Overview
Be it a Provencal feast or a Tuscan garden wedding; A Chinese New Year ritual or a traditional Scottish highlands banquet, food is a timeless and essential ingredient that goes hand in hand with travel and celebration.
With this in mind, Steve and Laura created Vagabond Gourmet, a luxury culinary travel company that pairs the exhilaration of the journey with the art of the table. They have spent a lifetime exploring, creating and celebrating extraordinary cuisine, and now they invite you to join them on a culinary adventure of a lifetime in Europe, Asia, North America and Central America.
Whether you’re a serious gourmet, a serious gourmand, a serious chef or you just seriously need a break; Vagabond Gourmet is serving up a taste of the world on a silver platter… one bite at a time.
Live like royalty in a beautiful chateau, villa or country estate and immerse yourself in the ultimate gastronomic experience. All accommodations have been thoughtfully chosen to combine the ingredients of luxury living with the comforts of being at home.
Love the opportunity to quench your thirst for extraordinary and desire to explore distant places. Itineraries are constantly changing and are carefully planned to satiate and satisfy any desire, whether you are a seasoned voyager or first time visitor.
Laugh and maybe even get a little silly with new friends while sipping wine (or perhaps a little limoncello) under a star-soaked sky. Whatever the destination, it’s always the people you are with that make the journey memorable. Indulge in an experience with those who, like you, appreciate fine food and travel.
Eat the highest quality gourmet food from local artisans, producers and masters of fine cuisine who all share a contagious passion for cooking. In the kitchen, all the ingredients used by Laura and her guest chefs are the best and freshest available. You can roll up your sleeves to learn from the masters, or sit back and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Whatever your pleasure, eating well is guaranteed.
Philosophy
Vagabond’s mission is designing exciting cooking vacations and gourmet travels for the first-time visitor who wants to fill their plate with everything possible or for the experienced traveler looking for an edible journey. You can roll up your sleeves to learn from the masters, or sit back and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.
In the kitchen, all the ingredients used by Laura and her guest chefs are the best and freshest available. Laura has a legendary style for artfully presented cuisine and enticing menus.
Seared Foie Gras with Grilled White Peaches, Fig Jam and Armagnac Glaze sets the tone for one dinner n Dordogne while another begins a woodsy Grilled Chanterelle Salad with Smoked Magret. Grilling a Rosemary Scented Leg of Lamb with a Cahors Reduction and learning to prepare a lusty Cassoulet with homemade sausages and duck confit are some of the wonderful dishes we’ll enjoy before a sublime Three Berry Crepe with Crème Anglasie and Grand Marnier.
In Tuscany, Vagabond adds both classic and creative spins to the repertoire, including hands-on pasta lessons to prepare Tagliatelle with Fresh Tomato Sauce, Tortelli with Spinach Ricotta and Sage Butter and Gnocchi Nudi. Other classics like Caccicucco “Tuscan Fish Stew, Baccala and Potato Cakes with Roasted Pepper Aioli are paired with Wood Roasted Loin of Pork with Rosemary, Apricots, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Chianti Blackberry Jus. A Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Twice Baked Eggplant and Balsamic Vinegar, and Tomato Pine Nut Vinaigrette served with Osso Buco and a Black Truffle Gremolata with Saffron "Strozzapretti always bring rave reviews. Learn to make the festive ‘Torta’.
In Provence, “Bouillabaisse” night is outstanding because of the unique fish from Vagabond’s favorite fishmonger and The Lavender Scented Crème Brulee with Wild Strawberries and Pastis Chocolate Pot du Crème rank two of Vagabond’s most favorite desserts ever. The local wines are magnificent and with nearby Chateauneuf du Pape sipping under the evening stars of Provence is delightful.
Culinary adventures in the U.S. give Vagabond an opportunity to show off their talents with the fusion and diversity of the regions. Santa Fe cuisine mixes new and old in an Adobo Seared Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Shiitake Mushroom Flan, Chipotle Tomato Butter and Onion Straws and a lesson in tamales making for Spice Rubbed Rack of Lamb with Sweet Potato Tamales, Dried Cherries, Hazelnuts and Grand Marnier Honey Butter.
