Two Local Restaurants Enter This Year's ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ List

On 26^th March, the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 was unveiled in Macao at a gala event in Wynn Palace, where top chefs and restaurateurs from across Asia witnessed the announcement of the highly anticipated annual ranking of the fifty most influential restaurants in the region. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Alexis Tam, was among the guests of honour attending the occasion, and handed the Best Restaurant in Thailand award to Gaggan, which is also number two on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list.

Singapore’s Odette restaurant was crowned ‘The Best Restaurant in Asia 2019’, while Jade Dragon and Wing Lei Palace, both from Macao, were included in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list, one more than last year. 

Nine other individual awards were also handed out on this star-studded occasion in categories such as the Sustainable Restaurant Award, Asia’s Best Pastry Chef, and Miele One to Watch Award, among others. 

Organised with the support of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Macao hosted the world famous gourmet awards for the second consecutive year as part of its ongoing initiatives to develop it as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

Macao in gastronomic limelight

MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes remarked that Macao has come to the attention of the gastronomy community in the region for hosting Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for the second consecutive year, which also showcases Macao to chefs and restaurateurs from across the region. 

As Macao transforms itself into a world centre of tourism and leisure the growing gastronomy sector has become one of Macao’s greatest assets. From the dynamics unfolding in Macao, the dining sector is set to continue growing, she said, with new developments on the horizon.

William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, believes that the 2019 programme has made more impact than ever as it becomes more exciting and diverse, adding that chefs, journalists, influencers and gourmands from across Asia and the world are learning more and more about Macao’s culture, its history and its cuisine as they enjoy its varied, high quality restaurant scene.

City hosts gastronomic events

‘50 BestTalks’ culinary conference - themed ‘Vital Ingredients’ - was also held during this glittering occasion, with this year’s topic focusing on sustainable practices and the key elements necessary for a successful restaurant. Food and Beverage Management students from Macau University of Science and Technology also took the opportunity to learn from the best in the field during an educational session.

In addition, a Chefs’ Feast was held at Pousada de Coloane enabling international chefs to mingle with their local counterparts. Visiting chefs were invited to make some of Macao’s popular pastries in workshops, where they prepared almond cookies and Portuguese egg tarts, visiting, in addition, nearby gastronomic attractions in Taipa Village. Throughout the days before and after the awards ceremony, several gastronomic dining and other related events were held in Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace featuring visiting star chefs plus celebrated chefs from Wynn and invited Macanese chefs.

Since the launch of the Asian regional version of 50 Best in 2013, Robuchon au Dôme was awarded the honour for the first four years; in 2017, Robuchon au Dôme, Jade Dragon and The Tasting Room were awarded, while Jade Dragon was also listed as one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants in 2018. 

Since Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards presentation was first held in Macao in 2018 over 90 per cent of awardees have attended the awards presentation ceremony, the highest ever.

For the full list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019, please visit: www.theworlds50best.com/asia. To review more ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018’ events, please visit MGTO Macao Tourism Industry Net: http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo.