Noodle-loving duo serves up the Riverina's first ramen review podcast for kids

Riverina podcaster Eddie Kurylowicz is quickly becoming a noodle connoisseur.

On a recent overseas trip, the family stocked their campervan with an emergency supply of Asian-style ramen noodles and nine-year-old Eddie was hooked.

“Pasta has kinda always been me and my dad’s thing and I’m fine with all of them,” Eddie said.

The North Wagga Public School student has now taken his noodle game to the next level and launched a ramen review podcast with his dad, Tim.

“My dad got a present from one of his workmates and it was a subscription to the Ramen Club, so every month he gets a box on our doorstep with about six or so packets of noodles in it,” Eddie said.

“I was just like, maybe we could do a podcast out of it as a bit of a joke or whatever, but then we turned it into an actual podcast.”

Tim explained that ”Noodle Bros” offered a chance for Eddie to gain an understanding of what is involved in creating media content.

“Every kid wants to be a content creator, and I’ve always been a little bit hesitant because I know a little bit about what’s involved in planning, recording and then editing something; it’s a lot of work,” he said.

“So we had a discussion about it and I said, if we’re going to do a podcast, you’ve got to do all the research beforehand – and he did!”

Eddie took the proposal seriously, diving into the research and even learning some noodle puns and workshopping with his dad on how to best insert them into the narrative of the podcast.

“Let’s-wok-and-roll!” Eddie declared in Episode One as the pair prepared to cook up a packet of Nissin Yakisoba and a Suikay Spicy Seafood.

“Before we start, we just write down what noodles we’re gonna taste and what we’re gonna do – just a rough idea- and we even get some jokes ready and then we record it in a few different sections,” Eddie said.

The Noodle Bros offer a blow-by-blow description from opening the packet and inspecting the contents, through to the cooking process and, of course, the all-important taste test.

Eddie said that he judges the noodles by their texture and flavour, compares the final product to the picture on the packet and ponders what other kids would make of them.

“I do actually like soupless noodles a bit better, because they let you taste the flavour, whereas with the soup, the soup is the flavour, and the noodles are just plain,” he mused.

“I really liked the first packet I had on my podcast, it was the Yakisoba one.

“Yakisoba is a type of Japanese noodle and the Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour but the Yakisoba is made from just normal wheat flour.”

With two episodes and four different noodle packets under their belt, Eddie said he’s been loving the process… and the noodles!

“Me and my dad have been editing it together and we’ve just been listening to a section at a time, then getting rid of the bits we don’t want and then adding sound effects or intros or outros and that sort of stuff as we go,” he said.

Tim agreed that it’s been a fun family project that has been creatively driven by the 9-year-old noodle enthusiast.

“We’ve been using all free software and just recording it on a phone and while I might do the driving on the computer, Eddie makes all the choices of which bits of conversation will keep, and most importantly, those sound effects.”

Episode two featured a rendition of the Crazy Frog song and a cameo from a special guest judge (mum Sophie) with a vegetarian perspective.

Looking ahead, Eddie said that they plan to introduce more special guests, including kids, locals from the Riverina and perhaps even a Zoom call to Japan.

With new noodles arriving on the doorstep every month and dozens of flavours to try, it looks like the Noodle Bros will have plenty of food for thought.