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Mike Chen

Mike Chen, also known as Mikey, is the creator behind Strictly Dumpling, sharing food trips through night markets, convenience stores, neighborhood restaurants and buffets.

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Latest

Mike’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.

Known for

Overview

Also known as: Mikey Chen; Strictly Dumpling
Work: Food and travel video creator and host
Roots: Born in China and raised in the American Midwest around the family’s Chinese buffet restaurants
Before YouTube: Studied accounting and worked at Morgan Stanley before moving into nonprofit work
Food channel: Strictly Dumpling launched in 2013
Early favorites: The giant pho challenge and 7-Eleven food videos helped define the channel
Recognition: Food finalist, 11th Annual Shorty Awards, 2019

Mini bio

Around the family table.

Mike grew up in the Midwest, where the family ran Chinese buffet restaurants. That early view of the food business connects with the buffets, neighborhood restaurants and regional dishes that fill Strictly Dumpling today.

A different first plan.

In a 2018 Reddit AMA, Mike explained that the original plan was to study accounting and become an FBI agent. A year at Morgan Stanley led to nonprofit work focused on human rights in China, then YouTube, and eventually food videos.

Finding an audience.

Strictly Dumpling launched in 2013. By the time of the 2019 Shorty Awards, the channel had passed two million subscribers. The awards profile singled out the giant pho challenge and convenience-store meals in Taiwan and Japan among Mike’s popular videos.

More than one channel.

Mike also hosts the personal Mike Chen channel and created Beyond Science. In an April 2018 Radio ITVT interview, Mike discussed how the channels began, how they were produced and plans to bring the videos to more platforms.

Still following the food.

Recent uploads move between French Costco food, Paris noodles and dumplings, Florida buffets and Japanese king crab rankings. The October 2026 look back at expensive meals also gathers food experiences from more than a decade of filming.

Creditschronological, newest first

Interviews

2020Around the World with YouTube Superstar Mikey ChenGuest in conversation with GQ India editor Che Kurrien
2018Radio ITVT: Interview with YouTube Star, Mike ChenInterview guest with Tracy Swedlow

Food videos

2018Eating BRUNCH at Taiwan 7-ELEVENCreator and host, Strictly Dumpling
2018Brunch at 7-ELEVEN VS LAWSON in Tokyo JapanCreator and host, Strictly Dumpling
2016The MASSIVE Pho Noodle Soup Challenge!!!Creator and host, Strictly Dumpling

Awards

11th Annual Shorty Awards2019 · Finalist in Food for Strictly Dumpling

Quotes

For me, I just like to walk around and see where the locals go.Mike Chen, Reddit AMA with Insider, June 5, 2018

On finding hidden food spots while traveling. Transcript linked in sources.

Trivia

Mike originally studied accounting with the idea of becoming an FBI agent, according to the 2018 AMA.
In that AMA, Mike named Ichiran as a favorite ramen shop and recommended the pancakes at MU.
Mike listed The Wedding Singer and Hitch among favorite romantic comedies in the same AMA.