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
Chef Spotlight
4 November, 2019
by Katya Maia

World’s #1 Chef Mauro Colagreco on What’s Next After Reaching the Top

MGM Cotai Grill 58 Chef Mauro Colagreco portrait

It’s been quite a year for Chef Mauro Colagreco–his restaurant Mirazur was awarded three Michelin stars in January and then, in June, elected the best restaurant in the world by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. It comes as no surprise that if you want to visit Mirazur you should book your table six months in advance! While waiting and planning your trip to the south of France, you can visit another one of the illustrious chef’s restaurants, Grill 58 at MGM Cotai where Chef Mauro created the menu using the best ingredients with the influence of his Argentinian roots.

On his recent visit to Macau, we sat down with Chef Mauro to congratulate him on his recent culinary achievements and to ask what’s next.

Wow, what a year it’s been! First, the third Michelin Star in January and then, in June, #1 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants (Mirazur in Menton, France). How does it feel to be on top of the world?

It’s so exciting and emotional but also tough as it’s a big responsibility. I am very proud of my team, my family, and I am very happy. My restaurant Mirazur is fully booked for six months ahead and it’s a big success.

So now, after achieving top recognition by two of the most prestigious culinary awards institutions, what is your next goal?

It wasn’t really a goal of mine. When I started to cook in Argentina it was just for passion for cooking. I didn’t know about Michelin stars as the Michelin Guide didn’t exist in Argentina. I didn’t know about The World’s 50 Best Restaurants as it didn’t exist at that time yet.

It was only when I came to France 20 years ago that I discovered the world of Michelin starred chefs. Many people have asked me this question and I’ve been thinking a lot about it. For us, this recognition is not the goal. It is an important recognition, but our goal is to make people happy by working better every day, with the whole team.

MGM Cotai Grill 58 Chef Mauro Colagreco Char-grilled Carabineros

Char-grilled Carabineros, chicken supreme, ‘Beurre blanc’, combawa, trout eggs

Do you remember your first Michelin dining experience? How did it feel? Did you know back then that that’s where you wanted to be in the future?

I remember that experience as if it was today. It was a restaurant of chef Santi Santamaria, Can Fabes in Catalonia, Spain. It was my first three Michelin star meal and I thought to myself, “Wow, I want to work in a place like this”. I arrived to study in France in 2000 and at the end of the year we went on a tour to the north of France. I saved money for three months and made a booking. It was truly fantastic, I remember so many things, even the uniforms! That was the first time when I thought I want to work in a restaurant of this level.

And then I started working in France. When I left Argentina to go to France, the plan was for two and a maximum of four years, and then go back to Argentina. It’s been twenty years!

Diners need to book a table at Mirazur for months in advance whereas Macau and Hong Kong are privileged to have access to your creations at MGM’s Grill 58. What should we choose from Grill 58’s menu to feel like we are in the south of France?

The flavors of food and memories can make you travel–the flavor of citrus, the idea of sea and mountains would make you think of Mirazur. But the concept of Grill 58 is different–it’s a steak house. We don’t want to recreate the south of France here but rather, present a Mauro Colagreco restaurant, which speaks for itself. In this restaurant, I like to play with my Argentinian roots–the grill and the meat. Here we have a custom-built Himalayan salt meat-aging room where we bring very special meat from all over the world. We care a lot about the quality and sustainability, bringing a lot of grass-fed meat as well as supporting MGM with the no-plastic initiative.

It’s a privilege to be here in Macau and have this great partnership between MGM Cotai and Mirazur.

MGM Cotai Grill 58 Chef Mauro Colagreco

Mauro Colagreco at Grill 58

To put it simply, Grill 58 is a steakhouse. What makes it different compared to others?

