Macau may be a small city, but its compact size can benefit boutique business owners looking to innovate and make their mark on the local gastronomy scene. Kevin Law, founder and chef of Cafe Cheri, and Katy Ou, founder of the kombucha brand Boozy Brew are among them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMacau is a great place to \u2018ferment\u2019 small brands,\u201d Ou says. \u201cIt\u2019s a small, supportive environment with room for trial and error.\u201d<\/p>\n
The origins of Boozy Brew date back to January 2020, when Ou was inspired by YouTube videos to start experimenting with making her own kombucha \u2013 a fermented tea drink. Ou also sampled different kombucha brands from Australia, Europe and the US, and found them to be highly carbonated as well as more sour and intense in flavour. She wanted to put her own innovative twist on the drink to better suit local palates.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realised that local Chinese tastes might not prefer something so sharp or aggressive. So we adjusted our flavours: less acidic, more balanced, more approachable,\u201d Ou explains.<\/p>\n
![\"Ou](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/08\/17\/4af0b744-11e9-41ec-869a-c2726ef219a9_a18f5966.jpg\" "\\"Ou")
<\/div>\u201cOur key differentiator is using Chinese teas. Our first six flavours were based on the six major types of Chinese tea, paired with fruits and flowers. This makes it more culturally familiar and easier for people to accept.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cafe Cheri serves bistro-style dishes with Chinese influences, emphasising the use of seasonal ingredients. The restaurant was originally managed by Law\u2019s family and known as a \u201csoy sauce Western\u201d restaurant, serving a version of Western comfort food that was modified for local diners. Law took over in 2018 when his family retired, and focused on creating his own innovative take on localised Western cuisine by fusing elements of Chinese and French cooking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cMy cooking techniques are largely based on French culinary training,\u201d Law says. \u201cAt the same time, I value two key principles in Chinese cuisine: food should be served hot, and it should have wok hei<\/em> \u2013 that distinctive, smoky, high-heat aroma. I use charcoal techniques to help achieve that.\u201d<\/p>\n He adds: \u201cInnovation is very important to me. It\u2019s about uniqueness \u2013 using my own ideas to create something new. This gives customers a sense of freshness, even a \u2018wow\u2019 factor. From both a business and creative perspective, that\u2019s very valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n Law is also interested in fermentation and how it can be incorporated into his menu. So he recently met with Ou at Boozy Brew\u2019s retail shop to learn more about kombucha and how it can be used in cooking or paired with a dish.<\/p>\n \u201cFermentation is something I\u2019ve been paying close attention to and experimenting with,\u201d Law says. \u201cIt\u2019s fascinating because so many variables \u2013 temperature, humidity, ingredients \u2013 affect the final result. That makes it very creative and unpredictable.\u201d<\/p>\n Ou notes: \u201cKombucha allows [for] endless combinations \u2013 you can use tea, fruits, herbs and more. As long as it is not too oily, you can experiment freely. What makes it exciting is that there are no boundaries. You don\u2019t have to limit your imagination.\u201d<\/p>\n Ou and Law combined their expertise and penchant for creativity to come up with kombucha pairings for dishes at Cafe Cheri. One features a dish of seared pigeon with beetroot and liver parfait, for which Law selects a rose mulberry kombucha that he finds to have an elegant flavour profile similar to a pinot noir wine.<\/p>\n \u201cKombucha has huge flexibility. In gastronomy, its biggest strength is pairing \u2013 it can adapt its flavour to match food,\u201d Law says.<\/p>\n Having built a livelihood with kombucha over several years, Ou holds a philosophical perspective about the drink. \u201cKombucha can absorb many different elements, just like life,\u201d she says. \u201cYou take in different perspectives, whether supportive or critical, and transform them into something new. It becomes a source of creativity and strength.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Law](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/08\/17\/b8a0476c-75c7-4cd5-a853-8894289b22e5_a18f5966.jpg\" "\\"Law")
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