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“We were between a few different brands [before choosing JINYA], and Salata was one of them! With no shortage of restaurants in Pensacola and West Palm Beach, Jahzmin quickly found her niche and immediately excelled in it. Think Gordon Ramsay, but a Black woman and way nicer. I caught up with French during a busy lunch hour to find out how she does it — owning, managing, breaking glass ceilings. Bringing the JINYA brand to Charlotte during a pandemic, she says, has come with its challenges, but she’s inspired by the customer feedback and the restaurant’s early sales. French, who co-owns the Uptown franchise with business partner Brad Phelps, says she plans to open a second JINYA, in SouthPark, in early 2022, followed by others in the Charlotte market.
Uptown Charlotte's newest ramen bar offers what the owner calls 'Japanese soul food'
French says the ride to owning a restaurant has been a wild and exhausting one. She says no two days are the same, but that’s what brings the most excitement to her day. Becoming a restaurateur wasn’t the plan when she got her first job as a cashier at Steak 'nShake.
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At the hour mark, we were still waiting for our food while most of the tables that arrived after us got their ramen. We didnt order any appetizers and only drank water, minimal adjustments to the menu items as well so it makes no sense that our food took 1 hour and 20 minutes. We asked for to go bags around 45 minutes in, and we still waited 1 hour and 20 minutes to get the full order. We asked for sauce containers, and by the time our to go order was ready, we still didnt have sauce containers.
Meet Jahzmin French, Charlotte’s New Ramen Queen
I decided to support a black owned business for my birthday. And can I tell you, I was not disappointed. From the friendly staff and owner to the delicious food and drinks, this place checks off all the boxes when it comes to an enjoyable dining experience. As you enter the restaurant, youre greeted by a beautiful and pleasant host who guides you into the dining area.
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From the fresh, handmade menu to the sleek interior, full bar and banging playlist—it’s definitely a favorite of THE BLOCK and is sure to become one of yours as well. JINYA is known for its slow-cooked approach to ramen, made from broths simmered for 20 hours in-house. From its customizable menu to sleek interiors, JINYA Ramen Bar presents a contemporary Japanese dining ideal for lively social gatherings for all ages. Before Jinya, French and Phelps owned a Louisiana barbecue-style restaurant in Florida. She and Phelps wanted to build on a reputable brand that couldn’t easily be duplicated. And they wanted it in a place experiencing a lot of growth.
Q&A: How Jahzmin French brought JINYA Ramen Bar to Uptown Charlotte
(photo courtesy of jinyaramenbar.com)That curiosity led to the exploration of a few hot, upcoming franchises—one being Salata, which just so happens to be JINYA’s next door neighbor. Recently opened on the ground floor of the Ally building on S. Tryon Street, the Japanese scratch-made kitchen serves its namesake — ramen noodles — along with rice bowls, desserts and other Japanese-inspired fare. The location seats 125 people and has a full bar. With vegan options and a focus on “clean eating,” Jinya’s got something for everyone. In addition to ramen, they have rice bowls, salads, desert, and cocktails.
Look left and you’ll see the actual ramen bar, located right behind the community table, where you can sit and dine with strangers. French says these two features really bring the authenticity of Japan to the restaurant. From its customizable menu to sleek interiors, JINYA Ramen Bar presents a contemporary Japanese dining ideal for lively social gatherings for all ages. JAHZMIN FRENCHAt the end of the day, JINYA just fit with what Jahzmin wanted to do next in the food world. An elegant ramen bowl as presented at JINYA Ramen Bar.
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JINYA Ramen Bar's second Charlotte location is opening soon — with free ramen to celebrate - Yahoo Finance
JINYA Ramen Bar's second Charlotte location is opening soon — with free ramen to celebrate.
Posted: Thu, 23 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Really cant overstate how happy we were with the food though. For more information or to place an order, visit jinyaramenbar.com Connect with Jahzmin on LinkedIn. “I do plan on having an independent brand. You know, I can’t elaborate on it just yet, but I’ve already had those conversations and it will be something that I launch in Pensacola as of right now. But at the same time, Charlotte is not off limits and neither is anywhere else! Her passion for food service, stellar track record and genuine spirit has catapulted her to heights previously unseen, but not at all unexpected because it’s only part of a master plan.
JINYA Ramen Bar’s second Charlotte location is opening soon — with free ramen to celebrate - Charlotte Observer
JINYA Ramen Bar’s second Charlotte location is opening soon — with free ramen to celebrate.
Posted: Thu, 23 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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Outside JINYA Ramen Bar, Downtown Charlotte. (photo courtesy of charlotte.axios.com)“Me and my brother joke all the time now, like ‘Wow! ’ we didn’t know how poor we were growing up,” Jahzmin told THE BLOCK on a bustling Thursday afternoon in downtown Charlotte. So, if you’re ever in the mood for authentic ramen dishes or simply want to try something new, then you’re going to want to add JINYA to your list.
If its not on the menu, it needs to me added! I really enjoyed my experience and I look forward to coming back again when Im in Charlotte. My team and I work in walking distance to this restaurant and we wanted to have the opportunity to enjoy having a ramen restaurant nearby so we went over for lunch on 4/7.
Eighteen years and numerous industry jobs later and she's found a new cuisine. The Jinya franchise began in California a little over 10 years ago. French and Phelps decided to open the 40th location in uptown two months ago. JAHZMIN FRENCHJahzmin has masterfully flipped all of that knowledge and stellar track record directly into her brand new restaurant in the heart of the city. We believe Black-owned media is vital to building healthy, Black communities.
Multiple people came by and apologized, but didnt try to make the experience any less frustrating. We are back at the office and some of the orders are not correct which is making the only salvageable thing about the experience (the actual food) not worth it. She and her business partner, Brad Phelps, considered different types of restaurants to open. Ultimately, they chose Asian cuisine because she recognized the growing love for some, and reconnection for others, to ramen. Now, French is a Black, woman restaurant owner in uptown Charlotte, bringing what she calls “Japanese soul food” to the city.
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