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Luxurious Bucket List Experiences for Foodies
Written by Ashleigh Whitehill
From elegant afternoon teas to Michelin-starred meals and dining in a rainforest canopy, these luxurious experiences deserve a spot on every foodie’s bucket list.
Forget the ordinary – these luxurious foodie adventures are straight out of your dreams. Imagine touching down amid Napa Valley vines via helicopter or witnessing culinary prowess up close at a private chef’s table. Craving something whimsical? Indulge in high tea at a high-society hotel or take a tour far away with your favourite celebrity chefs to unlock a country’s soul through its gastronomy.
Want to tantalise your tastebuds and create memories that linger long after the last bite? Read on for the most exceptional bucket list foodie experiences.
Join a celebrity chef-guided tour
Ever wonder where top chefs eat when they travel? Signature Series offers the once-in-a-lifetime chance to travel through some of the world’s most spectacular destinations – including Sri Lanka, Vietnam and India – under the guidance of your favourite chefs, with names like Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and Miguel Maestre guiding you through a region’s culinary heart. Sprinkle your days with exclusive market visits, street food tours and cooking demonstrations alongside classic cultural stops. Then, savour multi-course meals at renowned restaurants and hidden local haunts, each personally chosen by your chef-guides. Plus, Signature Series ensures that you’ll travel and sleep in style, with the most luxurious stays each country can offer.
Feast on Rick Stein’s acclaimed seafood
The legendary Rick Stein is known to all foodies as the modern seafood master. Although the British chef’s iconic The Seafood Restaurant is located in Padstow in the UK, he splits his time between England and the New South Wales’ coastline, where he has two further restaurants, Bannisters Pavilion Mollymook and Bannisters Port Stephens. Specialising in the freshest seafood and seasonal ingredients, cooked simply to allow the flavours to shine, the restaurants offer a wonderful place to enjoy a seaside lunch.
Dine at a Michelin three-star restaurant
It’s the pinnacle of culinary achievement, and only 144 restaurants in the world (as of 2024) currently hold the honour of three Michelin stars. According to Michelin, while one-starred restaurants are worth a stop and two-starred spots are worth a detour, three-starred venues stand apart as meriting an entire journey planned around them. Through unique style and personality, these extraordinary restaurants boast menus step beyond everyday dining, whisking you to culinary worlds that are utterly delicious.
Take a wine tasting by helicopter tour
Soar above rolling hills and lush vineyards in unparalleled style on a boutique wine country tour by helicopter. It’s an intimate way to experience the world’s most prestigious food and wine regions, from Bordeaux’s esteemed estates to the sun-drenched slopes of Rioja and the sprawling vistas of Napa Valley. Touch down from your scenic journey and immerse yourself in exclusive cellar door tastings among the vines. This Margaret River region tour even pairs tipples with a multi-course meal, during which you can listen to winemaking secrets and local history as you sip away the afternoon.
Book a chef’s table experience to see culinary art in action
For an intimate experience unlike any other, dine at a chef’s table. From your seat before the kitchen’s stage, you’ll gain insight into the inner workings of a restaurant – witness the meticulous skill and dedication required to craft high-end cuisine and watch as masterful chefs create, almost as if by magic, a dazzling selection of mouthwatering dishes.
Enjoy wine tasting in the heart of the Hunter Valley
As one of Australia’s oldest and most celebrated wine regions, the Hunter Valley is home to some 150 cellar doors. Regarded as the birthplace of Australian winemaking, the region’s viticulture history dates back to the 1800s. Of course, wherever there is good wine, good food follows, with an abundance of paddock-to-plate fare and local produce to complement every drop. For a stay in the heart of the valley, you can’t go past Château Élan at The Vintage.
Try high tea at a high-end hotel
Pass an afternoon in refined charm during a high tea to remember. Book a decadent afternoon tea at the likes of The Plaza Hotel in New York, The Ritz London or Raffles Singapore and indulge in delicate finger sandwiches, decadent petit fours and fluffy scones served warm with clotted cream and fresh preserves. Experience impeccable service and imported loose-leaf tea as you drink from fine china, or spirit your afternoon away with a bottle of champagne as you relish your bite-sized treats in utter luxury.
Eat in one of the world’s most unique dining settings
Looking for an adventure that goes beyond the palate? Fear not – you can find a plethora of unusual, piquant dining experiences in every corner of the world. At Under in Norway, guests venture more than five metres underwater to sample seasonally driven Nordic dishes as waves lap along the ceiling and fish swim by. If you prefer to take to the sky, visit Thailand’s Soneva Kiri where you can dine in a bamboo pod, suspended above the Gulf of Thailand in a tropical rainforest canopy. And on the ground in Peru’s Sacred Valley, Mil offers an Indigenous-inspired degustation overlooking ancient Incan ruins. Fancy a trip to the Maldives instead? Waterside dining overlooking turquoise lagoons, here you come.
Looking for more inspiration? Discover the World’s Most Romantic Restaurants.
Featured image: Il Salviatino, Tuscany. Supplied.
