For Christopher Lei, his four-year undergraduate journey at UTM laid not only a solid foundation in tourism, but also ignited a lasting passion and sense of mission for promoting Macao’s culinary culture. Since graduation in 2000, he has steadily risen from frontline roles in the tourism industry to a management position in a travel agency, while actively dedicating himself to the promotion and preservation of local gastronomy.
Currently serving as the sales director at AZL International Travel Service Ltd and president of the Association of City of Gastronomy, Macau, he recalled that his time studying tourism management at UTM offered ample opportunities for industry engagement. During the years, he interned at a local travel agency, where his performance earned him a full-time offer upon graduation — the beginning of a long and fruitful career.
From handling and organising tours to eventually stepping into management, he attributes his career progression to the language skills—such as English, Portuguese, and Japanese—and the intercultural literacy he developed at UTM. “Back then, we had classmates from different parts of the world. Beyond textbook knowledge, I learned different cultural perspectives and ways of handling situations through interactions with them,” he added.
His academic experience also deepened his appreciation for Macao’s culinary heritage, particularly Macanese cuisine and dining etiquette. After Macao was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2017, Christopher and like-minded peers founded the Association of City of Gastronomy, Macau the following year. The association has since played an active role in shaping the city’s image as a global culinary destination.
Promoting and preserving culinary heritage
Since its establishment, the association has collaborated with mainland Chinese and overseas media to produce travel and food programmes about Macao. It has also created short films that combine gastronomy with romantic storytelling. Christopher, an avid food lover, has also shared local culinary gems on his social media platforms.
The association also promotes cross-border culinary exchange. One notable example was its support for the Macao Gastronomy Cultural Festival held at Tsinghua University’s Zijingyuan Dining Hall in Beijing last year. The three day event served 12,000 servings of iconic dishes — including egg tarts, curry fish balls, and Portuguese-style chicken rice — provided by Macao restaurants and chefs.
In March and June this year, the association also organised a a
“Macao’s gastronomy isn’t limited to Macanese cuisine; it also includes traditional Cantonese dishes, dim sum, and nostalgic street snacks—all of which are worthy of both promotion and preservation,” Christopher said. “Through the events we organise and participate in, we hope to introduce Macao’s culinary culture to a wider audience.”
“During my time at UTM, I learned the importance of teamwork — how to communicate, coordinate, and build consensus with people from different backgrounds. These skills have been invaluable in planning and executing activities for our association,” he added.
Despite having graduated over two decades ago, Christopher maintains a close relationship with his alma mater. In April this year, he was invited to speak at a lecture series of the Shunde Collaboration Center of the Tourism Education and Training Base for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area—co-organised by UTM and Shunde Polytechnic—where he shared his insights and real-world practices on the “tourism + gastronomy” model.
Amid the evolving tourism landscape, Christopher encourages UTM students and graduates to stay in step with the times, embrace digital tools and artificial intelligence applications, and continue building a strong academic and logical foundation. They should also be proactive during internships and hands-on experiences to broaden their horizons, he added.