This Singaporean chef moved to Mexico for love. Now she runs the only Singaporean restaurant in Latin America
At Makan, Maryann Yong and her Mexican husband have built a restaurant around the flavours of Singapore. Along the way, she has found herself reconsidering what it means to represent home.
Maryann Yong, a Singaporean chef who relocated to Mexico City, has opened Makan, Mexico's first and only Singaporean restaurant. The restaurant, which opened during the pandemic, features a unique take on traditional Singaporean dishes, incorporating Mexican ingredients and flavors. Yong and her Mexican husband, Mario Malvaez, have collaborated to create a fusion cuisine that represents the blend of cultural experiences they have gathered throughout their lives.
Yong, born in the United States and raised in multiple countries, has spent a significant portion of her life away from Singapore. This has led her to contemplate the definition of home and what it means to represent Singaporean cuisine in a new setting. Makan's signature dish, chicken rice, has been modified to include a caramel-colored, poached chicken, which has proven popular with Mexican diners.
Their journey to opening the restaurant was marked by a series of travels and experiences that broadened their culinary horizons, ultimately leading to the creation of Makan.
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