Washington, DC (June 26) – With today's release of Discover America: Great American Food Stories culinary guide, Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, is launching its culinary initiative aimed at promoting gastro-tourism and showcasing the U.S. as a top culinary destination for world travelers.

“American cuisine captures inspiration from all over the world, truly embodying the diversity and history of the United States,” said Christopher L. Thompson, President and CEO of Brand USA. “We're excited to invite travelers to experience the culinary highlights of each region of the country.”

The Department of State's Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, established in 2012 in cooperation with the James Beard Foundation, collaborated with Brand USA to produce the guide, which is published in six languages.  The guide features thirty-one James Beard affiliated chefs with recipes from all regions of the U.S.

Five of the chefs featured in the culinary guide will travel to five different key markets in Asia. The chefs' travel will coincide with U.S. Independence Day celebrations at U.S missions in China, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. The participating chefs include: Rick Bayless of Chicago, IL; Tory McPhail of New Orleans, LA; Barbara Lynch of Boston, MA; Bryce Gilmore of Austin, TX; and Sam Kass of Washington, D.C. The guide will be available in other markets where Brand USA has representation.

A digital platform for the Discover America culinary guide will be broadcast on all Brand USA channels, and will include U.S. culinary destinations and Q&A sessions with participating chefs.. Brand USA invites travellers to visit its consumer call-to-action at DiscoverAmerica.com/foodstories and to share their own U.S. food and culinary travel experiences on social media platforms utilizing the hash-tag #FoodStoriesUSA.

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About Brand USA

Brand USA is the public-private partnership responsible for promoting the United States as a premier travel destination and communicating U.S. entry policies and procedures. Established by the Travel Promotion Act in 2010, the organization's mission is to increase international visitation to the United States while working in partnership with the travel industry to maximize the economic and social benefits of travel. These benefits include creating jobs essential to the economy and fostering understanding between people and cultures.

For industry or partner information about Brand USA, visit www.TheBrandUSA.com. For information about travel to and around the United States, please visit Brand USA's consumer website at www.DiscoverAmerica.com.