Lynn Yamada Davis, known to millions simply as Lynja, was an American online cooking star whose fast, funny short videos made her one of the most beloved food creators on the internet. She came to fame late in life, launching “Cooking with Lynja” in 2020 at the age of 63, and built an enormous global following before her death on 1 January 2024.
A retired engineer with degrees from MIT and Columbia, Lynja brought a distinctive mix of technical curiosity, warmth and playful humour to her cooking – qualities that turned simple recipes into viral entertainment loved across generations.
TL;DR
- American online cooking creator, born 31 July 1956; died 1 January 2024
- Known as Lynja, host of “Cooking with Lynja”
- A retired engineer with degrees from MIT and Columbia Business School
- Built more than 13 million YouTube subscribers and over 22 million TikTok followers
- Won three Streamy Awards for her viral short-form videos
Lynja (Lynn Yamada Davis) key facts
| Born | 31 July 1956, USA |
| Died | 1 January 2024 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Cooking with Lynja (TikTok, YouTube) |
| Background | Engineer; MIT and Columbia graduate |
An unlikely internet star
Before she ever picked up a camera, Lynn Yamada Davis had a full career behind her. She earned degrees from MIT and Columbia Business School and worked for nearly three decades at AT&T Labs. It was only in 2020, at the age of 63 and during the COVID-19 lockdown, that she began making cooking videos – an idea sparked by her youngest son, Tim Davis, who was developing his video-editing skills and helped shoot and edit every episode.
Cooking with Lynja
“Cooking with Lynja” quickly became a phenomenon. The videos paired straightforward home recipes with fast, meme-savvy editing and Lynja’s own irrepressible humour and charisma, appealing to a huge, multi-generational audience. The channel grew to more than 13 million YouTube subscribers and over 22 million followers on TikTok, and Lynja won three Streamy Awards – remarkable recognition for a creator who had started only a few years earlier.
Legacy
Lynn Yamada Davis died on 1 January 2024 at the age of 67, after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Creators and fans around the world paid tribute to her warmth, her humour and the joy she brought to cooking. Her videos, made together with her son, remain a much-loved body of work and a reminder that it is never too late to find a new passion – or a new audience.
Signature style
Lynja’s style was defined by energy and fun: quick cuts, sound effects, internet references and her own playful on-camera presence, all in service of accessible, unpretentious recipes. She made cooking feel joyful and inclusive, and her engineer’s eye for detail gave even simple dishes a satisfying sense of craft.
Lynja in context
Lynja was one of the defining figures of short-form food video, part of the same online-creator generation as chefs and cooks featured on Pickup Table 4 such as Nick DiGiovanni and Joshua Weissman.
Cooking with Lynja
Lynja FAQ
Who was Lynja?
Lynn Yamada Davis, an American online cooking creator known for the viral series Cooking with Lynja.
When did she start making videos?
In 2020, at the age of 63, during the COVID-19 lockdown, with help from her son Tim.
What was her background?
She was a retired engineer with degrees from MIT and Columbia Business School.
How popular was her channel?
More than 13 million YouTube subscribers and over 22 million TikTok followers.
When did she die?
She died on 1 January 2024, at the age of 67.
