chef's tour

A Chef’s Tour – Food Experience Good Enough For A Chef

A Chef’s Tour concept is awesome: food experience good enough for a chef. I like the clarity and simplicity of this message. If you deal with the food for a living, for sure, you won’t compromise your own meal. Who can resist that? Certainly, not me.

Food tourism and the timely appearance of A Chef’s Tour

According to the Tripadvisor 2018 Travel Trends Report , culinary is a clear trend. Food tours and cooking classes bookings snowballed in the past few years.

I bet that looking for a food tour is one of the top topics on your travel planning agenda. Rightly so since travelers tend to develop long-lasting and affectionate memories based on their experiences with distinctive local food and culinary history.

It goes without saying that food tours are in high demand, especially in popular tourist destinations. On the other hand, there is an endless supply of companies advertising food tours of all flavors to hungry audiences.

Today, every popular travel guide feels compelled to publish a list of the best local food tours. The competition for those coveted spots is fierce. For one reason or another, the real gem might never get noticed.

Indeed, not all food tours are equal. But how to find the one ?

That’s where A Chef’s Tour shines.

A Chef’s Tour story or how to stand out in a crowded field of the food travel industry

I have to admit that local food is one of the main priorities on my travel agenda. Thus, I had been on a few food tours since I became a full-time long-term traveler.

In my opinion, a worthy food tour experience is difficult to come by. The magic combination of a knowledgable yet entertaining guide along with his/her ability to adapt and adjust a narration depending on the audience is a rare commodity. Sadly, there are too many cookie-cutter tours, one-size-fits-all one-size-fits-nobody enterprises.

This sentiment hasn’t got lost on the founders of A Chef’s Tour. In fact, I was impressed that they echoed my observations that too often tour organizers appease to their customers’ palate instead of broadening culinary horizons.

Not satisfied, they decided to take matters into their own hands. Just like that, A Chef’s Tour was born.

Meet A Chef’s Tour (a brief introduction)

We started A Chef’s Tour with one simple aim: to create and curate food experiences good enough for chefs.

After traveling the world over, we became bored with the same mediocre food tours. We wanted a tour which helped us truly understand regional food, its history, and ingredients. A tour which pushed our limits and didn’t pander to western palates.

Our story started with a single chef in Bangkok who designed a street food tour which has since become the highest rated in the city. Since its inception, we’ve expanded to offer unique culinary experiences across Asia and Latin America.

~ from A Chef’s Tour website

A Chef’s Tour Q&A with Jamie Green

Luckily, you can learn the story from the source. You see, Jamie Green, one of A Chef’s Tour’s co-founders, kindly agreed to satisfy my curiosity and answered my questions.

A Chef’s Tour philosophy and how is it different from other food tours

There are a few main ways that we are different from other food tour companies.

Firstly we pay our guides extremely well, usually quite a lot above average. This means we can attract and retain some really fantastic people. We want our guides to feel like it is their business, and we are supporting them as they build it up.

We also tend to be quite a bit more in-depth than other tours, with something like 14 different tastings on our Phuket tour, and more on our Bangkok tour. So, when you go on one of our tours, you will be getting a LOT of food!

Our guides also go into more depth, giving details about the history of the food, the ingredients, etc.

Finally, we generally plan our tours to a greater degree than you may find elsewhere, so we know what guests are going to try each time, we know each stop, and we know the route they take. This means we can offer a more consistent experience and also build up relationships with some of the vendors.

Who are A Chef’s Tour guides? How did you find them, and why did you choose them?

All our tour guides can be found here .

We choose them because of their love and knowledge first and foremost, whether they are chef’s, home cooks, or master mezcaliers.

A Chef’s Tour current locations and any expansion plans?

We are currently in 9 countries, and we have 16 tours.

We are expanding cautiously, as maintaining a very high standard is our no. 1 priority. We would rather take our time and expand a bit slower in order to ensure that we are able to keep the same quality that our customers have come to expect.

What lies ahead?

We currently plan to continue to open new experiences in more and more countries. We also want to continue to grow and improve our existing tours, so we are definitely not taking our eye off the ball on those experiences either.

