Travel The World With Food

I was bitten by the travel bug at a very early age. It all started with hearing about my dad’s fabulous adventures, stories and tales from all of his world travels. He was in the Merchant Marines his whole life, and traveled around the world many times over. From the time I was a very little girl I have always loved to travel. I want to see everything and visit as many places as I can. I do travel a lot too, and have been to many, many places around the world. I have been to most of our 50 States and have been to about 50-60 countries around the world, and I am NOWHERE near being done yet. There is still so much to see, and do and experience.

There are many reasons why I love to travel so much, but some of those reasons are to sample different cultures and different foods from around the world. I have always believed that food brings people together in ways that only a handful of other things can do, like music or art. Food is more than just nourishment—it’s a storyteller. A single dish can tell the tale of a region’s history, geography, and the people who live there. From street food stalls to fine dining restaurants, the flavors, ingredients, and techniques used in local dishes offer a glimpse into a destination’s soul.

Way back when, when I was teaching 2nd grade, I had a very mixed and culturally diverse class room. One of the projects I had the kids do was to write a report on the country of their roots, and after we celebrated with a big multi-ethnic picnic, with the other 2nd grade classes as well. We invited all the parents and everyone had to bring a dish that was part of their culture and explain the significance of that dish and it’s history. It was a huge success.

I even did a version of this theme when running the corporate restaurant and catering for Chevron, in La Habra, CA when I worked there. I was working in the think tank of Chevron, and was feeding the scientists from all over the world. Again, it was a huge success, and everyone loved it.

Today, everyone loves to travel, and of course, we all love our foods; foods from all over the world. Because of the love of both travel and ethnic foods is so popular, it has opened the doors for a new industry that seems to really be taking off as well. That industry is food tourism. Today’s travelers and tourists see dining as an adventure in itself, and one of the most profound ways to help connect them to a new destination is through the local foods. Many places are now offering food tours and regional cooking classes. I have done a few of these as well, and I love them. I learned so much by doing these. We did a walking food tour of Belize, which allowed us to try local cuisines and small family owned restaurants that we might have never tried otherwise. We have taken cooking classes in Cozumel, and learned how to prepare traditional Mayan foods. We took a tapas tour, venturing out to 4 or 5 local restaurants, sampling different tapas at each one, in Barcelona, Spain. We also did a paella cooking class while in Barcelona. I’ve done wine tours in many places too, from California to Australia, and many places in between. All of these culinary adventures were so informative and were deliciously fun too. Food offers a sensory experience like no other, engaging sight, smell, taste, and touch. Food brings people together and connects us like nothing else can.

If you are a foodie like I am, I highly recommend taking some of these tours. They are a great way to learn about the culture and to learn the area.

Broaden your horizons and follow your nose, and your taste buds. You will open the doors to so many wonderful, delightful and delicious, new experiences.

Have a great day and make everyday great. As Wolfgang Puck always says,”Live, love, eat”. ‘Til next time.