Forbes Travel Guide Stories

Chefs, Interviews

Curtis Stone On Hong Kong’s Food Scene And Why He Packs Dirty Laundry In His Carry-On

Stone is ready to take us all on a “Field Trip.” Credit: Stephanie Teng

When Curtis Stone isn’t in the kitchen at his restaurants Maude and Gwen in L.A. or Woodend in Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya in Mexico, the celebrity chef traverses the globe seeking culinary inspiration for his TV show Field Trip with Curtis Stone.

You can see his food-filled adventures when the third season premieres July 2 on Peacock. But you can also get a taste of it with a new Hong Kong episode — Field Trip’s first Asian destination — that’s already streaming on PBS. “This is one of the most fascinating places in the world to eat,” he said during the hourlong special.

We talked to the genial Australian chef about eating his way through Hong Kong, where he’s traveling next and why he only packs dirty laundry in his carry-on.

Chef Vicky Cheng shows Stone around. Credit: Stephanie Teng

Why did you decide to go to Hong Kong for your first Field Trip episode in Asia?

I’ve been to Hong Kong before and I couldn’t wait to return. There is so much history there and an incredible confluence of the old and the new.

What do you like to eat when you’re in Hong Kong? 

Everything and anything. I lean into finding ingredients and dishes I can’t get anywhere else. Regional dishes are also key to my choices. Some highlights for me were learning the centuries-old technique for making tofu at Kung Wo Beancurd Factory and trying the sweet version, which I had never tasted; watching chef Vicky Cheng of Vea rehydrate the dried seafood we purchased on Des Voeux Road West and use French technique to make a Michelin-starred dish; and the Ping Yuen chicken prepared by chef David Lai at his restaurant, Neighborhood.

What inspired you about Hong Kong’s culinary scene?

The diversity of the culinary scene is so inspirational. Eating dim sum in a local spot, frog legs at a hot pot joint, street food and then, Michelin restaurants. There is something for everyone.

I’d love to get to a few more fine dining restaurants on my next trip. The Chairman and Wing, Vicky Cheng’s other restaurant, were just included on the World’s 50 Best list, and I’d like to check them off.

We traveled in April, and I’d plan my next trip in another season to experience different ingredients. Hong Kong’s Wine and Dine Festival is scheduled for October. It’s an epic culinary showcase for all epicureans to experience and enjoy Hong Kong’s amazing food scene during one event.

Stone gets a lesson in wing chun kung fu. Credit: Stephanie Teng

What’s one dish from the episode that you still think about? 

ArChan Chan of Ho Lee Fook restaurant took me to a neighborhood dim sum spot that she frequents on her days off. The dim sum master at Saam Hui Yaat has been creating the perfect har gao [shrimp dumplings] for the past 40 years. He is literally tucked away in this room folding hundreds of these snacks a day. ArChan showed such deference for his craft as well. It was wonderful to see the respect shown to an older generation in the kitchen.

What surprised you about Hong Kong’s dining scene? 

As I was saying, I was pleasantly surprised about the generational component of the culinary scene. We met a few people who had other careers before returning to Hong Kong to support the family business. Renee So left a career in finance to support her father in growing his tofu business. She used her real-world savvy to expand operations at Kung Wo Beancurd Factory and hasn’t looked back.

Mr. Lee is making shrimp paste with his father. They are one of two makers on Tai O baking these bricks of paste in the sun. It’s an ingredient essential to Cantonese cooking, and it’s a dying art.

Stone learns from Po Po. Credit: Stephanie Teng

Aside from eating, what else did you enjoy doing in Hong Kong? 

I really enjoyed my time in Tai O, the fishing village on Lantau Island. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before and felt like being on a movie set. People living in stilted houses, fishermen selling their catch from their boats, women hanging laundry from balconies and men slamming mah-jongg tiles. It’s a life completely reliant on the water.

It was the first location we shot during this episode. We walked the streets on our way to meet the shrimp paste maker and by happenstance met Po Po, a woman in her 80s who was separating the whites and yolks from duck eggs and curing them in the sun. I pulled up a stool and she schooled me — that was all organic and just an incredible experience for me. 

