If you love a good pastry chef, then you’re probably already familiar with the talented Shinmin Li. She’s one of the most noteworthy pastry chefs on the Food Network, and her talent is second to none. She rose to fame not only because of her exceptional talent but also because of the popular show Halloween Wars, since 2011. The world has gotten to watch her grow, refine her talent, and make some really cool decisions over the years. So, it’s time we get to know more about her as a person.
1. She Used to Own a Popular Bakery
In addition to working hard on her Food Network show, Li also ran a bakery in San Francisco. It was called I Dream of Cake, and it was a brilliant platform for her to showcase her numerous skills. The reason for its closure is not outwardly stated. But it’s safe to say that her business’ closure did not stump her dreams.
2. She is an 80s Girl
While no one knows too much about her personal life, it appears that Li was born sometime in the mid-80s. 1985 is the year most people speculate online, so that would mean she’d be turning 39 in 2023. She got to grow up in a very cool decade, so that might just explain why she has such a great aura.
3. She Practices Yoga
A lot of people do a number of things to stay in shape, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Li is a strong believer in the many benefits of yoga. Evident from some of her social media feed, she practices it in order to build strength and resilience. She also does it to clear her mind and improve her all-around well-being.
4. She is Intuitive
According to Li, her entire life, she has been guided by her own intuition. In fact, it’s something that has defined her since the moment she was born, and she owns that. She’s been very open about that and the fact that her name literally means ‘intuitive’. However, as it is in life, she’s also lost her trust in her intuition over the past few years. She’s working diligently to get that back now that she is more self-aware and better at handling the issues dragging her down.
5. She is a Dog Lover
While she doesn’t have a dog of her own, her brother has one, and she is head over heels in love with her brother’s dog. She has hinted a couple of times on social media that she needs loves spending time with her brother’s dogs.
6. She Has A Good Time with Her Coworkers
When she’s filming her super cool Halloween show, she’s all about putting in the work. But, she also has a good time with her costars. They dance, wear sparkly heels, laugh, and they eat a lot, which makes hers one of the best jobs there is.
7. She is a Mom
Shinmin Li is a mom, and her daughter’s name is Mila. From what has been gathered online, it seems that she has tons of fun with her daughter and that they make the most of their time together. They both seem to be goofballs who like to have a good time and make one another laugh.
8. She’s A Private Person
Li is a woman who has mastered the art of making sure her fans get to see just enough of her life behind the scenes. She gives them just enough for them to feel like they know her personally, but she actually shares very little. At the end of the day, no one really knows much about her. She’s a master of that, and a darn good one, too.
9. She’s Not Into Mom Jeans
There’s a general consensus out there that mom jeans aren’t the most flattering article of clothing out there. Recently, they’ve had a bit of a comeback and have been rebranded for a younger, more hip audience. Regardless, there are a handful of people that still aren’t buying it. One such person happens to be Shinmin Li. She sent out a social media post of her trying on her daughter’s mom jeans and captioned it, “… no actual mom should ever wear mom jeans,”.
10. Sadly, Her Daughter Passed Away
On March 22, 2019, tragedy struck Li’s life, and she ended up losing her child. At the time, her daughter, Niko, was six years old. Shinmin Li is vocal about the fact that her daughter taught her so many beautiful things in the almost seven years she spent on earth.
Niko passed away on her sister Mila’s birthday, but she will forever be remembered as the bright young soul that she was. Li is honored to have been her mother for even a moment and misses her daily. Niko was born with a rare genetic condition that caused her severe disabilities. She could not walk, talk, sit, or eat. Her condition caused her to stop developing when she was around 1. For the most part, her mother kept her out of the spotlight, and they simply enjoyed their time together.
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