Leeann Chin

77, an entrepreneur who founded a chain of successful restaurants in the Minneapolis area, wrote three Chinese food cookbooks and starred in a PBS cooking series, died Wednesday, March 10, on Bainbridge Island near Seattle after suffering complications from liver cancer, her family said.A native of Guangzhou, China, Chin immigrated to Minneapolis in 1956 with her husband, Tony. A pioneering multi-tasking mom, Chin worked as a seamstress and cooked for her sewing clients. The demand for her Cantonese dishes grew as word spread of her culinary talents. She started catering and teaching cooking classes, introducing many in the area to ethnic cuisine for the first time.Chin opened her first restaurant in 1980 at Bonaventure Mall in Minnetonka. The immense popularity of her pan-Asian cooking, along with her indefatigable spirit, her limitless energy and her intense work ethic fueled the success of her restaurant chain, which now has numerous locations throughout the Twin Cities."Leeann was not only the founder of our company but the pillar of our business for many years," said Linda Nelson, senior vice president of Leeann Chin, Inc. "Leeann was a humble woman of great strength, courage and knowledge. She was incredibly elegant, generous, and had a contagious entrepreneurial spirit. Her keen eye for detail and passion for extraordinary quality is a tradition that will live on with our company forever.""Leeann was an endearing woman who touched the lives of her employees and guests with her charm and hospitality, and she will be sadly missed," Nelson said.Chin was a life-long philanthropist, supporting such organizations as Children's Cancer Research Fund, Organization of Chinese Americans, Scout Council, Committee of 100, WAMSO and The College of St. Benedict.She is survived by her five children -- Linda (Sandy), Bill (Esther), Laura (David), Jean (Bill) and Katie (Matthew) and her eleven grandchildren -- Siu Ping, Dai Wai, Wai Lee, Rutledge, Logan, Katie, Griffin, Evan, Kyla, Dylan and Becca. Her husband, Tony, died in 1994.A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 27th at 1p.m. at Normandale Lutheran Church, 6100 Normandale Road, Edina, MN. 55436, (952) 929-1697.In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Children's Cancer Research Fund: www.childrenscancer.org/chinmemorial