Of all of the people I have met and worked with during my 40 years writing about and working with food, my most favorite personality and now long standing friend has been Arlene Feltman Sailhac, founder of the renowned and innovative DeGustibus at Macy’s cooking school, a thirty year New York City culinary institution.  A couple of years ago, Arlene decided to take a break from the “classroom” and very quietly sold DeGustibus to Sal Rizzo, another talented culinary innovator.  But, to the good fortune of food lovers everywhere, she decided to concentrate on culinary travel through a new company she formed, Food“o”Philes, featuring unique and boutique culinary vacations for the discerning traveler.

Arlene’s years of show-casing most of the world’s greatest chefs (and her marriage to one, the esteemed Alain Sailhac) has allowed her to engage in the most extraordinary holidays.  Although I had spoken to some of her clients who had sung the joys of Food“o”Philes journeys, I had not spent much time with her talking about her adventures.  So, I recently cornered Arlene in the DeGustibus culinary center (where she was subbing for Sal who had torn his Achilles tendon) to hear more about her comings and goings.

I immediately asked Arlene about her change of venue.  “Food“o”Philes is a true extension of what I had been doing through the years at DeGustibus.  As you know, we had done some trips so I had a bit of experience at arranging culinary adventures, but doing it as a full-time job has been enormously taxing as there are so many details to create a luxury travel experience.  My main goal, other than worry-free travel, is to have my clients meet food personalities in their own environment, making the trip as much a cultural experience as a culinary one.  I strive to give an immediate sense of place to the traveler.”

I inquired if she found the chefs that she knew well to be different on their home turf than in she had found them to be on the DeGustibus stage.  She chose to talk about 2 chefs that I knew, Charlie Palmer (Aureole {New York and Las Vegas}, Dry Creek Kitchen, Sonoma, California among others – charliepalmer.com) and Cesare Casella (Salumeria Rosi, New York City – salumeriarosi.com).  “To see Charlie at home in Healdsburg was extremely different than watching him work in New York.  His comfort zone with the products of the area was amazing – we got to experience California’s wine country in a very up-close and personal way.  And to be in Lucca (Italy) with Cesare was like returning to your long-lost family – by the end of our stay we seemed to know everybody in town and everybody seemed to have some connection to Cesare.  It was unlike any trip I could have planned without having a long-standing relationship with the chef.”

My curiosity was piqued by Arlene’s “sense of place” determination so I asked if she had found a difference in the regional products of the various international areas she has taken her clients against those of America’s farmer’s markets.  She thoughtfully replied that “in Istanbul, the eggplant and artichokes were certainly different but not necessarily better BUT how they were grown and what was done to them made the end result exceptional.  As well, in Sicily, we had a difficult time measuring the traditional way of preparing swordfish – thinly cut, flat and relatively dry – with the American way of presenting a thick and juicy slab.  And throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean we have now experienced caponata in about as many permutations as possible and none as simple as we were used to.”

After chatting for a bit, it appeared to me that Arlene truly is offering a “unique and boutique” travel experience just as she advertises.  She told me about the private dinner presented by a Caribbean consul (stationed in Istanbul) for her group of 25 travelers.  She was asked the interests or careers of each one so that the host could match the Turkish guests with the interests of Arlene’s individual travelers.  And, all 55 diners were seated at one long table overlooking the Bosphorus.  A young chef who had been a student at The French Culinary Institute (in New York) where Chef Sailhac is Dean Emeritus introduced the group to Turkish culinary traditions including a day in his father’s restaurant.  Plus all of this culinary excitement was only part of a trip that included trips to the famous ruins in Kusadashi and Ephesus.  Friends were made and new travel plans made that would be very unlikely on an ordinary guided tour.  And, all expenses and meals, other than air travel, are included; there is not one issue to concern the traveler, except bringing back their own memories.  The frugal traveler certainly can’t compare!

I inquired about future travel projects and learned that immediate plans are for a five day trip to Charleston, South Carolina coming up on October 19^th (see http://www.foodophiles.com for complete details) as well as an intensive trip to Lyon for the Bocuse D’Or on January 19, 2011 mainly, to quote Arlene, “to cheer the competing American team on to a win in this world culinary competition.”  The latter should be an amazing trip with Arlene and her husband, Chef Alain, introducing the Food“o”Philes group to the culinary history and expansive feasting for which Lyon is known.  And, in the planning stages, trips to Japan, Puglia, and Basque country.  Arlene also reminded me to tell you that all suggestions for excursions anywhere in the world are welcome.