We also visited the Sai Kung peninsula with its live seafood markets and waterfront restaurants. I just wasn’t aware of all the nature in Hong Kong. Many of us think of the skyscrapers, neon and bustling city life, and of course, there is the shopping and museums. But nature is, quite honestly, in its backyard.

Where are you traveling next? 

I had some business in Amsterdam and, since [my sons] are on break, we spent some time there this summer, with a pit stop in Paris — my oldest wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. Then, we are off to Sweden for a spell.

Catching up with chef ArChan Chan. Credit: Stephanie Teng

Do you have a wellness routine while traveling? 

Walking more than anything else. Seeing a city on foot, even with an incredible underground, is the way to go. It also makes me feel a bit like a local and you find more hole-in-the-wall and hidden spots when you’re not zooming past them in a taxi or an Uber. 

What do you pack on your carry-on? 

Dirty clothes. I know it sounds insane, but I travel so often and prefer to only take a carry-on to hustle through the airport and avoid lines. My trick is to take clothes that I don’t need to worry about getting crumpled and wrinkled and have everything laundered and pressed at the hotel when I get to my destination. Obviously, that’s not something I do when I’m with my family, but it is kind of genius for business travel.

What are you working on next?

I’m hoping to get back to Australia soon and shoot more there. It’s always been a mission of mine to expose people to my roots and have them get to Oz to travel. There are parts even I haven’t been to yet. It’s such a rich culture and vast area to explore.

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Attractions and Landmarks, Guide

Explore Hong Kong’s Evolving Harborfront

There’s a lot to dive into these days by the water. Credit: Hong Kong Tourism Board

Victoria Harbour has long been Hong Kong’s pride and joy. Awash with tugboats, cruise ships, ferries and the occasional floating art installation, the storied waterway flows between a canyon of skyscrapers right through the city’s heart. 

Historically, the land around the harbor was predominantly used for maritime trade and shipping. In the late 20th century, when the city’s main port moved northwest of Kowloon, urban planners saw an opportunity to rethink the industrial waterfront spaces and capitalize on their scenic potential for tourism and recreation. 

On either side of the dazzling waterway, the shoreline has become a magnet for revitalization projects. From a new promenade connecting Central and Causeway Bay to the art-fueled West Kowloon Cultural District, several recently revamped waterfront areas have made Victoria Harbour all the more alluring. 

If you’re ready to explore the coastline, here’s how to make the most of the city’s shape-shifting harborfront on your next trip to Hong Kong. 

Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town 

Home to indie art galleries, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and traditional mom-and-pop shops, Hong Kong Island’s Western district has a laidback vibe that’s easy to fall in love with. And now, the waterfront area adds yet another calling card. 

Stretching about 2.5 miles along the harbor’s edge, the recently revitalized Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town promenades (linked together via a side street) offer a pleasant morning stroll, thanks to pedestrian-only boardwalks, landscaped green areas, community gardens, outdoor seating, art installations and playgrounds.  

After taking in the harbor views in Kennedy Town, don’t miss a chance to dine at an old-school dim sum spot, like Sun Hing, or an alfresco restaurant by the water, such as Breeze Bistro, a casual Mediterranean eatery with incredible sunset vistas. 

A posh place on the peninsula. Credit: Regent Hong Kong

Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade 

Anchoring the Kowloon peninsula is Tsim Sha Tsui, a lively district known for its shopping, dining, markets and cultural experiences. Over the past decade, the vibrant waterfront stretch in front of the historic Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star The Peninsula Hong Kong has dramatically transformed.   

Among the highlights is the recently renovated Hong Kong Museum of Art, home to a vast collection of ancient Chinese and contemporary international art. Keep walking east along the water, and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Victoria Dockside, a culture and design district with green spaces and alfresco art installations. The revamped Avenue of Stars (lined with celebrity statues and handprints), ultra-luxurious Five-Star Rosewood Hong Kong, shopping and art hub K11 MUSEA and lots of outdoor spots to relax and unwind are also nearby. 

Regent Hong Kong is another new face on the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. This serene waterfront hideaway was the place to see and be seen in the 1980s when it first opened. After a couple of decades as InterContinental Hong Kong, the Regent is back and better than ever, thanks to a new look and feel envisioned by Hong Kong-born architect Chi Wing Lo. 

