'It's always a bit surreal': The co-CEOs of Din Tai Fung told BI what it's like running a dumpling empire as brothers

Business Insider

13 hours ago

Albert and Aaron Yang, the two North America CEOs of Din Tai Fung, showed up for our online interview sporting the same combed-back hair, button-down shirts, smiles, and energy.
Aaron, 33, said that growing up, they got the question of whether they were twins "almost every day." He's the older one, a year senior to Albert.
The duo are the third-generation leaders of the Taiwanese dumpling chain, which started as a humble store in the 1970s and now has over 170 outlets in 13 countries.
The two grew up helping in their parents' first Din Tai Fung restaurant in Los Angeles after school. Now, they run operations for the chain's 21 North American outlets.
Albert said growing up, their parents never forced them to work in the business, but it felt like a duty to both of them.
The two have had parallel and identical career trajectories, starting as restaurant managers in Din Tai Fung's California outlets in 2015. They even went to the same college, Cornell University, to pursue hospitality degrees.
They moved up the ladder to become general managers of the chain in California in 2016, US co-vice presidents in 2018, and finally co-CEOs in August 2024.
Between launching new stores and doing quality checks on dishes, the brothers spend a lot of time together.
"You never really get used to walking into a business meeting and your brother's sitting there," Albert said with a laugh. "It's always a bit surreal."
Pairing up makes the job less lonely
They said one pro of managing a company with a sibling is that it makes the job feel less isolating.
"Being the CEO, or in charge of any company, can be a pretty lonely path. You're sort of alone at the top," Aaron said. "So it's nice to have family you can trust to work together and bounce ideas off each other."
A typical day for both men involves leading their corporate team in their LA office or taking flights to different cities in the US and Canada, where they are launching new stores.
And like all siblings, the two have their differences.
"We really have to work hard to stay on the same page and stay aligned, in the same direction," Aaron said.
"It may get contentious from time to time with some minor disagreements," Albert said.
But he added that they share the same drive to ensure their family business succeeds.
"For the most part, we're very aligned on what we're trying to do. We both understand that we're both very passionate about the business and are just doing everything for the company and our family," Albert added.
While they are on the same page about work, there were plenty of ways in which they deviate.
Aaron said his favorite meal outside Din Tai Fung was a good In-N-Out burger.
"I just love the consistency, quality, and simplicity of a restaurant like In-N-Out. There's a good reason they're like a cult favorite," he said.
Albert, who smiles more, said his favorite food was sushi from a family-run restaurant called Sushi Gen in LA.
They don't see each other much outside work
The two unwind in different ways. Aaron said he likes to golf and get into the woods to connect with nature. Albert is a big sports fan who likes to attend basketball and football games.
"We have pretty different personalities and different hobbies. So I'd say we don't really hang out that much outside work, said Aaron. "But it's been kind of like that since growing up."
"We went to different high schools, and we're used to having our different friend groups and hobbies. So it wasn't really that big of a change from our childhood," he added.
"We don't hang out every day, but it's nice to see Aaron every day at work," Albert said. "We're not the type of brothers who work out every day together or hang out every weekend. But the love and respect are always there."