Macao Hosts Bocuse d'Or Asia-Pacific for the First Time: Eight Teams Chase Five Places in the Lyon Grand Final
The Bocuse d'Or, the prestigious culinary championship hailed as the Olympics of gastronomy, is holding its Asia-Pacific selection in Macao for the first time on November 1 and 2, with eight teams from China, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam competing at The Venetian Macao, giving Macao's Chinese catering professionals and food lovers a close-up view of the world-class contest.
The official opening was held on the afternoon of October 31 at Macau Fisherman's Wharf, attended by Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), and Jérôme Bocuse, President of the Bocuse d'Or competition, among other guests. In her address, Senna Fernandes said that since its inception in 1987 the Bocuse d'Or has been acclaimed as one of the world's most challenging and spectacular cooking competitions, and that hosting the Asia-Pacific selection marks another significant milestone in Macao's journey as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, reflecting international recognition of the city's capabilities in hospitality, gastronomy, tourism and MICE.
The two-day contest sends the teams of Vietnam, India, China and Sri Lanka onto the stage on November 1, with China's team led by chef Chun Kei Wong, followed by New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan and Thailand on November 2. Each team consists of a lead chef, a commis, a coach, a tasting jury member and a promotion manager, and must, within five hours and 30 minutes, craft both a themed platter built around whole eight-rib lamb racks and a themed plate featuring whole chickens, shrimps, pak choi and ginger as set ingredients highlighting Chinese culinary heritage, both elevated by a mandatory hot sauce and seasoning.
The teams' work will be evaluated by four judging panels, the Tasting Jury, Kitchen Jury, Visual Platter Jury and Commis Jury, on criteria including creativity, taste, technical skill, overall visual impact, organization, professional presentation and hygiene, with the top five teams advancing to the global Grand Final. Winners from all continental selections will compete in the Grand Final at the Sirha Lyon trade fair in France in January 2027. MGTO said the Macao edition is the fourth continental selection held for the competition and helps reinforce Macao's position as a world centre of tourism and leisure and an international exchange platform.
Source: Government Information Bureau of the Macao SAR (Macao SAR Government Portal), October 31, 2026
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：博古斯世界烹饪大赛亚太区选拔赛在澳门揭幕。照片：澳门特区政府旅游局，经澳门特区政府新闻局发布。Photo: The Bocuse d'Or Asia-Pacific 2026 is unveiled in Macao. Photo: Macao Government Tourism Office, via the Government Information Bureau of the Macao SAR.
