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Another day, another adventure.

Basque Culinary Centre Trains Chefs To Change The World

Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Discover the world’s most delicious destinations in this selection of stories. Most are appearing here for the first time; some were initially published in the Australian Financial Review and Traveller.

Dear Irving on Hudson bar in Manhattan

New York’s best rooftop bars

For drinks with a view, head to these New York rooftop bars.

MAURO-COLAGRECO-mirazur-Garden-Rosmarino-Matteo-Carassale-Ute-Junker

Back from the brink

Rediscovering rare or forgotten foodstuffs, hunting down hyperlocal produce: these leading chefs are also sustainability warriors.

best-croissants-paris-ute-junker

Found: the best croissants in Paris

Straight-up, gluten-free, or with a sourdough twist? These croissants are the ones to beat.

La-Menagere_Loggia-Esterna-Mattia-Aquila-Ute-Junker

Where to eat (on the cheap) in Florence

Great food that won’t break the budget.

The best cafes and restaurants near Sydney's famous swim spot.

The best places to eat at Bondi Beach

The best cafes and restaurants near Sydney’s famous swim spot.

Cornish-monkfish-at-L'Enclume-by-Cristian-Barnett

Michelin’s green stars: what you need to know

Why some chefs love them and others hate them.

Casa Enrique is New York's cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant

What it’s like to eat at New York’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant

This fine diner has no budget-busting prices – and no dress code.

Chef Kirk Westaway of Singapore's two-Michelin-starred restaurant JAAN at work in the kitchen

The Singapore restaurant with its head in the clouds

One of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants has had a major makeover.

craggy-range-hawkes-bay-new-zealand-wine-matt-crawford-ute-junker

Hawke’s Bay: New Zealand’s other great wine region

Move over, Marlborough: Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s most underrated wine region.

gelato-lama-roscu-unsplash-ute-junker

Where to find the best gelato in Rome

Handmade, organic, gluten-free and more.

parcs-sustainable-restaurant-melbourne

Five Australian restaurants serving up sustainability

Good food that’s good for the planet.

korean-chicken-soup-cyprien-delaporte-via-unsplash-ute-junker

Seoul’s essential food experiences

No need to go hungry in Seoul: here are the best places to eat in the Korean capital.

View from the Highlight Room bar in New York

The most exciting new restaurants and bars for 2023

A boho jazz bar in Paris, a Copenhagen favourite heading in a new direction and more.

d'Arenberg Cube-Fleurieu Peninsula-South Australia

South Australia’s best wineries to visit

From sustainability-focused cellar doors to some of Australia’s oldest wineries, these winemakers are doing it differently.

montreal-food-bagels-elodie-meyer-ute-junker

Six things you must eat in Montreal

Bring your appetite – here’s our guide on what to eat and where to eat it.

Graze-Wellington-Celeste-Fontein-Ute-Junker

Four new Wellington restaurants to try right now

These eateries prove that narrowing your focus can expand your horizons.

india-street-food-nishaan-ahmed-ute-junker

Nine Indian street foods you have to try

From kathi rolls to kachori, these don’t-miss dishes are great grab-and-go food.

hotel-metropole-monaco-breakfast-ute-junker

The best breakfast on the Riviera

It pays to wake up hungry at Monaco’s Hotel Metropole.

cocktails at The Smoking Camel restaurant Byron Bay

Where to eat (and drink) in Byron Bay

Make the most of your Byron Bay escape with a meal at these memorable restaurants.

sicily-wine-thomas-schaefer-unsplash-ute-junker

A beginner’s guide to wine in Sicily

With 60-odd grape varieties found nowhere else – including some grown on an active volcano – Sicily is Italy’s most exciting wine region.

