– Life as a Restauranteur –
One of the oldest and most common forms of entrepreneurship surely has to be that of being a restauranteur. As such, there are a lot of preconceived notions about what it’s all about.
However, how accurate are these portrayals? What does it really take to succeed? How can restaurant owners branch out beyond establishing more and more eateries?
These are a few burning questions you’ll soon have answers to after listening to this episode of LIFE AS A..
Guest Intro
With nearly 30 years of culinary expertise, Jared Ferrall has built an exceptional career that spans the globe and some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world.
From his early beginnings washing dishes in an Italian eatery in England, Jared’s passion for food propelled him to roles in Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan and beyond.
Global Culinary Experiences
During his four years in Japan, Jared honed his craft, working alongside culinary greats such as Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsay, and completed advanced training at the renowned Yamato Ramen School.
His journey didn’t stop there—Jared’s diverse career includes roles as a private chef aboard super yachts, creating fine dining experiences for discerning clients while traveling the world, and leading a team at a luxury steakhouse in Australia.
A Leap into Entrepreneurship
In 2017, Jared and his wife Miki returned to Canada, inspired by their deep love for Japanese cuisine, to establish Crafty Ramen.
What started as a single ramen shop in Guelph, Ontario, has grown into a celebrated brand thanks to the collaboration of an incredible team.
Crafty Ramen now operates two restaurant locations and sells its signature frozen ramen in over 1,500 grocery stores across all major retail banners in Canada.
Purposeful Work
As Chief Culinary Officer, Jared combines his global expertise with a passion for mentoring others, driving product innovation, and sharing the joy of exceptional food.
His mission? To inspire and delight noodle lovers across North America while advancing the world of modern culinary entrepreneurship.
Reasons to Listen
This will be a talk worth listening to for:
- those interested in finding out more about what it takes to become a successful restauranteur
- those curious about insights on taking restaurant dishes into the consumer retail sphere
- those who are looking for direct advice towards running their own culinary enterprise
Listeners will come away with insights on:
- what Jared feels it means to be a restaurateur
- some of the most surprising learnings Jared acquired when starting his first restaurant and consumer goods product
- the impact Covid had on his business and how it truly altered the direction and strategy of it moving forward
- a day in the life of running a restaurant business
- how Jared got involved in culinary practice at a young age
- how Jared landed a job working for the legendary Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsey
- how he traveled the world aboard super yachts while at the same time honing his culinary skills and saving to open his own restaurant
- what Jared feels has gone into the success he and his business have found so far
- the story behind how Crafty Ramen began selling frozen dishes across Canada within chain supermarkets
- how Jared and his wife landed on the top Canadian entrepreneurial television program, Dragon’s Den
- what the rub off of his business has been like on his personal life
- direst advice to anyone interested in opening up a restaurant or pursuing the establishment of a consumer packaged good
- much more!
A Memorable Quote from the Episode:
“With that swap from being a restaurant brand into doing CPG (consumer packaged goods), it’s a whole new world, a whole new industry. It’s a lot. I can’t deny that. It’s definitely taken over our life.”
–Jared Ferrall
Check out the Video Conversation:
For those who desire to view video highlights of the conversation, you can do so via Youtube.
Discover More
For those interested in learning more about Jared and his biz Crafty Ramen, you can find and follow him on the following platforms:
Keep Listening!
I hope you enjoyed the episode. For more, check out additional episodes here!
