Macao’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, Macanese gastronomy, is in the limelight among other gems of the destination during “Macao Week in Hangzhou”, the mega promotion launched by the Macao Special Administrative Region Government at the capital of Zhejiang Province since yesterday (26 March). Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Grand Hyatt Hangzhou and Macanese Gastronomic Brotherhood together present a Taste of Macao Food Promotion for Hangzhou residents to savor the delights of Macanese cuisine and the charm of Macao as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

During the Taste of Macao Food Promotion held from 26 March to 11 April, two renowned Macanese chefs from Macao, Antonieta Manhão and Rita Cabral, will elaborate on the characteristics of Macanese gastronomy for a team of local chefs with whom they will together prepare Macanese buffet dinner at the Grand Café of Grand Hyatt Hangzhou. The Macanese chefs will not only pass on the culinary legacy to local chefs but also inspire them with innovative fusions in traditional culinary arts.

The Taste of Macao Food Promotion presents a feast of Macanese delicacies as follows: sardine tart, stuffed crab shell, cheese toast, Portuguese shrimp salad, Portuguese green soup, Macanese meatloaf, Portuguese chicken, duck rice, curry prawn with turnip, serradura, fig-flavored agar jelly as well as Portuguese egg tart.

The UnionPay QuickPass offers buffet coupons during the Taste of Macao Food Promotion. Upon coupon redemption, users can enjoy special offers including 200 RMB red packets for spending in Macao.

Hangzhou resident Ms. Liu deemed her first palate encounter with Macanese cuisine a wonderful surprise and relished the refreshing touch of Macanese culinary art on familiar food ingredients. She enjoyed the delightful taste of the dishes. Upon learning about the exemption of quarantine for Mainland visitors to Macao, she looks forward to a future trip to Macao for a taste of Macanese cuisine again.

MGTO hopes that this profound culinary exchange can offer Hangzhou and Mainland residents a window into Macanese culinary traditions and innovations as well as Macao’s gastronomic culture. The food promotion also brings out the essence of preservation, innovation and exchange valued by Creative Cities of Gastronomy.

The designation of Macao as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2017 has endorsed the global recognition of the city’s over-four-century-old culinary legacy and aroused interest among the young generation in gastronomic culture especially that of Macanese cuisine.

This year, the Macao SAR Government will submit the first four-year work report to UNESCO. The report is proposed to include various effective measures of pandemic prevention tailored by the SAR Government for the catering industry and the area of food safety. Launched in 2020, the Macanese Cuisine Database is built into the Gastronomy Website (www.gastronomy.gov.mo) and features a collection of Macanese recipes and information on pertinent culinary skills and so forth.