Meet A Chef’s Tour founders

We have two founders Jamie Green and Luke Charny.

Jamie has previously started a technology company and worked for the United Nations as a New Ventures Consultant.

Luke has worked as a travel consultant for over a decade, including with STA Travel and others. He previously founded Yettio, a travel magazine that he sold a couple of years ago.

The interview with Jamie was a fantastic way to learn about the concept and the future of A Chef’s Tour.

But how does it feel to actually participate in a food tour of this kind? I couldn’t wait to find out.

Follow me to Phuket where I got a chance to experience A Chef’s Tour in action.

Phuket Old Town Food Tour with A Chef’s Tour guide

After years on the road, I overcame the desire to enthusiastically produce optimistic reviews just because it is an unwritten rule of the travel industry. Thus, this is an honest opinion not influenced by any third parties.

Moreover, I want to emphasize that the Phuket Old Town Food Tour turned out to be much more than what is considered a conventional food tour experience.

Along with first bites came an animated narrative of local history. Every new stop transformed an obscure food stall or a simple eatery into a scene with a colorful past.

Undoubtedly, the success of any food tour greatly depends on its guide. A Chef’s Tour in Phuket has a phenomenal one.

Meet Pema, our extraordinary guide

At first sight, she is quiet and almost shy. However, behind this decidedly downplayed facade hides a magnetic personality.

Pema is a Phuket Island native with a big smile and deep love of Southern Thai food and culture. She loves meeting new people and showing them the best places to eat in Phuket, especially the hidden little eateries tourists overlook. Join her on a Phuket food tour that’ll whet your appetite for all things Thai.

~ A Chef’s Tour Phuket Old Town Food Tour

Walking the streets of Phuket with her was an amazing experience. Seemingly, she knew every inhabitant of the old town. From shop owners to market vendors, everybody warmly greeted her along the way. Inevitably, these waves of friendship extended to you too.

Whether witnessing a stately proprietor of a coffee shop making the most flamboyant coffee in Phuket or tasting a soup prepared by an adorable old lady according to her family’s secret recipe, Pema put together an unforgettable excursion into the hidden treasures of the old town.

But it’s not only food she cares about. All along, there were stories about Phuket’s past that she seamlessly weaved into the food tour. This is what sets A Chef’s Tour in Phuket apart from others.

Indeed, Phuket island is known for its beaches, bars and nightlife, hot weather, and lots of tasty food. Yet, most visitors, especially Westerners, are unaware of Phuket’s history and local culture.

More than just a food tour

Pema, as an A Chef’s Tour Phuket guide, made it her goal to go beyond stereotypes and show the island’s past. Unsurprisingly, food plays a major role in this narration.

For centuries, Phuket attracted the attention of traders and explorers from near and far. It was an important trading post for merchants from India to the west and China to the east. In fact, the name is derived from the Malay word “Bukit” meaning hill.

The tin mining boom during the 19th century brought prosperity to the old town. Restored lavish shophouses and remnants of mansions built by wealthy mining businessmen are reminders of that time.

Often, Peranakan culture is associated with Singapore, Penang, and Malacca. In Malay, Peranakan means “a person born here and descended from elsewhere.” Phuket island has its own Peranakan community. They are descendants of Chinese men who came to the island and married local Malay women. In Phuket, they are also known as Babas.

I can go on and on about everything I learned and tasted on A Chef’s Tour in the old town. Four hours with Pema went like a few minutes.

However, I am not going to divulge any more details. You should experience it on your own. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

You can book Phuket Old Town Food Tour for a lunchtime adventure with Pema.

Not in Phuket? A Chef’s Tour offers food tours in Asia and South America. Click here to check locations, prices, and availability.

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USA TODAY 10Best

These amazing chef-led food tours will have you coming back for seconds

January 29, 2024 // By Jacky Runice

By Jacky Runice Travel Journalist January 29, 2024

More than 10 years later, I still fondly recall one of the best travel experiences of my life: a food tour that wended its way through Kraków and charming towns tucked in the Tatra Mountains of Poland.

In between field trips to places like the 14th century Wawel Royal Castle and Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory , our small group learned how to make a proper pierogi and plump golumpki under the guidance of Polish chef Marek Widomski. We indulged in morning snorts of homemade cherry vodka before taking lessons in cooking potato pancakes and just-caught trout.

