Lynn Yamada Davis, the adored social media sensation renowned for her entertainingly edited cooking videos on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, has sadly passed away at the age of 67.
Her daughter, Hannah Mariko Shofet, confirmed to The New York Times that Lynn Yamada Davis died of esophageal cancer on January 1.
Davis's journey into social media stardom began during the Covid-19 pandemic when her son, Tim, introduced her to TikTok. Initially, it was a month-long project to record daily videos, but as time passed, the mother-son duo continued creating cooking videos, with Tim handling everything from scripting to videography and editing.
"He's the one who writes the script. He's the one who does the videography. He does all the editing. So, he really is the genius behind Cooking with Lynja. I just show up," Davis humbly stated.
One of her zany bacon, egg, and cheese recipe videos went viral, catapulting her to fame. Fast forward three years, and Cooking with Lynja has amassed 18.6 million TikTok followers, nearly 10 million YouTube subscribers, and over two million Instagram followers.
Prior to her social media journey, Davis had a successful career as an engineer, having attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for her undergraduate degree. She worked on projects to make federal buildings accessible for the government and later pursued her MBA and MPH at Columbia University. She spent 29 years at AT&T Labs, where she was a systems engineer and project manager.
Beyond the fame and global travel opportunities, Davis cherished the time spent with her family while creating content for Cooking with Lynja. She traveled to Japan with fellow food TikToker Nick DiGiovanni and was recognized at Forbes' Women's Summit as one of Forbes' Top 50 over 50 Creators in 2022, winning a Streamy Award in the editing and food categories.
Despite her passing, Davis's social media accounts remain active as Tim continues to post edited videos. The accounts will conclude posting after the last videos featuring Davis are uploaded.
Reflecting on her life as an influencer, Davis once said, "It's a joy to wake up and know you're going to have a good day. It is a lovely change in my life, definitely."
Lynn Yamada Davis leaves behind a legacy of laughter, creativity, and culinary delight on the internet.