January 11, 2016. At a time when most people are detoxing after the festive season, Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) has lived up to its 'independently minded' reputation by launching a collection of recipes from over 200 of its hotels around the world designed to inspire people to cook, and to travel, in 2016. The Small Luxury Cookbook features 480 pages of recipes celebrating signature dishes prepared by chefs, from local to global renown, who champion regional produce and traditions that can be experienced at the luxury hotel brand's 520 hotels in 80 countries.

Food tourism is nothing new, however, demand for fully integrated, authentic culinary experiences continues to gain in popularity. According to a recent report by Skift, 77% of leisure travelers can be classified as culinary travelers spending around 25% of their travel budget on food. Cuisine is as central to any culture as its history, architecture and music, and Armenia and Mexico are the first countries to have portions of their cuisine certified by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Heritage List. Several other nations currently have applications pending in an effort to recognize and protect their food cultures, while supporting the hyper-local economy.

While SLH hotels are by nature small, some with just three rooms, their inherent connection to the destinations in which they are located naturally lends them to champion local resources, techniques and flavors. Hotel restaurants range from relaxed family-style gatherings where guests can get a taste of recipes passed down through generations, to world-class fine dining prepared by internationally recognized chefs. More than 90 SLH hotels have restaurants that carry Michelin stars or awards of similar global acclaim.

The 221 recipes featured in the Small Luxury Cookbook include local delicacies such as Delos Island sea urchin and Danish pastry, well-loved regional favorites such as Kolokythanthi (stuffed zucchini flowers) and more recent and topical additions to menus such as Lionfish. Below are some examples of the recipes that showcase the diversity of SLH's global cuisine:

· Cornish Lobster with a lively, fresh tomato vierge from Chef Richard James at The Nare in Cornwall, UK. Guests often bring their own lobster caught during the day to the restaurant for him to prepare this dish.

· Anisette sphere with quinoa crackling and mixed berries by Chef Jordi Cruz at the 2 Michelin-starred ABaC Restaurant & Hotel in Barcelona. Jordi Cruz is the second youngest chef ever to receive a Michelin star, at the age of just 24.

· Coconut Lionfish by Chef Christian Báez at The Bistro at Sublime Samana, Dominican Republic. Lionfish is a predatory fish that is being added to menus to encourage commercial fishing as it threatens fish stocks on a global basis.

· Rafute from Chef Yu Masatsagu at Shigara Bayside Suite Allamanda, Japan. Rafute is a pork stew considered to the epitome of Okinawan cuisine. This cuisine is famous for its healthiness – residents have the longest life expectancy in the world.

· Jamu Kunyit Asam: tamarind and turmeric tonic from The Wantilan Restaurant at Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali. Jamu is a traditional herbal tonic in Indonesia, this combination is believed to increase body metabolism and improve circulation.

One crowd-pleaser that is sure to wow any guests is the simply titled 'Apple Tart' from Chef Reon Hobson at Pescatore at The George in Christchurch, New Zealand – a sugar apple filled with crème brulée mousse, caramelized apple and apple jelly.

Filip Boyen, CEO for SLH and former chef says: “The beauty of the Small Luxury Cookbook is that just like our hotels it offers something for everyone, whether they are an occasional, an aspiring or a proficient chef, while serving as a reminder that small, independent hotels also offer standout culinary offerings that can significantly add to the experience of staying there.”

All recipes come with step by step instructions, as well as alternative suggestions for any hard to source ingredients, to allow people to recreate not only the dishes, but also their holiday memories at home.

The Small Luxury Cookbook is available to purchase at participating SLH hotels, or at www.slhcookbook.com with an RRP of £40 (plus free shipping within the UK, or worldwide for order of five copies or more). For more information about SLH's collection of hotels around the world or to make a reservation visit www.slh.com.

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Editorial Enquiries:

PR Director Americas: Erin Woodward (erin.woodward@slh.com) or call 212-338-4809

About Small Luxury Hotels of the World: Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) matches independently minded guests with independently spirited hotels. The diverse collection of over 520 hotels in more than 80 countries around the world includes everything from cutting edge design hotels and city center sanctuaries to historic country mansions and remote private islands – all SLH hotels are consistently different, however, they are all united by the fact that they offer the best locations, highest quality, personalized service and a truly authentic way to discover a destination. Reservations for any SLH hotel can be made online at www.slh.com or via the iPhone app, by contacting a travel agent or calling a Small Luxury Hotels of the World reservations office; click here to view a listing by country.