About Me

I’m Joy — a travel advisor and writer who’s spent most of my life chasing great stories and even better meals.

I learned about food from the inside out: more than a decade in restaurant kitchens taught me that food is how strangers become friends, and that a well-run service can feel like watching magic happen in real time. Then came two decades running a family specialty food business, sourcing aged balsamics, rare spices, and hand-harvested salts, and teaching home cooks how a single ingredient could transform an ordinary Tuesday dinner into something worth remembering.

When we closed the business, I realised I’d been curating experiences all along. So I took that work on the road. Now I design custom trips and small-group retreats for people who want to *taste* a place, not just photograph it — cooking alongside local chefs, learning to read a market like a resident, lingering over lunch in family-run trattorias where nonna still rolls the gnocchi by hand.

As a certified FORA travel advisor, I design custom trips that focus on culinary immersion—market tours with local guides, cooking classes that teach technique, meals at family-run restaurants where the recipes haven’t changed in generations. Additionally, I host intimate small-group retreats, offering culinary experiences tailored to food enthusiasts and writing retreats for fellow writers.

My background in story analysis, theatre, and film informs my approach to both travel and culinary experiences. Every destination has a narrative. Every meal is part of it. My job is to help you experience that story firsthand—through the markets, tables, kitchens, and people who keep traditions alive.

When I’m not planning trips or hosting retreats, you will find me writing or immersed in the kitchen, recreating dishes from my travels. My Substack, Food for Thought, explores the profound connection between food and culture, community, and our uncertain future. Furthermore, I collaborate with brands, restaurants, and tourism boards on content, strategy, and storytelling that truly resonates with audiences.

If you’re looking for travel that goes deeper than the guidebook—whether that’s a custom itinerary, a curated retreat, or just someone who understands food—let’s talk.