Diners, Drive-Ins and Bokujo Ramen

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Winner of the eighth season of Food Network Star and self-taught chef Justin Warner, opened Bokujo Ramen in March of 2021, which is located in downtown Rapid City.

“Well to me I have a background in Japanese cuisine, my wife and I met in a Japanese restaurant, Japanese food is the thing that we love and specialize in. And I was thinking about what could we bring from Japanese cuisine to Rapid City. I realized that this is an agricultural area and if I could make a beef bone ramen that would be the thesis statement,” said Justin Warner, chef and owner of Bokujo Ramen.

After just a little more than two years of being opened, Guy Fieri who hosts the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives visited the ‘mom and pop’ business.

“We’re all stoked, my whole team is super jazzed about it. You know it’s incredible to bring somebody who shines such a gigantic light on what we do,” said Warner.

Once the episode airs businesses usually see an increase in customers, however, despite the episode airing on September 15, Warner says he has already noticed some changes.

“We’ve already seen an influx of business, and the show hasn’t even aired yet.”

Bokujo Ramen is the first restaurant in Rapid City to be featured on this show, and the success of the business is due to a couple of factors.

“Well, it takes a good team. I really think that if we didn’t have the good team, and we didn’t have the support of the community, none of it would matter. It’s helpful that I’m on Food Network but if our foods not good or our staffs not here, it doesn’t matter at all,” said Warner.

In addition to Bokujo Ramen, Warner and his wife are owners of BB’s Natural, which offers unique wines and provisions.

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