Show 603, November 16, 2024: Morocco Travel Adventure with Ahmed Labatte of The Vaca Group

Ahmed Labatte of thev Vaca Group

For the curious traveler consider a very special fully escorted VIP journey to Morocco from October 29th to November 11th, 2025 with a local expert.

“Step into the magical world of Morocco with Broadway By Amar Santana with Village Travel Laguna Beach’s local host Ahmed Labbate (CEO & Partner of The Vaca Group) who is a native from this enchanting land, where every moment is a shimmering gem waiting to be discovered. The Host’s passion is crafting a bespoke Morocco private adventure, meticulously tailored by their local expert and personally approved by Ahmed Labbate who has recently visited every stop on the tour!”

“As guests embark on this journey, picture yourself wandering through the labyrinthine streets of ancient cities, the vibrant markets of Marrakech, and the serene coastal towns that line the Atlantic. Feel the cool breeze atop the Atlas Mountains, and imagine gazing up at the infinite starry expanse of the Sahara Desert.”

On December 10th at Broadway by Amar Santana from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Ahmed will be presenting a comprehensive overview of the 2025 Morocco adventure. A Q & A is part of the gathering.

Restaurateur and Morocco native Ahmed Labbate is our guest with an engaging preview of this incredible Morocco adventure.

Planning on Thanksgiving at HomeVaca, adjacent to South Coast Plaza, has you covered with Chef Amar Santana’s Thanksgiving Feast To Go. Available for pick-up at either Vaca or Broadway by Amar Santana in Laguna Beach.

“Let Top Chef Amar Santana prepare your Thanksgiving dinner for home with robust flavors and generous portions. Begin with butternut squash & banana soup with pistachio crème fraiche. (64 oz), then on to the main event showcasing Mary’s whole roasted, all-natural turkey (14-16 lb.) with all the trimmings: Turkey giblet gravy, orange-scented cranberry sauce, Santana’s famous Italian sausage-cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, bourbon-maple glazed yams topped with candied chestnuts, and green bean & mushroom casserole (sides all 32 oz). Choose from three holiday desserts: pecan pie, pumpkin pie or cheesecake, all freshly-baked. Instructions for warming the dinner will be included.”

“The sumptuous Thanksgiving spread serves 6 to 8 guests. The price is $540 plus tax. Needs to be preordered by November 20th for pick up on November 27th from 2 to 4:00 p.m.”

Show 134, August 8, 2015: Chef Amar Santana, Broadway by Amar Santana, Laguna Beach Continues

Amar SantanaThe most talked-about restaurant opening of the year in Orange County is Amar Santana’s Vaca in Costa Mesa. It’s possibly his take on either a Spanish tapas spot or Spanish steakhouse. Details have been securely under wraps. We’re sure Chef Amar has spent a lot of time in Spain studying the cuisine.

We’ll find out a lot more with Chef Amar Santana…

Chef Amar shares that Vaca is a hybrid concept. It will be an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant and a steakhouse with premium, dry-aged beef from around the world cooked on a wood-burning grill. A dry-aging room will be a feature of Vaca. With a bit of luck it looks like a possible late November opening if all goes well.

Chef Amar has been running paella specials (4 to 5 styles) at Broadway to get his culinary staff trained for the upcoming Vaca. Some of the team will move over there from Broadway as well as former cooks from Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdales. Large paella pans and small kitchen…

Surprisingly he was disappointed with the paella he sampled in Spain. Chef Amar was far more inspired about what he tasted in Morocco!

Show 25, April 13, 2013: Zov Karamardian of the original Zov’s Bistro in Tustin

Zov Karamardian or Zov's in TustinMorocco cuisine expert and well-known cookbook author Kitty Morse (a native of Morocco) will be at Zov’s on Tuesday, April 23rd at 12 Noon for a “Zov’s Lunch and Learn” program. The title is “A Taste of Morocco with Kitty Morse.” Her new book is Mint Tea and Minarets : A Banquet of Moroccan Memories. Five of Kitty’s nine books have been on the cuisine of Morocco and North Africa.

Show 13, January 19, 2013: Rahul Aggarwal, Director & Founder–Trip Feast

One of the highlights of visiting the 8th Annual Travel & Adventure Show in Long Beach on January 13th was stumbling across Trip Feast, who was exhibiting there. They are based in London. The boutique firm organizes small group tours with a insider’s culinary twist.

You actually cook with chefs from the visited country learning the secrets of the local cuisine.  You can even dine in small groups at the homes of locals.

Food and drink is very much an integral part of the travel experience and Trip Feast visits countries with a rich culinary heritage.

Featured countries (with new stops in development) are India, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Mexico, South Africa, Portugal, Ireland, Serbia, Morocco, and Lebanon.