Food & Beverage | Zi Yatheen Features a merge of Cantonese and Italian dishes at Four Seasons

If two hands are good, then four hands are great.

Michelin-starred Chef Charles Cheung of Four Seasons Macao’s Zi Yat Heen recently collaborated with Chef Aniello Turco of Mio Restaurant, Four Seasons Beijing, to present a dining experience, featuring a merge of Cantonese and Italian dishes.

Held for a night only, the two chefs presented an eight-course menu, presenting unique contemporary Cantonese favorites matched with Italian classics.

A Michelin-starred restaurant since 2009, Zi Yat Heen kicked off the tasting with three kinds of Italian snacks, representing three parts of Italy: north, center and south.

The saffron, osmnathus flower and gorgonzola rice ball; bread anchovies and butter Sichuan pepper; along with an octopus ragout with xo sauce was paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy, Brut Réserve.

Chef Turco introduced his “risotto between Peking duck and duck all orange,” shredded with burnt orange.

“This is a recipe that we share from the Western world [and] in China. In Beijing, we roast the duck [and] cook it as French style, with a little bit of Chinese spices, and on top, we place this risotto based on orange and pumpkin to give color,” said the Italian chef.

Paired with Château Musar – 1999, the risotto is presented with shredded burnt orange, and was curated by the chef and is only served at the Four Seasons Beijing.

For the chef’s sea bass dish, it is poured with fermented barley sauce, along with Oscietra caviar – the chef’s bestseller in Four Seasons Beijing.

“The fermented barley sauce has a long process of about one and a half week.

We ferment the barley with a special bacteria, then we double ferment the barley with another technique called lacto fermentation,” the chef explained.

To feature a local Cantonese dish, Chef Cheung presented his version of a pan fried stuffed crab claw with Asparagus and black truffle, with the lobster being imported fresh from the Philippines.

Wrapped in shrimp paste, the local chef highlighted the restaurant’s use of fresh elements in a bid to differ and satisfy its guests’ taste buds.

Another favorite is the chef’s braised lobster fillet with spicy minced pork and tofu that is paired with Pillitteru, Caretto – 2015.

The menu ended with no other than Chef Turco’s “Tiramisu 2018,” a coffee infused mascarpone cream with espresso ice creama dn coffee tuile.

Zi Yat Heen offers Cantonese cuisine, a dim sum menu and a selection of high- end tea Chinese specialty teas.

The executive chef offers his innovative takes on regional Chinese cuisine, paired with wines chosen by the hotel’s chef sommelier to accentuate every bite.

The one-night event is part of Four Season Macao’s Taste of Artistry series.