Renowned chef Tyler Florence from the Food Network revealed that when he travels, he doesn’t rely on recommended lists to find restaurants, but rather, he consults with hotel concierge and trusts his own “food radar”.
At 55 years old, Florence owns restaurants such as Wayfare Tavern and Miller & Lux in San Francisco. In an interview with Travel + Leisure on October 20th, he explained that recommended lists are often generic, so he prefers to inquire directly with the concierge upon arrival in a new place. This approach has led him to discover new restaurants that have recently opened nearby.
Florence described his intuition for food as a “food radar”. While hosting The Great Food Truck Race, he traveled to various towns and found that his intuition was particularly helpful when passing by roadside eateries. For instance, on his way to a barbecue restaurant in Kentucky, Florence stumbled upon the birthplace of KFC fried chicken unexpectedly.
A few months ago, Florence was in Hawaii on his way to Waimea Farmer’s Market when he caught a whiff of grilled chicken. He stopped at a roadside stall and tasted the Huli Huli chicken, slow-roasted with Hawaiian kiawe wood and marinated in pineapple saltwater. Subsequently, he introduced his own version of the dish to menus in San Francisco and Hawaii.
“I never pass up the opportunity for any experience, because you never know where it might lead you,” he said.
Florence mentioned that his family’s travel style differs from his own. While his wife enjoys sunbathing by the pool with a book all day, he prefers to rent a car after dropping off his family and explore local fish markets or farmer’s markets.
Regarding jet lag, he recommended that travelers acclimate to the local time as quickly as possible upon arrival, by avoiding naps and instead going for a walk or soaking up some sun. Florence typically orders a club sandwich from room service, believing it is a good measure of the kitchen’s quality.
He shared an experience from a trip to Japan where he discovered Japanese green tea during his research on Wagyu beef, leading him to give up coffee in favor of green tea. Now, he carries his own tea brewing kit wherever he goes.
From a young age, Florence played a game called “Find the Gate” with his children at the airport. After passing security, he would hand over the boarding passes to his children and let them lead the way. He believed this game helped instill confidence in his children to navigate unfamiliar environments independently.
When it comes to favorite food destinations, Florence highly recommended Charleston in South Carolina. He emphasized that Southern cuisine is the foundation of his culinary skills, representing the true essence of American cuisine. Growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, he worked at restaurants such as Magnolias, Anson, and Charleston Grill in Charleston early in his career. He noted that the local dining scene now incorporates diverse global flavors, and some of his favorite restaurants include FIG and Chubby Fish.
Florence mentioned his preferred fried chicken spots, including Willie Mae’s in New Orleans, Prince’s Hot Chicken in Nashville, and Bobo’s Fine Chicken in Virginia Beach, stating that Bobo’s is currently the best fried chicken spot in America.
Throughout his career, Florence has hosted shows like Tyler’s Ultimate and The Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network, published 17 cookbooks, and has been nominated twice for the James Beard Award for “Best Chef West”.