The founder of Ultimate Food Tours answered a few interesting questions about their newest product, cooking classes.

Ultimate Food Tours has been one of the more dynamic food tour operators in New York City for about five years. We’ve watched them grow from one Chinatown Food tour to six immersive tours all over Manhattan. We always loved how each walking food tour has a theme associated with in addition to exploring a specific neighborhood. For example, the Upper East Side food tour is called Famous Jewish Foods and traces the roots of contemporary Jewish Food from the Upper East Side to how it became a worldwide phenomenon. When we heard they were launching cooking classes, we wanted to learn more about them and what makes them unique. We spoke with Scott Goodfriend, the founder and Chief Eating Officer of Ultimate Food Tours, to learn more.

• Tell us about Ultimate Food Tours.

Ultimate Food Tours (UFT) is New York City’s premiere food tour company that combines history and food to give our guests one-of-a-kind culinary experiences. We currently offer six food tours and recently added three cooking classes. We have been around since 2019, but the concept started much earlier. In 2011, I moved to NYC from Los Angeles to work in TV. I loved how I could see the world by taking the subway and exploring different areas and foods. So, I started planning food walks for my own entertainment. I also asked my friends to join me in my journey, and they convinced me to offer this to the public. Since then, my passion for creating tours has only grown.

• What motivated you to offer cooking classes?

After doing television, I moved to the corporate world, producing metaverse content and cutting-edge technology at Edelman and Meta. I planned numerous team-building activities during this time, but many were repetitive, like team dinners and happy hours. After COVID, I noticed an increasing need for engaging and unique team-building activities due to remote teams gathering several times a year. I struggled to find new events featuring food and drinks that brought people together. So, I leveraged my corporate experience with Ultimate Food Tours to create fun, immersive, and educational experiences perfect for people of all ages and backgrounds.

• What makes your cooking classes unique in a city that already has tons?
  

We combine food and history at Ultimate Food Tours, giving our guests a delicious and unforgettable culinary experience. Guests who crave the best food in the city will get that. If they wish to learn about history, we’ll feed them that as well. For example, our hand-pulled noodle class teaches you to make the dish and provides historical context – noodles are the world’s oldest energy food, evolving over 4,000 years. We offer classes like dumpling-making and pizza-making, each with a historical layer similar to our food tours. Our classes are taught by some of the city’s best chefs in their own kitchens. We also offer mini dessert walking tours to explore the neighborhood, staying true to our roots.

• Why do corporate clients like your cooking classes?

It’s endless entertainment. During slower moments in a cooking class, like waiting for food to cook, our historical stories fill potential awkward silences. Team members can listen to an exciting story, engage in fun conversations, or even ask questions about history.

• Who else do you think would enjoy a cooking class?

Cooking classes are great for birthday parties, bachelorette parties, and get-togethers with friends. People visit New York City for its culture and food, not the weather. Our cooking classes are perfect for days with inclement weather, providing a fun, sensory-rich activity in a comfortable, climate-controlled setting. They are also fully customizable to meet the specific needs of our guests.

• How can people sign up?

You can book a cooking class on our landing page. If your desired time or space isn’t available since we have more demand than supply, just send us a note, and we’ll provide options and solutions.

Scott Goodfriend with Ultimate Food Tours has indeed revolutionized the way people experience culinary tourism in New York City.

Published by: Martin De Juan