The Joy of Culinary Travel: Discover Why You Should Experience Food Adventures

Culinary travel has grown rapidly in popularity in recent years, and I’ve jumped wholeheartedly on the bandwagon. Have you?

I’ve always loved food. At home, I engage in activities that every foodie does. I cook elaborate five-course meals for our friends, watch cooking competitions, and regularly attend food and wine festivals.

However, it wasn’t until about five years ago that I ventured to incorporate my passion for food with travel. Until then, I had no idea regarding the limitless benefits I would gain from exploring culinary delights around the world. Now, I assure you that, no matter where our adventures take us, food is centrally important to our travels.

Why Travel for Food

As mentioned earlier, it was about five years ago—coincidentally around the time when my husband and I started traveling together—that I merged my love for culinary experiences with travel. We grew interested in wine tourism and had heard magnificent things about the Stellenbosch region of South Africa.

1. Food Travel Awakens the Senses

You’re probably wondering how food can exert such power, right? It’s simple. Eating engages all five senses. Not only do we taste our food, but we also touch it, smell it, enjoy it visually, and listen to it sizzling in the pan. We enter a heightened state whenever we interact with food, thus it follows that intentionally experiencing food while traveling intensifies the memories we build.

2. Food Takes you Back to Your Travels

Have you ever noticed how even the faint aroma of a dish you savored on vacation instantly transports you back to that moment? For instance, tasting an Argentinian Malbec brings me back to a tasting room in Mendoza. The smell of galangal and lime instantly recalls the Thai cooking class we took in Chiang Mai.

Even the sight of choclo (large corn) excites me for the intense flavors of Peruvian cuisine. Just ask my husband—this “big corn” triggers an unreasonable amount of excitement in me.

3. Food is Powerful

Food is indeed powerful. It shapes your journey and defines your memories. It is an essential part of community and identity. Authentic travel experiences stem from gathering around a dinner table with newfound friends, enjoying lunch with a local family, or even having a picnic in a vineyard—these are the moments we cherish the most.

Importantly, it’s not only about the food itself—although if it’s good, that’s an added bonus—but rather those moments when the best memories are forged.

4. Good Food is Worth It

I frequently come across numerous blog posts and articles about saving money on food while traveling and avoiding street food due to health concerns. It saddens me to think of all the amazing experiences I would have missed had I heeded that advice.

I genuinely question whether one can experience the authentic side of a culture without indulging in its food. After all, what is Thailand without a plate of Pad Thai, China without Dim Sum, Canada without poutine, or Mexico without street tacos?

5. Food Becomes a Part of Travel, Even When You Least Expect It

We sometimes take trips devoid of an obvious food focus—like our visit to Turkey, where our aim was to explore Istanbul and the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Yet, these trips still expanded our global palate and introduced us to culinary experiences we would not have encountered otherwise.

One of our favorite culinary tours occurred in Istanbul, and we even indulged in wine tasting in ancient caves of Cappadocia.

6. All Food is Amazing

Whether indulging in Michelin-starred dining, venturing off the beaten path to the best-fried noodles, participating in a cooking school in Tuscany, or even accepting a dare to sample a deep-fried cricket from a market in Cambodia—all these experiences create vibrant memories. If you don’t seek out food, you will miss an entire dimension of your journey.

Since that initial trip to South Africa, we consciously choose destinations driven by our desire to explore new culinary hotspots. We aim to deepen our understanding and appreciation of a country’s history and architecture while appreciating the cuisine that forms its cultural backbone. This approach has tremendously influenced our travel experiences.

7. Wineries

During our research, we discovered that many wineries were also home to exceptional restaurants, making it apparent that we would be missing half the experience if we didn’t explore the emerging food scene. Consequently, we booked reservations at top-rated restaurants boasting wine-pairing menus, sampling dishes we’d never previously experienced, such as wild game and ostrich.

Moreover, we learned about popular grape varietals like Pinotage—the cornerstone of South African wine—and how contemporary South African cuisine evolved, influenced by various cultures. I returned from that trip with a newfound appreciation for the significance of food.

South African Food

As is the case with many countries, South African cuisine is a blend of various subcultures. Had we only traveled to South Africa to see elephants (which are impressive, to be fair), we would have missed out on the immense cultural wealth communicated through its food. We could have read a textbook about its history, but experiencing it firsthand created invaluable memories.

Food Makes Travel Better

Having shared captivating photos of food from around the globe, can we agree that intentionally incorporating food into your travel plans will greatly enhance your experiences?

If you are a foodie as I am, simply knowing that we aren’t confined to the dining options available in our cities should be enough to ignite excitement. There exists a world teeming with incredible cuisines, just a plane ride or road trip away.

And if you don’t consider yourself a foodie—well, you still need to eat, right? So, why not savor some great food, learn a little about the culture, and take home the memories?

What is your favorite food travel memory? Do you have a favorite country you enjoy visiting specifically for its culinary offerings?