Beyond the historic architecture, open-air markets, and mountainous countryside, the Krakow to Zakopane food tour offered me an almost spiritual reconnection to my beloved late mother and aunt — one hunk of oscypek (smoked sheep’s cheese) at a time.

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Whether you're exploring your cultural heritage or fascinated by the other cultures' culinary traditions, these six travel companies are serving up chef-led food tours that will have you coming back for seconds.

A recipe for adventure with Poland Culinary Vacations

Poland Culinary Vacations offers a robust menu of food tours for every kind of foodie. On the Poland Christmas Market Tour , you'll cook and bake with two professional chefs — one of whom is a Polish artisan cheese expert — while also exploring the country's legendary holiday markets. The Culinary Tour of Greater Poland and Poznan will have you preparing roast duck with red cabbage and dumplings, as well as making stops at the Croissant Museum and the Emperor's Castle in Poznan.

In Polish Cooking with Chef Anna Hurning in Szczecin in Western Pomerania, Hurning teaches guests how to make traditional Polish dishes, including paczki, a Lent delight.

Mexican Culinary Traditions with Austin chef Iliana de la Vega

James Beard Award-winning chef Iliana de la Vega of Austin and her daughter, Isabel Torrealba — a food writer and Mexican cultural anthropologist — take you on immersive vacations focused on Mexico's food culture and history. Their travel company, Mexican Culinary Traditions , offers food tours for those who appreciate arts and crafts and luxe lodging.

Oaxaca City: Ancient Traditions Alive is the pair’s most popular tour, as guests explore the deep roots of this complex cuisine amid vividly colored colonial buildings, lively markets, and indigenous arts and textiles.

You may also want to dig into the cuisine of Mexico City; Morelia, Michoacán; or Mérida, the capital of Yucatán — all of which are food tours that Mexican Culinary Traditions offers.

Cooking and food tours with Philadelphia chef Aliza Green

Aliza Green is a Philadelphia-based chef and author (“The Bean Bible” and “The Butcher’s Apprentice,” to name two titles) who whisks foodies to all corners of the culinary planet. Food tours include explorations of places like France's Bordeaux and Basque Country and Bilbao, Spain, as well as Greece, Morocco, and Italy.

Her Portuguese Delights tour introduces food enthusiasts to the culture and cuisine of the Iberian Peninsula. A pioneering female chef, Green takes you to centuries-old bakeries to try pastel de nata and introduces you to the Douro Valley wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You'll even attend a cooking class in the ancestral home of one of Portugal’s oldest families.

Along the way, you’ll hear traditional Fado music, traverse winding streets to visit Gothic churches, and get to know Lisbon’s neighborhoods, including the medieval district of Alfama. Have the exclamation, "Legal!" — pronounced lay-gow — in your back pocket, which means “cool.”

Bog & Thunder's food tours through Ireland

Bog & Thunder ’s food tours aim to prove why Ireland should be the next hot food destination. The company is led by award-winning chef, cookbook author, and restaurateur Max Sussman and writer and environmentalist Kate McCabe. Deeply committed to ecotourism, Bog & Thunder’s trips are ideal for the environmentally conscious food enthusiast who likes wandering off the beaten path.

In 2023, chef Natasha Pickowicz co-led a “More Than Cork” food tour, which included culinary activities like foraging for seaweed, fileting and smoking wild fish, and dining al fresco at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Legendary Irish chef Darina Allen also joined the group for dinner on the last evening of the tour.

Consider booking a Bog and Thunder tour led by chef Nick Curtola, who helms the kitchen at one of Brooklyn’s most popular restaurants and wine bars, The Four Horsemen . The tour was designed in collaboration with The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, a five-star property marking its 200th anniversary in 2024. It pairs a luxury hotel experience with the best food that Ireland’s capital city has to offer. You'll also get behind-the-scenes access to local chefs and writers and take day trips to the surrounding countryside.

