Organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the “2026 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao” (the “Fest”) is taking place vibrantly. As one of the major highlights, the “International Gastronomy Forum, Macao” (the “Forum”)will be held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre of Macau Fisherman’s Wharf next Monday (23 March). Representatives of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, top-notch international content creators, culinary and academic professionals will share insightful perspectives. Delegates of close to 50 members cities of UCCN in gastronomy and other fields, experts and scholars, members of local tourism and catering sectors will attend the Forum. Their discussions will foster preservation, innovation and exchange among Creative Cities of Gastronomy and ignite new momentum across creative fields, unleashing Macao’s strengths as an international exchange and cooperation platform.

Forum’s theme – “Creative Fusion: Reimagining Gastronomy Beyond the Plate”

Together with South China Morning Post from Hong Kong as the collaborative partner, the Forum will deliver three keynote presentations and three breakout sessions from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on 23 March. Under the theme of “Creative Fusion: Reimagining Gastronomy Beyond the Plate”, influential speakers will shed light on how to advance Creative Cities’ development through collaboration between gastronomy and other fields, as well as create a new dynamic that connects daily life and sustainable development by weaving together stories, experiences and innovation.

International organization representatives and top content creators share insights

Project Officer for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Programme, Qiaobo Ni, Head of Youth Culture and Food Heritage Programme in the Office of Youth and Women at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Flora Igoe, as well as Creators of YouTube Channels “Korean Englishman” and “Jolly”, Josh Carrott and Ollie Kendal, are invited to deliver the three keynote presentations which will set the tone for discussions.

Qiaobo Ni is in charge of UCCN team management as well as development and implementation of collaboration projects and initiatives. His presentation will examine how "creative fusion" transforms creativity into a competitive experience economy. Flora Igoe engages youth in preserving and reimagining agrifood cultural heritage worldwide. Her presentation will elaborate how to galvanize young chefs into practices that drive sustainable development. Josh & Ollie are the hosts of the renowned channels “Korean Englishman” and “Jolly” with over 11 million combined subscribers and an accumulative view count of 3.5 billion. The creators will share how they capture cultural essence and untold stories of gastronomy through the lens, crafting content that transcends borders and resonates with a global audience.

Strong lineup at breakout sessions

13 guests from Macao and other parts of the world will have profound dialogues in three breakout sessions, promising diverse perspectives and inspirations.

Breakout Session 1 – “Creative Cities in Dialogue: Blueprints for Creative-led Community Tourism”:this panel will explore how creativity-led community tourism brings together gastronomy, design, media arts and music to shape vibrant tourism experiences. The session will also showcase how festivals, events and immersive experiences deepen and convey cultural identity. The panelists include Coordinator of the Cities of Gastronomy Subnetwork of UCCN and Focal Point of Bergamo (Italy) to UCCN, Claudio Cecchinelli; Coordinator of the Cities of Media Arts Subnetwork of UCCN and Focal Point of Braga (Portugal) to UCCN, Joana Miranda; Focal Point of Suphanburi Creative City of Music (Thailand) to UCCN, Nitthakan Khunwatcharakit; Representative of Wuhan Creative City of Design (China) to UCCN, Founder and Lead Architect of UAO Design and Lecturer at Wuhan University, Tao Li.

Breakout Session 2 – “Tradition to Innovation: Cultivating the Future of Culinary Leadership”: this session will explore how mentorship, education, and innovation shape the next generation of chefs and culinary visionaries, spanning sustainability, technological applications, and cultural heritage. The panelists include Assistant Professor and Coordinator for the Culinary Arts Management Programme at Macao University of Tourism, Dr. Christy Yen Nee Ng; Head of Youth Culture and Food Heritage Programme in the Office of Youth and Women at FAO, Flora Igoe; FAO’s Young Chefs Programme - 2026 Cohort (Macao) and Sous Chef at Galaxy Macau, Daniel Chio; FAO’s Young Chefs Programme - 2026 Cohort (Philippines) and Head Chef at L’attitude at Morpheus, City of Dreams Macau, Safa Rodas; FAO’s Young Chefs Programme - 2026 Cohort (South Africa) and Chef at Ox Table, Lihle Mahambehlala.

Breakout Session 3 – “Culinary Content Creation in Practice: Strategies behind Million Views”: this session will examine successful cases of culinary creators, analyzing the strategies, authenticity, and creative interactions behind them. The panelists include creators of YouTube Channels “Korean Englishman” and “Jolly” with over 11 million combined subscriptions, Josh Carrott and Ollie Kendal; Instagram content creator raised in Macao with about 440,000 followers @thatfoodiejess, Jess Menezes; Founder of the food vlog Indulgent Eats and Co-founder of Barkada Restaurant in Hong Kong with over 360,000 followers @indulgenteats, Jen Balisi.

Conducted in English, the Forum will offer simultaneous interpretation service in Mandarin and Portuguese as well as multilingual AI translation service. The public is welcome to the Forum for free admission.

Chinese Creative Showcase manifests vibrant appeal

As a special new highlight this year, the Forum features the Chinese Creative Showcase. Seven member cities of UCCN from the Chinese mainland are invited to demonstrate their dynamic appeal in different creative fields, providing great examples of creative collaboration across gastronomy and other fields. The seven Cities include Creative Cities of Crafts and Folk Art – Jingdezhen, Suzhou and Weifang, Creative City of Media Arts – Changsha, Creative City of Film – Qingdao, Creative City of Design – Wuhan as well as Creative City of Music – Wuxi, which joined the Network in 2025.

The “2026 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao” takes place from 20 to 29 March. Roman Amphitheatre Square and Legend Boulevard of Macau Fisherman’s Wharf in ZAPE is the main venue while the new community venue is set in the vicinity ofRua de Cantão and Rua de Xangai in the same district. For the event program and latest information, please visit the themed website: https://www.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/article/events/gastronomy-fest-2026.