What happens when a team of three 24-year old software developers and freelance designers-turned-chefs enter a competition put on by at least one person from the team that brought you American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, in hopes of "Reinventing Fast Food"? They make a pad thai cart, naturally. Because noodles are the food of the future.
That's not really fair though - because the Udon Project hopes to learn from, rather than try to rebel against, the American fast food industry that has been so beleaguered lately. By making a productized (read: packaged and portable) version of pad thai, they hope to prove that fast food can be both convenient and worthy of savoring during what little time you have.
So, at a time when fast food is accused of exploiting children and Slow Food is either too patronizing or simply has us worried that we just poisoned the dinner guests by foraging the wrong type of mushroom, we welcome some fresh ideas. Especially if they can get America to actually enjoy eating again without being gross or obnoxious about it.
Also, they're still looking for a name for their flagship pad thai, so any budding fast food product marketers out there, now's your chance! (We already suggested "thaiPad", thanks for playing.)
