She Came Back to Shanghai for Soup Dumplings—But Left with Even More
The beginning of a friendship—during Michelle's cooking class at Yin Studio in Shanghai last year
Some Journeys Continue Long After the Flight Home
When Michelle first visited Shanghai last year, she joined our Soup Dumpling Class to learn how to make one of the city's most iconic dishes.
By the end of the class, she told us something we still remember:
"Soup dumplings are my favorite food."
Before leaving Shanghai, she discovered that our studio offered more than just dumpling classes. Curious to experience another side of Chinese food culture, she came back and joined a second workshop during the same trip.
We didn't know if our paths would cross again.
But sometimes travel has a way of bringing people back.
A Familiar Message
This summer, Michelle returned to Shanghai.
One of the very first messages she sent wasn't asking where to eat or what to visit.
It was asking if she could come back to our studio.
She wanted to learn more Chinese home cooking.
She wanted to visit a local market.
And she had one special request:
"Can we make soup dumplings again?"
Of course.
Rather than simply repeating last year's class, we designed a new private experience around what she enjoyed most.
Together we explored a neighborhood market, selected fresh ingredients, cooked several traditional Chinese dishes, and then finished the day by making soup dumplings once more.
Exploring a neighborhood market together before cooking.
For us, welcoming a returning guest isn't about repeating the same experience.
It's about creating the next chapter.
Enjoy home-style Chinese dishes with fresh local ingredients after cooking at Yin Studio in Shanghai
A Little Something New
Since Michelle had already learned our traditional soup dumplings before, we wanted to share something extra this time.
Alongside the classic pork filling, we also demonstrated how we prepare our vegetarian soup dumpling filling—a recipe that has become one of our favorites and is especially popular with many international guests.
This time, we also shared our vegetarian soup dumpling filling—a little something extra for a returning guest.
Watching two different fillings come together inside the same delicate wrapper was a reminder that Chinese cooking is both deeply rooted in tradition and wonderfully adaptable.
Sometimes the most memorable part of a returning visit isn't revisiting the familiar.
It's discovering something completely new.
Solving a Mystery One Dumpling at a Time
Like many home cooks, Michelle had tried making soup dumplings after returning home.
But there was always one problem.
They looked right.
They tasted good.
Yet somehow, they never had that rich, flavorful soup inside.
During this visit, everything finally clicked.
As we cooked together, she realized which small details had been missing—not a secret ingredient, but subtle techniques that are difficult to learn from recipes or videos alone.
That moment of understanding was one of our favorite moments of the day.
"They're Even Better Than Din Tai Fung"
One unforgettable reaction after the first bite.
After steaming the final basket, Michelle took a bite, smiled, and laughed.
"It’s better than Din Tai Fung."
We couldn't help laughing too.
Of course, everyone has their own favorite version of xiaolongbao.
But hearing those words from someone who had traveled all the way back to make them with us again felt incredibly special.
Not because of the comparison.
But because it reflected how meaningful the experience had become.
Until Next Time
Until next time.
By the end of the afternoon, saying goodbye didn't feel like the end of a cooking class.
It felt like saying goodbye to an old friend.
As we hugged, we naturally said,
"See you next year."
She smiled.
"Maybe even sooner."
We don't know exactly when that day will come.
But we know she'll always have a place at our table.
More Than a Cooking Class
People often ask us what makes our classes different.
The recipes matter.
The techniques matter.
The local market, the fresh ingredients, and the stories behind each dish all matter.
But what stays with us the longest are the people.
Some guests join us for one afternoon.
Some return later during the same trip to discover another side of Chinese culture.
And every now and then, someone comes back to Shanghai a year later—not simply to repeat a class, but to continue a journey that began around a table filled with flour, laughter, and freshly made soup dumplings.
Those are the moments that remind us why we do what we do.
📖 Culture Note
Soup Dumplings: A Shanghai Classic with Endless Possibilities
Soup dumplings (xiaolongbao, 小笼包) are one of Shanghai's most beloved dishes. Traditionally, they are filled with seasoned pork and chilled gelatinized broth, which melts into delicious soup during steaming.
Today, however, xiaolongbao has evolved far beyond the classic recipe. Across China—and in modern home kitchens—you'll also find fillings featuring shrimp, mushrooms, seasonal vegetables, crab roe, chicken, and creative vegetarian combinations.
At Yin Studio, we believe learning the traditional recipe is the best place to begin. But for returning guests, we also enjoy sharing new ideas, such as our vegetarian soup dumplings, showing how Chinese cooking continues to evolve while respecting its traditions.
Just like every traveler's journey through Shanghai, every basket of soup dumplings can tell a slightly different story.
Beginner Chinese
小笼包
Xiǎolóngbāo
Soup Dumplings
One of Shanghai's signature dishes, traditionally steamed in small bamboo baskets.
回头客
Huítóukè
Returning Guest / Returning Customer
Literally "a guest who turns back and comes again." In Chinese, huítóukè is one of the highest compliments a business can receive because it reflects trust, satisfaction, and a genuine desire to return.
Example:
她是我们的回头客。
Tā shì wǒmen de huítóukè.
She is a returning guest at our studio.
汤汁
Tāngzhī
The flavorful broth inside a soup dumpling.
Example:
这个小笼包汤汁很多。
Zhège xiǎolóngbāo tāngzhī hěn duō.
This soup dumpling is full of delicious soup.
Planning a trip to Shanghai?
Whether it's your first visit or you're returning to discover something new, we'd love to welcome you to our table.
From Shanghai soup dumplings and Chinese home cooking to local market tours, tea culture, calligraphy, and other hands-on cultural experiences, every class is designed to help you experience Shanghai through its people, traditions, and everyday life.
Who knows? Maybe your first visit will become the beginning of a tradition, too.
