Chef Katie Chin brings biographical stage show to Minnesota

Celebrity chef and author Katie Chin is touring her one-woman show, ‘Holy Shiitake: A Wokstar Is Born’, which combines live cooking demonstrations with personal storytelling. The production is scheduled for performances at the Zeitgeist Theater in Duluth and the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

The show serves as a biographical tribute to Chin’s late mother, Leeann Chin, tracing her journey from a seamstress earning 50 cents an hour to the founder of a multi-million-dollar restaurant empire. The narrative explores the family's immigrant experience, including Leeann Chin's life in China and her resilience in the face of personal hardships.

A key moment in the family history involves actor Sean Connery, who reportedly became an early investor in the first restaurant after being impressed by the catering provided at a welcome party for him in Minnesota. The production details the evolution of the Leeann Chin brand, which grew to over 40 locations before being sold to General Mills in 1985.