Today’s guest needs little introduction in the world of food and travel journalism, a renowned restaurant critic, a writer whose words can make your mouth water, and a familiar face on TV—many of you will recognise him from his appearances as a judge on MasterChef. It is of course Jay Rayner.

Jay’s is a name synonymous with gastronomic excellence. As a long-time food critic for The Observer, he's sampled and critiqued some of the best, and worst, dining experiences around the globe. Beyond his razor-sharp reviews, he’s a celebrated author, his books like "The Man Who Ate the World" and "My Dining Hell” offering a deeper look into the intersections of food, culture, and travel. And he’s back with a new book, “Nights Out at Home, Recipes and Stories from 25 years as a restaurant critic". And he reflects on these years, and the 1000s restaurants he’s visited on today’s episode. I interviewed him a few weeks ago on the South Bank in London and I loved getting a glimpse into the world of reviewing restaurants, how it works, his tips on what to order when travelling, and the culinary destinations that have stood out to him, lots of restaurant recommendations as you might expect, so don’t forget they’re all included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and on the podcast website too.

Holly’s Destination Recap:

- Son Bunyola, Mallorca, Spain

Jay’s Destination Recap:

• Cromer, Norfolk, England
• Knoll House Hotel, Studland Bay, England
• Erst, Manchester, England
• Glorisa,
• Tayyabs, London, England
• Bentley’s, London, England
• Fallow, London, England
• Otto’s, London, England
• The Dining Room, The Ritz Hotel, England
• Takahashi, London, England
• Good Old Days, Reading, England
• Cubo, Birmingham, England
• Greece & Turkey backpacking
• Syros, Greece
• New York, USA
• Russ & Daughters, NY, USA
• The Fat Duck, Bray, England
• Wheelers, Whitstable, England
• Whitstable, England
• Julian, California, USA
• Steamboat, Oregon, USA
• Sylvia Beach Hotel, Oregon, USA
• Castle Elvira, Puglia, Italy
• The Maybourne Riviera, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
• Moscow, Russia
• New Zealand
• Australia
• 
  

“Nights Out at Home, Recipes and Stories from 25 years as a restaurant critic” is out now.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you.

And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first 12 seasons to catch up on, that's over 125 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

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Welcome to Season 13 of The Travel Diaries! I’m so excited to be kicking it off with the multi-talented presenter, actor, comedian, singer, and writer, Alexander Armstrong.

Most of you will know Alexander as the host of the long-running BBC quiz show Pointless, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. He’s had an incredible journey through comedy, starting with his breakout role in Armstrong and Miller, the comedy duo sketch show that gave us some unforgettable characters. He’s a classically trained singer with several albums under his belt. He’s fronted many fascinating travel documentaries. For the parents listening, you probably recognise his voice from iconic children’s shows like Hey Duggee, Peppa Pig and Ben & Holly. He’s now a children’s author too, with his novel Evenfall: The Golden Linnet, out now. We spoke a few weeks back in a suite at the beautiful Kensington Hotel and he couldn’t have been more charming. Relentlessly positive and so passionate about travel.

Destination Recap:

• Magilligan, Northern Ireland
• Alnick, Sonnet, Dunstanburgh Castle, Wooler - Northumberland, England
• Florence, Italy
• Reykjavik, Iceland
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Sri Lanka
• Galle, Sri Lanka
• Jaffna, Sri Lanka
• Datai Langkawi, Malaysia
• St Lucia
• Adriatic boat trip

"Evenfall: The Golden Linnet" by Alexander Armstrong is out now.

*COMPETITION* - I’ve partnered with the stunning Eliamos hotel in Kefalonia to offer you a two-night stay in one of their gorgeous one-bedroom villas, with breakfast included and a spa treatment included for each guest. For your chance to win, just head over to my Instagram, @hollyrubenstein, where all the details are waiting for you!

With thanks to my sponsors today -

Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists. Let the Italy Experts craft the perfect holiday for you and experience Italy like a Citalian.

Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool

If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first 12 seasons to catch up on, that's over 125 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com See you next week!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to today’s summer season finale of The Travel Diaries. Today, we have a very special guest joining us, the lovely Lisa Faulkner, a multi-talented actress, presenter, and chef, who has graced our screens for over two decades.

Born in London, Lisa’s journey into the limelight began at the tender age of 16 when she was scouted by a modelling agency. Her career quickly transitioned from modelling to acting, where she built a reputation for her compelling and versatile performances in shows like Holby City and Eastenders, before winning the hearts of viewers as the champion of "Celebrity MasterChef" back in 2010. Not only did the show see Lisa reinvent herself as a TV chef and author of several best-selling cookbooks - she also met her now husband, Masterchef judge, and former guest of The Travel Diaries John Torode, and together they are now the hosts of John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen on ITV.

Lisa is an avid traveler with a deep love for exploring new cultures and cuisines. Her travels have taken her to the far corners of the globe, from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the wild landscapes of Western Australia. Uncovering hidden culinary gems and soaking in the rich history of her favourite destinations, Lisa’s travel diaries take us from Paris and Greece, to Japan, Vietnam, Australia and beyond.

Destination recap:

• Ikos Resort, Thessaloniki, Greece
• Paris, France
• Japan
• Kyoto, Japan
• Ho Chi Minh, City, Vietnam
• Western Australia
• Margaret River, Western Australia
• Alberta’s, Busselton, Western Australia
• Dubai, UAE
• Westerns Laundry, London, England
• Nashville, Tennessee, USA

You can catch Lisa exploring Western Australia on John and Lisa’s Food Trip Down Under - the full series is now available to watch on ITVX.

And that’s a wrap for Season 12. I'll be back towards the end of September with Season 13, and lots more brilliant guests, and destination specials!

To celebrate today’s season finale, I also have a fabulous competition running on my Instagram page @hollyrubenstein where you can win a 2 night stay at Bodmin Jail Hotel in Cornwall, one of the most unique hotels in England. Good luck!

Wishing you all a fantastic rest of your summer (or winter, depending on where you are listening!) and wherever you’re heading, safe travels.

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