Lin is a native of Shanghai, China, and immigrated to the USA at a young age. Lin grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University (CT), an MBA from Columbia Business School (NYC), and a diploma in pastry arts from Le Cordon Bleu (London). Prior to receiving her pastry training, Lin held a number of positions in financial services and internet marketing in New York City. In 2008, life's unpredictable turn of events brought Lin to Beijing, where Lin started out as an investment banker, and ended up teaching pastry-making classes and making wedding cakes that were featured in a leading bridal magazine in China.

In 2008, enrolled as a student in the pastry arts diploma program at Le Cordon Bleu London, Lin became fascinated with the pates de fruits in a technical demonstration class, overwhelmed by the exquisite flavors these little fruit jewels imparted, with an intensity so pure and astonishing that resistance became futile. Over the years at The Fig Tree in Beijing, a beautiful commercial kitchen Lin built to teach the art of pastry making to the local Chinese and expatriates, Lin practiced her hand at making delectable French macarons and decorating fancy wedding cakes and sugar cookies with chocolate and royal icing, among all the other amazing pastries and confections. But she never forgot about the pates de fruits, those exquisite jewel-toned delicacies that practically melted in her mouth.

In 2012, Lin moved to Maui and founded Maui Epicure LLC to launch a business focused on producing and marketing Maui Fruit Jewels, inspired by the pates de fruits, and using Maui fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices as primary ingredients.