he uses it to hold some broth as well as the end of the noodles. He's potentially getting more brothy noodles with this method.

[@kingsoloist]

there's a compromise. use a spoon and fill it with both broth and some noodles.

[@callisrautasiili3557]

Spoon is usually used with slurping with the broth also to give extra 'umph..

[@boneboy711]

Slurping still looks like it is making a mess. I rarely eat soup based dishes and when I do I drink the soup first. I'm weird and tend to consume the parts I dislike first.

[@ethermelt4780]

I was sitting down to a bowl of instant ramen when this video appeared in my feed. Perfect opportunity to practice!

[@thenobosslife7098]

LMBO I busted out laughing at the editors note! I def hear the difference.

[@Eveseptir]

Love it. Can't wait to enjoy my next bowl better and can't wait for the next vid!

[@purepix_fr]

sAlut ! ça fait des mois que je cherche, je pense avoir (enfin) mis le doigt dessus... je te trouve un chouette coté Michel Gondry en cuisine ! Bon courage pour tout ce boulot, ça régale aussi bien les yeux, les synapses et les papilles quand on passe à la pratique !

[@multimanfail]

the edit note was a nice touch

[@micmicoy]

Slurping is also present in coffee tasting procedure called cupping. Nice one Alex!

[@Heightren]

now I think I want a beatbox remix of Alex eating noodles

[@XDEEPTHOUGHT]

Idea for a series!! How to bake the very best French Baguette at home.

[@alexgedrose]

Love your vids Alex!!

[@albertozaffonato1325]

Please Alex never again 5 years for another Ramen series

[@Trygon]

Ramen is taking over, man. There's an actual izakaya in my town now. This is useful info.

[@RedSkyWhisper]

I live in Japan and I don't slurp most of the time (don't like the air in my stomach)

[@steev927]

So proud to have one of the best ramen noodle factories here in NJ! Sun Noodles baby!

[@onixtheone]

honest question; why does the broth need to be "boiling hot"? I've found that lower temperature leads to tasting more variety of flavors.

[@1999NOZA]

your videos are so good bro.

[@littleshopofhorrors6216]

Getting closer to the bowl would offer your shirt more protection, as there's less clearance for the noodles to flick broth. If you watch Ivan @1:40 his face is almost in the bowl.

[@Social_Grenade]

Super interesting. Thanks Alex 🙏

[@Lycaonightley]

9:58 please stop 😂

[@fulgentiuswilly5043]

That editor note is GOLD! SLURP MORE PEEPS!

[@kuro2797]

This is a video I didn't realise needed to exist. I'm always vaguely triggered when I eat ramen with my western compatriots - but never quite verbalised it. I find myself in these hellscapes, surrounded by mountainous piles of over-hydrated noodles sitting in tiny ponds of soup as people rattle off about their day at work. If I'm lucky, I get a comment about how I "eat ramen so fast', as if to say - I'm the one not appreciating the experience by consuming it too 'hastily'. I just don't want to be eating those sad piles of ruined noodles with no soup to enjoy afterwards. Thanks for this, Alex. You're doing god's work.

[@thatguyadarsh]

Loved the note from the editor 😂😂

[@liatris1000]

If you want to learn about ramen, there are still plenty of subjects. 1.Types of noodles (machine-made, hand-made, etc.) 2.Types of soups (roughly, soy sauce, miso, tonkotsu, salt, but it is necessary to learn systematically about mixed soups, etc, There are also progressive soups such as vegetable soups.) 3.Oils 4.Toppings 5.The history of ramen (ramen's identity and changing trends over time) 6.Ramen by region

[@timready9194]

Love you brother Alex! I am having the time of my life with Ramen now, more than ever. Thank you

[@therealnancycarol]

Excellent video. I too eat ramen incorrectly, but with your help and a bit of practice, I hope to become as proficient as you, Alex. Thank you! 💕💕💕

[@etherdog]

Alex, after 3 years of cajoling and browbeating my Coop, They have, I hope, finally ordered Sun Noodles for Bloomingfoods. I cannot make such low hydration noodles, but I will buy them! I think telling them that Ivan Orkin buys his noodles from them too was the kicker. Oh, when is the next podcast?

[@cyndifoore7743]

I like the use of the paper bib. I think slurping would also combine more oxygen giving more flavor. I looked up Sun ramen after your last video, definitely ordering it but I’m going to watch your video on it first. Salud!

[@fabian5556]

you know you can just use a spoon right? place the ramen in the spoon with the broth together. EXPLOSION OF FLAVOURS!!!!

[@Catharsis12]

big-up for the editor!

[@GanChinJie]

Im watching this video while eating ramen and ive been slurping but redipping it into the broth is a game changer!

[@mithrandir404]

If you use the spoon while slurping it prevents the end of the noodles from whipping around at the end.

[@jamietingey7498]

I'm trying to learn how to get my slurp on. A pro slurper is one that I admire.

[@tocov]

I tried this inhaling technique, inhaled hot broth into my airway and have been coughing for the past hour straight and in pain. :(

[@CyberDragonis]

RIP

[@Broockle]

I dun slurp but I have a technique 😆 I coil the noodles around my tongue and wind them in. Also when broth is too hot I just blow on the noodles to cool them down, then dip them back beneath the broth to heat them up, then I pull them out again and blow to get more heat out of them. Broth is at a good temp after 3-4 cycles or so.

[@ropro9817]

Lol, it fascinates me how difficult Alex is making this. It really isn't that complicated! 😆

[@conaldeugenepeterson2147]

That’s what engineers do.

[@LabGecko]

Some of us appreciate the details

[@dejavu011]

ahh but he is French... franchement, it is fascinating to see a Frenchman so taken with ramen (the type of a dish which you basically have to inhale!) because the French are known for their long and leisurely meal times

[@jean-paulvannorel3713]

This would have been the ultimate video for air up to sponsor!

[@vjaneczko]

Notice, too, that Ivan uses his spoon at 1:41 to limit the splatter. Gotta get me some of them "ramen" spoons!

[@LabGecko]

Excellent point, thanks for that

[@viomani]

GENUINE QUESTION: Can you not just serve the ramen a bit less hot? I don't slurp, but I don't do that other weird noise Alex does in the "incorrect way", which I agree is more triggering. But like, I really don't want to eat a whole bowl of ramen in 3 minutes? If you serve the broth less hot and the noodles a bit more al-dente. Wouldn't that be OK?

[@AdventuresInSnacking]

Love the note from the editor. It's funny how something we find rude in the west is actually objectively less offensive.

[@trollclooney]

You inspired me to try Kodawari (Yokochō location) in my limited time in Paris. Damn one of the best experiences and bowls of ramen I've ever had

[@exceptionalish614]

I did not expect to learn as much as I did from this video lol.

[@donpierce3996]

dude...this is a ....fricken....great....channel!

[@AnchorJG]

Props to the editor

[@babaygirlyabako1120]

Always good video❤

Educational and quite hilarious, thank you, Alex!

[@Hydrazine1000]

I know just enough French that @3:45 I had to giggle like a child. _He said what now???_