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Alex Atala: Reinventing Brazilian cuisine, one ant at a time

At Sao Paulo’s most famous restaurant, a chef celebrates his love affair with the Amazon.

copenhagen-cakes-sweets-ute-junker

Copenhagen’s best sweet treats

Tell your kanelstang from your flødeboller with our guide to Copenhagen’s best cakes..

wine-regions-world-anthony-delanoix-unsplash-ute-junker

Four undiscovered wine regions to explore

Your next favourite wine might come from somewhere unexpected: Bolivia or Greece, perhaps, or Thailand or Armenia.

plenitude-restaurant-paris-michelin-maxime-frederic-arnaud-donckele-sylvie-becquet-ute-junker

This restaurant won three Michelin stars in just six months

You will find plenty of three Michelin star restaurants in Paris – but none that gained that accolade as quickly as Plenitude.

Schwarzwaldstube-michelin-rene riis-traube-tonbach-ute-junker

Rising from the ashes

After a devastating fire, Germany’s most revered restaurant is set to reclaim its crown.

Mauritius-street-food-ricardo-marques-unsplash-ute-junker

The best food in Mauritius? You will find it on the streets

Look beyond this island’s perfect beaches and a world of flavours awaits.

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Silky Oaks Lodge: dining in the treetops

You don’t have to check in to experience the magnificent Silky Oaks Lodge rainforest retreat: just book a table for lunch.

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5 of Australia’s best restaurants for vegans

When it comes to plant-powered dining, these restaurants are the ones to beat.

cow-and-the-moon-gelato-enmore-sydney-ute-junker

Discovering Sydney’s hidden foodie hub

Our hit list of the area’s best restaurants and what to order while you’re there.

barossa-valley-restaurants-three75-the-louise-thomas-schaefer-ute-junker

Where (and what) to eat in the Barossa Valley

It’s not just the shiraz that’s noteworthy in this acclaimed wine region: check out these remarkable restaurants.

New-Zealand's-best-food-and-wine-Sam-Neill-Ute-Junker

Sam Neill’s guide to New Zealand’s best food and wine

Discover the cakes Sam can’t say no to along with plenty of other gourmet treats.

lerida-estate-canberra-wine-ute-junker

Is this Australia’s most under-rated wine region?

With more than 30 wineries within 30 minutes of the city centre, Canberra has become one of our most exciting wine regions.

In the Southern Highlands outside Sydney, a Michelin-starred chef is reviving ancient Thai traditions.

This Michelin chef’s new Thai diner has Sydney buzzing

In the Southern Highlands outside Sydney, a Michelin-starred chef is reviving ancient Thai traditions.

In the mood for a waterfront lunch? These restaurants with a view are an easy drive from Melbourne and Sydney.

Waterfront lunches worth the drive from Sydney and Melbourne

In the mood for a waterfront lunch? These restaurants with a view are an easy drive from Melbourne and Sydney.

intercontinental-lyon-hotel-dieu-the-dome-bar-eric-cuvillier-ute-junker

Is this the world’s best hotel bar?

Get ready to drink in the architecture as well as the cocktails at this historic – and simply stunning – hotel bar.

mornington-peninsula-restaurants-winery-pt-leo-estate-chris-mcconville-ute-junker

One Mornington Peninsula winery, two stellar restaurants

Two good: this Mornington Peninsula winery offers a double dose of fine dining.

troisgros-restaurant-michelin-stars-food-ute-junker

Inside France’s first family of food

A new generation is taking over at the only restaurant to have held three Michelin stars for more than 50 years.

australia-gin-travel-food-lavender-luke-tscharke-ute-junker

Journeys with gin (and other treats)

If you like a good gin you will love these Aussie road trips, which combine natural highs with fabulous food and plenty of distillery visits.

nobelhart-&-schmutzig-berlin-michelin-restaurant-locavore-food-ute-junker

Breaking the rules in Berlin

There’s a dining boom in Berlin, and Nobelhart & Schmutzig is leading the way. This one-of-a-kind restaurant serves up plates of pared-back purity that nonetheless pack a flavour punch.

venice-burano-seafood-restaurant-risotto-ute-junker

This restaurant serves Venice’s most memorable meal

There are plenty of seafood restaurants in Venice – but if you want to try the city’s most traditional dish, this family-run restaurant on the island of Burano is the place to go.

