The family-owned soup dumpling concept Din Tai Fung has named its first-ever CEOs of its North America division.
Brothers Aaron Yang and Albert Yang last week were named co-CEOs of Din Tai Fung North America, the growing casual-dining concept known for xiao long bao—or soup dumplings. They are the grandsons of the founder, who first opened Din Tai Fung in Taiwan in 1972. The brand has grown to include 180 units in 13 countries, including 16 in the U.S.
The concept was founded as a cooking oil business in 1958 by Bing-Yi Yang and his wife Pen-Mei Lai, but it was reborn as a noodle shop in 1972, and took off as a chain, growing with the family. The son of founder Bing-Yi, Frank Yang, brought the concept to the U.S. in 2000 and led operations here as the concept grew, opening first in Southern California.
Aaron and Albert Yang are Frank Yang’s sons. Frank, meanwhile, has moved to the role of chairman as the concept continues to grow in both the U.S. and Canada. A Din Tai Fung is scheduled to open in Vancouver next year, for example.
Albert Yang (left) and Aaron Yang. | Photos courtesy of Din Tai Fung North America.
“We are deeply honored to lead our family’s North America business through this exciting phase of growth and transformation,” the brothers said in a joint statement. “Our collective vision is to advance the organization while remaining steadfast in our commitment to excellence and quality established by our grandfather.”
The Yang brothers have both served as executive vice presidents of North America operations since 2023, and the company said they will continue to collaborate on decisions.
Aaron joined the company in 2014 focusing on restaurant operations as Din Tai Fung opened a unit in South Coast Plaza, in Southern California’s Orange County. The company said he will lead IT strategy and restaurant development, including construction, restaurant design and real estate.
Albert joined in 2015, initially managing locations like South Coast Plaza and nearby Santa Anita. He will oversee operational excellence for the brand, including kitchen operations, food safety and quality. Albert follows a “people over profits” philosophy that will elevate the brand as it expands, the company said.
A soup dumpling at Din Tai Fung. | Photo by Lisa Jennings.
Din Tai Fung recently opened its first location in New York City with a 450-seat venue, which is also the brand’s first on the East Coast. The chain also operates in Washington state, Oregon and Nevada.
Earlier this year, Din Tai Fung also opened in Downtown Disney. And the mall operator Macerich reportedly said it has signed a lease to bring the concept to Scottsdale Fashion Square in early 2025.
At Din Tai Fung, the dumplings are hand-made in house at each location, often in full view of guests who can watch the filling and dumpling crimping process.
In addition to the signature soup dumplings, the menu also includes a full range of wontons, potstickers, noodle and wok-fried dishes, as well as a full bar with Asian cocktails.
In a tough market for casual-dining concepts, Asian brands have been a bright spot. Asian casual-dining chains averaged system sales growth of more than 24% last year, nearly six times the average for casual dining as a whole, according to data from Restaurant Business sister brand Technomic’s Top 500 chain restaurant report.
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