All Things Travel Podcast
Listen in each week with Creating Magic Vacations Travel Advisors and destination experts Ryan and Julie.
He is your travel professor, teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation. She is a Disney-loving, Maryland mom of 3 and a specialist in family travel.
Whether they're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories…it’s always All Things Travel.
All Things Travel Podcast
Travel & Taste: A Food Lover’s Guide to Culinary Adventures
In this episode of All Things Travel, Ryan and Julie share their passion for food-inspired travel, diving into the world’s best culinary destinations, markets, and food tours. From savoring authentic pasta in Italy to exploring vibrant street food in Asia, this episode is packed with inspiration for your next foodie adventure.
Key Topics Covered:
🍝 European Culinary Highlights:
- Food tours in Greece, Italy, and France
- Must-visit markets like Barcelona’s La Boqueria and London’s Borough Market
🍣 Asian Food Adventures:
- Sushi-making classes in Tokyo
- Street food tours in Thailand and Vietnam
🌮 American Flavors:
- Mexico City’s Mercado de San Juan
- Classic U.S. food destinations like New Orleans and Pike Place Market in Seattle
🛫 Foodie Travel Tips:
- How to plan ahead for dining reservations and food tours
- Staying flexible with street food and local specialties
- Navigating food safety and dietary restrictions while traveling
Whether you’re dreaming of cooking classes in Tuscany or tasting pho on the streets of Hanoi, this episode will inspire you to travel through your taste buds.
Call to Action:
Planning a foodie-focused getaway? Let Ryan and Julie help craft a personalized itinerary full of culinary delights. Contact us today to get started!
#CulinaryTravel #FoodieAdventures #TravelAndFood #AllThingsTravelPodcast #GlobalCuisine #FoodTours
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Hello and welcome to All Things Travel. You know Julie and I love any combination of travel and food. Today, we'll offer some suggestions and tips for a food lover's travel list. Beware, don't listen hungry. Listen in with travel advisors and destination experts Ryan and Julie. I'm your travel professor, teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation. And she's a Disney loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. Whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always all things travel. So Julie, we're talking travel and food today. Tell me about a favorite travel food story. This could be like, Oh my God, I can't believe I had this here. Or I traveled specifically to try this. What is food and travel together mean to you in an experience?
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:I know this is really surprising, but I'm going to talk again about Hawaii.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:not surprising. No, no, not at all.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:we just love Hawaiian and Asian fusion food so much. when we got to go up to Giovanni's food
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Yeah.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:that local food and like the spam musubis and all that kind of stuff. I got the saddest news today that my favorite only local Hawaiian restaurant is closing.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Oh no.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Trying to support them to stay
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Oh my gosh.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:definitely the food in Hawaii has been the best travel experience for us. We haven't done a lot of traveling for food stuff. most of our trips are like Disney,
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:sure.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:big foodie destination, but just different, right? Like Hawaii, you're getting that local flavor.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:So I think for me, The first time I did a food tour in a new location, it hooked me. And the first time I ever did that was when I was teaching classes at the university and we went to Greece. the first full day we were in Athens, we did a food tour. we did anything from Greek coffee to baklava to going to the markets to trying meats to trying the souvlaki. And it was like, it was like, What I loved about it was we were trying all this amazing food, but we were also finding our way around the city students were feeling more comfortable with where we were. We knew where to go back to. People were putting pins in their phones on the maps. You know, we want to go back here and try it. it kind of clicked for me. exploring the food is also exploring the place. since then, I've taken food tours in Italy. I've taken food tours in New York city. I love doing that type of travel. And that's not a surprise to you at all.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:I was going to say, wow, this is
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:B because as we talk about food halls in this episode, I've been to multiple of them.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Ryan's like, from my personal
