Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/63192
MACAU SPOTLIGHT Christopher Romine provides an inside look at Wynn Macau's sophisticated- meet-traditional culinary landscape. A DIVERSE, DELICIOUS MENU H 84 WYNN ow might the culinary experience differ at a Wynn resort not in the middle of the Las Vegas desert, but nestled against the South China Sea? We talked with Christopher Romine, director of culinary operations for Wynn Macau, about China's wide variety of regional cuisines, and what it takes to please such a vast array of discriminating palates. Wynn: You've been a chef for 23 years, with 11 of those years in Asia; what brought you to China? Christopher Romine: I always dreamed of working in China to learn more about the different cuisines. When you talk to people about Chinese food, the cuisine that usually comes to mind is Cantonese. But there are seven other important regional cuisines: Shandong, Sichuan, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Anhui. At Wynn Macau, we have specialists who are very knowledgeable about these cuisines, so it's a wonderful oppor- tunity to learn more about the distinct personalities of each from master chefs. Working hands-on with the team helps me understand the origin of both the recipes and their ingredients. I like Sichuan for its emphasis on the use of spicy chilies: Mapo Tofu (spicy Sichuan beancurd) is a personal favorite of mine. Shandong cuisine is all about the purity of each dish: the soups, for example, are clear and fresh. Shandong's Jiaodong chefs are famous for seafood dishes that are very fresh and light. How did your understanding of the Chinese palate develop? Paying close attention to the culinary preferences of our guests is crucial. Having worked in Beijing for more than three years, I have a good under- standing of the northern Chinese palate. And now that I am at the tip of southern China, I have the opportunity to look after the culinary prefer- ences of our many guests from Hong Kong. We have many loyal guests who visit us time and again because we understand what their personal preferences are, and we know how to prepare their favorite dishes. How do you view your role? The director of culinary operations is similar to an orchestra conductor. A great deal of organization and planning is involved. We serve up to 15,000 covers a day throughout our 11 restaurants, bars and employee dining areas. Our employees hail from all over the world, so it is my responsibil- ity to ensure that everyone shares the same goals and that we all strive