Macau’s opulent fine dining scene is using AI to tackle sustainability: how restaurants in Galaxy Macau, Sands China and Grand Lisboa are leading the green march forward
Michelin-starred eateries like Chef Tam’s Seasons and SJM’s Robuchon au Dôme, and other high-end venues including Galaxy’s Andaz Kitchen and The Londoner’s Churchill’s Table, are all driving the change
In a city as vibrant and fast-paced as Macau, the hungry need not look far to find a fine dining institution worthy of a visit. The city’s leading restaurants are known for their high quality produce and innovative twists on classic cuisines.
Now, increasingly, attention is being paid to sustainability – no easy feat in a territory that, by necessity, imports most of its ingredients and where much hospitality is focused on clients expecting only the very best.
In one sense at least, local traditions provide a head start.
“Cantonese cuisine has always been curated based on sustainability. We fully utilise every part of the ingredient,” explains chef Tam Kwok-fung of the eponymous one-Michelin-starred establishment Chef Tam’s Seasons, located at Wynn Palace.
Keith Lei, senior vice-president of human resources and sustainability at MGM Macau, says adopting a traditional nose-to-tail approach has granted chefs a sense of culinary liberty. “[This] has challenged chefs to be more creative in their use of less common cuts of meat, leading to a resurgence of diverse cooking techniques and a broader appreciation for the entire animal, discovering new flavours and textures.”
While nose-to-tail and farm-to-table dining are popular trends, chef Tam explains how fish and poultry are prepared. Bones are put aside for flavoursome broths, while vegetables take centre stage or accent dishes as garnishes. “All of this puts our sustainable beliefs and theories into an actual dish,” he says.
