Destinations: Africa & The Middle East

Explore Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts destinations in the Middle East and Africa.

10 Food Festivals Worth Travelling to Find

Posted on by Alia Akkam

Of course you always seek out a seat at the best bars and restaurants when you travel. But for a deeper dive into the culinary scene of your chosen destination, align your trip with a food festival. From a multi-stage music fest showcasing the best of a city’s eats to gatherings focused on a particular regional dish, the stops on our smorgasbord tour abound with local cuisine and culture.


Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival

The Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival attracts culinary talent from around the globe.

Photography courtesy Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival

Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival

As if Florida isn’t seductive enough in winter, the Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival adds yet another excuse to head South in December. This lauded culinary event attracts powerhouse chefs like Daniel Boulud, Mike Lata and the Sunshine State’s own Michelle Bernstein to a number of local venues, including festival home base
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. Beyond the capstone Grand Tasting, buoyed by book signings and the sounds of a DJ, there are multi-course wine-paired dinners revolving around themes such as sustainable seafood and modern Southern cuisine.

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Big Apple BBQ

Every June for the past 16 years, 16 top pitmasters from California to New York have taken over Madison Square Park for a two-day-long backyard barbecue right in the middle of Manhattan. Meat and smoke are the main ingredients for the Big Apple BBQ, which will be relocating elsewhere on the island in 2019 (no word yet). The venue may be changing, but greats such as Sam Jones, Rodney Scott and John Stage will no doubt still be prodding the fire. Move from tent to tent sampling Eastern Carolina pulled pork sandwiches, St. Louis–style ribs, Texas brisket and jalapeño-tinged sausage. Serious foodies who want to talk shop with their BBQ heroes know to swing by Thursday night when the mouthwatering aroma of hot coals and slow-roasting swine starts to fill the air. Can’t muster the motivation to move after the feast? Both
Four Seasons Hotel New York and Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown are just a cab ride away.

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Tokyo Ramen Show

For 11 days in October/early November, the many flavours and styles of Japan’s most buzzworthy noodle soup come together at the Tokyo Ramen Show in Komazawa Olympic Park. The steaming comfort food comes not just from Tokyo purveyors, but from ramen makers in Hokkaido, Kagoshima and everywhere in between. Make Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi your home base, and stay awhile: 18 vendors ladle soup for the first six days and an entirely new cast takes over for the final five. Ramen is known for its wildly varied flavours and ingredients, which differ from city to city, town to town. You can taste for yourself a kaleidoscope of regional variations like miso-based broth with horsehair crab and dashi with dried bonito flakes and sea kelp. And don’t miss the mash-ups – ramen shops collaborating with one another to create completely new dishes only available here.

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Outside Lands

Gone are the days of sad and soggy music festival fare. Melon salad, Malaysian lamb curry, samosas and stir-fried veggie glass noodles are among the menu choices when 70 or so of San Francisco’s best restaurants set up al fresco kitchens at the Outside Lands music festival in August. About a dozen food trucks are on hand, as well as, in true California fashion, a Cypress Grove pop-up slinging artisan cheese plates. Oh, and there’s music too: If you like your meals paired with the stylings of Florence & The Machine, The Weekend, Beck and Bon Iver, this fest’s for you. Rest and recover at the centrally located Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco.

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Chef Fest, Hawaii

If cosying up to an intimate group of all-star chefs in one of the most exquisite natural settings in North America is your idea of a memorable holiday, make your way to
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in October for Chef Fest. Interactive cooking classes with such experts as Hugh Acheson, Brooke Williamson and Andy Ricker at the Resort’s outdoor kitchen are the main draw, but beach cookouts, al fresco tastings with local farmers and pre-brunch paddleboarding excursions further enhance the tropical environs. Treat yourself to the cocktail showcase at the Resort’s Palm Grove Pool and toast to the most tasteful of beach getaways.

