A Chef's Tour

Street Food Walks in Asia, Africa and Latin America

A Chef's Tour runs its own small-group food tours, led by guides it introduces by name, in cities across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The tours page says the company "currently" has 133 tours around the world. The destination menu groups them by region. Under Asia it lists Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Ayutthaya and Pattaya in Thailand, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hoi An in Vietnam, plus Luang Prabang, Siem Reap, Yangon, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Penang, Singapore, Manila, Bali, Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Busan, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Kathmandu, Istanbul, Antalya and Tbilisi. Under Africa it lists Fes, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier and Essaouira in Morocco, along with Cairo, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kampala and Cape Town. Under Latin America it lists Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Santiago, Bogota, Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, La Paz, Quito, Cuenca, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Merida, Guadalajara, Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Puerto Vallarta. The tours page and homepage also show Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Jakarta, Ipoh, Alexandria, Zanzibar, Antigua, Panama City and San Salvador.

The about page tells the origin story: the company "started with a single chef in Bangkok who designed a street food tour," and it says it set out to build food experiences "good enough for chefs," tours that do not "pander to western palates." The homepage tagline describes the product as food tours "led by cooks, chefs and local foodies."

Lunchtime and Evening Tours, City by City

Most cities carry two departures, labeled Lunchtime and Evening in the menu (Hanoi, Penang and Luang Prabang also list a Morning tour). Singapore has a private version listed separately. The homepage and tours page show a starting price for each, in US dollars: the Bangkok daytime tour at $59, a Singapore tour at $99, Marrakech at $55, Cairo at $49, Jakarta at $39, Hong Kong at $129, and Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka at $89.

The Fes tour pages give the fullest picture of what one of these tours is. The lunchtime tour runs 10am to 2pm and the evening tour 4pm to 8pm, both priced at US $59 per person, with "15+" tastings. The lunchtime route starts with sfenj doughnuts, kaab el ghazal and pastilla, moves on to bissara fava soup, raib yogurt, khlea and egg tagine, steamed mfouar with seffa noodles and charcoal-grilled brochettes, and ends with jawhara pastry and mint tea in a riad. The evening version adds harira, chebakia and a snail broth the page says is infused with more than 30 herbs. The page describes the medina as having more than 9,000 alleyways and frames the tour as a way to reach "street carts and local eateries beloved by locals" rather than fine dining.

The about page introduces dozens of guides by city. A few examples: Andy in Bangkok, whom the page says has decades of guiding experience; Chef Yoshi in Tokyo, described as the chef owner of the 100-year-old Mastsunozushi restaurant; Randall in Oaxaca, described as the owner of nine Austin bars and restaurants, many built around mezcal; and Lionel in Singapore, called one of the city's first licensed food guides and a trained chef.

What the Tour Pages Spell Out

The Fes pages are the most detailed on the site. They state that small group tours have "a maximum of 8 guests," with larger private groups available on request. Tours are in English. Bottled water and local drinks are included, and the page says there are "No hidden charges," with all tastings in the price. Families are "welcome on all our tours," and the page lists a 50% discount for children. The lunchtime tour meets on the steps outside the Palais De Fes By Tazi in the medina and the evening tour in the lobby of the Al Attarine Madrasa, with more details on the booking voucher. At the end, the page says, the guide can help guests find transport back.

The Fes pages carry a dietary table. On the lunchtime tour it rates the menu unsuitable for vegetarians (meat and seafood in 6 to 7 of 15 tastings), unsuitable for vegans, possible for pescatarians, suitable for halal and no-pork diets, and unsuitable for gluten or lactose intolerance. The company states it can never guarantee any dish to be free from allergens and calls the tour unsuitable for severe allergies. It describes the pace as gentle, with "plenty of rest (eating) stops," and says the tour is designed for adventurous eaters.

Booking, Payment and Cancellation

Booking happens on the tour page itself: pick a date on the calendar and pay by card. The page says payments go through the provider Peek and that confirmation is instant. The cancellation rule is plain: "Cancel any time up to 48 hours before your tour and receive a full refund." For private bookings, special requests or dietary needs the site asks guests to contact the team at info@achefstour.com, and it asks anyone with a food allergy to get in touch before booking. The about page names a Guest Support Manager who handles guests from inquiry to tour. The site also mentions a newsletter and a blog called The Food Journal.

On reputation, the tour pages claim "99% 5 star reviews across our tours." That is the company's own figure; the site does not say which review platform it draws on or how many reviews it counts.

Gaps and Who It Suits

The Fes pages spell everything out, but in the menus and listings for other cities the site shows only a name, a time-of-day label and a starting price, so the route, the tastings, the meeting point and the exact start time for, say, Seoul or Lima have to be read on that city's own page before booking. The tours page lists some cities twice (Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City, Sao Paulo and São Paulo), so it is worth checking which tour a price belongs to. Whether the 8-guest cap, the English-only language and the 50% children's discount apply everywhere is not stated city by city in those listings. The site does not publish a phone number or a street address for the company.

A Chef's Tour suits travelers who want a guided street food meal with a small group and a local who knows the stalls, especially on multi-country trips through Southeast Asia, Morocco or Latin America where one company, one booking system and one support team cover many stops. It suits curious eaters who are happy with a set tasting menu. It suits strict vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free diners and anyone with a severe allergy less well, since the company itself says many stops cannot swap dishes, and travelers who want a tour in a language other than English should check before booking.