June 2: High Art of Ramen – Resilience Through COVID / Brandon Ting

Brandon Ting and High Art of Ramen

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

03:00 PM Pacific Time

When Brandon Ting first arrived at Bellevue College, he was placed into English Level 2 for non-English speakers. The subject had been his worst in Taiwan. “They felt sorry for me,” said Ting. “When I arrived, I couldn’t even spell, ‘student,’ but I really wanted to learn!”  

Through an incredible amount of determination and hard work, Ting graduated from Bellevue College and the University of Washington Foster School of Business. In 2010 he explored ramen on the recommendation of a BC classmate. He started Kizuki Ramen and Izakaya based on authentic Japanese ramen. During Covid, Brandon faced more challenge, having to lay-off 200 employees. But he has come back stronger than ever, growing Kizuki to 16 locations throughout the US. His second restaurant chain is Swish Swish, a hot pot genre, is adding a location, and he started his third chain, Supreme Dumpling, by securing one of the best Taiwanese chefs. 

Brandon recently received the Model Taiwan and Overseas Entrepreneur award from the President of Taiwan. Started in 1978, it has the longest history of Taiwan’s national awards for entrepreneurship. The award committee vets contestants with high standards on business management, structure, and social responsibility.

Last Updated October 2, 2023