As a nation, Britain is becoming increasingly adventurous when it comes to food.
As a result we are witnessing a growing appetite for culinary expertise from around the world.
Many luxury holiday destinations are setting out to fulfil this desire, and the popularity of gourmet culinary festivals is booming.
Luxury hotels are amassing Michelin-starred chefs from across the globe to shower gourmands with an array of outstanding dishes.
We have rounded up the six best luxury holidays featuring gourmet food festivals around the world.
Best Gourmet Festivals
Sani Resort in Halkidiki, Greece
Gourmet week: Mid-May every year, running since 2005
The week-long Sani Gourmet festival is an annual gastronomic celebration that brings together some of the finest chefs from Greece and around the globe, along with some of the rising stars already starting to make a name. Each year Michelin-starred chefs join the acclaimed line-up set at Sani’s top restaurants to create contemporary dishes that astonish and delight. The result is a singular blend of aromas and flavours, capturing the essence of diverse cultures and landscapes through the latest gastronomic trends and techniques, accompanied by some of the finest local and international wines.
Highlight of 2018: Tuna filet, extracted juice of cucumber and red radish, wheat durum flour biscuit tomato scented.
Sani Resort in Halkidiki, Greece
Mid-May every year, running since 2005
Rooms from £206 per night staying in Sani Asterias, the more private and exclusive of the five hotels on site.
Meals: £97 (110 euro) per person.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel in Singapore
Gourmet Festival: Almost all of April, annually since 1997
The World Gourmet Summit is Asia’s most highly anticipated food and wine festival which takes diners off the beaten track to experience some of the world’s exciting, lesser-known cuisines. Spanning almost four weeks during the month of April, the festival is presented by a stellar line up of 14 young, up and coming and established culinary stars from all over the world, the festival returned this year for its 22nd year. This year, guests of The Fullerton Bay were treated to an unforgettable culinary experience with the robust flavours of Hungarian cuisine within the hotel’s own ‘La Brassarie’.
Highlight of 2018: Hokkaido scallops with fennel and textured micro cress.
The Fullerton Bay Hotel in Singapore
Gourmet Festival: Almost all of April, annually since 1997
Suvretta House in St Moritz, Switzerland
Mid-January every year, running since 1994
The nine-day St. Moritz Gourmet Festival has gained a cult character throughout the world as a glittering gastronomic gathering. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018, the aim of the festival is to inspire and create great, culinary delights together. Each year the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival brings together Master Chefs, setting new international standards in fine dining, offering epicureans, as well as skiers, a whole new experience of tantalising tastes from a variety of cultures from across the globe. On the sidelines are multiple foodie events throughout the town to tempt the taste buds and guide the palate on some off-piste adventures.
Highlight of 2018: ‘Yum Hua Plee’ a banana blossom and heart of palm salad.
Suvretta House in St Moritz, Switzerland
Gourmet Week: Mid-January every year, running since 1994
Vila Joya in Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal
Gourmet Festival: Mid-November every year, running since 2010
The annual Rota das Estrelas (Stars Route) Festival takes place exclusively in award-winning Michelin-star restaurants with the aim of elevating Portuguese gastronomy. Since its launch in 2010, it has snowballed to become one of Portugal’s most prestigious gastronomic festivals – now traversing the country from north to south. The festival brings together the major players in haute cuisine to interact, and promote, its national and international visibility. The two-day event at Vila Joya - one of the leading restaurants on Portugal’s gastronomy scene – is a highlight of the Stars Route Festival, apparently “renowned for leaving a deep emotional mark in not only your memory, but palate too.”
Highlight of 2018: Foie gras with smoked eel and blueberries.
Vila Joya in Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal
Gourmet Festival: Mid-November every year, running since 2010
The Westin Savannah Harbour Golf Resort and Spa in Savannah, Georgia, USA
Gourmet Festival: Mid-August annually, running since 2013
The four-day, annual Gourmet Seafood & Spirits Festival is hosted by The Westin Savannah Harbour Golf Resort and Spa and is one of the finest culinary experiences in the US. With guest chefs from across the US joining forces with the talented team of Westin chefs, a schedule of different themed events is on offer for guests to sample an array of delicious culinary delights. The event is complete with live music, wine and craft brew tastings and surprise VIP perks, culminating with a fresh catch and cocktails jazz brunch whilst absorbing the breath-taking views of historic Savannah and the Savannah River.
Highlight of 2017: Compart Duroc pork tenderloin and Latin cheesy crab on tomatillo grits with charred chipotle hollandaise and microgreens.
Savannah Harbour Golf Resort and Spa in Savannah, Georgia, USA
Gourmet Festival: Mid-August annually, running since 2013
Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai, India
Gourmet Week: Mid-March every year, running since 2017
Following a hugely successful launch in 2017, the Annual World Gourmet Festival returned for a second time this year, bringing together celebrated Michelin-star chefs from across the globe to showcase their stunning dishes and elegant plating. The ten-day programme is packed with sit-down dinners, pop-up wine cellars, wine and cocktail master classes and a bar night – including cocktail making performances from some of the world’s best bartending wizards. Although relatively new, this festival is already establishing itself as one of the best in the world and has one simple aim – to create only the best-in-class, luxury and exclusive dining experiences for guests, with a collection of five Michelin-stars from some of the most desirable restaurants the world has to offer.
Highlight of 2018: Zucchini flower with Sri Lankan mung beans, millet and sunflower seeds.