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Yes, exactly.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:when you describe that in Greece and that experience that you had, it just sounds so authentic.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Yeah.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:it doesn't get any better than that when you are looking to travel. You don't want to, travel to Greece and go to UNO.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Dr. Hedstrom doesn't want to see us at Burger King. Or no, it was Hard Rock Cafes. the first free day we were in, Dublin, one of the girls was not feeling the international experience so they went to hard rock one of the other girls was scared to tell me
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:my gosh,
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Because i'm like don't do that you can do that anywhere do something different
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:yeah, don't go to Chili's and Ruby Tuesdays and Uno's
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Right, there's a place and time for that, absolutely, but, when you're exploring a new destination, try to not do that. I will tell you, I've been to McDonald's in multiple countries and it is fascinating.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:I feel like that's a thing.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:when you're in the Netherlands and you're looking at the McDonald's menu and grape tomatoes are on the dessert section, you're like, this is a very different type of McDonald's. before we dive into talking about different food destinations and food activities, I want to remind everybody, if you have not listened to last week's show, we talked about all sorts of different options with Adventures by Disney, and specifically in North America, great land tour options that you can do as adults and as families.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Hopefully you've been following us on our Facebook page, All Things Travel Podcast, where we've recently announced that we launched our own new website, allthingstravelpodcast. com. Go ahead and visit the website. You can find all sorts of great tips from us. All of our episodes are there and different ways to work with us, as well as a little message box to send us anything that you would like us to talk about
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:I absolutely love that. Some of our best episodes are requests from listeners. All right, Julie. So as we talk about culinary travel today, we're going to break down, places, activities, foods, of three different areas. the first area is. Obviously Europe. when you think of traveling for food, Europe comes to mind. I'm thinking of Italy. you've got pasta, pizza, regional dishes. and if you go to places like Rome, Florence and Naples, you're getting very different food all in one trip. I'm thinking of France as a second one, obviously famous for pastries, cheeses, fine dining, Bordeaux and wine, champagne, all that elevated kind of experience, when it comes to dining. And, a surprise one for me, the first time I visited here, I didn't think I was going to love the food. Absolutely fell in love with it. And that's Spain. So we're talking paella. We're talking tapas. We're talking vibrant food markets in places like barcelona madrid and seville Just amazing european locations
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:I love hearing you talk about that stuff because I know that you've been to them. So I know that you know it's good and it's authentic. And Italy would definitely be on my
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:absolutely.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:All right. So another up and coming, trendy destination. Is a lot of the countries in Asia, when you think of Japan and you're going to go there and enjoy their sushi and ramen and the intricate culinary techniques that they use to make all their dishes, thinking of street tours over there sounds amazing
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Yeah.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:about Len and Don when we talked about their trip to Japan and the food tour that they did. I have some clients and friends who recently went to Thailand and did a similar street food tour where they could try all different types of curries the food in Thailand is so diverse. Similar to Japan, similar to some of the other destinations we'll talk about, but still all its own. And then you could consider going to Vietnam. They're known for pho and banh mi and all their fresh herbs.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:And then the third area we want to talk about is the Americas and primarily here we're talking about Mexico. So obviously tacos, Mole, street food and the United States. when you think about the different cities within the United States, New York City, New Orleans, San Francisco, Chicago, you've got all of these different food. Regions that are offering amazing things.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Ryan, does anyone come to Indiana for food?
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:You know what we have here, Julie? And I think I've sent you pictures before. we have pork tenderloins. have I sent you a picture of a pork tenderloin sandwich?
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Not specifically?
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:The next time I have a pork tenderloin sandwich, they are absolutely amazing. I will send it to you.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:So I'm making some pork tenderloin this weekend,
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:have you ever seen pork schnitzel?
