MACAU: Jade Dragon’s Chef Tam Kwok Fung Now With Wynn Palace’s Wing Lei Palace

It’s pretty big news in the Macau food scene: Chef Tam Kwok Fung, the chef who led Cantonese fine dining restaurant Jade Dragon in City of Dreams Macau to such astounding accolades– two Michelin stars AND the only Macau restaurant to be part of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018 (No. 28)— is has now moved to WYNN PALACE’S WING LEI PALACE!!! (Trivia: Wing Lei is the Chinese translation of Wynn!)

How ornate is that?! Wing Lei (which is the Chinese translation of Wynn btw) at Wynn Palace (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
How ornate is that?! The three-tiered gold and jewel dining room of Wing Lei (which is the Chinese translation of Wynn btw) at Wynn Palace (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Executive chef Tam Kwok Fung at his new home (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Executive chef Tam Kwok Fung at his new home (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)

He joined Wynn Palace just last July 2018, and during my visit for lunch (I was in Macau for Bulgari Il Ristorante Tokyo’s Luca Fantin’s guest chef series at Wynn Macau’s Il Teatro) chef Tam said to me a couple of times. “Give me one more month.” I guess he was talking about adjusting, gaining foothold and creating his own menu, but after the six-course lunch, I thought it was already pretty stellar. He has already injected his brand of modernity in Cantonese fine dining, ie. the most refined fried bread or mantou served with perfectly roasted chicken (the crispiest skin) topped with black truffles from Tasmania… mmmm; double-boiled winter melon soup served in a whole winter melon (from Guangdong– it’s apparently the best season now for it) where you are advised to spoon the actual gourd to mix in with the flowers, crabs and soup; and yes, his famous barbecued iberico pork has moved with him!!

Sharing with you the dishes I had– some of which may or may not appear on the menu as is although I foresee permutations– to give you a preview on what to expect in Chef Tam’s Wing Lei. Plus, the wine pairing was excellent (they also do a great tea-pairing). Can’t wait to see what Chef Tam has in store for Wing Lei Palace! xx

Dimsum Selection: Crab claw, deep-fried Hokkaido scallop and taro dumpling, steamed whole abalone pork dumpling (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Dimsum Selection: Crab claw, deep-fried Hokkaido scallop and taro dumpling, steamed whole abalone pork dumpling (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Double-boiled winter melon soup with seafood (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Double-boiled winter melon soup with seafood (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Steamed lobster with Hua Diao (Chinese yellow wine) and egg white (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Steamed lobster with Hua Diao (Chinese yellow wine) and egg white (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Wing Lei Palace wine pairing 1- Wynn Palace, Macau
The steamed lobster was paired with a white Burgundy from Bachelet-Monnot (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Apple wood-roasted chicken with truffles (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Apple wood-roasted chicken with truffles (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Pairing: New Zealand pinot noir, Burn Cottage from Central Otago, that's both biodynamic and organic (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Pairing: New Zealand pinot noir, Burn Cottage from Central Otago, that’s both biodynamic and organic (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
And with the pork iberico, a beautiful CDP from Chateau de Beaucastel which Robert Parker once called "the Montrachet of the Rhone" (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
And with the pork iberico, a beautiful CDP from Chateau de Beaucastel which Robert Parker once called “the Montrachet of the Rhone” (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Barbecued Ibérico pork glazed with honey served with braised shrimp roe noodle in abalone sauce (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Barbecued Ibérico pork glazed with honey served with braised shrimp roe noodle in abalone sauce (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)
Chilled mango pudding with bird's best
Chilled mango pudding with bird’s best

Wing Lei Palace is open daily for lunch and dinner. It is located at the Wynn Palace, G/F West Esplanade, Avenida de Nave Desportiva, Cotai, Macau. Phone +853 88893663 or visit their website <wynnpalace.com>.