Black Tomato's Tasting Notes

For immersive, luxurious culinary journeys, take a gander at Black Tomato’s Tasting Notes , co-created and designed with Michelin-starred chefs and personalities granting access to their kitchens and processes. You'll visit emerging gourmand destinations that inspired the chefs and the places where they source product. You'll also taste sample their most creative meals.

Each itinerary is designed and piloted by chefs. Take a food tour through Peru’s Sacred Valley with Virgilio Martinez, whose Central restaurant in Lima is ranked the fifth best restaurant in the world. This tour may include piranha fishing in the Amazon and dining in the rainforest. Or peek behind the closed doors of Basque Country’s secret culinary social club, Txokos, with chef Dani Lopez. You can also sample dishes from the 24 gastronomic regions of Slovenia with the country's father of modern fine dining, Janez Bratovz, while truffle hunting and cheese making along the way.

Central Holidays' Umbria food tour with Chef Lorenzo Polegri

Central Holidays has a roster of wine and food tours. Whether Spain, Italy, or Croatia, you’ll be busy during cooking classes with acclaimed chefs.

For an extra special experience, consider reserving your spot on the Live and Eat Like a Local in Umbria with Chef Lorenzo food tour, where you’ll learn the secrets of Italian cookery in Umbria's Orvieto region. You'll go truffle hunting and pick fresh ingredients at farmer’s markets, as well as attend butchery workshops and cooking classes led by farmer and chef Lorenzo Polegri of Casale Polegri in the Umbrian countryside.

Other experiences on this tour include sampling artisanal cheeses at a goat farm and stopping at a family olive oil mill that has been producing the luscious liquid for more than a century from trees that are thousands of years old. You'll also visit 13th century Montegiove Castle and storybook Medieval towns surrounded by vineyards. It’s a pretty dreamy getaway for Italian food and culture fans.

About Jacky Runice

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"

Read more about Jacky Runice here.

Connect with Jacky via: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

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Palouse chefs giving ‘Culinary Tour’ at Uniontown’s Dahmen Barn

Artisans at the Dahmen Barn are taking locals on a Culinary Tour of the Palouse from April–September in a series of courses taught by regional chefs.

Sponsored by the State of Washington’s tourism department, the program will bring in chefs on the Palouse to showcase their expertise and culinary techniques.

The chance to promote the Palouse area, Palouse farmers and Palouse products inspired the program, said Julie Hartwig, event curator and Barn manager-curator.

Most people do not know the difference between lentil, canola and wheat, and what they are used for, Hartwig said. The Palouse has a backyard of farmers and chefs using fresh ingredients from the area.

“It not only supports the locals, but you also know where your food is coming from,” Hartwig said.

Yvve Austin, The Black Cypress chef de partie, said he hopes the participants gain a deeper appreciation for the ingredients they use on a daily basis.

“We live in a fertile area and are lucky for it,” Austin said.

He tries his best to purchase from local farmers, as he said buying locally sourced, well-treated ingredients yields the best results.

Austin will teach Pozole, Traditional Mexican Stew from noon–3 p.m. May 4.

He is focusing on Mexican cuisine and will teach nixtamalization, a Mexican technique of treating in an alkaline solution to make hominy or masa. Austin said t he ethos of Mexican cuisine is about freshness and locality, which makes it adaptable to any region.

As a part of the Culinary Tour, Craig and Jessica Mariner, chefs and Storybook Baking Company owners, will teach sourdough baking in Artisans Bread with Shepherd’s Grain Flour from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. this Saturday.

Jessica Murray, WSU School of Hospitality Business Management professor, will co-teach Baking the Palouse: Unexpected Grains and Legumes with Mat Morgan, WSU Marriott Foundation Hospitality and Culinary Innovation Center director and executive chef. The course registration is open until April 24 and the course itself is set from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. April 27.

Morgan will also teach Raviolli Al Uovo from 1 p.m.–4 p.m. June 8.

Chef Aron Little will teach Sauces and Gravies from Around the World to help differentiate an American gravy from a French one from 1 p.m.–4 p.m. May 18.

Larissa’s Apron will teach South Indian Cuisine with Palouse-Grown Chickpeas to show the art of simmering and explore the flavors of India from 6–9 p.m. July 12.

Each event registration costs $55.

