Macau Lifestyle
  • What's On

    Categories

    • Events Calendar
    • Macau Weekend
    • Monthly Hotlist
    • Giveaways
    • Entertainment

    Recent Stories

    19_Wynn Place_Wing Lei Bar_Roger Davies
    Macau’s Best Hotel Bars
    Bars
    this weekend macau iridium spa st regis promotion
    Weekender: Cultural Happenings, Spa Treatments & More
    Macau Weekend
    Mandarin Oriental spa
    Weekender: Spa Pampering, Fondue Craze & Lots of Exhibitions
    Macau Weekend
  • Dining

    Categories

    • Restaurants
    • Local Eats
    • Cafes
    • Bars
    • Chef Spotlight

    Recent Stories

    19_Wynn Place_Wing Lei Bar_Roger Davies
    Macau’s Best Hotel Bars
    Bars
    pho tik pho peach tea macau lifestyle
    5 Great Noodles & Where to Eat Them in Macau
    Local Eats
    the blissful carrot mexican salad breakfast burrito macau
    Best Vegetarian & Vegan Places in Macau
    Cafes
  • Lifestyle

    Categories

    • Wellness
    • Weddings
    • Family
    • People

    Recent Stories

    Mighty Green Featured Cintia and Guilherme
    Mighty Greens: The Powerful Micro-Greens Making Their Way Across Macau Restaurants
    Lifestyle
    ACES MUSIC CENTRE
    The Best Music Classes for Kids in Macau
    Family
    the blissful carrot mexican salad breakfast burrito macau
    Best Vegetarian & Vegan Places in Macau
    Cafes
  • Culture

    Categories

    • Arts
    • Heritage & History
    • Architecture
    • Artist Spotlight
    • Local Knowledge

    Recent Stories

    st dominic church macau
    Top 10 Things to Do in Macau
    Culture
    Patane Night Watch House Exterior Macau Lifestyle
    Patane Night Watch House: Protecting the Community With Gongs & Lanterns
    Culture
    taipa village stairs ksenia kuzmina Macau good news 2020
    Macau Recap: Good Things That Happened in 2020
    Culture
  • Style

    Categories

    • Fashion
    • Jewelry & Watches
    • Beauty
    • Home

    Recent Stories

    CHLOE Mini Daria bag in Muted Brown
    Christmas Gift Ideas for the Women in Your Life
    Lifestyle
    Amalfi Coast coffee table books
    Inspiring Coffee Table Books for Your Home
    Home
    Zics Macau Brand Source Facebook page
    Macau Fashion Brands: Celebrate Local Design
    Fashion
  • Travel

    Categories

    • Macau
    • China
    • Asia
    • Oceania
    • Europe

    Recent Stories

    Macau Lifestyle tokyo-5-star-east-lobby-01
    Wake Up Here: Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo
    Asia
    Wynn Palace Cotai swimming pool area
    Wake Up Here: Wynn Palace
    Hotels
    st dominic church macau
    Top 10 Things to Do in Macau
    Culture
  • Hong Kong

    Categories

    • What's On
    • Dining
    • Things to Do
    • Hotels

    Recent Stories

    St. Regis Hong Kong, Premier Harbour Room 08
    Best Staycation Packages in Hong Kong
    Hong Kong
    Kerry Hotel Hong Kong
    Wake Up Here: Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
    Hong Kong
    Chen tianzhuo
    Chen Tianzhuo: Meshing Visual & Performance Art
    Artist Spotlight
  • Events
  • City Guide
  • 繁中
People
10 December, 2019
by Sara Santos Silva

Alyson & Syen: Sustainability & Conscious Living with The Blissful Carrot

The Blissful Carrot Macau

As you stand outside The Blissful Carrot, nestled in the beautiful Taipa Village, you quickly realize that you’re somewhere very special. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has”, a quote by Margaret Meade, is painted on the wall outside the shop. We sat down with the two driving forces behind it, the lovely Alyson and Syen, and it is clear that they really took the motto to heart. The duo, along with their team of chefs and head baker, is working hard on several fronts to promote sustainability and eco-living, not only through The Blissful Carrot but also by a number of initiatives around conscious living and food education.

