Cooks on the Road

For many travelers, vacations mean, among other things, restaurants and room service. For travelers like Virginia Hench, however, a vacation is yet another opportunity to combine her love of travel with her enjoyment of wine and local foods, preferably in scenic destinations such as France, Italy, and Switzerland, where she has taken several wine and food tours.

“I’m usually an independent traveler,” says Hench, who lives in Hawaii. But her father, who had been on several such trips, encouraged her to come along. Not only are the trips good value for the money, she says, “but you also get to go to places—like small wineries and out-of-the-way restaurants—that you could never visit on your own.”

Hench is certainly not alone in her appreciation of culinary vacations. According to the Travel Activities and Motivation Survey conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, 125.7 million Americans enjoyed at least one culinary activity while on vacation in 2004/05, and such activities were among the most requested travel experiences.

“Everyone eats and it is the only pastime that everyone, tourist or not, takes part in at least three times a day,” says Garry Taylor, who is in charge of European development for the Culinary Tourism Association. “People are inquisitive and wish to try and taste what is unique and memorable.”

Taylor adds that the association has recently observed an increase in the number of vacations linked with cooking schools, which, he says, allows a visitor to experience all that is wonderful from a culinary perspective of that specific area.

One reason for the growing interest in culinary travel is that more people are interested in preparing their own meals, both to save money and for health reasons. Florida-based food and travel writer Phyllis Steinberg recently sailed on Costa Cruises’ Holistic Holiday at Sea, a Caribbean cruise that featured more than 100 classes taught by alternative health professionals, yoga and Pilates instructors, research scientists, and vegan and macrobiotic chefs.

“There was such a range of passengers signed up for the cruise,” says Steinberg. “But what they had in common was that they were all interested in learning how to cook, eat, and live in more healthy ways.”

Another reason for the popularity of food-related vacations, acoording to Marilyn Tausend, cookbook author and owner of Culinary Adventures, Inc, is that “food is so interrelated with the culture of a destination.” Tausend has seen her business increase steadily since she started offering culinary tours to Mexico 20 years ago. To explore both the cuisine and the culture of the country, Tausend leads groups on visits to relevant archaeological sites, museums, and food-related events so that travelers will come away with a feeling that they have truly experienced that area’s culture.

While travelers can often arrange food-themed trips and/or activities on their own, many—even seasoned travelers—like to travel with experts, says Tausend. “People want to know that they will experience the true tastes, textures, and aromas of the regional foods,” she explains.

“On our trips,” Tausend adds, “we always start by acquainting everyone with the ingredients that they can find in the markets, then divide the travelers into small groups for shopping … perhaps for chiles, herbs, fruits, or vegetables.” During the course of a trip, Tausend’s travelers will take classes with well-known experts such as Diana Kennedy and chefs Rick Bayless, Roberto Santibañez, and Ricardo Muñoz, in addition to local experts.

Tausend offers various types of trips, designed for different audiences. Although there is usually one geared specifically for food professionals, most of her trips appeal to a wide variety of travelers. “What all the participants have in common is a strong interest in both food and Mexico,” says Tausend, adding that travelers include both singles and couples and have ranged in age from 18 to 81.”

“Some may be food professionals, but many are just those who love to travel and to learn,” Tausend continues. “What is so rewarding to me, is that year after year, many of the same people return, excited about exploring another region of Mexico.” Over the years, Tausend has arranged trips to Michoacán, Jalisco, Estado de Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla,Morelos, Veracruz, Tabasco, Yucatán, Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Chiapas.

If you’re interested on going on a culinary trip, Tausend suggests thinking first about what you want to accomplish on the trip. Then check the qualifications of the leader, any instructors, and the guides. “Look for a guide or tour company that is deeply immersed in the culture and culinary life of the country,” she notes.

When selecting a culinary vacation, choose what you like, adds Garry Taylor. “Looking for sun and fun, along with good food? Think about Australia or Italy. Looking for dramatic scenery with good wine? Consider New Zealand. Want the hustle and bustle or urban sophistication of a big city? Maybe cooking classes and a gourmet shopping tour in New York, London, or Tokyo.”

While Tausend’s tours focus on the food and culture of Mexico, culinary tours are available to virtually all parts of the world; France and Italy are the most popular destinations, but tours can also be found to Central and South America, Eastern Europe, even the Middle East. In addition to destination-specific tours, you can also find vegetarian, health and wellness, and medical-specific (eg, diabetes) tours.

Culinary tours usually offer two basic choices: the first involves staying at a hotel or resort and taking a number of cooking classes; the second option might include a multi-city tour to sample the cuisine of the region, in addition to participating in classes and other food-related activities.

To learn more about culinary vacations, check out these Web sites:

• Culinary Vacation Travel Guide (www.foodvacation.com) for dining, wine, and cooking vacation information; gourmet destination guides; and unique culinary experiences for travelers in Spain, Costa Rica, Italy, France, Nova Scotia, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Ireland.

• Culinary Adventures, Inc (www.marilyntausend.com) for information on Tausend’s upcoming trips to Mexico.

• Horizon & Co (www.horizon-co.com) for information on culinary tours to Spain, Indochina, Morocco, India, Tuscany, Napa and Sonoma, and Normandy. Horizon also offers “Made to Measure” trips if you have something specific in mind.

• Gourmet On Tour (www.gourmetontour.com) for trips designed for people who love and appreciate fine wine and food, with 80 cooking courses and tours conducted by some of the world’s most innovative chefs in locations across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the United States.

• Holland America (www.hollandamerica.com), Crystal Cruises (www.crystalcruises.com), and Celebrity Cruises (www.celebritycruises.com) all offer culinary programs, as do many smaller cruise lines. Travelers can take part in cooking demonstrations, food and wine tastings, and cooking classes.

• A Taste of Health (www.atasteofhealth.org) sponsors the Holistic Holidays at Sea.

Culinary Tourism Association’s new site, FoodTrekker (www.foodtrekker.com), can help you choose a culinary adventure best suited to your own tastes—literally!

— Carol Sorgen