A Chef's Journey Between Shanghai and Melbourne: Tina Zhao on Food, Identity, and Creative Freedom

What happens when love sends you halfway across the world, and food brings you back home?In this episode, Susan and I sit down with Tina Zhao — chef, entrepreneur, and founder of Alinta, a Shanghai restaurant that fuses Australian ease with Chinese precision. Tina first left Shanghai at 17 to chase love in Melbourne, only to discover something else entirely: her calling in the kitchen. From culinary school to fine dining, from private dining startups to reality TV, Tina’s story charts the high heat of the food industry across the creativity, the chaos, and the craving for ownership.We talk about what it means to build something that’s 100% yours, the pressures behind “celebrity chef” culture, and how food can become a language of identity, one that bridges continents, careers, and selves.Takeaways：Tina moved to Melbourne at 17 to chase love.Cultural shock was significant upon arriving in Australia.Tina's culinary journey began in culinary school.She found her passion for cooking quickly.Returning to China inspired her entrepreneurial spirit.Private dining became a successful venture for Tina.Tina's experiences on cooking shows were intense and stressful.She values privacy over fame despite her celebrity status.Tina has launched food startups in China.Her journey reflects the dynamic food industry landscape. Tina experienced significant stress in her previous roles due to high expectations and the need for constant creativity.She transitioned from the food industry to a consulting role, where she learned valuable skills but felt constrained by corporate structures.Tina's desire to open a restaurant stemmed from her passion for food and a need for creative freedom.Alinta, her restaurant, represents a fusion of Australian and Chinese culinary influences.Building a unique brand identity was crucial for Alinta, including designing the restaurant and creating a mascot.Food serves as a cultural connector, allowing Tina to bridge her experiences in Australia and China.Customer loyalty is challenging in the competitive Shanghai market, but Tina values the relationships she builds with regulars.Tina emphasizes the importance of having something that is 100% yours, whether it's a business or a hobby.She aims to help others in the food industry by sharing her knowledge and experiences.Tina's journey reflects the importance of optimism and taking risks in pursuing one's passions.Chapters00:00 Exploring Liminal Spaces: Introduction to the Podcast05:20 Cultural Adaptation: Embracing Australian Life11:06 From Culinary School to Fine Dining: Building a Career16:30 The Entrepreneurial Spirit: Returning to China20:22 The Reality of the Food Industry: Love and Stress25:06 The Pressure of Fine Dining28:50 Building Connections Through Food30:44 The Journey to Television Stardom31:37 Navigating the Challenges of Cooking