I’ve taken two cooking classes on previous trips to Paris – one good, one not so good (more on that in a moment).

But each time I planned another trip to the city, I would do a search for a very specific class: one that focuses on sauces. They’re not so easy to come by, at least not any that are taught in English. But on my recent trip in June, I found TWO classes that specified sauce making being offered during my weeklong stay. One was a five-minute walk from the flat we had rented in the Marais; the other was a half-hour ride on the Metro to the 18th arrondissement. We chose the latter, even though the name of the school had the hokey name of Cook’n with Class.

Why didn’t I choose the closer school? Because it was the one where I had an unpleasant experience on a previous visit. The reason I didn’t like it was because the chef who was teaching the class was rude and borderline abusive. He yelled and scolded my fellow classmates as though we were his underlings in his restaurant kitchen rather than paying guests trying to enjoy a vacation and have a little fun. And even though the school was in a perfect location and had windows overlooking the Seine, I didn’t want to take the chance that the same chef was still on the payroll. (Besides the rude instructor, all the knives were dull.)

Update: Only two spots left; sign up now.

New York is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I enjoy visiting any time of the year. But there’s something extra magical about the city during the holidays, and I want to show it to you. So I’m please to announce the inaugural guided tour from Scott Joseph’s Food & Travel, in association with Go Travel.

Join me for a four-night visit to Manhattan Dec. 2-5, 2025, to see the sites and bite the bites. We’ll start with a dinner at a historic New York steakhouse and finish with a farewell dinner at a posh, Michelin-starred restaurant. In between, we’ll tour the neighborhoods of Little Italy, Chinatown and Greenwich Village, sampling and sipping along the way. We’ll take a cooking class at De Gustibus on the top floor of Macy’s in Herald Square, get an insider’s look at Grand Central Terminal (followed by lunch at the renowned Oyster Bar), and have special orchestra seating for a performance of the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, starring the world-famous Rockettes. And of course the tree and skating rink at Rockefeller Center, the Christmas Market at Bryant Park, the department store windows and shopping, shopping, shopping.

Welcome to the newly rebranded Scott Joseph’s Food & Travel, formerly Scott Joseph’s Orlando Restaurant Guide. As I announced late last year, I’ve retired from covering and reviewing Central Florida restaurants after 36 years. But I’m not done with food and I’m certainly not done with travel. The focus here now will be combining the two.

I’ve always enjoyed traveling, and now that I have extra time on my hands, I plan to do a lot more. But now I’d like you to come along. I’ve recently joined the experienced team at Go Travel, and we’re working on putting together some wonderful culinary tours and cruises to some of my favorite destinations – and also to places even I haven’t been to yet. I’ve had the enjoyment of leading journeys in Paris, Lyon and New York. I have plans to return to those cities soon, as well as to London, Rome and Florence, and to partner with cruise lines and land tour operators that will take us to ports to visit local markets, experience cafes and restaurants, and teach us how to cook regional dishes: bouillabaisse in Marseilles, cassoulet in Carcassonne. I hope you’ll join me. I think it’s going to be exciting.

But I also want to hear what you think. Please take a moment to fill in this survey so we can continue our culinary journeys together. And if organized tours aren’t your thing, that’s fine; we can help you put together your own dream vacation. Just email me at ScottJ@GoTravel.com to get started.

If you still need a little boost to get into the holiday spirit, head to Grande Lakes for its Winter Wonderland Market, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and 21, and again on Dec. 27 and 28 and Dec. 31.

The market will be set up on the Valencia Lawn at the Ritz-Carlton and will feature European-style cottages with traditional holiday food and beverages (I’m hoping for some gluhwein) as well as crafts from local artisans.

And this year, on certain days, the event will feature performances by Grande Lakes’ resident magician, Drew Thomas, a finalist on America’s Got Talent. Thomas will perform on Dec. 20, 27 and 28. Additional shows will be Jan. 10, 11, 17 and 18. The magic starts at 7 p.m.

The Winter Wonderland Market is free and open to the public. It is open from 5 to 9 p.m. this weekend and next and from 7 p.m. to midnight on New Year’s Eve. Tickets to the magic show range from $49.99 to $89.99 and reservations can me made here.

Sam Snead’s Oak Grill and Tavern, the once-popular golf-themed chain, closed its Maitland location abruptly Saturday night. The staff was informed the restaurant was permanently closed at the end of the night, according to a source familiar with the operation. The Maitland franchise was the last remaining Central Florida location.

Sam Snead’s started with a prototype in the MetroWest area in 1992. Steve Gunter, the current operator of the Tap Room at Dubsdread, was one of the owners of the Maitland location – the fourth in the area – as well as one in Port St. Lucie, though he is no longer associated with the chain. There were also locations in Longwood and in downtown Orlando, in the space most recently occupied by 310 Lakeside.

A website lists nine other locations, but some of the links are no longer valid, including one for a Snead’s in Canada. 

I had lunch recently with a local legend, Chris Miliotes.

Most Central Floridians when they hear the name Miliotes think immediately of George. He, of course, is one of the area’s – and the world’s – few master sommeliers, and the owner of Wine Bar George at Disney Springs. He also opened the Season’s 52 restaurant concept for Darden, which wooed him away from Walt Disney World, where he was the opening general manager of California Grill in its early (read: good) days.

But it’s not an overstatement to say that there wouldn’t be a George Miliotes without Chris Miliotes, for more reasons than one. There’s the obvious – Chris is George’s father. 

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UPDATE: Fall at Grande Lakes has been cancelled due to Hurricane Milton.

It’s finally autumn, and we can always count on our friends at Grande Lakes Orlando to come up with some fun fall festivities. 

This year, it’s Fall at Grande Lakes, Saturday, Oct. 12 and Sunday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each day, the Da Vinci Lawn in the Ritz-Carlton’s backyard will be set with all sorts of interesting things for the whole family. 

There will be a fall market and crafts; laser skeet shooting; a scavenger hunt; carnival games; and hayrides. You can also get up close with birds of prey and other animals, learn archery (away from the animals, please) and attend a fish casting class. (That last one has nothing to do with discovering the next star of the “Finding Nemo” sequel.

And this being the Grande Lakes, which has multiple Michelin-recommended venues, there will also be lots of fine food and drink available for purchase. 

The best thing is there’s no charge to attend (other than parking). Some activities and food and beverage options will have a separate charge. You can find more information about Fall at Grande Lakes as well as other autumnal activities coming up in the Grande Lakes newsletter.

In this episode of On the House, Raymond Schmitz, bartender and mixologist at the Sear + Sea Lobby Bar at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek, demonstrates how to make the Can’t Elope cocktail.

The drink weds fresh cantaloupe and lime juice with vodka. The drink also includes a foaming agent that usually is made with egg whites. Schmitz is using Fee Foam, a vegan alternative, but you can use a conventional agent. The Sear + Sea bar also stocks Aquafaba brand.

Watch the video and then give it a try for yourself. Or just head to the JW and let the experts shake one up for you.