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:No.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:it's a big breaded piece of yeah so it's basically that in a sandwich, but it's usually like Twice as big or three times as big as the bun
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:that sounds massive.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:it's amazing
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:you come here for crab cakes.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:the last time I was in maryland. I was at your house and I had crab cakes
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:we had them again last week. They're delicious.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:All right. So let's talk about where to go when you're in these places. in Europe, I'm thinking of places like the La Boqueria in Barcelona, which is a bustling market with produce, tapas bars, local specialties. I've been here and what I love about it is it is a combination of tourist spots, But also places that people come to get their produce, flowers, cheeses and meats you've got the Haman with the guys shaving it directly from the leg. You've got cheeses, you've got sangria stands. It's just absolutely amazing. I've also been to Borough market, which is in London, which might be one of my favorite culinary places that I went ever. It's kind of like if you can imagine Harry Potter and a food market. mush together, it's kind of Diagon Alley ish, but then there's anything from really fancy shops to just normal guys with, their stand. the last time I went there, I had, and this was like a Saturday morning. It was cold in January. the first place I went, I got mulled wine. Then I went and got a. Then I went and got Indian food. I'm like, this is the best place ever. I love borough market.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Ryan's like, I am readjusting all my plans
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:No, it is a really cool place, to just see the diversity in a city like London. What about Asia, Julie?
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:What about Asia? I'm going to do my best to pronounce some of these markets and give you an idea of where you need to go when you go to Asia. So when you're in Tokyo, you need to hit up the Tsukiji Outer Market where you can get some fresh seafood, some street food, and some traditional Japanese snacks.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Very nice.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:I like those traditional Japanese snacks they're always a little exotic and you're always a little hesitant.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:You can see other people eating it. it feels a little safer to do it there.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Thailand and you go to Bangkok, head over to the Chatuchak market where you can have a wide array of Thai street food ranging from grilled meats to exotic fruits. And again, kind of sampling along with friends. Sounds perfect for those destinations.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:A couple spots to think about in the Americas. You've got Mercado de San Juan in Mexico City. there you're going to get your exotic ingredients, your local delicacies, your vibrant atmosphere. I'm thinking, Julie, of a couple, weeks ago when we talked about Viator tours and going to Ahuaca. Mexico meeting with that woman shopping with her in the market and then cooking the food This would be the type of place I would imagine myself being with that And then you've got a place like pike place market in seattle with fresh seafood farm to table products i've been to pike place and There's anything from full blown restaurants to little stands. Yes, and there are actually people throwing fish it's just an amazing market.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Did you catch a fish?
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:I did not catch a fish. I was not working at the stand that day.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Okay, so I wasn't sure if they were just like tossing them
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:No.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:like whoever gets one gets,
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:It's like the lucky patron of the day. Instead of throwing it to each other, they throw it to you.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Well, you don't get hibachi and then toss
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Oh, no, it's a little different than that. But anyway, I'll send a picture to be put out this week, having me there.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:you should send that to me so we
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:All right. Okay. let's talk about some of the activities associated with food that you could do in these areas. in Europe, you could do things like cooking classes in Tuscany. learn to make traditional Italian dishes like pasta, Wood fired pizzas, gelato in Paris. You could do a food tour, explore the city's best, but disseries, cheese shops, markets. Paris would be a great place to do a food tour. Like what I talked about with my experience in Athens.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:When you're in Asia, think about doing a Tokyo sushi making class and having that be part of your itinerary. You can learn the art of making those sushi rolls straight from the chefs that make them there. in Bangkok, when you're in Thailand, make sure you add a street food tour to your trip because that's just going to be the best way to sample a wide variety of their street foods.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:I remember that your clients, Emily and James did that on their trip and just raved about it.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:they just said everything was so good, and the best thing was their tour It was a private tour, so
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:So in America's in Mexico City, you could do something like a culinary tour. the flavors of Mexico through a guided food tour, maybe you do a cooking class, like we talked about, and then a new Orleans thinking about a cooking class where you learn to make Creole or Cajun dishes. I just think something like that would be so fun, not only to experience a food, but come away with something you can use. Later on to remember your trip.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Absolutely. Every time I provide a client with an itinerary for Italy, I always include a cooking
