Chefs are the first to admit that getting out of the kitchen is the best way to stay inspired. Condé Nast Traveler asked a group of women chefs where they plan to eat their way through in 2027, and the resulting list doubles as a seriously useful hit list for food-focused travellers.
In South Korea, two destinations stand out. In Jangseong County, the legendary monk-chef Jeong Kwan of Baekyangsa Temple is hoped to host one of her temple-food demonstrations — a rare chance to taste cooking rooted in Buddhist practice. Further north, Inje, the smallest county in the country, is famous for hwangtae guk, a dried pollock soup. Clara Lee, co-author of Korean Soups, swears by Song-yi Sikdang, where the set menu pairs pollock soup with a whole grilled fish and twelve seasoned namul side dishes. Inje sits in the Taebaek mountains, roughly two hours' drive from Seoul, and is gorgeous in every season.
Tokyo gets two nods. Sushi Meino, a six-seat counter in Azabujuban run by chef Mei Kougo — one of Japan's few female sushi masters — has been nearly impossible to book since opening in 2023, though her takeout-only hosomaki shop Makimaki opened nearby as a backup. Across town, ADI serves a South Asian diaspora menu in omakase format under chef Kanchan Adhikari.
Europe features heavily. In Spain's inland Basque Country, Katie Button wants to eat at Arrea! in the mountain village of Kanpezu, where the cooking leans on foraged, hunted and grown ingredients rather than the familiar San Sebastián pintxo scene (though she'll hit pintxo bars too). Puglia, Italy, earns a mention for grilled fish, handmade pasta and regional cheeses, while Beirut draws chef Mary Attea back to her Lebanese roots: sesame-studded ka'ak street bread, warm chickpea spreads at the old-school El Soussi, and even beid ghanam — lamb testicles in lemon and olive oil — served with fattet hummus.
Stateside, Erin French's The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine is on Camilla Marcus's summer list, drawn by its mostly female crew and its soft polenta with honey and ricotta. In Boulder, Colorado, Casa Juani — from chefs Kelly Jeun and Eduardo Vallelobo, recently named on Bon Appétit's Best New Restaurants list — serves an entirely Spanish menu.
Further afield, Norma Listman is plotting a Peruvian trip for ceviche and Nikkei cuisine at its source, plus the country's markets and Inca heritage. Assam in northeast India rounds out the list, prized for its black sesame and wild greens, and for the chance to connect a young child with his Indian heritage.
Why it matters: chefs eat strategically — they know which kitchens are worth a plane ticket. This list skips obvious hotspots in favour of counters, temples and mountain villages where the food is genuinely singular, making it a ready-made itinerary for anyone planning an eating-focused trip in 2027.
