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Destination Macau MAY-JUN 2018 37 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM The foodie traveller market is growing fast, in numbers as well as waistlines. The travel trend sees visitors plan their leisure, and even business and MICE trips, around food experiences. And Macau is one of Asia's latest destinations to feed into this growing appetite for culture via cuisine. With a rich history that blends spice trade inuences with the current recognition from Michelin and UNESCO Then 2002's opening of the casino market saw Sheldon Adelson arrive in town, and as the casinos mushroomed, Macau's foodie fortunes turned too. Michelin makes its move "The casinos helped make Macau more famous, bringing in international chefs, better supplies, more competition and quality. And then everyone in F&B was excited when Michelin came to town," says Wong, recalling the 2009 launch. "Michelin Guides raise standards because everyone has to raise their game." It is no coincidence that the Grand Lisboa is home to both of Macau's two three-starred restaurants, Robuchon au Dome and The 8. Alan Ho of the Lisboa Group, casino magnate Stanley Ho's nephew, is a renowned food and wine acionado, and the motivation behind bringing Robuchon to The Lisboa way back in 2001. Dining becomes a visual performance at The Eight and the government-run 2018 Macau Year of Gastronomy and its calendar of events, it's rich pickings in the SAR. "Michelin and Asia's 50 Best are amazing recognition for chefs, dining experiences, concepts and designs. However, the UNESCO City of Gastronomy is a true recognition for the city as a whole, which pays tribute to Macau's cultural diversity, the depth and uniqueness of the cuisine and its evolution through history," says Chef Georey Simmons, director of culinary at MGM MACAU and MGM COTAI. David Wong Yuk Shan, executive assistant manager and trainer F&B at the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), has witnessed the gastronomic scene evolve since 1994 when he recalls it was mostly the non-hotel restaurants like Toscana, Fernando's, O Santos, A Lorcha, Club Militar and A Petisquaria, all still operating, that were the popular ones. Winning delegates' hearts (and stomachs) is the growing number of restaurants offering creative spins on gastronomy. WORDS CATHARINE NICOL Food is the fun factor "The UNESCO City "The UNESCO City of Gastronomy is a true recognition for the city as a whole, which pays tribute to Macau's cultural diversity, the depth and uniqueness of the cuisine..." CHEF GEOFFREY SIMMONS, DIRECTOR OF CULINARY, MGM MACAU AND MGM COTAI MACAU AND MGM COTAI FAST FACTS • With 440 restaurants in 2017, visitors have 10.3% more to choose from since 2016 • 64 Michelin-star restaurants • 3-star restaurants in Macau remain Robuchon au Dome and The Eight SOURCE: MACAU TRADE & INVESTMENT PROMOTION INSTITUTE/THE MICHELIN GUIDE