Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Li
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi, my name is Claire Li and I come from Guiyang, a city in southern China, where I grew up surrounded by spicy and flavorful foods. My family is incredibly skilled at cooking, especially my mother, who filled my childhood memories with delicious meals. Perhaps this is what people call the “taste of home.” As a child, I would sometimes stand beside her in the kitchen, watching her cook. By the time I was in elementary school, I could already make simple dishes like fried rice and noodles.
My grandmother was also an amazing cook. Throughout my childhood and university years, our family had a tradition of gathering at her house for dinner every Friday. She would prepare a variety of dishes for us and sometimes even call ahead to ask what we wanted to eat. These Friday dinners were more than just about food—they were moments of warmth and togetherness.
My true passion for food began ten years ago, in 2014, when I accidentally discovered the joy of baking cookies. I was amazed by how freshly baked cookies could taste so incredible. That very day, I went home and told my mother that I wanted to buy an oven. At first, she didn’t agree, but after much persistence, she finally gave in. I also bought several baking books and started experimenting every day with different cookies, cakes, and desserts. Although I failed many times, each success that followed made me even more excited.
As I continued learning about baking, I came across people sharing their baking tutorial online and receiving lots of likes and engagement. That inspired me to do the same—I started casually posting my own baking process. At first, not many people watched, but one day, a short video of me making cookies went viral with over 5,000 likes. That moment thrilled me and marked the beginning of my journey in creating food videos.
At first, I had no audience, but slowly my followers grew—10,000, 20,000, then 80,000. One day, a candy brand reached out to discuss a potential collaboration, I realized that creating videos could actually be monetized. Although that particular collaboration didn’t happen, it motivated me to dedicate myself even more to content creation.
Baking videos became my main focus, and I loved seeing food transform in the oven—it felt like magic. The process of decorating, enhancing flavors, and perfecting each dessert was incredibly fulfilling. Finding something I loved and turning it into a career felt like a stroke of luck.
As my audience continued to grow, brands finally started partnering with me, and video creation became my full-time job. Over the years, I produced hundreds of videos. Each time a viewer successfully recreated one of my recipes, I felt an immense sense of joy. For some, my videos became their introduction to baking—just as that first freshly baked cookie had been mine. Even though I was self-taught, this journey taught me the importance of lifelong learning and the spirit of exploration.
In 2019, I moved to Atlanta, USA, with my husband. Due to various circumstances, I gradually created fewer videos and started working in local restaurants instead—cooking, making burgers, handling orders, and more. These experiences were fascinating and laid the foundation for my future entrepreneurship.
Living in a foreign country broadened my culinary scope beyond just baking. Over the past few years, I’ve experimented with many dishes I had never tried making before, such as baozi (steamed buns). Whenever I didn’t know how to make something, I would look up tutorials and keep trying until I got the flavors right. During this time, my cooking skills improved significantly.
Then, by chance, a friend invited me to start a food business with her. We obtained the necessary licenses and found a shared kitchen, focusing on Yunnan and Guizhou-style rice noodles. As someone born and raised in Guizhou, rice noodles have always been one of my favorite foods. There are countless varieties of rice noodles in Guizhou, and our business quickly gained recognition, especially among Chinese customers.
Two months later, I came across an advertisement for an Asian night market event. At the time, I only had one night to apply, and I wasn’t sure if I could get in. But since I had never participated in an event like this before, I decided to take a chance and emailed the organizers. To my surprise, they responded quickly and told me I could join the next day.
That night, I prepared two different flavors of baozi and brought them to the event. To my amazement, they sold out in just over an hour. That was the first time I truly felt how much people loved baozi—especially the Char Siu Bao (BBQ pork bun). Customers enjoyed the rich sauce and even recommended it to others at the event. Seeing my food appreciated by so many people was incredibly rewarding, and from then on, Char Siu Bao became my signature product.
Over time, I developed more flavors, each representing authentic Chinese tastes:
• Soy Sweet Pork – A flavorful, slightly sweet soy-based pork filling, a popular taste in China.
• Mapo Tofu Beef – Inspired by Sichuan cuisine, this bun has a spicy and numbing sensation, perfect for beef lovers who enjoy a kick of heat.
• Green Onion Pork – One of the most traditional Chinese bao flavors, representing the essence of classic Chinese cuisine.
• Soy Tofu Vegan – Created for my vegan customers, this bao combines protein-rich tofu with fresh vegetables, relying on natural ingredients for its rich flavor.
With these five flavors, I participated in multiple food events. Later, a friend introduced me to farmers’ markets, where I could sell my baozi regularly. That’s when I found Avondale Estates Farmers Market, the closest market to me.
Almost every Sunday morning, I set up my booth there, meeting wonderful customers who genuinely appreciate my food. Some even return just to tell me how much they enjoyed it. Moments like these fuel my passion for making baozi.
Interestingly, the skills I developed in creating food videos are now helping me promote my products. I can take my own product photos, write descriptions, and create marketing content—all things I love doing. Once again, I feel lucky to be pursuing something I am passionate about.
Over the past two years, I’ve been incredibly grateful for the support of my husband, Ron, and for the friends who have helped me when I needed it the most. This journey has been filled with unexpected but wonderful experiences.
In 2025, my goal is to expand my reach—whether through events or farmers’ markets—so more people can discover my brand and my baozi. I also plan to develop new flavors, allowing people to experience even more unique and delicious tastes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
During the past two years, there have been many challenges. For example, when producing food in large quantities, how can we maintain better quality control? How can we enhance the customer experience when setting up a stall? After each event, we always review and reflect, hoping to do better next time.
However, the biggest challenge has actually been my personal physical condition. Entrepreneurship has made me realize that health is the most important thing. When work requires long hours of endurance having a strong body is the foundation for everything.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
After graduating from university, I stumbled upon baking by chance and started teaching myself. Later, I discovered short-form videos and started filming and sharing content online. At the same time, I was learning how to make more dishes and how to present them beautifully on camera.
The journey in the culinary world hasn’t always been smooth—failure is a common experience. But through those failures, I’ve gained valuable insights. As I explored more recipes, the range of dishes I could make grow. After immigrating to the U.S., I developed a strong interest in various Asian cuisines.
For example, Atlanta has many incredible Korean restaurants. I fell in love with certain dishes and started recreating them at home, eventually turning them into my specialties.
What I’m most proud of about myself is my determination—when something truly interests me, I dive deep into researching and perfecting it. I have a mindset where I won’t stop until I can achieve the same results.
What makes you happy?
What makes me truly happy isn’t just the satisfaction of my customers but also the unwavering support I’ve received throughout this journey. My husband has always stood by me, giving his full support and effort, and along the way, I’ve also met amazing friends who have helped me as well.
This means a lot to me because, for the most part, I handle everything on my own. But when they finish work and see that I need help, they immediately step in to assist me. That kind of support is incredibly heartwarming and something I deeply appreciate.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Food images all by Claire Li
Claire Li’s personal image by Spring Li
