Promoting the intangible cultural heritage of Chinese gastronomy and
showcasing Macao as a "Culture City of East Asia"

Macao, June 18, 2024 — In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR and in conjunction with the "International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao" organized by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Wynn collaborated with the Yangzhou Cuisine and Catering Industry Association to invite Huaiyang Master Chef Xue Quansheng as guest chef to oversee the Emperor Qianlong's "Culinary Journey to the South" Royal Banquet at the Wynn Macau Grand Ballroom. Wynn hosted this historically significant Royal Banquet and a special Masterclass session at the Wynn Food & Beverage Academy to promote the intangible cultural heritage of Chinese gastronomy. Both events were also supported by MGTO and the Macao University of Tourism (UTM). Through events such as these, Wynn aims to leverage Macao's unique role as an East-West cultural destination and international platform to promote the exchange of knowledge and forge new collaborations in culture and tourism; showcase Macao as a "Creative City of Gastronomy" and "Culture City of East Asia" on a global level; and elevate the city's reputation as an attractive international destination.

Ms. Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited said: "We are very happy to have invited the Master of Huaiyang cuisine himself – Celebrity Chef Xue Quansheng – to lead a brigade of highly skilled chefs in the re-creation of traditional Huaiyang dishes for a Royal Banquet of great historical significance in Macao. The Royal Banquet has given our guests an opportunity to experience how China's extraordinary history and intangible cultural heritage are closely intertwined, while also strengthening Macao's role as "a base for cultural exchange and cooperation where Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist". This event has also given us the unique opportunity to promote the profound traditional culture of China on an international level; encourage greater cross-integration of culture and tourism, add to the allure of Macao as a rich cultural destination, and contribute to the growth of economic diversification for the city."

A highly respected Master of Huaiyang cuisine, Chef Xue Quansheng ranks among China's Top 10 Celebrity Chefs and is a purveyor of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Yangzhou's "Three Knives" in Jiangsu Province. Inspired by the historical records of "Emperor Qianlong's Royal Culinary Journey to the South", which documented the emperor's six inspection tours to the south of the Yangtze River and his time stationed in Yangzhou, Master Chef Xue and his culinary team prepared a remarkable 36 dishes for the Emperor Qianlong's "Culinary Journey to the South" Royal Banquet, cleverly blending their own innovative techniques with the secret culinary traditions of the past.

Three of the most renowned dishes to be featured at the Royal Banquet included the silky, smooth Velvet Flower Tofu Soup of finely sliced petals which highlight the intricate knife skills of the chefs, a beautiful Royal Artisan Fruit Platter, and the nourishing Stewed Ducks and Pigeon Soup of seven distinct flavors. The Royal Banquet brought together rare and wild birds, mountain mushrooms and more from the mountains, seas, rivers, and lakes located south of the Yangtze River. Leveraging Macao's role as a gastronomic and cultural capital, Wynn immersed guests into the extraordinary culinary world of Huaiyang cuisine by hosting exciting performances and sharing culinary stories throughout the banquet. Chefs also showcased their culinary artistry by demonstrating their impressive Huaiyang knife skills and preparing authentic Yangzhou-style fried rice, a dish of great historical significance for its intangible cultural heritage.

In addition to the Royal Banquet, Wynn welcomed Master Chef Xue to the Wynn Food & Beverage Academy to conduct an intriguing Emperor Qianlong's "Culinary Journey to the South" Masterclass. He shared colorful stories of Emperor Qianlong's gastronomic journeys and demonstrated how he prepares three of his most famed dishes – Velvet Flower Tofu Soup, a Royal Artisan Fruit Platter, and Authentic Yangzhou-style Fried Rice. Approximately 30 UTM students and Food & Beverage team members made the most of the Masterclass by deepening their understanding of China's culinary culture and by gaining as much insight as they could from the session. The Masterclass served as an excellent platform for the exchange of knowledge in gastronomy and was designed to lead the way for a more diversified and professional developmental approach for the future growth of Macao's Food and Beverage industry.

Wynn continues to support the Macao SAR Government's '1+4' appropriate diversification development strategy to promote the development of diverse 'Tourism+' experiences; to highlight the unique role of Macao as a "Creative City of Gastronomy"; to promote Macao as a capital of gastronomy to the world; deepen cultural and tourism exchanges and collaborations in East Asia; and further solidify Macao's position as a World Center of Tourism and Leisure.