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Salon du Chocolat, Paris

Held each fall at the Porte de Versailles expo centre about 15 minutes from
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, Salon du Chocolat is one of several such shows around the world – but this one’s in Paris, a city famous for its sophisticated confections. The truffles and ganache here are enough to exhilarate any chocophile, but the centrepiece is the Salon’s unusual fashion show: Designers and chocolatiers collaborate on haute-couture outfits embellished with or delicately spun from chocolate.

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Prague Food Festival

Chances are a visit to Prague will lead to its majestic castle, a ninth-century marvel that is home to St Vitus Cathedral and the Renaissance-era Royal Garden. Here, just across the Vltava River from Four Seasons Hotel Prague, the Prague Food Festival unfolds each May. Don’t pass up a chance to consume the best dishes from Czech chefs – steak tartare and lamb ragout with bread dumplings, or perhaps sushi or empanadas – with the added zest of a fairy-tale dining spot.

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Taste of Sydney

Taste of Sydney pairs delicious bites with an al fresco setting.

Photography courtesy Taste of Sydney

Taste of Sydney

For four days in early March the all-encompassing Taste of Sydney festival takes over Sydney’s verdant Centennial Parklands, minutes from Four Seasons Hotel Sydney. Wine tastings and demos in butchery and baking add an interactive element, and an artisan marketplace of locally made ingredients and wares means you can savour the festival long after it’s over. More than 60 dishes from notable Sydney chefs like Mark Best and Nelly Robinson are the main attraction. Sample barbecued octopus, shrimp toast okonomiyaki and lamb skewers, then retreat to a glamping tent with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from the Adelaide Hills.

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Desserts at Dubai Food Festival

A chef prepares miniature desserts at the Dubai Food Festival.

Photography courtesy Dubai Food Festival

Dubai Food Festival

The Dubai Food Festival in February and March reflects the city’s rich diversity, attracting chefs like Jun Tanaka, Nikita Gandhi and Tim Read. Throughout the celebration, at various locations near Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre, local restaurants roll out limited-edition menus sure to evoke extreme Instagram envy. Sit down in one of their dramatic dining rooms, or head to a food truck or al fresco pop-up at the festival’s Etisalat Beach Canteen. Learn a little something at a chef master class, tour an urban farm and nosh at a street food bazaar – all part of this robust 17-day event.

Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach

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Ubud Food Festival

From tofu to turmeric, the Ubud Food Festival – sister event to the Ubud Writers & Readers and Bali Emerging Voices festivals – puts Indonesia’s vast culinary landscape front and centre each April. Start by reading the story of the woman who adopted Bali as her home and launched this annual festival, located minutes from Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. Then master macarons with Bali’s Prince of Pastry, Rafi Papazian; make the healing herbal drink jamu; cook with clay pots and wood-fired stoves in a traditional paon (Balinese kitchen); and breathe deeply at a fiery sambal cook-off. Beyond the kitchen, consider the intro course on Indonesian language and culture, led by an instructor from the Cinta Bahasa Indonesian Language School.

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Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Where Are Best Beach Vacations In the World?

Posted on by Lenise Willis

Whether you prefer an aquatic adventure, the most colourful sunset or the tranquillity that comes from serene crystal waters, the world is full of opportunities to revel in paradise.

In seeking the best beach vacations in the world, we’ve compared your favourite stretches of sand, as displayed on social media, with our own beloved picks, from Bora Bora to Vietnam. These 12 beaches, selected from six regions around the world, are ideal for your next tropical getaway.

Best Beaches in the Pacific Islands

Amid away-from-it-all volcanic islands, the beaches of Indonesia and French Polynesia boast sapphire waters surrounded by emerald mountains.

Traveller’s Pick: Bora Bora

 

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On Instagram, Bora Bora is repeatedly deemed a favourite escape, even called the land of “50 shades of blue.” In addition to the seemingly endless waters, guests can soak in the sight of Mount Otemanu. The recently enhanced overwater bungalow suites at Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora take the beach vacation to the next level, offering 360-degree views and complete immersion in the aquatic life.

Editor’s Pick: Bali at Jimbaran Bay


Sundara, Bali at Jimbaran Bay

Sundara, lauded as the best beach club in Bali, sets this escape apart from the rest. Enjoy live music, sundown cocktails and fresh Jimbaran seafood while you lounge beachside.

