Tenure: Since opening in 1998, the family-owned Madam Lu restaurant has become synonymous with authentic tastes from Lu’s home country of Taiwan, with a menu that combines Taiwanese and Szechuan flavors.
Résumé: Arriving from Taipei in 1982, Lu waited tables for more than 12 years at Goleta’s Ming Dynasty, which was owned and operated by a childhood friend. Inspired by the flavors from home, Lu carries on the family tradition, working alongside her cousin, brother, and son.
“I learned everything growing up in the kitchen,” said Lu. “My friends are all chefs, my parents are great cooks, my kitchen continues those memories.”