By Liz Borod Wright, ZAGAT.com staff editor
Resorts and Hotels Offer Culinary Activities To Help Guests Make the Most of Their Getaway
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For most people, going on vacation means taking a break from the kitchen. But for some, the opportunity to cook can be an important element of a getaway, allowing them to add to their recipe repertoire, increase their understanding of another culture's cuisine – or just indulge in an enjoyable activity they don't have much time for back home. To that end, an increasing number of hotels are offering things like cooking classes at their restaurants (examples include Azul in Miami's Mandarin Oriental and Wave in Chicago's W Lakeshore), tours geared for foodies (like The Fairmont Royal York's tour of St. Lawrence Market in Toronto) and special packages for culinary-minded travelers.
Hungry for a vacation that really cooks? Here's a list of options.
U.S.
California
900 Meadowood Ln., St. Helena, CA, 800-458-8080
Restaurant at Meadowood
Those seeking more in-depth knowledge about wine than can be garnered during a casual Napa Valley wine tasting will appreciate Meadowood's "Mealtime Food and Wine Pairing" with Gilles de Chambure, master sommelier and the resort's director of wine education. De Chambure guides his students through the meal as he explains how the wines selected enhance the flavor of the dish and how the flavors in the dish enhance the enjoyment of the wine.
Cost: For lunch, a three-course meal with wine pairings at the Meadowood Grill is $150 per person. For dinner, a four-course meal with wine pairings at the Restaurant at Meadowood is $250 person. Room rates start at $475 per night during low season.
Florida
500 Brickell Key Dr., Miami, FL, 866-888-6780
Host of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Miami has become a hot culinary destination. Improve your own culinary skills at Azul, the Mandarin Oriental's Med-Asian, which is offering hands-on cooking classes with chef Clay Conley in its open kitchen. The classes will be held from 9:30 AM–1 PM on the following Saturdays: "Gone Fishing" on April 21st; "Vegetarian Cooking" on May 19th; "For Dads" (favorite football tailgating recipes) on June 9th; "Mix and Mingle" (cocktail party tips) on September 15th; and "Festive Ways to Prepare for the Holidays" on October 20th.
Cost: Each class costs $175 per person, which includes a three-course lunch paired with wine, and a signature Azul apron. The Mandarin Oriental also offers these classes as a part of its "Weekend of Culinary Delights" package for two, which includes accommodations for Friday and Saturday nights, breakfast daily, a cooking class, a private meeting with chef Conley to choose your evening's dinner menu, a three-course dinner at Azul and a specially engraved culinary tool. Based on double occupancy, the package costs from $1,789 for classes held on April 21st, from $1,649 for May 19th and October 20th and from $1,389 for June 9th and September 15th.
Georgia
371 Riverview Dr., Jekyll Island, GA, 800-535-9547
Crane Cottage at Jekyll Island Club Hotel
From August 26th–30th, this former hunting-retreat-turned-resort transforms one of its mansions, Crane Cottage, into a cooking school. The Jekyll Island Club Hotel sends out questionnaires to the participants to find out their skill level and interests, and then plans the menu accordingly. The Courtyard at Crane's restaurant closes temporarily so the students can work in the kitchen. Classes are held in the mornings, from 8 AM–1 PM, so students can enjoy everything the resort has to offer – golf, beach, oak forest and more – in the afternoons.
Cost: The package, which costs $1,299 per couple and $899 per single, includes superior accommodations in Crane Cottage for four nights, all cooking classes, chef jackets with the hotel logo, breakfast daily, a welcome reception Sunday evening followed by a dinner, dancing and entertainment in the Grand Dining Room, wine tasting with the hotel's sommelier and a farewell dinner on Wednesday evening.
Illinois
644 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL, 877-946-8357
Wave at the W Lakeshore
Get an insider's view of Chicago's hip restaurant scene by taking a class at W Lakeshore's Wave, a small-plates Mediterranean restaurant. Chef Kristine Subido's new monthly "Global Kitchen" cooking class on the second Saturday afternoon (2:30–4:30 PM) of each month explores flavors and spices from various world destinations, beginning with a theme cocktail followed by a cooking demo and dinner with the chef at a festively decorated communal table. April is Spain, May is Philippines and June is Provence.