The lure of the exotic leads us to another one of our favourite tropical escapes: the beach of Jimbaran Bay. With volcanic mountains visible in the distance, soft white sand and year-round warm temperatures characterize the Bali beach.

After relaxing in the sun, get active with catamaran spilling, stand-up paddle boarding and surfing Bali’s famous breaks. Linger for Jimbaran’s magical sunsets with a drink at Sundara beach club and fresh seafood at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay.

Best Beaches in Latin America

Though typically known for its vivid rain forests, South America and Central America can also claim some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Traveller’s Pick: Costa Rica

 

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No setting sun is more gorgeous than one dozily sinking behind the ocean, which is why Costa Rica is one of your favourite beaches at day’s end. With warm gulf waters, pristine white sands and tropical trees swaying inland, the Gulf of Papagayo is a premier setting for beach photos – day and night.

Editor’s Pick: Punta Mita


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The Marieta Islands just off the coast of Mexico have hidden beaches perfect for a secluded escape.

With nearby golf courses and opportunities for surfing, Punta Mita is one of our favourite beaches for those who want to do more than just relax.

For a day excursion, visit Islas Marietas National Park, just a few miles west of Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and relax on one of the world’s most unusual beaches. The islands, formed by volcanic activity, are rich in natural wildlife. From December to March, marvel at the power and grace of humpback whales during their migration through the bay.

Best African Beaches

Home to some of the best lesser-known snorkelling and diving spots, the islands off Africa are excellent options for your next beach getaway.

Traveller’s Pick: Seychelles

Just off the coast of East Africa lie Four Seasons Resort Seychelles and Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island, home to numerous beaches and nature reserves. Nature is awe-inspiring here. You may even catch a glimpse of a rare giant Aldabra tortoise.

“Nothing can beat Seychelles sunsets,” says traveller Tania Gae Mllitello. Besides the beautiful close of the day, she also loves the relaxed atmosphere and the great surfing waves. “On a Sunday afternoon you can go there and find many Seychellois and tourists together catching waves or having a picnic by the beach.

Editor’s Pick: Mauritius


Hidden enclave by ocean

Surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and basking in nearly year-round sunshine, Mauritius is an island paradise.

The island of Mauritius, blissfully stranded in the Indian Ocean, beckons travellers who seek the serenity of being one with nature. At Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita guests can enjoy three private beaches, with their choice of a beach sofa, palm tree hammock or sun lounger on Ile aux Cerfs, the Resort’s exclusive private island.

Sail the turquoise sea, marvel at giant tortoises on the beach, play golf on a championship course, or just gaze at the glinting water outlined by the Bambou Mountains in the distance.

Best Beaches in Southeast Asia

With some of the world’s most varied coral reefs and year-round tropical climate, the “East Indies” offer travellers some of the most picturesque scenes for their beach vacation.

Traveller’s Pick: The Maldives

Guests seeking stillness and tranquillity often turn to the beaches of the Maldives, a nation made up of more than 1,000 coral islands known for their blue lagoons and underwater scenery. Katharina Horstmann claims the Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru as her favourite beach because “it reveals the perfect beauty of nature.”

“For me, [true happiness] is when I walk alone on the beach through the coral sand, while the shallow turquoise water tickles my toes.”

For the ultimate in peaceful seclusion, escape to Maldives Private Island Voavah at Baa Atoll.

Editor’s Pick: Hoi An, Vietnam


Beach at Hoi An, Vietnam

Enjoy direct access to Ha My Beach from your suite at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam.

Lying in Vietnam’s cultural heartland, the tranquil kilometre-long stretch of beach in Hoi An has been deemed one of the world’s best beaches, and it’s also a relaxing perch from which to explore the country’s rich history.

In between bouts of lazing in the sun, take an excursion to any of the three UNESCO heritage sites nearby: Hue’s imperial city, the temple sanctuary of My Son and Hoi An’s enchanting lantern-lit streets.

