Autumn colors permeate, tantalizing taste buds, and the elegance of appreciating autumn in China is transferred from sight to the palate. Harvesting the abundance of nature and gathering the rich fragrances from various regions, from October 22nd to 29th, 2021, the Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, along with its Bellagio by MGM Shanghai, Diaoyutai Boutique Hotel Chengdu, and MGM Grand Sanya, jointly present the second "Taste & Celebrity Chef" food event. Diaoyutai cuisine is a window for showcasing Chinese culinary culture to the world. With Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality at its core, it has always upheld the mission of "promoting Chinese food culture" and continuously carries on the heritage and transformation of Diaoyutai cuisine. This year's "Taste & Celebrity Chef" food event is themed "local flavors". With their exquisite culinary skills and ingenious ideas, the celebrity chefs integrate "local culture" into the profound Chinese culinary classics, creating a traditional and innovative autumn feast.
Chinese cuisine and its aesthetics are profound and diverse, with different regions having their own unique flavors. The Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality's second "Taste & Celebrity Chef" food event is themed around "local flavors" to dissolve homesickness and decode the taste buds. Celebrity chefs from Bellagio by MGM Shanghai, Diaoyutai Boutique Hotel Chengdu, and MGM Grand Sanya, along with renowned food expert Mr. Shen Hongfei and master chefs from the three locations, will recreate authentic hometown delicacies and bring back the "taste of childhood". On the opening night, the signature dishes from Shanghai, Chengdu, and Sanya will be showcased alongside the renowned Diaoyutai cuisine, integrating the art of food and wine pairing led by Master Lv Yang, the world's first Chinese sommelier, adding an exquisite touch of Chinese elegance to the grand feast.
Eating differently, with regional distinctions, the four celebrity chefs from Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality present delicious delicacies from various places, promoting the diverse culinary cultures. Each region has its own specialty feast, and through the research and interpretation of local ingredients and culinary culture by each celebrity chef, each dish is endowed with a unique and full-bodied taste and texture, allowing discerning food enthusiasts in a foreign land to taste authentic local flavors through the "Taste & Celebrity Chef" event.
Shanghai - Double flavor, double color
Chef Lin Zhanxuan from Bellagio by MGM Shanghai comes from a chef family in Zhongshan, Guangdong. He is well-versed in using high-quality seasonal ingredients to present the true essence of the dishes. In this event, he presents the dish "Crispy Pigeon and Braised Pigeon with Chenpi", where the crispy pigeon has tender meat and a crispy skin, while the braised pigeon is marinated with secret spices, giving it a rich and sweet flavor. With both dishes combined, it showcases the wonderful double color and double flavor.
Chengdu - Classic Sichuan cuisine with innovative fusion
Chef Mao Yi from Diaoyutai Boutique Hotel Chengdu comes from a chef family and has more than twenty years of experience in the domestic and international culinary industry. He has served as the official Sichuan cuisine chef for the Chinese ambassador to the Czech Republic and has been invited to cook Sichuan cuisine for dignitaries at the embassy. He presents the dish "Qingcheng Mountain Preserved Meat Chicken Tofu", skillfully combining the traditional Sichuan dish - chicken tofu - with Qingcheng Mountain preserved meat. The chicken tofu is white and delicious, while the preserved meat has a golden color and distinct layers. The combination of the two creates a delicate and delicious fusion of flavors.
Sanya - Authentic Hainan cuisine with fusion adaptation
Chef Ye Run, executive chef of Jin Hui Restaurant at MGM Grand Sanya, is passionate about researching cooking methods and exploring food cultures from various regions. He presents the dish "Braised Skin-on Small Yellow Cattle", using tender small yellow cattle from Qiongzhong, Hainan. After careful preparation, the dish has a rich sauce, resilient and glutinous skin, and a balanced texture.
It is worth mentioning that as the culinary signature of Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, each "Taste & Celebrity Chef" event will also feature representative Diaoyutai cuisine. Diaoyutai cuisine is another unique cuisine recognized by the culinary industry, in addition to the eight major Chinese cuisines. The carefully crafted "Diaoyutai Family Feast" (Buddha Jumps Over the Wall) is a traditional dish that combines a variety of high-quality ingredients from the mountains and the sea. Diaoyutai has made improvements to the traditional recipe of "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall", selecting eight ingredients including abalone, scallops, sea cucumber, fish maw, skirts, tendon, mushrooms, and pigeon eggs. It is stewed for several hours in a rich broth infused with aged Shaoxing Huadiao wine, allowing the flavors to blend perfectly to create a dish that is rich in taste and aroma, representing the classic Diaoyutai cuisine.
With the gathering of celebrity chefs from Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, this event also invited renowned chefs from various regions to collaborate and present their culinary skills. The Hangzhou event invited Master Hu Zhongying, a master of Hangzhou cuisine and founder of "Mizongcai". He presents the dish "Southern Song Dynasty Roasted Bones", a delicacy that appeared at the birthday banquet of Emperor Huizong of the Southern Song Dynasty. The rich and fragrant bone soup is cleverly paired with radish to showcase the harmony between tradition and innovation. The Shanghai event invited Master Zhou Yi, the son of Master Zhou Xiaoyan, who is a renowned Huaiyang cuisine chef and inheritor of intangible cultural heritage. He presents the dish "Roasted Fish Maw Stuffed with Black Truffle Sauce", combining the rich flavor and layers of black truffle and black garlic with the roasted fish maw. The Chengdu event invited Master Li Bing, a master chef of Chinese cuisine and Sichuan cuisine. He presents the dish "Minnan East Coast Yellow Croaker with Pickled Vegetables", with the fresh, spicy, and refreshing pickled vegetables enhancing the complex and enticing taste of the yellow croaker. The opening performance during the banquet adds a touch of elegance with dancers wearing cheongsams, showcasing the unique charm of classical Oriental culture and highlighting the luxurious and noble etiquette of Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality.
