There are many reasons to take a trip: expanding your horizons, seeing new places, meeting new people, collecting memories… they’re all high up on the list.
But I think we can all agree that one of the best things about travelling is the chance to try new food from all over the world, dishes and ingredients you never even knew existed.
Two people who certainly agree with that are Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston. The former Masterchef judges tell 9Travel that food and travel intrinsically go hand in hand.
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The foodie pair are hosting an upcoming culinary trip through Sri Lanka with Luxury Escapes, exploring all the best parts of the island nation and its cuisine.
“One of the most integral parts of travel is experiencing the diverse and rich food cultures of the places we visit,” Matt says.
“You can experience how people live, enjoy themselves and celebrate the most important times in their lives.”
Gary recalls one of his favourite foodie travel memories in Naples, when he and Matt hit three pizza joints in 24 hours.
“Never have I enjoyed pizza so much,” he tells 9Travel. “To be honest it set the bar so high, it has been hard to find pizza as good since.”
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“The freshness and flavour of every ingredient from the San Marzano tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella was outstanding and utterly memorable. Above all else, it was so much fun, hours of chatter and laughter and copious amounts of wonderful wine!”
Foodie tour in Sri Lanka
Gary and Matt have done a lot of research to find the best dining experiences in Sri Lanka for their upcoming trip, which will be an 11-day sojourn that anyone can join.
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“We found some truly wonderful food and produce that we can’t wait to show you,” says Matt, “from the best street and home-cooked food to the hottest restaurants and bars.”
If you’re not quite sure what Sri Lankan cuisine entails, you’re not alone.
“Many people think that Sri Lankan food is like Indian food, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Gary tells us.
“What strikes you travelling around is how incredibly fertile it is, they can grow almost anything. Rice, coconuts galore, tropical fruit, tea, coffee and a coastline that yields an incredible variety of seafood. Dishes can be deliciously simple to complex, aromatic and magical.”
Gary’s absolute favourite Sri Lankan dish is black pork curry, a “dark, spicy, complex peppery heat that is aromatic all at the same time”.
“It’s a luscious and memorable dish that I can’t seem to get enough of.”
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Other than their upcoming Sri Lanka trip, Gary is super keen to take a foodie trip to China.
“I want to fly into Chengdu in Sichuan Province in China, hit the street stalls and find the very best hot chilli oil wontons and my personal favourite….Dan Dan noodles!
“Soft egg noodles, crispy pork, sesame sauce, pickled vegetables and lots of fiery chilli. An incredible bowl of flavour and texture just waiting to be discovered – now who’s with me?!”
More info about Luxury Escape’s Signature Series Sri Lanka trip can be found here.