Customized Services
Apart from our regular offer of tours, cooking classes, and tastings and tapas tours, we design customized services to meet the specific needs of our different clients. The offer is as varied as our client list, ranging from independent travelers in a small group of family or friends, gastronomic clubs or associations looking for an original culinary experience, chefs or food writers in search of expanding information, to food trade professionals – private companies or institutions – for whom we design specific culinary activities and events.
In this sense, there are two basic elements that set A Taste of Spain apart from the rest: experience and background. We were the first Spanish agency to offer culinary trips in Spain, and our professional background, closely tied to the Spanish food sector, provides us with profound knowledge of the Spanish culinary offer, as well as a wide network of contacts reaching every corner of the country.
We can adapt one of our regular services or design a customized program to meet your needs and expectations, providing a truly unique experience.
Examples of customized services…
Alimentaria Food Exhibition, Barcelona
On our fourth edition working for the show’s organizers on their Activities program, for 2010 we designed and implemented the ambitious new Taste & Flavours of Spain, a promotional program including tastings, conferences, and a restaurant area, joining forces and putting the spotlight on three major icons of Spanish gastronomy: Wine, Olive Oil and Ibérico products.
For the Wines section we organized talks and tastings guided by experts, with key speaker John Radford, plus a new Spanish Wine Tasting Bar, with almost 80 of Spain’s best brands. Our Olive oil activities also included guided tastings and conferences, with master speaker Brígida Jiménez. Our consecrated Spanish Gourmet Olive Oil Bar showcased 80 different brands this year and once again proved essential to the Olivaria pavilion as a basic tool for both commercial and educational purposes. After its successful launching in 2008, this year’s Ibérico activities section boasted key speakers such as Tim Harris to help consolidate the program and offer visitors the basics in strategy, innovation and marketing of the sector.
And last but not least, there was Ibérico en Compañía, bringing it all together; a restaurant area serving a limited selection of dishes made from the parings of these premium products, all exhibited at the show… It caught on fast as one of the best options for lunch!
See what the events looked like in our photo collection…
Braden Phillips, US freelance journalist
Design and organization of a tailor-made 3-day program for the shooting of a documentary film on the world of Ibérico ham, providing background information, access to key contacts, locations, and the required field support.
5th World Congress of Dry-Cured Ham, Aracena (Spain)
We collaborated with the Organization Committee of this international congress, achieving the participation of prestigious speakers from different countries, such as Peter Kaminsky (author of the book Pig Perfect, U.S.) or Piero Sardo (President of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, Italy), as well as coverage by specialized media from the U.S., U.K., Russia, Germany, and Mexico.
Diary of a Foodie TV show, US
Information and logistic support for the shooting of a segment dedicated to Ibérico ham for this TV program produced by the Gourmet magazine.
Slow Food Italy and the Real Ibérico Consortium
Organization of tours for the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity and groups of small ham producers from different countries. These tours had an in-depth focus on the Ibérico pig and its remarkable Jamón Ibérico and included visits throughout the main production areas in Western Andalusia and Extremadura.
Australian chef Tony Tan
Incoming organization of several customized culinary tours to Spain, focusing on regions such as Catalonia, La Rioja, Basque Country and Madrid.
Convivial Times, Australia
Incoming organization of several two-week culinary tours for this Australian gourmet experiences company. One of the tours was Green Spain for Gastronomes focusing on the cuisine of Northern Spain: Basque Country, La Rioja, Cantabria and Asturias.
Lagostina, Italian manufacturer of premium cookware
Organization of an exclusive product tasting for the specialized press attending the launch of their product range in Spain.
The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Organization of a culinary tour in Catalonia and Basque Country for a group of American producers, members Slow Food and the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.
Oof! Restaurants, Puerto Rico
Incoming organization of an intensive one-week culinary tour to Madrid and Andalusia for three chefs from this successful restaurant group in San Juan; a unique opportunity to gain insightful knowledge on Spanish cuisine.
Israeli TV program The Food Trail of the World
Collaboration in definition of contents and production support for the shooting of The Cuisine of Catalonia, Spain directed by Uri Roswnwaks.
Foods from Spain USA and ASOLIVA, the Spanish Olive Oil Exporters Association
Organization of a culinary tour in Spain for the winner of the Olive Oil Recipe Contest.
Group of Polish chefs and EXTENDA, Trade Promotion Agency of Andalusia
Incoming organization of an intensive one-week cooking program with visits to gourmet producers in Andalusia. The objective was to offer first-hand, in-depth understanding of Andalusian cuisine and products.
Director of a Japanese Chefs Association
Design and execution of an Intensive Ibérico ham program, as preparation to be the spokesperson for Ibérico ham in the context of several promotional activities held by EXTENDA in Japan.
Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Regulatory Council and EXTENDA
Organization of a gourmet tour throughout Andalusia for the winners of the I Copa de Jerez, a contest for chefs and sommeliers from some of the finest restaurants in Europe.
Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
We organized for this group the Treasures of Andalusia tour, combining gourmet, cultural and gardening themes.
Culinary Institute of America
Culinary tours to Spain within their WORLD OF FLAVORS travel program. Bold Flavours, Bold Designs, Cuisine and Culture of Northern Spain tour, focusing on the cuisine and wines of Catalonia, Basque Country, and La Rioja.
Russian food writer Anatole Guendin
Intensive eight-day trip throughout Andalusia, visiting gourmet and artisan producers, food industries, wineries, markets, sampling different restaurants and tapas bars, etc. He has written a travel guide for Andalusia.
Milawa Cheese, Australia
Organization of a specialized tour focused on Spanish traditional cheeses for this Australian company, visiting cheese producers in Asturias.
Foods from Spain Australia and ASOLIVA, the Spanish Olive Oil Exporters Association
Organization of an intensive, two-week professional training course in Spain, including visits to gourmet producers, for the winner of the promotional contest Chef of the Month.
British consulting firm specialized in food service
Specialized tour, focused on the Spanish Fast Food sector (sandwich bars, street vendors, beverages and convenience shops, etc.), complemented with a market visit and other culinary activities.
The Food Channel, US TV
Production support during the shooting of a culinary program dedicated to Andalusia.
Major UK supplier of convenience foods
Research trip to Spain with special focus on pastry and bakery delicacies.
If you’re interested in any of these services, please feel free to contact us…