There was a time when hotel restaurants were looked down upon. As culinary experiences have been prioritized by travelers around the globe, however, all this has changed. Now, some of the best restaurants in the world are within hotels, award-winning chefs seek out lobby lairs to open their next big venture and more recently, hotels are offering immersive culinary experiences for guests looking to do more than just eat well.
While the restaurants at MICHELIN-recommended and MICHELIN Key hotels are certainly notable, experiences like foraging, fermenting, and harvesting olives provide an added element to a stay. Read on to discover nine experiences offered at U.S.-based resorts.
Fermenting at Two MICHELIN Key Alila Ventana Big Sur
Coastal California is bursting with fresh produce, but at Alila Ventana Big Sur, guests have the chance to turn fresh into fermented at the hotel’s immersive Intuitive Fermentation course. Instructed by Alila Ventana’s culinary team, guests have the opportunity to learn about the science behind fermentation — both foods like sauerkraut and pickles as well as beverages like kombucha — before a step-by-step creation of their own probiotic-rich products. The course was introduced in the summer of 2024 and is available year-round.
Farm dinners at Chatham Bars Inn
Chatham Bars Inn hosts seasonal farm dinners in the fall. The inn sources fresh vegetables from their eight-acre farm to create a multicourse farm-to-table dining experience, complemented by locally sourced meats and fish. The open-air summer dinners are hosted in the midst of the farm, and once the autumn chill enters the air, the dinners are moved to the inn’s charming greenhouse.
Farmers' Market Tour at One MICHELIN Key Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
Executive chef Damon Gordon leads curious guests through the Santa Monica Farmers' Market every Wednesday morning at 9am. This was something Gordon already did regularly before he decided to open it up to guests for an exclusive peek into how he selects his ultra-seasonal ingredients used at FIG Restaurant. After hand-selecting ingredients, guests have the chance to join chef Gordon for a lunchtime cooking demo. The experience provides insight into the hotel’s unique culinary philosophy and offers a new meaning of “locally sourced” for guests.
Foraging Walks at Eastwind Oliverea Valley
In New York’s Hudson Valley, foraging walks are offered year-round as guests can venture to the edge of Esopus Creek with a member of Eastwind Oliverea Valley’s culinary team to seek out wild mushrooms, nettles, and edible flowers. Guests have the chance to learn about the art of foraging and to hone in on their senses as they focus on the taste, smell and feel of the property's 40 acres to discover the best spots for the naturally growing botanicals.
Focaccia Making at Wildflower Farms
In upstate New York, guests of Wildflower Farms can busy themselves in the kitchen at the property’s evergreen focaccia making class. Roll up your sleeves and tie your apron as a local sourdough expert guides you through the process of creating sourdough; her signature bread is garnished with edible flowers, vegetables, and herbs from the estate’s garden.
Olive Harvest at Three MICHELIN Key Auberge du Soleil
When thinking about harvest season in Napa Valley, it’s easy to focus on grapes used in the region’s famed wine. However, the region is agriculturally rich and Auberge du Soleil showcases this with an opportunity for guests to join an olive harvest that falls between late fall and early winter. Guests can sign up to pick and press olives from Auberge du Soleil's 33 acres of estate, heritage olive groves before a guided tasting of freshly pressed olive oil to appreciate the nuances of artisanal olive oil. During olive harvest, they also offer an “Olives Six Ways” tasting menu paired with some of the world’s best olive, and wine, growing regions.
Afternoon Tea at One MICHELIN Key Ette Hotel
Afternoon tea is a tradition at Orlando’s Ette Hotel, as it’s been a part of programming since the hotel’s inception in 2022. The signature experience is only available on Sunday, which makes it even more unique and worth planning a trip around as they offer an exquisite selection of Mariage Freres teas alongside tiered plates of house-made pastries and craft finger sandwiches. Maestro Nathan Bowman provides a serenading soundtrack and the table setting of fine English China emphasizes the attention to detail from the Ette team.
Cookbook Dinner Series at the One MICHELIN Key Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel
You don't have to be in the countryside for a culinary experience. At the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel, their onsite restaurant, Caldo Verde, hosts a monthly cookbook dinner series. Started by Chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur and wine professional Caroline Styne, the series is a way to express the duo’s appreciation and connection to other prominent figures in the Los Angeles dining scene. The experience offers a chance for locals and guests to mingle with prominent authors — past talent includes chefs Nik Sharma, David Tanis (Lulu) and Phil Rosenthal — for casual education and creative exchange.
Hero image: Chatham Bars Inn
