with vegan chef and author Mark Reinfeld, The Gentle Gourmet in Paris and The Delectable Garden Tours.
During one fabulous week of chateau-hopping, hot-air ballooning, kitchen garden visiting and gourmet cooking and dining, you will discover how the French turned the simple growing of fruits and vegetables into a high form of Art. And it will all be 100% VEGAN!
DAY 1 SEPTEMBER 7
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS – CHATEAU DE LA BOURDAISIERE
Our adventure begins at 10 am on September 7th at the Austerlitz train station where we will embark on a one-hour 1st class train ride from Paris to the city of Tours, capital of the region la Touraine in the middle of the Loire Valley. As soon as we arrive in Tours, off we will go to the Chateau de la Bourdaisiere , home of the National tomato collection, herb collection and newly designed contemporary Dahlia garden and our home away from home for the first 4 days of our trip. The owner of the property and the one responsible for the incredible gardens is the charming Prince Louis de Broglie, who is also the creator of the Prince Jardinier line of beautiful gardener accessories .
After settling in, and having a light lunch, we will do an in depth visit of both the kitchen garden, the flower garden and the park and end the afternoon with our first culinary experience – a tomato extravaganza – with produce from the garden! After dinner made up partially with our own creations, time will be spent going over the program for the next day and discovering even more the beautiful grounds of the Chateaux!
DAY 2 SEPTEMBER 8
After breakfast, off to the Chateau de Valmer, whose lovingly created organic kitchen garden graces an Italian renaissance park, intersped with fountains, terraces and an incredible troglodyte chapel and dining area. Our day spent here will begin with a insider’s tour of the kitchen garden created by Alix de St Venant, owner of the domaine , followed by a lunch in the privatized orangerie. Then class will begin – with freshly picked vegetables from the garden being the base for the dishes we will make our dinner. After class, and before our dinner party begins and if weather permits, we will have a private yoga class, in a private garden on the property – perhaps in the now flower-filled stone-walled moats.
DAY 3 SEPTEMBER 9
CHATEAU DE CHENONCEAUX
Friday will begin with another great class by Mark and ourselves, using produce purchased from a near-by farmers market. This time of year is heaven for cooks as typical summer and autumn fruits and vegetables abound.
After we lunch on our creations, we will take a leisurely drive to one of the loveliest chateaux in the entire Loire Valley – CHENONCEAUX. After a guided tour of the chateaux whose history was largely made by famous women and whose rooms are adorned by extraordinary bouquets of flowers, all grown in the gardens, we will end our day by an extraordinary hour long hot-air baloon trip over the valley seeing chateaux, old villages and countryside from a very different perspective.
For our last night at the Bourdaisiere, the dinner will be at the Hotel les Hautes Roches north of Tours whose chef , Didier Edon will specially prepare us a beautiful vegan meal with local products and his staff.
DAY 4 SEPTEMBER 10
The Tomato Festival and a journey into Medieval Times at Chateau Rivau. After breakfast, and while our bags are being transfered to our new abode, we will leisurely participate in the now must-go garden show at La Bourdaisiere entirely dedicated to the thousnads of varieties of tomatoes of every color and size imaginable that exist on the planet! In mid-afternoon we will embark on the second part of our journey and travel south to the absolutely charming medieval Chateau de Rivau. In more ways than one you will feel you are entering into a fairytale world. After settling in and a first introduction to the gardens, we will go to the professional kitchen in the Chateaux for a late afternoon class and dinner. Be prepared for enchantment!!
DAY 5 SEPTEMBER 11
CUISINE AND FESTIVITIES
This day will begin early as we will be in the kitchen cooking away several hours before the medieval pumpkin and wine festival begins.. After an early lunch , the afternoon is free to wander about the festival and participate in the activities. Late afternoon will see us again in the Kitchen , inspired by the pumpkins and squashes of all shapes and forms for an evening of culinary discovery redolent of culinary discovery redolent of times past.
DAY 6 SEPTEMBER 12
COOKING , GARDENS AND STORIES AT THE CHATEAUX DE LA CHATONNIERE
After breakfast, we will prepare a beautiful picnic lunch and then depart for the Chateau de la Chatonniere whose 12 gardens reflect the incredible creativity and intelligence of its owner. The names of the gardens will in themselves be an inspiration for our late afternoon class at Rivau : gardens of Abundance, Intelligence, Botanical sciences, Romance, Luxuriance, the garden of France, of Fragrance, Silence, Delights, the Vale of Elegance, the Garden of Dance and the garden of Senses. Although in August we will not see the incredible wild flower fields of June, we will be treated to the color explosion of the 2500 dahlia, the 2 million cyclamens and the beauty and plenitude that are French gardens in late summer Dinner this evening, preceded by a special cooking class with Mark and chef Christophe Canati, will be at the Chateau de Marcay, another place that seems made just to enchant us by it’s typical French beauty and elegance.
