A Simple Idea

Much is being written in praise of Momofuku Ando, the Japanese businessman who invented instant noodles. He died this week at the age of 96.

Just what was his genius?

Was it helping feed the hungry masses of Japan after WWII?

Was it having his original product, Chicken Ramen, taste of chicken rather than pork or beef? (Chicken, he once said, is eaten by every culture, shunned by none.)

Was it packaging his noodles in a waterproof polystyrene container?

Was it creating the first instant-noodle museum? (The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum opened in 1999.)

Was it sending vacuum-packed instant noodles into space? (Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi took them with him during a 2005 mission aboard the space shuttle Discovery.)

In my opinion, it was none of those things.

What this man did was market a brilliant and convenient dining concept. It goes like this: Add hot water.

Now that was a smart man.