MasterChef Travel continues to expand its collection of tours and short breaks for 2015. With priced starting from £395 per person, the eclectic range of new destinations includes Taiwan, Crete and Cumbria, which sit alongside existing tours to Morocco, Istanbul, India, Jordan, Thailand, Spain, Italy and Vietnam. More new destinations will be announced at the end of this year.

These trips make excellent presents for lovers of food and travel alike. Gift vouchers starting from £50 are now available to purchase and are sent out in a black A4 presentation box with complimentary MasterChef Travel apron.

New tours from MasterChef Travel for 2015:

UK: A taste of gourmet Cumbria – 3 days from £395 per person

Departing 2 June 2015

Based at Askham Hall, the Lake District's newest luxury retreat, this break focuses on the local region's seasonal produce. The head chef has created delicious gourmet menus using ingredients sourced on their farm, in the garden and from local producers. As well as two three-course dinners, wine tasting and a cookery demonstration, the head gardener will give a tour of the kitchen garden and the hotel's magnificent surrounding gardens. Specialist food producers from the local area will give demonstrations in the kitchen. 

Greece: Hidden gems of Crete – 8 days from £1,395 per person

Departing 22 April, 13 May, 9 September & 7 October 2015

With distinct culinary traditions, Cretan cuisine focuses on using fresh, flavoursome and local ingredients. Among the foodie highlights of the tour are visits to a vineyard with wine tastings, honey tasting with a local beekeeper, and visit to a family-run organic olive oil farm. There will also be a cooking workshop and barbeque on the Lassithi plateau and a seafood lunch in a family beachside taverna.

Taiwan: Flavours of a beautiful island – 10 days from £2,345 per person

Departing 26 May, 8 September, 13 October & 3 November 2015

Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese cuisines have all influenced the food in Taiwan and street food is one of the best ways to truly understand the different flavours. This new tour travels to some of the island's most mouth-watering destinations, from the night markets and cosmopolitan variety of Taipei to mountain forests and tea plantations, ending with the sumptuous southern snacks of Tainan. Highlights include a dumpling lunch at world-renowned Din Tai Fung, walking tour of Shilin night market followed by dinner, a cooking lesson with a local chef in Tainan and wasabi tasting in Alishan.

Other tours offered by MasterChef Travel for 2015 include:

UK: London with a MasterChef – 2 days from £295 per person and 3 days from £435 per person

Departing 21 November 2014 and running throughout November, December and January.

UK: Welsh Wonders – 3 days from £495 per person

Departing 20 February 2015

Morocco: Boutique Marrakech – 5 days from £995 per person

Departing 22 January, 16 March, 20 April, 3 September, 16 November & 10 December 2015

Spain: The beauty of the Basque country – 4 days from £995 per person

Departing 23 April, 14 May, 10 September & 1 October 2015

Turkey: Inspiring Istanbul – 5 days from £1,195 per person

Departing 24 April, 15 May, 18 September, 2 October & 6 November 2015

Italy: Glories of the Amalfi Coast – 6 days from £1,245 per person

Departing 19 April & 11 October 2015

Jordan: Splendours of an ancient land – 6 days from £1,245 per person

Departing 4 November 2014, 17 February, 17 March & 21 April 2015

India: Splendours of the north – 12 days from £2,795 per person

Departing 21 October 2015

India: Jewels of the Golden Triangle – 9 days from £1,995 per person

Departing 13 March & 16 October 2015

India: Coconuts & cardamom, a Keralan journey – 10 days from £1,995 per person

Departing 12 March, 9 October & 13 November 2015

China: A taste of the East – 12 days from £2,695 per person

Departing 7 May & 8 October 2015

Vietnam: A journey to the Mekong – 15 days from £2,595 per person

Departing 10 March, 6 October, 3 & 17 November 2015

Thailand: Jewel of the Far East – 9 days from £1,745 per person

Departing 12 March, 8 October, 12 & 19 November 2015

All prices include flights (international tours only), transfers, excursions, accommodation with breakfast and other meals as specified.

All the tours feature local culinary experts and offer the opportunity to discover local cuisine as well as exploring the countries' most interesting sights.

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NOTES

MasterChef Travel is a range of worldwide culinary holidays, some of which feature a MasterChef contestant. All MasterChef Travel tours are operated by Cox & Kings, the world's longest established travel company. Its history stretches back more than 250 years to 1758 when Richard Cox was appointed regimental agent to the Footguards (later the Grenadier Guards). With operations in London, the US, Japan, Australia & New Zealand and throughout India, Cox & Kings organises escorted small-group tours and private tailor-made travel worldwide.

Based on a format created by Franc Roddam, MasterChef sets out to find amazing amateur chefs whose talent, dedication and passion for food could change their lives forever. The format has enjoyed unprecedented success globally, produced in over 40 countries and broadcast in over 200 territories worldwide and achieving No1 status in many. 

In the UK, there have been ten series of the revamped version of MasterChef, nine series of Celebrity MasterChef, six series of MasterChef: The Professionals and two series of Junior MasterChef, which have been produced by Shine TV since 2005.  Series 10, the most recent amateur series on BBC One, peaked at more than 6.6 million viewers for the finale in May 2014.