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Amanda Sheppard

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.
Recognising the geographic limitations of a pure farm-to-table approach in Macau, Galaxy Macau’s sustainability and technical services facilities management team sees the success of this approach most in its seasonal menus.
Andre Lai, executive chef of Galaxy’s Andaz Kitchen at the Andaz Macau, sees identifying sustainable sources as the most important component of an all-round sustainable approach to fine dining, and balancing this with “maintaining the identity of our own cuisine”. “Local sourcing is the priority, but we must also look to sustainable initiatives in native cuisine countries,” he says.
Galaxy Macau introduced a Central Production Kitchen in 2021 in a bid to improve energy efficiency and further reduce waste. Feedback on portion sizes and unconsumed food has helped to facilitate menu adjustments and improve future planning. Brand-specific partnerships include a deal with Nespresso that allows for their single-use coffee capsules to be recycled.
Lai shares plans for an urban garden, currently in the development phase, to grow more items to encourage self-sufficiency. “In the future, once we have our urban garden, we aim to introduce our own produce at Andaz Kitchen and our own fermented beverages at Andaz Bar,” he adds.

Julien Tongourian, executive chef of Michelin three-star Robuchon au Dôme – situated atop SJM’s Grand Lisboa hotel – champions a zero-waste philosophy. In an interview with the Michelin Guide, Tongourian explained that the restaurant’s produce is never ordered in bulk, maximising freshness and reducing the risk of excess and waste.
“We never keep our fridge stocked with ingredients. Yes, it’s a challenge for our team to have to work from scratch with new ingredients that arrive every morning, but that’s also how we ensure we get the best flavours from our produce,” he said.
Melco Resorts, which counts City of Dreams, Altira Macau and Studio City among its portfolio in Macau, has been steadily growing its green credentials. Among its many reputable dining establishments are Jade Dragon and Alain Ducasse at Morpheus, both of which featured in last year’s 100 Top Tables guide. The philosophy of small batch ordering is echoed across Melco Group’s establishments and the group has announced a goal of zero waste by 2030, including food waste.
In 2019, Melco announced it would trial the use of dedicated Winnow AI technology, explaining this decision in its sustainability report: “Being the most advanced food waste measurement technology on the market, this initiative will allow us to maximise operational efficiency and data accuracy, with the ability to reduce food waste by up to 50 per cent by value.”

Wynn already uses Winnow technology across its outlets, including at Chef Tam’s Seasons. “[We are] applying computer vision-based monitoring technology powered by AI and machine learning to track and measure what food is being wasted. The system then delivers data-driven insights, enabling us and also other Wynn dining outlets to take an analytical approach to food production that enhances efficiency without compromising on quality,” says Tam.
Wynn Group has also installed a Nordaq water bottling plant, enabling high-quality filtered water to be produced locally and served in reusable glass bottles. Producing around 2,000 bottles per hour, Tam says this will save an estimated eight million plastic bottles every year.
Similarly, at MGM, the implementation of a zero-plastic programme has resulted in the elimination of an estimated 4.5 million pieces of single-use plastic.
Lei and Adam Mathis, culinary director at MGM, emphasise the importance of education in ensuring sustainable practices are adhered to throughout the organisation. They explain that e-learning on sustainability practices is offered to all new food and beverage employees in the organisation. MGM additionally relies on advanced technologies to minimise food waste, including a food digester, composter and food dehydrating machines.

Chef Alex Gaspar, executive director of culinary at Sands China, sees a truly sustainable approach as one that is “multifaceted, using sustainably sourced products, with a zero-waste mindset, to extract as much flavour as possible from the product, utilising as much of it as possible”.
Unable to rely solely on local agriculture, Gaspar places a strong emphasis on working with speciality producers around the region. Winnow AI has also informed Sands China’s approach to food waste, leading them to create live cooking stations instead of using chafing dishes, and portioning up food presented in buffets.
Gaspar urges the importance of sustainable approaches to fine dining without compromising on quality. The proof lies in dishes such as the artichoke risotto at The Londoner’s Churchill’s Table. “We use the artichoke in three different ways: braised, puréed and even using the skin, which is normally discarded – through a special technique we turn it into a crispy and delicious garnish for our risotto,” he says.
“As chefs, we must challenge ourselves to highlight our ingredients and pay respect to all the work that was involved in our dishes.”


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Dining

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


Chefs at the hotels’ fine dining restaurants in Galaxy Macau, Sands China, SJM’s Grand Lisboa hotel and more are using tools including AI to reduce food waste
