Around the world with the hottest food and travel profiles.
1. Who are you?
I’m a food-obsessed traveler.
When I first got the travel bug, I was clueless when it came to where and what to eat. So much so that I often wound up eating at fast food chains in some of Europe’s most exciting culinary capitals.
Don’t tell anyone but I even ate LE CROQUE McDo in Paris! (Le Croque McDo is McDonald’s answer to the delicious Croque Monsieur sandwich—a combination of ham and cheese with velvety béchamel oozing out all over the place. Trust me when I tell you the only thing McDonald’s version has in common with the original is the word croque.)
I’ve come a long way since those early days. Since then, I’ve:
- Cooked with a Contessa in a beautiful Italian palazzo.
- Judged a National food competition—the Canadian Culinary Championships.
- Eaten cicchetti with local fishermen in a bacaro in Venice.
- Taken cooking classes at the same school where Julia Child perfected her craft.
- Earned my certification as a Culinary Travel Professional.
- Hunted for truffles in the Tuscan countryside.
- Used a molcajete in the Baja to make authentic salsa.
- Devoured creative tapas at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain.
- Been accepted as a member of the World Gourmet Society.
- Learned how to cook haute cuisine at the luxurious Ritz Paris.
- And so much more!
I’m on a mission now to help people find the best food (and food experiences) when they travel.
2. What is your site, Touramisu, about?
I love the concept, but traditional food tours don’t work for me. Especially since I like to travel solo and off-season. That’s why I created Touramisu, a collection of self-guided food tours.
These tours have everything you need to explore a local cuisine:
- Using only your smartphone or tablet.
- At your own time and pace.
- Without being dependent on a guide or group.
Besides the tours, we also share food travel tips and inspiration on the Touramisu blog.
3. What is one food tip you would give about where you are living now?
I’m lucky to live in the beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada. My hometown, Kelowna, sits smack dab in the middle of a world-class wine region.
This is the place to eat wine country cuisine.
4. What is one travel tip you would give about where you are living now?
Plan to visit the area during one of the Okanagan Wine Festivals. These festivals celebrate the Valley’s wines along with the seasons. The dates for 2018 are:
- Winter Festival: January 12 – January 21, 2018
- Spring Festival: May 3 – May 13, 2018
- Summer Festival: August 11, 2018
- Fall Festival: September 28 – October 8, 2018
5. What is the best thing to eat where you are living now?
During the summer, I can’t get enough of the famous goat cheese gelato at Carmelis Goat Cheese Artisan. Another local favorite is the wine-flavored macarons at Sandrine French Pastry & Chocolate.
Heather is a writer, photographer and explorer of the world with bylines in Archaeology Magazine, Porthole Cruise Magazine, Taste & Travel, amongst others. She is addicted to pen, paper, hotels, organisation and hippos. In addition to Travel Gluttons, you can find her over at Cloggie Central.