Metro Detroit-bred chef wins Guy Fieri's 'Tournament of Champions' competition

Two nationally known women chefs went head-to-head in the final battle of Food Network's fourth season of Guy Fieri's bracket-style show "Tournament of Champions" Sunday night.

The chef and restaurateur who came out on top was former Metro Detroiter Mei Lin.

Also a winner of Bravo's "Top Chef" in 2014, Lin was born in China but grew up in Dearborn. She started her culinary career in Metro Detroit working at Michael Symon's Roast and cooking for the Detroit Lions. In 2021, Lin opened her second restaurant, a fast-casual Sichuan hot chicken concept called Daybird in Los Angeles.

Word is out about Lin's win Sunday night, but here are some more spoilers.

The Schoolcraft College graduate soared through the ranks on this season of "ToC," which is hosted by Fieri and features television savvy chefs from all over the country. Through blind tastings from celebrity chefs like Ming Tsai, Andrew Zimmern and Cat Cora, plus others, Mei consistently outscored her five opponents.

Featuring lamb as the randomly chosen protein, the final battle was between Lin and Maneet Chauhan, a restaurateur and cookbook author who won "Tournament of Champions" in 2012.

"'Tournament' is an amazing show," Fieri told The Detroit News last month. "It's a great representation of this amazing country that we have. We are a melting pot of all different people from all different backgrounds and that's what 'Tournament of Champions' is about. It's just giving the equal playing ground to show their goods, to show what they can do. The ending is going to blow your mind."

In a media alert sent Monday morning, Lin said this was the toughest arena she's ever competed in.

“It took every ounce of grit for me to succeed. Going up against friends and colleagues whom I have so much respect and admiration for, was especially rewarding and gratifying,” said Mei Lin. “It was a true honor to have been a part of it all and I look forward to defending my title next season!”

"ToC" judge Tsai also chimed in about the show on social media Monday morning, offering Lin his congratulations.

"Your lamb dish was sublime and so impressive!! You took down a titan in Maneet Chauhan," he wrote. "Thanks Guy Fieri for an amazing competition where women rule and in this instant, immigrant women!!"

mbaetens@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @melodybaetens