We’ve all grabbed a dimmie at the footy or from a fish and chip shop, but have you ever stopped and wondered: who actually invented the dim sim? It’s one of those questions that seems simple, but the answer is tied up with migration, family stories, and a bit of Aussie ingenuity.

Meet William Chen Wing Young

The name you need to know is William Chen Wing Young, a Chinese-Australian businessman in Melbourne in the 1940s. At his restaurant, Wing Lee, he noticed Australians were curious about Chinese food, especially the little pork-and-prawn dumplings known as siu mai. Trouble was, they were fiddly, small, and not exactly built for mass appeal. Wing Young saw an opportunity.

Adapting Siu Mai for Australia

He took the siu mai idea and turned it into something heartier: bigger, pepperier, with thicker skins and a filling that mixed pork, beef, cabbage, and whatever meat was available during the war years (mutton, veal, even chicken at times). Unlike dainty yum cha dumplings, these were built tough: they could be steamed, fried, frozen, and shipped by the thousands.

The Fish and Chip Shop Moment

Here’s where the story really gets interesting. According to family legend, William’s son Tom dropped some of these dim sims off at a fish and chip shop in Mordialloc. The owner, Joe, decided to throw them in the deep fryer, and just like that, the fried dimmie was born. It was an instant hit. From there, dim sims went from Chinatown curiosity to a staple of suburban Australia.

A Family and Cultural Legacy

William’s daughter, Elizabeth Chong, later became one of Australia’s best-known cooking teachers and TV food presenters. She’s spent years telling the story of her father’s invention, pointing out that while he didn’t exactly “invent” dumplings, he made dim sims what they are today, a truly Australian food.

The original business, Wing Lee, didn’t last forever. After William retired, it was taken over by bigger brands like Marathon and Chien Wah. But the dim sim lived on, finding its way into every fish and chip shop, supermarket freezer, and sporting ground in Victoria.

An Aussie Icon

So, who invented the dim sim? The credit goes to William Chen Wing Young, a man who turned a traditional Chinese dumpling into something uniquely Australian. The next time you bite into a dimmie, whether steamed or fried, you’re tasting a little piece of history that’s as Melbourne as it gets.

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Plenty of foods are loved in Melbourne, but few are as closely tied to the city’s identity as the humble dim sim. For locals, dimmies aren’t just something you grab when you’re hungry, they’re woven into the rhythm of the city. Which raises the question: why are dim sims so popular in Melbourne?

The Invention That Started It All

It all began with William Chen Wing Young, who came up with the dim sim in the 1940s. His idea was simple: make a dumpling-style snack that was bigger, pepperier, and built for mass production. By moving beyond traditional Chinese restaurants, his creation quickly found its way into fish and chip shops, sporting grounds, and markets. That accessibility made dim sims part of everyday life, not just a special occasion food.

A Bridge Between Cultures

Dim sims were one of the first truly multicultural foods in Melbourne. They gave Australians a taste of Chinese-inspired flavours at a time when many were hesitant to try traditional dumplings. In doing so, they helped build a bridge between cultures. Long before “fusion” became a buzzword, dim sims were showing how flavours could adapt and belong to more than one community.

Ritual and Loyalty

Food is never just about eating, it’s about the experience. For Melburnians, dim sims are tied to rituals: lining up at South Melbourne Market for a giant peppery dimmie, grabbing one at the footy, or debating which suburban shop makes the best. Places like Moon Palace, Seven Stars, and Tai Wah have built loyal followings because eating there feels like being part of something bigger.

Comfort and Nostalgia

Dim sims also carry a sense of comfort. For many, they’re tied to memories of childhood market trips, Friday night takeaways, or late-night snacks with friends. That mix of nostalgia and flavour explains why dim sims remain so deeply loved in Melbourne. They’re more than a bite of food, they’re a bite of history.

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The names sound alike, and both involve dumplings. But dim sims vs dim sum is a comparison worth making, because they’re very different things.

What Is Dim Sum?

Dim sum is a traditional Cantonese dining style, featuring delicate dumplings, siu mai, and other bite-sized dishes. It’s usually eaten as part of yum cha, shared with family and friends over tea.

What Is a Dim Sim?

