I would like to know if anybody has any recommendations on food tours or restaurant consultants. I plan to open a tapas restaurant in Chicago and plan to travel in September for about two weeks. I would love to get a good understanding of the various Spanish cuisines/tapas and meet the chefs behind the scenes.

Un abrazo,

Hi SuaveChicago!

Are you visiting all parts of Spain which you're considering to base your restaurant dishes or focusing on some specific region of Spain? Please let us know and we'll narrow our suggestions accordingly. Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks for responding Madridman. I plan to have cuisines from a few different regions. It still up in the air right as to which ones in paticular due I still interviewing for my executive chef position. I do know it will "not" be just one paticular region. I also know that I will be willing to travel, paticularly up north to La Rioja. I feel Madrid will be a good starting point and then work way around to the other cities. Thanks a million.

Send me an email with the days you are going to be in Madrid. If I am around I will accompany you to some of my favorite wine and tapas bars in the city.

Andres

From business perspective, it may be interesting to take a look to the different "tapas franchises" that have developed lately such as: gambrinus, cañas y tapas, migas y tapas,etc....

I know, I know,....they are robably not the "best tapas experience ever". But from the perspective of setting up a business, they may provide real valuable input for the business case.

Thanks for the input guys...........keep them coming!!!

A couple of thoughts - first many of us equate Spanish & Tapas with the magic word fresh as in all ingredients - frozen fish or frozen vegies just never cuts it - so availablitity and price are going to play some part in your planning a menu. Can (or do you want) to change your selections based on time of year (hot-cold- unbelievably cold and "gawd-awful" Chicago -correct?)

Detail the area of the city where you plan to locate the tapas bar - how health conscious is it - in other words - do the folks eat meat or will the bulk of the clientele be quasi vegitarian?

Penelope Casas has some brilliant cook books on Spanish food - I'm not suggesting you read them as a chef but more for an insight different areas of the country, etc

Marketing - be it homework for the menu or coming up with a logo is, as you know - crucial .... good luck and keep us posted

Who know's of the best Tapa's in Madrid?

I like to recommend these to friends who will be going to Madrid.

I told them it's cheaper and more fun to go to different Tapa's bars, than sitting down in one place to eat.