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Inspire Me

Plates and Planes

A luxury travel expert and co-founder of the private jet charter company JET D’OR, Diana Zuluaga has eaten at some of the most exclusive restaurants around the world. Here are her top 5 favourite picks!

Our life as luxury travel entrepreneurs is of disciplined curiosity. We are often eating and socialising with current clients, potential new customers or luxury travel experts to expand our network. Many travellers debate which types of experiences are the most memorable for them. We say it’s food, plain and simple. Who hasn’t devoured a meal and felt the highest of pleasures or been transported to a place you had been before? I often remember and have full conversations about meals that I had thousands of miles away and I am always on the hunt for my next great food discovery.

My passion for food has taken me all over the world. Today I want to share five amazing restaurants that are absolutely worth flying hours for. These restaurants had an impact on me for many reasons: explosive combinations of flavors, unique plating details, seamless coordination, perfect ambiance or experiences that always leaves me wanting to go back. These are some of my most memorable food experiences around the world:

RAFAEL – LIMA, PERU

A dear friend in Lima recommended Rafael and I am so happy she did. Rafael doesn’t get as much press as Central or Astrid y Gastón, the 2 most famous Lima restaurants (which we also loved), but the details, flavor and artistry of Rafael is another level of culinary experience. To summarize it best; if I had the time to go back to one restaurant in Lima, it would only be Rafael. Try the Gnocchi with goat cheese as an appetizer, the Ceviche, the Arroz Enchupetado, the slow cooked Lamb, the Brioche Bread Pudding for dessert and the Banana Plantain Cheesecake. Just writing about it makes me want to jump on a plane!

– From New York (Teterboro) to Lima in a Global 6000 –  7 hours 30 minutes each way. 

– From Miami to Lima in Citation X – 5 hours 30 minutes each way.  

PUJOL – MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

Pujol has a wonderful reputation and it delivered. Eating at Pujol is an amazing journey through the world of Mexican Haute Cuisine. The restaurant space is simple and unassuming. The food is the star of the show at all times. We went on a Monday night and the restaurant was full of people in a celebratory mood. The Mole Madre is a memorable dish which feels very special, just like Chef Enrique Olvera dreamed it. The corn in coffee and ant powder seasoning is visually stunning; a dish I’ll never forget. I will visit Pujol again on my next trip to Mexico City.

– From New York (Teterboro) to Mexico City in a Citation X – 4 hours 30 minutes each way. 

– From London to Mexico City in Global Express – 11 hours each way.  

FISMULER – MADRID, SPAIN

Chef Nino Redruello has created a cool, chic and relaxed restaurant environment with world-class food. It’s a unique combination. The restaurant is new so I have been fortunate to have had the chef himself take my table’s order, always making great suggestions and explaining each dish. My favourite dishes are; the pâté (flavourful and delicate), the ensalada de patata (potato salad that comes with a smoked pork), the eggs with truffle and the Torrija (Spanish version of a French Toast). They serve an interesting version of a Tortilla de Patatas and the most luxurious dish of Sardines I have ever tasted. I recommend this restaurant as it is quickly becoming my “go-to” place in Madrid. Prices are extremely reasonable for a fine-dining experience.

– From London to Madrid, in a Citation Mustang – 2 hours each way. 

– From Dubai to Madrid in Challenger 300 – 7 hours each way.  

RELAIS DE SEMAILLES – CANNES, FRANCE

A friend from Cannes said to me: “This is where my parents eat on special occasions.” That is a great endorsement from a French foodie. We visited Relais de Semailles on a cold December night and from the first moment, we felt at home. The owners, husband and wife, treat you like family. The hosts and guests from every table were engaged in lively conversation as they clinked their glasses of wine in celebration. The food was a traditional french affair, prepared to the highest levels of quality and flavor. I can’t wait to visit again.

– From Madrid to Cannes in a Citation CJ4 – 1 hour 48 minutes each way. 

– From London to Cannes in Citation Sovereign – 1 hour 40 minutes each way.  

EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA – GIRONA, SPAIN

I waited 4 months for a table at Celler de Can Roca, the number 1 restaurant in the world according to the World’s 50 Best by Pellegrino (2015). El Celler de Can Roca was an experience that exceeded my very high expectations. We had a great start: Head Chef Joan Roca himself was in the lobby, putting his apron on, and kindly, humbly welcoming us. Josep Roca (the Sommelier), checked on our table several times during our almost 4 hour dinner. These were special hosting moments that we had not experienced in other top ranked restaurants in the world. The food was spectacular. It was inventive, colorful and beautiful, but real food. Our favorite dishes were the pigeon with fermented cabbage salad, the green olive ice cream, and the iberian suckling pig. I have to say the desserts were mind-blowing. This is a restaurant I would visit every year.

– From Madrid to Girona in Citation XLS – 1 hour 15 minutes each way. 

– From London to Girona in Hawker 900XP – 1 hour 45 minutes each way.  

For private jet charter quotes to these destinations or anywhere else in the world, please email us at: [email protected]  or call at +1 (917) 386-5796.

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