Close your eyes and imagine strolling on miles of white sandy beaches. The sun is shining and living is easy as the sea breeze carries a menage of tantalizing aromas wafting from any number of local fine dining establishments. You fall back into your Adirondack chair, feeling the weight of the world leave your body for the first time in months, as your stress slips away to the crashing sounds of the Atlantic Ocean, sipping the latest trendy cocktail.
Now open your eyes (you need them to read, after all). This isn’t a scene from a resort on St. Thomas or St. Maarten; it’s boho-chic New Smyrna Beach, one hour and 12 minutes door to door from the heart of Orlando. It is a hidden gem and the go-to beach escape for many Central Floridians.
As a travel writer, I have combed through the treasures at my favorite beach town on the East Coast for many of my assignments. How could I resist? New Smyrna Beach boasts a laid-back atmosphere with just enough “beachitude” to scratch that salty itch, but not too much to feel ticky-tacky.
Featuring some of the finest dining, history, water activities, including boating tours, and not to mention the star of the show, the glorious Atlantic Ocean, I thought I had already experienced the best New Smyrna Beach has to offer. Been there. Done that. And ready for another round, thank you very much.
Enter destination specialists Chris Bartlett and Stephen Fries, co-owners and travel curators extraordinaire of the rising star concierge travel service, Worth Tasting. I’ll cut to the chase: My Worth Tasting New Smyrna Beach experience blew me away.
Worth Tasting: The VIP Experience
Worth Tasting elevated my New Smyrna Beach experience from pleasurable to paradise, opening doors to an even more exciting New Smyrna Beach. I felt like I was on vacation with a celebrity. Doors once closed were now opened just for little old me.
Worth Tasting is much more than a simple tour-guided event. They provide an all-inclusive culinary experience that includes dining and so much more.
For just over 18 years, Chris and Stephen have been hosting Worth Tasting events in downtown New Haven, CT. It was a natural progression, as Stephen is an esteemed culinary travel columnist, while Chris calls himself a serial entrepreneur, but he is being modest. Chris is a former double gold medalist in the U.S. Figure Skating community and a former professional figure skater with “Disney on Ice.” Put the two together, and you have the Martha Stewarts of the culinary travel industry.
Chris and Stephen have branched out from New Haven and have fallen in love with Florida.
“In New Smyrna Beach, there’s so much great local food and passionate chefs,” explains Chris. “It’s welcoming and friendly and the people are genuinely sincere and authentic.”
Chris and Stephen know their stuff. Together, they bring substance and gravitas to Worth Tasting, as both are on the Board of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Stephen is Professor Emeritus of Hospitality Management and spent 36 years as Professor & Coordinator of the Connecticut Community College program. Chris produces Poetic Sunset Escapes, found on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and is CEO of GEM Advertising.
The inspiration for Worth Tasting took place 18 years ago, when Chris and Stephen were on a trip to Portland, OR. “We went on a local food tour for the afternoon,” explains Chris, “and on the way back on the plane on a napkin, we basically penciled in a bunch of our favorite restaurants in New Haven. We presented it to the Visitors Bureau. They loved it, and then the rest is history.”
Stephen jokes that for years, friends have been begging to travel along with him in his suitcase. “Worth Tasting is like having the experience of traveling with me in my suitcase,” he laughs.
Before the first guest arrives, Chris and Stephen spend months and countless hours researching, traveling in advance, mapping out every apéritif, every amuse-bouche. They’ve carefully researched every step of the experience to give their guests the best of the best.
When the group finally arrives, it’s a seamless, VIP luxury experience. To their guests, the duo makes it look easy. But it takes months to curate every meal, every step and experience of the unique, individually crafted journey.
Worth Tasting: New Smyrna Beach-style
The world seems to fall into two camps: those who enjoy being a part of a tour group and the independents who like to go it alone when traveling. Full disclosure. I have always been more of a go-it-alone kind of gal and have never been much for small talk and chitchat. Would I fit into the whole tour group thing?
Whatever hesitation I may have felt disappears the moment I pull into the gravel driveway of my luxury beachside boutique villa at Joy by the Sea. I immediately felt my blood pressure drop to healthy levels as I took in that first whiff of ocean air.
Comprising six beachside villas surrounding a refreshing, saltwater pool and lush tropical landscaping, Joy by the Sea guests enjoy privacy surrounded by eclectic touches of aquamarine tile work and art. Across the small gravel road overlooking the ocean is the Beach House, where much of our activities took place.
Chris and Stephen begin each stay with a social hour, this one held at Joy by the Sea’s main luxury-laden Beach House. After a few sips of prosecco accompanied by my favorite sound, the waves of the Atlantic, it wasn’t long before the conversation was flowing as freely as the apps and drinks. Am I turning into a tour person? My luxury Worth Tasting swag bag says the answer is a resounding, “Yes.”
Have you ever had dinner in a treehouse? Our inaugural dinner was at Norwood’s Treehouse Bar and Restaurant, a not-so hidden gem nestled among the lush canopy of a single tree. Norwood’s is whimsy and elegance all in one location. Chances are, if you’ve been to New Smyrna Beach, you’ve experienced Norwood’s.
The food is some of the finest in New Smyrna Beach, and I was excited to sample their delicious fare. I started with the Bacon Wrapped Scallops, grilled and perfectly glazed with a pomegranate reduction, and a soba noodle salad. The grilling rendered the scallops perfectly tender, and the bacon had the right amount of crisp. I also had a taste of the smoked fish dip, prepared with Mahi Mahi—delish.