DAY 7 SEPTEMBER 13
From early morning till early afternoon we will partake in our final class and lunch with Mark at the Chateau de Rivau . Then off we go to a place that is definitely awe-inspiring……. VILLANDRY – THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD’S KITCHEN GARDENS. It is almost impossible to convey the feeling one has when contemplating from the stone walls high above the gardens the view over all of the Villandry and no photo has ever captured the magic that unfolds in front of you as you walk up stone stairways or fine pebble paths to the top. Despite is Renaissance style, new contemporary gardens are being added and the garden is now being transformed into an organic garden which just adds to the quality of this exceptional place. After visiting this special garden we will have an exceptional private meal in the gardens prepared by Mark and the Gentle Gourmet team to celebrate our week of Kitchen Garden extravaganza.
PRICES
The Loire Valley Kitchen Garden Extravaganza is an exceptional and very special week. Not only will we be doing exceptional things such as cooking in chateaux with acclaimed chef and author Mark Reinfeld, hot-air balooning , visiting fabulous garden-walled historical Kitchen gardens with French garden expert Deborah Brown Pivain, attendance at two garden festivals, but we will be given the opportunity to eat exclusively gourmet vegan food throughout the entire trip. That is special and entirely unique in France! We have nevertheless attempted to keep rates as reasonable as possible for a trip that will have a once in a lifetime feel. Prices include:
- 8 days / 7 nights
- All transportation from Paris and back.
- Transportation in the Loire Valley.
- 7 nights accomodation in 4 star establishments.
- All meals, wine and beverages with the exception of wine in the two evening meals taken at restaurants.
- 7 days of culinary instruction and guided visits to gardens and chateaux by Mark Reinfeld, Deborah Brown Pivain and various garden owners and chefs.
- A hot-air baloon ride over the Loire Valley.
- All entries into festivals and gardens and private functions on the properties.
Please email or call Mark Reinfeld for price information or review / download our detailed PDF brochure.
Booking Information
1. GROUP SIZE Groups are strictly limited to 12 members, and most groups will be for 8-10. To avoid disappointment, we urge you to book well in advance.
2. ACCEPTANCE Acceptance to participate in any Delectable Garden tour is contingent upon completion and delivery of reservation form, client information sheet and participation release agreement, in addition to the delivery of funds as described under RESERVATIONS & PAYMENT, below.
3. PRICES All prices shown on the reservation form are based on double occupancy. Single supplements are charged to cover our additional costs for single occupancy rooms.
4. RESERVATIONS & PAYMENT For one day tours:To guarantee your reservation, full payment per person is required at the time of booking. For multiple Day tours a 50% down Payment is due when booking and a final payment is due 1 month before departure . For bookings less than a month before departure , full payment is required at booking time.
5. CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS . Cancellations received 90 days prior to departure will incur a cancellation fee of 30% of the total tour price; cancellations received 30-90 days prior will incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the total tour price. A cancellation fee of 100% of the total tour price will apply where notice of cancellation is received less than 30 days prior to departure. Once a tour has commenced there can be no refunds on unused portions. We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation insurance, available through our office.
6. AIR TRANSPORTATION & AIRPORT TRANSFERS Clients may arrange their own air transportation. We can arrange airport transfers if needed .
7. PRICE CHANGE – Most tour companies require a minimum number of participants without which they cancel or increase the price. We never do this .
8. TOUR PRICE INCLUDES First-class, superior first-class or deluxe accommodations with private bath; meals as listed; full-time services of driver and professional tour manager and use of coach; horticulturists as listed; entrances and theater tickets as listed; transfers and additional transportation as specified; all porterage, tips to local guides, taxes and service charges.
9. TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE Airfare, excess baggage charges, items of personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls, room service and alcoholic beverages, optional extensions, meals not listed in itinerary, or tips to tour manager and driver.
