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
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.
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 Water Between Lunch and Thunder
On Ferragosto, a return to Trattoria Teresa, a first walk beside Lago di Piediluco and the full force of Cascata delle Marmore revealed a side of Umbria shaped by water-as ingredient, summer gathering place, engineered spectacle and source of power.
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.
A Summer Lasagna
Living in Italy has taught me that familiar recipes often change with the seasons. This fresh summer lasagna swaps ragù and béchamel for white bean cream, basil pesto and ripe tomatoes - a light, no-bake dish that celebrates the rhythm of summer.
My Third Summer in Umbria
Three years after moving to Italy, June feels less like a season and more like a way of life. Long days, ripening fruits, lingering lunches and familiar routines reveal an Umbria that guidebooks rarely describe.
Waiting for Tomatoes
Every summer, I find myself photographing tomatoes again - in gardens, markets, restaurants and kitchens across different places and seasons. Somewhere along the way, I realised I was not really documenting tomatoes, but the quiet role they play in daily life, memory and the way we eat.
Seeing Someone Twice
At the Far East Film Festival in Udine, a Singaporean film, an aperitivo at sunset and a conversation with friends became reflections on memory, migration and human connection.
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.
Where Rome Softens
Beyond the monuments and familiar postcards, Rome softens through hidden courtyards, jasmine-covered facades, evening rituals and quiet moments best discovered slowly.
Orvieto: The Ancient Umbrian Town Suspended Between Sky and Stone
Perched atop volcanic stone in Umbria, Orvieto is a town suspended between sky and earth - where cathedral mosaics shift with the light, underground tunnels carved through ancient rocks, and centuries of history remain deeply embedded within the landscape.
Spoleto, Between Stone and Silence
In Spoleto, medieval streets give way to forests, mountain paths and a quieter rhythm of life shaped by stone, silence and seasonality.
Why Umbria Feels Like Italy’s Best-kept Secret
Beyond Italy’s better-known cities, Umbria unfolds through hill towns, long lunches, stone streets and a quieter rhythm of life shaped by landscape, memory and slowness.