Momofuku Ando’s 105th Birthday
If you’ve ever needed to eat something quickly and cheaply, you may be familiar with this mantra:
"Peel off the lid.
Pour boiling water into the cup.
Let sit for three minutes.
Stir well and serve.”
With these four simple steps, Taiwanese-Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando introduced to the world instant ramen, a dish that not only revolutionized food but also serves as a testament to what hard work and perseverance can achieve. Our doodle for the inventor’s 105th birthday showcases Momofuku’s efforts to make instant noodles, but don’t let the speed of the animations fool you – it took Ando years to figure out the recipe!
“It took 48 years of my life for me to come up with the idea of instant noodles. Each and every event in the past is connected to the present by invisible threads.”
– Momofuku Ando
“People can only be content when there is enough food.”
– Momofuku Ando
“Inspiration leads to invention. Tenacity is the breeding ground for inspiration. There can be no invention in the absence of tenacity.”
– Momofuku Ando
After months of hard work, Ando’s perseverance paid off. He eventually discovered that by flash-frying ramen noodles in tempura oil, tiny holes were created in the noodles that allowed them to cook nearly instantly once combined with hot water. It was a success, and customers were enthusiastic about the time they were saving. It was the first step to achieving Ando’s goal of ending world hunger.
“Peace will come to the world when all its people have enough to eat.”
– Momofuku Ando
“When you cast away all your greed and fixation in adversity, you can find unexpected strength.”
– Momofuku Ando
“It is never too late to do anything in life.”
– Momofuku Ando