The story
Yingtao means “cherry” in Mandarin, and the restaurant takes its name from Bolun Yao’s late grandmother. The cherry-red accents throughout the dining room quietly honor her memory and the cherry’s cultural symbolism. Established by Bolun and Linette Yao under August Hospitality Group, Yingtao is their first concept—a dining destination that also serves as a cultural platform.
Executive Chef Emily Yuen brings a career shaped by Michelin-starred kitchens across Australia, London, Singapore, and New York. She has worked at Le Gavroche, in Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, and at the Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Kajitsu. Before joining Yingtao, she opened Lingo in Brooklyn and was named a 2025 James Beard Foundation Best Chef: New York State semifinalist.
At Yingtao, Chef Yuen draws on her Chinese heritage and international experience to craft a contemporary Chinese tasting menu. Her approach reflects a commitment to representation in professional kitchens, particularly for Chinese and Asian women, and to redefining leadership in fine dining.
The menu is a creative, multi-course journey that reimagines Chinese flavors, techniques, and culinary traditions through a modern lens. It treats Chinese food not as a fixed category but as a progressive, evolving cuisine. The tasting menu is priced at $150 per person. In 2025, Yingtao was awarded a Michelin star, recognizing its high-quality cooking and its place in the city’s fine dining landscape.
Yingtao fills a longstanding gap in New York’s dining scene by introducing contemporary Chinese fine dining that reflects heritage, the present moment, and the identities of its creators. Through collaborations with Asian and AAPI chefs, artisans, and producers, the restaurant champions representation and uses food and beverage as a medium for dialogue. General Manager Tteur Chun, who brings over a decade of experience leading Michelin-caliber teams, ensures that the hospitality is as thoughtful as the cuisine.
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