Nearly two decades since first bringing his vision of southern Italian cuisine to Asia, Chef Alfonso Iaccarino has recently returned to Macau—the site of the family’s first restaurant in Asia—for a rare showcase of some of his most famous dishes during his visit from April 30 to May 9. The legendary chef personally helmed the kitchens at Don Alfonso 1890 at Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau, treating diners to the flavors and traditions that have defined much of his life’s work. 

 

Widely considered one of Italy’s most influential chefs, Iaccarino is the founder of the multi-Michelin-starred Don Alfonso 1890 in Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi, where his pioneering approach to farm-to-table dining and sustainable cooking helped redefine modern Mediterranean cuisine.

 

For Chef Iaccarino, the event was more than a menu tasting—it was a chance to rekindle his enduring dialogue with Macau diners and share the philosophy that has driven Don Alfonso 1890 to global acclaim. The palatial interior of the venue was also a fitting tribute and setting for his legacy. Lathered in handcrafted terrazzo floors and intricate floral motifs, much of the restaurant’s design draws inspiration from historic Versace Villa on Lake Como. It’s not just “inspiration” either. Tables are set with opulent Rosenthal x Versace tableware, and paintings from Versace's Palace adorn the walls. It’s a setting that accurately reflects the blend of luxury and Italian tradition in cooking that Chef Iaccarino has been pushing for his entire career. 

 

“It's been 40 years that we have been working towards this vision of food and sustainability in Italian cooking,” he told BK Magazine during his Macau visit. “We’ve always believed that food must respect the ambiance, the traditions, and the people who come to the table.”

 

 

Meanwhile, at the fine dining Don Alfonso 1890, guests encountered elevated plates like Brittany Blue Lobster with artichoke, and the Lemon Soufflé with house-made limoncello ice cream, crafted using lemons from the family’s organic Le Peracciole farm in Sorrento.

 

The chef balanced tradition with a forward-looking approach—something he discusses often when sitting down for a chat. Perhaps no dish embodies this balance more than the “vesuvio di rigatoni.” The dish, which is arguably his most celebrated, takes inspiration from the shape of the famous volcano that looms over his native Naples. 

 

“I made it for a friend, an old lady who became like family,” Iaccarino recalled. “She came from a pasta-making family, and I wanted to honor her. At that time in the late '70s, everything was plated flat. I wanted to change that. The pasta stands up like a volcano, with the sauce as lava.”

 

Personal stories like this run through most of Don Alfonso 1890’s cuisine, which is heavily rooted in Campania’s terroir and culinary heritage, but always interpreted through the same forward-looking lens that made Iaccarino famous decades ago. Even the humble fusilli pasta with clams and zucchini—which we tried during the Macau dinners—is tied to a belief in preserving artisanal techniques in an era of industrialized food production. 

 

 

“The old way, the pasta had a special fragrance,” Iaccarino said. “It’s more expensive and takes more time, but if you want good food, you must respect those traditions.”

 

That ethos has traveled well beyond Italy’s borders. Since opening Don Alfonso 1890 at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau in 2023, Chef Iaccarino and his son Ernesto have observed how Asian diners have grown increasingly sophisticated in their appreciation of quality ingredients and culinary storytelling. 

“Today, young people travel more, they know extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella, tomatoes. In the beginning, it was not like this,” Iaccarino said. “But you must be clever in Asia to put all these experiences together. You can have all the stars in the world, but people must walk away happy. Success only comes when they come back often.”

 

That emphasis on the guest experience over accolades is a throughline in the Iaccarino family’s story: bringing diners into a narrative where food is both a pleasure to eat and a cultural bridge.

 

“Every dish must tell a story of where it comes from,” Iaccarino said. “For us, it’s not just about cooking, it’s about helping people live the longest possible life. Through the food, through respect for nature, through the traditions we keep alive.”

 

Chef Iaccarino’s limited-time residency offered a rare opportunity to taste that philosophy firsthand—a reminder that behind every elegant plate is a lifetime of stories, shaped by family, land, and a relentless curiosity for what’s next. Although he has since returned to Italy, the dishes he brought with him for the experience remain on the menu as a la carte offerings for diners to continue to enjoy.