France
For an introduction to French food, check into the contemporary gastronomic hotel, Le Saint-James in Bouliac. Over summer, guests booking a stay at the Jean Nouvel-designed hotel on the Bouliac hills with breathtaking views of Bordeaux and its vineyards, get 15 per cent off on classes at the on-site cookery school, Côté Cours.
The courses at the boutique hotel illustrate old-fashioned and Michelin-style cooking, taught by Benjamin Bonnay, Sous Chef to Michelin starred resident chef Nicolas Magie. They are open to both adults and children.
The offer is valid to all guests who book a stay in any room at the hotel until October 19. Prices for the classes start at €38.25 (about Dh182) for adults. Room rates start from €195 during high season for a standard room. To book, email reception@saintjames-bouliac.com
Thailand
If juggling different elements to create a harmonious finish interests you, you will already know about Thai food. From water chestnuts to the nam jim dipping sauce, Thai fare has a lot to offer.
At the Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School, you can learn the basics of this wonderful cuisine. The courses are taught by celebrity chef Sompon Nabnian, who trained in England and has the expertise to advocate foreign ingredients that can substitute Thai ones.
The school’s five-night stay and study programme costs 21,450 THB (about Dh2,535) and includes a free cookbook and apron in addition to accommodation, five days of cooking classes, breakfast, a gourmet dinner and a Thai massage treatment. Visit thaicookeryschool.com
Europe
Does two weeks of travelling across Europe and learning the art of cooking from established chefs sound appealing? Australian travel agent Hilary Weir has organised a culinary-inspired Cruise for Mates for 14 nights and 15 days from August 27 to September 13. Passengers sail on the privately-chartered brand new MS Avalon Expression from Amsterdam to Budapest, taking in the sights of Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.
On board, they will have the chance to socialise and share cooking tips with celebrity chefs George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Damian Heads from Masterchef Australia and Italian cooking legend Antonio Carluccio. Typical packages include accommodation, daily shore excursions, transfers and meals and drinks. For enquiries and bookings visit www.cruiseformates.com.au
Peru
Go off the beaten track with a food adventure in Peru that involves cooking, eating and touring through some of the world’s most beautiful and haunting places. The country’s cuisine is peppered with Spanish and West African influences and holidaymakers could learn to cook the famous citrus-marinated ceviche among other dishes — while travelling to Machu Picchu.
The ten-day New Seven Wonders of the World Gastronomic Experience package includes accommodation, hotel taxes and service charges, daily breakfast, select meals, English-speaking guides, three hands-on cooking classes, two culinary tours of Lima and Cuzco, excursions to Pisac market and the salt mines of Maras, as well as a Machu Picchu heritage tour. It is priced from $3,689 (about Dh13,550) for one person on double occupancy basis. Visit epitourean.com
USA
Whether you consider yourself a seasoned New Yorker or whether you’re new to the Big Apple, a customised culinary tour of the city will show you a side of New York you’ve never seen.
For three nights and four days, the Ultimate Foodie Getaway in New York City offers a lot of pampering — fine dining at a top restaurant (chosen from dining establishments helmed by renowned chefs such as Joël Robuchon, Daneil Boulud, Mario Batali, David Chang, Eric Ripert, Thomas Keller, Masaharu Morimoto and Anthony Bourdain), a cooking class, chauffeured transport, a behind-the-scenes food, culture, history and architecture tour, a romantic cruise along New York’s waterways and more. Packages are customised to fit travellers’ dates and cuisine preferences to deliver the ultimate epicurean experience. Prices start from $3,690 for two on twin sharing basis. Visit epitourean.com
