In recent years, food blogging and video eating have reached a global peak with everyone able to document their food adventure, whether it’s eating slurpy soups on tiny chairs in Hanoi or eating outrageously priced rare delicacies in top-notch restaurants. With the rise of technology and the accessibility of 4K cameras in our hands, it’s a hobby easily within reach for all. However, long before Instagram ‘food-fluencers’ and Tik Tok Mukbang, there was one man who could be credited as starting the world of food vlogging. Mark Wiens, a name synonymous with food adventures, needs little introduction in Bangkok or among his legion of fans worldwide.
Wiens wears many hats – he’s a travel and food blogger, vlogger, YouTube personality, television host, and restaurateur, with his home base in bustling Bangkok, Thailand. He has garnered widespread acclaim as one of the most influential figures in the world of food vlogging.
Originally hailing from the United States, Mark fondly remembers his school days during lunchtime as an expose to cultures, courtesy of his friends’ packed lunches bursting with flavours from around the world. From the spices of India to the savoury delights of Korea and even Ethiopian cuisine, each meal sparked his curiosity and set him on a path of world exploration. These childhood experiences planted the seeds of curiosity in Mark’s heart, inspiring him to travel the globe in search of authentic flavours and cultural connections.
While he was still at university, he would drive down to the Mexican border simply to taste delicious food. The trip to Asia came later, around 2009, and Thailand was his first destination here without any real intention to stay. It was only after a childhood friend in the region wanted to meet that he chose Bangkok for their rendezvous during his travels through Indonesia and the Philippines.
Despite being broke backpackers, they decided to team up to teach English at English camps, a place that many backpackers can easily get into without accreditation, offering them the joy of teaching their mother tongue. It was also the beginning of something special for Mark that opened up the country to him. It allowed him to travel to lesser-known provinces like Buriram, places that are off the beaten path and are seldom visited.
After returning to Bangkok, he got a full-time job in education, where he met his wife. During that time, Mark was always blogging, it was blogging’s heyday, but video only tempted him around 2010. With no experience and a small point-and-shoot camera a 3.2-megapixel Canon Powershot, he learnt that video is much more fun than writing. Before social media doom scrolling, YouTube videos were mostly unedited and short back then. Writing was always an informational endeavour to share knowledge with his readers but video creating was more enjoyable. It was great to capture the ambience and atmosphere of a restaurant, but something needed to be added. The actual eating experience!
Mark understood the future of video, and how his audience enjoyed watching him eat strange and exotic foods. As technology and internet speeds increased, it was only a matter of time before things went one way. Flash forward to today, and he has amassed an astounding 10 million followers on YouTube with many of his videos receiving millions in views.
“Mark now travels the globe, collaborating with numerous tourism boards and governments to advocate for food tourism. In 2020, Wiens introduced “The Ultimate Bangkok Food Tour” in collaboration with bangkokvanguards, a prominent tour company based in Bangkok. By 2022, Wiens had been appointed as the host of the HBO Asia series, Food Affair with Mark Wiens. This series, developed in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board and under the direction of Eric Khoo, centred around Singaporean cuisine. This journey has led him to sample some truly unconventional dishes! When asked about the most peculiar items he’s tasted, he replied “I’ve eaten all the insects and bugs, a lot of raw things, lizards, pretty much everything. Even kidneys straight out of a goat in Kenya!”
However, Bangkok remains his true home. In 2019, Wiens, in collaboration with Khun Tan, Khun Pongthep, and Chef Gigg, introduced ‘Phed Mark’, a Bangkok-based restaurant specialising in the famous Thai dish, pad kaprao. Located in downtown Ekkamai, Phed Mark offers the ultimate pad kaprao experience, with Wiens recommending options featuring buffalo or squid and particularly his preference for his mother-in-law’s spicy rendition with a ton of garlic! With a straightforward menu offering five spice levels and five types of meat, it’s a great way to taste Mark’s passion for spice all in a tasty bowl!