After the class, you can reward yourself for a job well done at the W Lakeshore's Bliss Spa.
Cost: Each class is $35 per person and includes instructions, gift bag, cocktails and food. The W offers a special room rate starting at $199 per night for guests taking the class. To book, call the reservations number at 1-877-822-0000 and request the COOK rate at W Chicago-Lakeshore.
New Hampshire
Squam Lake, Rte. 3, Holderness, NH, 603-968-3348
This romantic New England inn set in a century-old English manor house overlooking Squam Lake offers "Fork in the Road Cooking Classes," which are weekend-long epicurean escapes that begin with dinner on Friday night. Guests attend cooking classes on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. "Lobster and Ginger Fused" is scheduled for the weekend of April 20th, when participants will make lobster potstickers, lemongrass-and-ginger-crusted sea bass, lobster risotto and ginger crème brûlée. For the weekend of May 18th, students will make shrimp-and-plantain lollipops, shrimp scampi and banana Bacardi cheesecake as part of "Shrimp Gone Bananas." There will be more cooking weekends scheduled for later in the summer, so check in with the hotel if you're interested.
Cost: Packages range from $600 to $1,050, depending on the room booked, and includes two nights' accommodations and all meals for two, cooking classes for one ($75 additional for the second person), a recipe book and a surprise gift.
New Mexico
303 E. Alameda, Santa Fe, NM, 888-984-2121
With its hot tubs, courtyards and proximity to Santa Fe's art galleries, it's easy to overlook one of the great perks of the Inn on the Alameda: its partnership with the Santa Fe School of Cooking. The inn regularly offers its Muy Sabrosa Cooking School packages ("muy sabrosa" means very tasty) that allow you to take advantage of the school and learn the secrets of Southwestern cuisine.
Cost: The package includes two nights' accommodations, a two-and-a-half-hour cooking class and lunch for two at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, breakfast daily, afternoon wine and cheese reception daily and 20% off at Ristra restaurant. The price for two people ranges from $320 to $648 according to the time of year and type of room booked.
Tennessee
2800 Opryland Dr., Nashville, TN, 888-976-2000
Gaylord Opryland
Nashville's massive resort is a world unto itself – there's even an indoor river – so it's not surprising that it was the filming location for RFD-TV's The Campfire Café, an open-fire cooking show hosted by Pamela Alford and Larry Wisehart. Now the Campfire Café duo is back to hold demonstration cooking classes in the resort's open-air amphitheater on April 20th and 21st, June 1st and 2nd, July 6th and 7th and September 21st and 22nd. On August 18th, the Opryland will welcome an even bigger name chef – Alton Brown of Food Network's Good Eats. Brown will give a seminar full of his signature kitchen science.
Cost: For both the Campfire Café duo and Alton Brown, the Opryland offers basic and VIP packages. For Campfire Café, a basic package for one night's accommodation begins at $95 per person (based on double occupancy) and includes the demonstration, while the VIP package for one night's accommodation begins at $168 per person (based on double occupancy) and includes a VIP dinner and a cookbook as well. For Alton Brown, a basic package for one night's accommodation begins at $115 per person (based on double occupancy) and includes his seminar, while the VIP package begins at $186 per person (based on double occupancy) and includes a meet-and-greet and a photo opportunity too.
Texas
1705 S. Quinlan Park Rd., Austin, TX, 800-847-5637
Lake Austin Spa Resort
You won't get bored at this 19-acre lakeside resort in Hill Country. In addition to boating, hiking, yoga and plenty of other activities, cooking classes are offered daily in its lakefront kitchen. Notable chefs frequently teach special classes. John Ash, who is a faculty member of The Professional Wine Studies Program at the CIA Greystone and author of From the Earth to the Table: John Ash's Wine Country Cuisine, will arrive on April 9th. Cheryl Jamison, co-author of The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining, will be there on May 19th.
Cost: Base rates begin at $1455 per person; the price includes all classes and the three-night minimum stay.
