You are what you eat, as we’ve been saying for as long as we can remember. So, when it comes to food, spas and wellness destinations should be putting a lot of thought into their culinary experiences.
Food is a fundamental element of health and wellness and a key ingredient for getting the most out of life. It’s a simple pleasure and a daily requirement. The best spas turn sustenance into an exquisite experience for the senses that nourishes the bodies and minds of discerning guests. They also provide a culinary experience that aligns with their overall philosophy and guest experience.
We reached out to five top, award-winning destination spas and asked: “What’s on the food menu?”
Les Sources de Caudalie – the wonders of the French paradox
Bordeaux, France
Restaurants: La Grand’Vigne, La Table du Lavoir, Rouge
Located amidst the Grand Cru vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Les Sources de Caudalie is a 5-star hotel and Vinothérapie Spa. Inspired by the “French Paradox,” a reference to a study finding that the French diet and lifestyle (high fat, rich sauces, and wine!) is conductive to good health, “Les Sources de Caudalie is a genuine source of wellbeing.”
La Grand’Vigne chef Nicolas Masse has earned two Michelin Stars for making the most of carefully chosen ingredients to produce creative yet traditional dishes. La Grand’Vigne prides itself for serving honest, tasty, and healthy food. Amidst the Graves vineyards is an “ecosystem for the joy of living.” Chef Masse likes to feel close to this region and those who farm it.
The menu at La Grand’Vigne features fish, cheeses, and meats, including a veal chop with black truffle and verjuice; and pigeon with corn and agen prune. Starters include “The Angry farm egg” with white asparagus, chlorophyll and jus de volaille. Dessert is lemon tart or ice cream with cognac.
Chiva-Som – foundations of health and a source of pleasure
Hua Hin, Thailand
Restaurants: The Emerald Room, Taste of Siam
A wellness retreat in the Thai seaside town of Hua Hin, Chiva-Som blends the art of ancient health practices with the vitality of innovative holistic therapies. Chiva-Som designs bespoke personal wellness programs based on six wellness modalities: spa, physiotherapy, holistic health, aesthetic beauty, fitness and, of course, nutrition.
Cuisine at Chiva-Som is based on 10 pillars. Among these are using only organic, GMO-free and whole foods ingredients of superior nutritional quality, and reverence for the planet. The Chiva-Som food philosophy is also based on empowering the individual to restore and sustain wellness. Food at Chiva-Som is regarded as a foundation of health, as well as a source of pleasure.
The menu includes Beef Broth, made with juniper, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme; and Egg White Congee with chicken, spring onion, ginger, and mushroom.
Canyon Ranch – simple pleasures that satisfy and nurture
Tucson, AZ; Lenox MA, Las Vegas, NV – United States
Restaurant: Canyon Ranch Grill
Canyon Ranch is one of the top wellness destinations in America, offering luxury spa resort experiences on land and at sea. With locations in three states Canyon Ranch provides an immersive exploration of mind-body wellness in a relaxed, casually elegant setting.
The food philosophy at Canyon Ranch is simple and consistent: “when you eat better, you feel better.” Canyon Ranch serves balanced, nutritious, soulful and honest cooking.
“Ours is a contemporary, generous and satisfying cuisine that nourishes body, mind and soul. We are guided by the rhythm of the seasons and the simple pleasures of working with impeccable products. The end result is food you’ll love that will love you back.”
The breakfast menu at the Canyon Ranch Grill in Las Vegas includes Organic Tofu Scramble, Strawberries and Cream Whole Grain Crepes with marscapone and toasted walnuts, and Avocado Toast with petite cilantro and piquillo peppers on artisan wheat bread.
The Lodge at Woodloch – sustainable and creative
Hawley, Pennsylvania – United States
Restaurant: TREE restaurant and bar
The Lodge at Woodloch, a luxury woodland retreat in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania, embraces a philosophy of “personal awakening.” A respite from the pressures of daily life, the Lodge at Woodloch provides the opportunity to reconnect to creative and stress-relieving outlets. These might include creative discovery workshops, fitness and wellness classes, outdoor adventures, cooking demonstrations and wine tastings, or speaker events.
The lodge focuses on sustainable living, and the culinary experience features locally grown produce and meats, including produce and herbs from one of the three on-property gardens.
Located high in the tree tops with a view of a private lake, TREE Restaurant and Bar offers a diverse menu, and the chefs take pride in creating delectable dishes that are healthfully prepared with seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients.
The menu at TREE includes steak frites and edamame dumplings for lunch. Dinner may include Filet Mignon au Poivre with broccolini and Hudson Whiskey peppercorn sauce, Maine Lobster Pappardelle Pasta with fresh tarragon and truffle pecarino, or Southwest BBQ Grilled Cauliflower Steak with black bean puree, pico de gallo, chimichurri sauce, and dark chocolate mole.
Kamalaya – Healing and quiet reflection
Koh Samui, Thailand
Restaurants: Soma Restaurant, Amrita Café, Alchemy Tea Lounge
Kamalaya Koh Samui is a Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa resort on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. Kamalaya is centered around a cave that once served Buddhist monks as a place of meditation and spiritual retreat. The resort offers a holistic wellness experience that integrates healing therapies from East and West, a breathtakingly beautiful natural environment, customized wellness programs and retreats, and inspired healthy cuisine.
At Kamalaya food is a key to living a healthier, more vibrant life. Chef Kai Mueller’s Kamalaya Cuisine is based on principles of Asian healing traditions as well as the latest nutritional research. Principles for Kamalaya Cuisine include placing emphasis on high quality, fresh ingredients, and serving foods close to their natural state, without additives, preservatives, and artificial flavourings.
The menu at Kamalaya includes Yum Sum-O Polemo Salad with minced chicken, shallot, red chilis, kaffir lime leaf, and mint.
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