Classically trained, the 2024 James Beard Emerging Chef Semifinalist Chef Kenneth Wan is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center). Following culinary school, he spent time working in luxury hotels and private clubs, like Soho House, before gaining valuable experience in some of New York’s most beloved establishments including RedFarm, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Xi’an Famous Foods, and The Lucky Bee. In 2019, Wan and his wife and co-owner Doris Yuen opened Meta Asian Kitchen in Denver’s Avanti Food and Beverage focusing on non-traditional Chinese fare. In November 2023, Wan and Yuen opened MAKfam, a rebranded moniker located in Denver’s vibrant Baker neighborhood that represents the essence of America’s new Asian culinary movement by reimagining traditional family-inspired Chinese recipes through a modern perspective.