bali-potato-head-tanaman-restaurant-zero-waste-sustainability-vegan-seminyak-ute-junker

Zero waste dining in Bali and beyond

Good food, good vibes, good for the planet: a new vegan restaurant in Bali joins the growing number of eateries following a zero waste philosophy.

new-orleans-restaurants-asian-chef-cajun-creole-food-ute-junker

New Orleans restaurants get a tongue-tingling makeover

New Orleans is known for its classic restaurants and cajun and creole flavours. A new breed of chef is reinventing the recipe, adding bold new flavours from around the world.

inside-paris-oldest-patisserie-maison-stohrer-ute-junker

Inside Paris’ oldest patisserie

At the oldest patisserie in Paris, everything is old-school, from the interiors to the mouthwatering cakes and chocolate treats. After almost 300 years in business, this pastry shop is still at the top of its game.

chef-cambodia-food-restaurant-siem-reap-ute-junker

The French chef on a mission to save Cambodian cuisine

How did a French chef become one of the champions of Cambodian cuisine? We learn more over a meal in Siem Reap’s most memorable restaurant.

How-this-vegetarian-restaurant-changed-New-York-dining-ute-junker

How this vegetarian restaurant changed New York dining

Explore a menu full of surprises at the vegetarian restaurant that changed the New York dining scene

Sri Lanka's best gelato has a surprising Australian connection

The best gelato in Sri Lanka has a surprising Australian connection

TRAVELLER

Stone cold sorbet: treat your tastebuds at this artisanal ice creamery and discover its surprising connection to Australia. Read more…

Australia's top restaurants and places to eat | Food & Wine | Ute Junker

Australia’s top plates

TRAVELLER

The hottest dining destinations named by Australia’s best chefs

tokyo-food-tour-intrepid-travel-jodie-lightfoot-on-unsplash-ute-junker

Tokyo’s tastiest food tour is an eye-opener

Tokyo is one of the world’s great food cities: discover why on this mouthwatering tour.

Destination dishes: The world's most amazing restaurants

The world’s most amazing under-the-radar restaurants

TRAVELLER

How far have you travelled for a good feed?

Cloudburst cabernet sauvignon: the great story behind this $300 bottle of wine

Why this $300 wine is always sold out

AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

The great story behind this $300 bottle of wine.

brussels-food-eat-tony-lee-unsplash-ute-junker

What to eat in Brussels

Bring your appetite when you visit Brussels – in Belgium’s capital, your next memorable food is never far away.

Basque Culinary Centre Trains Chefs To Change The World

Basque Culinary Centre Trains Chefs To Change The World

AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

From bad-tempered tyrants to tweezer-wielding perfectionists, popular culture loves to lampoon chefs. Rarely, however, are cooks cast as crusaders. Read more…

Beirut-food-edgar-castrejon-via-unsplash-ute-junker

A chef’s guide to Beirut

From piping-hot kibbeh to sumac-dusted manoush, these are the best food finds in the Lebanese capital.

UTE JUNKER

Luxury Travel and Lifestyle - Writer, editor, podcaster. Co-founder, tonicmag.com.au

Ute Junker has been reporting on luxury travel and lifestyle for more than 20 years. She spends much of the year on the road and is happiest snorkelling a coral reef, tucking into a new cuisine, or enjoying an up-close encounter with wildlife.

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I learned something about hotel bathrooms the othe