Tell us the story of The Blissful Carrot and how it came at the forefront of the vegetarian scene in Macau.

Alyson: The Blissful Carrot was started in 2014, very early in the year. Our partner Marissa who is still part of our trio lives in Mexico now, but she’s still semi-active in the business. This whole beautiful thing started with her having a lot of guts in this community to go out and pursue something that she’d been thinking about for a long time. Marissa and I have been friends for several years before that and we both got to Macau at the same time and thought about having a community garden or maybe even a food truck. Serendipitously, one day this space was available and a couple of days later, she had the keys! She used her two years’ worth of journals where she had been writing down recipes and traveling food inspiration in and created a monster menu full of a ton of global options for plant-based food. That’s the basics of how we started.

The Blissful Carrot_Alyson Syen_7

The Blissful Carrot, Alyson and Syen

Do you think the majority of people know enough about their food – where it came from and how it has been grown? 

Syen: Not at all. I don’t think they know, especially in Asia. When you’re living in the city everything that you buy is from the supermarket or even some local markets. I guess while buying at the local market people get a little bit of the concept that if the fish is actually swimming and if it’s killed on the spot they think it’s fresh, but not necessarily. They don’t know in which farm it was in or what it has been fed, what sort of fish it is and things like that. When people seek healthy food, they just look at the label or brand name and if it is associated with something that’s healthy, they automatically think that it’s healthy.

Alyson: Food education is something that we’re working on as well to try to connect with the public, community, and schools. We sponsored an event with the IFT (Macao Institute for Tourism Studies) students. They put together a vegetarian CO2 (carbon dioxide) cutting dinner where they hosted one event to promote the vegetarian diet that helps cut down on CO2 in the city. So we’ve sponsored around a hundred meals for breakfast which they sold and donated the money made afterward. So this is one way to get to the students and really educate them on what is healthy food, what your breakfast can look like and that if it’s vegetarian it doesn’t have to be boring. It’s good food that’s good for your body as well.

Currently, there’s a growing interest in healthy eating, veganism, and vegetarianism. Does that mean we’re adopting a more conscious stance with regard to the world we live in?

Alyson: People may have found the movement through social media especially via Instagrammers. In fact, a European study that just came out showed that one of the top 10 global trends is conscious consumerism this year, for many different reasons. People support it because of animal welfare or personal health.

Beyond the trend is last year’s UN climate report which reported that we have 10 to 15 years to reduce global temperatures by 1.5 degrees Celcius. When people heard about that climate report, there was a worldwide agreement that the number one way you can be a participant and reduce this effect is to reduce your meat consumption. It’s not really realistic to ask everybody to become vegan or vegetarian overnight but to reduce and adopt moderation. Whether it’s meat-free Monday or cutting down one meal a day and trying to take the meat out, or just adjusting your portion sizes. We call that concept “cowding out” at The Blissful Carrot.

We’ve always been really proud of our hefty portions–sometimes you can break it up and make it into a couple of meals! Essentially, you’re going to be full of plants and you won’t have the inclination to pick up meat as an afterthought.  

The Blissful Carrot_Microgreens and fruits

The Blissful Carrot, Microgreens and Fruits

How difficult is it to get organic produce to reach your shop? How does the supply chain work? 

Alyson: Really difficult because The Blissful Carrot was one of the first restaurants in Macau to team up with an organic farm and we had a really great relationship with them for several years. However, the farm had to close because of unsustainable business practices, which is a total shame. It was a huge contributor to the community at the time and not an easy program to run. It really paid off in community dividends, but extremely work-intensive to get done. The supply chain is incredibly difficult: to keep the cold chain, establish the products being imported and making it easy to get to the shop. 

Syen: We’re going to collaborate with a farm from Hong Kong which has farmland that is rented to produce organic vegetables. They already have some organic markets locally as well. We’re friends with one of them and he has a license to import from India and other countries because Hong Kong alone wouldn’t be able to provide enough for the demand–it wouldn’t be stable.

Alyson: Of course closer is always better, but unfortunately for us, there are no options that are super close. We want to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible.

The Blissful Carrot_Alyson Syen_8

The Blissful Carrot

What are the biggest sustainability happenings in Macau? What can Macau residents do to support?

