Destination Kitchen
Hello Oak Lovers! I am here today with a guest post from Julie of Destination Kitchen, how fabulous does her food tours sound?!
In 2006, I had an idea, a vision and a passion to share my love of the enormous possibilities of an epicurious world, diverse cultures and travel. I am Julie Barreda. My past experience in cooking, catering, special events, traveling and love for people of all cultures and backgrounds made it a go!
“It’s nice to share the treasures that one has, experienced, discovered and explored. I didn’t really think about a need, but an interest and excitement in people’s expressions and voices when I shared what I had done and seen”, says Julie. “I also felt as though sometimes, they were traveling and participating in my experiences, through my eyes and storytelling.”
Destination Kitchen offers food tours to diverse parts of New Orleans, France, Italy and Spain. We range from single event, day, weekend or longer. We call it Culture with a Culinary Twist. New Orleans by Mouth. We welcome custom and private tours for individuals, groups and corporations. We also help individuals and businesses plan their meetings and special events.
I chose Oak Street as a tour because Oak Street is a very warm, friendly, gentle yet happening spot in New Orleans. There is much talent, good food and a huge selection to pick from. I love its history and its unique beauty. An easy access and lovely destination on the street car and a pleasant ride with a lot to see without hanging on to a steering wheel.
Oak Street is a neighborhood, with its’ own pulse and twinkling, its own architectural mix and a special protected evolution for those who are from here or hold it near. The dynamic of Oak Street is individualistic and like no other place in New Orleans. The heart beat is energetic, relaxed and positive. There are artisans, artists, and creative breaths everywhere you go. Many come to Oak Street in search of a time gone by.
“To me Oak Street and all New Orleans in general is like a homemade pie shell, beautiful, made with love and perfect with its’ imperfections. You can add slivered almonds, different kinds of crackers, sugars, flours, etc. to make the pie crust unique and special. One finds an old fashioned, beautiful customer service and hospitality that are offered by its’ business owners”.
What would a visitor get out of a tour? What experiences will I like for them to come away with? I think that a visitor would enjoy our tour, Taste of Oak Street, Bubbles and Bites and Riverbend as it is an invitation for his/her taste buds to savor some of NOLA’s finest flavors off the beaten path. You will tour Oak Street and taste its many flavors with licensed tour guides and professional hosts that are ambassadors of our neighborhood and city. Also, it’s another activity in New Orleans, fairly inexpensive and an insight to stories and some culinary secrets. Explore a different part of the city and discover the not so hidden treasures it offers.
An area of uptown that is enchanting with “Main Street USA” (as many say) feel and a thriving heartbeat that ever evolves and enjoyed by all ages. The neighborhood is charming and you would make 5/6 stops to compare city and world cultures. It’s not a long walk, all together, about a 1 mile radius.
How do DK tours benefit businesses on Oak Street and Riverbend? Our tours hope to be of benefit to our visitors and locals that may continue talking about New Orleans, Oak Street and the Riverbend area of Carrollton. Oak Street may be a new experience for many and I think that’s always good. We hope our businesses on Oak Street enjoy the new visitors their/our way and introduce them to our Oak Street family. It’s also new faces coming into our neighborhood and hopefully repeat business. We collaborate with professional, friendly and knowledgeable tour guides and ambassadors for our city that help spread the word about their experiences as well.
To find out about all of the tours available check out Destination Kitchen online!
Featuring a presentation by Google: Learn how to use Google’s local products to acquire new customers, while also engaging and retaining existing ones. We’ll start by walking through claiming your Local Plus page, and then explore other local products.
