MGM co-organized the sustainable gastronomy forum titled “Leading the Shift: The Power of Sustainable Gastronomy to Create Change” with The Sustainable Restaurant Association and Winnow at Vista, MGM COTAI, in recognition of Sustainable Gastronomy Day, a United Nations-designated annual observance.
The event brought together representatives from the government, academia, hospitality, and sustainability sectors to exchange practical insights on the future of responsible dining in Macau.
As Macau continues to strengthen its position as the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure and UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, the event explored how sustainable dining practices can support the high-quality development of the city’s food and beverage sector while enhancing operational resilience, guest experience and environmental responsibility. The event also aimed to support industry capacity building by encouraging peers to adopt more sustainable practices across sourcing, kitchen operations and dining experiences.
The forum also underscored MGM’s continued efforts to translate sustainable gastronomy from discussion into day-to-day operations. In 2025, Aji at MGM COTAI became the first restaurant in Macau to achieve the highest three-star rating under the Food Made Good Standard, reflecting its commitment to responsible sourcing, resource efficiency and sustainable dining practices.
MGM has also installed Winnow Vision AI+ technology in its kitchens to help track, understand, and reduce avoidable food waste. Extending this commitment to guest experiences, MGM is participating in this month’s Sustainable SEAFood Festival in Hong Kong, while also advancing responsible procurement, having achieved 100% cage-free sourcing for both shell eggs and liquid eggs.
The program opened with welcome remarks by Geoffrey Simmons, Vice President of Food & Beverage of MGM, stating: “As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and a global tourism destination, Macau is well equipped to drive sustainable luxury hospitality initiatives. The convergence of culinary excellence and sustainability leadership is a top priority for MGM, and luxury hospitality and environmental responsibility can thrive together.”
The welcome remarks were followed by a presentation by Karen Finnerty, Director of Growth & Partnerships APAC at The Sustainable Restaurant Association, on global sustainable hospitality practices. Christy Chen, Business Development Lead at Winnow Solutions, a UK-based technology company, then shared how artificial intelligence (AI) and data can help hospitality operators reduce food waste and improve efficiency.
A panel discussion, moderated by Karen Finnerty, featured Ruby O, Assistant Vice President of Sustainability and Business Synergy of MGM; Christy Chen; Dr. Catherine Li, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Creative Tourism and Intelligent Technologies of the Macao University of Tourism; and Steven Lo, Director of Quality Compliance at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong
During the panel discussion,Ruby O said, “At MGM, we see sustainability as a catalyst for innovation and value creation across an integrated journey — from responsible sourcing and reducing food waste, to creating environments that support the well-being of our guests and employees. Our collaboration with partners such as the Sustainable Restaurant Association and Winnow allows us to bring together global standards, technology, and practical solutions to drive measurable impact.
By connecting culinary excellence with innovation and sustainability, we hope to contribute to shaping a more resilient and forward-looking hospitality landscape in Macau and beyond.”