I learned something about hotel bathrooms the other day.
Which was surprising, since this is a subject about which I’ve always had Many Thoughts.
Spending too much time in hotels over too many years, I have strong opinions on everything from the best amenities to the correct shape for a bathtub.
(Nix those round tubs – they may look great but they take forever to fill up.)
A good bathroom should have big piles of towels – I’m not going to use them all, I just want to know they’re there - and cuddly bathrobes that instantly switch me to holiday mode.
(Unless I’m in the tropics, that is, in which case I want something loose and light.)
Lights: bright. Floors: heated.
The one element I’ve never worried about too much, however, is the sink.
It’s a fairly basic piece of equipment.
You don’t spend too much time with a sink. Hand washing, teeth brushing: they’re both over fairly quickly.
The other reason you need a sink, of course, it to launder your smalls. And that’s where I’ve recently come unstuck.
Travelling through Central Asia I encountered something I haven’t seen for years: the hotel sink without a plug.
They were a thing back when I was young, exploring Asia on a couple of dollars a day, but it’s been years since I’ve seen one.
In three weeks of travel, however, only one or two of the hotels I stayed in supplied this essential luxury.
Let me tell you, it’s hard to wash your undies without a plug in the sink!
So next time I check into a high-end hotel, I’m going to revel not just in the extra-long bathtub or the high-end amenities: I’m going to thank the heavens for the simple pleasure of a sink full of water.
Find more musings on travel over at my Substack account - it’s free to sign up, and you’ll get it delivered straight to your inbox.

Next time you’re in Singapore, should you be pla

Next time you’re in Singapore, should you be planning to have dinner at @mrniland’s @fyshsingapore - and you really should - head to @singaporeedition hotel a bit earlier so you can check out the fab interiors. BYO photographer highly recommended.

No surprise that @qatarairways was named World’s

No surprise that @qatarairways was named World’s Best Airline this week - the last couple of times I’ve flown with them, they were terrific. And there’s another thing they do well too: and that’s the lounge.
They have a huge number of lounges at @dohaairport but the newest - Al Mourjan Garden Lounge, which I just tried - is something special.
It has everything you’d expect - quiet spaces, lively areas, a la carte dining - and a few added extras including a small gym, for workouts and stretching, and a full-scale spa (not the poky rooms you find in most lounges) where I had an absolutely superb massage (which you have to pay for, but it was well worth it.)
The other fabulous feature: it opens onto the airport garden, and the oxygen-rich air on your face is the best break you could ask for.
The lounge is only open to business class and first class passengers but you don’t need to be a @qatarairways frequent flyer to get in: as long as you are flying in the right class, you have access.

People come to Central Asia for its incredible his

People come to Central Asia for its incredible history and its wild natural beauty, but I want to give a shout-out to its transport. We’ve boarded high-speed trains at futurist Soviet-era stations, and travelled through high-altitude tunnels that go for 5km at a time. But it’s in our last stop, Tashkent, that I’ve had one of my favourite transport encounters.
Tashkent’s metro stations are not as grandiose as their Moscow equivalents but they were built on the same principle: that the public needs exalted spaces.
And the closest station to our hotel, Kosmonavtlar, certainly fits the bill, with its portraits of pioneering cosmonauts like Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova.

So here’s the thing about Bukhara. I’ve wanted

So here’s the thing about Bukhara.
I’ve wanted to visit Bukhara as long as I can remember. This oasis city has an incredible history stretching back several millennia, and for centuries it was a major cultural capital under both the Persians and the Arabs.
A large chunk of the city centre has a World Heritage listing in recognition of its gorgeous architecture, including mosques, madrassas, bazaars and caravanserais.
All of which is wonderful. But the other thing about Bukhara is that at this time of year it’s hot. Really hot. And let me tell you, sightseeing in 42 degrees saps you.
So here’s my hot tip: do as the locals do and head out after dinner. The temps will still be around 38 degrees but without the sun beating down on you - and with locals out in force, feasting, shopping, having fun - Bukhara by night is magical.

I’ve always loved cemeteries and burial places b

I’ve always loved cemeteries and burial places but this one is beyond compare. Sit back and let the beauty of Samarkand’s Shah-I-Zinfandel necropolis - a cluster of magnificent tombs laden with mesmerising details - wash over you.

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© 2019 Ute Junker, All Rights Reserved | Site By Design Counsel

LISTEN UP

Subscribe to my podcast I Know This Place, a series about the world’s most interesting places, seen through the eyes of the people who know them best. Join me on the road as I talk with chefs, architects, historians and more about the places that are special to them.

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Join my absolutely zero spam email list for insider travel tips and other news.

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© 2019 Ute Junker, All Rights Reserved | Site By Design Counsel

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