Eating Your Way Around the World

When my son Travis graduated from college this year, I asked him if he wanted to travel. He answered, “Yes, I want to eat my way around the world.”

Of course, he does.

He loves food and tries everything, so this didn’t surprise me. But there are many other travelers who, like Travis, want to go around the world just trying new food and drink experiences.

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If you are like Travis, you can put an entire trip together around your taste buds.

“Choose your destination and incorporate visits to restaurants or cooking classes along the way,” said Jacquie Whitt of Adios Adventure Travel in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “This is a good choice for independent travelers who like to select their activities ‘a la carte.”

The other option is to find a small group culinary tour to your favorite destination, with a variety of gastronomic activities and excursions.

“This kind of trip is suited for people who appreciate the time and effort it takes for someone else to organize a comprehensive culinary trip,” said Whitt. “Deciding which kind of foodie traveler you are before you book your trip, will help you choose the right experience for you.”

At home, Katiana Jolimeau likes to recreate cuisines from her travels, so she usually takes a hands-on cooking class in each country.

“I took a private class in Argentina once at Espacio Azai, and it was amazing,” said Jolimeau. “The chef explained the dishes and the history behind them, and we made about 3 of our dishes. I find those types of classes are where I learn the most versus demonstration classes.”

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Jared Buker said he doesn’t remember a vacation that was yummier than Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

“I went there a few years ago and stayed in a wonderful B&B,” said Buker, a travel consultant with Lincoln Gap Travel in Lincoln, Vermont. “The main drag in town, Hidalgo, is lined with wonderful cafes and restaurants. We also had great fun exploring the island on our rented golf cart and tried several restaurants that were a bit off-the-beaten-path. Most of the restaurants had reasonable prices, and I don't think we had a bad meal the whole week.”

According to Cassie Staiger, foodies usually steer away from all-inclusive resorts, but Unico 20°87° has been changing her clients’ mindsets.

“This brand new five-star resort features a rotating local chef program in restaurant Cueva Siete that was kicked off with chef Christian Bravo who recently competed in Top Chef Mexico,” said Staiger of CS Travel Planners in Mandan, North Dakota. “My last visit there was June, and I cannot return soon enough.”

Steve Faber suggests clients select sightseeing excursions and opt for the half-day morning trips, when possible.

“That allows them to make their own choices for lunch, rather than dining at their ship or hotel,” said Faber, CruiseOne Franchise Owner and Vacation Specialist in San Rafael, California. “I find the tour guides are often flattered when asked for a recommendation and often arrange for a drop-off at the recommended venue on the return ride.”

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Faber added that most full-day excursions include lunch served banquet-style, with all present getting the same mass-prepared dish: "Though there is no charge for these lunches, I make it a practice to schmooze the tour guide, and request to be able to order my lunch from the full menu, for which I gladly pay out of my pocket."

When it comes to cruisers, Faber said that except when sailing small luxury brands, one shouldn't order anything that suffers from being frozen.

“For example, in my book, nothing degrades more by being frozen than lobster; yet passengers go crazy on lobster night,” he said. “Though Maine lobster is the gold standard, I find a fresh, live spiny lobster is superior to a hard-frozen Maine variety and encourage my clients on Caribbean voyages to search out a shore-side restaurant serving fresh, local lobster.”

Foodies might want to know that Europe is home to some of the best wine and food festivals in the world. You can sample chocolate in Paris, pasta in Italy and wine in Vienna. For example, you can visit the Salon du Chocolat, held in Paris every October. The Lemon Festival was held this year in February and includes a golden fruit parade.

Whether you want to explore the restaurants on your own in a local city or enjoy a culinary tour in another country, foodies have a lot of opportunities to sample the country’s delicacies. You can have a slice of authentic Italian pizza at the Pizzarium in Rome or enjoy a bowl of handmade pasta in Florence. Take a class to learn how to make pasta Try chocolates in Belgium or Bratwurst in Germany.

Your taste buds will love you.

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