5 great food travel experiences on Netflix

Do you miss travelling and discovering new food experiences? While you’re slowly finding your wings you can do some kitchen-chair travelling with the great food shows on Netflix.

With so much interest in things gastronomic globally, no wonder gourmet tourism is taking off. Netflix has tapped into the zeitgeist with some tasty offerings that’re sure to get your salivary glands working and travel dreams restarted.

Let’s get started on our tour with a sprinkling of the food travel shows available on Netflix.

Rated MA (some mild swearing and realities of animal preparation)

This genre-defining documentary places chefs at the heart of the narrative. It takes us on a journey into the creative world of highly skilled chefs and cooks from around the globe. We’re treated to sensory exploration of the food landscapes that inspired them. The show is a true celebration of the chef’s art with some magnificent camera work and music to uplift the senses. It almost replaces being able to taste the food. Almost.

Sure, the chefs can be single-minded and sometimes a bit self-important but through their point of view we get to learn about their influences and philosophies in a way that you probably wouldn’t achieve as the average tourist.

We’re introduced to stellar culinary talent like Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana in Modena and Magnus Nilsson in Järpen, Sweden. We go to Brazil to meet chef, Alex Tala who shows us his love of the Amazon, we meet Enrique Olvera of Mexico City and Ana Ros in Slovenia.  We go to Berlin to meet Tim Raue to see how he’s shaking up the food scene in that ultra-cool city.  We’re also treated to a trip to Bali with chef Will Goldfarb who left New York for an exotic new start. And through the eyes of Gaggan Anand we experience (without tasting, sorry) a new take on Indian cuisine in Bangkok.

That’s just a quick taste of what’s on offer in the show. Why not discover this amazing series for yourself? But perhaps eat something first…

Rated PG – 2 seasons

As we continue our culinary travels why not indulge in some feel-good transformations of hotel businesses around the world? Restaurants on the Edge expands on a format established by home renovations shows where viewers are shown “before and after” reveals of ailing restaurants that have been transformed by a team of expert in their fields. The food and beverage menus are reworked, and the décor is updated to fit both locals and visitors. Along the way we find out more about the people running the business, their inspirations and the local food cultures that have inspired them.

As you’d expect, the chosen locations are very picturesque (goodie – let’s go) and include Malta, Hong Kong, Tobermory, Costa Rica, Austria, St Lucia in season 1. Then Slovenia, Okanagan Valley, Finland, Muskoka, Hawaii, St Croix, Arizona in season 2.

There’s a strong North America Point of Voice going throughout the program thanks to it being a Canadian show, but it’s so much more than the sum of its format elements. It really does take you travelling to a restaurant on the edge located at some amazing places. It also encourages the chefs to reconnect with their culinary roots of their adopted countries, celebrating the local food and beverage traditions along the way (even when the dishes are modernised). It might be a little formulaic but it’s got enough genuine enthusiasm to carry it forward and encourage binge watching-eating.

Rated PG – 4 seasons

Somebody Feed Phil is a food travel doco presented by Philip Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody loves Raymond. Turns out that Phil likes to travel and eat. A lot.

Every episode is a different destination around the world.

Phil tours floating markets in Bangkok, tries pho and banh mi in Saigon, eats shakshuka in Tel Aviv, devours pasteis de nata tarts in Lisbon, tucks into southern-style crawfish in New Orleans and samples tacos al pastor in Mexico City. Phew.

Then it’s onto Venice for gelato. In Dublin Phil learns to pour a Guinness and in Buenos Aires he tries wild boar choripán (sausage sandwich). Then how about some food from Copenhagen, Cape Town, New York City, Marrakesh, Chicago, London, Seoul, Montreal, Rio De Janeiro, San Francisco, Singapore, The Mississippi Delta or Hawaii? That’s a lot of travel-miles.

During the show Phil doesn’t take himself too seriously as signalled by the somewhat cheesy theme song at the start. And thankfully this show is not about intra-crew in-jokes at the expense of the guests. It’s about celebrating food, drinks and life. Phil shows camaraderie and respect to those he meets in his travels, and we’re invited to share in the excitement of his discoveries and why not?  Food is an important part of the travel experience, after all.

Plus, his joy of discovery is amplified when he connects with his parents in each episode via video conference, just like we do when we share our travels with our own family. Might seem a bit twee and repetitive to some but this writer found it rather sweet. After all we’re joining them on the couch travelling vicariously with their son, Phil, right?

Rated PG – 1 season

This charming cooking show follows on from Samin Nosrat’s cookbook of the same name. And just like the book, the show promises to help us master the elements of good cooking. The name comes from the core elements that Nosrat holds to be universal to good food preparation, irrespective of cuisine.

Nosrat takes us on a journey like a tour guide over four episodes to different parts of the world, we’re introduced to wonderful chefs and cooks, many of whom are women. We get to travel to different locations as she explores each culinary concept in the title. We go to Japan for seaweed for “Salt” and to Italy to experience the joys of “Fat” in its smallgoods and cheeses. Then we’re invited to sample Mexico’s salsas and unique honey for “Acid”; then back to her first cooking gig in Berkeley, California for “Heat” through the restaurant’s woodfired wonders.

Nosrat’s warm and engaging personality is a delightful bonus to her obvious skills and interest in all things culinary. Like real travel experiences, not everything is perfect. At times things don’t go quite right, but so what? Thanks to her program, we get an immersive travel experience plus discover authentic food cultures and traditions. That’s not easily replicated in real life for the average time-poor wage earner.

This is a gem of a show. It’s got so much heart that it puts its arms around you and pulls you into the kitchen.

Rated G – 1 season

The expansive, encyclopaedic scope of this journey into Indian cuisine fits its title “Kings, Kitchens and Other Stories" in English, very well.

The sheer detail, research and geographic reach of this series about the food of the subcontinent is truly amazing.

Sit back and allow yourself to be transported to a wonderful culinary world. Thankfully this doco is not dubbed so that we can better appreciate the nuances of the passionate guest cooks and historians.

The show immerses us in the history and flavours (if only we could reach in and taste the fare) of Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Rampur, Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Lucknow and Mahmudabad, Mysore, Kerala and Gujarat. That’s an education for this writer right there.

Indeed, this is a steep learning curve for those without a lot of knowledge about Indian cuisine and what a wonderfully entertaining education it turns out to be.

Like many real-life travel experiences, the show opens up the richness and diversity that’s there to be discovered by those who take the time. It helps us uncover the richness and diversity of regional Indian food. And wow what a journey it is.

It’s a culinary program, it’s a history doco and it’s pure entertainment.

Whether you binge watch-eat in one go or sample each episode gradually and slowly like a fine delicacy, there’s lot of surrogate-travel experience to be had here.

Feeling hungry? Perhaps after watching these great food docos on Netflix, you’ll also be inspired to visit these amazing restaurants and food cultures. Bon voyage and bon appétit.

With Netflix now on Optus SubHub, you can get your foodie travel fix, while saving on your streaming subscriptions. Bring your existing Netflix subscription or activate a new one on Optus SubHub and save up to 10% when you bundle two or more eligible paid subscriptions. T&Cs and eligibility criteria apply.

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