A Taste of New York with Chef Marcus Samuelsson

Booking.com’s Taste of Travel with Marcus Samuelsson led me and my appetite to seven different areas of New York City.

Did you know that more and more people are booking trips based on food? Culinary travel continues to be one of the top reasons to jet around the world, meaning, more and more folks put experiencing food and drink in never-visited places at the top of their travel bucket list. As it turns out, the place in the world where most people want to travel for food is New York City, which is no surprise to me. New York represents every corner of the globe, not only in its diverse population but in the food that the people from those countries create.

Last week, I attended Booking.com’s Taste of Travel with Marcus Samuelsson, and feasted on seven dishes inspired by New York neighborhoods. Yum, the food that the chef and his team cooked was incredibly flavorful, and represented our great city but with Marcus Samuelsson flair! And they made all of it in a food truck. One would’ve thought they cooked this gourmet meal in a state-of-the-art kitchen.

Below is the “Taste of New York” at Taste of Travel with Marcus Samuelsson

Lobster Salad Tostada, dill, yuzu kosho 
Find it in Mexican and Latin-inspired dishes in “El Barrio” or East Harlem

Mushroom Wat Pasta, garganelli, berbere
Find it Hell’s Kitchen

Cod Fish Fritter, dirty rice, tomato salad, green curry aioli
Find it in Richmond Hill, Queens

Sticky Rib, beef rib, pickled chili
Find it in Koreatown, Manhattan

Summer Corn Soup, corn, crab, coriander
Find fresh, local ingredients like this at a farmer’s market, like the one in Union Square

Meatball Skewer, lamb, chicken, dill, labne
Find it in Astoria, Queens

While we were standing around a huge island and chowikng on the food that he and his crew made, Chef Samuelsson chatted with the group, asking us questions, like where we traveled last and about the cuisine in each place. I told him about my trip to Ottawa and the excellent food coming from that city. Then we asked him questions about travel and cooking, and he answered in detail. I met him once years ago at an event, and he was down to earth and easy to talk to. This time he was the same – approachable and a very cool guy. 🙂

The lunch shindig was staged in a renovated townhouse at 118 West 76th Street that’s on the market for $15.95 million and can be rented for $42,000 per month on Booking.com (that price includes a private food truck curated by Chef Samuelsson). The house is incredible, and the food would be fabulous, but I’m not sure about the price tag – it’s a little beyond my budget. I did check on Booking, though, and it looks like the house is sold out for months to come. Or, maybe someone bought it already. 😉

Be sure to watch Marcus Samuelsson’s show, No Passport Required. The chef travels to six different American cities – Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Queens, NY, Miami, and D.C. – and celebrates a specific immigrant community and how their culture and cuisine helped shape each city. He eats in locally owned restaurants and chats with some of our country’s most accomplished chefs, but he also enters the homes of immigrants and cooks with them and their families. These people tell inspiring stories of their heritage and journeys to the United States. The show is beautifully shot – it makes me want to get in the kitchen and cook a meal or travel to these cities and experience the same. I’ve watched three episodes and I am hooked! The show airs Tuesdays on PBS, but you can also stream the shows online. 

Thanks to Booking.com for inviting me to Taste of Travel with Marcus Samuelsson.

“Be curious when you travel. The more we travel the more we explore diversity.”–Marcus Samuelsson

Also, the food in Queens is some of the best you’ll find in New York. Do not underestimate this borough!

Plus, unique food to try in NYC, and where to get authentic Chinese food in NYC.