Cooking & food trends

Food-focussed trips let travellers explore global trends as well as places
Fifteen years ago, few people had even heard of Noma in Copenhagen. Now it's celebrated as one of the world’s best restaurants and Nordic food is a star among worldwide food trends. At the same time, Vietnamese food has gone from exotic to mainstream, while rustic French cooking has become as celebrated as haute cuisine. Other trends have highlighted foraged flavours, newly hip foodie countries like Georgia or niche regional menus espousing the joys, say, of Sichuan food rather than the Cantonese dishes that once dominated 'Chinese' meals. Every time you open your mouth to eat, open your mind too.

Trends to explore

Unfamiliar wines

Discovering new wines is a pleasure of many trips. Greece and Romania are little-known viniculture stars, while India, Morocco, Turkey, Japan and China make quaffable wines too. Or uncork unfamiliar regions: in Spain, order Extremadura; in Argentina, sip Jujuy or Salta; in Italy, try red Teroldego or white Pecorino.

Unusual ingredients

Travel serves up novel ingredients. In Thailand, durian tastes better than it smells, while Sicilian street food offers fried spleen. In Japan, macha (green tea) adds distinctive flavour. Peruvians love chicha morada (purple corn juice), while Cambodians swear by prahoc – salty fish paste that's a classic dip for red ants!

Secret foodie hotspots

Discover gourmand hotspots off the tourist radar. Rioja's capital Logrono has superb tapas, while Battambang in Cambodia is a colonial foodie beacon ringed by orchards and rice fields. Across Italy, there are secret historic towns like white truffle HQ Fabro. Everywhere has gourmet hideaways – just ask the locals.

Our top Cooking & food Holiday

Short break pasta making & Italian food holiday, Tuscany

Short break pasta making & Italian food holiday, Tuscany

A Tuscan food adventure, learn to make pasta

From £825 4 days ex flights
Small group travel:
2023: 19 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Cooking & food or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

Tips for cooking & food trends

Fernando Rodriguez, a guide for our supplier Intrepid, explains why Peruvian food stands out among worldwide food trends:

“Peru burst onto the world’s gastronomic scene with a diversity of flavours second to none. Start with the national dish, ceviche - fresh fish “cooked” in lime juice with garlic, coriander, red onion and chilli. It’s perfect for lunch with a sea view on a summer day, washed down with a pisco sour, the country’s famous cocktail.

Heading into the Andes, take part in a local pachamanca ceremony in the Sacred Valley near Cusco. This ancient Inca ritual involves cooking local meats and vegetables in an earth oven covered by hot stones. Absolutely sensational. While in the Andes, try cuy (roast guinea pig). Yes, they make good pets - but they also make good dinners!”
Animesh Khandkar, a guide for our supplier Intrepid, picks out truly heavenly food in his worldwide food trends: “Food is not just a fuel for the body but an essential element of a number of religions. Visit the langar (community kitchen) in a Gurudwara (Sikh temple) and witness food being treated with piousness and reverence. Large pots of food are prepared at these temples and thousands are fed free of charge, three times a day.”
Written by Norman Miller
Photo credits: [Page banner: Brooke Lark] [Noma - Copenhagen: City Foodsters] [Wine: Michela Simoncini] [Food - Golden Temple: Mario Micklisch]