Half of UK holidaymakers have had a meal abroad that was so delicious, that they’ve tried to make it at home, according to research conducted by loveholidays and SamsEats.
Two in five (41%) of these have gone to ‘extreme lengths’ to recreate their favourite holiday meals, due to ‘massive cravings’ after getting home, with a third (31%) confident in their ability to make the dish as well as local experts.
The survey of 2,000 holidaymakers found a third (31%) who have tried to recreate their favourite holiday dish have visited specialist grocery stores; a quarter (24%) have watched videos of local chefs to perfect their technique; and a fifth (19%) have asked a food expert for advice whilst still abroad.
Italian topped the list of cuisines UK holidaymakers try to make after returning home (47%), with almost a third (30%) turning their hand to Greek and a fifth (19%) attempting Thai. Other cuisines Brits have had a go at recreating include Mexican (16%) and Japanese (13%).
Working closely with loveholidays, chef Sam Way of SamsEats said: “Authentic dishes are more than just ingredients and recipes, they’re a reflection of local culture, history and tradition.
“The freshness of local produce, the expertise of chefs who have perfected their craft over generations, and even the surrounding atmosphere of bustling markets and streets all play a role in making food taste extraordinary.
“While home cooking is a wonderful way to bring those flavours into our everyday lives, some dishes are simply best enjoyed at the source.”
Of those who have tried to recreate their favourite holiday dish, 15% have stocked up on enough of the right ingredients to last them months, with 16% taking the time to translate recipes from a foreign language into English.
Meanwhile, two in five (43%) have had someone they were on holiday with taste-test their dish to compare it to the original, and almost a third (29%) added they have tried recreating the dish multiple times to try and perfect the flavour.
Of these, two thirds (66%) said the attempt was ‘close, but not quite the same’, and a fifth (22%) reviewed it as ‘nothing like the original’.
Two thirds (64%) admit some of their attempts to recreate their favourite holiday dish have fallen completely flat.
The Top 5 cuisines UK holidaymakers have tried to recreate:
- Italian
- Greek
- Spanish
- French
- Thai
