You ever wonder who’s behind those slick air fryers that have taken over kitchens? No, it’s not some celebrity chef or a Silicon Valley tech bro. It’s this Dutch engineer dude named fred van der weij. Yeah, you heard me right—fred van der weij.
The Guy Who Said “Enough With Grease”
Here’s the thing. I never knew who made the air fryer until recently. Turns out, fred van der weij was sick of soggy fries and oily messes just like me.
He wasn’t a chef or a food blogger—he was an engineer. But one day, he said to himself, “Man, cooking greasy food without all that oil would be wicked cool.” So he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
Honestly, I tried cutting back oil once. Disaster. My first attempt at oven fries? Turned into charcoal before I blinked. If fred van der weij hadn’t gone all mad scientist, I’d still be drowning my fries in oil.
How Fred Van Der Weij Cooked Up The Air Fryer
So, fred van der weij cooked up this thing called Rapid Air Technology. Sounds fancy, but basically, it’s just hot air zooming around your food so it crisps without deep frying.
Picture this: hot air swirling at top speed, crisping fries, wings, whatever, with barely a splash of oil. I mean, why didn’t I think of that? Wait, probably because I’m not an engineer.
One time I tried to recreate this at home with a hairdryer and some aluminum foil. Don’t do that. The fire alarm still hasn’t forgiven me.
The Big Moment: Philips and the Berlin Reveal
Fast forward to 2010, and fred van der weij teamed up with Philips. Yeah, those same guys who make fancy light bulbs.
They dropped the first commercial air fryer at IFA Berlin, this big tech fair. Word spread fast. I remember seeing my buddy post a video of fries sizzling away with zero oil, and I thought, “This is it. The future is now.”
Why We Love the Air Fryer (Thanks, Fred!)
Honestly, the air fryer felt like a magic box. Healthy cooking? Check. Fast cooking? Check. Crispiness that fools your taste buds? Double check.
And it’s so simple. Throw in frozen fries, set the timer, and boom. No more standing over a hot stove getting splattered by angry oil.
I’m convinced fred van der weij deserves a Nobel Prize or at least a lifetime supply of fries.
Air Fryer Culture: The Meme Machine
Now, thanks to fred van der weij, air fryers aren’t just gadgets—they’re cult classics. Social media is stuffed with air fryer hacks.
People air-frying everything: Oreos, steak, even cupcakes. My cousin tried air-frying a whole chicken once. It was glorious—and smelled like heaven for two days.
And accessories? There are silicone baskets, liners, and god knows what else. I bought a pizza tray that I swear makes me a gourmet chef.
The Big Picture: More Than Just Fried Food
Here’s something wild. Because of fred van der weij, supermarkets now slap air fryer instructions on frozen food packages. Yeah, it’s that big.
My neighbor Tina swears her kale chips made in the air fryer cured her Zoom fatigue. She’s probably onto something. The cracked spatula from Pete’s Hardware still has kale crumbs stuck in it—true story.
How The Air Fryer Changed My Life (And Yours)
Honestly, before fred van der weij, “crispy” meant “deep fried and artery-clogging.” Now? It means healthier, faster, less mess.
I’m not saying it’s a miracle, but the first time I air-fried frozen tater tots and they came out perfect, I might have cried a little. No shame.
Weird Bits: Did You Know?
Here’s a nugget for y’all: Victorians thought talking to plants kept you sane. I’m not sure if chatting up my begonias counts, but if it did, I’d be a gardening guru by now.
And fred van der weij? He just wanted better fries. Sometimes, genius is simple.
The Future: What’s Next for Fred and Friends?
Word is, smart air fryers with apps and AI are coming. I’m not convinced my microwave needs more Wi-Fi, but hey, fred van der weij started the party.
Maybe next time, I’ll ask him for tips on not burning my breakfast eggs. Or maybe I’ll just stick to air frying.
The Bottom Line
So yeah, next time you toss some wings or fries into your air fryer, think about fred van der weij. This guy changed how we eat for good.
I mean, my sourdough starter from 2020 died quicker than my patience with instant noodles, but thanks to him, my food game is at least halfway decent now.
Anyway, cheers to crispy, less-greasy goodness.
