Hungry Globetrotter Knows Places

By Emma Krasov, photography by Yuri Krasov

Hardly four-month old, a gourmet mail order company, based in San Francisco, captures every adventurous eater’s imagination. Vijay Rajendran, founder of Hungry Globetrotter, introduced a new concept of armchair traveling. Actually, this is more like a table-and-chair traveling that provides curated dining experiences from far-away destinations, like India, Morocco, or Japan.

Subscribers to Hungry Globetrotter packages receive a set of non-perishable branded specialty food items pertinent to a specific exotic destination known for its traditional dishes, ingredients, or methods of preparation. An ever-changing mix of products and flavors is chosen each month from the best emerging and renowned brands in international cuisine.

A monthly box usually includes the key ingredients, like dry grains and spices, plus recipes and shopping lists to help home chefs apply their creativity the right way and with ease. Hungry Globetrotter also offers many additional ingredients on its website, and helps consumers locate hard to find components with local shopping tips. 

The company puts emphasis on the ingredients that best represent each destination, on educating consumers about different cultures, and on green and sustainable food industry practices.

Its motto, “Life is too short for food to be boring” is proudly displayed on each box of delivered goodies.

Around the holidays, three new boxed were introduced by the Hungry Globetrotter: Global Gourmet Breakfast Box, Global Gourmet Baker's Box, and Seasonal Gift Box: Africa Impact.

The breakfast box includes Tahini with Honey, born in Greece, Hey Boo Coconut Jam, hailing form Indonesia, and Maison de Monaco Peach-Lavender and Blackberry-Poppy preserves cooked in San Francisco in copper kettles following the old-school French technology.

The baker’s box delivers dulce de leche caramel from Argentina, vanilla beans, hand cultivated by a farming cooperative in Madagascar, and raw, cold-pressed Ecuadorian cocoa.

The Africa Impact is a seasonal gift box benefitting social businesses that impact rural communities in Africa. Hungry Globetrotter donates 10% of sales to Freedom from Hunger www.freedomfromhunger.org, which supports women in developing countries with access to microfinance. The box includes Madécasse (the only chocolates made in Africa) Sea Salt and Nibs, Cinnamon and Sakay, and 70% Chocolate bars; Mavuno Harvest Dried Mango from East African farmers who are now able to grow their own businesses and receive funds directly into their communities; and Ajiri Kenyan Black Tea grown in the Kisii Hills of western Kenya.  The tea labels are handmade by the local women, and each label is a work of art, created with dried banana leaves and brightly colored beads made of recycled magazine paper. All profits from sales of Ajiri Tea are donated to the Ajiri Foundation, which pays school fees for orphans in western Kenya.

To become a part of the Hungry Globetrotter international community, and to improve your chef’s skills in the realm of international cuisine, visit: www.hungryglobetrotter.com.