If you’ve worked up an appetite, don’t miss the refreshed experience at Nobu Hong Kong, which returned earlier this year after pressing pause during the hotel renovations. Just around the corner, newcomers like The Dining Room at Rosewood promise refined Italian gastronomy in a beautiful atmosphere with a fantastic bar and vast wine cellar.  

Enjoy astounding harbor views from your suite. Credit: The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

West Kowloon Cultural District

Just 10 years ago, the West Kowloon peninsula was still a massive construction site embattled by delays. Things started moving in 2016 when key venues began opening across the 100-acre peninsula built on reclaimed land. First came the M+ Pavilion for exhibitions, then the Freespace music venue and later the Xiqu Centre for traditional Chinese theater. 

As more venues debuted on the banks of the harbor, they slowly created the vibrant hub for art lovers you’ll find today. The lush, peaceful waterfront destination is now home to nearly 20 cultural venues, including heavy hitters like the flagship M+ museum and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, as well as countless restaurants and cafés. 

After perusing the diverse exhibitions or catching a show, try Rest Coffee Gin, PANO or Mosu Hong Kong (the offshoot of the well-regarded Mosu in Seoul). If you’re keen to stay nearby, we recommend Five-Star The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, which has witnessed the peninsula’s transformation up close. Here, you’ll enjoy astounding harbor views from the top floors of the ICC — the tallest building in Hong Kong.

Cardinal Point’s bird’s-eye view. Credit: Cardinal Point

Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay 

Long divided into slices, the roughly 2.5-mile stretch between Central and Causeway Bay has finally been stitched together by walking paths and public parks. The reimagined waterfront spaces now feature massive event venues for festivals like Clockenflap or the Hong Kong Wine and Dine, manicured gardens and plenty of space to stretch out with a good book and a bottle of wine. 

If you have little ones in tow, head east to Wan Chai, where you’ll find a new water sports center full of family-friendly fun. Rent pedal boats for a cruise around the water, refuel at the new HarbourFun rooftop restaurant and bar, perse pop-up art installations or soak up the atmosphere on the colorful harborfront staircase. 

Continue to Causeway Bay to check out the historic typhoon shelter, where Hong Kong’s fishermen have found refuge from punishing typhoons for decades, then retrace your steps to Central, where you’ll see lots of new places to dine and unwind. Make a reservation at Argo, the Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong’s glittering new bar, or take it all in from above at swanky Cardinal Point, a new rooftop restaurant and lounge atop Landmark Mall.

Take to the water

Of course, there’s no better way to experience Victoria Harbour than with an hour or two on the water. Choose from cheerful Star Ferry rides to more luxurious affairs. For example, the Dukling harbor cruise invites passengers aboard an authentic Chinese junk boat with iconic red sails to see the sights while learning about Hong Kong’s maritime culture. 

Meanwhile, the Aqualuna embarks on a stylish, modern junk boat ride with comfortable loungers and cocktails. It’s perfect for an evening cruise to see the Symphony of Lights — a choreographed multimedia show featuring synchronized lights, music and lasers across iconic buildings like the Bank of China Tower, the HSBC Building and the ICC. 

Even The Peninsula Hong Kong has joined the fun. Last year, the 1928 hotel launched Afternoon Tea Voyages aboard a renovated Star Ferry. While sipping bubbly and nibbling on delectable scones, you’ll enjoy live music, stunning skyline views and a front-row seat to Hong Kong’s evolving waterfront. 

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History, Hotels

Stay In A Prince’s Paris Palace With Dazzling Eiffel Tower Views

Enjoy Eiffel Tower views at Shangri-La Paris. Credit: Shangri-La Paris

Whether you are among the 15 million tourists heading to Paris for the Olympics or the nearly 37 million visitors who come to the city throughout the year, one stop on your itinerary should be Shangri-La Paris.

The City of Light is filled with some of the world’s best properties, but here are some ways that this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel outshines the others.

A Rich History

Many Paris hotels tout a “Palace” title, a government designation given to upscale properties with exceptional locations and top-tier service. And while Shangri-La Paris easily earns that status, it was a bona fide palace for Prince Roland Bonaparte, Napoleon’s grandnephew, when it was built in 1896.

