Food isn’t just something we eat—it’s who we are. It’s memory, tradition, and connection, served up on a plate. Every bite tells a story, and sometimes, it’s the only language we need. A city’s cuisine tells a story of its people, its history, and the invisible threads that connect cultures across oceans. It’s why food isn’t just a part of travel—it is travel. And it’s why Destination Vancouver’s World Chef Exchange event in Sydney wasn’t just a dinner; it was a masterclass in how food brings us together, no matter where we call home.
A feast for the travel trade
On 6 February, Destination Vancouver, in partnership with Air Canada, brought together some of the brightest culinary talents from Vancouver and Sydney for an unforgettable dining experience at AALIA in Martin Place. The event, part of Destination Vancouver’s wider travel trade mission in Australia, was designed to showcase Vancouver’s dynamic food scene to key travel industry partners who sell the destination.
But this wasn’t just about ticking another box on a sales mission. This was about giving Australia’s travel trade professionals a tangible taste of Vancouver—one they could share with their clients in the most visceral way possible.
Food as a universal passport
Guiding the evening’s culinary experience was the award winning chef Mark Best, who joined forces with Vancouver chef Charlie Kunsang from MICHELIN-recommended L’Abattoir Restaurant and Australian chef Paul Farag of AALIA. Their mission? To create a meal that was more than just a showcase of talent but a conversation on a plate.
“Hosting Chef Best in our kitchen at L’Abattoir was such a great experience for our whole culinary team, so having the opportunity to travel to Australia and represent not only L’Abattoir but Vancouver’s culinary scene is an incredible experience that I’m really looking forward to,” said Kunsang.
Best echoed the sentiment, highlighting the deeper cultural significance of these exchanges.
“The Vancouver/Sydney World Chef culinary exchange beautifully captures the spirit of collaboration and cultural connection through food. It’s not just about showcasing dishes—it’s about celebrating the shared creativity, identity, and respect that drives our craft and brings people together.”
The intersection of culture and cuisine
There’s something inherently connective about sharing a meal. It strips away formality, dissolves barriers, and fosters understanding in a way few other experiences can. In travel, it’s often food that provides the most authentic cultural immersion—whether it’s slurping ramen at a Tokyo street stall, breaking bread in a Parisian boulangerie, or, in this case, experiencing Vancouver’s diverse and multicultural culinary landscape in the heart of Sydney.
As a city with one of the most vibrant, globally-influenced food scenes, Vancouver’s culinary identity is shaped by its cultural diversity, much like Sydney’s. The World Chef Exchange event wasn’t just about showcasing Vancouver’s food—it was about highlighting the universal language of cuisine and the role it plays in shaping travel experiences.
“Australia is one of the most important international leisure markets for overnight visitation in Vancouver. We wanted to put on this special event for our key clients in Sydney to celebrate our strong travel trade partnerships and meetings and conventions business,” said Krista Alcazar, Director of Market Development at Destination Vancouver.
“Vancouver and Sydney are both home to fast-growing, multicultural culinary scenes, and this event was a great opportunity to bring some of our best chef talent together for a unique dining experience.”
Consuming culture, one bite at a time
Held as part of the Dine Out Vancouver Festival—Canada’s largest food and drink festival—The World Chef Exchange fosters global culinary collaborations, bridging restaurant cities through shared flavours and storytelling. The festival itself has become a cornerstone of Vancouver’s tourism appeal, reinforcing the idea that food is one of the most compelling reasons people travel.
The Sydney event also highlighted the deep connection between food and identity, particularly in multicultural hubs like Vancouver and Sydney. Both cities have culinary landscapes shaped by waves of migration, with chefs weaving together influences from different cultures to create something that is simultaneously local and global.
The taste that lingers
For the travel trade professionals in attendance, this event was a reminder that when they sell Vancouver, they’re selling more than a destination. They’re selling the chance to experience its culture, its people, and its story through its food.
As Destination Vancouver continues its Australia sales mission with stops at the Entire Travel Group agent roadshow, the International Media Marketplace (IMM), and the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME), the message remains clear: travel isn’t just about seeing a place. It’s about tasting it, feeling it, and—above all—connecting with it.
Because when you travel, you don’t just visit a place. You consume it—one dish, one bite, and one shared moment at a time.
