Modernizing a family tradition

Louis Grayson '12 never expected that one day, he would follow in his family's hospitality footsteps. He grew up watching his parents build their Asian bistro restaurants and the hardships they encountered. Knowing just how tough running a restaurant can be, he bypassed the bistro and set out to take the corporate business world by storm. And for a while, he did, until his deep-rooted restaurant knowledge led him back home to transform his time-honored and delicious recipes. 

Just like most young adults, Grayson was looking forward to college, but he wanted a university that taught entrepreneurship while also providing insights into how businesses work abroad. He always knew he wanted to start his own business, and Grayson ultimately chose Lynn University's international business program, which provided a course in entrepreneurship. The course combined strong foundational business practices with international insights, and even brought local speakers into the classroom who offered guidance to budding professionals. 

"Lynn is a very international school and many of my friends are international," said Grayson. "The program and Lynn seemed like the place for me."

Grayson thrived in the international business program, played club sports and studied abroad in Shanghai, China, for two months. He also made long-time friends and developed a rapport with professors. But it was his experience in China that helped Grayson not only become a strong student, but a successful professional. Working with Lynn's International Programs and Services team and their partners, Grayson moved to China and got a job as a marketing and sales representative with an international exporter. For the first time, Grayson was living a corporate lifestyle and truly on his own. 

"That was a great experience for me," said Grayson. "It helped me grow up a lot and understand what working in a corporate environment looked like."

Grayson put what he learned at Lynn into his internship position in Shanghai. He was responsible for researching and marketing promotional products for the beauty and healthcare industry. Among the many tasks Grayson was assigned, he developed strategic presentations to communicate business objectives to top-executive customers, and his efforts had a significant impact on the company. Though the internship only lasted three months, it made a lasting impression on Grayson. 

Back at Lynn, he was one of the first students enrolled in Lynn's accelerated bachelor's program—allowing students to graduate in three years and start the workforce sooner. So, by 2012, Grayson had moved to Washington, D.C. and took a position as a sales representative for a food corporation where he quickly worked his way up to a key account manager position. After two years, Grayson left the company to become a global account specialist with Expedia, where he managed multiple Fortune 500 clients and built a team of managers for the company's global network. 

A foodie at heart, Grayson had the opportunity to enter a food competition in D.C. He loved the experience and went on to receive a people's choice award. It was at that moment Grayson knew exactly what he wanted to do … go back to the family business. 

"While I was living in D.C., I asked myself, 'Why am I running away from things that I know?' Then my parents called and asked me to help with their business," said Grayson. 

In 2014, Grayson was back in Florida working for his family's restaurant. With his mother in semi-retirement, his goal was to apply what he learned at Lynn and his corporate-world skill set to his family's company. It was there that he incorporated both structure and consistency, which helped the already successful bistro. 

But the urge to open his own restaurant still pulled at Grayson. Apprehensive about building a fast, casual eatery concept, he enlisted the advice of his mentor and uncle to help him get the ramen business off the ground.

"Having my uncle as my main mentor was extremely helpful," said Grayson. "He has many years of experience and just helped me all along the way.”

With a desire to serve exciting dishes that he had eaten while traveling globally, Grayson began to experiment with flavors. Ramen Lab is named for Grayson's creative use of pushing the boundaries of his family recipes, blending traditional Japanese dishes with modern Asian flavors. The outcome … bold tastes, savory delights and perfected craftsmanship. 

As the chef and owner of Ramen Lab Eatery, Grayson has opened three restaurants from Boca Raton to Boynton Beach, serving up Asian classics, like bao buns, wakame, beef bulgogi, and of course, ramen. What sets Ramen Lab apart is the time and technique that Grayson puts into each recipe. When the concept for Ramen Lab first began, his grandmother and her friends sat around a table hand wrapping hundreds of dumplings a day, thousands a week and millions a year. 

"When we first started, my grandmother was there hand wrapping dumplings and making traditional dishes I enjoyed as a kid," said Grayson. "That was all really important for me.”

Grayson worked hard to give his family's time-honored traditional dishes a modern flair. To this day, the eateries use all-natural ingredients for the noodles and broths, and their soups can take up to 12 hours to prepare for the perfect consistency. Ramen Lab is not only known for its authentic flavors but also its décor. The casual themed restaurants are intimate and cozy, providing a chill lounge vibe with fast customer service. 

"When you walk into Ramen Lab, we want you to have a whole experience," said Grayson. "It's not just about the food, but also the beautiful environment."

For seven years, Grayson has served on the advisory board for Lynn's College of Business and Management—advising on programs and how best to support students soon entering the business world. Grayson has taught business classes and shares his insights into what's happening in the local restaurant industry. 

"I am so happy that I get to continue that journey with Lynn in a different way," said Grayson.

In 2024, he was a speaker at TEDx hosted by Lynn University, where he discussed embracing innovation and harmonizing tradition with technology. This was a concept he incorporated into Ramen Lab, when he decided to help streamline his grandmother's dumpling-making process. Don't worry, his grandma is still overseeing the dumpling-making process, but now, she uses the help of technology to ensure her recipe stays authentic while also modernizing the wrapping process. 

When asked what advice he would give a current student, Grayson said, "Don't worry about what you want to do, just get involved with as many things as possible. And take advantage of the International Programs and Services team—travel and get to know yourself!"

Check out the international business management program at Lynn and how you can study abroad like Grayson.