The world's most luxurious gastronomic holidays. Photo / Getty Images
The world's most luxurious gastronomic holidays. Photo / Getty Images
For those whose getaways aren’t complete without a seven-course tasting menu, here are the world’s latest Michelin-starred collaborations from the English countryside to Mauritius’ white sandy shores, writes Clio Wood
Four Seasons Astir Palace Athens, Greece
Each year Michelin-starred head chef Luca Piscazzi and his team at Pelagos, the Astir Palace’s renowned restaurant, embark on a culinary journey around a selection of Greek islands to meet local chefs, small producers and family-owned businesses to inspire their summer tasting menus. Pelagos on Tour this year features the islands of Sifnos, Santorini and Naxos, telling the story of their history, culture and inhabitants through the six-course Discovery and nine-course Adventure menus. Chef Luca also wants his food to remind us to “cherish life’s simple pleasures – genuine hospitality, the ease of slow living and enjoying nature’s gifts in their purest form”, and the Astir Palace’s location on the coast 30 minutes’ drive from Athens city centre embodies this change of pace.
From EU1900 (NZ $3321) per room per night bed and breakfast in July and August, tasting menus from EU155 (NZ $270) per person
Pelagos is the Four Seasons Astir Palace's renowned restaurant in Greece.
Heritage Le Telfair and Awali Resorts, Mauritius
If you choose cheese over dessert any day, you’ll be delighted by the news that Belgian Frederic van Tricht, Europe’s finest cheesemaker, joins the Heritage resorts on Mauritius on August 24 for a very special wine and cheese pairing evening as part of their year-long programme of gastronomic experiences. Alongside 11 Michelin-starred chefs guesting over the course of 2024, bespoke menus will feature produce from local farms and fresh from the sea, and follow the resorts’ zero-waste cooking policy. Le Telfair and Awali are both located on the 2500 hectare Domaine de Bel Ombre in the south of Mauritius which includes a Unesco biosphere reserve and a chateau in which many of the experiences take place.
Le Telfair Deluxe Suite from £395 (NZ $690) per night for two adults bed and breakfast; Awali Deluxe Garden View Room from £320 per night for two adults all-inclusive. Dining experiences from MUR6600/£112 (NZ $231) per person.
heritageresorts.mu
Datai Langkawi, Malaysia - Cheffe Series
As one of the premier destinations for foodies in Malaysia, The Datai resort on the laidback, forested Langkawi off Malaysia’s west coast welcomes an all-female line-up of cheffes (French for female chef) for its 2024 series. August sees the Michelin-starred Cristina Bowerman of Glass Hostaria in Rome take the helm. Each cheffe will create a bespoke menu using the ingredients of the island and from the resort’s own zero-waste permaculture garden. When not feasting, enjoy the white beaches, gardens and pool as well as learning from the Datai’s own resident naturalists and marine biologists in the Nature Centre and learning local arts and crafts techniques in The Lab, built entirely from recycled materials.
From MYR800 (NZ $274) per person for the cheffe dinner. Rooms from MYR3300 (NZ $1130) per night for the Canopy Deluxe room during Bowerman’s residency.
thedatai.com
August sees the Michelin-starred Cristina Bowerman of Glass Hostaria in Rome take the helm at The Datai resort in Malaysia.
Hand and Flowers and The Coach, UK
The only two-Michelin-starred pub in the UK, the Hand and Flowers in the heart of historic Marlow is the ultimate English experience. The creation of Tom Kerridge, king of this Thames-side market town, it now sits alongside his (one Michelin starred) second pub, The Coach, The Butcher’s Tap & Grill, and 19 bedrooms across several properties. Stay in one of these well-appointed bedrooms for their Gastronomic Getaway and enjoy a three-course dinner for two in the Hand and Flowers on night one, followed by an eight-dish dinner at The Coach on night two, as well as their Hand & Flowers sparkling wine, a £50 (NZ $103) gift voucher for The Butcher’s Tap & Grill, and a signed copy of the Hand and Flowers cookbook. All your taste buds are covered.
From £1300 (NZ $2689) per room for midweek stays.
thehandandflowers.co.uk
Craveiral Farmhouse, Portugal
For those with a love of food that goes beyond mere eating, and some cheffing experience under their belt, consider Regenerative Travel’s transformative gastronomic residency. Partnering with Craveiral Farmhouse November 4-17, you’re invited to apply to become one of four hand-picked chefs who will spend two weeks honing their craft, using produce from Craveiral’s farm and other local sources to produce a range of tasting menus by the end of the week. Experts will teach workshops on regenerative agriculture, how it can positively impact the hospitality industry, organic and permaculture practices and the challenges of implementing zero-waste culture into traditional food and travel offerings.
Successful applicants will need to pay for their travel to Lisbon. Accommodation in Lisbon and at Craveiral and full board are included as part of the programme.
