MACAO, March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sands® Macao Chef Patrick Li Hing Cheung was part of the winning Macao team that took first place in The 44th International Snow Sculpture Contest 2017, held Feb. 5-9 as part of The 68th Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan.
Competing against 10 other teams from around the world, the Macao team, comprised of Chef Li and teammates Perry Yuen Kam Hung and Tam Kuong Wu, took the top spot. All three are members of the Macau Culinary Association.
Over the course of four days, Chef Li and his teammates carved without the assistance of any electrical tools for approximately 12 hours a day. Their completed sculpture, "Crane Dance in Spring," edged out last year's winner, Latvia, to take first place in the friendly competition.
The idea behind their sculpture is described as follows: "The crane is a symbol of peace and longevity, signifying the arrival of spring with everything in bloom and all trade thriving! During the Chinese New Year holiday, the Macao team created this snow sculpture to wish 'Peace on Earth' to everyone."
"I am so proud of this accomplishment," said Li, who is the head chef at Sands Macao's 888 Las Vegas Buffet, and has been with the company for 13 years. "Our team worked really hard and we're so pleased with the result. It's such an honour to have represented Macao in this international competition and we're so happy to have made our city proud by coming in first place."
Beginning his career at the age of 19, Chef Li has over 40 years of culinary expertise and is the winner of several ice sculpture awards in Hong Kong and Japan. He worked in some of the world's leading luxury hotels and catering groups in Hong Kong before joining Sands Macao in 2004 as part of the property's pre-opening team.
Sands China Ltd. President, Dr. Wilfred Wong, said: "The company is very pleased that Chef Li and his teammates worked together to win this victory for Macao. Sands Macao and its guests are lucky to have him and we wish him continued success in his career at Sands China."
Back in November, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) invited a team of snow carvers from the Macau Culinary Association to represent Macao again in this year's competition, having done so the previous year as well, where the Macao team was the contest's runner-up.
The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japan's largest winter events, attracting about 2 million visitors from Japan and abroad each year. Teams competing in this year's snow sculpture contest represented Australia, Daejeon Metropolitan City (Korea), Finland, Hawaii (USA), Indonesia, Latvia, Macao, Poland, Portland (USA), Singapore, and Thailand. For more information about the festival and competition, and to view this year's snow sculptures, visit www.snowfes.com/english/contest.html.
MGTO invited the team to enter the International Snow Sculpture Contest in order to promote Macao and attract more Japanese and other international visitors to the city. Last February, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR government, Alexis Tam, led an MGTO delegation to take part in the Sapporo Snow Festival and promote Macao as a destination. Macao was a featured destination during the festival, showcased by a snow sculpture of the Ruins of St. Paul's, video mapping projections and more, attracting many local and foreign spectators.
Japan is the second-largest international visitor source market for Macao. Last year, Japanese visitor arrivals topped 300,000 in Macao, a year-on-year increase of 6.5 percent.
About Sands China Ltd.
Sands China Ltd. (HKEx: 1928, Sands China or the Company) is a Cayman Islands registered company and is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Sands China is the largest operator of integrated resorts in Macao. The Company's Cotai Strip portfolio is comprised of The Venetian® Macao, The Plaza™ Macao, Sands® Cotai Central and The Parisian Macao. The Company also owns and operates Sands® Macao on the Macao peninsula. The Company's integrated resorts contain a diversified mix of leisure and business attractions and transportation operations, including large meeting and convention facilities; a wide range of restaurants; shopping malls; world-class entertainment at the Cotai Arena, The Venetian Theatre, The Parisian Theatre and the upcoming Sands Cotai Theatre; and a high-speed Cotai Water Jet ferry service between Hong Kong and Macao. The Company's Cotai Strip portfolio has the goal of contributing to Macao's transformation into a world centre of tourism and leisure. Sands China is a subsidiary of global resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS).
For more information, please visit www.sandschinaltd.com.
Media contacts:
Corporate Communications, Venetian Macau Limited
Mabel Wu
Tel: +853 8118 2268
Email: mabel.wu@sands.com.mo
Simpson Lei
Tel: +853 8118 2054
Email: simpson.lei@sands.com.mo
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170306/8521701425-a
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170306/8521701425-b
