Q&A: Chubby Dumpling Founders Joe and Chantel Yeung
Chubby Dumpling is the latest addition to London’s ever-growing, quick eats scene. Father and daughter duo, Joe and Chantel Yeung, are behind the popular food truck operation. Travelling across London in a 1992 fire engine, they have been serving up intricately folded and tasty little pillows of joy to hungry city-goers.
Founder of Chubby Dumpling, Chantel Yeung shares their heartwarming story with Honest Food Talks. Read the interview below, we’re sure you’ll want to grab yourself some delicious handmade dumplings after!
Who is behind Chubby Dumpling?
My dad, Joe, has always worked in restaurants and hotels since he was a kid. A few years after moving to England, he opened his own restaurant. He had it for 31 years, closed it two years ago, and entered retirement. I had been working as a graphic designer but I was tired of sitting at a desk all day and knew it wasn’t what I really wanted to do.
When Dad retired he got really into making dumplings. He would experiment with different recipes, different wrappers, different ways of folding them, etc.
He started spending his days making dumplings all day. There were too many dumplings for us to eat – and too many to feed our friends!
So, I convinced him to come out of retirement and set up a food van with me, a more relaxed way of working than his restaurant days as it would just be a couple of days a week.
Founders of Chubby Dumpling, Joe Yeung and Chantel Yeung.
Where does the name Chubby Dumpling come from?
I thought the name had to be Chubby Dumpling because I’ve always LOVED Dad’s dumplings he makes! He used to call me a chubby little dumpling when I was a kid because I was pretty podgy and I would scoff all the dumplings he made.
The recipes belong to my Dad, and they’re mostly what he learned from his Mum when he was growing up in Hong Kong.
What is your mission statement?
Founder Joe Yeung, preparing for another busy lunch service.
‘Taking Dad’s treats to the streets’
Founder, Chantel Yeung
Really just sharing Dad’s delicious dumplings with other people. The whole ethos of Chinese eating is to share food. You have lots of dishes in the middle of the table and you all share.
I’ve been lucky enough to grow up being fed the most amazing food, and now I want to share it with everyone else.
What’s a typical day at Chubby Dumpling?
Our days are spent making dumplings, prepping food, going to the markets and recipe testing. Even on our days off, Dad makes us special dumplings with different fillings!
What’s the best thing to order from Chubby Dumpling?
The best thing to order is probably the chicken and shiitake mushroom dumplings (in my opinion)! It’s really tasty, and it’s one that Dad has been making for us for as long as I can remember.
Are there any exciting plans from Chubby Dumpling?
We are always on the lookout for new locations to trade at, events to cater, etc. We have a few things lined up, but we’re still pretty new and getting used to everything, learning from mistakes and always trying to improve. Dad is always making different dumplings to have on the specials, so it keeps things interesting and fun!
Noodles are tossed in creamy sesame and peanut dressing.
Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about you?
We just love having the opportunity to feed people, there’s really no better feeling than getting positive feedback from customers – and it makes all the work worthwhile.
Where is Chubby Dumpling?
We trade with Kerb markets at West India Quays and Kings Cross. You can find us at various other locations (it changes each week); Truman Brewery, City Point, Broadgate Circle. And, every Saturday we are at the Brockley Market.
Chubby Dumpling
Serving London Handmade Dumplings
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