The Family Table

At Wan’s, Chef Alex Kuk Carries Six Decades Of Chinese-American Tradition Into A New Era

by

Chef Profile

Chef Alex Kuk is steeped in legacy. Considering he was born into a family of chefs and restaurateurs, his career path in the kitchen has felt nothing short of destiny. A graduate of Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Kuk found himself at the height of culinary success in 2014 when he opened Temple Street Eatery in Fort Lauderdale with cofounder Diego Ng. The restaurant quickly became a go-to destination for refined, modern, Asian-inspired comfort food. Then, at the end of 2024, his aunt, Christina Huynh, announced she was retiring and closing the family restaurant, Christina Wan’s in Fort Lauderdale, and everything changed. 

Instinct kicked in, and Kuk knew what had to happen next. He took over the family business, refreshing it and renaming it Wan’s as an ode to the original eatery, Wan’s Mandarin House, started by his great-grandfather in 1966 on Miami’s Calle Ocho. 

“It is an emotional ride,” the 43-year-old says. “I am continuing and representing six decades of my family’s hard work, and, as a friend recently put it, ‘Money can’t buy things like this.’”

The menu offers a large variety of what Kuk describes as “New York–style American-Chinese dishes,” including a 60-year-old family recipe for Pork Dumplings, BBQ Spare Ribs and Shanghainese Scallion Pancakes.

“Our sauces are not heavy, our flavor is balanced and we still cut most items by hand,” Kuk says.

Yet the expansive menu caters to an audience beyond Americans, including Chinese diners seeking authentic Mandarin and Cantonese dishes. 

“Our Mandarin style is wok-seared, with lots of wok-hei,” Kuk explains. “The dishes come out with a tremendous smoky wok aroma and flavor; however, they are not covered in sauce.” 

Still, his family’s deep ties to the restaurant continue to inspire and propel Kuk. 

“Every day, my dad would cook staff lunch and dinner,” he says. “[The staff] would pause, all come together, sit at a table or makeshift table and enjoy a meal. My uncle continued that, and today I continue that as well.” 

Kuk runs Wan’s together with his cousin, Courtney Huynh Van Leeuwaarde (Christina’s daughter), alongside members of the previous generation, including his mother, uncle and aunt, who all work in the restaurant. The family has brought back touches from the original location, including tablecloths for dinner service and a heightened focus on hospitality.

“I still remember my grandmother would smile and greet every guest as they entered and left the restaurant,” he says. “I strive to provide the great service that Wan’s has had for so many decades.”

“One of our chefs and I had to take the Brightline to Orlando to get a new Chinese smoker, so we could continue to make these two items,” Kuk says. “Our old smoker was 20 years old and ready to retire. To this day, we still use my great-grandfather’s recipes for both these dishes.”

Beyond maintaining his family’s legacy, Kuk is a huge advocate for giving back to the community, serving on his alma mater’s alumni network and teaching aspiring chefs, among other efforts.

“Every time I teach, I get to know a group of students for a few weeks, and I always learn something from each of them,” Kuk says. “They may not know it, but I may learn something new about technology [or] a trend. It’s amazing.”

This month, Kuk will participate in several events at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which is celebrating its 25th year. The festival has deep ties with FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, which serves as the host institution and provides student, faculty and alumni involvement across many of the festival’s events. For Kuk, who has played a role in one way or another since the festival’s inception, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and celebrate Miami’s continued evolution as a global culinary destination. When asked what attendees can expect, his answer is simple and heartfelt. 

“‘Fun’ is the key word, ‘pride’ for my alma mater and, lastly, ‘gratefulness,’” Kuk says. “These three words will be on my mind as I create the dish that will also showcase my Chinese heritage.” 

That heritage is what he cherishes most, and what he’s keeping alive at Wan’s — not only in the dishes he serves, but in tangible reminders, like the framed family photograph that hangs behind the register. 

“It is a picture taken the night of my great-grandfather’s 80th birthday. I am about 7 years old,” Kuk says. “That photo captures four generations of Wans. It makes me most proud that I’m able to continue the family’s hard work, dedication and commitment to hospitality.” 

Classic Vegetable Fried Rice

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cool, day-old rice

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 1 large egg

• ¼ cup diced onions

• ½ cup bean sprouts

• ¼ cup peas and carrots

• ¼ cup broccoli florets

• ¼ cup sliced mushrooms

• 3 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• pinch kosher salt 

• ¼ cup chopped scallion

PREPERATION 

Place all the vegetables in a pot of boiling water for 20 seconds, then remove. No ice bath needed. 

Heat a 10-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add oil, followed by the egg, and scramble. Add the vegetables and rice. Using a spatula, gently pat the rice to break up any chunks, then flip and lower the heat to medium-low. Once the rice is broken up, add both soy sauces and continue to stir-fry. Add a pinch of salt and cook until the rice is heated through and dry. Serve on a plate and garnish with scallions.