Two Chefs with Ties to The Mitten State Selected for 'Top Chef' Season 12

Mei Lin of Dearborn and James Rigato of Howell were chosen for the cast of Season 12 of “Top Chef” on the Bravo network. (Photo: Bravo.com)

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Two chefs with Michigan ties have been selected as cast members for the 12th season of the Bravo Network’s “Top Chef” series, which premieres in October.

The local contestants include James Rigato of Howell, executive chef of The Root Restaurant & Bar in White Lake, and Mei Lin of Dearborn, a sous chef at ink. in Los Angeles.

Both are graduates of the culinary arts program at Schoolcraft College in Livonia.

Rigato’s philosophy on cooking stems from a lifelong love of food and an appreciation for the diverse agricultural area in which he was raised. His Italian grandparents were early culinary influences, exposing him to the Italian culture and art of handcrafted cuisine that has shaped his approach to the chef profession.

He entered the restaurant business at age 14 as a dishwasher at a local diner. After enrolling in Schoolcraft College’s Culinary program at 17, he spent the next eight years working in some of metro Detroit’s finer restaurants, including Morel’s, Shiraz, Rugby Grille at The Townsend Hotel and Bacco Ristorante.

At age 26, Rigato opened The Root Restaurant & Bar in White Lake.

His pursuit to localize Michigan’s food economy stretches into involvement with local schools, hospitals, libraries and other organizations to create a necessary and sustainable change for the state. Rigato’s contemporary American cuisine with a Michigan focus has garnered regional and national attention, including a Food & Wine “The People’s Best New Chef: Great Lakes” nomination and The Detroit Free Press 2012 Restaurant of the Year award.

In 2013, Rigato earned the title of Best Chef by Hour Detroit and was featured on the Cooking Channel’s new series America’s Best Bites. In 2014 he was awarded Best Chef by Hour Detroit for a second year in a row as well as Best Restaurant for General Excellence. An avid poet and advocate for all things Michigan, if not working he can be found in some corner of the state exploring, cycling, kayaking, eating or camping.

Lin, who completed the culinary arts program at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, learned the fundamentals of being a well-rounded cook and running a restaurant at her family’s restaurant in Dearborn.

Throughout the years, she has had the privilege of working for some of the most revered chefs in the industry such as Michael Symon (Roast), Marcus Samuelsson (C-House) and Wolfgang Puck, whose company provided much of her early training and refinement of skills during her three-year involvement.

After spending time cutting her teeth at Spago Las Vegas, she eventually moved to West Hollywood to join Michael Voltaggio‘s opening team at ink. in Los Angeles. She spent the last three years there moving up the ranks to eventually become a sous chef at the critically-acclaimed establishment.