Alyson: There’s a bi-monthly cleanup being done by Macau ECOnscious which is a group of invested local people who are doing beach clean-ups mostly in Coloane. They are an awesome group to join!

Macau for Waste Reduction pops up in different areas in Macau and recycle items that are difficult to recycle, like different types of plastic, glass, styrofoam sleeves used for fruits and even phone covers. They’ll properly dispose of or upcycle them. 

The third thing is we support are the zero-waste stores that are popping up in Macau. One of them is Concept H, owned by Calista. Calista has been pivotal in the zero waste movement as well. She stocks plenty of organic dried goods, fresh weekly organic produce and eco-friendly eatware and kitchen needs. Another one is Stuffbox Natural Friendly Store 自然友善店 owned by a young entrepreneur, Sonic, and he stocks all the things that you see on our shelves at his store–toothbrushes, soaps made in Macau, different kinds of eco-ware that you can dine with, lunchboxes, all sorts of things–his shop is amazing! He also has an online shop. We are rotating out his stock at The Blissful Carrot and will have new products coming very soon. We’re also carrying out a couple of other initiatives like BYOB. The easiest thing people can do to adapt, reduce waste and be environmentally friendly is to be resourceful and bring your own container, takeaway mug or bag. 

The last thing that I think people can really do to help support this movement is to have your kids participate. Involve them as much as possible and have them pick up these habits as soon as possible. People need to demand that businesses do better and for businesses who are trying, support them with your dollars, encourage and shout them out on social media, and other ways that allow them to stay sustainable and keep going. 

The Blissful Carrot – Burritos

The Blissful Carrot, Burritos

Your menu is highly innovative with seasonal or special dishes. What is the process of researching new dishes and deciding what goes on the menu? Where does the inspiration come from?

Syen: It really comes from our day to day and what sort of ingredients are in season. We’re also inspired by the international audience as well. For example, we have Thai panang curry, this month as well, which was inspired by my trip. I tried it, had a chat with the people here and thought “We can do this!” For example, the Macanese dish minchi, a dish that we see everywhere, a traditional Macanese comfort food, we’ve tried to make a vegetarian version and trying a vegan way too.

Alyson: I think the major thing in bridging the gap for plant-based eating is to make it familiar to people. Our goal is to not try to make it inaccessible and only for very exclusive people with dietary requirements. We’re trying to include everybody and to show that adopting at least one plant-based meal a day is really easy. Thus, we use familiar foods on our menus, like tacos and burritos and Italian dishes and sandwiches to show people that they won’t miss meat which is one of the most important things. Additionally, we’ve expanded our reach through Aomi and Food4You, which are both great apps for people to get food more conveniently.

Using and eating seasonal ingredients is also a really great way to reduce your environmental impact. Nowadays we are forcing farms to farm out of season so they often have to use pesticides, waxes, and preservatives. So eating seasonally has been scientifically proven that these foods are more nutrient-dense. We’re actually not even getting the full benefit of foods if we don’t eat them in season.

The Blissful Carrot_Bombooch

The Blissful Carrot, Bombooch Kombucha

Tell us about in-house made products and the star of made-in-Macau brands, Blissful Bombooch Kombucha.

Alyson: This shop was founded on making everything from scratch which we mostly still do and that’s everything from spice blends to dressings, sauces–everything. The kitchen is a really lively food laboratory and things don’t come out of packages or jars. Our team really does everything very hands-on and this is from the handmade pickles to fermenting everything from coconut yogurt to sauerkraut.

Adding fermented, probiotic filled food to every plate is really important for digestion and general health that adds to your gut health. Kombucha is a really easy way of pairing it with any dish and also getting a good boost of healthy microbes in your gut. I would say that I came upon fermenting in Macau because eating fermented food is a natural way to combat urban living. We’re all dealing with pollution, especially stress and high workloads. Taking public transport could also impact our immune system. So if you can be proactive and include fermented foods in your diet every day, you’re actually setting your immune system up to be really successful in this kind of environment.

What can we expect to see happening in the near future at The Blissful Carrot?