10. RESPONSIBILITY Delectable Gardens, acts only as agent in transportation, accommodation, sightseeing, transfers, meals, etc., and assumes no liability for injury, delay, inconvenience, irregularity, loss or damage to person or property, or additional costs resulting directly or indirectly from any of the following causes: acts of God, fire, acts of government or other authorities, wars, terrorism, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, defaults, delays, cancellations, or changes in transport or hotel service, over which it has no control. Right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated. Right is also reserved to alter the itinerary where deemed advisable, and to cancel the tour prior to departure. In the event of trip cancellation, liability will be limited to a refund of all funds received. Right is reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour at any time, should such person’s mental condition, physical infirmity, or general deportment impede the operation of the tour or the rights, welfare, or enjoyment of other tour members. Such passengers will have no claim against Delectable Garden Tours, its agents, operators or employees.
Upcoming Vegan Retreats, Vacations and Culinary Tours
Other Vegan Cooking Workshops, Trainings and Retreats
- more…
What Our Vegan Cooking Class Participants Are Saying Read our written testimonials or Watch our vegan cooking class participants comment on their experience...
To register for our vegan and raw food cooking classes, workshops, teacher trainings, immersions and retreats or to learn more, please contact Mark Reinfeld at Vegan Fusion Cuisine.
Interested in hosting a Vegan Fusion Cuisine workshop, immersion, training or retreat in your community? Please contact Mark Reinfeld to learn more about vegan cooking, plant based diets and raw food preparation through fun and informative hands on learning.
Mark has over 20 years experience preparing creative vegan and raw food cuisine. He specializes in vegan recipe development and offers vegan cuisine cooking workshops, cooking classes, trainings and retreats internationally. Mark is described by VegCooking.com as being “poised on the leading edge of contemporary vegan cooking”. He is the co-author of four books and the founding chef of the celebrated Blossoming Lotus Restaurant, winner of a prestigious I’lima Award for “Best Restaurant on Kaua’i”. Mark is the recipient of a Platinum Carrot award given to America’s top “innovative and trailblazing healthy chefs”. To learn more about the healing quality of foods, he received a Masters Degree in Holistic Nutrition.
Mark Reinfeld and Vegan Fusion Cuisine offers educational vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and raw food cooking workshops and classes in both North America and Europe. Workshops attract people from all over the United States including Annapolis and Baltimore, Maryland, MD, including Montgomery and Howard County, as well as the towns of Rockville, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomak, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Annapolis, as well as Washington, DC. Our vegan cooking workshops further serve Northern Virginia, VA, (including the towns of Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria). Additionally on the east coast workshops are offered in New York City, Manahattan, Long Island, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk County, NY; New Jersey, NJ; Philadelphia, Pensilvania, PA; Boston, Massachusetts, MA; Ashville, Greensboro and Raleigh North Carolina, NC and Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale Florida, FL. Travelling west we further serve Houston and Austin, Texas, TX; Sedona, Phoenix, Sottsdale and Tucson Arizona, AZ, New Orleans, Louisiana, Madison and Milwaukee Wisconsin, WI, Iowa City, Iowa, Chicago and Aurora Illinois, IL; Boulder, Fort Collins and Denver Colorado, CO; Portland, Oregon, OR; Seattle, Washington, WA; San Francisco, Berkley, Long Beach, San Diego and Los Angels, LA, California, CA; Kaua'i, Oahu, Honolulu and Hawaii, HI and more. In addition his vegan cooking workshops and classes are offered in a number of European cities including London, England, UK, Paris and the Loire Valley, France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Amsterdam, Holland, Greece and the Greek Islands, and more. If you are interested in hosting or participating in a Vegan Fusion World Cuisine workshop, immersion, training, retreat or cooking class in your area, please contact Mark Reinfeld for more information.
Vegan chef and author Mark Reinfeld offers a variety of best selling vegan cookbooks. He specializes in vegan, vegetarian, raw food and gluten free plant-based diets. He offers a series of vegan cooking classes, including 2 day workshops, teacher trainings, 5 and 10 day immersions, as well as retreats, tours and vacations in both America and Europe. He further offers vegan fusion cuisine recipe development and consulting. To receive the latest news please sign up for his Newsletter and RSS Feeds, or contact Mark directly.
Seattle, WA. April 9, 2012. Portland, OR. May 25, 2012. Portland, OR. June 11, 2012. Victoria, BC. July 9, 2012. Portland, OR. July 30, 2012. Maui, HI. August 18, 2012. Portland, OR. October 15, 2012. Seattle, WA. November 5, 2012. teacher, training, vegan, cooking, raw, food, classes, plant, based, diet, seattle, washington, april, 2012Learn vegan and raw food preparation from award-winning author and Blossoming Lotus Founding Chef, Mark Reinfeld.
Please check out our 
No comments yet. Be the first!