MMA, Macanese Food & Making XO Sauce with Ana Da Costa

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with the ridiculously talented chef, Ana Da Costa. Ana’s heritage is Macanese, a unique culture born from the fusion of Chinese and Portuguese history in Macau.

Ana shares what it was like growing up with a Chinese mother and a Portuguese father, and how this shaped her palate. We talk about the evolution of Macanese cuisine, which blends not just Portuguese and Chinese flavours, but also influences from India, Africa, and Malaysia. Ana also tells me about her journey into the London food scene, from starting a sell-out XO sauce business from her living room during lockdown to running her own incredible supper clubs and pop-ups.

Key Takeaways

• Macanese cuisine is a distinct fusion, created when Portuguese settlers in Macau adapted their dishes using local Chinese ingredients and culinary influences from other colonies.

• Food can be a powerful tool for creativity and finding your passion; Ana taught herself to cook after moving to London, recreating dishes from TV chefs to avoid her university work.

• The experience of being mixed-heritage can be complex; Ana speaks about the feeling of not quite belonging in either Portugal or China, a common sentiment for people with multiple cultural roots.

• Building a food business from scratch is possible without formal training. Ana’s journey from a corporate job to running pop-ups was driven by passion, instinct, and a family recipe for XO sauce.

Episode Highlights

• 02:22 - Ana explains what it means to be Macanese
• 06:44 - A fascinating look at how Macanese food evolved
• 13:52 - Ana talks about learning to cook after moving to London
• 20:25 - The story of Ana's first pop-up cooking for strangers
• 33:00 - Ana shares the common mixed-race experience of not feeling fully accepted in either of her parents' home countries.

About the Guest

Ana Da Costa is a chef and recipe developer specialising in Macanese cuisine. She is the founder of Mama Da Costa's, known for its small-batch XO sauce, and hosts regular supper clubs and pop-ups across London.

• Instagram: @‌_lotsofbutter
• Website: https://www.mamadacosta.com

Connect with Dixie:

• Instagram: @‌dixierocksfood
• Website: https://dixierocksfood.substack.com/
• Substack: https://rootsfoodtalks.substack.com/

This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (http://lucylucraft.co.uk )

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

Connect with Dixie:

Instagram: ⁠@dixierocksfood

Website: ⁠https://dixierocksfood.substack.com/

Substack: https://rootsfoodtalks.substack.com/

This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (lucylucraft.co.uk)

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

---

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.