This article originally
appeared in the September issue of AGENTatHOME magazine. Subscribe here to receive your free copy each month.
There’s something about sitting down for a meal when
traveling that cements the destination in your mind forever.
Some of the highlights from my own life include celebrating
my 30th birthday in Quebec City, raising a glass to another trip around the
sun; enjoying a delicious alfresco meal under the Great Wall of China, basking
in the architectural marvel; and indulging in locally grown coffee and dessert
in Colombia’s grand Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira.
USTOA members know that today’s travelers crave hyperlocal
dining experiences that connect them to local communities. That’s why USTOA is
celebrating food around the world with another year of Global Kitchen.
The three-part video series acts as a directory for each
country’s hidden street-food gems, with top chefs and local guides from Quebec
City, the Colombian Pacific Region of Cali and Chongqing, China, showing off
their favorite spots. And the Global Kitchen Cookbook features recipes from 11
different countries, so you can inspire excitement in your clients for new
destinations — right from their very own homes.
In Chongqing, hungry viewers join chef Charlie Yang and
creator Matt Soren as they introduce viewers to the culinary capital of hot
pot. Then, clients will learn the history of mahua — known as the "french
fry of China" — which has been rolled from dough and deep fried on the
streets for 120 years. Also on the menu are hand-pulled noodles, street
barbecue and sweet rice balls.
Meanwhile in Cali, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the
foothills of the Andes Mountains, chef Catalina Velez takes viewers to La
Alameda Market for small, crispy valluno-style empanadas before introducing
local ingredients such as lulo (citrus fruit), guanabana (soursop) and the
prized chontaduro (peach palm).
In Quebec City, food columnist Allison Van Rassel leads
viewers through the icy streets, where locals pull maple taffy over fresh snow;
La Baraque a Frites tops its iconic Gerry Burger with bacon, spiced honey and
homemade buffalo sauce; and an award-winning French pastry chef rolls the
perfect croissant.
Encourage your clients to discover world flavors from the
comfort of their kitchens with recipes from the Global Kitchen Cookbook. Home
chefs and bartenders will impress dinner-party guests with cedar-plank prime
rib roast from Calgary, Alberta, and an award-winning olive oil sour from Hong
Kong. Madrid offers foodie travelers a contemporary interpretation of its
threecourse tradition, while Turkey introduces its zerowaste cooking philosophy
through classic kofta (meatballs) and Yucatan shares cochinita pibil, a dish
tracing back to the ancient Maya people.
Happy cooking, and bon appetit — in any language!
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