Key West has a vibrant style called Floribbean and the flavors of Latin America, Cuba and the Caribbean give us Coconut Lobster Tempura with Roasted Corn Flan, with Key Line Coconut Chili Sauce, Grilled Florida Gulf Black Grouper with Key Lime Champagne Beurre Blanc, Citrus Slashed Ceviche with Passion Fruit Vinaigrette, and Bermuda Fried Onions Straws and Alize Soaked Chicken with Jamaican Banana Butter.
The foods of the Orient are best described as some of the most exotic creations in the world and learning inside a Hong Kong kitchen or private home in Shanghai is the type of unique experience Vagabond is pleased to offer clients.
Essential to a well-crafted tour means having a remarkable team assembled, each bringing a special talent and knowledge to enhance your experience. Vagabond works diligently to develop partnerships with people as passionate as they are about food, wine and adventure. The team includes food artisans, regional wine experts, historians and simply people who love sharing their favorite discoveries or off the beaten track discoveries.
Finding the best gelato in Italy or preparing the worlds best Cassoulet together in France is what Vagabond loves to do. Savoring the local flavors from markets, seeking the perfect small bistro or inviting guest chefs to join them in their kitchen is what Vagabond believes makes a perfect recipe.
As event professionals, Vagabond brings many years of experience to itineraries and love to add special touches to create an “occasion” for the nightly feasts.
Whatever the destination, it’s always the people you are with that make the journey memorable. Indulge in an experience with those who, like you, appreciate fine food and travel.
History
A humble beginning as a salad girl in Boston led to a 35-year career as chef and caterer extraordinaire for Laura in Tampa, Florida. The grand events, galas, special occasions, weddings, and parties of all kinds are too numerous to count. Fulfilling dreams was our hallmark and going beyond our clients expectations.
Together with husband and partner Steve, they grew A La Carte Catering into a premier company known for excellent food and cutting edge style. A La Carte Event Pavilion opened in December 2000. This award-winning state of the art event facility was nearly the largest event space in Tampa seating a 1,000 people providing stellar cuisine with Laura’s still made from scratch recipes. Along with a brilliant event design the Event Pavilion brought us much success.
After 25 years, our mission was complete, and we closed this chapter of our story.
During the past 14 years Steve and Laura shared a new love as well: their love for travel, new adventures, great food and wine.
With Vagabond Gourmet we invite you to our favorite discoveries to enjoy, laugh and, of course, to eat. We hope to see you in our kitchen soon.
Services
Vagabond Gourmet can plan the celebration of a lifetime whether it’s a destination wedding weddings, hallmark birthday, anniversary or family reunion. We have decades of experience in event planning.
If an Italian villa with a garden ceremony and Tuscan feast, or a medieval banquet in a French castle sounds more like the wedding of your dreams we have extraordinary locations and ideas for.
Whether you are planning a unique offsite meeting for your management staff, or you simply want to say thanks to your top performers, Vagabond Gourmet serves up the right mix of business and pleasure in incentive travel. Unique itineraries in destinations around the globe not only offer great incentives, but also encourage an environment of camaraderie and loyalty.
Inspire your employees to achieve greatness by living like kings in a magnificent Loire chateau, or taking your high rollers to Hong Kong. Follow up your annual sales meeting with an Italian themed feast and Roman ruin tour or cut loose on a Whiskey Trail & Golf outing in Scotland. Challenge your new team with Iron Chef Team Building activity on a California Wine Estate.
Affiliations
- Square Trade
- Better Business Bureau On Line
- Travel Guard International
- Slow Food
- Framco
- International Association of Culinary Travel
Payments Accepted
- American Express
- MasterCard
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Reservation Policy
A deposit of $600.00 per person is required to secure a booking. Reservations will be confirmed upon receipt of the deposits and a signed booking form. If the reservation is made within 60 days of the date of travel, full payment is due. Vagabond Gourmet must receive the final payment no less than 60 days prior to the first day of travel. Failure to do so may result in the reservation being cancelled.
Cancellation Policy
Should you cancel 61 days or more before your original travel date no further payments are due. Cancellations 60 days or less will receive a 50% refund. All deposits and other payments will be available for use on future Vagabond Gourmet excursions. There can be no exceptions to this. Medical emergencies will be covered under travel insurance, which is highly recommended. No refunds will be given for attendees departing early.
Other Travel Offerings
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