THE WOMAN BEHIND THE TASTE HISTORY CULINARY TOURS
By Simply Sassy's Style
Since being introduced to The Taste History Culinary Tours, I am constantly hearing extraordinary things about both the tours and the guide. What we all seem to love most is the uniqueness and diversity of the entire experience. However, the one thing that intrigues me most is that people love Lori just as much as they love the tours themselves; I think it's safe to say they go hand in hand. While attending my latest, I felt it was time to get the inside scoop from Lori J Durante, the woman behind the tours.
SSStyle: For those who are not familiar with the Taste History Culinary Tours, can you tell them a little about how and when they were established?
L.J. Durante: The Taste History Culinary Tours is an extension of the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History’s Narrated Bus Tours of Historic Delray Beach that began in 2004 which has hosted more than 8,000 people. Combining the culinary and narrated tours, more than 10,000 people have been hosted, to date. I took the Narrated Bus Tour and enriched the cultural experience by adding food tastings which morphed into the Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County.
SSStyle: The question that everyone is dying to know is are you the owner of the tour? If not, who is the owner, what is your specific role and how long have you been with this organization?
L.J. Durante: The Taste History Culinary Tour is owned and operated by the non-profit Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History which has a 501c3 IRS designation. I am the Executive Director/Chief Curator/Executive Tour Director. I established the non-profit museum in 1999 and curated about 17 exhibits but I am technically a non-paid volunteer. My parents moved to Delray Beach in 1968 and since that time have had a long history of volunteerism that has included many causes in Delray Beach. I have no personal financial gain from my role with the museum or tours. I am altruistically motivated. The museum and tours benefit the greater good. Presently, the museum does not have a facility so it can be confusing when it comes to what organization is operating the tours but the tours originated from and boarded at the museum’s former exhibit facilities in the Pineapple Grove Arts District in Downtown Delray Beach and then the Boynton Beach Mall. Although the museum does not have a present facility, the tours still continue without interruption and board at Macy’s at the Boynton Beach Mall.
SSStyle: There are several South Florida Food Tours, but this has the reputation of being the "best". How did you come up with the concept of combining Food, Art, Fashion and History?
L.J. Durante: Thank you so much. It is humbling to be considered one of the “best”. The Taste History Culinary Tours is an extension of the Narrated Bus Tours of Historic Delray Beach that began in 2004 which has hosted more than 8,000 people. Combining the culinary and narrated tours, more than 10,000 people have been hosted, to date. I took the Narrated Bus Tour and enriched the cultural experience by adding food tastings which morphed into the Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County. I have watched some episodes of Anthony Bourdain on the Travel Channel and I was intrigued with the way he presented the cultural foods of the countries he visited. On Easter Sunday 2011 I had a culinary epiphany and the Taste History Culinary Tour was born.
The non-profit Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County, Florida has been designated one of the official community event partners for the State of Florida’s Viva Florida initiative.
The tour program includes bus riding and 4 to 6 blocks of walking. The mission of the tour includes incorporating education about food culture and food history with the food tastings thus dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated.
Taste History is sponsored, in part, by Macy’s. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Additional support for Taste History has been received from Kingston Fresh, Carl and Iris Apfel; and bequests from the late Patricia Ann Ravo and the late Boris & Edith Rueger.
For more information, call 561-243-2662 or 561-638-8277. Email tour@tastehistoryculinarytours.org
- Offered year-round
- Held on the first, second, third and fourth Saturdays at 11am
- At least 3 to 4 locally owned and family owned eateries are visited for food tasting. Some cuisines may be culturally specific. The food portions are hearty.
- Cultural centers or emerging art galleries are visited
- Tour travels through historic neighborhoods, districts, main streets and off the beaten path.
- Bus riding and 4 to 6 blocks of walking
- Some eating experiences are standing-only
- Tour is at least 3 to 4 hours
- Food and Florida history are narrated by a guide
- To maintain an element of surprise, each tour is different and never an exact duplication of any previous tour hosted
- Private group tours are also available during the weekday
- Pre-payment is required. Fees are inclusive
- Tour takes place Rain or Shine.
- Dietary Restrictions Cannot be Accommodated. Click here to read about types of foods served on the tour.
Click here to read News Media Reviews
2015 Dates (revised/more dates added)– Taste History Culinary Tours
Saturday, January 3, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana-Special New Year’s Weekend Tour
Saturday, January 10, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, January 24, 2015 Delray beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, January 31, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana (extra date added)
Saturday, February 14, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana (February 14th is Valentine’s Day Tour)
Saturday, February 21, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, March 21, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, March 28, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, April 11, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, May 9, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, May 16, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, May 23, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, June 6, 2015 Lake Worth/Northwood Village/West Palm Beach
Saturday, June 13, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, June 20, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, June 27, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, July 11, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, July 18, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, July 25, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, August 1, 2015 Lake Worth/Northwood Village/West Palm Beach
Saturday, August 8, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, August 15, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, August 22, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, September 12, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, September 19, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, September 26, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, October 3, 2015 Lake Worth/Northwood Village/West Palm Beach
Saturday, October 10, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, October 17, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, October 24, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, November 7, 2015 Lake Worth/Northwood Village/West Palm Beach
Saturday, November 21, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, November 28, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, December 5, 2015 Lake Worth/Northwood Village/West Palm Beach
Saturday, December 12, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Saturday, December 19, 2015 Delray Beach/Boynton Beach
Saturday, December 26, 2015 Lake Worth/Lantana
Taste History is an official Community Event Partner for the State of Florida's Viva Florida initiative to celebrate its history and culture:
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