The 2023 Master Chef series was such a success that we decided to keep it going for another season! Prepare your palate for adventure, because Travel That Matters is about to take off (again) with the top tastemakers on a culinary journey around the globe, including Nancy Silverton, Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Palmer, Danny Meyer, Jonathan Waxman, and many more incredible chefs and restaurateurs.  In anticipation, listen (or relisten) to season 3 of Travel That Matters, the first iteration of...

Getting people to think differently when deciding where to travel next is a specialty of the travel journalist Andrew Nelson, a writer for two decades with National Geographic Travel and a two-time Lowell Thomas prize winner. Andrew joins Bruce on the podcast to discuss places in his new National Geographic book, Here Not There, revealing 100 alternative travel destinations to the ones we've probably all heard about 1,000 times. Andrew tells us about the places that are overlooked and why...

Embark on an adventure through South Africa with Liam Tomlin (Cape Town chef), Deborah Calmeyer (ROAR Africa founder), and Tiago Sarmento (managing director of Belmond in Southern Africa), whose stories and insider tips on crafting the ultimate travel experience will have you hooked on this something-for-everybody destination. On his recent trip to Cape Town and Tswalu Kalahari reserve in South Africa, Bruce caught up with Tomlin and Sarmento to talk about Cape Town’s culinary delights,...

This week, we're recommending a Pushkin podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, where Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. In this episode, Dr. Richard "Harry" Harris is an anesthesiologist and expert cave diver who was tasked with a seemingly impossible mission: to rescue a boys' soccer team trapped 2.5 miles deep within a flooded cave in Thailand. He talks with Maya about...

Divia Thani is an incredible and inspiring source of information on how best to explore the many different regions of India, from the Himalayas in the north to Chettinad in the south. In this episode of Travel That Matters, Bruce speaks with Divia, the Global Editorial Director of Condé Nast Traveler, about her home country of India, inclusive of the bustling scene in Goa, the best time of year to visit, where to find the best jewelry, and the thrills of a tiger safari (and how it’s...

Follow Travel That Matters and get ready for a new episode about India with Condé Nast Traveler's Global Editorial Director Divia Thani coming next week, Tuesday, January 9, 2024. If you've been enjoying Travel That Matters, please leave the podcast a 5-star rating. --- Travel That Matters is a CurtCo Media production. Host: Bruce Wallin Producer: AJ Moseley Marketing: Catrin Skaperdas Music: Joey Salvia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our love of travel and food converge in spectacular fashion in this exploration of Mexico and its many regional cuisines with chef and TV host Pati Jinich. As the host of the 3x James Beard Award-winning PBS television series “Pati’s Mexican Table,” resident chef at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., and a cookbook author, Pati is the perfect person to lead us on a culinary adventure through the country, diving into its regional specialties, under-the-radar restaurants,...

This week, we're recommending a podcast for Scotland-lovers by award-winning travel blogger Kathi Kamleitner. This clip is of her conversation with Mark Williams, a forager and foraging tutor with over 30 years of experience. Originally from the Isle of Arran, Mark lives in Galloway these days and runs foraging classes and workshops all over Scotland. In the episode, Kathi and Mark cover...      •     How Mark became a full-time forager      •     His favorite plants, mushrooms and seaweeds...

Dr. Tara Stoinski, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund President, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, joins Bruce to discuss the fascinating scientific and conservation work the organization does in the mountains of Rwanda, as well as the fund’s brand-new Ellen DeGeneres Campus—a facility that will not only change how we study and protect mountain gorillas but also enhance what is already one of the world’s epic travel experiences. Continuing the work of the legendary Fossey—who was murdered in Rwanda in...

John Robert Sutton didn't always know he wanted to travel through 124 countries and be the best exotic food trader, but we're glad he did! This episode is packed with the most interesting stories, like where vanilla is really from and how it grows in its natural state, what the most potent and natural antioxidant on the face of the earth is, what volcanoes have to do with the best culinary destinations in the world, what herb is the secret ingredient to staying active over the age of 100 and...

“From a hidden region of Colombia to a high-profile hotel debut in London, this episode is for adventurers, foodies, escapists, and big-city lovers—basically anyone who cherishes travel and is interested in exploring new places,” Bruce says. Throughout the episode, you will hear the insights and advice of luxury travel leaders whom Bruce Wallin, Travel That Matters host and award-winning travel writer and editor, surveyed at the annual Virtuoso Travel Week, the world’s leading luxury travel...

"I came to Thailand when I was just a teenager and chose never to leave," said guest Bill Heinecke, collector car enthusiast, experiential traveler, and billionaire founder and chairman of Minor International PCL, which owns and operates hotel brands including Anantara and Tivoli. Host and award-winning travel writer and editor Bruce Wallin guides Bill through his stories of the incredible aspects of different corners of the globe, starting with Thailand. From the bustling streets of Bangkok...

