Dating back far enough that no one knows exactly where it came from, ramen noodles are considered to be a favorite common dish among many cultures in Eastern Asia. The noodles were hand made with flour, oil, and egg. Having been served with broth and vegetables, ramen was healthy but not considered to be a quick meal by any standard. The world of ramen quite literally changed when Momofuku Ando in Japan founded the Nissin Operation in 1958. His intention was to address the food scarcity that followed WWII. He created his invention of “instant noodles” to feed mass numbers of people. His dream was that ramen would soon be enjoyed worldwide.

In an interview between Hans Lienesch, The Ramen Rater (theramenrater.com) and Mr. Daisuke Okabayashi, Assistant Manager of the Corporate Communications Division at Nissin Foods Holdings in Tokyo, Japan, they discussed the innovation made by Nissin in the world of instant ramen.

“The invention of Cup Noodles was the biggest innovation in the instant noodle history. The functions of the cup are not only packaging noodles, but also a cooker, and a cup for eating. What is most innovative is that there are three functions in one cup. And I think this invention triggered to turn local Japanese instant ramen into the truly global food, instant noodles,” Daisuke Okabayashi, Assistant Manager of the Corporate Communications Division at Nissin Foods Holdings in Tokyo, Japan said in an interview with Hans Lienesch, The Ramen Rater.

Ramen noodles are consumed on a mass basis today, worldwide. The peak at which Ando ever predicted his invention would get to was surpassed greatly when a new book titled The Noodle Narratives, estimated that from the time instant ramen was created to the year 2012, over 100 billion servings have been sold worldwide.

“If I could have anything in the world, I’d probably have steak. Everyday. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But that’s not as possible as ramen is. So I could have ramen three meals a day easily. It’s easier to make,” Soulyvanh Phongsavath, teacher and ramen-lover, said.

It is possible to stray from the provided instructions on the back of the instant ramen package. Some people find it a challenge to add their own unique twist on their ramen. It can be through changing the way the noodles are cooked (if they cook them at all) or by replacing the provided seasoning packet with their own concoction of spices.

“We used to make something called ramen casserole. It contains ramen and beef. And you use the ramen packet of seasoning to season the beef so you don’t season the noodles. And you put that over tortilla chips. You put the beef on top of the ramen. You put cheese on top of the beef. And then you put sour cream on top of it all. And that’s ramen casserole,” Spanish teacher, Cory Borup said.