Me (laughs). Firstly, not only is there grilled food but also teppanyaki so we cook meat in western style as well as the Asian way, consistently choosing the best meat available. I also try to bring my own touch, whether it’s something Argentinian, Italian or French–I have a lot of roots! This is where you can really see the difference, especially with the starter dishes and garnishes. There is no recipe for a restaurant; we study the destination, bring different ingredients, and then we develop further. At Grill 58, we’ve created a small garden with herbs and looking at bringing a few more changes. The difference is in the details.

Overseeing Grill 58 restaurant in Macau, you are a regular in Asia. What are some restaurants on your wish-to-visit list?

Oh, so many! I am going to Tokyo, Japan later this year where I haven’t been since 2012, so I am very excited. I’ve never been to Taiwan or Vietnam and it’s very interesting what’s happening there culinarily speaking. I recently went to a vegetarian Michelin starred restaurant in Shanghai, Fu He Hui and it was phenomenal–the technics and flavors were amazing. We are working on opening a restaurant in Bangkok as it’s a great dining destination. And, of course, Hong Kong is always a great city to visit.

As an Italian Argentine living in France, you speak five languages, what dish would you make to connect with a person if you couldn’t speak?

It will most certainly be something from my garden… I am thinking of tomatoes, olive oil, sea salt–real ingredients.

MGM Cotai Grill 58 Chef Mauro Colagreco Lamb Rack

Aveyron lamb rack, eggplants, black garlic, anchovies, lemon

How often do you create new dishes? Where do you get your ideas from?

I complicate my (and my team’s) life with the choice we’ve made to never repeat a dish for the same guests. We have one guest who came more than 120 times and has never eaten the same dish!

We create something new at least twice a week. My team is very cosmopolitan and I work a lot with them–it generates a lot of ideas. I also travel a lot, which is a great source of inspiration.

My restaurant Mirazur is located in a fantastic place, located not only between France and Italy but also on a natural border between the sea and the mountains. The variety of products is amazing. The most powerful aspect of my creations is that I am not from there. I’ve never been to Côte d’Azur before opening the restaurant and it’s been a wonderful source of new ideas.

You have a lot of younger chefs working with you. How do you recognize the rising stars among all that talent?

The talent does not come from technic but from their personality. I love seeing young chefs that are not afraid to work. To become a good cook one needs to work a lot; it’s not an eight-hour job. It’s a job where you learn while doing things with your hands and looking with your eyes. Everything is moving so fast these days and very often young people don’t have the patience to wait. One needs to be a hard worker and there is no way around it.

And, finally, what do you cook for your family on a day off?

Tomatoes, olive oil, and some salt (laughs)!

Normally, my wife Julia cooks and sometimes it’s me, but very simple. I love to cook simple soups. I love gazpacho for summer or now we have squash in our garden and it’s truffle season so it’s time for squash soup with some truffle!


Grill 58 MGM Cotai, Av. da Nave Desportiva, Macau, www.mgm.mo/grill-58

Tags

  • Chef Mauro Colagreco

Related Posts

Pittaya Overnight Oats healthy habits superfood cafe macau
Cafes

Start Your Day Right: Best Places for Healthy Breakfasts in Macau

Vicky Lau portrait Tate Dining Room
Chef Spotlight

Chef Vicky Lau: Being Asia’s Best Female Chef & Work-Life Balance

dobradinha from A Lorcha credits to Ksenia Kuzmina
Dining

Must-Try Portuguese Dishes You Haven’t Heard of

Cheong Kei Noodles Owner with Blurred Noodles in Hand Macau Lifestyle
Dining

Cheong Kei Noodle Factory: A Local Family Business with Healthy Ambitions

Trending Posts

Entertainment, Local Knowledge

Where to Go Bowling in Macau

Dining

Best Rooftops in Macau to Relax At

Tunnel close to Rua de Nossa Senhora do Amparo in Macau Haunted places
Culture, Sightseeing

Haunted Places Around Macau

Bars, Dining, Entertainment

Macau’s Best Hotel Bars

  • 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