Fiona Mak

Meet Fiona Mak

Communication Board Member Alliance of Women In Washington Wine

Owner and Winemaker at SMAK Wines

Owner Wallala Dumplings

Certified Sommelier

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Join us as we bring you this special series on the Grapevine, celebrating this community of Washington wine industry professionals, while learning what their culture and AAPI Heritage Month means to them.

Suman Kumar: How do you identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community? Specifically where you and/or your family immigrated from, or still reside. 

Fiona Mak: I am American-born-Chinese. My parents gave birth to me here in Phoenix, Arizona and then I was raised in Hong Kong. My parents still live in Hong Kong.

SK: What is your role within the Washington Wine Industry?

FM: I am the winemaker and owner of SMAK Wines, Communications Board Member for the Alliance of Women in Washington Wine, Owner of Wallala Dumplings, and a Certified Sommelier.

SK: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture? 

FM: Food definitely excites me the most, with Hong Kong being such a dynamic and international city, I was exposed to a massive range of foods from a very young age. I used to be a very picky eater but ever since I can prepare my own I became more adventurous. Chinese food has a very wide range of cooking styles/ spices and there is just so much to learn from each Province. 

SK: Does your family have any traditions that are especially important to you? 

FM: Our one main tradition is to celebrate Christmas together. It's because Christmas Day is also our parents' Wedding day. My sister lives in France and I live in the US. We would always try our best to go back to Hong Kong for Christmas. Now that my sister had kids we would all try to go to France instead. 

SK: Who are the role models or mentors that have influenced you or helped guide you? 

FM: My dad has always been my role model and my mentor in many ways. From his love of food, wine and entertaining, I can certainly have been groomed to be in the hospitality industry from a very young age. 

SK: What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you? 

FM: I am extremely proud to be Asian and a business owner. Through my dumpling business I am able to use my products to attract a broader demographic and promote Asian foods within my community. I would like to  sustain my support for the AAPI community in any way, not just in this month, but continuously. Our community can only grow stronger with unity. I would like to attract and retain a more diverse workforce within our industry.