Vermont
48 Lower Waterford Rd., Lower Waterford, VT, 800-762-8669
Cooking Class at Rabbit Hill Inn
Make your weekends last a little longer and taste a lot better by attending an "Inn Good Taste" Cooking Class Getaway at this historic inn in rural Vermont. These two-night escapes begin on Sunday night with a "class celebration dinner" featuring a five-course tasting menu with wine pairings. The three-hour cooking class is on Monday, followed by an intimate three-course dinner à deux.
On May 20th and 21st, students will learn how to make tuna carpaccios, lamb tartare and lobster-and-scallop ceviche as part of an "In the Raw"-themed class. On June 3rd and 4th, at "Seafood Seductions," they'll make crab salad, lobster tempura and poached halibut. The menu is still being worked out for August 12th and 13th, but it will have a French flair.
Cost: Depending on which room or suite is booked, the price for two people ranges from $680 to $1,000. That price includes two nights' accommodations (based on double occupancy), breakfast and afternoon tea daily, Sunday and Monday night dinners, a three-hour cooking class on Monday and two aprons to take home, as well as all gratuities and service charges.
Washington
411 University St., Seattle, WA, 800-821-8106
Foodies visiting Seattle shouldn't miss the legendary Pike Place Market, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year and offers guided tours (which the concierge can arrange) on Wednesdays–Sundays. A great way to round out the culinary experience is to partake in the elegant Fairmont Olympic's "Savor Seattle" package, which includes a four-course seasonal tasting dinner paired with Washington wines at The Georgian, the hotel's tony French–Pacific Northwest restaurant, and an autographed copy of the Savor Seattle cookbook, which has recipes from Seattle's top restaurants.
Cost: Available year-round every day except for Sundays and Mondays, the "Savor Seattle" package, priced from $499 for two, also includes deluxe accommodations for one night and complimentary overnight valet parking. (Tour of Pike Place market not included in the package.)
West Virginia
300 W. Main St., White Sulphur Springs, WV, 800-453-4858
This one-of-a-kind historical resort in the Allegheney Mountains has been closed for renovations since January but will reopen on April 2nd and will start offering its cooking classes again on June 5th. Covering themes such as "Entertaining Greenbrier Style," "The Perfect Picnic" and "Party in the Pastry Shop," its four-hour hands-on classes for adults will be offered Tuesdays–Saturdays from 9:30 AM–1:30 PM through October 27th. Two-hour classes for children will be offered through September 1st on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; themes include "I'll Make Supper" and "Snazzy Snacks."
Cost: Each adult class costs $208 per person, which includes a class memento and lunch with a specially selected glass of wine. Each children's class costs $98, which includes a midday snack.
International
Anguilla
Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla, 1-264-498-2000, 800-943-3210
At this Caribbean resort, guests are as likely to rave about its unique hydroponic farm and organic gardens as they are its white-sand beaches and turquoise water. To that end, CuisinArt offers several types of cooking classes. On Saturdays from 1–3:30 PM, there's the Master Class, which includes a tour of the farm followed by a demonstration. Held Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, the Hands-On Class lets students prepare food in Santorini's kitchen. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, there's the Dinner Demo Series, which lets diners observe the food that's being made for them from the "Kitchen Stadium."
Cost: The Hands-On Class is $65 and the Master Class is $75, and both include a three-course lunch with wine. The Dinner Demo Series is $95 per person or $140 per person with wine pairings. Check with the hotel about packages that include culinary activities.
Bali
Jimbaran Bay, Indonesia, 800-332-3442
Cooking School at Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay
Guests at this dreamy resort in Bali can take classes at its free-standing cooking school outfitted especially for South Asian cuisine with its noodle boiler and tandoor oven. Three different classes are offered weekdays from 10 AM–1 PM. On Mondays and Thursdays, guests can take Balinese cooking, where they'll learn about local produce and fish. On Tuesdays and Fridays, participants cook regional Asian dishes with spices grown in the hotel's herb garden. Wednesdays spotlight "Spa" cuisine, which includes an introduction to the taste and health benefits of Balinese jamu, locally produced elixirs with a ginger base.
Cost: Each class costs $90 per person. Room rates start at $595 per night.
