Global Culinary Travel Award Winners Announced

15 September 2022
Global Culinary Travel Awards 2022

This week, the World Food Travel Association announced the winners of its 2022 Global Culinary Travel Awards to recognize excellence and innovation in culinary products and experiences for travelers. This year’s winners are:

Best Emphasis on Wellness & Health in Culinary Travel

1st place – Spa Eastman (Quebec, Canada)

Runner Up – Nomads, Nature & Nurture (Lebanon)

Best Use of Sustainability in Culinary Travel

Runner Up – Herdade da Malhadinha Nova (Portugal)

Best Celebration of Culinary Culture in Culinary Travel

1st – Jiranileo (Zambia)

Runner Up – Heather’s Helsinki (Helsinki, Finland)

Best Focus on Wine & Beverages in Culinary Travel

1st – HaliPuu / Campfire Barista (Finland)

Runner Up – Cadushy Distillery (Bonaire)

Best Appreciation of Agriculture & Rural in Culinary Travel

1st – La Balade Gourmande (Quebec, Canada)

“I’m delighted that we had such a robust turnout this year. We really didn’t know what to expect because of the state of the world. We were impressed by the quality and diversity of this year’s applications. There were some amazing applications, proving that there is still so much to see, to do and to taste in the world,” said Erik Wolf, Executive Director and Founder of the World Food Travel Association.

The Global Culinary Travel Awards (first called the FoodTrekking Awards) were introduced by the WFTA in 2015 to set the benchmark for excellence and innovation in our industry.  The annual Awards open every March 1, and winners are announced in the fall. This year, 10 winners were chosen from 131 entries from 27 countries who all strove to earn recognition for their business or destination.

The Awards Ceremony will be broadcast online on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 16:00 London UK time. Interested media professionals please get in touch for an invitation.

Culinary travel was officially recognized as a niche industry in 2001 with the publication of a white paper, “Culinary Tourism: The Hidden Harvest.” Since then, the industry has experienced tremendous growth in both the quantity and quality of products and experiences for food- and beverage loving-travelers.

Promotion for culinary capitals an innovative destination certification and development program for unknown destinations
Taste of place podcast listen to our culinary travel and culture podcast with erik wolf
Food
A membership page with a picture of pancakes on a plate.
2 January 2026
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 83: “Why Artisanal Still Matters” featuring Heike Winter What happens when you completely reinvent your life at 50—and return to the culinary traditions that shaped you? In Episode 82, host Erik Wolf speaks with Daniela Sfara, the Canadian-Italian chef, cultural ambassador, and founder of ITALUS whose mission is to preserve the disappearing regional foodways of Italy. Daniela shares her extraordinary personal transformation from a 20-year jewellery career to becoming a respected voice in culinary culture, hospitality excellence, and immersive food experiences across Italy, Dubai, Europe, and North America. Daniela’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and deep cultural stewardship. Whether you work in food, tourism, hospitality, or simply love Italian cuisine, this is an inspiring reminder that food is identity, and preserving culinary heritage is an act of service to future generations. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel. Or listen here now:
14 December 2025
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 82: “Cooking by Heart, Not by Recipe” featuring Daniela Sfara What happens when you completely reinvent your life at 50—and return to the culinary traditions that shaped you? In Episode 82, host Erik Wolf speaks with Daniela Sfara, the Canadian-Italian chef, cultural ambassador, and founder of ITALUS whose mission is to preserve the disappearing regional foodways of Italy. Daniela shares her extraordinary personal transformation from a 20-year jewellery career to becoming a respected voice in culinary culture, hospitality excellence, and immersive food experiences across Italy, Dubai, Europe, and North America. Daniela’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and deep cultural stewardship. Whether you work in food, tourism, hospitality, or simply love Italian cuisine, this is an inspiring reminder that food is identity, and preserving culinary heritage is an act of service to future generations. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel. Or listen here now:
21 November 2025
Born in Las Raíces, San Juan del Cesar, Colombia, Mabel Esther Vega Montaño honors with her life the name of the place where she was born. A rural teacher and guardian of traditions, she combines formal education with the transmission of ancestral knowledge about respectful cultivation and harvesting of the land. Through fique weaving, she connects communities and promotes rural tourism intertwined with local gastronomy, where the wooden pestle, the totumo achiotero, and the wood-fired stove accompany the preparation of traditional dishes that celebrate the living memory and deep roots of the territory to which she has devoted her life. Learn more about our new Taste of Place Movement and how you can support it and the work done by Mabel and others like her.
12 November 2025
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 81: “The Sweet Taste of Ethics” featuring Veronica Peralta In this inspiring episode, Erik Wolf sits down with Veronica Peralta of Paccari Chocolate — the Ecuadorian brand that redefined how ethical, organic, and biodynamic chocolate can uplift entire farming communities. Veronica shares how her brother Santiago transformed Ecuador’s cacao industry by empowering small farmers, protecting biodiversity, and restoring national pride in fine-flavor cacao. The conversation explores the distinct regional flavors of Ecuadorian chocolate, the social and environmental mission behind Paccari, and how climate change is reshaping the global cacao market. Veronica also discusses Paccari’s recognition as the world’s most ethical chocolate brand, and why conscious consumer choices can create real change. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel. Or listen here now:
30 September 2025
In Loving Memory and with Deep Gratitude: Honoring Brian F. Lorge
29 September 2025
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert! Episode 80: “Mexico Beyond the Myths” featuring Ximena Velasco In this episode of the Taste of Place Podcast, we chat with Ximena Velasco, founder of the ¡Qué Gusto! festival in France. Originally from Mexico, Ximena has dedicated the past decade to changing perceptions of Mexican food abroad, proving that it is far more than fajitas or chili con carne. She shares her journey from working with Atout France to creating her own cultural platform, the challenges of promoting Mexican gastronomy in a country so deeply proud of its own food traditions, and the victories that come from perseverance, creativity, and trust in her instincts. 🎙️ Available now on Spotify, iTunes & your favorite podcast platforms (Search for "Taste of Place") 📺 Prefer video? Watch it now on our YouTube channel. Or listen here now:
More posts