Where Do Chefs Go To Eat While On Vacation?

When it comes to the best places to eat on vacation, you can usually trust a chef’s opinion. Sure, they might be biased and say that their own restaurants are worth checking out. However, these people live and breathe food, so when they find something they love, they don’t tend to keep it to themselves. They want others to experience the amazing tastes that they encounter.

So, if you’re planning a trip somewhere and aren’t sure about where to dine, it’s definitely worth seeing if any chefs have something to say about the area. Alternatively, you could base where you go on the recommendations offered by these culinary experts. So, where do chefs go to eat while on vacation?

Pierre Thiam found a lot to love during a culinary trip to Copenhagen

During a trip to Copenhagen in 2023, Pierre Thiam - the chef behind Teranga - headed to Copenhagen and found several spots worth sharing with the world. The first place he visited during his stay was Hooked, where he had great things to say about their battered and fried herring sandwich. Rosford & Rosforth was another place he liked, with Thiam advising people to go there during strawberry season, as you can enjoy this fruit fresh by the canal. Sanchez stood out, too, with its take on Mexican cuisine in a Scandinavian environment, definitely something you don’t see every day. While that place was more of a splurge, it was worth it for the unexpected blend of culture. Meanwhile, if you like a relaxed ambiance, Pierre recommends Il Buco.

Asma Khan found Italian perfect at Spaghetti Jazz in a Bangladesh city

You probably aren’t heading to Bangladesh looking for Italian food. However, we live in a world where so many different cuisines are available no matter where you are in the world. That’s how you find a place like Spaghetti Jazz in Dhaka, which Darjeeling Express’ Asma Khan fell in love with. Shaheen Khan is the owner of the restaurant, and her passion for Italian dining helped the spot to thrive at a time when the city had few Western food options available. When Asma dined there, Spaghetti Jazz had been around for several decades, and the quality of the food proved how that longevity was possible. She reportedly ordered the lobster with fresh spaghetti and garlic butter - and couldn’t wait to share the discovery.

Monica Galetti is a fan of Restaurant Villa Más in Spain

When Monica Galetti of Mere vacationed in Spain, there were several places that stood out to her. Celler Can Roca was one of them, and it was a spot she already considered a favorite. Another was Restaurant Villa Más, located in Sant Feliu de Guixols near Girona. This place apparently stood out because it was able to offer something simple but done perfectly. The restaurant specializes in seafood, and Monica apparently ordered a plate of local langoustines in olive oil and salt that perfectly matched the region’s atmosphere. The food was apparently so good that Galetti ate there again just two days later.

Angela Hartnett recommends heading to Tokyo if you want tempura at its best

You can find amazing tempura in places like New York and London. However, if you want it at its best, Angela Hartnett of Murano recommends heading to Tokyo. When she vacationed there with her partner, she found two spots that did the food better than anywhere she’d ever been before. The first notable restaurant was Mikawa Zezankyo, which kept things simple while still going all out on the flavors. The menu alone is enough to make you fall in love, as it was full of pictures of what was on offer. The other spot Hartnett loved was Miyagawa, a tempura bar that was limited in space but bustling with history. She said the food here was the best of the best, a huge compliment given it was all made by one person.

Kwame Onwuachi found some amazing places to check out while in Jamaica

Not all chefs have much time to vacation, as Tatiana’s Kwame Onwuachi knows well. Still, they find opportunities where they can, which is what Kwame did while on a work trip to Jamaica. When he wasn’t busy with a shoot, he hit up some amazing restaurants, including Kingston’s Devon House. It’s apparently somewhere he always goes whenever he travels to this city, with the grape nut ice cream hitting the spot for him. If you want to try ackee and salt fish - Owuachi’s breakfast recommendation - Ziggy is somewhere he couldn’t stay away from during the trip. Meanwhile, if you can score a spot at the very exclusive Belinda’s in Port Antonio, you may just get the best curry goat in the world.

Not everywhere that a professional chef dines is going to be to the average diner’s taste, nor will it agree with their bank account. However, it’s still worth knowing where and what they like to eat on vacation because you never know when you might find a new favorite place to dine.