Chef Roy Yamaguchi Teams with Admiral Travel Gallery
for a Culinary and Cultural Odyssey through Japan
(Sarasota, FL) Curious to know what it’s like to cook in the Iron Chef’s Kitchen Stadium? Want to discover the inspiration for Chef Roy Yamaguchi’s acclaimed Hawaiian Fusion® cuisine? Travelers seeking to experience the flavors, traditions and natural beauty of Japan will have the opportunity to explore this extraordinary country with the Iron Chef and founder of Roy’s Restaurants, Chef Roy Yamaguchi, on a 10-day culinary and cultural odyssey, September 24 to October 4, 2009. The tour is coordinated through Admiral Travel Gallery (ATG), a Sarasota-based boutique travel agency specializing in personalized, one-of-a-kind travel experiences.
“Japan is a land of great beauty and its people take pride in attending to every detail,” says Yamaguchi. “I’m eager to share my knowledge of this enchanting country with this select group of travelers. We’ll share some unforgettable experiences.”
The program features a host of distinctive culinary experiences, including sampling dishes prepared for the emperor’s court, vegetarian dishes developed by Buddhist monks, meals that accompany the tea ceremony, and the formal dining favored by samurai families for special events. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn the art of making sushi by a sushi master at the Tsukiji Market, the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. Guests will explore Japan’s legendary natural beauty on a cruise excursion on Lake Ashi, a crater lake famous for its inverted reflection of Mt. Fuji. Other outings include a visit to the spectacular 300-feet-high waterfalls at Kegon Falls, and a cable car ride to the top of Mt. Komagatake, which affords a breathtaking view of Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi, Mt. Futago, and the mountains of the distant Izu Peninsula. Visits will also be made to select temples, shrines and museums. This remarkable journey will include a special visit to Hiroshima, where guests can pay their respects at Peace Memorial Park.
Malaka Hilton, president and CEO of exclusive product development for Admiral Travel Gallery, met Chef Yamaguchi while planning an event together at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Since then, the two have collaborated on culinary treks in South Africa, Croatia and Egypt.
“The only thing better than dining at one of Roy’s Restaurants is traveling with him,” says Hilton. “Roy’s cooking demonstrations feature local ingredients and add so much to the guest’s experience of a destination. He’s a wonderful host!”
Hilton specializes in her signature line of “ATG Elite” exclusive travel experiences, which she describes as, “Over-the-top activities and events that are all about the ‘wow-factor.’ Our travelers meet influential people and gain access to special places that leave them with memories and experiences they will treasure for a lifetime.” For more information about traveling with Chef Roy Yamaguchi, contact Admiral Travel Gallery, 1284 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota, FL; 941-951-1801. To learn more about this and other unique travel opportunities, visit www.admiraltravel.com. For more information about this press release or to interview Malaka Hilton or Roy Yamaguchi, contact Cemantha Crain at 941-951-1801.
About Admiral Travel Gallery®
Founded in 1997, Admiral Travel Gallery (ATG) rapidly established its niche in the luxury travel market by offering one-of-a-kind escorted group departures to the world's most intriguing destinations. Owners Malaka and Ryan Hilton have been recognized by Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler each consecutive year since 2003 for their expertise in Egypt and Southern Africa Safari, respectively. ATG has two locations in the Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida area: 1284 N. Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota and at Concierge Travel Service at MGA Commerce Plaza, 9024 Town Center Parkway, in Lakewood Ranch. For more information, visit www.admiraltravel.com. ATG is a Virtuoso-member agency.
About Chef Roy Yamaguchi
Chef Roy Yamaguchi was born and raised in Tokyo, but his Hawaiian connection goes back to his grandfather, who owned a tavern in the1940’s in Wailuku, Maui. Yamaguchi graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York's Hyde Park in 1976 and was mentored in an apprenticeship specializing in French cooking at L'Ermitage by late master chef Jean Bertranou. Honored early in his career with the prestigious James Beard "Best Pacific Northwest Chef" award, Yamaguchi has hosted six seasons of the PBS-TV show, Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi seen on more than 300 stations in all 50 states, as well as in over 60 countries. Equally notable, he has been a featured chef on the TV Food Network program, My Country, My Kitchen, which takes viewers back to his roots in Japan. In 2001 Yamaguchi was selected to be among the “Iron Chef USA” world-class contingent. Yamaguchi is now regarded as a pioneer who mastered a distinctive style, Hawaiian Fusion® cuisine, which brought his cooking to the forefront of contemporary gastronomy. There are 36 Roy’s restaurants, including 27 in the United States, seven in Hawaii, one in Japan, and one in Guam. Yamaguchi has also published three cookbooks: Roy’s Fish and Seafood, Roy’s Feasts from Hawaii and Hawaii Cooks: Flavors from Roy’s Pacific Rim Kitchen.
