Hi, I’m Lilian.
I’m a California native, a Midwesterner by marriage, a former New Yorker, a home cook, and a mom of four. I started Chinese Grandma in 2010 as a place to share recipes, practical ideas, and bits of wisdom that I hope can make daily life a little easier.
Food is how I show love, and the kitchen is my happy place—a place to nourish and share with anyone who comes through.
The inspiration
What is a Chinese Grandma?
Chinese Grandma is less an identity than a philosophy.
It means being practical and resourceful. Working hard, wasting little, and taking care of the people around you. Holding on to traditions while adapting to whatever life brings next.
I’m in awe of my real Chinese grandmas. My mom’s mom was illiterate at a time when girls were not educated, and my mom was the middle of her five children. My dad’s mom was educated by her father, but education made her a poor prospect for marriage. She was considered an old maid when she married a widower, and my dad was her only child. These were no-nonsense women who were schooled by life’s challenges and still kept their humor and grace.
Most of all, Chinese Grandma is a tribute to my mom and dad, who grew up through wartime China and as refugees in Korea, each making their way to America alone. They found each other and worked tirelessly to create an amazing life in a foreign country that gave them the opportunity.
This site is inspired by all the old-school grandmas of every culture who know that earned wisdom is meant to be shared.
Welcome
Stay awhile
Chinese Grandma began as a collection of recipes and ideas, but over the years it has also become a record of family life, change, and connection.
I’m glad you found your way here. I hope you discover something that makes your day easier, better, tastier, healthier—or simply more enjoyable.
And if you’d like to say hello, I read every note.
Send me a note →