The “International Cities of Gastronomy Fest” event took place in recent days in Macao (China), an event dedicated to the UNESCO Creative Cities for Gastronomy, organized by the Government Office for Tourism of Macao, also a Creative City, from 14 to June 23. Parma was represented by Simona Colombo, Manager of the External Relations and Territorial Marketing Sector, and by Mario Marini, Manager of the Territorial Marketing and City Branding Office.
Parma’s presence at the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR – International Cities of Gastronomy Fest was coordinated by the Municipality’s “Food Policy and UNESCO Creative City” office. The gastronomic event develops in three moments and takes place in collaboration with 29 Cities of Gastronomy of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network: an “International Gastronomy Walk” with food stands; culinary demonstrations in the “Showcase of the Cities of Gastronomy”, in which the excellences of Parma will be presented by chef Roberto Pongolini of the Parma Quality Restaurants consortium, and the “International Macao Gastronomy Forum”, just concluded.
The Forum – the heart of the initiative – had the aim of stimulating an in-depth discussion on the concerted development between the sectors of gastronomy, well-being and sustainability: this year’s theme, “Holistic gastronomy: eating well to live well” , involved delegates from Creative Cities of Gastronomy from around the world, leaders of the local restaurant and hospitality industries, star chefs, delegates from UCCN Chinese Cities also belonging to other creative fields and representatives of various businesses premises in the sector.
Imagining agricultural raw materials, the products that arise from their transformation and the hospitality and catering sector, not as simple consumption and leisure but as a fundamental moment for nourishing the body and mind in a balanced and regenerative way, is a frontier which the most important global companies in the sector are looking at, well aware that the mistakes made in the 70s and 80s must be a warning for research and its application in this field.
The program of the days was very dense: the first was dedicated to the inaugural ceremony in the presence of local authorities, sector technicians, chefs and sponsors of the initiative. On the same day, some of the representatives of the creative cities met a local chef ambassador, who illustrated the history and main dishes of “Macanese” cuisine, perhaps the first fusion cuisine in the world, born precisely from the mix between Chinese tradition and the Portuguese culture, which has governed the country for almost 450 years.
The second day was characterized by a networking lunch at one of the main hotels in the city, whose executive chef is Gianluca Visani from Romagna, with whom the Parma delegation had an interesting and fruitful conversation.
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The third day was the key moment of the event: the International Forum, in which over 300 people from all over the world participated. In the morning there were reports from international speakers, followed by two round tables with the protagonists of the sector: chefs, nutritionists, entrepreneurs in the sector, hospitality managers, communication experts. The afternoon – behind closed doors – was dedicated to the presentation and exchange of good practices between the various Creative Cities: è in this context that Parma presented its own model of governance of promotion linked to food in its various declinations.
Macao, with its GDP among the highest in the world, the presence of the most important and prestigious global hotel chains and an incredible development rate for such a spatially limited territory, is a unique and very interesting case history; but, at the same time, the most important global operators in the tourism sector are present on the island, always attentive to the excellence and global trends that manifest themselves in such a dynamic and modern sector.
Another UNESCO Creative City, Bergamo, also started from Italy, with which a relationship of mutual exchange of good practices, cultural projects or, as in this case, co-marketing actions has been built for years. Present for the city Claudio Cecchinelli, Focal point of Bergamo UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and deputy global coordinator of the creative cities of gastronomy.
The organizers reiterated Parma’s essential support, in terms of content and ideas, and agreed to meet again next year.
