MGTO launches videos to manifest the cultural heritage of Macanese cuisine
【DST】The first video of the Macanese cuisine series is launched today (8 March)
Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is launching a series of videos on the Macao gastronomy website from March to June to manifest the cultural heritage and culinary artistry of Macanese cuisine, with the aim to reinforce Macao’s dedication to preserving gastronomic culture as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, in line with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Preservation of Macanese gastronomy
In collaboration with the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) and the International Institute of Macau (IIM), MGTO produced the video series featuring stewed pork with tamarind and shrimp paste as well as fig and winter melon jam, among a selection of culinary delights from the Macanese Cuisine Database. Executive Chef of IFTM, Chon Kin Kei, and Chef of IFTM, Milene Lau do Rosario, were invited to conduct culinary presentations, while Vice-President of IFTM, Diamantina Rosário Coimbra, was invited to introduce the story and history behind the dishes. Coimbra also presented IFTM’s designation as a protection unit of Macanese gastronomy, a representative item of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of China, as well as the tasks involved to preserve and promote Macanese cuisine.
Release of the first video today
The Macanese-cuisine series consists of four videos, each of which will be released successively on the Macao gastronomy website – Video Gallery (https://www.gastronomy.gov.mo/#video-gallery) on the eighth day of each month from March to June 2022. The first video was released today (8 March). The videos are conducted in Cantonese with Chinese subtitles and sign language interpretation to reach a wider audience and in line with the SAR Government’s scheme to optimize Macao’s urban environment toward greater accessibility.
Macao is dedicated to carrying on the profound cultural heritage of Macanese gastronomy. Following the inscription of Macanese gastronomy on the List of Macao’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012, MGTO partnered with IFTM, Cultural Affairs Bureau and IIM to launch the webpage of Macanese Cuisine Database (https://www.gastronomy.gov.mo/#macanese-cuisine-database) in November 2020, in tandem with the launch of thethemed corner at IFTM’s library to curate a valuable collection of recipes, manuscripts, books and publications about Macanese cuisine, for preservation of this culinary heritage over the past four centuries and more. In 2021, Macanese gastronomy was added to the National List of Representative Items of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of China.