Best Beaches in the United States

Whether you’re looking to ride a gnarly wave, sail the Atlantic or escape to the peaceful exotic, the United States of America has a beach for you.

Traveller’s Pick: Lanai, Hawaii

Though Lanai begs to be photographed for its Hawaiian sunsets, swaying palms and sweeping views of the Pacific, its starry night sky is what moved Mark Edward Harris to share the beauty of what has been long celebrated by guests as a favourite American beach destination.

Spend the day playing in the white sands of the secluded “Shipwreck Beach,” accessible only by 4×4 jeep, and snorkelling in the waters of Hulopoe Bay, a protected marine preserve. Then hike to Pu’uPehe (Sweetheart Rock), 20 minutes from Four Seasons Resort Lanai, and stare into the glittering nighttime.

Editor’s Pick: Palm Beach, Florida


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Make Palm Beach, Florida your perch to enjoy natural views and beach tranquillity.

With 47 miles of pristine golden beaches, Palm Beach, Florida, has a setting for everyone – from romantically private stretches of sand to family-friendly beaches with playgrounds, nature centres and beach parks that offer snorkelling, windsailing, fishing or paddleboarding. Catch a gleeful glimpse of a loggerhead turtle, or relax in a cabana with the complimentary service of personal beach staff at Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach.

Best Caribbean Getaways

Southeast of the Gulf of Mexico, the tropical Caribbean is home to more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs and cays. How do you choose the best?

Traveller’s Pick: Nevis

 

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Called a “hidden gem” by guests, Nevis offers lovely beaches that are almost never crowded. “We spent every evening on this beach watching the beautiful sun set into the ocean,” says Anna Ng, who selected Nevis as her favourite beach getaway. “You truly feel like you’re on a quiet, remote island away from the rest of the world.”

On the north side of the island is a sweet spot, Lovers Beach, virtually hidden from the road. Its secluded location ensures guests optimal privacy. Locals agree that the best beaches on the island are on the northern and western shores. A more popular spot is Pinney’s Beach, running for about three miles near Four Seasons Resort Nevis.

Editor’s Pick: Anguilla


Anguilla hammock

Relax in your choice of a hammock or beach lounger while enjoying the laid-back atmosphere in Anguilla.

From hidden coves to long stretches of powdery sand, Anguilla is home to 33 breathtaking beaches. And with no cruise ships or casinos allowed, you’re promised a relaxing scene for unwinding. Bask in the low-key spirit of the British Overseas Territory while locals share their passion for boat racing, Caribbean music – and food.

Its impeccable scenery combined with a coastal dining scene like no other, Anguilla easily makes it to the top of our list of best beach vacations in the world. Its silky sand is highlighted by more than 100 restaurants, from rustic to luxurious, several of them right on the water. Enjoy a rum punch, a local lobster delicacy and the everlasting allure of the sea at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla.

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Overwater bungalows

What I Learned on Safari

Posted on by Leah Walker

Though raised on the South Plains of Texas, where cotton fields are filled with cottontail rabbits and the most dangerous predator is a rattlesnake, I’ve put down roots in Paris, where French waiters and bureaucracy remain my most formidable adversaries. Serengeti National Park couldn’t be further from my routine, but that’s exactly what I craved.

Leah Walker on safari
Africa felt like an exotic dream as I stared out at its Great Plains.

Texas is a world away from Tanzania, but the flight from Kilimanjaro seemed familiar as we passed over the Serengeti’s vast, dry plains. It was August, and I’d arrived during one of the dry periods when the Serengeti is hot, much of the flora is dead or on the verge, and controlled burns light up the night’s onyx horizon, filling the air with a haze reminiscent of an old sepia photo.

Flying in among the clouds, though, Africa still felt like an exotic dream.

The striking of the wheels on the rust-coloured dirt runway jolted me into reality. Eyes wide, I was ready to absorb every experience the Serengeti had to offer.

Jambo! Greeting the locals

Masai men performing a dance at Boma Grill in Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti. Photograph courtesy of Four Seasons.

