There is a new trend in luxury travel where tourists are looking for food experiences much like they see on TV, such as Anthony Bourdain’s global romps which are usually off the eaten path. With an increase in people who are traveling just to eat, there is a new kind of travel specialist the New York Times recently profiled, and they’re called Food Sherpas. While traditional sherpas are usually found somewhere in the Himalayas- a butler of sorts to trekkers making their way up to base camp- these gastro-sherpas can be found in Paris, Istanbul, Mexico City, Rome and other culinary capitals of the world.
There are several edible tours led by voracious foodie travelers, epicurean concierges and local experts who bring hungry travelers to pockets of the culinary landscape that may otherwise seem out of reach. Priding themselves in offering something which is an experience that gives small groups of visitors- usually 2 to 12 people- an intimate encounter with out-of-the-way treasures that are real and authentic, look for guides who are fixated on the subtleties of a culinary scene- and not a roadmap for TMZ tidbits such as that celebrity chef’s kitchen of which Justin Bieber used as his personal bathroom…thankfully nowhere near the food.
One such chow-hound is Lisa Rogovin, the entrepreneur behind Edible Excursions which oversees 25-40 tours monthly in the diverse food scene in San Francisco. Hiring informed industry insiders to lead the curious carnivores, plus doing a lot of leg work in advance in terms of research and coordinating the logistics of the day has made her business fruitful. Meg Zimbeck arranges tours in Paris through the Paris by Mouth website, and Elizabeth Minchilli- a food writer and occasional New York Times contributor who has lived in Italy since 1988- is often hired as a private emissary to source out gastronomic gems in Rome, and also offers 2-hour cooking workshops. You know that saying when in Rome…and now literally around the world. Feast-ahoy. www.edibleexcursions.net
