Explore the World’s Diverse Foods with Immersive Culinary Experiences

Food and travel go hand in hand. Personally, some of my fondest travel memories include food and beverages: chocolate making in Belgium and Panamá; watching a cooked pig rise from under the earth in Hawai‘i, shopping for produce in Tuscany with the hotel chef before returning to the hotel to learn how to make ravioli, tasting wine straight from the barrels in Napa, hunting for truffles with dogs in Spain, dancing barefoot on the beach after an Anegadan lobster boil in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and learning to cook Thai food at my hotel in Chiang Mai.

Try all that and more on your travels with some of these can’t-miss experiences around the globe.

VESPERTINE
Described on its website as “a gastronomical experience seeking to disrupt the course of the modern restaurant,” it’s evident Los Angeles’ Vespertine offers a culinary experience like no other. Chef Jordan Kahn collaborated with architect Eric Owen Moss and artists in crafting this reimagined version of dining. Art, food, music and more come together to immerse diners and stimulate all the senses. A hefty price tag equates to around 18 courses; as of press time, Vespertine was offering private parties and takeout while still waiting to resume its typical service post- pandemic.

ALCHEMIST
How does one even prepare one’s stomach for 50 courses? Yes, you read that right, an experience at Copenhagen’s Alchemist consists of 50 “impressions” and lasts four to six hours. Take note, as the restaurant itself observes, the prerequisites are curiosity and presence of mind. Diners can choose from a number of options and price points, starting from the Menu Alchemist Experience, at DKK 4400, or around $585, and ending with The Sommelier Table, at DKK 14,400, about $1,900.

MANSION ON FORSYTH PARK
Pair a traditional hotel stay with a cooking class at Savannah, Georgia’s, Mansion on Forsyth Park. Travelers can try their hands at a new culinary technique without venturing far from their guestroom.

Current cooking class offerings at Mansion on Forsyth Park deliver storytelling alongside tasting and include Champagne Brunch, for $109; Classic Italian, for $109; Date Night and Farmer’s Market Haul, both at $119; and Grand Tours, covering destinations such as the Mediterranean, Mexico and Tuscany. Select classes, such as Farmer’s Market Haul, include a visit to the market to hand-select the ingredients with which you will later cook.

PHOTO: © ALMANAC BARCELONA

ALMANAC BARCELONA
Almanac Barcelona’s recently launched Barcelona Foodie Package blends a bit of everything: travel, a chef-led tasting menu, a city food tour and a visit to one of Spain’s Cava producers.

On-site Virens serves Chef Rodrigo de la Calle’s “green haute cuisine,” and here, as part of the offer, diners indulge in a tasting menu led by De la Calle, who explains his vision, culinary techniques and sourcing methods. A three-hour food tour then guides guests to top foodie spots in the Spanish city, from Mercat Santa Caterina to Cuines de Santa Caterina. Participants also visit Torelló Cellars for a tour with owner Toni De la Rosa Torelló.

HURAWALHI MALDIVES
Thankfully, you won’t need to don scuba gear to dine underwater at Hurawalhi Maldives’ 5.8 Undersea Restaurant. The name comes from the restaurant’s position 5.8 meters below the resort, which also earns the eatery its superlative as the world’s largest, all-glass undersea restaurant.

The multicourse tasting menu will delight just as much as the atmosphere, and diners can choose from a five-course lunch menu or seven-course dinner menu. Vegan and seafood-free menus are available for either meal.

TUTKA BAY LODGE
Alaska’s Tutka Bay Lodge, located along Kachemak Bay on the Kenai Peninsula, added a cooking school to its repertoire, open to property guests in summer. Housed on a historic crabbing boat, cooking classes include ingredients grown from a seaside garden. During the class, learn techniques as you prepare a three-course menu in a stunning setting.

THE DISTILLERY LONDON
Travelers needn’t only say “Bon appétit” on their travels; they can also say “Cheers!” In London gin is king, and at The Ginstitute at The Distillery in the posh Notting Hill neighborhood, participants can truly immerse themselves in the spirit. After a colorful and fun lesson on the history of gin, served up alongside a gin-based cocktail, we (yes, I can personally vouch for this one!) made our way through the Blending Rooms with a different gin cocktail in hand before going in-depth on the various botanicals that comprise the full bouquet of gin. The final showstopper? Each of us crafted our very own bottle of gin, which still proudly sits on my in-home bar as a reminder of the experience.

PHOTO: © OJAI VALLEY INN

OJAI VALLEY INN
Beekeeping is vital to our environment for a myriad of reasons, and at Ojai Valley Inn guests can get hands on with beekeepers. Available Tuesdays–Sundays by appointment, the experience begins inside the bee yard and apiary at Mistletoe Meadows — protective beekeeping suit provided, of course. The beekeeper uses local white sage to calm bees before participants learn more about the essential life of a honeybee. A honey tasting with different varieties of raw honey rounds out the unique experience.

ALISAL RANCH
Bootcamp might sound scary, but we promise this one, offered at Alisal Ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley, skews more delicious than frightening. The hotel hosts BBQ Bootcamps, offering participants the chance to both taste scrumptious specialties and hone their own at-home grilling skills. Find differently themed camps offered throughout the year. In 2023, BBQ Bootcamp: From the Vine is slated for March 5–8, pairing barbecue and wine, and BBQ Bootcamp: Spring Classic, held May 7–10.

ST. REGIS HOTELS AND RESORTS
Known for its long-standing tradition of sabrage, St. Regis Hotels and Resorts recently announced the launch of private Champagne sabrage master classes at its properties across North America. Available now, guests and locals can book private Champagne sabering master classes with an expertly trained St. Regis Butler.

Sabrage’s history dates back more than 200 years; however, for St. Regis, the ritual dates to 1904 and founder John Jacob Astor IV. He had a bottle sabered on property nightly to celebrate the transition from day to night. Various St. Regis properties around the world continue the tradition.

The St. Regis hotel will tailor the sabrage master classes to any group size, with classes taking each participant through the history and technique before they try their hand at the ritual. A 30-minute class for up to four guests includes one bottle of Moët & Chandon Champagne and canapés. Book directly with each property.

PHOTO: © ROSEWOOD LE GUANAHANI

ROSEWOOD LE GUANAHANI
Embark on a deep-sea fishing trip led by a St. Barth fisherman at Rosewood Le Guanahani, and learn more about fishing techniques and the impact of the water on the island. Then, pair your fishing trip with the hotel’s Cook Your Catch program. Hotel chefs cook your day’s haul to order.

FOOD TOURS
Book a food tour on your next trip. Here are a few companies to check out:
• Culinary Backstreets
• Untoürs
• Secret Food Tours
• Gourmet on Tour

ICONIC FOODS
Whether or not you’re participating in a cooking class or lesson, here’s a quick glimpse at foods you must try around the world:
• Poland’s zapiekanka, an open-faced street food sandwich
• Japan’s made-from-scratch ramen
• Argentina’s empanadas, stuffed with ground beef, caramelized onions and hard-boiled eggs
• Portugal’s delicious pastéis de nata, a custard-filled pastry
• In Italy, what else but Neapolitan pizza
• Singapore’s kaya toast, dipped in soft-boiled egg
• England’s iconic fish and chips — don’t miss afternoon tea, either • Dip a churro in Spain’s thick, rich hot chocolate
• Lebanon’s shish barak, or fried dumplings
• Another street food: Hong Kong’s egg waffles