My first glimpse of the Maasai came upon arrival to Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti. Visually, I was fascinated with them – men draped in red-and-blue-chequered fabric, wearing shoes made from motorcycle tires, with rows of beaded jewellery on their arms and spears at their sides.

These Maasai, some with earlobes stretched and elaborate scarring on their skin, were the real deal.

They weren’t actors hired to play roles for tourists. These Maasai, some with earlobes stretched and elaborate scarring on their skin, were the real deal.

“Jambo!” they said as they took my luggage. This Swahili word for “hello” would be part of my Serengeti soundtrack, along with zebras barking and elephants trumpeting.

Descendants of a nomadic tribe originating in Kenya, the Maasai now graze their livestock in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Before they marry, have children and achieve warrior status, Maasai men must go through several rites of passage. This once included lion hunting, when spear and shield separated an aspiring warrior from the Serengeti’s most feared predator. Today, it’s traditions such as the adumu dance that are still observed.

Athletic, rhythmic and symbolic, I watched this exhilarating dance at the Lodge’s Boma Grill. During adumu, Maasai men gather in a circle, chanting. Taking turns, young warriors move to the centre of the circle. With arms tight against the body and heels never touching the ground, they spring up and down, with the best and highest jumpers earning the admiration of the crowd.

Into the wild: Game drives in the Serengeti

Man in the Serengeti
The Land Cruisers the Lodge uses for game drives feature open hatch roofs, ideal for viewing wildlife. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

The next morning, with the sun peeking over the Lodge, I embarked on my first of two game drives into the Serengeti.

As we rode through the plains, suddenly my guide, Priscus, stopped the sand-coloured Land Cruiser; silence and an early-morning chill filled the air. A seasoned guide and naturalist, Priscus had his eyes on a small group of Grant’s gazelles – Serengeti’s largest antelope.

Rather than grazing, they were frozen. There was a threat, and they could sense it. Priscus followed the gazelles’ line of sight, and in a matter of seconds, we spotted a hyena, jackals and vultures. All scavengers. There was a fresh kill, which meant a leopard, cheetah or pride of lions wouldn’t be far.

Here, wildlife and those who observe it remain in a constant state of awareness. Understanding the behaviour of one animal spills over into the behaviour of another. An entire scenario is can be unravelled from the pricked ears of an antelope.

Elephants at a watering hole

A herd of elephants drink from the Lodge’s watering hole, only metres from the infinity pool. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

A lioness

A lioness stands out from the pride. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

Zebras at a watering hole

These zebras cool off in the watering hole today, but in late November and December, 200,000 of them will embark on the Great Migration – a 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) journey across the plains of the Serengeti. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

Baboon

A baboon observes the action from a safe perch. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

Hippos in Serengeti

The Retina Hippo Pool, located in the northwest part of the Park, is home to no fewer than 100 of these “river horses.” – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

Hyena in the Serengeti

A hyena blends into the burnt grass. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

Gazelles

Also spotted frequently at the Lodge’s watering hole: herds of Grant’s gazelles. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

A lion resting

At one point during the drive, just 10 feet separated me from a male lion, two females and a cub, who all sat in the shadow of one of the safari vehicles. Not even an engine turning over seemed to faze them. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

Giraffe

Afternoon in the Serengeti is different from any other time of day. Nocturnal hunters are resting, allowing giraffes and other herbivores in search of shade, water and grass to let down their guard ever so slightly. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

Elephants

From the Big Five (African elephant, black rhinoceros, lion, leopard and African buffalo) to the Little Five (ant lion, rhino beetle, buffalo weaver, leopard tortoise and elephant shrew) and every living thing in between, there is synergy within the Serengeti. – Photography courtesy Leah Walker

In the footsteps of lions, zebras and elephants: A walking safari

Walking safari
While out on a walking safari I witnessed the incredible beauty of The Great Plains.

