Recently, news that Dong Van Hung (born in 1996), the owner of the YouTube channel "Mom's Cooking," was included in Forbes' Top 30 Under 30 Asia list has attracted widespread attention from the online community. He was honored in the field of Media, Marketing & Advertising for his success in introducing Vietnamese countryside cuisine to a global audience through his YouTube channel, which boasts over 1 million subscribers.

On this occasion, Travellive had the opportunity to chat and share interesting stories with Mr. Dong Van Hung about his mother's rustic kitchen and the future direction of his YouTube channel "Mom's Cooking".

On May 16th, Forbes magazine announced its 2024 30 Under 30 Asia list, featuring 300 talented individuals under 30 years old across various fields in Asia. They are all under 30, working in diverse sectors, and have already made a significant positive impact. As one of the four young Vietnamese individuals on the 2024 30 Under 30 Asia list and the only food YouTuber in the Media, Marketing & Advertising category, how do you feel about it?

Youtuber Dong Van HungSince receiving the news this morning, I've been very surprised and happy to be included in Forbes Magazine's Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2024 list. I didn't think I could be chosen as one of the 30 people honored in the Media, Marketing & Advertising field. I didn't believe I would be considered and selected by the organizers because there are so many outstanding young people under the age of 30 from many different countries.

At the same time, I am also very happy and delighted to be able to contribute to promoting the beauty of the countryside and Vietnamese cuisine to the world. I am extremely grateful to the audience for their affection for the "Mom's Cooking" channel.

The YouTube channel "Mom's Cooking" quickly attracted the attention of the online community and achieved the silver button after only 3 months, and the gold button after 3 years of operation. Surely you still remember the journey of building this impressive channel?

Youtuber Dong Van HungI work in Hanoi, and every time I go home, my mother cooks delicious dishes that bring back childhood memories. I suddenly thought of recording some videos to keep as mementos. Then I uploaded the videos to Facebook and YouTube, and they were well-received by everyone.

I created the "Mom's Cooking" channel in 2019 with the desire to convey the image of a hardworking mother with meals full of love and the simple scenery of the Vietnamese countryside. The main character of the channel is my mother - Duong Thi Cuong (60 years old).

Coming from a humble rural background, what difficulties did he and his mother face in the early stages of canal construction?

Youtuber Dong Van HungTo create the "Mom's Cooking" brand, my mother and I faced quite a few difficulties. In the early days, we were both a little hesitant, and my mother was somewhat shy. At that time, I just told her, "Mom, you don't have to act; just be relaxed and natural, doing the things you do every day."

Back then, there were videos that my mother and I had to reshoot many times because of faulty footage or spoiled food. Sometimes, the power would go out while we were filming, and we'd have to wait from afternoon until midnight to continue. My mother is also getting older, and I was worried about her health from having to reshoot so many times. But in the end, we both remained happy and never wanted to give up.

On some hot days, my mother and I would still work tirelessly in the kitchen cooking, sweating profusely. Because we didn't dare turn on the fan, fearing the noise would be lost in the video and ruin the natural sound, we usually endured the heat until after filming was finished before turning it on.

Gradually, videos were released more frequently, and my mother got used to being in front of the camera. Before creating this YouTube channel, my goal was simply to preserve memories of my mother and me. But unexpectedly, these videos received a lot of support. Seeing our work so positively received, my mother and I were so happy that we talked all night and couldn't sleep.

Behind the impressive, million-view videos of the "Mom's Cooking" channel, many people are curious about the professional support team that helped him achieve success. So, what does the process of producing a video on a YouTube channel usually look like?

Youtuber Dong Van HungPeople often think the channel's production team is very large, but in reality, I'm the only one doing everything from A to Z. My mother and I usually work out the script the night before. I'll ask her what dish to make the next day and prepare in advance for the filming session the following morning.

During filming, mistakes are inevitable. For example, sometimes my mom's food would spoil if I didn't film it in time. Sometimes we had to reshoot scenes multiple times, and on some nights we wouldn't finish until late.

The editing process usually takes about two to three days to complete a video. Once it's finished, I usually ask for everyone's feedback on what needs to be changed. If I find the suggestions suitable, I'll revise it many times until it's perfect.

In your opinion, what makes a YouTube channel specializing in simple, rustic dishes so appealing to viewers?

Youtuber Dong Van HungIt can be said that "Mom's Cooking" is one of the video channels with valuable content, conveying many humanistic messages and inspiring many people, especially about the essence of traditional Vietnamese folk cuisine.

Above all, the key to creating delicious dishes lies in the cook's heart, pouring all their love and emotion into the food. And even more importantly, the channel preserves beautiful memories of mothers for future generations to look back on.

During its 5-year journey of creating content on YouTube, what notable achievements has the "Mom's Cooking" channel accomplished?

Youtuber Dong Van HungAfter much effort and hard work from the family, the "Mom's Cooking" channel has been selected by YouTube as one of the channels representing Vietnam to participate in the YouTube Fanfest 2020 worldwide.

Through its official Twitter account, YouTube shared with fans: “Transport yourself into the idyllic Vietnamese countryside and discover some local recipes on the channel 'Ẩm Thực Mẹ Làm' (Mom's Cooking)”.

In early 2021, a video of my mother and I wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) on our YouTube channel, "Mom's Cooking," was shared and introduced to the world by YouTube's Facebook page, which has nearly 100 million followers. This was not only a joy for my mother and me but also a source of national pride. This also motivated my mother and me to create more videos with positive values ​​for friends both domestically and internationally.

In addition, Li Ziqi also praised my mother and my channel, "Mom's Cooking," on her verified Pinterest page. She wrote, "这个频道让我喜欢! 平静的. I like this channel! Full of peace!" which translates to "This channel makes me love it! Peaceful." I was so surprised and couldn't believe it was true, as it was the first channel she had praised. She inspired me to create "Mom's Cooking." She is an inspiration not only to me but to the whole world.

Given your current success, what are your plans for the future development of the "Mom's Cooking" channel?

Youtuber Dong Van HungIn the future, I hope to create even more meaningful video products for the community, to promote the beauty of Vietnamese cuisine and my homeland to friends both domestically and internationally.

Thank you, Travellive readers, for listening to my sharing!