Rasheeda Purdie

Rasheeda Purdie, a New York City–based chef and 2016 Culinary Arts graduate, has built a distinct voice by blending Southern heritage with Japanese technique. A Washington, D.C., native, she began her career in fashion, earning an associate degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and working for brands including Betsey Johnson and the iconic Henri Bendel, where she became a top stylist serving high-profile clients. As retail shifted toward e-commerce, Purdie saw an opening to pursue her other passion: food.

She enrolled at the Institute's New York campus while continuing to work full-time in fashion, building both creative and technical skills that would shape her career. 

“ICE definitely prepared me for real-life work experiences. I learned the back-of-house, the front-of-house, and a little about wine and food pairings,” she says. 

After graduating, she trained in acclaimed kitchens including Untitled at the Whitney Museum and Duane Park, and refined her approach under Harlem chefs JJ Johnson, Melba Wilson, and Marcus Samuelsson.

When the pandemic shuttered the industry in 2020, Purdie turned to ramen for comfort, teaching herself the craft through intensive research. What began as a pop-up in collaboration with Ada Supper Club evolved into Ramen by Rā, first as a four-seat counter at Bowery Market, then into a nationally recognized concept. The restaurant made history as the first Black woman-owned ramen shop in the United States and introduced New York to asa-ramen, or morning ramen.

Now operating as a six-seat restaurant in Manhattan’s East Village, Ramen by Rā reimagines asa-ramen through the lens of Southern cooking and New York culture. Purdie’s work has been featured in The New Yorker and The New York Times, as well as in Klancy Miller’s For the Culture, and she has appeared on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay. 

Her journey—from ICE student to chef-owner—shows how technical training, adaptability, and a clear point of view can translate into a lasting presence in the industry.