A couple of hours before sunset, I was reunited with the Lodge’s naturalist and guide, Priscus. Along with Priscus, two spear-wielding Maasai warriors and two rifle-toting park rangers would accompany me on a walking safari into the Park’s plains. Vehicles in the Serengeti are limited to roads, so smaller details such as the flora, hyena tracks, 3-foot-high termite mounds and lion ant dens are easily missed.

We moved single file along a beaten dirt path through the open plains.

There was no way our presence would go unnoticed.

“Some animals walk on a trail, but not lions,” I was told. “If you see one fresh lion footprint then you better look around, because there are probably more. Look for bush, because they’re probably in the shade.” It was about an hour from sundown, and a chill ran down my spine at the thought of the hungry nocturnal hunters.

As bipedal creatures, humans are strange in the Serengeti. There was no way our presence would go unnoticed. “Elephants and buffalo are very strong, but they’re afraid of us,” Priscus said. “They don’t know how strong we are.” In the distance, a herd of 40 buffalo devoured their dry-grass dinner, though acutely aware of our group. These aggressive horned bovines would leave us alone as long as we stayed in the neutral zone.

With the Serengeti sun dipping below the horizon, the sky was awash with gold, followed by orange and red. We continued walking, with one of the armed rangers leading the way: “Do you hear the zebras barking? That’s the thing about walking, you can hear the sound of nature without the grrrrr of the Land Cruiser.”

Soaring above the Serengeti: An aerial safari

Hot Air balloons above the Serengeti

Photo Courtesy Leah Walker

My last morning in the Serengeti was an early one, and I gleefully sprang from bed well before the sun. After an intimidatingly close look at the life of predator and prey, by car and on foot, it was time to take to the skies in a hot-air balloon.

The scorched plains passed below like an aerial scene from The African Queen. The feeling of weightlessness and the sound of silence were worth the 4:30 am departure from the Lodge. Mimicking the colours of the Serengeti, the green and gold balloon effortlessly floated low over the rugged terrain. Dawn was breaking, signalling the antelopes, zebras and warthogs to begin eating. Hippos returned to their muddy pools, and lions savoured the previous night’s kill.

The captain fired up the burner, enabling the 16-passenger balloon to climb higher. We soared alongside hawks and eagles, spotting the nests of African white-backed vultures. I literally had a bird’s-eye view of the Serengeti. The hour-long flight passed in seconds.

Despite the captain’s smooth landing, my feet were still off the ground – I was drunk with euphoria. A seemingly permanent smile on my face, I gathered with the other passengers for ceremonial Champagne and a traditional English-style brush breakfast.

I couldn’t have scripted a better ending to my Serengeti story.

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Serengeti sky

Raising a Foodie: 7 Tips on Travelling with Picky Eaters

Posted on by Nikki Ridgway

One of our first family holidays was to an island in the Caribbean — an easy hop from New York City with plenty of kid-friendly beach activities and local spots serving up fish-of-the-day and curried rôtis. Unfortunately, at the time we arrived, our toddler son was going through a culinary beige stage and rejecting any new flavour. So instead of risking mealtime tantrums and eye-rolls from our fellow (generally honeymooning) diners, we’d resigned ourselves to a drama-free menu of cereal, cheese sandwiches and cheese pasta.

It was on a boat trip out to the cays that we had a breakthrough. While my son and I splashed around in the sea, my husband and our captain dived for conch, which we took to a deserted beach to prepare in the afternoon sun. When we’d cleaned, prepped and chopped the catch into a citrusy ceviche, our captain handed a few pieces to my son, who ate them without ceremony.

“Was that nice?” I asked, trying to hide my utter joy. “Mmm,” he replied, then went back to building a sandcastle.

A gourmet feast it wasn’t, but I couldn’t help feeling proud and relieved that he’d at least tried something new.

Novelty is one thing you’re absolutely guaranteed to encounter on the road. I use it to lure my boy from his comfort zone on all our travels, along with a host of other tricks to encourage and foster adventurous eating. Read on for my seven best tips, from crafting culinary treasure hunts on city trips to perfecting the foodie sleight of hand wherever you are in the world.

