Ramen Kotori Established 2019

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Husband and wife team, Francisco and Erica live in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Francisco started cooking at The Ballard Inn and Restaurant where he first became accustomed to using Asian ingredients under the guidance of chef Budi Kazali.

Erica was born in Kyoto, Japan and moved to the USA when she was a teenager. Her attention to detail and strong work ethic drove her to work at high pressure, fine dining restaurants throughout her career.

In 2013, Erica and Francisco met in San Diego while working together at the Marine Room, the flagship restaurant of The La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. They learned teamwork in a high-paced kitchen under chef de cuisine Ron Oliver and executive chef Bernard Guillas.

Together they made their way north to Napa Valley and worked at Michelin starred restaurant La Toque, SHED in Healdsburg and at acclaimed Iron Chef Morimoto's, Morimoto Napa.

After leaving Napa and moving to Sonoma County, they found an opportunity to work at a small ramen shop in Sebastopol, California. 

Ramen Gaijin became their home for the next 3 years where they helped the restaurant grow into a Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded ramen shop and izakaya. 

Since their move back to the Santa Ynez Valley, Francisco and Erica have continued to share their love for Japanese food and local California ingredients with the community!