Man Visits 8,000 Chinese Restaurants Across America, Here’s Why

For some people, food is just a means to survive, but for others – food is passion. We all know foodies who love to dine out as a means of recreation. They go and eat good food, make merry and return home to their usual lives. But for this Chinese man, every dining-out experience means serious business. We aren’t referring to any food critic, but in fact, just a 72-year-old citizen of America who is an ardent food-lover. David K. Chan is a former tax lawyer based in Los Angeles, and he claims that he has visited nearly 8,000 Chinese restaurants across the US to date. Each of his outings has been painstakingly curated in the form of a spreadsheet, as well as on his personal blog and Instagram handle. Take a look:

David K. Chan has been dining at Chinese restaurants since the 1960s. The idea behind his numerous visits to Chinese restaurants, at least at the beginning, was to search for his identity through food. “My interest in the history of Chinese in the US led me to eat Chinese food and see what it was like to be Chinese in different parts of the country,” he told BBC in a recent interview. However, his quest later became a chronicle of Chinese food in America and how much the culture has evolved over the years.

Calling himself a ‘restaurant collector’, Chan has been featured on multiple news websites and social media platforms. From dumplings to rice, soups to snacks – David K. Chan documents it all. However, he tries to stick to a low-sugar, low-cholesterol diet as much as possible. He also says the secret to staying fit is practicing portion control and regular exercise.

(Also Read: 10 Most Popular Chinese Restaurants In Bangalore)

As for his future plans, Chan says he hopes to try as many restaurants as possible even after his retirement. We would definitely love to see where his culinary journeys take him to! What did you think of the Chinese man’s passion for food? Tell us in the comments below.

About Aditi AhujaAditi loves talking to and meeting like-minded foodies (especially the kind who like veg momos). Plus points if you get her bad jokes and sitcom references, or if you recommend a new place to eat at.