Antonio Chi Su is best known in the public record as the husband of Lyn May, a Mexican vedette and actress, and for co-running a Chinese restaurant in Mexico City. But beyond those facts lies a story of cultural fusion, quiet entrepreneurship, and personal resilience. Though he lived a life relatively out of the spotlight, Chi Su’s legacy offers a window into how identity, love, and business intersect in everyday life.

Early Life and Heritage

Antonio Chi Su was born in Mexico City to a family of Chinese descent. While exact details about his birth date, childhood, or family members are not broadly documented, the multicultural roots of his identity are a recurring theme. Growing up in a society where Chinese immigrant communities had already made their presence, Chi Su became someone who embodied more than one cultural worldview—valuing Chinese traditions while living fully in the Mexican context.

Marriage to Lyn May

In the late 1980s, Antonio Chi Su married Lyn May (born Lilia Guadalupe Mendiola Mayares), a public figure in Mexican entertainment — dancer, actress, and vedette. Their union was not only personal, but also a partnership of life and business. The two opened a Chinese restaurant together on Avenida Bucareli in Mexico City, combining his cultural heritage with her fame and connections.

The Restaurant on Avenida Bucareli

The restaurant served as more than just a business; it was a place of cultural exchange. Located on Avenida Bucareli, a busy and historic area of Mexico City, this restaurant became a meeting point for people from all walks of life. Chinese cuisine infused with Mexican flavors, approachable service, and a welcoming atmosphere helped it become a neighborhood staple.

Entrepreneurial Style and Values

Chi Su was not known for flashy media presence, but rather for steady commitment. He believed in blending authenticity (in cuisine and culture) with service and community. He was hands-on with the business and put importance on integrity, quality, and cultural respect. Sources suggest that humility and hard work were central to his approach.

Cultural Impact and Identity

One of the most significant aspects of Chi Su’s legacy is how he bridged two identities. As a Chinese-Mexican, he represented communities that often live side by side but not always interconnected. Through food, relationships, and public visibility (especially via Lyn May), his life helped reinforce that cultural hybridity can be a strength. His restaurant became a space where Chinese-Mexican fusion wasn’t just novelty, but lived experience.

Personal Challenges and Health

In 2004, Antonio Chi Su was diagnosed with prostate cancer. This illness marked a difficult chapter, but accounts say he continued involved with his restaurant and personal responsibilities despite the disease. His battle with cancer lasted several years until he passed away in 2008.

Effects on Lyn May and Their Relationship

Lyn May has spoken in interviews about the depth of her connection to Chi Su. Their relationship, marriage, and shared business made a strong mark on her personal life. After Chi Su’s passing, May reportedly grieved deeply; some accounts note emotional acts (which stirred controversy in media) that reflect the depth of her attachment.

Public Recognition and Net Worth

Chi Su was not a celebrity in the sense of regular media features; his recognition is largely tied to Lyn May’s visibility and their shared enterprise. Some sources estimate his net worth at about US$1.5 million around the time of his death. However, that figure doesn’t have a strong primary source, so should be treated with caution.

Legacy and What Remains

Although many specifics of Antonio Chi Su’s life are not well documented (e.g., early childhood, private family life), what remains is meaningful. The restaurant on Bucareli is remembered, his marriage to Lyn May is part of his public remembrance, and his medical struggle is noted as part of his human story. He is credited by many who write about him with having built something lasting—business, love, cultural connection.

What We Don’t Know (and Why It Matters)

There are important gaps in what is documented about Antonio Chi Su: no widely cited birth date, limited detail about his early family, very little about other personal ventures outside the restaurant, scant information on whether he had children, and minimal direct quotes attributed to him. These gaps mean much of what people believe about him is filtered through Lyn May’s life or secondary sources. Still, even from this filtered view, one can piece together lessons about humility, cultural fusion, resilience, and how ordinary people can create lasting impact.

Lessons from His Life

Several takeaways emerge from Antonio Chi Su’s story:

• Cultural identity can be a bridge: embracing more than one heritage can allow you to innovate, connect, and serve others in unique ways.
• Quiet persistence over fame: impact doesn’t always require constant spotlight—steady work and character endure.
• Love and partnership matters: both in life and in business, partnerships built on respect and shared goals can create spaces that outlive individuals.
• Facing adversity with dignity: illness, loss, and hardship are part of many lives, but the way one responds shapes one’s legacy.

Conclusion

Antonio Chi Su may not be a household name globally, but his life is rich with meaning. A Chinese-Mexican restaurateur, husband of Lyn May, a man who brought people together through food, culture, and kindness. His story reminds us that even when someone’s public footprint is small, it does not diminish the value of what they built—restaurants, legacies, relationships.

Though he passed in 2008, the memory of his work remains in the restaurants, in stories, and in how culture continues to mix and thrive in Mexico City. His journey tells us: you don’t have to seek fame to matter.

FAQs

1. When did Antonio Chi Su marry Lyn May?
   They married in the late 1980s, around 1988.
2. What kind of restaurant did he run?
   He ran a Chinese restaurant on Avenida Bucareli in Mexico City, which blended Chinese cuisine with Mexican elements.
3. How long did Antonio Chi Su battle cancer?
   He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004 and passed away in 2008, so about four years.
4. Is information about his early life well documented?
   No. Many details about his childhood, parents, education, or personal ventures outside the restaurant and his marriage are not well verified in public records.
5. What is his lasting impact?
   His lasting impact is cultural: showing how two heritages can co-exist and enrich one another, how a business can be more than profit—it can be a meeting place, a bridge. Also, the memory carried by Lyn May and people who visited their restaurant keeps his influence alive.