Four Seasons Announces New Private Jet Experiences -- Including Global Culinary Journey Developed With Noma

Four Seasons takes Private Jet travel to new heights, introducing all-new 2017 journeys

TORONTO, April 27, 2016 /CNW/ -- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world's leading luxury hospitality company, today announced three new Four Seasons Private Jet journeys taking off in 2017. The itineraries are headlined by Culinary Discoveries, a first-of-its-kind journey developed in partnership with one of the world's best restaurants, Copenhagen-based Noma, and its acclaimed head chef René Redzepi.

Beginning in May 2017, the three-week Culinary Discoveries itinerary will take travellers on an extraordinary journey to explore the people and places of many of the world's most exciting culinary destinations. Tracing food influences and cultures across Asia and Europe, from the vibrant history and traditions of Chiang Mai, Copenhagen and Florence to the cosmopolitan energy of Tokyo, Seoul and Paris, guests will discover or reconnect with the cities and cultures that continue to shape the tastes and flavours of the world.

More than just a journey of the senses, Culinary Discoveries will explore each destination through a variety of angles, from visiting some of the world's best restaurants and private kitchens to joining local chefs and producers as they travel to markets and farms to taste the best of what is in season. Guests will also visit each location's historical and cultural landmarks, many of which have influenced cuisine well beyond their borders – all while enjoying Four Seasons legendary service and staying exclusively at Four Seasons hotels and resorts. 

Along the way, guests will also participate in a series of hosted talks and conversations about the past, present and future of food and its intersection with creativity, innovation and community.

"We have always enjoyed the opportunity to travel and explore, and to learn about the ingredients and cultures that have helped shape what people eat and how they cook," said Noma head chef René Redzepi. "From our team's travels across Scandinavia to relocating our restaurant to Tokyo and Sydney, our international journeys have helped expand our minds and our tastes, and influenced the creativity of the Noma kitchen. We look forward to working with Four Seasons to help develop their first-ever Culinary Discoveries journey, and to create an experience that is truly memorable."

"This new itinerary is the perfect example of why the Four Seasons Private Jet was launched, and furthers our innovative approach in planning exceptional travel journeys that create unforgettable memories," said Elizabeth Pizzinato, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "Private Jet itineraries open doors to some of the world's most exclusive experiences and extraordinary destinations. Through this collaboration and partnership with Noma we will explore new synergies and create a journey for our guests unlike any other."

Destinations highlights on this all-new itinerary include:

Culinary Discoveries (May 27 – June 14, 2017)   
Seoul – Tokyo – Hong Kong – Chiang Mai – Mumbai – Florence – Lisbon – Copenhagen – Paris

Culinary Discoveries opens in Seoul, where guests will begin their culinary expedition with a private dinner at Chef Jong Kuk Lee's home to experience his renowned farm-to-table cuisine before visiting the Jin-Kwan temple to learn the spiritual Buddhist preparation of ancient temple food. In Tokyo, Private Jet passengers will explore one of the world's most heralded culinary destinations, joining world-renowned Chef Namae Shinobu for a day of foraging outside the city, followed by a private dinner at his Michelin-starred restaurant L'Effervescence.

From there, guests will venture on to Hong Kong, where they will enjoy transcendent street food, tours of local markets and cooking classes with Michelin-starred chefs. In Chiang Mai, guests will select from a curated mix of experiences, exploring traditional Thai markets, embarking on an elephant trek through the verdant jungle, and enjoying a private dinner with Garima Arora, a native of India and former Noma chef now based in Thailand. Culinary Discoveries will then continue on to Mumbai, where guests will savour the distinctive flavours of the city, enjoying the aromatic curries and colourful spices of Mumbai's delectable street-food.

From India, guests will travel to Florence where they will meet with pioneering wine makers in their medieval estates and explore the Chianti countryside. Guests will also experience a once-in-a-lifetime dinner with the legendary Chef Fulvio Pierangelini, who will return from retirement for a single night to cook alongside his son, Fulvietto Pierangelini. The Four Seasons Private Jet will then continue to Lisbon where guests will enjoy gala dinners, Michelin star dining, and an insider's tour of the historic Mercado da Ribeira before jetting on to Copenhagen, home to Noma. There, guests will join the Noma team in foraging for local ingredients to be used at their private dinner at Noma that evening. Culinary Discoveries will continue on to Paris, culminating with a farewell dinner at the famed Michelin-starred Le Cinq at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris.

In addition to Culinary Discoveries, Four Seasons is also introducing an all-new Global Getaway journey in 2017 as well as an updated itinerary for one of the Private Jet's most popular journeys, International Intrigue. Highlights from these around the world itineraries include:

Global Getaway (March 16 – April 8, 2017)  
Singapore – Koh Samui – Dubai – Budapest – Nice – Lisbon – Nevis – Bogota – Miami

The first Four Seasons Private Jet journey to depart from Asia, Global Getaway offers travellers an exclusive array of experiences, flying from Singapore to the Arabian Gulf, Europe and on to the Caribbean before arriving in the United States. The nine-country journey spans 24 days.

Travel begins in Singapore, where guests will spend two days exploring the Lion City, including Gardens by the Bay, a 250-acre (100 hectare) natural reserve in the heart of the city. The Private Jet then departs for Koh Samui, a gorgeous island in the Gulf of Thailand.

From there, guests will venture west to the United Arab Emirates and Europe, where they will enjoy camel rides through the golden dunes of Dubai's deserts, explore the rich history behind Heroes' Square and St. Stephen's Basilica with a private tour in Budapest, and experience FORMULA 1 Ferrari driving along the striking coastline of Nice and Monaco.

