Five Memorable Culinary Journeys

Do you dream about good food? Then perhaps you’d call yourself a “foodie”. As a recently coined term that identifies millions of folks in this country and all over for that matter, eating well is a serious hobby.  To be honest, who doesn’t enjoy eating well?  But there’s more to being a foodie than just the food.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson once famously stated, “Life is a journey, not a destination”. Likewise, foodie culture is not just about the food, but rather traveling or perhaps we’d even say foraging for the food that defines one as a true enthusiast of the culinary experience. Using food as the vehicle for travel and adventure – this is what it truly means to be a foodie.

In the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn’t even matter what you call yourself as long as you’re excited about having a food adventure somewhere. Foodies, food-lovers, and travelers alike can all enjoy an amazing culinary journey that will enrich their lives (and their stomachs) for quite some time. Here’s a few picks I’ve uncovered.

Mirbeau Inn & Spa (The Pinehills in Plymouth, Mass.):

Executive Chef Stephen Coe of the Plymouth Rock Oyster Farm knows that the best way to enjoy an oyster is to pick one yourself. Groups of up to 12 can join Chef Stephen for a tutorial on picking and shucking oysters, complete with a farm dinner afterward including scallops, lobster, saltwater corn, Prosecco, and of course, oysters. The program only lasts until early autumn, so be sure to register quickly to get your seafood fix!

1000 Islands Harbor Hotel (Clayton, N.Y.):

More adventures await in upstate N.Y., where guests head out on the St. Lawrence River to fish with Captain Jeff Garnsey. The Captain has quite the reputable skill as a chef as well; the day’s haul is prepared as a traditional Shore Dinner and cooked over a hardwood campfire (a Clayton staple since 1872). In only a single cast iron skillet, Captain prepares salt pork sandwiches and fried fish, followed by French toast, served with local maple syrup.

Chatham Bars Inn (Chatham, Mass., on Cape Cod):

Not every culinary moment can or should be planned. When opportunity strikes, Executive Chef Anthony Cole will greet boats at shore and immediately filet fish for fresh sashimi, served gratis to guests on the beach with the fisherman’s OK. Those looking for a spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment adventure in the ocean might be surprised to hear that the Chatham Bars Inn’s luxury fleet almost always stands ready to whisk guests to sea for big game sport fishing—and I mean big. The biggest catch? A 350 lb. blue fin tuna.

The Umstead Hotel and Spa (Cary, N.C., outside Raleigh):

Video Courtesy of The Umstead Hotel and Spa

Executive Chef Steven Greene’s spectacular Herons’ seven course Kaiseki dinner begins with a tableside tea ceremony. The beverage is served in custom tableware by potter Ben Owen, whose large-scale works are showcased throughout the art-centric Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond hotel. While unexpected, this fusion of artistic and culinary perfectly complements the “source locally” mentality at The Umstead, which relies heavily on products and produce from its own garden and nearby farm.

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.):

If you’ve ever wanted to work with a professional chef (or even a Food Network star like Beau MacMillan), the Sanctuary’s “Mi Casa, Mi Chef” package welcomes guests at the property’s Mountainside Estates to plan and execute a customized dining experience. You’ll plot your own unique menu alongside one of their elite chefs, letting the day’s best fruits, vegetables, fish and meat guide you. Then join the chefs in the kitchens of their private homes, working side-by-side to prepare the feast. The icing on the cake is an in-house spa treatment after a full day of taking the heat.