Remembering a Macanese Chef

Coelho when we filmed our interview with him in 2018

A culinary legend in Macau has died. Portuguese native Antonio Coelho was the chef and founder of Antonio's who died October 12 at the age of 77. He is remembered for his food that was cooked with many dollops of butter, and the convivial atmosphere he created in his cosy restaurant.

His wife Mercy made the announcement on social media.

Antonio's sauteed clams in white wine sauce

"Our family is deeply saddened to inform you that my beloved husband, Antonio, passed away last Sunday," she wrote. "I cannot express the grief that we are feeling at the loss of such a great man in the family and to everyone else."

Coelho opened his restaurant in 2007, which was known for such dishes as sauteed clams with garlic and white wine sauce, sauteed fresh prawns with garlic, grilled sardines, Portuguese duck rice, and "Portuguese" style steak that was panfried in a lot of butter and served with a fried egg, pickles and potato slices.

Born and raised in Portugal, Coelho did many different jobs from a stint in the army where he was posted in Macau for two years, to working for the government and in a clinical lab before learning about food through his then boss. He would take Coelho to different restaurants, where the young man developed his palate and tried to recreate the dishes for his friends on the weekends.

Coelho enjoyed the media attention

Four years later he started working in a restaurant where he really learned how to cook. After three years there Coelho opened his own place.

In 1997 following his divorce, Coelho decided it was time for a change of scenery and moved to Macau to start fresh. He worked in several restaurants in the former Portuguese enclave and Hong Kong, before opening Antonio's in 2007.

I interviewed him in 2018, an assignment from one of my bosses, as it was his favourite Macanese restaurant. We tracked down Coelho who didn't seem to take our interview request too seriously. But when he saw we showed up with a video camera and keen to shoot, he went all out and allowed us to film him in the kitchen and stay for dinner.

Watching him cook in the kitchen he wasn't particularly meticulous, measuring out things exactly. Instead he cooked with instinct (and a lot of butter), which is probably why he had so many fans who could taste his love in the dishes.

Interviewing him, Coelho talked in tangents, not quite answering the question and would fall into his favourite topic of food and cooking.

The infamous Portuguese duck rice

At the time he also had a roving guitarist who would serenade diners with songs. It was definitely a unique and memorable experience. 

He told our cameraman at the time to come back anytime, and he took him up on his word, bringing his wife for a romantic weekend.

But when they walked into Antonio's again, Coelho didn't remember my colleague at all -- leaving him flustered despite explaining he had filmed him a few weeks earlier...