Summary:
– Gorō Ramen celebrates 10 years in Oklahoma City.
– Founder Rachel Cope was named a James Beard semifinalist this year amid the city’s rise as a culinary destination.
– Founder Rachel Cope hopes Gorō will remain an Oklahoma City staple for decades.
OKLAHOMA CITY — A hallmark of Oklahoma City’s culinary renaissance, Gorō Ramen in the Paseo Arts District celebrated 10 years of business this month, a milestone reached by only about one-third of U.S. restaurants.
But the ramen shop didn’t always call the Paseo Arts District home.
In 2016, 84 Hospitality Founder and CEO Rachel Cope, together with Chef Jeff Chanchaleune, opened Gorō Ramen in the Plaza District to large crowds ready for a Japanese infusion in the city.
Named after a rugged, cowboy-hat-wearing truck driver and ramen aficionado from Jūzō Itami’s classic 1985 Japanese comedy film Tampopo, Gorō serves Kyoto-style ramen featuring rich, creamy chicken broth.
Years after establishing itself in the Plaza District, the pandemic hit, and Cope and Chanchaleune were forced to make some hard choices.
“During COVID, like a lot of people, we had to make some interesting decisions and ended up moving Goro from the Plaza to the Paseo,” Cope said. “I think it’s a tribute to the brand’s staying power that we were able to literally move neighborhoods and still be a well-known brand and still be successful.”
Gorō Ramen bartender Jordan Litherland prepares the bar ahead of the ramen shop’s lunch rush. (Photo/Katrina Crumbacher, The Journal Record)
The pandemic also served as an evolutionary moment for the ramen shop, which, like all other restaurants, was forced to transition into offering takeout only.
“We didn’t do to-go at all until COVID happened,” Cope said, “and then we had to switch to fully being to-go only. That really taught us the demand for that. When we moved into the Paseo building, we were able to double our footprint and add to-go into a regular part of our service. That has really helped us create outside sales, which have again helped us stay successful this long.”
Since then, Cope and her staff at 84 Hospitality have seen Oklahoma City emerge as a culinary hotspot with several chefs and restaurateurs, including Cope and Chanchaleune, receiving James Beard nominations and awards, the Oscars and Pulitzers of the restaurant industry.
Earlier this year, the James Beard Awards named Cope as a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur because of her work leading 84 Hospitality and its array of restaurant concepts across the city, including Elisabetta, Burger Punk and Empire Slice House.
“Looking around from 2016 when Gorō opened until now, the city has changed so much,” Cope said. “The city is growing . . . The city is extremely diverse, and I tell people this when I travel all the time. I think that we get overlooked, but there’s so much talent in the city.”
Looking ahead, Cope said she hopes Gorō Ramen sticks around for 30 or 40 years.
“Staying consistent and staying passionate about something is the hardest part for a lot of people,” Cope said, “and that’s why whenever we create restaurants, we really try to make sure it’s something that we really are passionate about, that we will care about forever. Gorō is one of those things.”
Dining and Cooking