The Chef Tours adds chef-led experiences in Paris and Istanbul

The Chef Tours is expanding its chef-led food tours with new experiences in Paris and Istanbul starting this summer. French food writer Sophie Brissaud and Turkish chef Fey will anchor the company’s push to spotlight women chefs and local food culture.

Why it matters: - The new appointments deepen The Chef Tours’ focus on chef-led travel experiences. - The Paris and Istanbul tours are built around local food culture, neighborhood history, and the people who preserve both. - The move also aligns with a broader effort to highlight women shaping major food cities.

What happened: - The Chef Tours named French food writer and cookbook author Sophie Brissaud to lead experiences in Paris. - The Chef Tours also added Chef Fey to its Istanbul program. - Both additions begin this summer. - Founder Karl Wilder said the company wants tours led by people who have devoted their lives to food. - Wilder said chefs can tell a city’s story through its traditions, ingredients, and the people who keep them alive.

The details: - Sophie Brissaud is known in France as a food writer, culinary expert, and author or co-author of numerous cookbooks. - Her work has focused on French cuisine, wine, regional traditions, and gastronomy. - In Paris, Brissaud will lead market experiences rather than restaurant-only tours. - Those experiences will center on artisans, cheesemongers, bakers, producers, and neighborhood vendors. - The company says guests will see culinary culture in places where expertise is shared through conversation as much as food. - Chef Fey will guide Istanbul tours with an emphasis on Turkish cuisine, regional ingredients, and local food traditions. - Istanbul’s food identity reflects centuries of European, Asian, Ottoman, Byzantine, and regional influences. - Chef Fey will take guests to markets, hidden bakeries, family-owned restaurants, and local specialties that are often absent from guidebooks. - The company says guests will experience Istanbul through someone who lives there. - The Chef Tours says the women being highlighted also include chefs, bakers, cheesemakers, market vendors, winemakers, farmers, pastry chefs, and artisans. - The company says those women preserve recipes, mentor future generations, support local producers, and keep culinary traditions alive. - The company also says its tours connect guests with the history, culture, neighborhoods, and people that define each city’s food identity. - The Chef Tours operates chef-led food and wine experiences in multiple culinary destinations. - The company says its tours are small-group experiences that combine food with local history, culture, and storytelling. - The company says the format includes authentic neighborhood restaurants, hidden local favorites, and meaningful conversations. - More information is available at the company's Paris page, the company's Istanbul page, and the company website.

Between the lines: - The announcement uses Julia Child’s legacy as a cultural backdrop for highlighting women in food. - The company is positioning chefs as interpreters of place, not just meal providers. - The emphasis on markets, local vendors, and neighborhood food suggests a travel offering aimed at authenticity over standard sightseeing.

What's next: - The Paris and Istanbul experiences are set to launch this summer. - The Chef Tours is expected to continue expanding internationally with chef-led formats. - The broader women-focused initiative may shape future city launches and tour programming.

The bottom line: - The Chef Tours is betting that chef-led, locally rooted tours can stand out in crowded food travel markets while spotlighting women at the center of city food culture.