“Food has always been an important part of my family culture,” says Mark Wiens, creator of EatingThaiFood.com and Migrationology.com. “I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I knew I loved to eat.”
The grandson of a Chinese chef who migrated to Hawaii, Mark grew up with a taste for a vast array of Asian cuisine.
An American raised in Central Africa, Mark said he wanted to travel as soon as he graduated. With a degree in Global Studies from Arizona State University, Mark moved in 2009 to Bangkok, where he became obsessed with “all things edible and how food revolves around every aspect of culture.”
After months of traveling and weary of updating friends and family by e-mail, he launched migrationology.com “for people who love to eat and travel.” Mark found himself spending more time in Thailand. With an accumulation of photos and information about Thai food, he co-founded a blog with his friend, Dwight Turner, called eatingthaifood.com
In addition to writing travel and food blogs, Mark produces YouTube food videos. “Thai food is an amazing cuisine, and it’s not only delicious, but food plays a major part in the Thai culture. Eating the correct combination of Thai dishes and balancing out each meal so that all flavors are represented is important,” Wiens said.
Mark recently married his wife, Ying (she’s Thai).
“Ying and I travel with a purpose to eat. Pretty much everything we do revolves around eating and food exploration.”
Wiens’ passion for food extends to cooking, particularly Thai and Chinese.
“I noticed there were so many Thai cookbooks, but there were no guides explaining how to eat local Thai food, what to search for and how to order,” Wiens said.
He has since published four e-book food guides, including “Eating Thai Food Guide,” which includes a picture-ordering guide, phrases in English and Thai, and “lots of food cultural information.”
Wiens also has written for The Sunday Times, The New York Times, CNN Travel’s website and Travel & Leisure SE Asia.
His plans include writing a Thai cookbook, filming a series of food documentaries and “perhaps a few kids.”
To reach Mark, email migrationology@gmail.com. He is on Twitter at @migrationology, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/migrationology and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/migrationology.