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:I love it. So I want to talk about some tips for traveling as a foodie. What you should be thinking about in your planning. But first, Julie, I want to talk about where in the world is all things travel. this week when I looked back at new locations to listen to all things travel, one that popped up was Garrison, South Dakota. And Garrison, South Dakota is a small town in Southeast South Dakota. And what I love is when I looked at things about Garrison, there was a point of interest that popped up that I think would be really fun to see with our listener. Garrison is the home to Devil's Gulch, a site where Jesse James allegedly escaped a posse after robbing the First National Bank in Northfield, Minnesota.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Wow.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:that sounds fun.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:That sounds so cool.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Hey, South Dakota, we are so glad you're listening to all things. Travel, reach out to Julie or myself. Cause we would love to send you a little thank you gift for being featured on today's show. All right, Julie. So let's talk about some tips for the foodie traveler. This first one is not going to be a surprise research and plan ahead. If you know you need reservations, if there's those special restaurants, make those reservations well in advance, you may not be able to do this online. You may have to call the restaurant. knowing ahead how to reach out to them, whether it's through OpenTable, the restaurant's website or actually giving them a call, know what you need to do and when you need to do it. Have local recommendations, ask locals for their favorite spots and hidden gems. my girlfriend and I did this last month when we were in Philadelphia, we wanted to have cheese steaks and try different ones. So we had some that were more of the tourist ones, but then we would ask the locals where they would prefer to go. And one of our favorite wasn't on the list. And it came from a local we met during our trip there.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:And that just shows Ryan's dedication to the foodies.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Yeah, it, it,
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:drove all the way to the East
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:I,
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:some cheesesteaks.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:did. And for the sake of research. And then lastly, visit a destination during either a food specific festival or maybe when the city's offering dining promotions at local restaurants. So I've been in Boston before where it was like restaurant week and there'd be special prefix menus and you could try things. I love food festivals, obviously.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:The next big tip is to stay flexible. When you're thinking about trying street food, be open to trying something new and different. that's kind of the whole point of doing a street food tour, to sample a lot of different things. some of those foods are going to be very authentic and not things that you've been able to try at home before. Try to go at an off peak time, either, dine a little earlier or a little later than you're used to, but also be aware of what is customary for those countries. over in Italy, and Ryan, I'm sure you had this experience, they don't eat dinner at five o'clock like my family
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Oh, yeah, if you're at dinner before eight, you're with all the tourists
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Exactly.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:and I was
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:And there's nothing wrong with being with a tourist because you were one.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:So then lastly a tip has to do with health and safety be mindful of food hygiene, especially with street foods Don't assume that there's problems, but also don't assume that everything's fine. get a sense of what people are eating, what they're not eating, what's popular, what's not popular. And then the last area is dietary restrictions. research food options, whether they're dietary needs or preferences. feel free to talk to the chef or the wait staff. have a. our G card may be written in that language. If you know you're going someplace that you're more uncomfortable with and also know that a lot of places when I've traveled internationally, they are very, very good. In fact, they were more focused in Europe on food allergies before the United States ever was. So don't assume that there's going to be a problem. Just be able to advocate for yourself. So Julie, as we wrap up today, where would you like to travel for a foodie trip? And you can't say Hawaii again.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:I know. I'm gonna toss two destinations
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:All right.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:Number one, Italy, because I know how to make my own pasta. I make my own sauce. You know, I do all those things with my Italian heritage. But I think doing that in Italy is a completely different experience. So I'd love to see how my version of making pasta and sauce and homemade pizza is. compared to doing it over there. And the second one my husband would be thrilled to hear would be Japan.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Very cool.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:some street food tours and try some new stuff over there.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Yeah, I think, definitely Japan. Tokyo has always fascinated me. the culture and the energy there in Tokyo and the food associated with that. And then I talked a little bit about Awaka, Mexico. I've seen some different things about their food culture I'm really interested in trying that out.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:next podcast trip is going to be to Japan.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:Okay, alright.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:You want to plan a trip to an amazing destination but don't know how to get started? As your travel advisors, we work with you to create a customized itinerary for your vacation and take the stress of planning away so you can focus on the fun and creating memories. You can reach me at julie at creatingmagicvacations. com
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:you can reach me at Ryan at creating magic vacations. com.
j_1_12-02-2024_202433:or head over to our new website allthingstravelpodcast. com and click on the plan your trip button.
ryan_1_12-02-2024_202434:We look forward to talking to you next week on all things travel. When we discuss great options for adults only cruising.
