Kei de Freitas, owner and chef of award-winning Macau Kitchen, an Edinburgh restaurant serving Macanese cuisine, will be collaborating with one of Scotland’s celebrity chefs, Scott Smith, in introducing Macau’s very own Portuguese-creole cuisine at the latter’s Michelin-listed eatery Fhior at the end of this month.
Fhior is listed in the Michelin Guide but currently holds a standard Michelin Guide listing.
The two-night collaboration between the two Edinburgh restaurants, entitled “Macau Kitchen X Fhior”, will be the first of Fhior’s “2025 Guest Chef Series”, held on 31 March and 1 April. On each night, both chefs will share Fhior’s kitchen and work together in cooking and serving an eight-course meal for a total of 14 guests only.
Priced at GBP 110 per person, the special dinner blends de Freitas’ “bold, punchy Macanese cuisine with our own Fhior style, so expect big flavours, creative twists and a few surprises along the way,” according to Fhior’s Instagram post.
“This isn’t your usual sit-down dinner. With just 14 seats per night (10 at the communal table and four at the kitchen table), this is as close to the action as it gets. Kei and Scott will be cooking, serving, and chatting with guests all night,” the Instagram post points out.
“My initial encounter with Chef Scott occurred when he dined at Macau Kitchen,” de Freitas (pictured, left) told Good News Macau earlier this week. “While some of the Fhior staff had previously visited, it was during this particular visit that I met him.”
He added: “Through this collaboration, we aim to showcase the essence of classic Macanese cuisine while weaving in narratives that represent the rich tapestry of its history. Additionally, we are excited to introduce our latest initiative, Progressive Macanese Cuisine, which reinterprets traditional dishes.”
He also believes that working alongside Smith (pictured, right) will ignite a creative spark within their kitchens, while also broadening the diners’ appreciation of Macanese culinary heritage and its diverse influences.
“It’s about blending two distinct food cultures – Macanese and modern Scottish – in a way that feels natural and respectful,” Smith explained to Good News Macau about the vision behind the collaboration.
“Macau Kitchen does an incredible job showcasing Macanese cuisine, and at Fhior, we focus on seasonality and Scottish produce. This collaboration lets us explore where those approaches intersect, bringing Macanese influences into our own style.”
He added, “We’re taking the flavours and influences of Macanese cooking and weaving them into our own style, rather than just replicating dishes. It’s about learning from each other, finding interesting connections, and giving people a new way to experience both cuisines.”
Smith first dined at Macau Kitchen in August last year and he was really impressed with the restaurant’s “big, bold flavours, great balance, and a real warmth to the hospitality”. He has since visited the eatery a few more times and “it’s always great” there.
“The food is packed with flavour and there’s a real sense of heritage behind it. It’s the kind of place where you can tell there’s passion in what they do,” he underlined.
Macanese cuisine is indeed something de Freitas is passionate about – not just cooking but also raising awareness about it.
“While many in Edinburgh are familiar with Macau Kitchen, there remains a significant gap in understanding Macanese cuisine as a whole. It is our responsibility to educate and share the rich history of our culinary heritage during our dining events for those eager to learn,” he said.
Smith was one of those who knew nothing about the cuisine before getting acquainted with Macau Kitchen. Now, he even eloquently explains what it is about: “It’s a true fusion cuisine—Portuguese, Chinese, and Southeast Asian influences all coming together. Rich, balanced, and packed with history.”
It doesn’t stop there. He thinks Macau Kitchen deserves to be listed in the Michelin Guide.
“The food, the storytelling, and the way they showcase Macanese cuisine in Edinburgh make it something special. It definitely deserves to be recognised,” said Smith. (Gilbert Humphrey)
Image: Instagram/Fhior Restaurant
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