Dinner with Derike of Mr KEKE Ramen Hot Pot
Mr KEKE Ramen Hot Pot recently opened its doors in Great Neck Plaza, and our Marketing team had the pleasure of being invited by Derike, to experience everything the store has to offer. And what an amazing experience it was! During our visit, we took the opportunity to ask Mr. Su some questions that we believed would interest our readers.
Q: At Mr KEKE, how do you infuse passion into your dishes?
A: I have a deep love for Japanese cuisine, and I approach each dish as a masterpiece. From meticulously selecting ingredients to refining cooking techniques and perfecting sauces, our process involves trial and error and extensive consultations with fellow food enthusiasts. We pride ourselves on innovating traditional Japanese dishes, such as removing nori from our ramen and incorporating Chinese wolfberry for its health benefits. Additionally, we enrich our offerings with fresh ingredients, including green vegetables like asparagus, and offer a variety of noodles, including ramen, buckwheat, and spinach options. For vegetarians, we have miso spinach ramen and miso soba noodles.
Q: What do you believe Mr KEKE will bring to the local culture?
A: We aim to enrich the local culture in three ways: by offering a diverse dining experience that combines Japanese ramen with popular Asian snacks like Japanese fried chicken and Shanghai Xiaolongbao; by introducing a unique Japanese small hot pot service, providing six different soup base flavors for customers to choose from; and by creating a relaxing Japanese-style dining environment, complete with cherry trees, a goldfish pond, and a shared book bar where patrons can enjoy their meal in solitude or with friends.
Q: What aspect of Mr KEKE's culinary journey excites you the most?
A: What excites me the most is seeing our culinary vision come to life and being embraced by food enthusiasts. Our dedication to innovation has been met with enthusiasm and recognition, which is incredibly rewarding.
Q: How do you envision Mr KEKE redefining the fast-food landscape in Asia?
A: We aspire to be an innovative Asian fast-food chain, specializing in Japanese ramen and dim sum dishes. Our goal is to expand our reach and share our products and services with a broader audience, offering an unforgettable dining experience.
Our conversation with Derike was not only enjoyable but also inspiring. Witnessing his passion and dedication towards achieving his goals was truly captivating. Derike also pledged to write a monthly blog for our audience, taking them on culinary journeys through Asian cuisine experiences. On the flip side, the food was downright fantastic, each dish a flavor explosion! It's an absolute blast working with this amazing team, especially when we get to invite folks to join in on our epic food adventures and add some serious flavor to their lives!