AuthentEscapes Exclusive Journey Tours Japan with Star Chef Roy Yamaguchi

A small group will experience the cuisine and culture of Japan with Chef Roy as special guest chef and personal guide   

Sarasota, Fla. (July 20, 2009) –  AuthentEscapes, Malaka and Ryan Hilton’s new concept in luxury travel that pairs iconic hosts with the world’s most exotic destinations, announces “Inside Japan with Chef Roy Yamaguchi,” a culinary and cultural tour through Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto guided by Roy Yamaguchi, founder and chef of Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion® Cuisine. This exclusive journey takes place September 25 – October 4, 2009.

“We have been working with Chef Roy for years. He has escorted visitors through South Africa, Croatia and Egypt, much to their delight,” said Malaka Hilton, president of AuthentEscapes. “We are very excited to have Chef Roy bring our lucky guests on an exclusive journey through his native Japan. Visitors will certainly receive a unique perspective of Japan and enjoy a once in a lifetime experience.”

The trip kicks off with a welcome event that celebrates both the contemporary culture and ancient traditions of Japan. Guests will enjoy dining at Chef Roy’s top-recommended spots and dinner at Roy’s Restaurant in Tokyo. During the trip, travelers will learn the art of making sushi with a private demonstration by a sushi master; explore Japan’s legendary natural beauty on outings to Lake Chuzenji and the 97-meter-high Kejon Falls, Lake Ashi to take in views of Mt. Fuji and the island of Miyajimi; sample regional cuisine at various lunch stops and visit Hiroshima, the first city on Earth to suffer an atomic bombing.

Roy Yamaguchi is chef and proprietor of more than 35 Roy’s Restaurants worldwide. He is known as the innovator of Hawaiian Fusion cuisine, an eclectic blend of California-French-Japanese with the fresh flavors of the Islands. He was born and raised in Tokyo, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York’s Hyde Park and opened his first Roy’s in Honolulu in 1988. Television viewers can also catch him July 22 on Bravo’s new series, Top Chef Masters, a spin-off of Top Chef, featuring 24 world-renowned chefs battling against each other.

Chef Roy and his restaurants have received numerous acclamations including Conde Nast Traveler’s “Top 50” in America, the 1993 James Beard Award for “Best Pacific Northwest Chef” and in 2001 he was selected as an “Iron Chef USA.”

Malaka and Ryan Hilton are known throughout the luxury travel industry for having established the boutique, Virtuoso-Member agency Admiral Travel Gallery (ATG). To date, the Hiltons have prepared and escorted travel experiences throughout the world for high profile individuals as well as groups such as St. Regis Residence Club, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Bon Appétit , The Churchill Centre and numerous philanthropic, culinary and cultural organizations.

AuthentEscapes’ exclusive journeys are commissionable to travel professionals. Space on AuthentEscapes journeys is available on a limited basis and requires a deposit to secure a reservation.

To learn more, visit www.authentescapes.com or call 1-866-994-9814.