News

The lure of our latest summer holiday was twofold: a chance to stretch the kayaking muscles among the pristine B.C. Gulf Islands and the promise of exquisite food.

While most outfitters strive to provide good food on backcountry adventures, this trip was different. Our guide was Victoria chef James Bray, and the focus of our weekend was his regional cuisine -- from confit of free-range chicken with truffle butter to a selection of island wines chilling in the sea.

When Bray pulled a side of locally smoked tuna out of the hatch of his kayak and proceeded to balance slices of this West Coast delicacy atop Niçoise-style salads of baby fingerling potatoes, slim green beans and organic eggs, the dozen paddlers in our group swooned. By the time he began serving thick slices of crisp brioche French toast and wild blackberries on a makeshift driftwood table, even a morning of skimming the blue waters around Valdes Island paled in comparison.

We may have arrived at this outdoor dining room under our own steam, but the food was the incentive. We were culinary tourists -- part of a booming market.

A recent survey for the Travel Industry Association of America, Gourmet magazine and the International Culinary Tourism Association found that 27 million American leisure travellers engaged in culinary expeditions over the past three years -- a figure that could triple in the near future. Not to be left behind, Canada will host the first World Culinary Travel Expo in May in Vancouver, and the Canadian Tourism Commission has created a committee to promote our diversity as a food destination.

For culinary tourists, travel is "as much about the culture as the sights," says Stephen L.J. Smith, a professor of recreation and leisure studies at the University of Waterloo, "and food is a way into the culture -- a very pleasurable way."

France, Italy and Spain are still the hot spots for international food tourism, but it's not necessary to have a Michelin-rated restaurant; for the hard-core food tourist, white tablecloths take a back seat to authentic flavours and hands-on experiences. Regional cuisine -- from the farm to the plate -- is part of the trend, as is the renewed interest in traditional foods and agrotourism. The world is truly your oyster when it comes to culinary tourism.

ASIA

You may still get stuck in "Western" restaurants in mainland China, but in the hot foodie destinations of Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea and Japan, travellers can choose from both upscale or authentic food experiences.

Thailand and Japan are perhaps the most accessible of the Asian countries for food tours, while Vietnam and Laos will appeal to the more adventurous eater. But if you're looking for the latest culinary hot spot in Thailand, plan in April to attend the first international food festival in Khon Kaen, in the remote Isan region, 450 kilometres northeast of Bangkok. Properties such as the Sofitel Raja Orchid are planning special weekend master classes for the event.

Or you might join Globe Trotting Gourmet, a company that specializes in luxury Asian food tours. Its upcoming Ultimate Japanese Dining Experience -- $5,995 (U.S.), plus a $1,000 surcharge for an optional dinner at "Kyoto's most prestigious kaiseiki ryori restaurant" -- includes 10 days of touring the markets, restaurants, shoyu and sake factories, as well as cooking with Japanese celebrity chef Ryuichi Yoshii. Myanmar (formerly called Burma) is the latest food destination for the Australian-based company, which also takes small groups to dine in a Vietnamese cobra restaurant or to cook a traditional Malay dish of nasi kerabu using shredded wild jungle herbs.

NEWFOUNDLAND

The Rock may seem like an unlikely destination for food lovers, but there may be no other place in Canada to discover as many unique ingredients and dishes.

Stop at Belbin's Grocery, a family-run store in the heart of St. John's, where you'll find homemade seal flipper pie next to the lasagna in the freezer, as well as Purity pulled taffy and syrups. It's a similar -- but bigger -- shopping experience at the iconic Bidgood's supermarket in the suburbs, where bottled moose -- just that -- seal, raisin tea biscuits and huge slabs of salt cod cram the shelves. Speaking of cod, their gelatinous tongues are on the menu everywhere, classically served with salty scrunchions (crispy pork fat) or fresh fruit chutney.

Foodies can sign up for Bob Arniel's Chef to Go classes to learn to create dishes such as caribou samosas, bake apple-infused crème brûlée and Barrens Blend steamed puddings with screech sauce.

Along with classic Irish pubs and traditional eateries for fish and chips, there are restaurants creating inventive regional cuisine throughout the capital, from the café at the Rooms (the provincial museum) to Restaurant 21, where the caribou is served with a molasses glaze and smoked partridge berries.

SOAVE, ITALY

In Italy, where many of the top wineries open their cellars only by appointment or for private tastings, the Soave region is an exception.

Just an hour west of Venice, Soave -- both a town and a wine region -- was the first area in Italy to create an enoturista, or wine route, linking wineries, historical sights and good spots to stop for food and lodging. The 10th-century castle and walled city of Soave are set high on a hill -- the perfect backdrop to the Medieval White Wine Festival held each spring. Start at the wine route office and they will help plot your tour, from the local Cantina di Soave co-operative, with its tasting bar and large wine shop, to premium producers including Coffele and Pieropan on the main street. Along the wine route you can visit excellent family-owned wineries such as Ca Rugate, Gini, La Cappucina and Montetondo, some of which also offer bed and breakfast-style accommodation. On the food side, this is the land of Cazzano cherries, chestnuts, as well as pork products, from fat, hand-tied and dried sopressa sausages to lardo, a delicious combination of seasoned pork fat and cracklings to spread on bread. A most extraordinary charcuterie and cheese purveyor is Benedetti, a stylish deli and cheese shop worth the pilgrimage to Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo, north of Negrar.

