Food for Thought Tours

I love when friends set me up with their foodie friends. A few weeks ago GoldenTee told me he had a buddy from school who'd just started her own company that combines two of my favorite pastimes: eating and traveling.

I exchanged a few inquiring e-mails with the founder of Food for Thought Tours and she wrote:

The weekend trips are a great alternative to going away internationally right now... Instead of just setting up the hotel for you, I have also included hands-on cooking classes with famous chefs, free food and wine, visits to local vineyards that I hand-selected for their excellence and hidden-from-the-public quality, insight into slow food communities and more. We also rent out the entire inn so usually really hard-to-reach places are ours for the entire weekend.

Umm, sign me up, please! When I looked at my calendar and realized I wouldn't be able to enjoy a tour in the near future, I decided to introduce her and her concept to my readers through an online interview, with hopes that you'd get out and eat! I plan to make this the first of many discussions with New York's makers and shakers in the food industry.

Name: Carolyn Centeno
Age: 26
Hometown: New York City
Current residence: New York City
Alma mater: Dartmouth College and Parsons School for Design
Occupation: "Green" Foodie Tour Cultivator, multi-disciplinary
Currently reading: "A Whole New Mind", David Pink
Currently listening to: The Kooks

Give me a brief description of Food for Thought Tours:

Food for thought on Food for Thought Tours: We focus on international/local, cultural and culinary tours with a green twist. We give our travelers "ins" to restaurants, chefs and hotels with a commitment to seasonal and local "farm to table" ethics and we support local communities while having a blast. My Web site says this: "Immerse yourself in unique and exciting sun-soaked, lip-smacking adventures - supporting local communities bringing together local farmers, winemakers and artisans. From market to table we have combined the best the earth has to offer...have a fabulous time and meet tons of new people!"

How did you come up with the idea for the tours?

It was more of a metamorphosis (still ever-changing) than a one day event. I decided to go to France for six months in search of a slower lifestyle to work with eco-hotels, sustainable chateaus and organic farms to learn more about sustainable landscape architecture and get a break from restaurant design and environmental architecture. While there, I had so many moments where I was positive that my taste buds had been lying to me my entire life. The French food was so pure, so fresh and so not-American. It had a powerful effect on me. During my time with organic farms and learning more about what goes into sustainable agriculture, I was mortified that Americans had been living an agricultural lie for years (seeing what Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and Barbara Kingsolver, author of "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" are talking about firsthand sometime after reading their books).

I came back determined to make a difference in NYC (and briefly in London). At first I decided I was going to apply for only urban agriculture jobs and combine my insights with architecture, but that didn't happen. I began to reflect on my time away and realized the huge distance New Yorkers have with this type of thinking. We go to grocery stores and eat out all the time. It struck me that I could really bring people together in New York City to learn about these concepts and have a fabulous time while doing it. I think there is nothing more substantial than sharing a meal, an afternoon or a day with strangers and gaining a sense of community in a city where it is hard to find exactly that.

Who introduced you to organic foods and what made you want to share your passion with others?

I have always been a food lover and very healthy eater, but I think that Pollan and Kingsolver introduced me to these concepts first. It marinated over a really long time, and I think the farmers and my friends of Southern France clinched it for me.

Describe a typical family dinner for you growing up:

My mother was born to European parents and my father to South American parents. Each of their families always ate dinner together every night, so we did the same. My mom and grandmother were amazing cooks my whole life and always made balanced meals. My dad actually owned an organic whole foods restaurant with a bunch of friends when they were hippies. (They actually sold the Soya burger who one of their friends came up with after going to India to a large Californian company. Pretty funny.)

How do you pick your destinations?

I am attracted to places and people that have a strong sense of community, appreciation of the environment and a warm culture. I chose France because I have amazing friends there who are off-the-beaten path and in places that are amazingly unique and authentic. I chose Ireland and Argentina because I am attracted to their friendly and open cultures, but also their dedication to the Slow Food movement. I chose the North Fork, Berkshires and other places in greater New York for their dedication to the Slow Food movement and "farm to table" ethics. Why not learn about our own culture for a change?

I like unique. I like authentic. I like fun.

I see you've traveled extensively in Europe, what is your favorite foodie destination?

I have! Too hard of a question! Besides my friend's hotel in Southern France, my friend who owns Chateau de Padies has the most perfect lunches with five different dishes ending in chocolate: tomato salads, foie gras, insert amazing main dish, bread, cheese platter, ending in chocolate and coffee.

And what would the name of that town be...?

I dont want to give away the hotel's name because it is part of my trip.

Love the mystery! Take me there now.

Destination though, I have to say the AOC goat cheese that my friend produces in a small town in Southern France is to die for. It is wrapped in fig leafs. Unbelievable. I also know the jam maker that makes fig and olive jam that goes perfectly. Party in your mouth.

Describe your ultimate vacation:

Meaningful. Vibrant. Real. Even though those are words I use to describe my trips I really think those ring true. I live for authentic experiences that no one else knows about. I like to have a lot of fun and meet loads of people from the country I am traveling to. Any of my friends who have traveled with me can attest to the fact that I am up for pretty much anything. I love food, I love adventure and I love people.

Are you at all concerned about the economy and its effect on people wanting to travel? What are some of your most recession-friendly travel/cooking options?

I am incredibly empathetic to the recession topic, and I am trying to do everything in my power to make trips as affordable as possible. I think this is because I am doing this as more of a labor of love than anything else. I just want people to have fun.

I have recently started a whole series of day trips and cooking classes that are well priced with what they are offering. I have worked extensively with vendors to get the best value for your money.

I also am starting a series of dinner parties that will be based in people's apartments to offer an intimate option to going out to a restaurant. I have also put together a series of well-priced prixe-fixe dinners with the owners of Slow Food restaurants in NYC to offer a night to network and learn about the restaurant and have a lot of fun!

All of my trips are great networking opportunities to meet other New Yorkers...which may mean job opportunities.

Who are some of your culinary influences?

Alice Waters. River Cottage. Jamie Oliver. River Cafe.

As a restaurant Site, I have to ask, your top 3 restaurants?

Slow Food Restaurants: Gustorganics, Jimmys no.43, Back Forty.
And others: Cafe Cortadito, Lil' Frankies (or any of the Frankies group), Les Enfants Terribles

Thanks for chatting, Carolyn! The words you used to describe your ultimate vacation are the same words I'd use to describe my friends and readers. I'm sure they will be just as excited about Food for Thought as I am. Good luck!