“We are motivated to continue to refine and innovate while maintaining the essence of Huaiyang culinary heritage, and provide delicacies and services of the best quality to reach new heights next year,” he said.

More than half of the ingredients used at The Huaiyang Garden are sourced from Jiangsu province, ensuring an authenticity of flavour. Dishes are not strictly traditional, however. Chef Zhou combines tradition with innovation, using techniques and presentation styles from global cuisines, while maintaining traditional flavours and characteristics.

Bestselling dishes include stewed pork ball with crab roe in superior soup, which elevates the famous traditional speciality of pork ball – known as “lion’s head” in Chinese – with a filling of crab roe, which enriches the flavours and textures.

Then there is the dish of steamed hilsa herring fish with 20-year-old Huadiao wine. Not traditionally found on fine dining plates due to the excessive bones, hilsa here has the bones skilfully removed while the skin is retained and the flesh is reshaped.

“The knife skills are similar to those used in Shunde-style pan-fried stuffed dace fish, and Huaiyang-style double-skinned knifefish,” said chef Zhou. “Before serving, we drizzle the steamed fish with sauce and sprinkle some crispy fried scales on it. In doing so, we preserve the traditional flavour, spare our diners the effort of picking out bones, and make the mouthfeel richer and more fascinating with the addition of crispy scales.”

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Meticulous skill is also on show at fellow new entry Five Foot Road. Chef Yang Dengquan, who has more than 30 years of experience, leads a team of Sichuan cooks to painstakingly craft dishes inspired by the official banquets served in the mansions of Chengdu in the early 20th century. The restaurant’s name refers to the merchant carts that once traversed the Southern Silk Road, which measured five feet across.

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The three restaurants with the most prestigious of ratings – three stars – also retained their peerless rating. These include Robuchon au Dôme, the renowned contemporary French restaurant perched atop the Grand Lisboa Hotel, which serves celebrated degustation menus and wines from one of the best lists in Asia.

The Eight, also the Grand Lisboa Hotel, takes inspiration from Cantonese and Huaiyang cuisine, spliced with its own innovative touches. Innovation is also brought to Cantonese dishes at Jade Dragon at the City of Dreams, where traditional double-boiled tonic soups are on offer alongside exotic ingredients from around the world cooked using modern techniques.

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Special awards

The only restaurant in Macau with a Michelin green star for sustainability, IFTM Educational Restaurant at the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, also retained its status. The kitchen minimises food waste, and what is left over is converted into fertiliser and then used in the institute’s garden. Further burnishing its green credentials, the kitchen has a solar energy system and is paperless.

Along with the new stars awarded in Macau this year, the Michelin Guide Hong Kong & Macau also added three special awards to the roster. The awards aim to shine a light on talented professionals in the restaurant industry.

Kit Li won the 2023 Michelin Guide Service Award. Li, who has worked as a supervisor at Sichuan Moon since its opening in 2019, was recognised for elevating the customer experience through anticipating the needs of guests, interacting with them at the right time, and serving at a good pace. Her product knowledge and understanding of the culinary concept, which was created by lauded chef André Chiang, was particularly noted.

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While Macau excels in offering diners a taste of the cuisines of China, it also has top-notch restaurants serving food from around the world, from Italian to Portuguese. It seems only likely more restaurants will be added to the prestigious red book in 2024.

“Macau’s dining scene is eclectic and inclusive. A wide array of international cuisines can be found here, adding to the incredible diversity and excellence of the F&B sector,” added The Huaiyang Garden’s chef Zhou.

“Also worth noting is the fact that Macau has preserved and developed its culinary traditions very well. I believe that Macau will remain a prominent dining destination, where heritage and innovation go hand in hand, and where Chinese and global cuisines thrive together.”