The Hungry Tourist is delighted to present:

Best Food of Bangkok and Sri Lanka

WITH

PupPup and Mark Wiens!

January 23 – February 2, 2019

Explore the best of this sensual, colorful, and mysterious city, from the finest street food and food markets, exceptional traditional restaurants serving the cuisine of greater Thailand, to private kitchens and Michelin starred restaurants. Only the best! Enjoy 5 full days of non-stop eating guided by the 2 local culinary legends.

Chavanos Rattakul, AKA PupPup – The ultimate food explorer, entrepreneur, mentor, wine connoisseur and collector, and someone who eats better than me. He has the keys to all of Bangkok’s hidden gems.

Touring Bangkok with PupPup is a dream of mine that will come true on this tour. I am going to be a tourist on my own tour!

Mark Wiens – I am delighted to collaborate again with the man who’s more responsible than most for carrying the gospel of Thai cuisine around the globe.

Mark, for the few of you who don’t know him, has been eating and reporting (via his blog Migrationlogy and YouTube channel) in Bangkok and across Thailand for the best part of the last 10 years.

His massive following (3 million on YouTube and half a million in Instagram) is a testament to his vast knowledge of Thai cuisines and where the best of the best food is hiding.

I chose to feature just one restaurant from the many we will visit, for one simple reason – Sorn is the best Thai restaurant in the world today. Only a few months after its launch, it has just been awarded a Michelin star, and is already considered “impossible to book”.

Sorn is the brainchild of Supaksorn Jongsiri AKA Ice and Chef Yodkwan U-pumpruk AKA Yod who dreamt since their childhood in the south of Thailand to revive long-lost recipes in their own restaurant, using only the absolute best ingredients.

Dedet de la Fuente, AKA The Lechon Diva is one of the most talented and blessed cooks I’ve ever met in my travels. Back in January of this year, she invited me to a ‘Boodle Feast’ (pictured above) at her home in Manila, and ever since I’ve been dreaming about the next time I’d get to sit at her amazing table.

Well, upon my request, the Diva is coming to Bangkok. She will produce a ‘Boodle Feast’ at Sorn restaurant especially for us!

Relax like a royalty!

Spend six pampered days at the renowned Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok. Set on the Chao Phraya River, this luxurious, legendary hotel has hosted royalty, writers, artists and celebrities for more than 140 years.

Sri Lanka is quickly becoming one of the hottest culinary destinations in Asia and the world. It’s no wonder why, actually. The small island that has for many centuries been a hub for trade and spices has also acted as a melting pot to the various food cultures brought in by different ethnic groups.

Indian, Arab, Malay, Portuguese, Dutch and English cuisines, mixing with Sinhalese and Tamil, have evolved together into a unique culinary mix. Couple this with an abundance of top-grade seafood and spices, and you get a surprisingly undiscovered culinary paradise.

With the invaluable assistance of our local network of friends, we’ve designed an intensive 5 day food program spanning from Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, to its villages and seashore.

In these people we trust – Ruzaina Hadgie, Uchith Dahanayake, Nimesha Dahanayake, Ming – Jay Hettiarachchi, Luckni Gee, Vichalya Antonio and Lakkitha Wimalaratna.

They are local restaurateurs, chefs, bloggers, and foodies. All of them have a great passion for food and a burning desire to show the world the culinary treasures of their Sri Lanka. But most importantly, they know every secret place on the island, and they are our dear friends!

Here, in this amazing seafront restaurant, we met our friends over an incredible seafood fare, bonded with them, and gave birth to the idea of this food tour. It is only appropriate that we start our Sri Lankan food adventure where the idea to have it was conceived.

MOC was created as a culinary homecoming of Sri Lanka’s legendary lagoon crab by Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Dharshan Munidasa. The Ministry is dedicated to serving the best of Sri Lanka’s seafood. From crabs ranging from 500g ‘small’ crabs to 2KG ‘Crabzillas’ and amazing King Prawns found in the rivers running across the island to fresh Clams and Oysters from the lagoons. This feast will be the closing meal of the tour.

The Shangri-La, the newest luxury hotel in the overlooks the Indian Ocean in the heart of Colombo’s business district. The hotel, with its luxurious spa and swimming pool, promises to be a perfect sanctuary after a day in bustling Colombo.

Weligama Bay Marriott Resort & Spa, an elegant waterfront hotel that features upscale accommodations with breathtaking ocean views, will be our base during our 2 days outside Colombo.

Kick-off meal: Dinner on Wednesday, January 23rd at 8:00 PM

Flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka: TG307 on January 28

Last meal: Dinner on February 2, 2019 at 8 PM

Flight out of Colombo: Back to Bangkok (TG308 on February 3) or straight home.

Apply to Join The Tour

A Note on Set Menus

The menus offered during the tour are selected by The Hungry Tourist with the help of our local partners. We believe they represent the best culinary fare that Bangkok and Sri Lanka have to offer. Guests may order outside of these menus at their own expense.