A dim sim, by contrast, is an Australian invention. Created in the 1940s, it’s larger, peppery, and wrapped in thick skin. Sold individually, it can be fried or steamed, and it’s found everywhere from markets to fish and chip shops.

Cultural Differences

Dim sum is eaten in restaurants as part of a meal. Dim sims are more casual, grab-and-go food you’ll find at takeaways, sporting grounds, and supermarkets.

Two Foods, Two Stories

Understanding dim sims vs dim sum highlights how a Chinese-inspired snack was adapted into something uniquely Australian. Both are delicious, but only one is a true Aussie icon.

The post Dim Sims vs Dim Sum: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Dave Hooper.

The dim sim might look like a cousin of Chinese dim sum, but make no mistake, it’s a truly Australian invention. Its story begins in Melbourne during the 1940s, when the Chinese community was looking for ways to share their food with mainstream Australians. Traditional dumplings were tasty but too fiddly and small for local appetites. What was needed was something bigger, heartier, and built for mass appeal.

William Chen Wing Young’s Invention

Enter William Chen Wing Young, a Chinese-born restaurateur and entrepreneur. He spotted the potential in siu mai dumplings and decided to adapt them for Australia. His version was larger, peppery, and wrapped in a thick flour-based skin. Crucially, it was tough enough to handle steaming, frying, freezing, and bulk transport, perfect for a country that loved its takeaway.

Rising Popularity Across Melbourne

At first, dim sims were sold in Chinatown restaurants and through Wing Young’s factory. But their big breakthrough came when they found their way into fish and chip shops and footy grounds. Suddenly, you didn’t need to go into the city for Chinese food, you could grab a dimmie on the way home or at half-time. By the 1960s and 70s, dim sims had become a Melbourne staple, popping up in milk bars, canteens, and corner shops everywhere.

From Niche to Icon

Over time, the dim sim went from curiosity to cultural icon. South Melbourne Market dim sims built their own cult following. Shops like Moon Palace, Tai Wah, and Seven Stars added their own spin, and frozen packs appeared in supermarket freezers across the country. Dimmies were no longer just Chinese-Australian food, they were part of the Aussie diet.

A Cultural Legacy

The history of dim sims in Australia is about more than food. It’s a story of migration, adaptation, and community. The dim sim bridged cultures and, in the process, became one of Melbourne’s most recognisable street foods. Today, dimmies sit right alongside meat pies and lamingtons as a symbol of what it means to eat, and live, in Australia.

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The story of South Melbourne Market dim sims begins back in 1949, when Ken Cheng set up a small stall at the market. Known affectionately as “Mr Dim Sim,” Cheng built a business that would go on to define Melbourne street food. What started as a modest operation quickly became one of the city’s most recognisable food icons.

The Recipe That Stood Out

What set Cheng’s dim sims apart was their size and flavour. Unlike the smaller suburban versions, his were giants, closer to a tennis ball than a dumpling. Packed with cabbage, pork, beef, lamb, and plenty of pepper, they were bold, filling, and perfectly suited to Melbourne appetites. Their fist-shaped look became instantly recognisable and helped build their reputation.

The Market Experience

Visiting the South Melbourne Market soon became synonymous with eating a dim sim. Crowds lined up so consistently that painted guides had to be added on the floor to manage the queues. Grabbing a steaming fried dimmie fresh from the fryer — with soy and a splash of chili — became a ritual for locals and tourists alike.

Commercial Success and Debate

The brand’s popularity grew so much that it moved into commercial production, with frozen South Melbourne Market dim sims sold in shops across Victoria. But this success came with controversy. Many fish and chip shops now advertise “South Melbourne dim sims” that aren’t the real deal. Purists argue you can only judge them by eating one at the market itself, hot and fresh.

Still a Melbourne Icon

Today, the stall is run by Cheng’s sons, and demand hasn’t slowed, they produce more than 20,000 dim sims every week. While some say commercialisation has dulled the magic, there’s no denying their impact. The South Melbourne Market dim sims history proves that one family recipe can grow into a Melbourne institution and still keep its heart intact.

Review

I have written a review of South Melbourne Market Dim Sims, which you can read here. Or check out Melbourne’s Best Dim Sims Rated for more reviews.

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