Italy + France for Foodies
"Food is our common ground, a universal experience." — James Beard
As an unabashed foodie, I've always traveled with food as a magnifying lens at a destination. As a microcosm, its connection to its people, philosophies, and past has as many layers as spanakopita has phyllo.
While traveling, your time is limited at each place, so every meal counts. We encourage our clients to eat regionally and stray from the food they can find at home to enhance their experience as a destination. You can’t judge a book by its cover and we apply the same concept to dining establishments. That “hole in the wall” you might walk by could serve the region’s best cuisine. After all, everyone from home cooks to acclaimed chefs can add a personal touch taking food to an exciting new level. This is where our firsthand experience comes into play.
Christen, TS Journey Destination Specialist, recently went to Italy to scout the neoteric foodie scene. She returned with a curated list of gems hiding in plain sight, including coursed tastings and nonna's family recipes. Whatever you're craving, we curate your dining across the country from osso buco and cacao e pepe (Rome signature), to squash blossom pizza … all preservative-free.
On a similar mission, Stacy, our VP of Operations, recently explored the dining landscape in France, finding a refreshingly modern take on what you might envision as a traditional, small yet rich French cuisine. She dined across the spectrum including Michelin-star restaurants; however, some of her favorite meals were found off the grid and were geared more towards fresh seafood and produce. For example, a farmhouse-style pop-up in Honfleur served up delicate sole with burrata salad over eggplant balanced with creamy glace. Afternoon tea consisted of a tower of bites including croquettes and Andouille smoked sausage—the tea was replaced with sweet Champagne! For a historical twist, a French/American restaurant, situated in a WWII barracks, features a board from a D-Day boat as a table.
From the classics to the contemporaries we've got you covered. Bon appetite!