International Cities of Gastronomy Fest 2026: Macau’s good taste on the spotlight with UNESCO

Gastronomy Fest 2026: Written by Andrea Pimpini – Postgraduate Student and Research Assistant at the University of Macau

This is why I love Macau. From 2024 (to be precise I moved here in December 2023), the city has fascinated me with its unique charm. A place that combines Western style (Macau was a Portuguese colony and Portugal influence is still very strong, even in the new part of city, Taipa) with Eastern style (now it’s back to Mainland China). There is the efficiency of China: technological innovations, efficient and agile policy, food specialties, etc. And there’s the historical part that ties Macau to Portugal: double language for example which makes it really easy for me to read signs and instructions in English and Portuguese (Italian is in fact a bit similar to written Portuguese).

The first time I came here to study as an exchange student so it was mainly about exploring the place and making friends. After that, I stayed here as a worker for another year: it was a great opportunity to live the place as a resident (strange feeling on the paper since for Macau I was/am non-resident while for Italy I am resident here) and now I’m back to study full-time while working as research assistant at the University of Macau. This is actually one of the reasons for which I’m writing this article.

Let’s discover the International Cities of Gastronomy Fest 2026

The International Cities of Gastronomy Fest is not only a simple street food event. Macao is officially a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, recognized for its unique “Macanese cuisine” – a blend of Chinese and Portuguese culinary traditions.

This edition, as the latest ones, was special: not only it was celebrated Macau’s cuisine but at the event you could find participants from nearly 40 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy. Businesses that you cannot find in Macau and neither in other places. Businesses that sell you unique food which represents tradition and culture.

The event, organized by Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) Secretariat saw also participation from the UN Tourism’s Ambassador and the famous TikToker, Khaby Lame. Renowned chefs from worldwide participated in showcases on the main stage involving all the audience.

Now… why am I writing about this? For many reasons: of course I really enjoyed the event. You saw my photo at the beginning, I was so happy and engaged. You’ll see other photos (a gallery) at the end of this article. But the other main reason is that as a Postgraduate student and young researcher who will continue his journey with a PhD, this is an interesting event. You see: street food festivals can shape the brand image of a place and have a strong impact on the community. Each event is different: impacts on the community are not the same for each street food festival. For example in Macau you’ll find many festivals: the International Carnival, the food festival, the International cities of gastronomy fest (which I’m writing about), the LUSOFONIA, etc. Each of these festivals, even when they are similar and could seem to be the same type of event, have different implications on the society. There’s a lot of research that has been published on these events: research on the LUSOFONIA, research on the food festival and research on this fest.

What are the impacts of the International Cities of Gastronomy Fest in Macau? Well, they are a lot but mainly we have:

1. Protection of the cultural heritage. As mentioned by the MGTO Director, the festivals helps to keep alive and promote the role of Macau as cultural bridge between East and West.
2. Promotion of exchange and cooperation. As reported at the beginning of the article. The festival gathered many actors from different UNESCO Creative Gastronomy Cities. It saw the participation of important figures: chef, representatives of international institutions, influencers and most importantly local and international community. The festival brings together cities, ideas and experiences.
3. Community bonding and innovation. “People from all over the world come together creating a fusion of cultures, people, stories that merge their diversity to create a new future, a future that marries pride in tradition with enthusiasm for innovation” – Coordinator of the Cities of Gastronomy Subnetwork, Claudio.
4. Food education and community engagement. All the showcases gave voice to young and experienced chefs to share their point of view on food education and sustainability.
5. Shaping the brand image. “The Fest marked a milestone in the collaboration between Macao and the UCCN Secretariat, with a dedicated research report, highlighting Macao as a case study to be launched in 2027” – UNESCO.org. This point is especially relevant since Macau’s Government is promoting the “1+4” diversification strategy which aims to diversify the economy and shape the image of the city: not only gambling but much more than that.
6. Education and job creation. The forum emphasized the importance of youth engagement in shaping sustainable food futures, notably through the participation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This is not only about educating young people but only inspiring them and promoting those job positions that can make a difference.

I would like to conclude the article with an interesting piece of research that could be further explored relatively to this festival. Does world heritage list really induce more tourists? Evidence from Macau – From this research it came out that UNESCO recognitions only induce more tourists on the short-term. On the long-term, impacts are insignificant. But this doesn’t mean that on the long-term there is no advantage: just look at the impacts above mentioned and make your opinion.

P.S.: The wine, liquor and wisky was so good. The world wine lounge was the first thing I visited in this year edition.

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