Gastronomic Journey with Star Chef: Five Foot Road x Yong Fu | Maritime Silk Road Culinary Art Feast | Sichuan’s Fiery Spirit Meets Ningbo’s Freshness

At MGM COTAI’s Five Foot Road, the mouthwatering taste of Sichuan cuisine met the savory depth of Ningbo dishes on the same table. The second edition of the “Maritime Silk Road Culinary Art Feast” brought together two culinary maestros, Yang Dengquan, Executive Sous Chef of MGM COTAI at Five Foot Road, and Weng Yongjun, founder of Yong Fu Restaurant Group. Through an eight-course, four-hand collaboration, the duo showcased the regional charm and cultural heritage of Chinese cuisine.

Guided by the principle of “savory-fresh harmony”, Chef Weng used modern culinary skills to reinterpret the tastes of Jiangnan, while Chef Yang drew on more than 40 years of experience in Sichuan cuisine to demonstrate the philosophy of “one dish, one style; a hundred dishes, a hundred flavors”. Inspired by the history of the Silk Road, the two celebrated chefs fused the culinary notes from both maritime and inland routes, creating dishes where culture and terroir intertwined on the plate.

The opening dish, the Sautéed Australian Lobster with Pickled Chili and Celery, showcased the vibrant sour-spicy taste characterizing Sichuan cuisine; the Braised 16 Heads of South African Abalone with Black Bean Sauce highlighted the savory richness of Ningbo chili bean sauce and accentuated the abalone’s delicate natural sweetness; the Steamed White Pomfret in Lychee Flavor combined the Sichuan lychee aroma with Ningbo techniques, concluding with a subtle balance of sweetness and freshness.

The feast was more than an encounter of flavors. It also connected the gastronomic roots of Sichuan and Ningbo. The two chefs employed their precise timing skill and intuitive understanding of taste, bringing to the fore the depth and diversity of contemporary Chinese cuisine.

The “Gastronomic Journey with Star Chef” series continues to bring together celebrated chefs from around the world, using food as a universal language to unite cultures and flavors across the dining tables of Macau.