The Educational Restaurant at the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) has been selected for the first-ever “Essence of Asia”, a collection of eateries that represent the “spirit of Asian gastronomy”. The list, announced earlier this month, has been compiled as part of the prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants initiative.

Essence of Asia highlights restaurants that, according to the initiative’s organisers, have a positive impact on the culture, communities and cuisines in their locality. The featured eateries are listed without ranking.

The Educational Restaurant is praised as an “upholder of culinary traditions and champion of sustainable dining”, offering dishes that draw on Macao’s ‘East meets West’ heritage. The Restaurant – and IFTM as a whole – “set the standard for hospitality training in the region,” say the initiative’s organisers.

The creation of the Essence of Asia collection was based on recommendations from experts, including chefs at venues ranked within the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list. The inaugural Essence of Asia listing comprises establishments in 49 cities across 20 countries and regions.

Inclusion in the Essence of Asia collection is the latest honour to be received by the Educational Restaurant. In January, it became the first Macao establishment to be awarded a Michelin Green Star for commitment to sustainable gastronomy. The recognition was featured in the 2021 edition of the Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau on fine dining.

The Educational Restaurant is a training unit of IFTM and is located on the Institute’s Mong-Há Campus. The Educational Restaurant offers students a practical education setting. Undergraduates, coached and supervised by the Restaurant’s professional staff, can acquire valuable experience of working in a real operations environment.