The founder and namesake of the well-known Minnesota-based Chinese restaurant chain Leeann Chin has died in Seattle at the age of 77, Minnesota Public Radio reports.

Chin, who was born in Guangzhou, China, opened her first restaurant in Minnetonka in 1980, and a second in St. Paul's downtown Union Depot in 1984. For a few years the brand was owned by General Mills, but after buying back the chain, Chin helped expand the company to more than 40 locations, mostly in the Twin Cities area.