WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN?
Four ways into Foodie Goes Travel.
The Journal brings together essays, encounters and observations from Umbria and beyond. Some stories begin with food or hospitality; others with architecture, memory, migration or an ordinary detail that changes the way a place is understood.
There is no single route through it. Begin with what interests you.
A landscape shaped by water
A hotel shaped from within
A restaurant where one becomes many
A life between Umbria and Asia
Living Within the Walls
Hakka architecture is often remembered for its extraordinary forms. Travelling from the circular tulou of Fujian to the ancestral houses of Dabu revealed something more interesting: how architecture once organised family, protection, education and life across generations.
Three Curries with Angkrit
In his private kitchen in Bangkok, MasterChef Thailand winner Angkrit and I cooked green, red and yellow curries. Among his collected objects, with a vegetable vendor stopping at the door, we shared stories of London, life in Umbria and the Hakka food I had encountered on a recent journey to my family’s villages in China.
The Generosity of Da Niko in Milan
I came to Da Niko at Bulgari Hotel Milano for dinner in a room I already loved looking at. What stayed with me was the welcome: an honest conversation about the pasta, a walk through the garden with Chef Giorgio, and a half portion of pistachio-filled brioche that made an abundant evening complete.
The Source We Were Taught to Remember
In my thirties, I followed my father to the Hakka villages my grandparents left for Malaya—and discovered how remembering one’s source is sustained across generations.
What a Bottle Leaves Out
Before sunrise beside the Tiber, ten friends helped Claudia Rizza harvest the grapes for Terramante's first proper white wine. What followed revealed the labour, uncertainty, friendship and imagination that a finished bottle rarely shows.
The Plural of One
At UNE in Capodacqua, Giulio Gigli’s restaurant becomes a study of land, preservation and the many people behind a singular vision.
When Sicily Takes the Lead
Over seven days in eastern Sicily, the island repeatedly rewrote our plans. From abandoned tuna factories and fishing villages to orange orchards, Baroque towns and the slopes of Mount Etna, the most memorable experiences weren’t the ones we expected - they were the ones Sicily quietly placed in our path.
The Space Between
Some cities are remembered through their landmarks. Others reveal themselves in quieter ways. During a few days in London, I found myself lingering in neighbourhoods, watching markets wake up, and discovering that the moments between destinations often become the ones we remember most.
The Shape of Repetition
Years before I moved to Umbria, I bought a face mask called Umbrian Clay. I thought little of it at the time. Years later, that small memory led me to a ceramics studio in Perugia, where a curiosity I had carried for years finally took shape.
The Joy of Aperitivo
Aperitivo became one of my favourite rituals after moving to Italy - not because of the drinks themselves, but because of the feeling surrounding them. A relaxed moment of good company, small bites and evenings unfolding slowly.
The Craft of Gelato in Spoleto
On a summer evening in Spoleto, a conversation with world champion gelato artisan Alessandro Crispini reveals a philosophy rooted in craftsmanship, family, continual refinement, and the art of making things properly.