On Jan. 5, the man who made it possible for poor college students to have something decent to eat died. Momofuku Ando, who invented the instant noodle in 1958, also showed you could live a long life despite consuming lots of ramen. Ando, the founder of Nissin Foods, which makes Top Ramen and Cup Noodles, succumbed to heart failure at age 96.

Ando’s creation would prove essential in countless Korean households. Without it, what would dads have made for their children when moms weren’t around? In an informal survey of Korean Americans, the only meal a majority of their fathers could prepare was ramen. I remember quietly sitting at the dinner table with my dad, slurping up Sapporo Ichiban, always cooked with an egg. It was a father-son bond — made of broth and noodles.

—    Jimmy Lee

 

 

Ramen Tidbits

79 Number of noodles in one package

25” Length of one noodle

167’ Total length of noodles in one package

 

 

Source: The Japan Convenience Foods Industry Association