A new research project by 2 faculty members from the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) will delve into the complex topic of setting a definition and scope for Macanese cuisine.

The project, titled “Is heritage on the menu in the city of gastronomy: Definition and scope of Macanese cuisine”, is led by IFTM Assistant Professor Dr. Henrique Fátima  Ngan and Lecturer Ms. Anna Litwin. Following a highly competitive selection process, it received in October an Academic Research Grant from the Macao SAR Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau. The bureau highlighted in a press release issued at the time the “great significance” of the project “to future research on food theories and the sustainable development of gastronomic tourism.”

Macanese food, often dubbed the ‘world’s first fusion cuisine’, is in culinary terms a mix of influences from Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Mainland. “While the Macanese cuisine is in itself rich, implicitly known by many locals, and easily identifiable for repeat visitors, it is not easily defined and even those in close contact with the food industry hold different views on what Macanese cuisine is,” say Dr. Ngan and Ms. Litwin.

The researchers will analyse published cookbooks through content analysis as well as collect inputs from a number of stakeholders, including heirs of family recipes, chefs, restaurant owners and food experts. The views of general consumers – local ones and those coming from elsewhere – will also be sampled through interviews and surveys.

This information will be used to develop tailor-made implicit association tests in the later stages of the project to investigate respondents’ implicit knowledge and associations linked to Macanese cuisine. This type of test measures the strength of associations between particular concepts and evaluations.

The method can “not only reveal a positive or negative association a respondent has with a given concept, but also evaluate how strong this association is,” say Dr. Ngan and Ms. Litwin. As a result, the IFTM researchers expect to identify those aspects of knowledge that are most strongly rooted in the respondents’ minds in relation to Macanese cuisine, and by doing so identify the salient characteristics of this food tradition.

Dr. Ngan and Ms. Litwin highlight that setting a clear definition and scope for Macanese cuisine is important, so that Macao can use this particular form of gastronomy to interest people from elsewhere in its culture, and thereby attract more visitors to the city. “Macao, with its rich cultural heritage and Macanese cuisine, is in a unique position to engage in ‘gastrodiplomacy’,” say the 2 scholars.

IFTM is deeply involved in efforts to help increase awareness of Macanese cuisine, including via research and promotion of knowledge. Last year, the Institute was appointed as the “Protection Unit for National Intangible Cultural Heritage – Macanese Culinary Arts”.

The Institute was also one of the parties involved in the creation of a comprehensive database of Macanese cuisine, available at www.gastronomy.gov.mo. It was officially launched by the Macao Government Tourism Office in November 2020, in collaboration with IFTM, the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the International Institute of Macau.

In addition, the IFTM Library has created a themed corner on Macanese gastronomy. There, users can find not only books and publications about Macanese cuisine, but also relevant manuscripts and recipes. The physical display aims to help educate, preserve and promote the city’s distinctive food culture.