MACAU FOOD FESTIVAL AND MICHELIN STARS SHOWCASE CULINARY HOTSPOT

   
The Far East destination of Macau, famed for its rich and diverse dining experiences, is dishing up a gastronomic adventure at the Macau Food Festival in November. This year's festival coincides with an award-winning year for Macau, which has seen the destination bestowed with two new Michelin stars and one of its restaurants ranked among the top 10 best eateries in the world.

Taking place from 8th to 24th November at Sai Van Lake, opposite the imposing 338-metre high Macau Tower, the Macau Food Festival serves up a glut of delicious gastronomy combining Asian, European and Macanese delicacies. The array of flavours from around the world is generously salted with live musical performances, games and beer competitions, and a welcoming atmosphere at its many street stalls, booths and tents. 

Elsewhere, visitors won't have to travel far to satisfy their cravings for sumptuous fare, with Michelin inspectors awarding new stars to two noted restaurants in 2013. The Golden Flower in the Wynn Macau hotel achieved its second star, a tribute to its superb specialties from Shandong and Sichuan in northern China. The restaurant also offers a special opportunity to sample Tan cuisine, a culinary tradition from the Qing Dynasty. It is the second dining venue at Wynn Macau to receive two Michelin stars, after Wing Lei.

In addition, The Tasting Room situated in the City of Dreams complex, features in the Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau 2013 for the very first time with one star. The fine dining establishment is run by French chef Guillaume Galliot who serves predominantly contemporary French cuisine. It is also famous for its fresh seafood dishes, Valrhona chocolates, fine cheeses, and liquor imported from Europe.

Testament to its reputation as one of the Asia's greatest food destinations, a total of 62 establishments in Macau (46 restaurants and 16 hotels) feature in the fifth edition of the Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau - 11 more than the 2012 edition. Adding to this, Macau's only three-star restaurant, Robuchon au Dome, has been ranked among the top 10 restaurants in the world by the USA's Elite Traveler Magazine.  Roubuchon au Dome, revered for its contemporary French cuisine and collection of over 7,000 wines, ranked 8th in the world - ahead of Denmark's world-famous Noma restaurant and London's The Ledbury.

Gourmands will also find truly individual local fare which reflects Macau's rich history and heritage. The Portuguese arrived in Macau in the 16th century bringing food and influences from their trading routes between Europe and Asia, resulting in the distinctive Macanese fusion cuisine that combines the flavours of Portugal, China, India, Brazil, Malaysia and Africa. Macanese food is typically seasoned with spices such as turmeric and cinnamon and cooking techniques include baking, grilling and roasting. Favourites include Galinha à Africana (African chicken), stir-fried curry crab and Macanese chilli shrimps and help to make Macau one of the most exciting gastronomic destinations in the world.

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About Macau:

Just 40 miles from Hong Kong, Macau is located on China's south coast and boasts a unique Portuguese-Chinese heritage that makes it like nowhere else in the world. It might be small but Macau packs a lot into its 11 square miles with an abundance of historical buildings, superb food, beaches, gardens, museums, spas, shopping malls, dazzling shows, and activities ranging from golf and hiking to bungy jumping. A Special Administrative Region of China since 1999, Macau blends the best of the past with new and exciting tourism attractions.
www.macautourism.gov.mo

About the Macau Government Tourist Office:

The Macau Government Tourist Office is the tourism development arm of the government of the Macau SAR (Special Administrative Region) dedicated to promoting Macau as a preferred destination and co-ordinating related activities and services within the local tourism industry.

For media information and images, please contact Sarah Habicht at Hume Whitehead: sarah@humewhitehead.co.uk / 0845 498 9987.