‘Holistic way to eat well, live well’ revealed at International Gastronomy Forum, Macao
- Event, organised by Macao Government Tourism Office and South China Morning Post, features talks on nutrition, wellness and hospitality
Macau’s rich history while under Portuguese administration from the 1600s up to 1999 helped to create its diverse East-meets-West mix of cultures, including Macanese cuisine – the unique “fusion food” now designated as part of the city’s intangible heritage.
Its more than 400-year culinary legacy gained a new impetus in 2017 when Macau became one of the Unesco Creative Cities of Gastronomy – a list that now includes six Chinese cities out of a global total of 56 – which place innovation and cultural industries at the heart of their local development plans.
Last month it hosted the International Gastronomy Forum, Macao – the fourth time the city has staged the event and the first time since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic – which saw notable speakers and delegates from Creative Cities of Gastronomy around the world exchanging ideas as they discussed the latest industry trends.
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.