Get a taste before you travel

Kids are creatures of habit, so take some of the surprise out of their vacation menu and introduce new dishes at a local restaurant before you travel. This is easy in cities like New York and London, where you can travel from Little Italy to Chinatown in a few blocks. But you can also set up a restaurant night at home and have the kids research ingredients, draw up a menu and help with some of the prep.

With younger children, get them excited about weird and wonderful food in general and pick up a copy of food critic Joshua Daniel Stein’s beautifully illustrated Can I Eat That?, which is stuffed full of foodie facts and addresses important questions like “Do eggs grow on eggplants?”

Visit local food markets

Photography courtesy Nibble+squeak

A visit to a local food market on Day One is a great way to familiarize your kids with the types of ingredients they’ll encounter over the course of the trip.

When visiting London, for example, combine a trip to the South Bank’s Tate Modern museum and kid-favourite London Eye Ferris wheel with a stop at Borough Market. Here, kids can note regional edibles like hand-collected scallops from Dorset, Cumbria’s prized Galloway beef and prize-winning Cheddar cheeses. As you order new dishes throughout the trip, make a fun game out of having them point out any special ingredients they recognize.

Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane

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Guests at Four Seasons Hotel Santa Fe can join Executive Chef Kai Autenrieth on a tour of a local food market and get acquainted with all the staples of his fiery Southwestern cooking.

Embrace street food culture

Photography courtesy Shutterstock

Street eats are perfect family fare: fast, casual and available at all hours. In Istanbul, you can pick up a bagel-like simit from one of the carts on virtually every street corner to stave off hungry tantrums, while in Hanoi, children can enjoy the independence of ordering for themselves thanks to the simple picture menus used at most stalls.

The key is that the dining room can be the sidewalk, a scenic walking tour or a bench nearby, which means you won’t have to worry about disturbing diners at the next table. And since street food doesn’t call for proper table manners, you and your family can relax while eating, instead of continually ensuring that everyone is sitting quietly in their chairs.

Combine your street food with a picturesque view by finding a great local picnic spot, like the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, or Fort Point in San Francisco, California.

Try edible sightseeing

Kids quickly tire from back-to-back rounds of sightseeing, but combining the big attractions with a pre-plotted restaurant crawl around a new city is a perfect way to see the sights and keep everyone fed and happy.

In Hong Kong, Michael Lau and Jacky Cheung, managers at three-Michelin-star Lung King Heen restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, suggest a dining crawl that takes in many of the city’s iconic dishes: Milk tea at Lan Fong Yuen, wonton soup at Mak’s Noodle, dim sum at Tim Ho Wan, tofu custard at Kung Wo Dou Bun Chong and egg tart at Tai Cheong Bakery.

“The key to discovering Hong Kong street food [and thus the country’s culture] is to be a bit adventurous,” says Lau.

Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong

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In Paris, score serious brownie points on a small-group chocolate walking tour of the city’s best chocolatiers and patisseries (tastings included), or keep it classic in New York City with a pizza crawl around Manhattan. Four Seasons Hotel New York Concierge Austin Herzing suggests long-time favourite Don Antonio by Starita, which is just four blocks from Times Square and therefore a prime pick for pre- or post-theatre dinners. Farther downtown, Herzing recommends Marta, a popular spot that puts you within snapping distance of the Flatiron Building and busy Madison Square Park, as well as Chef Mario Batali’s upscale pizza restaurant OTTO — perfect after exploring the boutiques and cafés of the nearby West Village.

Get the kids cooking

As parents of picky eaters will attest, playing chef is one sure-fire way to get kids out of their comfort food zone. “Having children involved in food preparation really helps make food less of the enemy,” explains Paulette Lambert, Director of Nutrition at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, which offers a variety of cookery classes for young ones. “Most kids want to fit in, so they are generally much more adventurous in class than at home.”

At Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi budding chefs don small aprons and chef’s hats and learn the basics of making breads, pastries and other delicacies at the Hotel’s market-inspired Crust restaurant. At Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, the Kids For All Seasons programme gives young ones the chance to make anything from Thai pancakes to cookies.

Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island

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Don’t skip the posh restaurants

Travelling with children who are picky eaters doesn’t mean giving up memorable dinners at upscale restaurants. In fact, parents should take advantage of kids’ early-bird mealtime and score a reservation before rush hour at a local hot spot. Add some theatre to the occasion by choosing a restaurant with an open-plan kitchen or chef’s counter, so kids can engage with the team and appreciate just what goes into preparing their meal.

At Four Seasons Hotel Austin’s fine-dining restaurant TRIO, children can order from a dedicated kids’ menu (from a PB&J to grilled white fish with vegetables and rice) and dine with custom dishes and silverware that were specially designed for little hands. Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane offers two children’s menus at its upscale Italian restaurant, Amaranto – the Il Bambino menu for early eaters and one for older diners, with teen-favourite paninis, pasta, pizza and gelato.

Four Seasons Hotel Austin

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Alternatively, seek out a family-focused dining club like Nibble + squeak, which hosts popular parent-and-tot meals at some of New York, London and Washington, DC’s best restaurants. The most recent lunch in NYC was a sold-out takeover of Chef Enrique Olvera’s white-hot Cosme restaurant, and there are upcoming events at the President Obama-approved Vermillon in DC, and London’s award-winning Modern Pantry.

Serve their favourites, with local spice

“Como se dice french fries?” Ideally, you don’t say it at all, but if your children won’t stray from their favourites, find the local equivalent. At Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires, for example, Chef Patricia Ramos at Nuestra Secreto restaurant recommends tempting kids with the pacu croquettes, small fillets of fried fish that will seem very familiar to lovers of fish fingers.

Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires

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Playing translator can be key to getting kids on board with strange-sounding foods. You might get a “no” to trying chicken roti in the Caribbean, for example, but not if you suggest ordering the chicken wrap – its exact equivalent. Or pitch the “cheese sandwich” instead of an arepa in Colombia, or “pasta” over dumpling-like manti in Turkey.

And remember, wherever you are in the world, ice cream (gelato, kulfi, dondurma, mochi ice cream) is always a hit.

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27 New Ways to Eat (and Drink) Local

Posted on by Rebecca Troyer

Natives of Buenos Aires will tell you that you haven’t fully experienced Argentina until you’ve enjoyed an authentic asado-style meal – a revered weekend dining ritual where families and friends grill meats, tables are filled with salads and appetizers, and local red wines flow freely. You haven’t tasted Indonesia, locals say, until you’ve sampled babi guling, aka roast suckling pig, from the beach in Bali. And in Florence, it’s an unwritten rule that la passeggiata (a traditional evening stroll) is incomplete without a scoop of creamy gelato.

The fastest and most enjoyable way for travellers to immerse themselves in the culture of any corner of the world is to dive into the culinary scene – order traditional dishes, explore food markets and local farms, and speak to chefs and home cooks about their favourite recipes.

Taste of Place, a new series of fine dining experiences from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, is designed so guests can do exactly that. Its goal is to bring travellers and locals who have an appetite for exploration together with the flavours and cultures of places like Cairo, Koh Samui and Lanai.

During these epicurean adventures, you’ll visit markets and farms to sample and gather fresh ingredients commonly used in local cuisine. Many experiences include cooking classes alongside expert chefs, where you’ll learn how the traditions and customs of a region are reflected in the preparation and seasoning of its food. And each Taste of Place offering includes one or more chef-prepared meals, served in an unforgettable setting.

Scroll through the gallery above to get a taste of specific food tourism offerings around the globe.

Taste of Place joins an already extensive portfolio of Four Seasons culinary innovations, including the recently launched “Culinary Discoveries” itinerary on board the Four Seasons Private Jet. This new itinerary, developed in partnership with René Redzepi and the Noma team, is a once-in-a-lifetime cross-continental culinary journey through the finest kitchens, freshest markets and most exquisite dining experiences in the world. Learn more about how you can see Europe and Asia through the eyes of a Michelin-starred chef here.

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Bali at Jimbaran Bay