By far one of my favorite parts of planning a trip (for myself or for my clients) is digging up recommendations for where to eat - cafes, upscale restaurants, bakeries, markets - and what to eat while I am in a specific destination.

What are the quintessential dishes that I have to try? And where should I have them? If you’ve worked with me on a trip before, you know that I put a lot of recommendations into my itineraries when it comes to food and drink. I’m also a member of the Virtuoso Culinary Community, a specialty group made up of Virtuoso travel advisors and travel partners that come together with a passion for the intersection of food and travel, and experiences that go beyond traditional dining. Being part of this community offers me the opportunity to learn about incredible, unique culinary experiences for my clients and many of the partners offer exclusive amenities to members of the community for their clients.

Food Tours

One of my go-tos while traveling is food tours. I took my first tour on a trip to Portugal in 2015 - the tour took us all around Lisbon during the afternoon and into the night. We sipped cherry brandy (ginjinha), tried pastel de nata, and had an incredible dinner of Portuguese favorites including the salt cod and potato casserole that I still think about nearly eight years later. We went to takeaway shops, sit down restaurants, wine bars, and ended the night at a bar located at the top of a parking garage. Our group of ten (including our two guides) truly enjoyed each other’s company and it was one of the more memorable tour experiences I’d had. So I didn’t hesitate to take a food tour in Prague, Bangkok, Hanoi, Saigon, Hue, Madrid, and Lyon (to name a few). Not only will you eat some tasty food (and perhaps drink some good drinks), you’ll also learn about the local culture in a unique way. I’ve always had a great time on my tours getting to know other travelers and usually eating way too much. And you will usually do a lot of walking on the tour which makes this a step above your typical walking tour. I highly recommend a food tour to any one who is interested in learning about culture through their stomach, but these are especially great for solo travelers as it’s easy to chat with fellow travelers while snacking on Iberian ham or bahn xeo.

Cooking Classes & Immersions

If you don’t just want to eat the food, but you also want to get your hands dirty making it, a cooking class is probably for you. These are excellent for couples, friends, and family traveling together. Depending on where you are traveling, your class might include a trip to a local market where you’ll learn a bit about the local cuisine, specialties of the region, and experience the bustling atmosphere that usually accompanies these markets. Perhaps you’ll go truffle hunting in Tuscany before making your own truffle-based pasta in the evening. Or you may visit the local fish market to pick up ingredients for the meal you’ll be making. For example...

Visit a Chef’s Home in Vietnam

In Hoi An, join one of the city’s top chefs on an exclusive half day experience by heading into his incredible home to learn his secret recipes. See how delectable fusion dishes are prepared in order to gain better insight into Vietnam’s culinary culture. At the end of the experience, enjoy lunch with Chef Duc while sharing his passion for good food and culture.

Make Gelato in Rome

If you’re going to Italy, you’re going to have gelato. Hopefully a lot of it. But did you know that you can also learn the art of gelato making from the experts themselves? One of my partners, IC Bellagio, offers behind-the-counter visits to Giolitti, a legendary gelateria in Rome, where travelers learn how the artisans have made pistachio, fig, dark chocolate, and other flavors here since 1900.

Savor Mole and Mezcal

Take a trip south of the border to Mexico’s most famous culinary regions including Puebla and Oaxaca. Puebla is known for its mole; Oaxaca is known for its mezcal. A tour of this region gives you plenty of time to taste the many varieties of mole, as well as tamales and tyaludas. In Oaxaca, visit a mezcaleria and the fabulous Mercado Benito Juarez, a bountiful market taking up a full city block and brimming with produce, mole spices and pastes, and towers of Oaxacan cheese.

And don’t forget the drinks!

Many of the culinary experiences include wine tastings or distillery visits as well. Even taking a wine tour around Tuscany may result in testing freshly pressed olive oil (wow!) and having lunch at a local's home (one of my fondest travel memories). But there are also options for mixology classes if you’re interested in learning more about making (and drinking) cocktails. For beer drinkers, there are beer tours in some of the obvious places (Munich, Prague) and some less expected - like a craft beer tour of Paris with all the best French food of course.

There are unique culinary experiences to be found all over the world and to suit all budgets and tastes. Whether you’re into street food, learning about local wine, or prepping your own version of the local specialty, we can build these experiences into your custom itinerary. And we'll always make sure you’re equipped with all of recommendations we can provide so you’re not at a loss for where to have your coffee, lunch, dinner, or post-dinner drinks.

Taste Your Way through Travel