Alyson: We’ll have our annual ThanksLiving, which will be a seasonal event this year! It’ll run through December with a portion of proceeds benefiting local charities. We will feature a completely in house-made traditional vegan Thanksgiving meal with garlic mashed potato, spinach mushroom bread pudding, herbed roasted mixed veggies, cranberry orange chutney, shredded jackfruit carnitas and vegan pumpkin pie! We will also take part in the Climate Summit at TIS (The International School of Macao), speaking about sustainable food systems and doing a planting workshop.

Syen: We also have workshops that we’re planning to host to get the local community involved and interact with them about food so that they can learn more about where their food comes from, what is “ugly food” and why we shouldn’t avoid it. We talked to a local karate house with a good space in Macau. The fitness industry is willing to support and sponsor us with the venue and allow us to use the white wall and maybe do a movie night to project a conscious themed movie but this is still a plan in the works


For more information on The Blissful Carrot, check their www.facebook.com/blissfulcarrot

The Blissful Carrot 79 Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio, Taipa Village, +853 6298 8433, www.facebook.com/blissfulcarrot

Tags

  • Healthy Eating in Macau
  • macau wellness
  • The blissful Carrot
  • Vegan Food Macau
  • Vegetarian Food Macau

Related Posts

sardines at three sardines macau lifestyle
Bars

The Hottest Place in Town: Small Plates & Vintage Vibes at 3 Sardines

Goa Nights Fish curry
Dining

Best Indian Restaurants in Macau

Ana Manhao Holding Minchi Dish Inside Belos Tempos Restaurant Macau Lifestyle
Chef Spotlight

Belos Tempos Restaurant: The Real Macanese Deal

Bruno Santos
Bars

At the Bar With Bruno Santos of Antica Trattoria

Trending Posts

Entertainment, Local Knowledge

Where to Go Bowling in Macau

Dining

Best Rooftops in Macau to Relax At

Bars, Dining, Entertainment

Macau’s Best Hotel Bars

Dining, People, Restaurants

A Lorcha’s Adriano Neves: 30 Years of Homey Portuguese Food

  • Editor's Picks

    St. Regis Afternoon Tea Restaurants

    Best Afternoon Teas to Try in Macau This Winter

    From tranquil indulgence to sophisticated surroundings, here’re the most stylish afternoon tea sets to enjoy this winter season in Macau!

    Cuppa Coffee Macau Dining

    Good Morning Macau: Best Cafes for Breakfast

    As breakfast is the most important meal of the day, here’re our favorite cafes in Macau to head to for a hearty breakfast!

    taipa village stairs ksenia kuzmina Macau good news 2020 Culture

    Macau Recap: Good Things That Happened in 2020

    This 2020 has not been all grim and dark.Here’s some of the happy and optimistic news and events that happened in Macau this year!

    Christmas dinner Hotels

    Best Festive Season Staycation Deals in Macau

    Macau offers the best accommodations in Asia and a staycation is a great way to celebrate the holidays especially during this festive season.

    Chef Daniel brooker sofitel macau at ponte 16 portrait meat Chef Spotlight

    Around the World in 14 Years: Sofitel Macau’s Executive Chef Daniel Brooker

    We talked with executive chef Daniel Brooker of Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16 about his achievements and Sofitel’s role on the gastronomy map.

    hiro ramen venetian macau lifestyle Dining

    Get Warm: Best Ramen Spots in Taipa

    We have composed a list of the best ramen spots in Taipa to warm your heart and soul, the Japanese way, with a hot bowl of ramen!

    Sichuan Moon Chinese Restaurant Macau Dining

    The Most Outstanding Chinese Restaurants in Macau

    We’ve dedicated this page to the best restaurants serving Chinese food that entices even the most discerning palates from all over the world.

    Cotai Picture Wide Macau Lifestyle Macau

    10 Free Things to Do in Macau

    Glamorous and buzzing Macau has a lot to offer even for those on a shoe-string budget. Find out the coolest and free things to do in Macau.

    Coloane hiking trail Culture

    Guide to Coloane’s Hiking Trails

    Coloane is home to most of the hiking trails in town. We walked them all and came up with the most comprehensive Coloane hiking trails guide.