Upon arrival in Lisbon, guests will savour a gala dinner at the National Palace of Queluz, then pause on the saffron-coloured sands of Nevis, before scaling Colombia's Cerro de Monserrate mountain via cable car and enjoying fresh Colombian fruit and coffee tastings at Bogota's Paloquemao market. Global Getaway concludes in Miami with an exclusive farewell dinner at Four Seasons Hotel The Surf Club.

International Intrigue (September 3 – 26, 2017)   
Seattle – Kyoto – Beijing – Maldives – Serengeti – Budapest – St. Petersburg – Marrakech – Boston

Beginning in Seattle, International Intrigue spans eight countries in 24 days. Seattle adventures include a private craft brewery tour and VIP access to Pike Place Market. In Kyoto, guests will be offered special access to Kokedera, "The Moss Temple," to experience the chanting and copying of Buddhist scriptures. In Beijing, travellers will enjoy a private dinner and Shaolin performance on the Great Wall of China.

International Intrigue offers guests a range of unforgettable experiences: turtle safaris and night snorkeling in the Maldives; game drives, hot air balloon safaris and hilltop meditation in the Serengeti; and an exclusive gala at the Fisherman's Bastion overlooking the city of Budapest.

From there, guests will venture on to St. Petersburg where they will enjoy a private opening of the Hermitage Museum and an exclusive tour of the Fabergé Museum. In Marrakech, guests can choose to spend time with locals in the Atlas Mountains, or be immersed in the lush blue-and-green paradise of Majorelle Gardens, before the journey concludes in the historic city of Boston.

2017 itineraries begin at USD 135,000.

In addition to these all-new 2017 itineraries, Four Seasons is also offering two previously announced Private Jet journeys taking place in 2016 including Extraordinary Adventures and Cultural Escape. These around the world journeys include an exciting array of exclusive experiences:

Extraordinary Adventures (September 17 – October 11, 2016)   
Austin – Costa Rica – Lanai – Sydney – Langkawi – Mauritius – Serengeti – Marrakech – Lisbon

Extraordinary Adventures spirits travellers across eight countries in 25 days. The journey begins in Austin, in the heart of Texas, before reaching the golden beaches of the Papagayo Peninsula in Costa Rica. From there, guests can explore a range of experiences in different locales: scuba diving among spinner dolphins in Lanai, circling the Sydney harbour by sea plane, and exploring the sandstone mountains and limestone caves of Langkawi.

Guests can ride horseback through former private reserves on Africa's island of Mauritius, photograph the Serengeti plains aboard a hot air balloon, and take a private tour through the mesmerising souks and winding markets of Marrakech to shop for traditional Berber carpets and leather goods.

The adventure concludes in Lisbon, a historic city of Gothic cathedrals and ancient monasteries, where guests will celebrate at a gala farewell dinner at Jerónimos Monastery.

Cultural Escape (November 4 – 22, 2016)
London – Moscow – Dubai – Seychelles – Serengeti – Florence – London

The Cultural Escape journey spans six countries in 19 days. Guests begin in London on the banks of the River Thames before departing for majestic Moscow where they will enjoy a private tour of the city's acclaimed Armoury. In Dubai, guests will explore the soaring city by private helicopter tour before heading south to the 115-island archipelago of Seychelles, where they will relax amid the island's lush coconut groves, hibiscus gardens and crystalline waters of the Indian Ocean.

Venturing inland, guests will then make their way deep into the Tanzanian plains, enjoying a champagne breakfast in the Serengeti grasslands and a sighting of Africa's "Big Five" before making their way into the heart of the Chianti countryside. There, guests will tour local wineries, taste Tuscan delicacies and enjoy a private viewing of Michelangelo's David in Florence before returning to London for the close of their journey.

2016 itinerary prices begin at USD 106,000.

Each journey includes air travel aboard the Private Jet, ground transportation, planned excursions, all meals and beverages throughout the trip and luxurious accommodations at Four Seasons hotels and resorts.

Visit privatejet.fourseasons.com and follow the #FSJet hashtag on Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and to continue exploring the Four Seasons Private Jet.

About Noma

Founded in 2003 by Chef René Redzepi, the Copenhagen restaurant Noma works with an intimate network of purveyors to develop a cuisine that expresses its region's culture and seasons. The small, eleven-table restaurant is housed within an eighteenth-century warehouse along the city's harbour and serves a tasting menu designed to give guests a clear and delicious sense of time and place. 

About René Redzepi

René Redzepi is the chef and co-owner of Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since the establishment of the restaurant in 2003, Redzepi has developed a cuisine that draws from the area's landscape and culture. Using a wide yet intimate network of farmers, foragers, and other purveyors, Noma celebrates the region's ingredients and aims to present a kind of cooking that expresses its location and the seasons.

Redzepi is the author of Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine and A Work in Progress. In 2008, he founded the Nordic Food Lab, an independent, open-source research organisation that studies deliciousness. And in 2011, he founded the MAD Symposium, an annual gathering of chefs and food lovers with an appetite for knowledge. 

About Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Founded in 1960, Four Seasons continues to define the future of luxury hospitality with extraordinary imagination, unwavering commitment to the highest standards of quality, and the most genuine and customised service. Currently operating 98 hotels, resorts and residences in major city centres and resort destinations in 41 countries, and with more than 50 projects in development, Four Seasons consistently ranks among the world's best hotels and most prestigious brands in reader polls, traveller reviews and industry awards. For more information and reservations, visit fourseasons.com. For the latest news, visit press.fourseasons.com and follow @FourSeasonsPR on Twitter.

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SOURCE Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

FOUR SEASONS, Laura Schlecht, [email protected], 646.460.8922, http://www.fourseasons.com