English text by Irene Luo
Photography by Xuehui Zhang
In one of his many videos on all-you-can-eat buffets, YouTube vlogger Mike Chen transports viewers to Saigon, Vietnam, to revel in a mouthwatering feast of seafood at Hotel Nikko Saigon. As we watch with anticipation, Mike piles up plate after plate with beguiling delicacies and orders a variety of custom-made lobster and crab, as well as soup and stir-fried noodles. Like always, he brims with contagious enthusiasm as he relishes the scrumptious flavors. It would seem natural for viewers to dislike only being able to see and not taste all the mouthwatering dishes. Yet his fans say they feel immensely gratified just watching him eat—as if they were experiencing it themselves.
Since Mike started his YouTube career six years ago, he has attracted a massive following on his nearly dozen channels. They feature an eclectic variety of content, ranging from food adventures to traditional Chinese culture to supernatural phenomena. For his Strictly Dumpling channel, Mike travels the globe exploring different cuisine, from delicious A5 Wagyu steak in Japan—“the best food I’ve ever had”—to a mountainous 50-pound plate of lobster in Toronto. His most popular channel, Beyond Science, delves into Earth’s mysteries and strange phenomena that cannot be explained by science. Over the years, Mike has amassed millions of subscribers, and his videos have enjoyed over 700 million views.
For his Strictly Dumpling channel, which has over 2.1 million subscribers, Mike travels the globe exploring different cuisine.
In a world of increasing negativity, he’s going against the tide with videos that radiate sincerity and positivity. “My videos are always made so that after people watch them, they can feel better,” Mike says. “I love it when some people say that after they’ve been going through a pretty depressing period or had a bad day, they watched a video and it made them feel better.”
Living His Passion
As a YouTube personality, Mike has garnered fame for his insatiable love to eat. Growing up, he always loved to cook. What he conjures up “might not look the best, but it tastes good,” he says. Less than a year ago, his team launched a new channel, Pho the Love of Food, filled with yummy and easy-to-learn recipes. Besides videos on cooking, he has “hundreds of ideas” for new YouTube channels, he says, which he hopes to eventually bring to fruition. He also hopes to expand by launching cookbooks and travel guides and hosting his own TV shows. “But I’ve got to do it one step at a time,” he says.
Contrary to expectations, life as a YouTube star can be surprisingly tough. “It’s 24/7, 365. No weekends. No holidays,” Mike says. “That’s why you’ve got to love what you do, otherwise you can’t do it.” And he has faced his fair share of obstacles, from shop owners who refuse to let him film to detractors who post disparaging comments. But Mike doesn’t let them deter him: “Not everyone’s going to love what you do. There’s always going to be people who judge you.”
He focuses on the positives, of which there have been many. During his globetrotting adventures, he’s had many heartwarming encounters with strangers. When his team landed in India, he recalls, a lady went out of her way to help him and his team locate their Airbnb accommodations. She “took us, called her friends, guessed which building it would have been, and insisted on going in,” despite the protests of the security guard who tried to stop her. In the end, it turns out she was right about the building. “That was way beyond what she had to do for us, but she was nice enough to do that.”
Over time, he’s been rewarded with a loyal fanbase, many of whom give him encouraging comments, letters of support, and heartwarming gifts, like a fan who mailed him over a dozen packs of unique ramen flavors to try. He feels immensely humbled and grateful for the community that has emerged around his video content. “You build a sense of friendship with your fans, and that’s why I stick with it,” Mike says.
In all his videos, he strives to be sincere and stay true to himself. “It’s really about your authentic reactions,” he says. “And that’s why I say, you’ve gotta do what you’re passionate about. Otherwise, you won’t have that enthusiasm no matter how hard you try.”
Celebrating His Roots
Besides food and travel, a sizable portion of his content deals with Chinese culture, from cultural differences between East and West to ancient stories and legends. “Chinese culture is one of the most underappreciated cultures in the world,” he says.
Growing up in the Midwest, Mike didn’t always appreciate his cultural background. “Everybody around me was white. I wanted to be white,” he says. But as he grew older, Mike slowly came to cherish his cultural heritage and its extraordinary vitality. “It’s not just martial arts and fried rice or whatever. It’s actually way deeper than that. And the more you explore it, the more you love it.”
In college, Mike began practicing the ancient Chinese spiritual discipline of Falun Dafa, after he witnessed how the practice miraculously transformed his bad-tempered father into a kind and considerate man. The practice combines relaxing meditation exercises with a moral philosophy based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Falun Dafa, which epitomizes China’s long-standing tradition of self-cultivation, has helped Mike relieve stress and kept him grounded over the years.
And perhaps his practice of Falun Dafa helps to explain his heartwarming geniality and infectious enthusiasm, which have captivated and touched millions across the globe. As a YouTuber, Mike feels a responsibility to do good, to release content that does not merely attract viewers but positively impacts them. “You’ve got a lot of negative content out there. I’m just trying to do my part in creating a more positive environment for people,” Mike says.
Mike’s mouthwateringly satisfying videos have galvanized many of his fans to set off on their own food adventures.