The prince was a geographer and a botanist, and his home was the world’s largest private herbarium at the time with more than 2.5 million plant species, including nearly half of the planet’s flowers. Fittingly, it’s the first European hotel to earn Forbes Travel Guide’s VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality badge, marrying 19th-century opulence with 21st-century environmental consciousness.

L’Appartement Prince Bonaparte overlooks Avenue d’Iéna. Credit: Shangri-La Paris

Rooms with a View

You can stay in Bonaparte’s former quarters. The one-bedroom L’Appartement Prince Bonaparte offers a Directoire design in blue and gold, 16-foot ceilings with crown molding and gilt work, Versailles-style parquet floors, a living room, a dining area and a full butler’s kitchen.

While the prince’s suite is impressive, the hotel’s crowning glory is the accommodations with Eiffel Tower views. About half of the hotel’s 100 rooms and suites offer front-row seats to Paris’ Iron Lady and the Seine. Come nightfall, you’ll find yourself drawn to the windows, awaiting the tower’s hourly five-minute sparkle — a light show that never loses its magic.

The light-filled accommodations exude classic elegance with azure, white and ivory hues. They also incorporate subtle nods to the hotel brand’s Asian heritage with chinoiserie touches like black lacquer dressers and silk-threaded wallpaper. The marble bathrooms, with Guerlain amenities, standalone tubs and heated floors, elevate the experience from luxurious to utterly indulgent.

Sit under the dome and Murano chandelier at La Bauhinia. Credit: Shangri-La Paris

Fine Food and Drinks

A soaring glass dome makes the two-story, all-day restaurant La Bauhinia feel light and airy, and in the summer, the leafy terrace opens for alfresco dining. Mornings here are a celebration of French pastry. The breakfast buffet is a treasure trove of delicacies, from strawberry-filled madeleines to flaky croissants. Pair your pastry with an all-natural Nutella-like spread, freshly made with the press of a button.

As the day progresses, La Bauhinia pivots to a menu of inventive seafood small plates like the crispy rice with tuna and a decadent caviar topping. But it’s the lobster French toast that steals the show. A round of pillowy bread arrives at your table, and the waiter then spoons succulent lobster chunks, sea beans and bisque on it. This savory twist on pain perdu is comfort food elevated to an art form.

Shangri-La’s first European hotel is thoroughly French, but its Asian roots are showcased at Shang Palace. It’s one of the city’s premier Chinese restaurants. Amid wooden screens and columns inlaid with carved jade flowers, standout dishes include a meticulously arranged platter of batonnet-cut vegetables crowned with ginger-laced salmon sashimi, crispy blue lobster with salted egg yolk, as well as melt-in-your-mouth cubes of grilled A4 wagyu beef.

Order a drink at the bar. Credit: Shangri-La Paris

For a nightcap, head to Le Bar Botaniste. After the prince died, his vast plant collection was donated to Claude Bernard University in Lyon, but the hotel continues to pay homage to Bonaparte’s love of botany with this intimate, tucked-away bar. Cleverly designed to resemble a Napoleonic tent with striped wallpaper, the bar adds many nods to nature, from the lush green wall to edible flower garnishes in your cocktails.

The botanical-forward menu spotlights libations like almond-scented Three Clicks Left with Gin Anaë (an organic French spirit), gentian (a plant used as a bitter), peach liqueur, almond brandy and grapefruit soda. It’s an appropriate way to offer a salut to the prince’s botanical legacy.

Opulent Design

The Paris hotel sets a regal tone as you pull up to its Louis XIV-style white façade featuring French stone adorned with lions and other figures. Bonaparte commissioned Ernest Janty, who performed restorations on the Louvre and Tuileries Palace (which served as the royal palace before Versailles), to design his urban sanctuary.

As you step inside, the white-stone interiors feel even more grand. The lobby is a masterpiece of marblework, featuring five varieties sourced from the Pyrenees, Alps and Tuscany that cover the floor in shades of maroon, marigold, pine green and white. Keep walking to the vaulted-ceilinged rotunda and you’ll see off to the left a striking Black Venus sculpture with a gold-feathered loincloth and a serpent coiling her legs. The torches she holds overhead light your way across a checkered floor to a sweeping white Carrara marble staircase with an ornate steel-and-polished-brass banister winding upward — it’s one of the most striking backdrops in the eminently photogenic hotel.

The lavish Grand Salon. Credit: Shangri-La Paris

Ascend the stairs and you’ll find a series of salons. While we usually don’t recommend visiting a hotel’s meeting areas, these venues served as Bonaparte’s dining and family rooms, and he spent most of his time in these opulent spaces. The Louis XIV-style Grand Salon is dripping with gleaming gold leaf from the tall ceiling to its walls. Look closely and you’ll spot Bonaparte family emblems — imperial crowns and bees — among the gilt work. Gold lion heads adorn the white marble fireplaces, silent guardians of the room’s splendor.

Next door, the Salle à Manger holds a secret revealed during Shangri-La’s 2006 renovation. Beneath 14 layers of paint were hand-carved mahogany panels commissioned by Bonaparte depicting battle arms and military trophies — a nod to the family’s martial legacy. This unexpected find has been meticulously restored, transforming the space into a handsome salon.

For a more feminine aesthetic, step into the Empire-style Salon de Famille. Here, soft blue walls are lined with painted figures, including angelic winged women around a medallion.

To experience a salon like a royal, consider splurging on a Bonaparte Dinner. The special private event re-creates the former owner’s lavish banquets, from the imperial crown porcelain plates to the four-course French meal, in a space that’s hosted generations of the elite.

Swim in the inviting pool. Credit: Shangri-La Paris

A Sparkling Pool and Spa

When you want to unwind from your Parisian adventures, head to CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La Paris. The Four-Star spa extends the hotel’s botanical motifs from the delicate floral wallpaper covering the halls to the white reliefs of plants in the treatment rooms. Even the refreshments continue the theme: sip on turmeric, ginger, coconut and holy basil tea, or water infused with orange blossom, staghorn sumac, ginger and verjuice. Book a calming CBD massage to help you get good rest after a long flight.

The spa also houses a mosaic-bottomed, sky-ceilinged 17-meter pool lined with columns. A wall of windows lets abundant natural light into the space, and there’s a small foliage-filled terrace if you want some fresh air on a chaise lounge. It’s a welcome upgrade from its former life as the palace stables.

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Food and Wine, Guide

5 Unique Food Experiences In Jordan

Get a local culinary perspective with Amman Food Tours. Credit: Lindsay Nieminen

Visitors to Jordan often focus on the country’s historic sites and distinctive natural features, such as the archeological wonders of Petra and the dramatic desert landscapes of Wadi Rum. While these attractions are spectacular, you can enhance your trip by pairing the classic attractions with equally distinctive food experiences around the country, from first-rate meals to culinary tours to cooking workshops.

When you arrive in Amman, Jordan’s capital, take time to relax at your lodging. Perhaps settle on the highest of the city’s seven hills at Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Amman, where a warm Dead Sea mud wrap in the spa is an excellent jet lag antidote. Or opt for a room in the futuristic tower of Forbes Travel Guide Recommended W Amman, its vibrant artwork offering a more contemporary style. After you regroup, get ready for a feast.

Graze Through the City with Amman Food Tours

Book a culinary walk with Amman Food Tours, where you’ll enjoy ample samples of Jordan’s classic dishes, snacks and sweets as you learn about local food traditions.

Starting on Rainbow Street, Amman’s eating and drinking hub, you might sample manoushe, a thin flatbread topped with za’atar, the Middle East’s signature blend of herbs. You’ll watch the falafel maker at work in a nearby local stand, wander the narrow aisles of Souq Al-Sukar, explore what’s fresh in this busy fruit and vegetable market, then sit down in a historic restaurant for mansaf, an overflowing platter of lamb and rice with a rich yogurt sauce, considered Jordan’s national dish.

Save room for the visits to a long-standing pastry purveyor and an Arabic ice cream maker. It’s a delicious introduction to the city.

Try a cooking workshop at Beit Sitti. Credit: Matt Willder

Cook with Beit Sitti

To delve deeper into Jordanian food traditions, sign up for a cooking workshop on the terrace at Beit Sitti, a women-run restaurant and culinary school in central Amman. On the leafy terrace, you’ll help prepare traditional dishes that might include mutabbal (a dip made from roasted eggplant, tahini and olive oil) or ma’loubeh (a chicken, eggplant, cauliflower and rice dish constructed upside down and flipped when served). You might bake bread in the outdoor oven and prep a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs with pomegranate-molasses dressing. After the meal, you’ll leave with the recipes to re-create them at home.

Even if cooking isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy a Beit Sitti experience. The organization operates a restaurant in the same building as the cooking school.

Have a taste of Lebanon at Fairmont Amman’s Nur. Credit: Fairmont Amman

Dine at Nur

Explore the similarities and differences between Lebanese and Jordanian cuisines with a meal at Nur, Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Fairmont Amman’s Lebanese restaurant. You might start with hummus Beiruti (creamy chickpeas topped with parsley, mint, pickles and chopped vegetables), ful (stewed fava beans) or any of the mezze, from muhammara bil jouz (a savory red pepper spread) to kibbeh (a mix of minced lamb, bulghur and spices).

For something heartier, consider dishes like sayadiyeh samak (baked grouper with rice and fried onions), freeke lahm (lamb shank with buckwheat) and shish taouk (skewers of grilled chicken and vegetables), paired with spicy bread and pickles. End your meal on a sweet note with kunafa (semolina pastry filled with savory cheese and bathed in sugar syrup). Live music provides a sonic backdrop to your dinner most nights.

Sampling at Beit Khairat Souf. Credit: Skeleton Hammoudeh

Support a Women-Owned Culinary Venture in Jerash

From Amman, it’s an hour’s drive north to the historic city of Jerash, one of the best-preserved ancient Roman communities in the world. After touring the majestic temples, theaters, plazas and other well-maintained structures that chronicle Roman settlement as far back as 400 B.C., refresh with lunch at Beit Khairat Souf. This women-owned social enterprise operates a restaurant and local food shop.

Sit in the shady garden for a traditional Jordanian meal, accompanied by freshly baked bread, housemade pickles and locally grown olives. After lunch and a cup of cardamom-scented coffee, browse the small shop, where you can purchase jams, spices or preserved vegetables as edible souvenirs of your Jordan travels.

Family-style dining in Petra. Credit: Carolyn B. Heller

Share Family Meals in Petra

In planning your visit to the country’s most famous archeological site, consider hiking through Petra’s “back door,” a less-traveled, moderate five-mile walk through the rocky desert landscape. You’ll approach Petra’s marvels more gradually and be able to better appreciate its natural setting.

Another way to enhance your Petra experience is to top off your visit with dinner in a local family’s home. A Piece of Jordan can arrange meals with a family that begin with a ritual coffee-service welcome and a demonstration of how particular dishes are prepared before sitting down with your hosts at their table nearly overflowing with food. You might wrap up your meal with pastries and a cup of tea outside in the garden, cooking up memories with your Jordanian hosts that are as vivid as your photos of the country’s historic landmarks.

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Guide, Restaurants

Where To Eat In Whistler Right Now

Whistler is ready for its culinary close-up. Credit: Fairmont Chateau Whistler

When Whistler entrepreneur Pepe Barajas first arrived in this Canadian mountain community in 2008, he hated it. Born and raised in Mexico City, Barajas found the area’s peaceful, relaxed pace to be frustratingly slow, a direct contrast to life in what he called Mexico’s “go, go, go” capital.

But Barajas stuck around, gradually adjusting to year-round life in North America’s largest snow sports resort, where he skis at least 50 days in an average winter. As the CEO and president of Infinity Group, he now runs multiple Whistler businesses, including four restaurants. His newest ventures include Rockit Coffee, a fun retro café that draws inspiration from the 1970s and ’80s music scenes — the name, he said, comes from “rock it” — and Mekong, a recently launched upscale Thai restaurant. Balam, featuring cuisine from across Latin America, is slated to open by summer.

Whistler’s dining scene has recently ramped into high gear, with several new and revamped restaurants drawing diners when they come off the mountain trails. You can sit at the glowing marble bar for cocktails and Spanish-inspired tapas at the newly expanded Bar Oso. At Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar, British Columbia-sourced ingredients appear in various dishes drawn from French and Italian coastal cuisines. At the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Fairmont Chateau Whistler, multiple dining spots offer a range of treats, from steaks to classic cheese fondue.

Several creative minds behind these dining destinations recently talked with us about their restaurants, food and tips for enjoying all the seasons in western Canada’s mountains.

Mekong is having a moment. Credit: Leah Kathryn

Mekong: Elevating Whistler’s Asian Food

“I’d consider myself an explorer,” Barajas said. After opening two Whistler restaurants that draw on his Mexican heritage, Barajas wanted to branch out. He had been mulling over a Thai restaurant when a location became available in Creekside, Whistler’s original base, a few miles south of Whistler Village. He traveled to Thailand for culinary inspiration, then reached out to Vancouver chef Angus An, whose Maenam Restaurant has earned numerous accolades for its upscale Thai cuisine.

“Whistler was always a market that fascinated me,” An said, noting that his family regularly stays in the Creekside area, where he snowboards and his 16-year-old son skis, but the food and drink offerings there had been more limited. When Barajas came calling, An was especially intrigued by the opportunity to create a culinary destination offering elevated Asian food and a stylish dining atmosphere.

As Mekong’s culinary director, An designed the concept and menu, selecting chef Bonnie Khummuang, whom he’d worked with for several years, to helm the kitchen daily. At Mekong, he said, “We want people to be blown away by the flavors.” He’s especially pleased with the tom yum chicken wings, with a spice blend that recalls the flavors of Thailand’s hot and sour soup. Whistler diners love the 32-ounce tomahawk ribeye, he said, which is seasoned with a southern Thai curry, and the black pepper crab, a dish that An initially created at Maenam. Both items are designed to be shared family style.

“I love it when you interact with your food,” he explained. “Like when you break open the crab, you’re cracking the shells, you’re sucking the crab bones full of the black pepper sauce. You’re getting messy, and it’s a really good experience.”

Bar Oso: For Sharing with Family and Friends

Jorge Muñoz Santos is another Whistler transplant, drawn to Canada from his native Spain more than a dozen years ago to spend winters in the mountains. Now the executive chef at Bar Oso, which features Spanish-inspired tapas, Muñoz said he’s crafted a menu reflecting the style of dining that he most enjoys — sharing food with friends and family, having a drink, chatting, then sampling some more.

While Bar Oso is known for its charcuterie boards, housemade pâtés and terrines, and “killer” meatballs, the chef has beefed up a seafood side of the menu that features ceviche, garlicky prawns and octopus. He’s also expanded its vegetarian options with crisp-fried eggplant, patatas bravas and roasted shishito peppers.

Next door to Bar Oso, and sharing its kitchen, is another new eatery from Toptable Group, Bar Oso’s parent company. Provisions serves coffee, pastry and creative sandwiches for breakfast and lunch.

Although skiing and snowboarding first brought Muñoz to Whistler, he says he’s now equally excited about the warmer months, when he heads for the lakes, tackles the trails on his mountain bike or goes for a hike.  

Wild Blue: Highlighting Regional Ingredients

When Neil Henderson first arrived in Whistler in the early 1990s, after growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, he found a job in a restaurant. In an unusual twist of fate, that first spot was in the same building where his current venture, Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar, operates.

Henderson, Wild Blue’s restaurant director, joined forces with Vancouver chef Alex Chen (of the highly regarded Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar at the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Sutton Place Hotel) and restaurateur Jack Evrensel, who established Araxi, a long-running Whistler fine dining destination. In opening Wild Blue, Henderson said their goal was to use regionally sourced products, from B.C. seafood to Alberta beef, in a menu inspired by French and Italian coastal cuisine. Wine is a highlight, too, with a 500-plus bottle list spotlighting producers from British Columbia and across the globe.

He said he’s proud of the restaurant’s bar program, including its signature cocktail, the Negroni Pignoli. Wild Blue also launched an après-ski menu, pairing cocktails with snacks such as fresh oysters and truffle fries. It’s open for drinks and weekend music for those who want to keep the party going into the late evening.

Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s Grill Room is the home of great steak. Credit: Kevin Clark

Fairmont Chateau Whistler: Steak, Fondue and More

“The food scene [at Whistler] is amazing for such a small village,” said Cliff Crawford, who took over as executive chef at Fairmont Chateau Whistler in December 2022. Among the restaurants at this classic mountain resort property, Crawford loves dining at the winter-only Chalet, which specializes in classic Alpine fondue, from cheese to chocolate, along with other Bavarian-style dishes. At the Grill Room, which he describes as “a fine dining steakhouse,” he recommends saving room for the signature dessert, sticky date pudding. In the Mallard Lounge, he wants visitors to know that you can order from a full menu of seafood chowder, fresh oysters and beef bourguignon or simply stop in for a drink while you enjoy the live music.

“Whistler is magical in the winter,” noted the chef, who’s been with the Fairmont brand for 20 years. Still, summer is his favorite season, particularly for kayaking on the area’s several lakes. Crawford has embraced the outdoors like many others who’ve made Whistler their home.

Perhaps Barajas sums it up best. In Whistler, he said, “We have the luxury that we’re surrounded by nature.” He loves spending time in cities like Vancouver, New York and London, but he always comes home to gorgeous scenery and great food in the British Columbia mountains.  

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Cruises, News

Take The Cruise Of Your Racing Dreams

High octane on the high seas. Credit: Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Car and cruise lovers, buckle up: Regent Seven Seas will rev up its 2025 Spotlight Voyage with Aston Martin Aramco driver ambassador Pedro de la Rosa, a veteran of more than 100 Grand Prix races. The 10-day circuit aboard the Seven Seas Splendor will make pitstops in Barcelona, Rome and other quintessential European motor racing destinations. 

“The Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Aston Martin Aramco partnership was formed on the basis of our shared passion for creating once-in-a-lifetime moments, whether on land or at sea,” says Jefferson Slack, managing marketing director of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One team.   

One-of-a-kind opportunities abound during this journey, which departs from Barcelona on July 22, during the prime of the 2025 Formula 1 racing season. De la Rosa will not only be a passenger on the all-balcony vessel, but he’ll also serve as host and ambassador, offering an intimate look into the storied history and heritage of motor racing.

Former F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa. Credit: Regent Seven Seas Cruises

“I am thrilled to host this exclusive Spotlight Voyage aboard with our friends at Regent and even more excited to be sailing from my hometown of Barcelona,” de la Rosa says. “I’ve spent over three decades pursuing my passion for racing in every corner of the globe, and I can’t wait to share this passion and my unique experiences with both Regent and Aston Martin Aramco fans while cruising the Mediterranean on this special voyage.”

While onboard, guests will engage in lively panel discussions, virtual racing simulations and more led by de la Rosa and Aston Martin Aramco’s top engineers and executives. Aston Martin-led workshops will give passengers insights into luxury automobile design from a non-racing perspective. 

Novices and gearheads alike will be in awe of the full-size replica of one of the yet-to-be-revealed Aston Martin Aramco Formula One 2025 race cars, embellished with the Regent logo, displayed on the Seven Seas Splendor’s pool deck.

Other seamless onboard tie-ins between the brands include exclusively designed hats, polo shirts, jackets and reusable water bottles; race-day accessories for sale in the ship’s boutique; themed cocktails and parties; and screenings of racing documentaries in the ship’s theater.   

Seven Seas Splendor. Credit: Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The all-inclusive, carefully curated cruise’s offshore excursions promise to captivate fine-car aficionados, luxury travelers and history buffs alike. Immerse yourself in the rich racing cultures of places like St. Tropez and Monte Carlo. In the latter, for example, you’ll explore Prince Rainier’s car collection, assembled over 30 years in a newly designed display space that’s just a stone’s throw from Monaco’s iconic Formula 1 racing route. Feel the excitement as you continue a walking tour of the track. A panoramic helicopter flight provides an unforgettable aerial view of arguably the most famous stop on the F1 circuit, awash in the beautiful colors of sunset.  

Andrea DeMarco, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, underscores the exclusivity of Seven Seas’ high-octane expedition: “This one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime sailing aboard our newest ship will allow luxury travelers to immerse themselves in the world of motor racing and the rich heritage of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One team through fascinating experiences and perspectives, all the while enjoying the highest standards of personalized service, unlimited shore excursions and exquisite cuisine on board an all-inclusive, ultra-luxury Regent cruise.”

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