Family Roots, a New York Point of View

Named after founder Bolun Yao’s grandmother, Yingtao begins with a family connection. Bolun and his wife, Linette, created the restaurant in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen to explore a contemporary approach to Chinese dining, with food, design and hospitality all contributing to their vision.

Executive Chef Emily Yuen brings experience from kitchens in Australia, London, Singapore and New York. Her Chinese heritage and international training inform a style of cooking that draws freely from different regional traditions. Familiar flavours become starting points for dishes shaped by her own experience and technical skill.

The menu changes with the seasons, giving Yuen and her team room to develop ideas as ingredients come into their best. That flexibility suits Yingtao’s wider ambition: to show how Chinese cooking can express personal memories and cultural roots within a distinctly New York dining experience.

Selected for the 2026 Elite 12 UNITED STATES by the Chinese Restaurant Awards Taste Advisors, Yingtao is recognised for its thoughtful contribution to contemporary Chinese dining. The founders’ family story and Yuen’s culinary perspective give the restaurant a clear sense of purpose, while leaving plenty of room for its own traditions to take shape.