Hartwig said it was not easy picking the chefs for this program. But if enough interest prevails, the finest chefs on the Palouse can come together to educate and inspire the community.

• Artisans at the Dahmen Barn
• Culinary Tour of the Palouse

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Eat. tour. explore.

Culinary Adventures Throughout Iconic Sapelo Island, Georgia or Urban Atlanta, Georgia

Culinary Adventures On Sapelo Island, GA By Land and Sea!

“Coastal-Creole” Fusion!!!

Coastal, Native American. Portuguese. Spanish. West African. African-American. European.

Sapelo Island, Georgia By Land And Sea.

Where phenomenal food meets timeless history

Culinary Adventure Tours invites you to Eat, Tour and Explore your way through iconic Georgia cities and locations using food to tell the story of history and culture.  Weekend tours are available in Sapelo, Island, Georgia (by land and/or sea) and Atlanta, Georgia.

Each all inclusive tail-gating car or boat tour includes gourmet food tasting and southern-style tapas at each stop. These unique culinary experiences include historic chef-led tours, food, beverages and select desserts featuring Chef Diana’s original “COASTAL-CREOLE” Southern Cuisine.

Take A YouTube Video Tour: https://studio.youtube.com/video/YZN-ouwIHuk

Explore Over 4,000+ Years of Culinary History

Meet chef diana.

Please receive a warm welcome from Chef Diana the CEO and Executive Chef of Culinary Adventure Tours of America, LLC.

Chef Diana is known for her unique culinary creations.  She is largely inspired by an eclectic combination of her New Orleans, Louisiana Creole Roots, her love of Georgia’s Coastal Culture and the urban Atlanta, GA food scene. 

As a proud descendant of sugarcane slave workers and enslaved cooks, she preserves American food traditions spanning hundreds of years.  Chef Diana believes in respecting everyone’s culinary-heritage and is passionate about using food to tell the history of cultures.  She sees food as a vehicle to unify humanity and celebrate diversity.  

CURRENT CULINARY TOURS

Sapelo island, ga by land or  sea.

“Legendary and Secluded Sapelo Island”        

Includes: A historic tailgating food tour including gourmet, chef-created, artisan food (tail-gait style), beverages, and desserts.  Explore Coastal Georgia’s American history and culture through food. A sea tour is also available including chef-crafted food, beverages, and multiple desserts.

• Adventure Tour:  2 hours by land. Includes- A Chef Guided Culinary Overview Tour covering 4,000+ years of  food history, 3 stops, a short beach stroll and/or beach viewing (30 minutes), bird watching,  3 tapas food plates, beverages, and one dessert. $125 for each individual.
• VIP Adventure Tour:  3 hours by land. Includes- A detailed Chef Guided Culinary Tour covering 4,000+ years of food history, a lingering beach stroll and/or beach viewing (1 hour), bird watching, 5 stops, 5 tapas food plates, VIP beverage selections and multiple desserts and goodie bag. $200 for each individual.
• Beach Adventure:  3 hours by land. Includes-A Chef Guided Culinary Overview Tour covering 4,000+ years of food history, a beach stroll and/or beach viewing (2 hours), beach towels, portable beach unbrellas, backpacked chef’s choice food selections including water, beverages and dessert.
• 2.5-hour Exclusive VIP SOLO land/or sea tour with the Chef: $300
• Sea Tour and Food:  $200 each
• Sea and Land Tour including food:  $300
• Request your preferred date and time. [email protected]

ALL AROUND ATLANTA

“The Atlanta Food History Experience”

Includes:  A more detailed historic tailgating food tour, gourmet chef-created foods at each featured site, beverages, and desserts that reflect the history of Atlanta through food.

Featured Atlanta Locations (May Vary):

• The Martin Luther King Center
• Sweet Auburn Avenue 
• Cabbage Town (Appalachian Migration, German and Jewish Influence)
• West End (African-American History)
• The Famous Atlanta Beltline Urban Trail
• Inman Park Neighborhood
• 3-Hour Average
• $350 for each individual (3+up to ten people)
• Special:  $650 Tour for Two
• Special: $400 SOLO Tour

Request your preferred date and time: [email protected]

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

Reviving classic Russian cuisine

Oct 19 2018.