    AJ Hackett Macau Skywalk giveaway Macau Lifestyle Local Knowledge

    Everything You Need to Do in Macau at Least Once

    Take a dive into this article and find out what to do to spend your precious time in Macau and maximize it to enjoy the city at its fullest!

    African Chicken from Riquexo Macau Lifestyle Dining

    Macanese Craze: Where to Get African Chicken in Macau

    African chicken is a truly Macanese dish, even though it doesn’t sound so. We’ve toured Macau looking for the best and here they are!

    group workouts macau Wellness

    Where to Have Group Workouts in Macau

    If you are not a big fan of lifting weights alone in a gym, check out our list of group workouts in Macau to attend with company!

    ramen pro macau lifestyle Dining

    Delicious Ramen Spots in Macau

    A hot bowl of Japanese ramen would surely satisfy any noodle craving. Slurp away at these ramen places in Macau!

    healthy habbits superfood cafe food delivery takeaway Cafes

    Best Places for Food Delivery in Macau

    During this time, staying in and limiting the hours outside can help keep you safe and healthy. Here are the best places for food delivery in Macau. 

    Collage of Calcada do Amparo Area Wall Paintings Macau Lifestyle Arts

    Colorful Macau: Best Street Art Hotspots

    Looking for something different to discover in the city? Explore the lesser travelled paths of Macau to find stunning local street art.

    The Moss Natural Life - handmade soaps sustainable shopping macau Wellness

    Sustainable Shopping in Macau

    If you are looking for places to shop for packaging-free, eco-friendly and sustainable items in Macau, here is a good list to embark on your journey.

    quarter square coffee on table exterior Dining

    The Ultimate Guide to Macau’s Best Coffee Shops

    Coffee makes the world go round and even if you don’t fancy it, it definitely brings people together so here are the best coffee shops in Macau!

    Lei Fong Mr Liu in Shop Macau Lifestyle Culture

    Lei Fong Mercearia: The Time-Travelling Convenience Store

    began as a convenience store before gradually transitioning into a collectors’ paradise, where people can find and revisit nostalgic memories from decades past.

    Zics Macau Brand Source Facebook page Fashion

    Macau Fashion Brands: Celebrate Local Design

    Discover some Macau fashion brands that are making waves due to the fabulous designers behind each of their fresh and genius creations.

    The Cheesecake Factory Macao pancakes Cafes

    Great Places for Pancakes in Macau

    Looking for pancake places around Macau? Hunting for butter-browned, soft and fluffy pancakes? We think you’ll be satisfied with our list!

    The Ritz-Carlton Bar & Lounge Gin Collection Bars

    Best Places for Happy Hour in Macau

    After a long day at work, you need a relaxing place to unwind. We have the best places in Macau for happy hour deals on drinks and snacks!

    Waffles with Coffee at Rooftop Macau Exterior Macau Lifestyle Cafes

    Best Waffle Spots in Macau

    Best shared with your friends or perhaps on a first date, here are the best waffle places in Macau for your next catch up session.

    Nav Band Performing in Nature Macau Artist Spotlight

    Náv’s Healing Sessions & Parties: Handpan Sounds & Synching With Nature

    Náv is a Macau-based collective performing with handpans. With some originals released already, nature is where they make the best music.

    Maria do Leste Bloody Mary from St Regis Macao Updated Photo 2020 Bars

    Shaken or Stirred: Macau’s Best Cocktails

    The world of mixology often proves to be as diverse and surprising as the one of gastronomy. Exercising talent and immense creativity, Macau’s bartenders keep creating signature cocktails that impress us with both flavors and presentation. If you are tired and bored with mojitos and negronis and need tips on what else to try, check out our guide to Macau’s best cocktails. 

    Belinda Chim Writing Calligraphy on the Table Macau Lifestyle Arts

    Belinda Chim: Teaching the Art of Calligraphy in Macau

    Belinda Chim studied in Australia before returning to her hometown Macau, where she’s been spreading the word on the beauty of calligraphy!

  • About
  • The Team
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

COPYRIGHT © 2021 • MACAU LIFESTYLE

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Receive Macau Events Agenda, the Hottest Giveaway Offers and the Latest Article Updates!

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok