WORLDWIDE CULTURAL AND CULINARY VACATIONS
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Santa Barbara Culinary Retreat

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Priced From
$1,698 USD *
(For One Person, Double Occupancy)
* Plus taxes. Tours sold on an availability basis.
3 days | 2 nights

Cooking, Wine and Farmers Market Tour

What you may have seen on Food Network or in the movie Sideways won't compare with the reality of what you will find on your special culinary getaway - guided culinary shopping, cooking class, farmers' market foray, an eclectic blend of agritourism venues and specialty purveyors who invite you to sample their products. On your second day you will meet producers, learn how to shop for top quality ingredients, and how to use them to create delicious home-cooked meals. Your day begins early with a tour of the Santa Barbara Farmers Market, and then you will roll up your sleeves and cook alongside the chef (Food & Wine Editor for Food & Home Magazine) as you learn new techniques that will empower you to recreate these wonderful dishes at home. After an exhilarating day, you will sit down with a small group (your new foodie friends) to enjoy a five-course, gourmet meal that you helped prepare. Enjoy a wonderful Bellini brunch, and then spend a leisurely Sunday brunch with jazz music and great food. You will want to be sure and scout out places to investigate during your return visit to this magical destination.
Small Group Friendly
Itinerary Accommodations Map FAQ Testimonials
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS
Please note: Tour inclusions can change depending upon seasonality and weather conditions.
2 Nights Deluxe Accommodations
Market Tour and Cooking Class
Gourmet Feast After Class
Fine Dining at Bouchon
Bellini Brunch at El Encanto
While our tours are designed as soft adventure experiences, walking, climbing stairs, and in rare cases mild hiking may be required. If you have mobility issues, you should speak with one of our culinary travel specialists to determine if this tour is appropriate for your situation.
AVAILABLE DATES
Year-Round Based on Your Schedule. However, due to the Sunday brunch and the Saturday cooking class and market tour, this getaway is best suited to weekends.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Please note: Actual itineraries are subject to change due to seasonality.
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Day 1
Arrival and Check-In
Welcome to Santa Barbara! With your hotel located just five blocks from the beach, you can explore the rich diversity of shops, galleries, theaters, nightclubs, and cafes that line State Street for blocks in either direction. Within walking distance of the hotel are the Mission Santa Barbara, Paseo Nuevo Mall, Stearns Wharf, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Multi-Course Dining Experience at Bouchon
Savor the experience as you taste only the freshest, high quality local ingredients at Bouchon Santa Barbara Kitchen. Working closely with local produce growers, fishermen and game ranchers, they have created a menu that captures the essence of California's Central Coast. Bouchon Santa Barbara is dedicated to providing an authentic, regional wine dining experience, carefully choosing menu selections whose ingredients, textures and flavors marry well with the incredible wines coming out of California's wine regions.
Day 2
Market Tour, Hands-On Cooking Class, and Gourmet Feast
Eat like a locavore on a guided culinary tour of Santa Barbara with a real Food & Wine Editor! Meet the fishermen, get introduced to the best growers at the farmers market, and learn to discern the finest regional produce. After selecting the ingredients, you will learn "hands-on" how to prepare dishes you can easily make at home during your 3-hour cooking class back at the studio kitchen. At the conclusion of your cooking class, you will join others in your small group to enjoy a gourmet meal paired with premium wines that captures the essence of California's cuisine.
Day 3
Bossa Nova Brunch with a View
While away your Sunday to the sounds of samba and light jazz, herbaceous cocktails and artisinal desserts. The savory flavors of Latin America and captivating views complete this sensory experience. Bottomless Passion Fruit Caipirinha, Santa Barbara Bloody Mary, or Riviera Mimosas are included.
Check-Out and Departure
Time flies when you’re having so much fun, but alas…it is time to check out and depart this delicious, “Edible Destination.” Should you desire an extended stay, please let your culinary travel specialist know prior to check-in. May your future travels come from sweet dreams, and create tasty memories!
Santa Barbara, California
I have used Epitourean 3 times so far and each trip has been a delight. A chance to experience local culture, food, and wine in a small group format with a lot of attention paid to all the details that make a trip memorable. I have been to the trip in Puebla, for the Day of the Dead festivities in 2021, Piedmont for the alba truffle hunt in 2022 , and most recently to Santa Barbara in 2023. I always leave full not only with food and wine, but great memories, and new friends. I plan to travel with them again as soon as I can.
Mani - March 2023
The cooking class with Chef Laurence was fantastic. Beth and I were the only students. So, it was very intimate in her home kitchen for just the three of us shopping, prepping, cooking and telling stories. She’s a remarkable woman whose warm and French charm made you feel like a longtime friend immediately upon meeting this beautiful woman. We worked our butts off but the five courses were amazing. She gave us the prep sheet and written instructions on everything we cooked. She taught us proper knife skills, how to properly fold in egg whites into the cake batter and many, many other pearls for the kitchen. On a five-star rating system, there just aren’t enough stars to do her justice.
Beth and Bob - August 2021
Winner
OUTSTANDING
CULINARY TRAVEL
Category
Member of ASTA Member of ATTA Member of GSTC