The Rise of Culinary Travel: When Dinner Becomes the Destination

By: Jyoti Kumari

On my last two trips to Phuket, my days revolved almost entirely around food. The beaches and sunsets were beautiful, sure, but what pulled me back to Thailand twice in two years wasn’t the vibe, it was the food. From breakfasts of fragrant khao tom to late-night skewers and crispy rotis with condensed milk and sliced banana at night market, my itinerary was stitched together with meals. Some of the restaurants we visited were in the Michelin Guide, some were tiny noodle shops, but all of them were buzzing with tourists and locals alike. 

This, I realised, is the new way we travel. Food isn’t just part of the trip; it is the trip. When the Michelin Guide entered Thailand in 2017, it created a ripple effect that went far beyond the handful of starred restaurants. It spurred travellers to explore the country with food as their compass, and created a wave of attention for non-Michelin eateries, local bars and neighbourhood favourites that have since found their way onto other global lists. Today, planning a trip to Thailand often means plotting a route between both the celebrated and the undiscovered.   

For as long as I can remember, my journeys have been guided by my love for exploring a place via the food it offers. I’ve found myself chasing flavours around the world. From tucking into sea urchins and squid ink pasta and the local favourite, rabbit stew in Malta to following the scent of cardamom and frankincense through the souks of Oman before stopping for sticky halwa and spiced coffee. I have lined up for fresh, soupy dumplings for one of the most fast-paced service of my life in Hong Kong to going through multiple portions of grills in Vietnam under a leaking awning, rain drumming on the tin roof. Café in Bali set in the middle of rice fields to the perfect and most fragrant curry crab dinner in Colombo that made me plan a return trip to Sri Lanka. An unforgettable day spent eating at NAAR high in the Himalayas where the air was thin and every bite felt earned to a soul-stirring bowl of barley soup at Namza in Leh. These, and many more, journeys were built around a single promise: that a meal could be the highlight of a trip. 

The Global Phenomenon: How Lists Shape Journeys 

This rise of culinary tourism isn’t unique to a region, it’s happening across the world. As Priyanka Blah, International Food & Beverage Writer and member of multiple international juries, puts it, “credible lists have long influenced travel, especially with the rise of the quintessential F&B tourist. Many travellers now set themselves the goal of visiting every bar or restaurant featured, planning itineraries with almost systematic precision.” 

That precision often means the trip is built around the reservation itself. “A lot of people now plan their trips around the restaurants they want to visit,” says journalist Aatish Nath. “Sometimes that even means booking the restaurant before booking flight tickets, and then planning the entire trip around when they get their reservation.” 

This phenomenon is not limited to capital cities either, it is drawing travellers to remote destinations. From Faviken in Sweden (before it shut down) to rural wineries in Australia, these restaurants have become destinations in themselves. The journey including the planning, the travel, even the anticipation becomes as much a part of the experience as the meal. 

The World’s 50 Best and Michelin Guides have become powerful marketing engines for entire cities, sparking curiosity and even repositioning places on the tourism map. As Priyanka notes, when a city’s tally of recognised restaurants rises, “that city almost inevitably sees a rise in F&B tourism.” According to a 2023 report by Future Market Insights, the global food tourism market was valued at USD 999.03 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at over 15% CAGR through 2033, making it one of the fastest-growing segments of global travel. 

 The Excitement of the Reservation 

The waiting game is now part of the thrill. Reservations at some of the world’s most coveted restaurants. Think Alchemist in Copenhagen, Central in Lima, The French Laundry in California or even our own Papa’s in Mumbai and Indian Accent in Delhi on festive weekends can open months in advance and sell out within minutes. Planning a meal feels like booking concert tickets: alarms set for release dates, fingers hovering over refresh buttons, WhatsApp groups buzzing when someone finally secures a spot. For some tables, the waitlist can stretch into the hundreds, and yet diners willingly plan entire trips around that one night. 

The idea of waiting months, sometimes even years, for a meal was once unheard of but today, it’s become a badge of honour. There’s a certain social cachet attached to that confirmation email, the knowledge that you’re part of a tiny, exclusive club. It’s the stuff of pop culture now: shows like The Bear reference the obsessive, high-pressure world of fine dining, while The Menu turned the cult of destination restaurants into dark satire. And streaming favourites like Somebody Feed Phil and Chef’s Table feed this cycle, introducing audiences to these temples of gastronomy and inspiring them to get working on their itineraries. The result is a virtuous loop: TV inspires travel, travel fuels content and the culture of list-chasing only grows stronger. 

