Opening ceremony for Masterclass Series of Culinary Expertise Demonstration
Following the Masterclass Series of Culinary Expertise Demonstration – Suzhou Cuisine Workshop held on 10 June 2021, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and Wynn Macau partner up again to roll out ten culinary demonstration sessions as part of the Masterclass Series of Culinary Expertise Demonstration in collaboration with a range of local entities from July to September.
The Masterclass Series of Culinary Expertise Demonstration is organized by MGTO, Wynn Macau as well as Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ,from itsPortuguese acronym), and co-organized by Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM), Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Macao Federation of Trade Unions. Acclaimed chefs are invited from the Mainland to conduct ten sessions of culinary lectures and demonstrations in Macao for local catering industry professionals and students from July to September. The series aims to help local catering professionals and students gain a deeper understanding of the essence of cuisines originating from different parts of China, offer culinary exchange and learning opportunities for participants, inspire creativity among local catering professionals and foster preservation of gastronomic culture.
2021 marks the fourth anniversary of Macao’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. To carry on and spotlight this glamorous calling card, the Macao SAR Government is dedicated to collaboration with the catering trade in bringing together creativity and gastronomy to foster preservation of Macao’s gastronomic culture through various innovative initiatives, contributing to implementation of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) attaches great importance to cooperation between the public and private sectors. Various pertinent policies as well as promotional, educational and exchange initiatives are steered forward through the dedication and concerted efforts of governmental departments, academic institutes, industry associations and professional culinary organizations. This Masterclass Series is jointly presented by governmental and private entities, academic institutes and a community organization. Venues are provided by DSEDJ, MUST and Macao Federation of Trade Unions to offer culinary training for catering professionals and students, which not only embodies the essence of public – private sector cooperation but also goes in parallel with the direction of Macao’s four-year work plan as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.
The opening ceremony for the Masterclass Series of Culinary Expertise Demonstration and the first culinary demonstration session were held at the Technical and Vocational Education Activity Centre on plot CN6a at Seac Pai Van today (15 July). MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; IFTM President Fanny Vong; MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong; Deputy Director of DSEDJ, Kong Chi Meng; President and Executive Director of Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A., Linda Chen; Head of Division of Secondary Education of DSEDJ, Leong I On; Dean of Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management at MUST, Goh Kok Beng; Executive Vice President for Food & Beverage of Wynn Macau, Kristoffer Luczak; Vice President of Macao Federation of Trade Unions, Leong Wai Fong; Executive Chef of Yongfu, Xu Kunlei, and Executive Chef of Yongfu·Chen Yun, Zhou Chen, attended the occasion together with other guests.
Director Senna Fernandes expressed that 2021 marks the fourth anniversary of Macao’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Macao continues to leverage gastronomy as an element of cultural exchange to carry on its unique hue of diverse cultural harmony, and inspire the local catering trade to give play to their creativity and create more innovative dishes imbued with the unique taste of Macao, manifesting the city’s glamour of “tourism + gastronomy”. MGTO will also continue to partner with the trade and entities concerned in assisting local chefs and catering professionals to keep enhancing their culinary expertise and professionalism through continuing education and training, in order to foster the industry development.
Headed by the team of Yongfu, the first culinary demonstration session presented two dishes namely Soup-filled yellow croaker and Deep-fried sesame glutinous rice balls. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Yongfu has been passing on the ancient taste of Ningbo cuisine from generation to generation. In 2011, Yongfu opened its first chain restaurant in Shanghai, unveiling a new chapter for Ningbo cuisine. The restaurant values the quality of food ingredients and brings out the most authentic taste of food ingredients in palate-tempting dishes through sophisticated use of seasonings, soon transforming Ningbo cuisine into one of the leading cuisines in Shanghai.
The Masterclass Series of Culinary Expertise Demonstration will successively invite renowned chefs from Su Qisheng LAB, Hilton Wangfujing, Yang 19 Club, Pincui 1788, Lin Jiang Yan/Xiehou, Tian Rantai/Xiehou, Jie Xianglou, Yu Yuan·Hui and Zhou She to conduct culinary demonstrations. The ensuing culinary presentation sessions will cover a diversity of cuisines including modern Shanghai cuisine, modern Hangzhou cuisine, Confucian cuisine, new Sichuan cuisine, Hui cuisine, modern Jiaodong cuisine, yellow oil crab feast and mushroom feast. In addition, the Masterclass Series rigorously follows the pandemic prevention guidelines issued by Health Bureau. Participants are required to wear masks throughout the sessions, have their temperature checked and present Macao Health Code of the day upon entry.
MGTO continues to partner with industry operators in organizing different training opportunities for tourism and related industry professionals, to foster the development of the local catering industry and push forward the tasks of Macao as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy as planned, joining hands with other entities to develop Macao as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy through public-private sector cooperation and steer Macao’s tourism industry towards diversification and sustainability.
