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

Author: Dixie Fingal-Rock Innes
Published: Fri 08 Aug 2025
Episode Link: https://shows.acast.com/roots/episodes/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.