• Travel,  Turkey

    Bodrum is your next great foodie travel destination

    With incredible food and world class chefs Bodrum on Türkiye‘s Aegean coast should be your next great foodie vacation destination Türkiye’s beguiling capital of Istanbul garners most of the plaudits for its ever evolving food scene. But Bodrum, stretching from the country’s southwest coast into the Aegean Sea, is a culinary destination in itself. The foodie renaissance has also been fuelled by the 2024 arrival of the MICHELIN Guide – with local chefs and produce taking centre stage. Blessed with seafood from the Aegean, wine from grapes grown in the surrounding hills and fresh farm produce, there is a growing community of chefs and restaurateurs showcasing the area’s bounty. Bodrum…

  • Cheese,  New Restaurants

    Curious About Curiosa – Exclusive Interview with Jean-Georges and a sneak peek at his new restaurant at the Four Seasons Doha

    No stranger to Doha’s dining scene, Jean-Georges Vongerichten this week opens Curiosa at the Four Seasons Doha. I had the chance to meet the legendary chef and get a little sneak peek at his new restaurant. Just weeks after opening the multi cuisine concept of Tin Building in New York, Curiosa is the acclaimed chef’s latest foray in Qatar. A laid back Latin cuisine concept, located in the space that used to house the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Curiosa opens just in time for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The hacienda-style venue being helmed by Edgar Hurtado formerly of IKA and Toro Toro – a chef with his own fan base…

  • Cheese,  European Cheese,  Food,  Hotels,  Italy,  Pecorino,  Travel,  wine

    A Room With a View – Four Days in Florence

    When I stepped off the plane in Florence last month, it dawned on me that it had almost been 20 years to the day since I was last in this city. Why I left it so long, I have no idea. But 20 years later I was back – older, a bit wealthier, better dressed but in no way wiser. I had originally planned to visit Rome. But then saw that thanks to Qatar Airways joining One World, I could now book a flight straight through to Florence with a short stop in Rome. I’m relieved to say the city hasn’t changed. It just has more Chinese tourists. I have…

  • Cheese,  Food,  Middle East,  Restaurant Reviews,  wine

    Best of the Brunch – Opal by Gordon Ramsay at St Regis Doha

    I have written before about the concept of brunch in the Middle East – it’s an art form. Hotels compete for the most elaborate buffet, ladies buy new outfits, drivers are booked, mayhem is guaranteed. I love a good brunch – a chance to catch up with friends, gossip and yes, wear the occasional new frock. And this is the thing, buffets drive me crazy. Call me a drama queen, but I like to have my food brought to me. And the idea of dozens of people pawing the prawns before I get to them does make me a little uneasy. Opal by Gordon Ramsay is an outpost of the…