LAS VEGAS

Gone are the days when dining in Las Vegas meant bellying up to a cheap buffet to refuel between hands of blackjack. In a city of sensory overload, opulence and non-stop entertainment, foodies looking for star power can find it in satellite versions of some of America's best restaurants, from Michael Mina's Seablue (the new Aqua) to Charlie Palmer's Vegas version of Aureole (complete with three-storey wine tower and "Charlie's Angels" rappelling down to retrieve your selection) and Wolfgang Puck's second Spago.

Restaurant guru Alain Gayot notes that Las Vegas has the highest concentration of master sommeliers and claims the city now equals or exceeds New York when it comes to top eateries. "Not Chicago nor Los Angeles, Paris or San Francisco can brag about such ratings from Gayot.com today," he writes on his eponymous website.

Everyone who's anyone has a restaurant in Sin City: Joel Robuchon at the exclusive Mansion at the MGM Grand, Alain Ducasse with Mix atop the Mandalay Bay, Daniel Boulud's Brasserie at Wynn Las Vegas, Jean Georges Vongerichten's Prime steakhouse at the Bellagio, , even Nobu doing his classic Asian fusion at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. These are spare-no-expense spaces, designed by some of the best architects and interior designers. At the highly rated Picasso at the Bellagio, there are $50-million worth of Picassos on the walls, complemented by Julian Serrano's artistic cuisine.

FRANSCHHOEK, SOUTH AFRICA

Set in a narrow valley once known as the Valley of the Elephants, this small town is now better known for its upscale dining. With only 7,000 residents and 34 restaurants, including 17 attached to the valley's 29 wineries, Franschhoek is wining and dining central.

French Huguenots planted the region's first grapes around Franschhoek (French Corner) in the 1600s. Today the region is the home of Marc Kent's rich and honeyed Boekenhoutskloof Semillon.

Franschhoek, 85 kilometres east of Cape Town, is an excellent base for a superb food and wine tour. Stay at the Relais & Chateau Le Quartier Français in the centre of town, dine on chef Reuben Riffel's celebrated contemporary cuisine at funky Reuben's (named best restaurant and best chef in the country in 2004) or visit the many excellent wineries for tasting and fine dining.

In Cape Town, stay at the sleek and chic Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel, enjoy local Cap Classique (South Africa's answer to Champagne), grilled kingclip (fish), bobotie (curried meat pie) or take a cooking class with celebrity chef Peter Goffe-Wood in his modern kitchen. Then head out to the Santé spa for a vinotherapy detox before the flight home.

COLCHAGUA VALLEY, CHILE

The Colchagua Valley has been called "the next Napa" -- and for good reason. Here you'll find some of the finest Chilean winemakers creating premium wines -- especially big reds made with Cabernet Sauvignon and local Carmenère.

To get to the valley, take the historic Tren del Vino steam train or drive Ruta 5, the busy north-south highway that bisects the country, then head west to Santa Cruz, a town that early planners might have conjured when building Sonoma.

The valley is a pocket of local culture. You still see gauchos, with broad-brimmed chupalla hats, travelling rural roads on horseback or strolling in the village square. On Friday nights in same square, grab a bench to people watch, listen to local musicians and nosh on a grilled empanadas from a street vendor.

It's wine, however, that is making this valley a culinary tourist destination. Tucked between the Andes and the coastal hills, it has the kind of microclimate that is attracting investment from big-name wineries such as Casa Lapostolle, Caliterra and Araucano. The Emiliana vineyards practise biodynamic viticulture, with goats and chickens roaming among the vines. Historic wineries such as Viu Manent and Casa Silva welcome visitors with restaurants, the latter offering a comfortable boutique hotel as well.

These wine producers have also created the first wine tourism circuit in Chile, making the Colchagua Valley one of the most accessible wine regions in the country. From their Vinas de Colchagua and Ruta del Vino office in Santa Cruz, you can organize a guided tour. The four-star Santa Cruz Plaza Hotel here makes a perfect base for touring.

Pack your bags

ASIA

Sofitel Raja Orchid: Khon Kaen, Thailand; 66 (43) 322-155;

http://www.sofitel.com.

Globe Trotting Gourmet: http://www.globetrottinggourmet.com.

NEWFOUNDLAND

Belbin's Grocery: St. John's; 709-576-7640; http://www.belbins.com.

Chef to Go: St. John's;

709-754-2491.

ITALY

La Cappuccina restaurant:

http://www.lacappuccina.it.

Sant'Anna d'Alfaedo:

http://www.benedettilessinia.it.

LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas Tourism:

http://www.visitlasvegas.com.

SOUTH AFRICA

Franschhoek:

http://www.franschhoek.org.za.

Relais & Château Le Quartier

Français: 27 (21) 876-215;

http://www.lequartier.co.za.Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel: 27 (21) 701-1202; arabellasheraton.accommodationsouthafrica.co.za.

Santé Winelands Hotel & Wellness Centre: http://www.santewellness.co.za.

Peter Goffe-Wood:

http://www.kitchencowboys.co.za.

CHILE

Colchagua Valley Ruta del Vino: http://www.rutadelvino.cl.

Santa Cruz Plaza Hotel:

http://www.gochile.cl

Viu Manent and Casa Silva: http://www.colchaguavalley.cl.

MORE INFORMATION

World Culinary Travel Expo: Vancouver, May 25-27; 604-676-8878 (ext. 1); culinarytravel@gmail.com.