"Know what you want from the vacation experience," said Peggi Clauhs, owner of The Cooking Cottage at Cedar Spring Farms in Pennsylvania. Clauhs has led recreational cooking vacations for 15 years.
"Cooking vacations with 'celebrity chefs' are for die-hard home cooks or professionals looking to expand their repertoire, and are often expensive and don't allow time for sightseeing or relaxing," Clauhs said.
Group tours can provide hassle-free services through package arrangements to clients. Booking through a firm specializing in cooking holiday arrangements provides the customer with the expertise of having prescreened choices to select from.
Those self-booking a cooking vacation should make necessary travel arrangements well in advance. That includes a valid passport if travel is overseas, transportation, lodging, selecting a cooking class in the city you're visiting, and completing the booking arrangements for the class.
According to the Food Vacation.com website, hotel chains offer consistency across locations, while individually owned and operated small hotels or bed and breakfasts offer a more customized experience.
Hands-on cooking class participation affords culinary travelers a window into the culture they are visiting like no other experience.
Clauhs said to avoid restaurant owners who offer cooking classes during the off season. "You might have an excellent chef, but it takes other skills to be a good teacher," Clauhs said.
Be aware of language issues and make sure the instructor can converse in your native language.
Use caution with classes advertising an interpreter, as the information may not be effectively translated, or instructions could get lost during the translation.