Roads & Kingdoms talks to Russian chef Vladimir Mukhin of Moscow’s super-restaurant, White Rabbit.

Still in his mid-30’s, Vladimir Mukhin is already one of Russia’s best known chefs and the leading culinary light of the White Rabbit Group, which has 16 restaurants around the country. The most well-known of these, Moscow’s  White Rabbit , was named one of the 50 best restaurants in the world last year. Roads & Kingdoms’ Nathan Thornburgh talked to Mukhin in Moscow about being a fifth-generation chef, reviving classic Russian cuisine, and finding good product in the age of embargoes.

Nathan Thornburgh: Tell me about White Rabbit, what is the food? What are you trying to accomplish there?

Vladimir Mukhin: The White Rabbit is a big restaurant. We’re trying to revive Russian cuisine. I’m a fifth-generation chef, so I’m passionate about the food we create. During the Soviet Union period, we killed Russian food. Classic Russian recipes became too simplified. For example, usually you drink tea, but if you want to be, just to be creative, want to make the tea with milk, you can’t. It would be like stealing milk from the government. People went to jail.

When I was growing up, I remember my grandfather coming to the kitchen and crying because he couldn’t experiment with his food.

Thornburgh: Wow. I remember this famous photo session with Che Guevara which came up with some of his best pictures, maybe two incredible iconic portraits came from an entire roll of film, and the photographer went to him and showed him this roll of film and Che said, What the hell are you doing? You wasted all of these images. You took 30 pictures to get one? That’s the government’s film. It’s a similar mentality.   So you’re telling the story of a kind of cuisine that was lost on the Soviet history and now you’re playing with this idea of finding it again. What does your process look like? Do you get as many grandmothers as you can round up and just kind of shake recipes out of them? How were you doing this?

Mukhin: I just try to work with as many local farmers and producers as I can, so we can use as many Russian ingredients as we can.

Thornburgh: So this is a close relationship.

Mukhin: Yes. I traveled throughout Russia—not just the big cities, but also the villages to talk with older people.

Thornburgh: You know I think people don’t understand the vastness of Russia, and how big it’s collection of cultures and languages and cuisines is. What parts of the country influences your food?

Mukhin: I’m inspired by the whole country. It’s a big territory, and sometimes it feels like it’s too big. I try and use different techniques and ingredients from all over the country, which I think makes my menus distinct.

We have an a la carte menu with about 50 dishes of classical Russian food. Everything looks modern because I’m a young chef. But if you close your eyes and try these dishes, you’ll taste 100% classic Russian flavors.

I want to highlight all aspects of Russian cuisine. Before the Olympic Games in Sochi, we opened a restaurant there, not just to make money, but to expose people visiting for the Olympics to Russian food. That’s why we opened The Red Fox restaurant. It’s all about Russian ingredients.

Thornburgh: Sochi, at least when I’ve been there, is like a Miami Beach. It’s like a place to get pizza and sushi, and go to the nightclubs.

Mukhin: You been?

Thornburgh: Yeah.

Mukhin: It’s crazy.

Thornburgh: It’s a little crazy, but it’s interesting to bring in Red Fox and sort of say okay, because people are coming out, let’s bring Russia to Sochi.

Mukhin: It was incredible. We had thousands of visitors at the restaurant.  

Thornburgh: So you really looked internally for inspiration. Did working outside of Russia motivate you to focus on Russian cuisine?

Mukhin: Yes. I spent time working in Avignon, France. I worked with Christian Etienne, and he would make a special Russian meal once a year.  It was crazy.

Thornburgh: How was the food?

Mukhin: It was shit. I told him that I would cook real Russian food for him, and I did. I cooked borscht, blinis, and other classics. He liked it and said that once a year we should use my recipes, but with his influence. I agreed, and we went on to make amazing food. Eventually, I wanted to come back to my motherland. So I left and I started working on making White Rabbit a reality.

Thornburgh: When people go to White Rabbit, what are they going to find?

Mukhin: Someone once told me that there is a new Russian cuisine and an old Russian cuisine. I think Russian cuisine is going through an evolution. So I hope people will come and see evolution at White Rabbit.

