Michelin Soup Dumplings: The Taste of Perseverance | Tao Chen | TEDxNSFZ Youth

Quick Overview

Chen Tao, the intangible cultural heritage inheritor of the Soup Dumpling brand, shares his story of perseverance, emphasizing that true success lies not in shocking achievements but in finding personal value and steadfastness in ordinary tasks, like consistently hand-making 100-150 soup dumplings daily for years, which eventually earned recognition and allowed him to expand his business.

Key Points: Tao Chen is an intangible cultural heritage inheritor focusing on the traditional craft of making soup dumplings. He emphasizes that real success is finding personal value and steadfastness in ordinary work, not just achieving shocking feats. He committed to manually making 100 to 150 soup dumplings daily for years, even when his business was struggling. His dedication led to positive feedback and eventual recognition, including being listed as a recommended restaurant in Nanjing. He contrasts his manual labor (hand-wrapping) with using machinery for tasks like mixing the filling, showing a blend of tradition and modern efficiency. He recounts a story where his family initially opposed his decision to open the dumpling shop, highlighting the initial struggle and doubt. The core message is that perseverance in seemingly mundane tasks builds genuine value and leads to success.

Context: Tao Chen, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage associated with soup dumpling making, shares his personal journey of establishing and sustaining his family's traditional craft business. The narrative focuses on his dedication to the meticulous, hand-made process of creating soup dumplings, contrasting the early struggles and skepticism from family and peers with the eventual recognition and success achieved through unwavering commitment to quality and consistency.

Detailed Analysis

Tao Chen opens by introducing himself and his core philosophy: 'Foot on the ground, persist in doing one thing well.' He recounts the story of his family's soup dumpling business, 'Haopo Soup Dumplings' (好婆汤包), which he took over in 2004 while still in high school, despite initial family opposition and the difficulty of maintaining a demanding physical craft. He describes the intense labor involved, such as hand-making 100 to 150 dumplings daily, even using machinery for the filling mixing process, which was faster but less tactile. He details how he personally ensured the quality, even when facing criticism that his work was too common or not 'shocking' enough for success. He faced skepticism from peers and family about his choice to run a small food stall instead of pursuing a more conventional career path. He eventually expanded the business, opening a new location in 2017, and this dedication to the craft led to recognition, including being listed as a recommended restaurant by Dianping (大众点评) in both 2019 and 2021. He concludes by summarizing his message: True success is not about earth-shattering achievements but about finding personal value and steadfastness in ordinary, persistent work.