TOKYO, March 1, 2007
Sad Day For Cup Noodle Lovers
"Mr. Noodle", Japanese Inventor Of College Diet Staple Dies At 96
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Momofuku Ando, Nissin food products chairman and popularly known as maker of instant noodles, eats sample of noodles for astronauts called "Space Ram" during a press conference at the company's Instant Noodle Museum in Osaka, July 27, 2005. (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)
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This Nov. 25, 2004 file photo shows Momofuku Ando, founder of Japan's Nissin Food Products Co., holding a cup of instant noodles during the opening ceremony at the refurbished Instant Ramen Museum in Osaka, western Japan. (KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)
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Let's try the name first: Momofuku Ando.
Ring a bell?
No. Okay, let's try again.
Remember those meals of "Cup Noodles" – that was his doing. His nickname was "Mr. Noodle" and he invented dried noodles. Dried noodles that even went into space.
Which brings us to Osaka, Japan, where his funeral this week had a space theme, because his noodles made it into orbit. He made a special kind called "Space Ram" that could be vacuum packed and eaten in zero gravity.
Japan is proud of Mr. Noodle, who died recently at 96. Some 6,500 people came to the funeral in Osaka, including former prime ministers, and friends.
They remembered him for creating something unique, now eaten around the world, and out of it.
It was a pretty amazing feat selling dried noodles in a country that prides itself on serving fresh noodles at thousands upon thousands of small restaurants. Noodles served with vegetables or pork.
If you have visited Japan, you've almost certainly ducked into a noodle shop, where they often take pride in making their noodles from scratch.
But a hurried life meant success for a meal designed to be eaten on the run. Success, and the Nissin food brand, which does sales over $2 billion ever year — one cup at a time.
So we'll remember the late nights studying at college when we needed food… or lunch at the office when there wasn't time to get out… or maybe just a snack while watching TV. A little hot water and presto… a meal in a cup.
Next time that cup of noodles comes in handy to satisfy the appetite, it's easy to remember the man who deserves the thanks; Mr. Noodle.
Now the name Momofuku Ando rings a bell, right?
Barry Petersen © MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Add a Comment
- This man's food product has helped millions of college students to make it through late-night study sessions, and survive when their meal plans have run out! Rest in peace!
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- Geez...a little slow on the uptake, aren't you CBS? That was a "breaking story" in the beginning of last month, unless his country pulled an Anna Nicole and didn't have him buried until now.
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- Where's the article extolling the contribution of the inventor of SPAM?
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- I that it was to respond to the after affects of nuclear fallout. Is things going that slow in Iraq. Let's ramp things up a bit.
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- Must've been a SLOW news day.
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- What a waste of space.
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- Also, sad is that this is posted up under the "Breaking News" section!
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- Whoa, this is almost 2 months late! The man died on January 5th (nice of you to leave out the date, btw) and you're just writing an article about his death now? That's very insulting.
******** Ando, your cup noodles saved my life. - Reply to this comment
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