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Travel FAQs

Who are Nico & Belinda Moretti?

Nico, originally from London, Canada, and Belinda from Yarrawonga, Victoria have been travelling the world since meeting in Australia in 1986 while Nico was backpacking around Australia, Southeast Asia and New Zealand.

The arrival of their two daughters, Demi & Mikaela, didn’t slow down their travels as they continued exploring the world as a family.

Nico grew up in a restaurant, with his father Vito starting the first Italian restaurant in London, Ontario in the 1950’s. Rather than going down the restaurant path, he graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree and worked within the oil industry in Australia after he & Belinda married.

Belinda, as well as being a registered ICU nurse and naturopath, has a passion for researching all things travel.

When did you start escorting your groups around the world?

Nico & Belinda Moretti started one of Perth’s first cooking schools in 2001. After the success of their cooking school, they married their love of food, wine and travel to launch their Cuisine & Culture Experiences in 2003. Over the past 16 years of leading boutique luxury tours around the world, they know how to curate truly unique and authentic travel experiences.

Why did you start the Cuisine & Culture Experiences?

Our Cuisine & Culture Experiences started similar to how the cooking school was founded – from the simple question of “how did you make this?”. Nico and Belinda found themselves being asked by friends & their cooking school clients, how they planned their own unique and exciting getaways. So the natural step was to start bringing people along for the ride.

We curate holidays that we would want to go on. Our ethos is simple – we love great food, great wine, beautiful hotels and authentic cultural experiences. After over 16 years of curating bespoke experiences across 14 countries, we know how to design unforgettable luxury boutique holidays that will have your friends asking “where are you ?!”.

What makes your tours unique?

We offer luxury, laid back food and wine experiences, that don’t feel like you are on a tour. Our small groups experience the balance of luxury hotels with tantalizing culinary experiences and authentic cultural adventures, all brought together with a splash of wine (or two). The trips feel more like a group of friends eating and drinking their way through a city than a rigid and structured tour.

Your priority will be to eat, drink & enjoy, while doing as much or as little as you like…it’s your holiday. We welcome you to opt in or out of any arranged tour activities. If, like Belinda, you aren’t a cook, you can skip the class and read a book in your beautiful hotel room, and meet us for a meal at the end. If, like Nico, you’re a ball of energy and want to be on the go, we have exciting and varied options for you everyday. During our cultural outings we explore a mix of classic must see sites with off-the-beaten path hidden gems.

Why go on a tour instead of going it alone?

As avid travelers, we know how painstaking and time consuming planning the perfect trip can be. And once you finally arrive at your destination you wonder if you chose the best hotels, right restaurants, and most interesting activities. You have only limited time at a destination and you want to be sure you are experiencing the best, most interesting offerings in the area.

You can rest easy when you are with us. We personally visit, research & explore each location prior to releasing a tour. Each hotel, restaurant, cooking class, and activity is carefully vetted for authenticity, uniqueness and quality. We expect the best for ourselves, and that is what we curate for you.

Who do your tours cater for?

Our tours are for anyone who likes to eat, drink and explore. Our clients are social and enjoy a touch of luxury while also having a taste for adventure.

What if I don’t like cooking?

Our “Cuisine & Culture Experiences” are not all about cooking. Although we do include one or two cooking class experiences on most of our tours, for those that just prefer to eat, drink, relax or explore the locations we visit, you can simply opt out of the cooking part of the tour and then join us to eat what we’ve prepared and enjoy the meal together!