Fresh Bites From the Culinary Travel Scene

Here’s a peek at some of the newest culinary experiences across hotels and destinations worth knowing about.

Culinary Creativity Around the World

USTOA has rolled out a fresh season of Global Kitchen, its ongoing series pairing food and travel, this time spotlighting three new destinations. The 2026 lineup follows chefs, food writers, content creators and local experts through markets and street stalls in Quebec City, Canada; Chongqing, China; and Cali, Colombia.

Each episode digs past standard sightseeing to show how food shapes daily life. In Quebec City, viewers watch maple taffy set on fresh snow, a classic Quebecois technique. In Chongqing, the focus turns to mahua, a twisted fried dough snack sometimes called the “Chinese French fry,” prepared and sold on the street. In Cali, a stop at the Alameda Market showcases South American fruit varieties alongside a demonstration of Colombian tamales wrapped and cooked in plantain leaves.

Beyond the video series, USTOA has released a companion digital cookbook drawing on a wider set of destinations, including Quebec City, Canada; Chongqing, China; Cali, Colombia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Germany; Malta; Finland; Calgary; Yucatan; Turkiye; Madrid; and Hong Kong, China.

“Some of the most memorable travel moments happen around the table,” said USTOA President and CEO Terry Dale in a press statement. He pointed to markets, cooking classes and food tours as entry points into a destination’s traditions, adding that culinary tourism “helps preserve food traditions while supporting local communities.”

For more information, visit ustoa.com/globalkitchen.

Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas is reviving its Mad Hatter Tea at Peacock Alley for a 5-day run this summer, giving guests a themed afternoon tea with Strip views from the 23rd floor.

Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas’s tea lounge will host the event from Wednesday, August 26, through Sunday, August 30. The menu draws on classic afternoon tea format but leans into a storybook theme, mixing familiar courses with unexpected flavor combinations.

The cost covers food and tea service; cocktails are priced separately. Seatings run at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and window seating can be requested for an upgrade fee.

For more information, visit sevenrooms.com or hilton.com.

Sun Siyam Pasikudah, a boutique property on Sri Lanka’s east coast, has put its dining room on the water. The resort’s new Aqua Lounge is a solar-powered floating platform in Pasikudah Bay, reached by catamaran from the shore, and the operator calls it the only such open-ocean dining setup on this stretch of coastline.

The structure measures 400 sq. ft., is built from sustainable timber and recycled barrels, and runs entirely on solar power. The materials tie into Sun Siyam Cares, the group’s sustainability program covering renewable energy, ocean conservation, waste management and community work across its properties.

Guests board for a seven-course menu centered on local seafood and produce, starting with sunset cocktails and continuing into the evening. A private champagne breakfast on the platform is available on request for guests who prefer a quieter start to the day.

The resort also runs school groups from nearby villages out to the platform as part of its community outreach, framing the visits as lessons on the bay and the coral reef beneath it rather than sightseeing trips.

“Pasikudah Bay is extraordinary, the curve of it, the shallow water, the way the evening light falls across it,” said Arshed Refai, general manager of Sun Siyam Pasikudah, in a press statement. “We wanted to put guests right at the center of that, not looking at the ocean from the shore but sitting on it.”

Sun Siyam Pasikudah has 34 pavilions and sits within the Prive Collection of Sun Siyam Resorts. The property is currently offering the Summer Offer, good for stays through October 31, 2027, with savings on guestroom upgrades, dining and spa treatments plus a complimentary spa visit, kayaking session and daily bicycle use.

For more information, visit sunsiyam.com.

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