It’s been a busy few years for Kenneth Wan and Doris Yuen, the husband-and-wife duo behind MAKfam.
They opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant on South Broadway, then quickly earned a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide. Wan was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for emerging chef in 2024 and a semifinalist for best chef in the mountain region in 2025, then he competed on Food Network’s “Chopped.” The couple also recently welcomed their second child, a little boy named Oscar.
Even amid all that hustle and bustle, Wan and Yuen still find time to innovate. Case in point: They’re adding several brand new items to MAKfam’s already delicious line-up of tradition-inspired Cantonese-ish food.
The new dishes draw on Yuen’s childhood in Hong Kong and Rhode Island, as well as Wan’s upbringing in Massachusetts. They seamlessly blend Chinese and American influences, with an emphasis on comfort food classics.
“Growing up in a Chinese household, there was no greater luxury than walking into a steakhouse and ordering surf and turf,” says Wan. “Doris and I love a good steak and it’s even what I typically prepare on Thanksgiving instead of turkey. MAKfam’s version of a ‘steakhouse-style’ steak utilizes our house-made XO sauce to add an even richer and deeper umami flavor.”
The star of the show is MAKfam’s new deluxe steak platter with shrimp, which includes sliced, boneless ribeye steak, seared shrimp and house-made XO butter. Priced at $88.88, this large format dish serves two people and will be available for dinner on Mondays and Wednesdays starting September 17.
Other new dishes have been rolling out in recent weeks, including salt and pepper calamari. Growing up, Wan and his siblings ordered this dish whenever they visited Chinatown—it was a beloved must-have among American-born Chinese (ABC) kids. MAKfam’s take features crispy calamari tossed with ginger, peppers and onion, and served with a spicy mayo sauce.
MAKfam is also putting its own spin on the classic Caesar salad. The restaurant’s new chopped charred gai lan Caesar shines the spotlight on gai lan, also known as Chinese broccoli, a leafy green vegetable with glossy leaves and thick stems. It’s chopped and charred, tossed in Fu-Yu lemon dressing, then topped with parmesan and milk toast croutons.
“Doris and I absolutely love a good Caesar salad so I wanted to incorporate our own version that’s quite off the beaten path of what MAKfam typically offers,” says Wan. “Our twist includes fish sauce and fermented tofu in the dressing that’s balanced by classic key ingredients in a Caesar, such as mayonnaise, anchovies and parmesan cheese. Swapping romaine lettuce for charred gai lan adds another depth of flavor that’s smoky, sweet and slightly bitter. Finally, we playfully topped the dish with milk toast croutons which is truly unique.”
Another new option is Mama Wan’s pork belly, which Wan grew up eating. (He loved his mom’s dish so much he asked her to make it whenever he came home from college or for special occasions like his birthday.) Featuring shredded braised pork belly, hoisin and pickled vegetables over rice, this comfort food dish is designed to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Finally, don’t skip MAKfam’s HK tomato, egg and beef. Every Chinese household has their own version of this dish—including Wan’s parents, who made this humble, homestyle meal nearly every week. It includes wok-roasted tomatoes, marinated beef, scrambled eggs and ginger.
