26th March 2023 – (Taipei) Taiwan’s food industry has lost a legend as Din Tai Fung founder, Yang Bing-yi, passed away at the age of 96. The restaurant is known for its signature dumplings and small steamed buns. Din Tai Fung’s first restaurant was founded in Taiwan in 1972. Since then, the company has expanded to establish 119 branches across 15 countries, including Japan, the United States, mainland China, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Macau, UAE, United Kingdom and the Philippines.
Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise was among the many fans of Din Tai Fung, as he was invited to the restaurant’s Taipei 101 location in 2013 to learn how to make their signature xiaolongbao dumplings. The restaurant’s popularity only continued to grow, with customers raving about their exceptional service and the delicious food.
Born in the Chinese province of Shanxi in 1927, Yang Bing-yi travelled to Taiwan via ship during the civil war in 1948. He initially founded a cooking oil business, but due to the introduction of salad oil in metal tins in 1972, he decided to change course.
As the cooking oil business struggled, Yang and his wife decided to follow the advice of a businessman and devote half of their store on Xinyi Road to selling steamed buns. The buns were an instant hit, and they made the decision to abandon the cooking oil business entirely.
Yang Bing-yi’s legacy will live on in the form of the restaurant chain he created. His dedication to serving quality food and excellent service made Din Tai Fung a global name. Although his relatives did not disclose the date and cause of his death, they did say that the funeral arrangements would be kept low-key.
Fans of Din Tai Fung have taken to social media to express their condolences and pay their respects to the late founder. Many have shared their stories of visiting the restaurant, praising its welcoming atmosphere and delicious food.