I went with the Seafood Pot Pie for my entrée, because when in Rome; one has to go seafood when dining in New Smyrna Beach. The pie, served in a flaky puff pastry, featured plenty of scallops, shrimp, fresh fish, and blue crab in a delicate white wine supreme sauce. Dinner was topped off with their classic Key Lime Pie, which boasts a perfect blend of sweet and tart.
Because of Chris and Stephen’s connections, the owner welcomed us and gave us a private tour, showcasing the fascinating history including tales, and tastings, of their famous house-made zucchini bread.
Imagine your restaurant is an actual living tree. If you have dined at Norwood’s, chances are you have seen just one small portion of the immense structure. Chris and Stephen made sure we experienced the entire establishment, or should I say tree? Either way, the tour was a personal highlight.
After a blissful night’s sleep at the gorgeous and eclectic Joy by the Sea, we met the gang (I already considered them my gang. So much for being a loner.), at the beach house for some coffee, delicious empanadas for breakfast, all while listening to the sounds of the waves.
My new besties and I explored the farmer’s market on Canal Street. Who knew that there was a strawberry onion, and they were as large as my purse? Or that organic carrots were so affordable and delicious? We had an exciting morning of exploration, followed by a beachside (is there any other kind with Worth Tasting?) lunch, as we created our own taco-style food boards. I even wore my apron, courtesy of my swag bag.
Chris and Stephen love to immerse their guests in the local culture. “At the market, it’s immersive, eclectic and diverse. We like to offer a little bit of everything for our group to experience food-wise, so the cooking demonstration after we purchase food at the market is a fun group project.”
The afternoon was a feast for the artistic palette, as we had personal tours of The Hub and Janes, local art galleries on Canal Street.
The wine and apps were ever-present as we flowed from locale to locale. My two favorite spots were SugarWorks Distillery, where we experienced the finest locally made spirits. I thoroughly enjoyed the olive oil demonstration given to us by Kate at The Gallery. Who knew that orange olive oil made such a delectable toping for vanilla ice cream? I’m still craving the delicate dash of orange. Vanilla ice cream will never be the same.
We ate breakfast at the beach house Sunday morning before heading to New Smyrna Beach’s landmark avenue, Flagler. After some sightseeing and purchases of the obligatory crab-magnet tchotchkes, we walked on the beach, experiencing the section that allows cars to access to the beach.
The afternoon was the much-anticipated Worth Tasting Cookbook Luncheon featuring local celebrity chef MacKenzie Smith, author of Grilled Cheese Social, at The Beach House at Joy by the Sea. Stephen conducted an informative, in-depth interview with Mackenzie, who shared her powerful story of family, food and her hometown. Because this event was open to the public but free for Worth Tasting folk, people drove from miles away to experience this upscale celebrity beachside culinary event.
One of the many things I appreciated about the Worth Tasting experience is the amount of free time they fit into the schedule. Chris and Stephen are always there to host, help, talk, sit in the jacuzzi or grab a glass of wine. But they also give their guests plenty of opportunities to explore on their own or simply get away. It’s nice to have free time to linger and allow yourself to get lost in the luxury.
After our afternoon break, we enjoyed a VIP showing of The Queen’s Gambit. For those who enjoy a lavish lifestyle, and that would be most of us, this immaculate oceanfront 4-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom vacation rental house boasts 5,000 square feet of well-appointed living space with top-notch amenities like an infinity pool, spacious balconies, a putting green next to the pool, a patio with lounge chairs, billiards games, and a prime location right on the beach. You name it and The Queen’s Gambit probably has it and more. Talk about your lifestyles of the rich and famous.
We capped off Sunday evening with dinner at Third Wave, one of New Smyrna Beach’s finest eateries. One of my top restaurant choices, I have experienced Third Wave many times and you can’t beat their Caesar salad. But if it weren’t for Chris and Stephen selecting a wide variety of food choices and tastings for the table, I wouldn’t have tried the Char-Roasted Brussels or the Olives & Manchego, featuring mixed marinated olives and Manchego cheese, with toasted almonds.
“We offer a lot of communal and shared food eating, lots of appetizers shared family-style because we try to foster engagement, people leaning a bit more into their food and sharing at the table,” explains Chris.
We spent the evening chatting with new friends as we sipped beverages, listening, one last time, to the sounds of the Atlantic Ocean crashing on the shore. I was sad to say goodbye to my new tour group friends the next morning at the fare-thee-well breakfast at the Mermaid Café.
New Smyrna Beach, I thought I knew you so well. It took a curated-with-expertise trip with Chris and Stephen from Worth Tasting to open my eyes to the boundless treasures that lay just under the surface.
And this is just the beginning. This super-duo has exciting plans for the future. There are current tours in New Haven, CT, Amelia Island and several other Florida destinations. There’s even a potential culinary tour in the works to Israel.
Chris and Stephen share a great passion for people, food and connecting with people over food. “Nothing makes us happier than to share the joy, excitement and passion for food and hosting unique people in a wide variety of food landscapes.”
“I want people to jump into the Super Bowl of life; to come together and share some food, a laugh, and experience something unique,” says Chris.
The success of Worth Tasting has only just begun. After all, who doesn’t enjoy some much-deserved star treatment from time to time?
It’s always a successful trip if you have learned something new along the way. I learned that adventure can be even better when shared with lovely, like-minded company, fellow adventurers united by a love of travel. I also learned I’m spoiled now that I’ve experienced the VIP treatment offered by Chris and Stephen at Worth Tasting.
If you’re interested in more information, check out https://worthtasting.co