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Chinese chef becomes internet sensation as diners say he looks the double of Elon Musk

A down to earth barbecue chef in China has seen his restaurant explode in popularity after a video of him serving grilled meat went viral for his likeness to Elon Musk

[Elon Musk has a doppelganger ]

Elon Musk has a doppelganger (Image: Tiktok)

A barbecue chef has attracted swarms of fans after his likeness to billionaire Elon Musk went viral. Ma Jianping, 48, became an overnight sensation when he went viral with more than 1.3million likes on Chinese social media.

Yilan Restaurant, his eatery in Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, China, has doubled in popularity since he found fame. Fans are now queuing up to take a picture with Jianping and shake his hand.

The chef's customers have been joking about his likeness to the Tesla boss long before his viral fame with some pointing out his surname, Ma, even sounds similar to Musk's in Chinese.

[Ma Jianping's restaurant has become incredibly popular]

Ma Jianping's restaurant has become incredibly popular(Image: Tiktok)

Jianping has said his sudden fame has left him feeling "shy and nervous". He told local media he doesn't want to use social media to cash in on going viral and instead wants to focus on his restaurant.

One customer said: "I have only seen Musk grilling meat in AI-generated videos. This is my first time meeting 'Musk' in real life, and I'm thrilled."

The comment section of the video was full of internet users shocked by Jianping's likeness to Musk. One wrote: "I thought this reel was about Elon Musk." Another said: "Elon, is that you making barbecue in China?" A third added: 'No way'

Others joked that space Karen Musk had earned back the billions spent on Starlink through barbecue sales, while some suggested renaming the restaurant 'SpaceX Barbecue'.

[Locals have been joking about the likeness for a long time]

Locals have been joking about the likeness for a long time(Image: Tiktok)

It comes as the real Elon Musk was accused of "crashing out" during a recent interview with The Economist's editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, after responding to allegations that people 'loathe' him.

The tech mogul discussed everything from racism - citing his mixed-race children with partner Shivon Zilis as evidence he isn't racist - to the possibility for civil war in the UK over immigration, plus behind-the-scenes details of collaborating with US President Donald Trump while leading the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency.

But it was when Beddoes pressed him about his public image that matters took a turn for the worse and Musk turned the question onto him. "I mean some people do loathe you," Beddoes remarked, with Musk acknowledging this while insisting he wasn't bothered.

"But do you understand why? Do you think what you're doing is helpful for Western democracy?".

According to Washington Post data from 2025, a paltry 4% of Democrats expressed approval for Musk's efforts - exactly matching Trump's rating amongst this demographic. Only 32% of independents voiced approval. These figures contrast sharply with Musk's 73% approval amongst Republicans, though this still lags behind Trump's 83%.

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