Korean cuisine finds new dialogue in Macao

From left, chefs Tam Kwok Fung of Chef Tam’s Seasons, Kang Min-goo of Mingles, and Cho Eun-hee and Park Sung-bae of Onjium pose during the collaboration event “An Early Summer Encounter: Transforming Heritage into Gastronomy” at Wynn Palace in Macao, May 8. Courtesy of Wynn Palace

In Macao, where Cantonese banquet traditions, luxury hospitality and global tourism intersect, a recent collaboration event at Wynn Palace offered more than a showcase of high-profile restaurants. Bringing together acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurants from Korea and Macao, the event became a thoughtful exploration of how Korean culinary identity is evolving through dialogue with neighboring Asian traditions rather than Western fine dining frameworks alone.

The two-day collaboration, titled “An Early Summer Encounter: Transforming Heritage into Gastronomy,” took place from May 8-9 and featured chefs Tam Kwok Fung of two-starred Michelin restaurant Chef Tam’s Seasons in Macao, Kang Min-goo of three-starred Mingles in Seoul, and Cho Eun-hee and Park Sung-bae of one-starred Onjium in Seoul.

While multichef dinners often function as a succession of signature dishes from each restaurant, this event felt notably different. Several courses blurred the boundaries between Korean and Cantonese traditions so naturally that individual authorship became immediately difficult to detect, even as each kitchen’s distinct sensibility remained intact.

That seamlessness was intentional.

“We wanted it to be a true collaboration and not a sampler of each chef’s dishes,” Tam said.

A collaborative abalone dish pairing Cantonese wok technique with Korean soy sauce and seasonal vegetables / Courtesy of Wynn Palace

At Mingles, which presents a contemporary reinterpretation of Korean cuisine, Kang said the chefs aimed to create “a completely new gastronomic experience that did not already exist.” Rather than adapting existing signature dishes, the restaurant developed something entirely new for the collaboration.

Kang also shared research that traces centuries of culinary exchange between Korea and China, from Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) dining customs that influenced Yuan (1271-1368) court culture to Joseon (1392-1910) diplomatic missions that introduced new banquet techniques, ingredients and food philosophies to Korea. Rather than treating the collaboration as fusion, the chefs approached it as part of a much longer history of aristocratic and seasonal culinary exchange across East Asia.

That historical framework became especially visible in the menu’s emphasis on early summer ingredients and the shared East Asian principle of “food as medicine.” Delicate broths, chilled seafood, cucumber, abalone and lightly seasoned vegetables reflected a common seasonal approach centered on clarity, hydration and balance.

At Onjium, the Seoul restaurant known for its research-driven approach to Korean culinary heritage and royal court cuisine, Cho and Park focused on highlighting the inherent character of ingredients such as Busan dajeo tomatoes, soybeans and dried grouper skin from Macao while incorporating Korean seasoning techniques such as bulgogi marinades and sesame broths.

“Of course it is important to create flavors that people can immediately enjoy,” Park said. “But this time, we wanted to convey a deeper, more primal beauty of flavor,” Cho added.

The trifecta mi-iuy croaker soup brings together Onjium’s fish dumplings, Mingles’ hanwoo beef garnishes and Chef Tam’s Seasons’ fish maw lamb wontons in a single broth. Courtesy of Wynn Palace

The chefs were also struck by the scale and rhythm of Cantonese kitchen culture. Park described watching Cantonese wok stations operate “almost like a performance,” with multiple kitchen sections moving simultaneously to layer flavors while preserving the integrity of each ingredient.

Chef Tam’s Seasons, known for refined seasonal Cantonese cuisine, approached the collaboration through precision and restraint. Tam emphasized that techniques such as wok frying and steaming are often determined “down to seconds” in order to preserve freshness, texture and clarity while using minimal oil and seasoning.

Although Korean cuisine is often associated internationally with bold flavors and fermentation, Tam noted that Cantonese cuisine possesses its own long tradition of fermented sauces and preserved ingredients. “Cantonese food also has something like Korean jang,” he said, referring to Korea’s traditional fermented sauces.

Kang said the teams focused heavily on the relationship between Korean “jang” (traditional fermented pastes and sauces) and Cantonese sauce traditions, seeking connections through umami, seasonality and restraint rather than dramatic fusion gestures.

The resulting dishes reflected that shared vocabulary. One course paired Korean ganjang (soy sauce) seasoning with Cantonese-style wok-fried abalone and bottle gourd, while Chef Tam incorporated Mingles’ homemade gochujang (red chili paste) into a stir-fried pigeon dish. Onjium and Mingles also worked extensively with local Macao and Chinese ingredients, including dried grouper skin and seasonal produce, filtering them through Korean techniques and seasoning philosophies.

Inspired by the royal Korean court dish gujeolpan, the Cantonese-Korean version features rose wine drunken Kuruma prawns and a Korean fried rice cake topped with dried beef powder. Courtesy of Wynn Palace

For Kang, who has also operated the one-starred Michelin Korean restaurant Hansik Goo in Hong Kong for more than six years, the collaboration also reflected broader shifts taking place across Asian fine dining.

“Cantonese cuisine has long been internationally recognized, and while traveling throughout China I often felt how closely our food cultures are connected,” he said.

The dinner was paired entirely with Chinese wines, underscoring the event’s regional focus. Wynn has actively promoted Chinese wines through competitions and fine dining programs, reflecting Asia’s growing confidence not only as a consumer of luxury gastronomy, but also as a producer.

In many ways, the Macao collaboration reflected a larger transition taking place across Asian gastronomy itself. Cantonese cuisine has long occupied a prominent place on the international stage through Hong Kong, Macao and Chinese diaspora communities, while Korean cuisine abroad was often previously viewed more narrowly as “ethnic cuisine.” Today, however, Korean fine dining has become part of broader culinary conversations — not only through global recognition, but through deeper exchange with neighboring Asian culinary traditions.

A former culture desk reporter for The Korea Times, Lee Hyo-won edits and creates Korean digital content for the Michelin Guide. She can be reached at hyowlee@gmail.com or @by_leehyowon on Instagram.