Maryann Yong and her husband, Mexican chef Mario Malvaez, opened Makan in Mexico City during the pandemic. It is the only Singaporean restaurant in Latin America, and it started in a house in the Roma neighbourhood.

The first dish that sparked debate was chicken rice. Diners kept removing the skin, so Malvaez suggested a change. Yong recalled, “I was like, how dare you!” but eventually agreed to poach the chicken in a soy‑sauce master stock and finish it on the grill for colour and texture.

Yong said the restaurant still sources Asian vegetables such as bok choy and bitter gourd from growers in Puebla. Because fresh pandan is too pricey in Mexico, she imports pandan extract from Singapore and brings it back on her trips home.

Her culinary journey includes moving between countries as a child, training at Le Cordon Bleu in Melbourne, and working in Singapore and Bangkok before settling in Mexico. These experiences shape how she balances tradition with local taste.

Makan has grown from the two founders and a cleaning aide to a team of 26 people working across the kitchen, dining room and administration.

Running the only Singaporean eatery in Latin America forces Yong and Malvaez to decide which elements define a dish’s identity. Their adaptations show how chefs can keep a cuisine recognizable while making it appealing to a new audience.