Thornburgh: Great. Always good to end on an invite. Thank you.

Mukhin: Thank you so much.

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A Chef's Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

CNY Pizza Tour, stop #15: At Pies Guys, order this rogue chef’s off-the-menu pizza

(It’s a debate every Central New Yorker has had at some point: Who’s got the best pizza? This year, we’ll do our best to find out. I’m on a quest to find the best pizza shops in the Syracuse area. Throughout 2024, I’ll visit 50-plus pizzerias. At each, I’ll sample their most popular pizza, or whatever they recommend. As I go, I’ll score each one, and tell readers a little bit about the shop itself.)

Syracuse, N.Y. — It wasn’t until after he started cooking for a pizzeria that James Warner went rogue.

When he was cooking Chinese food at Wegmans, he stuck to the set menu. He played by the rules at Pastabilities, and he followed instructions at Coleman’s Irish Pub. That all changed when he started making pizzas at Valentine’s Pizza & Deli in Skaneateles.

“Pizza is my favorite thing to cook, so I’d make something crazy for a customer, and they’d fall in love with it,” James said. “They’d come back the following week and order the same thing. The problem was it wasn’t on the menu. The owners would then say, ‘C’mon, man. You’re killing us.’ No one else would know how to make it, and they wanted to keep the customers happy.”

He’s at it again, this time at Pies Guys Pub and Grub on Syracuse’s West End. He’s been at this Western Lights bar and restaurant for 1½ years and is now a manager. This is one of five Pies Guys in Central New York. Reis LaMontagne owns this shop and licenses the Pies Guys name and recipes to other owners. They all follow the same recipe for the crust and the sauce. Everything else is up to each owner.

“The pizza you’re going to try here is only available here,” Reis said. “It’s unusual, but it’s very good.“

I’ll be the judge of that, Reis. Let’s challenge my palate ...

Address: Pies Guys Pub & Grub, 4744 Onondaga Blvd., Syracuse. (315) 299-6499

Do they deliver: Yes

What I ate: The Bee Sting Pizza on the extra-large “New Yorker” crust

Why this pizza? This is one of James’ creations that’s not on the menu, at least not yet. He’ll make it for you if you ask politely.

RATINGS (out of 5)

Crust: 3/5 . Pies Guys makes dough every morning, and up to three times a day during football and basketball season. The recipe is a basic mix of flour, yeast, salt, semi-chilled water and oil. James will change the proportions depending on the size of pizza he’s making. They make four sizes, from a 6-ounce personal pizza to a extra-large New Yorker, James’ favorite. Regardless of the size, James lets the dough rise and ferment overnight.

My Bee Sting was built atop a New Yorker-size crust. It has the same amount of dough as the 16-inch large pizza, but it’s hand-stretched to a 18-inch diameter. The crust was probably the thinnest I’ve had in the 15 stops on this pizza tour so far. Still, it excelled in carrying the toppings without flopping.

Toppings: 4/5 . James starts with a traditional white base, making a liquid margarine and folding in some minced garlic before lightly dusting it with granulated garlic. What makes this pizza so strikingly different is a log of goat cheese rolled in rosemary, parsley and basil.

“I don’t even like goat cheese at all,” he said. “But goat cheese pairs well with everything else on the pizza. Believe it or not, it really works.”

Yep, it does. Your herb-enhanced goat juice was udderly delightful. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) An even layer of tiny peppadew peppers gives it a bit of sweetness with a soft punch, followed by chopped onions, crispy bacon and Empire mozzarella cheese. The exciting finish is a drizzle of hot-pepper-infused honey before the pizza is cut.

Value: 4/5 . Pies Guys get creative when it comes to its 17 specialty pizzas. All are $22.99, whether you get one of the three chicken wing pizzas or if you get one covered with potatoes, ham and pineapple or loaded french fries. Since a large cheese pizza is $16.99, the price for one of these dressed-up pizzas is about right, but it’s better if you get the 18-inch New Yorker crust.

