Magazines Archives - 2008 December

Wine & Gourmet Asia meets with huge success despite recession
Story 6 - Special Review

THE second instalment of Wine & Gourmet Asia (WGA 2008) was met with resounding success. More than 7,000 trade visitors from 18 countries and regions attended the three-day culinary and networking event, held this year at Cotai Strip, CotaiExpo, at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel from November 5-7.

Organised by Germany-based Koelnmesse GmbH, the annual event is supported by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, China Hong Kong Bartender’s Association, Macau Institute for Tourism Studies, Macau Culinary Alliance, Wine Society of Macau and the Hong Kong Chefs Association.

Calling the show and venue “a perfect fit”, MGTO director João Manuel Costa Antunes said in his opening address: “Macau has always been known as a great food city, with its diversity and
excitement in dining options. Its bestcelebrated cuisine is Macanese food, which is of a unique Portuguese and Chinese blend and can be regarded as one of the earliest fusion cuisines in the
region.

“In recent years, Macau has become more firmly planted on the map as one of the world’s culinary destinations following an influx of internationallyrenowned restaurant brands and celebrity
chefs [taking the territory’s] gastronomic scene to new heights.”

Master chefs from across Asia and Europe were invited to prepare an array of well-crafted and delectable cuisines at the opening reception and gala dinners, held at the close of each day, bringing out the best in Portuguese and Asian dishes. They included French chef Jean-Michel Lorain, a recipient
of three Michelin Stars, who was joined by Portuguese culinary star Vitor Sobral, Singapore’s modern Chinese cuisine chef Sam Leong and Paco Torreblanca, a master pâtissier from Spain.

This year, despite the organisers’ efforts to allay participants’ concerns over the global economic downturn, there was no avoiding the subject of its impact on the event — and the hospitality industry.

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