momofuku ando, 1910 - 2007

by rameniac | 05 Jan 2007

It is with a heavily clogged heart that I come to you with news of the passing of Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant ramen. The 96-year old founder and chairman of Nissin Foods developed a fever and was en route via ambulance to a Kansai-area hospital when he died of a heart attack at 6:40 pm today (Japan time). Born Wu Bai-Fu, Ando was a Taiwanese immigrant to Japan who experienced numerous failed business ventures and even served time in prison (for tax evasion) before perfecting a flash-frying method to dry noodles in 1958.

Chikin Ramen ("chicken ramen") was at first an expensive, luxury food product, but innovations in manufacturing soon brought prices down. The first ever instant ramen became a ubiquitous and popular snack food during Japan’s lean, post-war years. In 1964 Ando founded the Instant Food Industry Association, which established standards for instant noodle quality.

The chairman of the International Ramen Manufacturer’s Association had been working in a reduced role within Nissin right up until the time of his death, having recently celebrated a banner year with the 35th anniversary of the Cup Noodles brand and the development of “Space Ram” - ramen for astronauts headed into space. The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum in Osaka is named after him.

Reincarnate well, my good man. I’ll have a nice green salad in your honor.


credit goes to Okama bin Ramen for the tip.
sources: Yomiuri Shinbun, Time Asia, and just general common knowledge.