Making Udon to a Different Beat

Masahiro Ono is a traveling udon noodle chef – instead of having his own shop, he lugs his tools around in his van to make noodles at house parties and events all over the country. The 27-year-old began this unique business after training for 3 years at an udon shop in Tokyo, hoping to create a new style of udon-making that would appeal to his generation. His approach allows customers to see a professional chef making noodles up-close, and business is slowly gathering steam. He has even started making udon to the rhythm of live music performances. With income still unstable, Ono has no permanent address and nests on friends' couches, but he's constantly tackling new challenges with bold, out-of-the-box ideas.