Inventor of Ramen Noodles Dies at 96

[vivalaultra 0]

TOKYO Jan 6, 2007 (AP)— Momofuku Ando, the Japanese inventor of instant noodles a dish that has sustained American college students for decades has died. He was 96.

 

Nissin Food Products Co., the company Ando founded, said on its Web site that he died Friday after suffering a heart attack.

 

Born in Taiwan, Ando founded his company in 1948 from a humble family operation. Faced with food shortages in post-World War II Japan, Ando thought a quality, convenient noodle product would help feed the masses.

 

In 1958, his "Chicken Ramen" the first instant noodle was introduced after many trials. Following its success, the company added other products, such as the "Cup Noodle" in 1971.

 

"The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum" opened in 1999 in Ikeda City in western Japan commemorating his inventions.

 

Ando gave a speech at the company's New Year ceremony and enjoyed Chicken Ramen for lunch with Nissin employees on Thursday before falling ill, Japan's largest daily Yomiuri reported.

 

He is survived by his wife, Masako.

 

 

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

The article does not mention that Ando-san wished for his remains to be freeze-dried and sealed in a special container so that when future technology allows for it, someone will be able to bring him back to life by adding hot water.

[BUTT 0]

Hell of an idea this man had. But ramen sucks.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I admit to having had Ramen noodles on many occasions in college. They can be tasty. Kind of surprising he lived to 96...he must not have eaten them a lot.

[Guest Princess Leena]

A few people in my other death pools had him.

 

Momofuku will be missed!

[Vern Gagne 0]

Jay Leno should have a bad joke about this.

[Slayer 0]

vivaultra's already written one for him

[vivalaultra 0]

I was gonna say that his family had gotten a good deal on services for him...10 funerals for a dollar, but I thought the freeze-dried joke was better.

[Vampiro69 0]

The funeral will be on friday after which the deceased will be served in a nice bowl.

[Art Sandusky 0]

I'm enjoying some lemon pepper chicken breast cut up in some Ramen as a memorial dinner.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I Dont know how people can eat the things dry.

[Art Sandusky 0]

It's easy, especially if you've got some sweet tea or something to drink in the meantime.

[Special K 0]

Ew!

 

Nong Shim, a Korean company, makes the best noddle bowls. The 'hot' flavor is really good, and actually pretty dang spicy. The 'vegetal' (sic) flavor is the only other one I've seen.

 

It does have little pieces of fish cake (the little white and pink thingies) that people probably hate.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

His remains were nothing but pure sodium.

[vivalaultra 0]

I was doing some reading on the man, and he has an entire museum dedicated to him and Ramen noodles in his homeland. The whole gist of the museum is that you can make your own special blend of Ramen noodles and cook them yourself. The admission, needless to say, is free. I still would like to go to this museum, however.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I will eat some creamy chicken roast cup noodle in his honor.

 

It's sure as hell helpin me out a lot nowadays that I only have a microwave and mini fridge in my place. Although, I also have a slow cooker so that's made for some fantastic meals as well.

[vivalaultra 0]

I once knew this kid in 6th grade that everyday for lunch would bring Ramen noodles to school, and he wouldn't cook them, he'd eat them dry. Just...straight up dry. I tried that, but I didn't see what was so great about them. When we were 16, my friends and I had a serious debate about whether it 'Ramen' was pronounced Rahmen or Ramen. We decided to email the company and ask them, but ran into a problem phrasing the email thusly, "Hey, do you pronounce Ramen "Ramen" or "Ramen"? Please respond."

[Wyld Cannon 0]

I once knew this kid in 6th grade that everyday for lunch would bring Ramen noodles to school, and he wouldn't cook them, he'd eat them dry. Just...straight up dry. I tried that, but I didn't see what was so great about them. When we were 16, my friends and I had a serious debate about whether it 'Ramen' was pronounced Rahmen or Ramen. We decided to email the company and ask them, but ran into a problem phrasing the email thusly, "Hey, do you pronounce Ramen "Ramen" or "Ramen"? Please respond."

 

Why didn't you just do it like you did one sentence previously?? I say Rahmen, but I also say Ape-ricot.

[vivalaultra 0]

Because at 16 my friends and I weren't exactly the intellectual giants that we are now. I also say ape-ricot...and I also say the word "bayou" as by-yo, but that's neither here nor there.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

I used to think they were Raymond Noodles because my friend pronounced it that way.

[RepoMan 0]

I once knew this kid in 6th grade that everyday for lunch would bring Ramen noodles to school, and he wouldn't cook them, he'd eat them dry. Just...straight up dry. I tried that, but I didn't see what was so great about them. When we were 16, my friends and I had a serious debate about whether it 'Ramen' was pronounced Rahmen or Ramen. We decided to email the company and ask them, but ran into a problem phrasing the email thusly, "Hey, do you pronounce Ramen "Ramen" or "Ramen"? Please respond."

Whenever I make ramen, I eat the little noodles that flaked off the main block dry. They're ok. I couldn't imagine eating the whole thing dry.

 

The Ramen vs. Raman debate is as epic as pop vs. soda. I started off calling they Raymen Noodles but got converted to the Rahmen Noodles.

[vivalaultra 0]

There's a "pop vs. soda" debate? Pshaw, between who? Everybody knows that in the South (the correct speaking portion of country) it's "Soda", and that's what it is. What's this "Pop" stuff? But then if you're in South Louisiana, everything, regardless of what type of carbonated beverage, is called a Coke...or a "cold drink".

[The Amazing Rando 0]

i always thought "pop" was a northeastern thing, but I've heard it in Ohio and PA, but not so much in Maryland. I *hate* when people refer to a shopping cart as a "buggy", though.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I've heard some weirdos up here in Oregon call it pop, but all of us Californians call it soda or coke like most of the country outside the midwest.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

My dad says "soda pop". I don't know why.

[King Kamala 0]

I don't know about the rest of the Northeast, but I've never heard anyone here in Portland, Maine outside of a few elderly people call soda "pop".

[Brett Favre 0]

Yeah, over here it's soda as well. In the Dominican Republic it's coca cola. If you ask for soda, they'll give you club soda.

 

And I thought it was pronounced Raymen.

[Failed Bridge 0]

When I was around 10-12 I lived off of Beef, Pork, and Shrimp Ramen Noodles along with free school lunch since my parents were on major welfare at the time.