It formed part of a larger event, titled “Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR – International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao”, held to mark a quarter of a century since the city reverted to Chinese administration. The celebration’s line-up of programmes, which spanned two weekends, included outdoor food fairs, cooking demonstrations and cultural performances.

This year’s forum, organised jointly by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the South China Morning Post (the Post) was held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.

Industry experts, including many from across the region, discussed how gastronomy, sustainability and wellness are inextricably linked – and how these themes are closely connected at the core of Macau’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy.

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of MGTO, introduced the theme of the forum, “Holistic Gastronomy: Eat Well, Live Well”, and its relevance in Macau, during her opening speech at the event.

“Gastronomy is intertwined with a rich blend of dimensions from history and culture, traditions and customs, preservation and innovation, wellness and lifestyle to sustainability,” she said. “Indeed, gastronomy is also one of the essential drivers for tourism and economic development I believe for many countries, and especially for Macau.”

Manav Tuli, chef and founder of Leela, a contemporary Indian restaurant in Hong Kong, was one of the keynote speakers. He talked about the concepts of ayurveda, or “knowledge of life” – a system of alternative medicine that originated in India, based on the idea that disease is caused by an imbalance or stress in a person’s consciousness – and how it can be applied to food.

“Each person’s food profile needs to be built around their tridosha [three life forces combining ether and air, fire and water and earth and water] and triguna [three personality types – balanced, passionate and dull] nature,” he said.

“When our guna and dosha constitutions are nourished, the foundation of our health is nourished.”

Tuli, previously chef at the one-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, Chaat, at the Rosewood Hong Kong hotel, was named “best chef” by the Post in this year’s 100 Top Tables guide to outstanding restaurants and bars in Hong Kong and Macau, with Leela also named “best restaurant”.

Guests watched as Au Yeung explained how he often consults a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner so that he can use ingredients in his soups to help deal with imbalances in the human body’s vital energy or “life force”, called qi.

A panel discussion, titled “Exploring Holistic Gastronomy: A Journey into Macau’s Culinary and Wellness Landscape”, saw Andreea Apostol, a Macau-based Romanian food consultant and vegan chef, unpick the essence of holistic gastronomy and explain why chefs should take an “active mindfulness” approach to food preparation.

“With mindfulness we can focus so well that we can activate our five senses – we see, we taste, we touch … to cook with love, awareness and mindfulness is important, not only to our customers, but to the people that are working with us,” she said.

Another panellist, Kenneth Law, culinary operations director at the integrated resort, Studio City Macau, agreed with her views. “We participate in the environment we have,” he said. “We stay positive, we believe, we inspire, we encourage, we celebrate life – through people – and this is also affecting the experience in a restaurant.”

Adolphus Foo, a wine sommelier and director of the Macau consultancy, SommAsia, looked at things from the perspective of the drinks industry, and highlighted the trend of people choosing healthier low- and non-alcoholic options, especially among members of Generation Z – born since the late 1990s, who are more health-conscious. He explained how drink pairings can still be exciting for guests by embracing non-alcoholic options, such as tea and kombucha.

Amber Li, co-founder of the wellness resort Serensia Woods, on Hengqin Island in the city of Zhuhai, China, gave another keynote speech in which she highlighted how superfoods, seasonal produce and locally grown foods can be important pillars in a holistic approach to healing.

Another panel discussion, titled “Holistic Gastronomy as a Catalyst: A Resilient Future for Businesses and Tourism”, featured panellists who explored how health, culture and environmental stewardship can be integrated into culinary practices and help to bolster the resilience of local economies and enhance destination branding.

“The market is very competitive around hotels, integrative resorts and even around our city,” Ruby O, assistant vice-president of sustainability and business synergy at the integrated resort, MGM Macau, said. “But if we switch on our thinking, food can indeed create a lot of innovative possibilities that sustain not just the city, but [also] the industry.”

Andrew Tsui, co-founder of Hong Kong’s Rooftop Republic, which builds and manages urban farms, discussed the need for education and for consumers to be encouraged to make green choices, and emphasised the importance of quality.

“Learning about ingredients and nutritional value … shocked me,” he said, while referring to a 2004 study that proved that the nutritional value of one orange from 50 years ago was the equivalent to eight oranges today. Tsui also explained how regenerative farming was the most sustainable way to “close the loop” and ensure that good quality produce was eaten on people’s table.

Other industry insiders involved in the panel discussions included Mariana de Oliveira Dias, executive director of health and wellness at integrated resort developer Sands China; Maria Fatima Pun, director of sustainability at Wynn Palace and Wynn Macau resorts; May Chow, chef and owner of Hong Kong comfort food restaurant Little Bao; Jeremy Evrard, vice-president of signature restaurants operations at SJM Resorts, which owns and operates the iconic the Grand Lisboa hotel and Grand Lisboa Palace Resort; Abbi Grace, assistant manager of Hong Kong restaurant Mono; and André Lai, executive chef of Andaz Kitchen at the hotel, Andaz Macau.

They took part in talks on topics ranging from investing in non-genetically modified organisms and pesticide-free produce to sustainable seafood sourcing and waste management, which showed how Macau, together with neighbouring Hengqin Island and Hong Kong, can drive sustainable change and pave the way for a more resilient future in China’s Greater Bay Area.