In 2000, Judith von Prockl organised a research trip, visiting over 50 cooking schools in Southern Europe, together with co-founder Scott Rutherford. This adventure evolved into Gourmet On Tour, one of the world’s leading luxury culinary travel companies.

After earning a degree in business administration, Judith began her career with advertising agency Lowe Lintas, followed by book and magazine publishing at Insight Guides/Apa Travel guides and in international marketing at Amazon.co.uk in London. Her passion for cuisine was nourished by living, working and tasting delicious food in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Mexico, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, Shanghai and London.

Judith decided in 2000 to leave the corporate world to combine her lifelong passion of food and wine with her extensive travel experience and contacts around the globe. She continually searches the globe for places that combine culinary interest and natural beauty with great local talent. Only very few trips actually make the Gourmet On Tour lineup. Judith personally visits and selects the cooking courses, chefs, locations and itineraries and ensures that they make the cut.

Judith is a member of many professional culinary and travel organisations and is frequently invited as a speaker to the industry, leisure and professional groups. She was a speaker at the annual conference of the International Association of Culinary Professionals in Baltimore, and was nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006.

L&S: Gourmet On Tour is a truly unique concept. What were the main motivating factors behind its launch?
JVP: In 2000 I left a corporate career behind to pursue my passion – food and travel. My business partner and I organised a three-month culinary research tour through Europe. We wanted create unique holidays that inspire seasoned travelers with an enthusiasm for cooking with chefs while exploring cultures—to watch, participate in and taste the culinary jewels of top-notch chefs, winemakers and gourmet food purveyors.

Our goal is to offer one-of-a-kind experiences for foodies who want to see the world a little differently. Each location is selected for its character and individuality, to make you feel at home and gain a genuine feel for the region as an invited guest and not as a tourist. Each route is carefully designed to immerse you in the local culture and reveal a region’s true spirit.

We discovered that there was a gap in the market for such cooking and wine holidays. Ten years later Gourmet On Tour is an internationally acclaimed food and travel company and offers over 80 unique culinary vacations in 11 countries on all five continents.

L&S: Out of the tours offered, is there a personal favourite of yours?
JVP: I’ve personally visited most of the locations we offer and love them all. They are all so different - from cooking courses in classic Europe to the more adventurous Moroccan or exotic Asian culinary tours or private wine tours.

L&S: What is the furthest you've travelled for a good meal?
JVP: I’ve travelled to many far-away places for a great meal, however sometimes the best are close to home and where the heart is. Some of my favourite meals are prepared by my Hungarian grandmother. Also, when I lived in Kuala Lumpur, I was lucky enough to savour many of the delicious Malaysian dishes - I particularly like the Roti Canai or Roti Prata with a Malaysian Curry – especially after a long night out.

L&S: Some exciting new destinations and tours that Gourmet On Tour is looking at featuring:
JVP: Our latest culinary adventure is in Shanghai which we are very excited about. In the near future we are planning to expand in our signature countries Italy and France. Our travellers just love these classic food destinations. We are adding new regions in Italy and France and specialised culinary tours such as truffle hunts and olive oil tastings.

L&S: In Asia, Gourmet On Tour covers China, Indonesia and Thailand. Are there any plans to feature tours in Malaysia?
JVP: We are always on the look-out for new and enticing destinations. Malaysia with it’s delicious cuisine is definitely one of them and we hope to include a new tour here in the near future.

W : www.gourmetontour.com