 Beyond the Plate: Economic & Cultural Impact 

For governments and tourism boards, a chef’s accolade isn’t just a medal, it’s an invitation for travellers to discover a nation through its kitchens. Nattachit Oonsiam, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) – Mumbai Office, emphasises this: “Michelin recognition has helped position Thailand as a top culinary destination and inspired a new wave of visitors who come here specifically to experience our food culture.” According to him, Gen Z and millennial travellers from India are increasingly planning trips with dining itineraries as the focal point, blending starred restaurants with hidden street-food gems. 

The economic impact is clear: more visitors are spending on hotels, boutique tours, and culinary experiences that go beyond a single meal. Food has become an anchor around which entire itineraries are built. Importantly, the spotlight doesn’t stay only on the fine-dining elite. There’s a ripple effect that encourages travellers to explore local gems and grassroots eateries. As Chef Seefah notes, “awards are good but they should be the beginning of the journey, not the full story.” 

Travellers are now looking for immersive experiences that combine eating with learning – whether it’s cooking classes, vineyard tours or food markets. Cities that once competed for tourist dollars with monuments and museums now tout chef tables and night markets as marquee attractions. Bangkok and Phuket may lead the pack, but secondary cities and rural regions are seeing growing interest from travellers eager to discover authentic markets, regional dishes, and community-driven food experiences riding on the success of their Michelin-starred counterparts. 

Chef Garima Arora of Gaa, and the only female Indian chef with the coveted Michelin star, captures it perfectly. “There’s definitely been a shift in the way people plan their trips, food is now front and centre. People don’t just travel to see a city anymore, they want to taste it. Travel around food has become a very big thing, and food has become an important part of how we experience a destination.” Recognition, she says, makes a measurable difference: “Being on those lists – whether international ones like The World’s 50 Best, Michelin or even local ones like Time Out puts you on the radar of international travellers who rely on those lists when they visit a new city. Bookings go up, visibility increases, and you start attracting more international diners. The kind of diner changes too, these are often people who eat widely, who are used to fine dining, who are discerning and adventurous. Being on those lists brings in diners who push you to keep elevating the experience, which is a good thing.” 

The Traveller’s Experience: Balancing Stars and Streets 

As travellers, we are no longer content with just sightseeing, we want to taste a place. But as Aatish Nath points out, that doesn’t always mean chasing every tasting menu. “I’d encourage anyone travelling to balance their itinerary: book a memorable meal or two at those iconic restaurants, but also explore where people normally eat. Talk to locals, ask about their go-to places in the neighbourhood… Those everyday meals are often the ones that stay with you the longest.” 

Chef Seefah echoes this approach. “Yes, some places we visited [during a culinary trip] have Michelin or global recognition but that’s not the only reason to go,” she says. “I believe in mixing…try one place on the list but also walk into a small shop on the street and feel the real vibe of the city.” 

And for chefs like Garima, the traveller’s journey is a responsibility as much as an opportunity. “A restaurant can be the reason, sometimes even the whole reason, someone books a trip to a city or a country. We know that many travellers come to Bangkok specifically to eat with us, so we take that very seriously. People have travelled from around the world to sit at our table, and we have to honour that commitment every single time.” 

In the age of social media, the temptation to dine for the ‘gram is real. Almost everybody wants to chase the viral dishes and the buzzy names. But a more meaningful kind of culinary tourism is emerging, one where travellers seek balance: a few iconic meals, plenty of local flavour, and memories that extend beyond the plate. 

 A Future Built Around the Table 

Dining rooms are becoming the new landmarks, the tables the monuments that define our journeys. Whether it’s a three-star tasting menu in Bangkok or a bowl of boat noodles by the canal, food is shaping not just what we eat but where we go. Pop-ups, chef residencies, and culinary festivals are already turning cities into seasonal pilgrimage sites, and regional cuisines are stepping into the global spotlight. India, still without a Michelin Guide, is seeing travellers head to Ladakh for Namza and to the Kasauli for NAAR. Imagine what happens when our restaurants begin to make the global lists. The maps we draw will be made of menus, and the journeys will begin and end at the table. 

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