In this episode, host Bruce Wallin explores the transformative power of travel with guest Esme Benjamin, a wellness and travel journalist and host of the podcast The Trip That Changed Me. They start by talking about wellness programs in Italy (The Ranch) and Cuba (Mhai Yoga). We learn why Fiuggi water has been celebrated for its healing powers and why Cubans are gathering in public spaces dancing nearly every evening. Then we learn about the trip that changed Esme, a year-in-the-making...

Chef Richard Sandoval was and still is an instrumental force in the proliferation and elevation of Latin American cuisine across the globe. Born and raised in Mexico City—and once an aspiring professional tennis player—his journey into the world of culinary delights began early, setting the stage for a lifetime of epicurean exploration.   In this week’s episode, Travel That Matters sends you from the vibrant streets of Mexico City to surprising corners of the globe, showcasing Chef...

Chris Jackson of Stonestreet Estate Vineyards and Jackson Family Wines (Kendall-Jackson) joined Bruce to talk about all things wine, including why Healdsburg, California, is the best wine town to visit in America, the truth about how the family business got started (and how it was pretty much a “catastrophe”), and other wine destinations he loves and why you should visit them. Should Sonoma Valley be your first choice over Napa?  Before revealing what regions the Jackson family feels...

Anne-Cecile Degenne is the executive corporate chef for Accor’s Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery, and Emblems hotel brands, overseeing more than 100 boutique restaurant concepts around the globe. Her work and personal travels—which include trekking through Mongolia for two months—have given her a unique perspective on global cuisine, which she shares in this fun and informative interview with Bruce. Classically trained in France, Anne-Cecile has taken her talents from the Caribbean and New...

Including a long list of restaurants in New Orleans, Nina Compton (James Beard award winning Saint Lucian chef currently living in New Orleans and 2nd place winner of Top Chef) gives listeners of this "Travel That Matters" episode countless travel tips for culinary destinations, including Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. As Saint Lucia is her home country, she dives deep into tasty local spots most tourists don't know about, what her Saint Lucian family eats for Christmas,...

Hawaii, Burgundy, Australia, and California are just some of the places internationally known chef, TV host, entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author and chef-owner Curtis Stone talks about on this episode of "Travel That Matters" with award-winning travel writer and editor Bruce Wallin. Curtis shares insider tips on all the amazing, unknown places in Australia he’s been to and what's special about the Australian cuisine and the traditions that accompany it. Curtis goes into detail...

Gregory Gourdet is an American chef, writer, restaurateur, and former finalist on the twelfth and seventeenth seasons of Top Chef. His first restaurant Kann was named America’s best new restaurant at the 2023 James Beard awards. Gregory shares his experience on Top Chef and how it inspired him to travel around the world. We also get a sneak peek of his work guiding global travel experiences with Modern Adventure. We learn about what part of the world Gregory is most passionate about right...

Gail Simmons has served as a permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef since the show’s inception in 2006. She is also a food journalist, cookbook author, mother of two, and avid global traveler. In this episode, we hear some of Gail Simmon’s insights on judging Top Chef contestants and dishes, but she mainly talks about how travel has shaped her career and life. We learn about her time working on a kibbutz in Israel, and her firsthand knowledge of why the country has such a...

Highly decorated chef and owner of prestigious restaurants all over the world Daniel Boulud starts off this episode of "Travel That Matters" by telling us what and how he prepared one of the best meals host Bruce ever had the night before this interview was recorded. The two go on to discuss Daniel’s experience working in a variety of Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe as well as why Daniel thinks his hometown of Lyon, France, is such a great travel and food destination. They also discuss...

In this episode, Amanda Freitag, well known for being a judge on Food Network’s “Chopped,” shares what unique item she collects during her travels around the world, her experiences as a chef, what restaurant was getting live frogs in a box in the morning and selling out before end of day, what she appreciates about Italian food that might surprise you, where she wants to travel to next, her suggestion for the best pizza in the US, and her favorite food cities in the US and what makes them so...

"Travel That Matters" is back! The first episode of the brand-new Master Chef series features Marcus Samuelsson, an award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, philanthropist and food activist. Marcus shares with us what he eats at ballpark stadiums, where goes to buy his spices and sauces in LA, and the differences in food and culinary scenes across the continent of Africa. Marcus also shares why food lovers should consider Sweden as a top destination. Marcus goes on to recount some...

From planes to plates, this special podcast season of Travel That Matters with Bruce Wallin, award-winning travel editor, takes you on a culinary adventure around the globe. This brand-new Master Chef series features some of the best chefs and food personalities in the world and the global ventures that shaped them all. You’ll hear what it takes to create stunning hand-made pasta from the distinguished chef Daniel Boulud, get an inside look into the sights, smells, and tastes from around the...