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

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbJAtJZDzes
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/DbJAtJZDzes
Generated: 2025-11-11T15:39:34.188+00:00

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## 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.

![Screenshot at 0:04: Speaker Chen Tao is introduced as an Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor, holding an award, setting the stage for his story about perseverance.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-00-04.png)

**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.

### Introduction and Core Philosophy

- Tao Chen introduces himself as an intangible cultural heritage inheritor, emphasizing his guiding principle: 'persist in doing one thing well'
- He recounts taking over the family soup dumpling business after graduating high school in 2004
- He faced initial opposition from family who doubted the endeavor.

### The Grind of Tradition

- Chen details the intense daily labor, hand-making 100-150 dumplings per day, even using machinery for tasks like mixing the filling for speed
- He contrasts this with the traditional hand-wrapping, which he maintained for quality control
- He notes that some critics felt his work lacked the 'shock factor' for success.

### Achieving Recognition Through Perseverance

- After years of hard work, the business gained traction, receiving positive feedback from locals and customers
- The business earned recognition from Dianping (大众点评) as a recommended restaurant in 2019 and 2021
- This recognition proved that steady, honest work in an ordinary field holds significant value.

### Conclusion and Key Takeaway

- Chen summarizes that true success is not defined by grand, earth-shattering achievements but by finding personal value and steadfastness in consistent, dedicated effort on ordinary tasks.

![Screenshot at 0:04: Speaker Chen Tao is introduced as an Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritor, holding an award, setting the stage for his story about perseverance.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-00-04.png)
![Screenshot at 0:14: Tao Chen is welcomed onto the TEDx stage, standing on the signature red circle.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-00-14.png)
![Screenshot at 1:11: A slide displays the core tenet: 'Persevere in doing one thing well' \(坚持脚踏实地做好一件事\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-01-11.png)
![Screenshot at 1:57: A slide shows a family photo alongside images of the dumplings, illustrating the personal and product focus of his journey.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-01-57.png)
![Screenshot at 2:23: A slide shows two images: the exterior of the 'Haopo Soup Dumplings' shop upon opening \(2017.03.07\) and a refrigerator stocked with their pre-packaged dumplings.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-02-23.png)
![Screenshot at 3:17: A slide displays historical photos of Nanjing, contrasting the old city landscape with the modern location of his shop.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-03-17.png)
![Screenshot at 5:09: A slide shows a close-up of dumpling filling preparation, with dough balls lined up, illustrating the manual effort involved.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-05-09.png)
![Screenshot at 9:58: A slide displays photos showing the speaker receiving 'Must-Eat List' awards from Dianping in 2019 and 2021, confirming business success.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-09-58.png)
![Screenshot at 13:51: The final slide displays the concluding message: 'True success is not necessarily earth-shattering, but being able to find one's own value and steadfastness in ordinary things.'](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/DbJAtJZDzes/00-13-51.png)