VTC Students Participated in the 7th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area “Cantonese Cuisine Chef” Vocational Skills Competition

The 7th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area “Cantonese Cuisine Chef” Vocational Skills Competition, jointly organised by the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province, the Vocational Training Council (VTC), the Labour Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and the Heyuan Municipal People’s Government, was held in Heyuan, Guangdong Province, from 6 to 9 August 2026. As one of the organisers of the competition, VTC fielded four students from the Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI) to compete alongside talented young culinary professionals from across the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The competition, themed “Discover the Flavours of Green Landscapes, Celebrating the Freshness of Cantonese Cuisine”, brought together 173 contestants from 23 teams, representing 21 cities across Guangdong Province as well as Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR. VTC student Mr KWONG Tsz Kin delivered an outstanding performance in the Chinese Culinary Arts (Novice Group) and was awarded the Best Competitor Award for the Hong Kong Team, demonstrating the excellence of Hong Kong’s young culinary talent. VTC also received the Outstanding Organisation Award in recognition of its achievements in nurturing culinary professionals.

Mr James YAP, Principal of the VTC Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI), Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI) and International Culinary Institute (ICI), led the delegation to attend the event and participated in the award presentation ceremony on 8 August, recognising the outstanding achievements of participating organisations and contestants from across the GBA. The event brought together government representatives, industry leaders, educational institutions and participating teams, highlighting the achievements of the three regions in jointly fostering skilled talent and strengthening regional collaboration.

In addition to the competition, a series of cultural and industry exchange activities were organised, including chef demonstrations, signature Cantonese cuisine showcases, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, talent matching initiatives and industry networking sessions. These activities provided a platform to showcase the rich heritage and continued development of Cantonese cuisine, while further enhancing collaboration between the catering industry and vocational and professional education and training within the GBA.