Food festivals you should add to your bucket list
Nothing is worse than going out to eat, only to be disappointed by the meal. Like, YUCK, did we REALLY just shell out cash and ditch Netflix for this? But for foodies, Netflix is the least of our worries. We often travel far and wide for a good meal, which is why we love food festivals. We get to go to one destination and sample the best of all of the cuisines. But imagine making the trek only to let down by the food, the crowds, and the experience itself. Unfortunately, it does happen sometimes.
But you can avoid a foodie flop by sticking to these international food fests. They are the best, and are pretty much guaranteed to make your mouth water. Behold:
Taste of Chicago:
The world’s largest food festival doesn’t disappoint, and it’s not just because of Chicago’s famed deep dish pizza. You can find whatever your palate desires at Taste of Chicago. The festival is held in the lakefront Grant Park which can accommodate many hungry revelers so you won’t even notice you are 3 million people deep. Yeah, it’s kind of a big deal.
South Beach Food and Wine Festival:
The chef stars align for this beachfront food festival featuring the top names in America’s culinary world like Dominique Ansel (cronuts!), Bethenny Frankel and Bobby Flay. The major draws of this fest include the beautiful Miami weather in February, the unique and chic events, and the good chance that you will dine shoulder to shoulder with one of your favorite chefs. While Burger Bash and The Q are two of the most popular SoBe Food Fest parties, check out BBQ and Blues, Oyster Bash and Empanada Happy Hour.
Good Food Month:
If a food festival lasts 30 days, there’s bound to be at least one amazing day in store. But we can promise you that during Sydney’s Good Food Month there is more than one amazing day. Seriously, this October festival lives up to the hype from start to finish and never falls flat. Starting with the World Chef Showcase and ending with the Noodle Night Markets —which transform Sydney’s Hyde Park into an Asian food mecca— it will be hard to find the exact right time for your visit. You may just have to take off the whole month to get your fill of Aussie food.
Taste of Dubai:
Dubai is a little far away, but trust us, Dubai is an underrated foodie destination. You’d never guess Taste of Dubai only began in March of last year —it is so impeccably organized, it’s as if they’ve had years of practice. Food stars from all over the world congregate at this 23-day event to show off their skills, premiere new restaurants, and best of all, to teach visitors a thing or two. Enjoy international dishes on the beaches of Dubai, or participate in interactive seminars in the heart of the most bustling city in the Middle East, all within steps of each other. Not a bad set up if you ask us.
Savour Singapore:
While you can eat your way around the world at Singapore’s premier culinary experience, the focus of Savour Singapore is really on the country’s signature dishes and Michelin star restaurants —and we are perfectly okay with that. After masterclasses with the country’s top chefs, stop by the festival’s gourmet market to pick up the freshest ingredients, and of course try a few free samples. Grocery shopping never looked so awesome. Don’t let the low prices, casual vibe and alfresco dining fool you —while the atmosphere is extremely laid back, the food at this March festival is top-notch. And those are the ingredients for perfection in our cookbook.
Life is Beautiful:
And it really is every October in Las Vegas. How could it not be during this festival, when world-class musicians, artists and chefs perform just for us? Yes, at the Life is Beautiful festival in Sin City, food and music meet to create a life-changing event. Forget the casinos and the clubs, this festival is about finding inspiration and happiness in life’s simplicities. In 2014, musicians like Kanye West, Girl Talk and Outkast joined chefs including Cat Cora and Spike Mendelsohn (swoon) in the movement to inspire guests from all over the world. You’ve never seen Las Vegas like this.
