Chef Elliot finds inspiration from local ingredients

The award-winning chef, restaurateur and television personality, Graham Elliot, is back in the city to visit Coast, his restaurant at MGM Cotai.

Speaking to the press yesterday at his restaurant, Elliot said that the restaurant has been busier than initial expectations, noting that it serves sets from breakfasts to dinners.

The American chef is fan of the city’s wet markets, expressing his enthusiasm for the markets’ offerings of live seafood.

“I love that food can be so fun and exciting. We went to the market and we saw frogs, fish, and eels. There’s all kind of stuff. That, when I wake up in the morning, makes me happy to be a chef,” he said.

Elliot has traveled to numerous regions and all fifty US states, and reiterated the different kinds of dishes he is willing to continually explore.

“Because I travel a lot, I like to get inspired with the food, seasons, weather and restaurants. I’ve been able to go to a lot of different sport to try different things,” he said.

According to him, his team in the city, comprised of different nationalities, assists him in discovering dishes that could be attractive to the local palate.

“All of that comes together and created a melting pot of food. If you have an open mind you can be inspired by anything,” he said.

“I don’t want to come to Macau and say this is how we eat in Chicago. I want to come here and move stuff around and make everyone happy,” the chef added.

Elliot also mentioned his invitation to the upcoming 12th annual Vegas Uncork’d event, a culinary event that features top chefs, master sommeliers and mixologists.

He revealed that he would be creating an octopus dish, which is traditionally a Portuguese dish, but will add Macau elements.

“It’s a balance of how to make something on my own and pay respect,” said the chef.

Meanwhile, the restaurateur expressed that he plans to visit the city at least four times a year in the future.

Elliot recalled how his partnership with MGM Cotai started, noting that Coast is his only restaurant outside the U.S.

“Being able to come and do a mix of my food, being able to do some stuff inspired by Macau and China, it just made sense [to do the partnership]. We were all on the same page,” he explained.

In two weeks, Coast will introduce its new menu, adding more sandwiches, burgers and desserts.

Elliot expressed his plans to have a continual set of variations in the restaurant’s menu to provide customers different offerings.

The chef noted he had learned that most of the customers go for shellfish, thus hinting that the restaurant would be putting more of that on the menu.