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A new organisation for Macau chefs
is leading a campaign to put the city’s
undoubted culinary prowess
on the map. Their strategy is simple,
food as a compliment to business
by sandra Gomes
hE newly formed Macau Culinary Association has Macau recently. Comparing 2007 to 2006, reveals an eight
called for culinary experts to work hand in hand with percent increase in the total number of international events
those who organise trade and industry conventions hosted here.
and fares. Association meetings and corporate events are eating a
Their aim is to use “live cooking’’ to boost Macau’s culi- bigger share of the pie and the figures also show the number of
nary profile while at the same time serving up some top-notch participants is on the rise. Macau’s economic growth, MICE
fare for international delegates. included, has definitely influenced the culinary sector.
Association president Raimund Pichlmaier said: “Most “We have more and more sophisticated restaurants, higher
conventions are made for specific economic purposes, some- standards, and I hope things continue in this way. Even the
times they like to incorporate the hotel and restaurant industry smaller restaurants are more sophisticated, the level of menus
but not cooking competitions or cooking seminars. They are and cooking have all been lifted, “says Pichlmaier.
not interested in cooking live like we are, “ he said.
Another executive member of the association, executive More to be done
pastry chef at the Mandarin Oriental, Herve Lemonon, adds:
“Live cooking is also a way to promote each hotel or restau- Despite this, the association is well aware that much more
rant, but it is not always seen this way. The business of cater- needs to be done.
ing or food industry runs independently of the conventions, as At next year’s Wine and Gourmet 2009 they will try to
a service alone without focus. There can be a marriage, but it improve competition among young chefs from Macau with live
is still necessary to examine all the angles. We will keep the cooking, while promoting the restaurants where they work.
door open and soon will see what happens. More communica- Christophe Duvernois, executive pastry chef at the Macau
tion is needed so the goal can be achieved. “ Tower and executive member of the association, has been here
20 years and has followed the changes.
Born in Macau “Macau is a tourist destination, more open to the market,
but gamblers and professionals are not focused.
Born in March this year, the association aims to promote There are a lot of new chefs around the world and we
the art of cooking and professional chefs in Macau. The 110 must keep up to speed with the industry. There is a challenge
professional chefs signed up, regularly swap recipes, sugges- and the association wants to meet it,’’ he says.
tions, opinions or knowledge to that end. The objectives for the next two years have been plotted.
The aim is not simply to promote cooking done in Macau but They want to give more training for chefs and look for more
to provide training for its members who come from a wide opportunities for chefs, such as new events or competitions,
range of different nationalities. says Duvernois.
As a member of the World Chef Association and the Glo- Wine and Gourmet 2008 was the first to be held in Macau
bal Association of Chefs Society - an organisation which has and has gone a long way to raising the city’s culinary profile.
more than two million members around the world, the Macau All the major players, including Mandarin Oriental, Crown,
Culinary Association aims to make a noise about what’s going Sands, Venetian, Wynn, Four Season, MGM, Macau Tower
on food-wise in the MSAR. and the Bistrot restaurant, took part and the association con-
“Promoting the brand’’ are the watchwords and also par- siders the objectives were achieved.
ticipation in overseas competitions like their sister association For next year, the goal is to host live competitions show-
in Hong Kong. casing different foods.
“Macau is not on the culinary map. People do not know The association also plans to set up a team of chefs to
much about Macau, only gambling. So we have to expose and represent Macau in overseas competitions.
prove ourselves but it will be a long journey, “ admits Hungar- To that end they are keen to get sponsorship: “Before peo-
ian chef Pichlmaier. ple give financial support they have to know the brand, that’s
According to the Macau Government Tourist Office, the why competitions are very important. It’s to make business,’’
convention industry, (MICE), has become more important in Herve concluded.
december 2008
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