Bao or baozi—soft, steamed buns stuffed with savory or sweet fillings—originated nearly 1800 years ago. The tradition has endured: baozi is a popular street food and breakfast staple in China (with variants on buns throughout Asia), but is not widely known or readily available in the United States.

Originally from the Fujian province in southeast China, Chef Ting Lin grew up enjoying juicy pork, egg cream, and red bean bao. After starting his own family in America, Ting wanted to make baozi for his daughter, and began to consider how he could share the traditions and flavors of his childhood with all of his family and friends. Following years of research, including trips to China to learn different baozi styles, Ting developed his own bao menu using authentic dough and delicious fillings.

In 2017, Ting and co-founder Alex Wu established Bao'd Up, which now has five Austin locations in Mueller Aldrich, Sunset Valley, UT West Campus, Burnet Road, and Riverside Drive. The popular fast casual eateries specialize in high quality Chinese comfort food, created with ease, accessibility, and freshness in mind.