Despite spending her childhood in the kitchens of her parents’ and relatives’ Chinese restaurants, chef Mei Lin says she initially had no interest in cooking Chinese food.

“But as I grew up, and as I started cooking more, I began going back to my roots. I started cooking the familiar, nostalgic flavors I grew up with. I really wanted to put those flavors at the forefront and cook the food I grew up eating—my way.”

Born in China and raised in Dearborn, Michigan, Lin spent her early career in acclaimed kitchens, refining her fine-dining skills at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Las Vegas and Michael Voltaggio’s Ink in Los Angeles. Her breakthrough came in 2014, when she won Top Chef: Boston, launching her into the national spotlight.

While Lin sees food television and restaurant work as distinct worlds, she acknowledges its impact: “Doing food television, I feel that it brings people into the restaurant and I think that’s fantastic. It really helps the traffic, especially in these tough times,” she says.

In 2019, Lin opened Nightshade in the Arts District of Los Angeles. The restaurant quickly earned acclaim for its bold, imaginative dishes—including her now-iconic mapo tofu lasagna layered with housemade pasta. Nightshade earned her a 2020 James Beard semifinalist nod for Best Chef: California before it closed during the pandemic.

Her latest project, the newly opened 88 Club in Beverly Hills, marks a return to fine dining—with a deeply personal edge. Lin is unapologetic about her vision.

“I don’t like to sacrifice on quality. I always put that at the forefront. We’re using the best ingredients possible and putting out the best food we can,” she says, emphasizing that she hopes diners understand the depth of what she’s offering.