Ready your knives and forks: the first RR1 Signature Event held in Asia is all set to premiere in Macau at MGM Cotai. A fine-dining event like no other, Culinary Masters has historically collected the greatest chefs in the world together with epicureans and fans mostly in the Americas or in Europe.
For the first time, as the name indicates, the master chefs of the world are gathering in Macau to kick off Culinary Masters, an exclusive RR1 members-only event. To top it all, this celebration of fine dining comes with a great purpose.
The timing of the event is noteworthy; in the wake of the United Nation’s Sustainable Gastronomy Day on 18 June, all of the attending celebrated chefs have jotted down their empirical thoughts on wherein lies the future of food, and will present meals in reflection of a central theme: “The Flavours of Tomorrow: Savouring the Future.”
Macau’s famed attractions will serve as the perfect backdrop for Culinary Masters, where global guests, local residents, and travellers, who are flying in especially for the multiple-day event, will be wined and dined with the finest the dining world has to offer, alongside some of the culinary scene’s brightest stars.
Macau, widely recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, has historically been a unique amalgam of inspiring cuisines. Adding to the fabled dishes of the region, Culinary Masters will highlight the achievements of acclaimed local and international chefs and their impactful work in redefining the future of gastronomy, further enrichening Macau’s dining scene.
In the dining world, these greats need little introduction. With the highest culinary honours of three Michelin stars for his Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italian chef Massimo Bottura’s fame lands long before he does. Twice named “The World’s Best Restaurant” (in 2016 and 2018) and honoured with a Michelin Green Star for efforts against food waste and commitment to sustainability, Bottura and his team are renowned for their exquisite meals; they started the conversation about sustainability long before it came into fashion.
“My team and I will cook some of the most iconic dishes from Osteria Francescana,” says Bottura on video call from Italy. “I’m looking forward to this very special event dedicated to food, culture, and creativity!”
Yim Jung-sik, the pioneering force behind two-Michelin-starred Jungsik, modernised traditional Korean cuisine in both Seoul and New York City: “At Jungsik, we focus on reinventing traditional Korean food, while keeping the essence of the cuisine intact. It’s what I would like to describe as ‘new cuisine from Korea’ and this is what my team and I will be bringing to the event.”
Many in Hong Kong are already familiar with local Michelin-star-studded Arcane, headed by Shane Osborn, the globally recognised Aussie chef (and star of Netflix smash hit The Final Table) who promotes plant-based cuisine and green dining in a contemporary setting. “I will be bringing sustainable gastronomy programmes to the table, and I’m thrilled to share them with you so we can keep this conversation about green and responsible dining going,” says Osborn.
Macau’s resident stars are also rising to the occasion. Yang Dengquan, chef de cuisine of Five Foot Road at MGM Cotai, just picked up a Michelin star for his outstanding execution of Chengdu-Sichuan cuisine. Homan Tsui of Imperial Court at MGM Macau, was recognised by the Forbes Travel Guide with a Five-Star Award and Black Pearl Restaurant Guide as a One Diamond Restaurant.
“It is with utmost pleasure that I will be representing MGM in this year’s Culinary Masters event. I look forward to showcasing to you and the world the versatility and vast flavour profiles of refined Sichuanese cuisine,” says Yang.
In that same vein, Tsui chimes in, “I’m beyond honoured to be representing MGM in this year’s Culinary Masters event. I can’t wait to welcome our prestigious guests for a taste of Lingnan traditional flair, which is the essence of the Guangdong region, where MGM calls home.”
Palmira Pena, the acclaimed chef of Macanese and Portuguese cuisine, has long held a reputation for transforming traditional Macanese East-meets-West dishes: “I am very excited and looking forward to show our local and overseas guests Macau’s Macanese and Portuguese cuisines in this very first event in Asia.”
Culinary Masters 2023 has been making palpable waves, as an event of this size and magnitude has never before taken place in the region. Gastronomes and tastemakers of all stripes will coalesce in an environment that befits the grand occasion and benefits the future environment of sustainable cuisine.
For more information on Culinary Masters 2023, click here.
Visit rr1hongkong.com for details on all other exclusive RR1 experiences.
