Mark Wiens

Last updated

Mark Wiens
Mark Wiens in Delta Dunarii 2019.jpg
Mark Wiens in 2019
Personal information
Born (1986-02-26) February 26, 1986 (age 39)
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
OccupationFood & Travel Vlogger
SpouseYing Wiens (m. 2013)
Children1
Website https://migrationology.com
YouTube information
Channels Mark Wiens
Years active2009–present
Genre(s)Food and travel
Subscribers11.4 million
Views3 billion
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg100,000 subscribers
YouTube Gold Play Button 2.svg1,000,000 subscribers
YouTube Diamond Play Button.svg10,000,000 subscribers

Last updated: Aug 13, 2025

Mark Wiens (born February 26, 1986) is an American travel and food blogger, vlogger, YouTube personality, television host, and businessman based in Bangkok, Thailand. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Personal life

Wiens was born in Phoenix, Arizona to a family of Christian missionaries. [4] He is of German and Chinese descent. [5] [6] He has lived with his family in France, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nairobi, Kenya. [7] [4] He attended Arizona State University, graduating in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in global studies. After graduation, Wiens traveled through South America, and got a job teaching English in the mountains of Patagonia. [8]

Wiens met his wife Ying while teaching English in Thailand. They were married in 2013. [9] Their son Micah Wiens was born in 2016. [9] [10]

Career

Wiens is considered one of the most popular food vloggers. [11] [12]

Wiens watched Anthony Bourdain while a student and called him a pioneer. [13]

In 2009, Wiens started Migrationology.com, [8] his food blog. In 2012, published an e-book, the Eating Thai Food Guide, and quit his job to begin blogging and making YouTube videos full-time. Wiens' travel vlog videos document his visits to dozens of countries. He has been featured as a Thai food expert by New York Magazine , [14] CNN, [15] and Andrew Zimmern. [16]

In 2019, Wiens, along with Khun Tan (Thai food blogger), Khun Pongthep (designer and actor), Chef Gigg (Chef and Thai Iron Chef Champion) opened a restaurant, เผ็ดมาร์ค (Phed Mark), in Bangkok, [17] specializing in phat kaphrao. [18] [19] [20]

In 2020, Wiens launched "The Ultimate Bangkok Food Tour" in collaboration with Bangkok-based tour company bangkokvanguards. [21] [22]

In 2022, Wiens was the host of the HBO Asia series Food Affair with Mark Wiens. The series, made in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board and directed by Eric Khoo, focused on Singaporean cuisine. [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] The series ran for a single season. [29]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2022Food Affair with Mark WiensHost
2024National Geographic: Epic Food Journeys with Mark WiensHost

References

  1. "The Future of Food and Travel Influencers". Forbes India. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  2. Haque, Fahima (October 13, 2020). "Jimmy O. Yang's Week: Watching Rom-Coms as 'Homework'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  3. "'Food Affair with Mark Wiens' set to premiere this November on HBO Go". Lifestyle Asia Singapore. October 21, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Mendoza, Angel. "International YouTube food blogger Mark Wiens reflects on his Arizona roots". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  5. "The universal language of tasty food blogger, YouTuber Mark Wiens". The Jerusalem Post . October 28, 2020. ISSN   0792-822X . Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  6. "My DNA Test Results!". YouTube . July 23, 2017.
  7. "The untold story of Mark Wiens". TheNetline. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Bronner, Stephen J. (April 11, 2018). "This Man Makes Money Off YouTube Traveling the World and Eating Street Food and Other Local Delights". Entrepreneur. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Neaupane, Sushil (May 9, 2021). "Food Vlogger Mark Wiens Wife's Challenging Motherhood Journey". hollywoodmask. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  10. Nyota, Caren (November 1, 2022). "He was broke: Mark Wiens discloses he met wife while teaching in Thailand". Tuko.co.ke - Kenya news. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  11. Burch, Cathalena E. (July 2021). "Famed food blogger Wiens features Tucson Mexican restaurants in latest videos". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  12. cue (November 13, 2022). "Meet Mark Wiens, the man who eats his way to international fame | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  13. "Mark Wiens Will Travel For Food". vogue.ph. November 30, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  14. Parks, Andrew. "Go Deeper: What to Read, Watch, and Download Before Visiting Bangkok". New York Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  15. "40 Thai foods in Bangkok we can't live without". CNN. July 12, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  16. "Tasting Thailand with Migrationology". Andrew Zimmern. January 8, 2016.
  17. "เผ็ดมาร์ค (Phed Mark)". เผ็ดมาร์ค (Phed Mark).
  18. "Phed Mark เผ็ดมาร์ค - Pad Kaprao Restaurant, Ekamai, Bangkok". phedmark.com.
  19. "Phed Mark: A Popular Restaurant In Bangkok That Specializes In Pad Kaprao". March 26, 2020.
  20. "Marks Wiens dishes on life, street food and his new restaurant". bk.asia-city.com. September 26, 2019.
  21. "The Ultimate Bangkok Food Tour!". Migrationology - Food Travel Blog. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  22. "The Ultimate Bangkok Food Tour". bangkokvanguards. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  23. Goggler (December 22, 2022). "Food Affair with Mark Wiens: A Conversation on the Art of the Food Show". Goggler. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  24. Asilo, Rito P. (November 14, 2022). "Mark Wiens makes the big jump from YouTube to mainstream TV". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  25. "Nothing's spicy enough in Singapore for popular YouTuber Mark Wiens - so he goes around with his personal bottle of ghost peppers". AsiaOne. October 26, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  26. Tomada, Nathalie M. "HBO Asia serves hot new show about Singapore's 'food obsession'". Philstar.com. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  27. "Popular YouTuber Mark Wiens has a new HBO series that's all about Singapore's obsession with food". CNA Lifestyle. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  28. "YouTuber Mark Wiens Will Host HBO Series Exploring Stories Behind S'pore Dishes". Must Share News - Independent News For Singaporeans. October 19, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  29. "MAX Original:Food Affair with Mark Wiens". HBO Max. Retrieved August 14, 2025.

Publications