Oct 29 – Nov 5, 2025
Led by Thomas Zacharias, one of India’s most interesting young chefs, this trip ventures south to discover a side of Goa unknown even to most Indians, from a Hindu farmstead to a tribal village in a nature sanctuary to a tasting table in the middle of a jungle. Together with his co-host, the iconic chef Andy Ricker, Thomas will guide us through the region’s best fine dining, street food, and seaside markets exploding with flavor, meeting the people who make India’s smallest state so alluring and learning ancestral secrets passed down across generations.
Chef, Storyteller, Founder of The Locavore
Thomas Zacharias
Chef, Writer, Traveler
Andy Ricker
Overview
Goa is so much more than the beach raves and all-inclusive resorts of its touristed north. Here in this ancient port settlement colonized by the British and Portuguese, you’ll find an astounding cultural tapestry, where Goan Catholics, Hindus, Brahmins, and tribal communities contribute to a remarkably diverse and layered culinary landscape.
Led by Thomas Zacharias, one of India’s most interesting young chefs and founder of the pioneering storytelling platform The Locavore, this trip ventures south to discover a side of Goa unknown even to most Indians, from a Hindu farmstead to a tribal village in a nature sanctuary to a tasting table in the middle of a jungle. Together with his co-host, the iconic chef Andy Ricker, Thomas will guide us through the region’s best fine dining, street food, and seaside markets exploding with flavor, meeting the people who make India’s smallest state so alluring and learning ancestral secrets passed down across generations.
Local Guide
Chef, Storyteller, Founder of The Locavore
Better known as ChefTZac, Thomas Zacharias is a chef, storyteller, and founder of the pioneering storytelling platform The Locavore, which champions local food systems and uncovers the rich diversity of India’s regional cuisines. Formerly the chef-partner at Mumbai’s iconic Bombay Canteen, named Best Restaurant in India by Condé Nast Traveler in 2018, Thomas refined his craft at the 3 Michelin-starred Le Bernardin in New York before returning to India to help reimagine its culinary landscape. When he’s not chasing culinary adventures, Thomas moonlights as a karaoke singer and tends to his sprawling collection of house plants in his urban jungle of an apartment.
Chef, Writer, Traveler
Andy Ricker is an award-winning chef and best-selling author widely credited with introducing Northern Thai cuisine to the United States through his Pok Pok Restaurants. Formed in Portland in 2005, Pok Pok later operated in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York, where it earned a Michelin Star. The two-time James Beard Award winner has worked as a pumpkin picker, DJ, house painter and construction contractor, ship’s cook, busboy, waiter, bartender, musician, commercial fisherman, outdoor store salesperson, maintenance man and short order cook. He first visited Thailand as a backpacker in 1987 and now lives full time with his wife and six cats in Chiang Mai city.
Infinity, Please
If a sunrise swim in an infinity pool shaded by coconut palms looking out on the Goan coast appeals to you, we think you’ll like our accommodation for the first half of this trip. Tucked away in a quiet corner of Dolphin Bay, Ahilya by the Sea comprises nine tastefully decorated rooms spread across three villas.
Sophisticated susegad
Nestled just a short stroll from Fatrade beach in South Goa, Amaraanth is a secluded seaside haven designed by the Bangalore-based architect and designer George Seemon. Fusing contemporary and traditional styles, the property emphasizes outdoor living and natural beauty while minimizing environmental impact.
Dawn F.I had no idea what a deeply moving experience this trip would be—far beyond just a culinary tour.
Katie K.If you love far-flung, intrepid travel and food, you will love traveling with Roads & Kingdoms.
Amanda C.The connections R&K has in the community made this trip feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience that could not be replicated by any other company.
Feb 2-9, 2025
Travel to Thailand for a week of culinary exploration that is sometimes rustic, sometimes luxurious, but always fascinating. By foot, by plane, by private vehicle, by speedboat: this is a kinetic journey through the heart of the South. Your hosts Andy Ricker and Phongsila “Mapeng” Comack are the perfect guides through the big history and bright flavors of the region, mixing places you think you know with locations that few outsiders get to visit.
Chef, Writer, Traveler
Andy Ricker
Culinary Connector
Mapeng Commak
Sept 7-15, 2025
From the misty matsutake-rich mountains of Ma Pin Guan to the hidden Bai enclaves of ancient Silk Road towns, this is a weeklong journey through China’s most varied province, a biodiversity hotspot home to more ethnic groups than any other. Yunnan: land of mushrooms, birthplace of tea. Led by the Chinese writer Jane Yang and Roads & Kingdoms co-founder Nathan Thornburgh, we begin in Shanghai and end in Dali, traversing four ancient towns that ring the storied Lake of Erhai—culminating in an extraordinary multi-course dinner in a secret restaurant for Chinese chefs.
Writer, Entrepreneur
Jane Yang
Co-founder, Journalist
Nathan Thornburgh
Ready for a new adventure?
Ready for a new adventure?
Dates don’t work, want a private experience? We can custom tailor any of our trips for you and your group. Reach out to learn more.