Frequently asked questions

We accept bookings with either full payment of the trip or a $500 per person security deposit if the payment plan is chosen. Both of these payments are refundable if cancellation is made 120 days before the trip. If the payment plan is chosen, the first payment of 50% of the total trip price will be automatically deducted at the deadline of 120 days before the trip and it is not refundable. The remaining balance of 50% must be paid in full and will be automatically deducted 60 days prior to the trip. This amount is also not refundable. If you book a trip less than 120 days in advance, you must pay the full balance at the time of booking and this payment is not refundable. To cancel your booking or reservation, you must email us your complete booking details at info@culinarytraditions.com. Cancellation fees will be applied based on the date we receive your written notification. This policy is the only way we can maintain the small group size and level of service we provide. If you’re worried about your plans or circumstances changing, we STRONGLY recommend you get trip insurance as soon as you book. Trip cancellation insurance as well as medical and evacuation coverage is highly recommended for everyone. In the highly unusual event that we must cancel a tour, all fees and payments will be immediately returned and this refund will be the limit of our liability. If a trip needs to be rescheduled or postponed, but not cancelled, due to safety or other reasons beyond our control (COVID-19 being a good example), we will reschedule making every effort to accommodate the trip to dates that suit everyone. If the new trip date does not work for you, your payment will be used as credit for a future trip.

While our prices are based on double occupancy, we are proud to say that we have an inclusivity policy and do not charge single supplements for solo travelers. This policy is in place to encourage and support more solo travelers, particularly women, to join us and explore the world, as we find single supplements can often be punishing. If you are booking solo, you will have a room to yourself at no extra charge. How are we able to do this? Easy, we simply earn a bit less on solo travelers. Please note that, depending on the hotel and their room availability, solo travelers might get smaller rooms such as standard rooms. These will, however, always be private and have a private bathroom. FOR OUR CHILE TRIP ONLY. In Chile, our hotel (Vibo Wine Lodge) in Colchagua Valley only has eight lofts (one king bed), which means we have very limited availability for solo travelers there. If you are traveling solo, book early if you want to stay at this hotel. Once we run out of loft availability for solo travelers, or for those that need two separate beds to begin with, you will be booked at our second hotel (Hotel Casa de Campo). This hotel is slightly more affordable, so travelers assigned to this hotel will be given a small discount or refund of $450 per person. If you are booking on a double occupancy basis (one bed) and would like to stay at Hotel Casa de Campo for the discounted price, please let us know by email (info@culinarytraditions.com) to adjust pricing.

We will do our best to accommodate any dietary restrictions and we will guide you in ordering things that you can safely eat whenever we’re not doing the ordering. At this time, we are not able to accommodate those on strict vegan diets. Depending on your allergy, intolerance, preference, or restriction, one destination might be better than others. For example, Mexico in general is great for those who are Gluten Free, while certain areas of the country, like Oaxaca, might be better than others for vegetarians. However, as a group, we will be trying different local things and sometimes it is impossible to avoid certain ingredients. You should be aware and accept that you might have to skip certain dishes. Please do let us know in advance of any restrictions or concerns and we will do our best efforts to accommodate them.

Oaxaca, Mexico City, and Mérida, our current destinations in Mexico, are all safe and have low crime rates. The same goes for Chile, which is consistently ranked as one of the safest countries in Latin America. There are always risks associated with traveling, no matter the destination, and the most important thing is being mindful, knowing where to go, and what to avoid. Safety is our number one priority and we are here to guide you.

Our culinary trips usually have between 10 and 12 travelers, plus our two trip leaders which include the local Chef Ambassador and another expert guide. Our travelers are open-minded, curious, adventurous, and fun, usually sharing a passion for food, cooking, and traveling, and tend to be diverse in age and background. A typical group will include a few solo travelers, some couples, friends or family members traveling together, ranging from ages 25 to 75. The great majority of our travelers come from North America, mainly from the United States and Canada, and a few from Mexico. But in the past, we’ve had travelers from Spain, China, New Zealand, Singapore, Ireland, India, and Britain.

We very strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance, from trip cancellation and interruption insurance to travel protection including medical and emergency evacuation insurance. This will allow you to be protected throughout your trip and seek reimbursement for your costs if, for any unforeseeable reasons, your plans change, you unfortunately need medical help, or more.

Our itineraries are curated based on what we believe to be the best and most representative foods at each of our destinations. Some spots will be casual—street stands, market stands, private homes of cooks—and others will be upscale. We choose each place carefully, with the intention of showing you the culinary landscape of a destination from every angle, regardless of the environment or price of an establishment.

Regulations vary depending on your home country and state, so always make sure to check and be mindful about what you bring back. For example, some arts and crafts are fragile, like pottery, but most artisans are able to pack them securely and ship them to you. In terms of food, as a general rule, NO fresh foods or seeds are allowed in or out of countries. You can bring chocolate, dried spices and chiles, mole pastes, vanilla, mezcal and wine, for example. The amount of alcohol allowed depends on your home country and state/region. The same rules apply when entering Mexico or Chile: don’t bring fresh foods with you.

We believe in responsible and ethical traveling. At both of our current destination countries, Mexico and Chile, haggling or bargaining is not customary. Both of these countries have wonderful arts, crafts, and other products, which should be fairly affordable considering the labor involved in making them and the exchange rate, particularly if you are coming from a country like the United States. Some of their products often take weeks or months to make, so we ask that you please take these matters into consideration before haggling. If you believe a price is too high, you can always ask for our guidance. Our goal is always two-fold: for our travelers to get the best value, in quality and price, while helping locals who are opening their homes and countries to us to earn a fair and decent living.

We require a minimum of eight travelers for our regular departure dates to run. While rare, if we do not get the minimum number of travelers on a trip, we may need to cancel, though we will do our best to keep the departure date and run it with the number of travelers who have booked. In the event that a trip must be cancelled, we will refund any amounts that have been paid to us or, if you are able to join us at a different date, we will transfer your payment to another date for the same destination or a different destination. We tend to make final decisions on a trip viability 120 days before the trip, so make sure to reach out to us before you purchase your airline tickets.

Certainly. Our Culinary Trips are meant to be intimate and curated experiences where you are in close contact with a like-minded group being guided by celebrated Chefs and experts. This means we expect all of our travelers to be mindful, respectful, and considerate not only with other travelers in the group, but with everyone who takes care of us and everyone we encounter, from your Chef Ambassador and trip leaders to drivers, waiters, and hotel staff. And while our trips are meant to be upscale experiences that include luxury accommodations and meals, remember that we don’t have waitstaff and full-time concierge guides, but celebrated chefs and experts. And while that’s really what makes Culinary Traditions special, our trips may not be for you. Our groups are also diverse, and so are the places we visit, so we ask that you not only please join us with an open mind and heart, but be respectful and tolerant of the local laws and customs of the countries we visit.

During our culinary tours and included meals and activities, we only frequent places that we trust and know to be safe and clean. Even then, anyone can get sick, especially when one’s body is not accustomed to a new environment or different bacteria. If there is anything you should avoid, like tap water or ice, we will let you know as these conditions change depending on the destination.

Please review the itinerary of your desired trip closely before booking to make sure you are able to participate and carry out all or most of the activities involved. We make every effort to accommodate traveler needs and disabilities, and offer alternate options whenever possible. Note that, because we will be in other countries with different regulations, some activities or places will not have the capacity to accommodate your needs. It’s important to note that some hotels and venues do not have elevators, so it is particularly important to let us know so we can arrange for first floor rooms, whenever possible. If you are unsure about whether a Culinary Traditions' trip is right for you, please get in touch with us at info@culinarytraditions.com.

What makes our trips unique is that we not only offer culinary trips, but culinary trips that are curated and guided by celebrated and award-winning native chefs who travel with you and show you the cuisine of their homeland as they would want to experience it. This comes with access to exclusive meals, houses, and introductions. Our trips are also small-group experiences, with a maximum of 14 travelers, to ensure a personalized and intimate journey. All of our itineraries also include a good amount of free time to rest or explore on your own, in case you need to recharge your social battery.

That’s okay too! We provide a variety of services to help create your perfect itinerary and dream culinary travel experience. From our Private Trips, where we guide and accompany you through a customized trip for you and your group, to our Concierge Services, where we help you plan your trip in various capacities so you can travel on your own with all of our insider knowledge, contacts, and guidance.

At this time, all of our culinary trips are carried out in English only, though all of our expert guides, trip leaders and Chef Ambassadors speak the local language.

While our private trips can be customized according to your needs and interests, our regular itineraries are food trips that explore local culinary traditions, as that is our specialty. That being said, all of our itineraries include other important cultural activities, as we believe food and culinary traditions can only exist within the historical, political, cultural, and social context of a place. Our itineraries are curated to tell the story of a destination through food, but in order to understand what we are eating we may visit museums, archeological sites, landmarks, the local homes of artisans, farms and gardens, and more.

Our Culinary Trips are limited to 14 travelers as we believe a smaller group allows for a more personalized and intimate travel experience.

Children 12 or over are welcome on certain trips, so please inquire before booking. That being said, it is important for parents to be aware of several things beforehand. Since all of our trips are culinary experiences, we will be eating things that may be unusual to children and menus will not be altered, so they should be adventurous eaters (dietary restrictions will be accommodated whenever possible.) Prices are per person, regardless of age and there are no children discounts. Our itineraries will not be modified to accommodate children’s schedules and most mornings will start early, at around 8:00 a.m., and finish late after dinner, at around 10:00 p.m. Lastly, there are activities involving alcohol, like a mezcal or wine tasting, that children will have to skip. In the event that children need to stay at the hotel, parents are responsible to arrange for their care.

Inclusions vary slightly depending on the destination you are booking, so please refer to the inclusions and exclusions that are detailed and described for each itinerary. Generally speaking, our itineraries tend to include the majority of meals for the trip dates with the exception of one or two dinners, accommodation at luxury boutique hotels for the duration of the trip, all ground transportation including airport pick-up and drop-off (with a window of two days before and after the trip from and to our hotel and airport), a cooking session led by the Chef Ambassador & Trip Leader, admission to all proposed activities and museums, and at least one mezcal or wine class and tasting. Our itineraries tend to exclude most alcoholic beverages (with the exclusion of our Chile trip and those described in the itinerary of each destination), airfare or transportation to and from the destination, and travel, emergency, and medical insurance (highly recommended).

If your desired trip departure date is sold out, we encourage you to add your name to the waitlist for the trip. Simply use our contact form and select waitlist, detailing your contact and personal details so we can keep you in mind in case a space opens up. We offer newly available spaces to travelers in the order in which they have joined the waitlist. If our trip sells out, we will very likely offer the same itinerary again at a future date, so we encourage you to sign-up for our newsletter and follow us on social media to stay updated on new dates, announcements, sales, etc.