About
Luke Martin is the Canadian creator and host of Chopstick Travel, a food and travel brand that has documented global culinary traditions for an audience of over 1.5 million subscribers. With 347 million views across more than 500 videos, the channel established itself as a go-to source for authentic, local, and often unheralded street food. Behind the scenes, the brand went through a major restructuring — from a creative partnership to a solo operation — culminating in a rebranding that repositioned Martin himself as the central figure of the culinary media business he built from scratch in a small Taiwanese city.
Luke Martin: From English Teacher in Taiwan to 1.5 Million YouTube Subscribers
Born April 10, 1994, Luke Martin is from Hampton, New Brunswick. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Brunswick in 2016. After graduating, Martin and his partner, Sabrina Frances Davidson — also a UNB BSc'16 graduate, from Saint John, New Brunswick — relocated to Chiayi, Taiwan, to teach English.
It was in Taiwan that Chopstick Travel was born. Launched in January 2017, it started as a way to document their culinary explorations for friends and family back in Canada. Martin hosted; Davidson handled videography and production. The focus on Taiwanese street food struck a chord. By late 2017, they had reached 10 million total views and secured a commission from a promotional agency to create content surrounding the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea — their first major professional opportunity outside self-funded content.
This early success pushed them into the professional creator space. Between 2018 and 2021, they expanded globally, filming across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. Their profile grew to include production assistance for the Chiayi episode of Netflix's "Street Food" docu-series and partnerships with TripAdvisor and international tourism boards.
Around 2022, the channel's structure changed significantly. Martin and Davidson ended their personal and professional relationship, as announced on the channel's YouTube Community tab. Davidson departed from Chopstick Travel, subsequently launching her own YouTube channel focused on solo travel and leading group tours through TrovaTrip. Martin continued as the sole operator, hiring Nichakarn (Mink) as the new primary camera operator and signaling that "major changes" were coming.
Luke Martin Content: Street Food Documentaries and the "24 Hours Of..." Format
Chopstick Travel's content is rooted in documentary-style vlogs that prioritize authenticity. While its early reputation was built on deep dives into East and Southeast Asian food scenes, its scope is now global. A signature format is the "24 Hours of..." series, providing intensive culinary tours of single cities from Montreal to Tokyo. Martin's presentation style is informative and engaging, consistently explaining the cultural context, ingredients, and preparation of each dish he encounters. The combination of genuine curiosity and clear storytelling has become the channel's signature.
After his co-founder's departure, Martin expanded the digital system with a secondary YouTube channel, "Extra Chopsticks" (under the @chopsticktravel handle). This channel offers behind-the-scenes content, raw travel footage, and hotel reviews. A video documenting Mink's first trip to Canada to meet Martin's family introduced her new role to the audience.
How Luke Martin and Chopstick Travel Make Money
The business runs on a diversified model. Revenue comes from YouTube ad income, direct fan support via Patreon and YouTube Channel Memberships, and merchandise sales through a Bonfire store.
A key post-2022 move was rebranding the primary YouTube channel from "Chopstick Travel" to "Luke Martin," centering the brand on his personal identity — a common strategy for established creators building personal equity and flexibility for future projects. The official website, www.chopsticktravel.com, though still listed in video descriptions, is now defunct. The focus has shifted to the platforms with the highest engagement.
Sponsorships remain part of the business, with past partners including Rosetta Stone. Martin has been transparent about deals — in a Dubai video, he openly disclaimed that he didn't pay for high-end meals at restaurants like TakaHisa and Ossiano, and noted that all promotional content was removed after the original sponsor ceased operations.
Luke Martin's Collaborations and Industry Network
Martin has partnered with fellow creators like Clement Leung (@InstaNoodls) for a series exploring Toronto's food scene, and FoodieMommaPH for an extensive tour of the Philippines, leveraging local expertise for authenticity.
Beyond the creator space, Chopstick Travel's network extends to corporate and media entities. The production credit on Netflix's "Street Food" served as strong external validation, while an interview with the Taiwanese state-funded outlet TaiwanPlus solidified Martin's status as an authority on the region's food culture. Content has also featured personal connections — a series in Turkey included appearances by his brother Ryan and sister-in-law Kaylee.
Luke Martin: Public Reputation
The channel's history reveals no verified public controversies, legal disputes, or significant negative incidents. The positive reputation has been a key asset in securing brand-safe partnerships. Media coverage from CBC News and the University of New Brunswick's alumni news consistently profiled the channel as a Canadian success story in the digital creator economy. To date, the channel has not received formal industry awards such as The Golden Chopsticks Awards; its recognition comes primarily from its subscriber base and viewership numbers.
Luke Martin and Chopstick Travel Today
Luke Martin now runs the brand he co-created as its sole operator. Having navigated a major restructuring of both his business and personal life, he has consolidated the Chopstick Travel identity under his own name, ensuring continuity and future adaptability. With camera operator Nichakarn (Mink), he continues producing the globe-trotting culinary content that defines the channel. The evolution from a passion project in Chiayi, Taiwan, to a professional solo operation marks a significant chapter in Chopstick Travel's story, cementing Martin's position as an authoritative and enduring voice in the world of food travel content.