Culinary tourism, Marshall University & the Greenbrier Resort

Everyone must eat. This is a pretty simple statement but I do not think that any of you will disagree with me. Whether we are at home, work, or on the road traveling to the mall or an exotic destination we need sustenance. Some of us “eat to live” while another faction really “live to eat” and then there are some people that migrate from group to group depending on many variable circumstances.

This action has been observed by the travel and tourism industry and a new special interest niche of Culinary Tourism has evolved. Sampling local dishes and beverages has always been a component of many peoples’ travels but today we see trips and tours designed around food and beverage.

Culinary Tourism is a relatively new industry. In fact, culinary tourism as an industry did not coming into being until the year 2001, when International Culinary Tourism Association (ICTA) President Erik Wolf distributed his culinary tourism white paper.

Food for many has moved to center stage. One just has to look at the expansion of the Food Channel on TV, the growth of specialty cookware & cutlery stores and the popularity of learn to cook classes and workshops. In Huntington Marshall’s Cooking and Culinary Institute offers a wide range of special cooking classes and a chef’s training program.

Add a little travel to the mix and head to White Sulpfur Springs WV Greenbrier Resort and enroll in one of their Gourmet Cooking Classes. Here as students under the direction of renowned Chefs you will be able to hone your skills in a professional kitchen then sit down with a specially selected glass of wine and enjoy your own cooking efforts. If you watched Barbeque University on TV you should have some of the shows were hosted here too.

Stay tuned as there’s more to come on culinary travel.