Canada
100 Front St. W., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 800-441-1414
Chef's Tour of the St. Lawrence Market
Visitors who are interested in Toronto's St. Lawrence Market, a bustling complex that dates back to 1803, will love this stately hotel's "Shop with the Chef" package, which includes a Saturday morning culinary tour of the market guided by one of its chefs followed by a one-hour walking tour with local historian Bruce Bell. Participants have the opportunity to taste fruit at Golden Orchard Fine Foods, Peameal bacon sandwiches at Carousel Bakery and coffee at Pasta Mia.
Cost: For $589 CAD (approximately $524 USD), this package includes two nights' accommodations (Friday and Saturday) for two, market tour and tastings, as well as a six-course dinner for two in Epic, the hotel's high-end French restaurant.
France
15 Place Vendôme, Paris, France, (011-33-1) 43-16-30-70, 800-223-6800
Ritz Paris
Tourists love the luxe Ritz Paris for its opulent rooms and magnificent indoor pool, but there's another reason to stay here: its cooking school, the internationally acclaimed Ecole Ritz Escoffier, which offers a wide variety of classes for both amateurs and professionals. The school is French-English bilingual, so classes are taught in French and translated into English.
Cost: Prices vary widely according to the duration of the class. Unfortunately, the hotel does not offer any packages specifically with cooking classes. But if you are a student at the Ecole, be sure to let the hotel know when booking your room in case a discount is available.
Italy
Campo Santa Maria del Giglio 2467, Venice, Italy, (011-39-041) 794-611, 800-325-3589
It may be difficult to take time away from sightseeing in Venice and devote it to learning how to make the food you're enjoying, but you'll be grateful you did when you're back home. Gritti Palace, a dreamy hotel right on the Grand Canal, has a special cooking demonstration (as opposed to hands-on) school run by the chef of its highly regarded restaurant, Club Del Doge.
Cost: The Hotel Gritti Palace School of Fine Cooking package, offered through The International Kitchen, a Chicago-based tour company, costs 5,500 euros per person for a Grand deluxe or Venetian double (based on double occupancy; 1,050 euros single supplement) or 6,350 euros per person for a Grand Canal double (based on double occupancy; 1,250 euros single supplement), and is available from April 16th–21st, October 15th–20th and November 12th–17th. It includes five nights' accommodations, breakfast and dinner daily, three lunches, two demonstration cooking courses, a wine tasting, a visit to Rialto market with a chef as well as other cultural activities.
Mexico
Retorno del Rey, Km. 36, Cancún, Mexico, 800-241-3333
The Culinary Center at The Ritz-Carlton, Cancún
When the Ritz-Carlton renovated its Cancún resort, it decided to add something to enhance its reputation as an oasis within a touristy town. Its impressive Culinary Center is outfitted with Viking Ranges and has views of the Carribbean. For those who want a break from the sun, the center offers classes at 11 AM and 3 PM, Mondays–Saturdays year-round. Although Mexican cooking and grilling are taught, the classes cover other cuisine too, including Tuscan, Thai and Provencal.
The Culinary Center also offers the following tastings at 6:30 PM: South American wine on Tuesdays, tequila on Thursdays and Mexican wine from the Baja peninsula on Saturdays.
Cost: The Culinary Center package for two includes two cooking classes per stay, one tequila or wine tasting per stay, ocean-view accommodations and daily breakfast. There is a minimum stay of three nights; through April 30th, rates start at $699 per night, and then starting May 1st, rates drop to $469 per night.
Thailand
48 Oriental Ave., Bangkok, Thailand, 866-526-6567
Study Thai cuisine, among the most complex and flavorful in the world, at The Oriental Thai Cooking School at this luxurious Bangkok hotel. Mondays through Saturdays, classes begin at 9:30 AM and end at 12:30 PM, when the students eat lunch from the food they've made. There's a different menu for each day of the week, so students can choose the class according to which dishes they want to learn.
Cost: Each class is $120 per person. The school can arrange private afternoon classes for $150 per class per person. Those who want to take multiple classes should consider The Oriental Thai Cooking School five-night/six-day package, which includes four cooking classes, five nights' accommodations in a Superior River Wing Room, daily breakfast buffet, limousine transfers, "Welcome Dinner" (food only) at The Sala Rim Naam and a 60-minute Jet Lag massage at The Oriental Spa ($1,600 single occupancy, $2,250 double occupancy; prices valid from April through October 15th). The package can be booked any day, year-round.