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Doris Yeun
ColoradoBiz Staff //July 29, 2025//
Doris Yuen is an innovative restaurateur and community leader whose vision and dedication have transformed Denver’s culinary scene. In 2015, she and her husband, Chef Kenneth Wan, began hosting street market pop-ups that evolved into Meta Asian Kitchen at Avanti Food and Beverage in 2019. By November 2023, they opened MAKfam, a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Denver’s Baker neighborhood that celebrates reimagined, family-inspired Chinese recipes.
Yuen’s drive and strategic mindset have helped MAKfam thrive. She crafted a compelling pitch that secured their location and guided MAKfam to surpass its first-year revenue goal by earning $2.1 million in 2024. MAKfam’s success earned national recognition, including a James Beard Emerging Chef Semifinalist nod in 2024, a Best Chef Semifinalist nomination in 2025, a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation and inclusion in 5280’s Best Restaurants List.
While Chef Wan leads the kitchen, Yuen handles operations, integrating modern technology to streamline reservations, labor tracking and payroll. Her empathetic leadership fosters a workplace where staff thrive and grow. She mentors employees to advance in their careers, celebrates their creativity on menus and social media and supports them in launching their own ventures, like pop-ups featured at local markets.
Yuen’s commitment to the Asian American community shines through collaborations with Colorado Asian Pacific United and support for Mile High Asian Food Week. She uplifts emerging AANHPI entrepreneurs by hosting pop-ups at MAKfam and fundraises for employees in times of need. Through mentorship, cultural advocacy and fearless leadership, Yuen exemplifies what it means to build a restaurant that feeds both people and community.