Shows32:38 The Fast-Paced Life in Shanghai33:36 Cultural Adjustments After Returning to Shanghai34:44 The Evolution of Shanghai's Food Scene35:37 The Impact of Technology on Dining36:35 Reflections on Fame and Privacy37:26 Transitioning from Celebrity to Business38:25 The Rise of Healthy Food Trends39:14 Lessons from Food Startups40:12 Consulting and Corporate Life41:06 Balancing Creativity and Business42:01 The Future of Culinary Ventures45:27 Transitioning from Consulting to Culinary Ventures49:10 The Impact of COVID-19 on Career Choices52:53 The Birth of Alinta: A Culinary Dream Realized57:43 Creating a Unique Brand Identity01:03:22 Unexpected Encounters: A Full Circle Moment01:04:16 Food as a Cultural Bridge01:07:36 Evolving Menu Design for Customer Engagement01:11:03 Adapting to Customer Preferences and Trends01:12:33 The Journey of Entrepreneurship and Ownership01:15:46 Vision for the Future in the Food Industry01:18:06 Embracing Challenges and Positive Mindset01:19:11 Recommendations and Personal FavoritesLittle Red (小红书): tinayuezhaoInstagram: tinayyueEmail Inquiries: [email protected] podcast is brought to you by C^2 Collective, a multicultural nonprofit community empowering young people across China and beyond to think curiously, connect across cultures, and create positive change. We host events, run a social innovation network, and publish the Curation^2 newsletter @ https://csquared-collective.com/Music by Megan TanArt by Cindy Zhang当爱情带你远渡重洋，而食物又带你回家当爱情让你漂洋过海，而食物又将你带回故乡，会发生什么？在本期节目中，Susan 和我与 赵悦 Tina Zhao 对谈——她是一位厨师、创业者，也是上海餐厅 Alinta 的创始人。Alinta 将澳洲的轻松与中国的精致融合在一张餐桌上。17 岁那年，Tina 为了爱情离开上海前往墨尔本，却意外在厨房中找到真正的热情。从厨艺学校到高级餐厅，从私人定制餐饮到电视节目，她的故事横跨文化与行业，在高压与创造之间不断重塑自我。我们聊到如何打造一个“百分之百属于自己”的事业，谈“名厨文化”背后的压力，也探讨食物如何成为一种跨越地域与身份的语言——连接大陆、职业与自我。主要收获：17 岁赴墨尔本追爱，却意外开启厨艺人生初到澳洲的文化冲击让她重新认识自我在厨艺学校找到了对烹饪的热爱回国后激发了创业精神私人定制餐饮项目取得成功参加电视美食节目的经历紧张而高压尽管拥有明星厨师身份，她仍更重视隐私在中国创办多家餐饮初创企业经历了行业的快速变迁与高强度创造压力后来转入咨询行业，虽收获职场经验，却受限于企业结构渴望重获创作自由，于是决定开设自己的餐厅Alinta 将澳洲与中国的风味、记忆与技艺融为一体她亲自打造餐厅品牌、设计形象与吉祥物认为食物是文化的桥梁，连接澳洲与中国的经历在竞争激烈的上海市场中，她珍视与常客的长期关系她强调每个人都需要一个“百分之百属于自己”的空间希望通过分享经验，帮助更多餐饮从业者她的经历展现了乐观、勇气与冒险精神的重要性节目章节：00:00 探索“临界空间”：节目介绍 05:20 跨文化适应：融入澳洲生活 11:06 从厨艺学校到高级餐厅：职业起点 16:30 创业精神：回到中国 20:22 餐饮行业的现实：爱与压力 25:06 精致餐饮背后的高压 28:50 用食物建立人与人的联系 30:44 走上荧幕：厨艺节目经历 31:37 面对烹饪节目的挑战 32:38 上海的快节奏生活 33:36 回国后的文化再适应 34:44 上海餐饮业的演变 35:37 科技如何改变餐饮体验 36:35 关于名气与隐私的思考 37:26 从“明星厨师”到创业者的转型 38:25 健康饮食新趋势的兴起 39:14 餐饮创业的经验教训 40:12 咨询行业的学习与限制 41:06 平衡创意与商业的挑战 42:01 餐饮事业的未来展望 45:27 从咨询到再创业的转折 49:10 疫情对职业选择的影响 52:53 Alinta 诞生：一个烹饪梦想的实现 57:43 打造独特品牌与形象设计 01:03:22 意外重逢：命运的回环 01:04:16 食物作为文化的桥梁 01:07:36 菜单设计与顾客互动的演进 01:11:03 适应顾客偏好与餐饮趋势 01:12:33 创业与“拥有感”的旅程 01:15:46 对餐饮未来的展望 01:18:06 拥抱挑战与积极心态 01:19:11 推荐与个人喜好联系方式小红书 | tinayuezhao Instagram | tinayyue 商务邮箱 | [email protected]关于本播客本播客由 C² Collective 出品。 C² 是一个跨文化的非营利青年社区，致力于激发好奇、促进连接、并推动积极改变。我们在中国及世界各地举办活动、运营社会创新网络，并出版双语通讯 Curation²。 了解更多内容，请访问 👉 https://csquared-collective.com/音乐：Megan Tan视觉设计：Cindy Zhang