Charisma: 4/5 . For such a busy pizza, this one has a good shiny look to it. All that local mozzarella melts evenly and lets the red of the peppers and bacon peek through with some help from the moisture extracted from the onions. James lets this dense pizza bake at 550 degree for up to 15 minutes. The end result is a slice that doesn’t fall apart as you pull it away from the rest of the pizza. You also don’t need to fold it to prevent a glop of cheese from falling onto your lap. It’s a fork-free pizza.

Total: 15/20 . You have to admire someone who despises goat cheese to actually use that as a featured ingredient on his favorite pizza.

“Yeah, it says that I’m crazy,” James said.

No, James, it shows you’re creative and daring to be different. The Bee Sting is a buzz-worthy pizza.

Charlie Miller finds the best in food, drinks and fun across Central New York. Contact him at (315) 382-1984, or by email at [email protected] . (AND he pays for what he and his guests eat and drink, just so you know.) You can also find him under @HoosierCuse on Twitter and on Instagram . Sign up for his free weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here .

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit syracuse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Delhi food tour

Over 4 hours you’ll navigate Old Town’s maze hitting up its tastiest spots with your foodie expert. Mop up creamy paneer tikka masala with freshly fired chapattis, pop bursting pani puris, nibble on chilli pakoras, and lick your lips after the best jalebi in India. That’s just for starters. There’s more food on this tour than you can shake your taste buds at.

It’s not all eat, eat, eat though. You’ll dive into a Sikh temple and kitchen to discover how they feed 30,000 Delhiites every single day and climb up to a secret rooftop spot above the old spice market to take in the views just as the sun drops to the right angle for photographic perfection.

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Why this tour is awesome

Let’s face it. For a first-timer, Delhi’s a culture shock. Don’t know your aloo tikkas from your dahi bhallas? Feeling out of your culinary comfort zone? Don't know where to eat? Fear not. We’ve got just the ticket with our Delhi food tour.

Our expert local guide will take you on a small-group foodie adventure around the backstreets of Old Delhi to try some of the best eats around. There's no better introduction to the food scene of Delhi.

Calm, patient, and ridiculously knowledgeable about Indian cuisine, Gajendra is the man to know when you’re delving into Delhi’s food scene. He knows ever bylane, back alley and best places to eat in the Old Town. If you join him on his Delhi food tour, you’ll leave with a much deeper understanding of life in the capital.

Meet one of our local foodie guides in Delhi

One of the best clay-pot lasses in Old Delhi

Soaked vadas covered in creamy yogurt and topped with pomegranate seeds

Visit an ornate Sikh temple

Go behind the scenes to see the kitchen that feeds 30,000 people a day

This paratha joint has been serving hungry locals for decades

You'd never find these street vendors alone

Famous pani puris which explode with flavour

Try the best paneer curry and fresh buttery naans at this no name eatery

Explore Delhi's iconic spice market

Masala chai from a secret spot on the spice market rooftop

Sign off with sorbet stuffed fruits

• Price US $35 per person
• Language English, Hindi
• Small group Maximum of 8 guests
• Tastings 12 tasting menu
• Drinks Bottled water and local drinks
• Duration 12h00 - 16h00
• Guide Led by one of our superb Delhi food hosts
• Cancellation Cancel up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund
• Family friendly Families welcome on all our tours
• Transport Walking tour
• Instant confirmation Book now to secure your space (before we sell out!)
• Pick up / drop off Our guests come from all over the city, so to save time we have a meeting point for everyone. Your guide can help you find transport back at the end of the tour

Dietary information

• Vegetarian Vegetarians welcome
• Vegan Sorry, the tour is not suitable for vegans
• Lactose free Unsuitable for lactose intolerant
• Gluten Possible but there are several dishes which include gluten on the experience

Discover what Delhi cuisine is all about

How to book

To join our Delhi food tour, use the calendar to select your preferred date and secure your tour with your card. For special requests, private bookings, or dietary requirements, please  contact us . Safety of our customers is our first priority, so if you have any allergies, please  contact us  before booking.

What to expect

Meeting point.

You'll meet your guide outside Exit 1  of Lal Quila subway station near Chandni Chowk . It's easy to reach and we'll send you more details and address on your voucher. Your guide will be wearing A Chef's Tour t-shirt.

Cancellation Policy

Why you should book with us.