The Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau 2024 was unveiled today at a ceremony at the Grand Lisboa Palace.
The restaurants awarded the coveted three stars by the guide’s anonymous team of inspectors are Jade Dragon at City of Dreams and Robuchon au Dôme at the Grand Lisboa Hotel.
The two-star designation was given to Alain Ducasse at Morpheus, Feng Wei Ju at Starworld Hotel, Mizumi at Wynn Macau, the 8 Restaurant at the Grand Lisboa (down from last year’s three-star rating), Wing Lei at Wynn Macau, and Huaiyang Garden at the Londoner Macao (promoted from its one-star rating in 2023).
The one-star restaurants listed in the guide are: Otto e Mezzo Bombana at Galaxy Macau, Five Foot Road at MGM Cotai, Lai Heen at Ritz Carlton Macau, Pearl Dragon at Studio City Macau, Zi Yat Heen at Four Seasons, Ying at Altira Macau, Sushi Kinetsu at City of Dreams, and Chef Tam’s Seasons at Wynn Palace. The latter two establishments are making their debut on the list.
Meanwhile, the IFTM Educational Restaurant was awarded a Michelin “green star.” First introduced in 2020, the designation is given to restaurants that “hold themselves accountable for both their ethical and environmental standards, and work with sustainable producers and suppliers,” Michelin says.
[See more: There are three new Bib Gourmand establishments in Macao]
Macao continues to be “a melting pot where culinary traditions from around the world converge creating a unique and dynamic food culture for travellers and locals alike,” said Chris Gledhill, Michelin’s vice president of business development and partnership in Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
He told guests at the ceremony that the guide promoted “cultural enrichment, as we learn and taste the delicacies that represent the cultural heritage of a destination.”
Daisy Ho, the co-chair and executive director at SJM Holdings, said, “As a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, we aim to bring all the world’s leading chefs, nurture local F&B talent, and boldly position Macao on the international culinary map as a gastronomic haven.”
The city was unique, she said, “in that it boasts one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants” in the world.
[See more: Two new Macao restaurants have made it to the 100 Top Tables list]
Last year, a total of 17 Macao restaurants made it into the guide, comprising three three-star restaurants, five two-star restaurants and nine one-star restaurants.
According to Michelin, restaurants are judged on their food using five criteria: quality of the ingredients used, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in the cuisine, harmony of flavours, and consistency between visits.
One star means “high quality cooking,” two stars mean “excellent,” while the coveted three stars mean “exceptional.”
The guide is not without controversy, however. Critics say Michelin discourages creativity on the part of restaurants, which stick rigidly to a style and presentation of cooking they believe will help them earn or retain stars. Others have accused the guide of cultural bias and putting excessive pressure on chefs.
