Top Ramen Announces Nationwide Search For Chief Noodle Officer, Judged By Top Chef Melissa King

Relying on packaged noodles more than ever this year? Top Ramen may have the job for you!

Nissin Foods Top Ramen, the inventor of instant ramen, has created ultimate carb lover’s dream job: Chief Noodle Officer (CNO). It’s a temp role with a lot of perks, including a $10,000 paycheck, a fifty year supply of ramen, and one-to-one mentorship with Nissin Foods CEO, Mike Price

To evaluate applications, Top Chef All Stars winner Melissa King will judge who becomes the first CNO in Top Ramen’s fifty year history.

“It brings back so many childhood memories, Top Ramen was a pantry staple in our household growing up,” King says of the noodles. “I’ve been eating Top Ramen since I was little, throughout my career and at college I definitely ate a lot of it.” The product as been pivotal to King’s career — her first season on Top Chef, she won $10,000 in a quickfire challenge making an elevated ramen dish, a cacio e pepe style noodle.

To apply as Top Ramen’s CNO, applications can share their favorite ramen recipe and photo on social media tagging #HowDoYouTopRamen. Applicants will also have to send a 3-5 sentence cover letter to TopRamenCNO@citizenrelations.com showcasing what makes you the perfect candidate for the job by Friday, October 30. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, 18 years old or older, and “just be willing to use their noodle for recipe development and product feedback, and have oodles of passion for noodles, with interest in the food innovation industry preferred.”

 “What I’m looking for in this is creativity and innovation,” King says, noting she wants a story or memory conveyed through the food, just like judges want on Top Chef look for the inspiration captured in the essence of the dish. She wants people to have fun, elevating their ramen with different broths or toppings. “I want to see how people bring their ramen to the next level.”