Culinary Tours

This is the ultimate experience if you’re serious about food and beverage and its roots. One must travel to the source to really understand food and how it is influenced by culture, landscape and history. Tours also include opportunities to explore all facets of the area’s culture.

Upcoming Tours!

Chile and Argentina
March 8 to 19, 2011
From 'churassco' to malbec, learning about authentic Argentian barbecue and Chilean empanadas to learning the tango. We'll experience much, much more as we explore the culinary and cultural riches of these two South American countries and travel through spectacular geography. Just click Chile and Argentina for itinerary, cost and registration details.

The South Okanagan October 29 to 31, 2010
The itinerary for this tour is done! Click trip brochure for the two-day summary, pricing and
registration details and click detailed itinerary for all the culinary details. These three days are chock-a-block full of food and wine experiences of the south Okanagan. Home base will be the beautiful new Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos click on www.watermarkbeachresort.com to view this gorgeous property.

Sicily - October 9 to 20, 2010 This trip is sold out!
Join Gail to explore Siciliy's culinary offerings. Itinerary and costs are now available. Just click on Sicily for the culinary tour details . To sign up and /or register, please contact Kerry Tattrie at Worldwide Quest, 1-800-387-1483, Kerry@worldwidequest.com. On October 21st, Gail will head up to Turin to attend Slow Food International's event called Terra Madre and the Salone del Gusto. Since you will be so close, once we finish the culinary tour in Sicily, the additional travel to Turin will be worth it. Travel and registration to this event are separate from the tour and can be booked by contacting Kerry Tattrie at Worldwide Quest, 1-800-387-1483, Kerry@worldwidequest.com

Previous culinary tours

San Francisco - May 20 to 24, 2010
Five incredible days in the City by the Bay. The Ferry Plaza Market, The Slanted Door Restaurant, the Sourdough museum and Cowgirl Creamy, are just some of the memories...Click here for itinerary.

Greece and Turkey - October 9 to 21, 2009
This tour was remarkable. Greece was beautiful and Turkey left us breathless. The Mediterranean climate mixed with fall harvest, restaurants, markets, cooking classes and trips to ancient cities and ruins made this culinary tour so memorable.... Click here for itinerary.

Chicago - May 14 to 18, 2009
This was a jam-packed 5 day tour with a direct flight to Chicago! Great food, architecture, ethnic districts and shopping! Click here for itinerary and cost details for this culinary tour!

Some of the beautiful archicture along the Chicago River

More of the Chicago skyline on the architectural river cruise on day 1

Eating Family Style at The Bristol at a long butcher block table.

Monkey Bread (served steaming hot) with herbed butter -- many of the incredible dishes served family style at The Bristol (in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area) on our first night in Chicago.

Charred fava beans finsihed with green garlic and kosher salt at The Bristol.

Chocolate Sabayon and Nutter Cookies at The Bristol.

The view from the 96th floor at the Signature Lounge of the John Hancock Building -- the last culinary stop on day 1.

Day 2 Enjoying a stop at Hot Chocoalate, one of 7 food stops on the walking tour by Chicago Food Planet of the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. The homemade marshmallows were to die for!

One of the many booths at the Green Market that had asparagus.

Goat Cheese vendor at the Green Market

Just some of the mushrooms at the Green Market. Morels were purchased for our cooking class/lunch at the Chopping Block.

Chef Ed (known as 'Sarge') preparing the genoise cake that we had for dessert.

Our group preparing lunch at the Chopping Block using ingredients purchased at the Green Market.

Enjoying pre-dinner appetizers and wine in the Studio Kitchen dining room at Charlie Trotter's.

A brief visit from the man himself!

Day 4 A visit to Old Town Oil for an oil and vinegar tasting -- one of the many food stops on our Near North Food Tasting Tour.

Just a few bits left of the most incredible stuffed pizza at Bacino's Pizza, the last stop on our Near Froth Food Tasting Tour.

Fish in the fish smoker at Calumet Fisheries -- beside the bridge made infamous in The Blues Brothers Movie.

Owner Mark Kotlick with a piece of hot smoked fish just out of the smoker.

France - the south west, September 26 to October 9, 2008:
This tour was SOLD OUT! Gail led a group of 25 through the southwest of France -- Toulouse, Sarlat, Bordeaux on this private, customized tour. For details on itinerary click here to download the brochure (MS Word). It takes about 20 seconds for the brochure to download.

New York - May 15 to 19, 2008
This tour was exceptional. Food stores, ethnic food shops, great restaurants, cooking at a cooking school and Jersey Boys on Broadway. A jam packed 5 days! Click here to download the brochure (PDF) for itinerary details . It takes about 20 seconds to download.

2007 (February/March) to New Zealand to experience the unique cuisine and fresh harvest bounty of Auckland, Napier and Blenheim. Cooking schools, food demos, wine education and tasting, olive oil tastings...It was 15 days of fabulous food experiences. Click here to download the brochure (PDF) for itinerary details..

1997 (September/October) to, Santa Fe, New Mexico to explore origins of southwestern cuisine and vintage wines.

1998 (October) to Louisiana to understand Cajun and Creole cooking and appreciate the difference styles of cuisine.

1999 (September) to Seattle and environs to explore the wonderful cuisine of the US Northwest, especially the Pike Street Market.

2001 (May) to New York to experience a walking culinary and cultural tour of Manhattan (imagine starting each day with a trip to a different bakery).

2002 (September/October) to Italy. This trip took 25 of us to Asti, Parma and Sienna, to explore the roots of Italian cuisine and wine of these areas. It was an epiphany!

What tour participants say…

“Gail’s tours are exceptional: you experience not only the sights and sounds, but the real culture of a country, by eating and learning about their food!”

“I have gone on Gail’s culinary tours and have gained a better appreciation for the importance of food, it’s place on the table and the joy of sharing this with others.”

“If you want to travel and experience a country, you must go on one of Gail’s tours…the culinary tour to Italy was an epiphany…I have a greater appreciation for the craftsmanship of foods such as Reggiano Parmesan and Prosciutto di Parma!”