Introducing the mabel gray travel guide
real travel advice for real adventure
Hi friends!
Welcome to our mabel gray travel guide - a newsletter designed to provide the tools, tips and advice to travel the world like a chef. We aim to help our readers embrace new and exciting adventures with the comfort of hospitality, standards of a gourmand, palate of a sommelier, and a touch of reckless abandon only a childless 40 year old chef would have (last one is optional 😅). This newsletter will be an extensive breakdown of the how and why we travel with the insight of someone who truly lives to cook, eat, and explore. If traveling is not in your immediate future, don’t fret. We’ll be discussing the art, books, movies, gear, and recipes you can enjoy at home to engage with other cultures without the price of airfare.
This first post is an overview of Chef James’ travel philosophies and a peek into his decision making. Following posts will be city breakdowns, interviews with people who inspire us, recaps of meals, pictures, videos, recipes, and more. Join us as we escape what we know to find both ourselves and others out there in the world!
Who are we?
James Rigato is the chef/owner of Mabel Gray in Hazel Park. A Michigan native and Schoolcraft College graduate, his cooking philosophy stems from a lifelong love of food and an appreciation for the diverse agricultural area in which he was raised. A seasoned traveler averaging five countries a year, Chef Rigato is a student of the world who lives for throwing himself into a new culture and new city to deep dive the food, beverage and hospitality scene in a way that only a chef can: stomach first. Chef Rigato's contemporary American cuisine with a Michigan focus has garnered regional and national attention, including The Detroit Free Press 2012 & 2017 Restaurant of the Year award, 2012 Food & Wine The People's Best New Chef: Great Lakes nomination, 2015 Food & Wine The People's Best New Chef: Great Lakes Award and appearances on Cooking Channel, Food Network, NatGeo and was a cheftestant on Top Chef Season 12. He was nominated Best Chef: Great Lakes by the James Beard Foundation in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. When he's not cooking or traveling, you can find him in his yard or up north in the Keweenaw with his partner Samantha and their beloved dogs, Lady Mae & Chandler.
Paulina Schemanski is the Sommelier and General Manager of Mabel Gray. After earning a degree in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she moved back to Michigan to participate in Detroit’s burgeoning food scene. Turning to wine studies was an organic step in her career, as the world of wine is situated at the crossroads where agriculture, history, and poetry meet. Her focus is Champagne - visiting the region annually and growing the champagne list at Mabel Gray to over 75 labels. Her off-time is spent watching old Hollywood films, listening to podcasts, and cooking dinner with her husband, Adam, who (conveniently) is Chef James’ sous chef.
Chef James:
Why I travel
The world is huge. And tiny. What an incredible gift to be alive at a time when nearly every corner of the world is accessible. Technology allows full immersion into a new culture with little effort. The people I meet around the world inspire me not only as a chef, but as a human. Almost everyone on earth wants the same things: to eat well, feel safe, connect with others, laugh, enjoy a nice beverage, feel purposeful, and maybe dance a little. To travel well is to know you’re alive. Open your mind, listen to your heart, fill your belly and you’ll see what I mean.
How I travel
I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a trip on the books. Even a local weekend getaway. Having something to look forward to is a real motivator. I love working and consider myself a seven-day-a-week businessman, but burnout is always a threat if we don’t have some kind of reprieve on the calendar. This is true especially around the seasonal change in Michigan or the grind of winter months.
I like to watch a bit of YouTube or Instagram for the cities I’m thinking about. How walkable is it? Is a car an asset or a liability? Is food easy to find or should I plan ahead? [For instance, food is EVERYWHERE in Tokyo. And almost all delicious. However a road trip in the UP is an absolute food desert and your entire trip timing should be based around restaurants, food trucks, bars/breweries, and farmers markets. Otherwise, you could be going to bed very hungry.] Once I know what month I want to go, I research flights. I’m a Delta snob due to Amex and DTW but don’t be shy about searching Expedia or looking at Chicago or Toronto airports for big overseas departures. Sometimes a four-hour drive to O’Hare is worth the thousands of dollars of savings or multiple layovers/hours you’ll commit to flying out of DTW. Direct to the Caribbean is hard to find and I’ve booked Toronto departures a few times. I also recommend looking at restaurants. It’s tough to snag a spot at any 3-star Michelin/destination restaurant. In that case, make the reservation first, then build a trip around that. I don’t recommend that for all 3-star Michelin restaurants (we’ll get into that in the future), but if it’s a bucket list spot for you, then yes: book the table first, then figure out the rest.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
I was recently foolishly researching flights from Hartford, Connecticut to Boston. I had a trip in Connecticut and was meeting a friend in Boston and overlooked how close the East Coast cities are. I palm-slapped my forehead, booked my car an extra day, and drove myself to the Avis Garage in downtown Boston. Duh! This was a good reminder that it’s smart to research the best means of travel when looking ahead. I’d rather dump my rental car in Lyon and train into Paris than commit to a full road trip in France. Trains spit you right out in city center without the confusing grid lock traffic. Japan’s Shinkansen (bullet train) not only is fast and convenient, but allows for bento box and beer purchasing in the train station (and stations like Kyoto have better food than most entire countries) so it’s a no brainer to rely on trains, even if it’s a 4-5 hour ride. American rail can be a nightmare but much of Europe and key destinations in Asia have incredible train systems, but not all. For example: in Ireland, Dublin to Galway is easy, but if you want to explore Connemara/Dingle/Killarney so on, I recommend hiring a driver. It’s the land of pubs and I have no interest in drinking and driving period, let alone on the left side of two-lane roads winding through the countryside. In Italy, renting a car can be a real treat for getting to mountain top villages, sea side restaurants, wineries, and hidden gems. The autostrada charges a toll which keeps traffic mostly light. If it’s under 4 hours of a driving, I’m in. Plus, the autogrill rest stops have the best espresso and snacks. My long winded point is: do a little research and get creative. Sometimes I’m on foot using trains, sometimes I have a driver and guide. Cost/time/convenience/safety are the four checkpoints of my decision making.
Hotels vs Airbnbs
This is a hot topic that depends on quite a few variables. For me, I prefer hotels. If I’m in a decent sized group (over 6 people), then a villa or large house can be pretty cool. But only if there’s others in the group that I trust to cohabitate with and handle coffee, some cooking, beverages etc. A few years back, I have traveled with some chef friends and their wives to Turks and Caicos. We caught some wahoo and proceeded to have a week of amazing meals, poolside chilling and cocktail making at a villa on the water. I’ve also stayed at an Airbnb in Italy with friends who had kids and quickly realized I needed my own hotel room; I walked into town and booked a last minute stay. I have found that in big cities it is hotels all day. In the countryside, Airbnbs can offer more to a group. For solo travel: hotels always. Preferably with a bar for a nightcap and a coffee option in the AM. Concierge, laundry service, and dining options…even better. I never prioritize square footage in a room — who cares if there’s a couch! But a nice bathroom/shower/bed are clutch. Not to mention, the front desk staff is often privy to the best late night food options or interesting dive bars around. They are industry, after all.
Layover hacks
A few of my golden rules with layovers:
I hate them.
I really hate them at CDG in Paris. There are only a few direct flights to Europe from DTW. I definitely prefer Amsterdam over Paris for a layover.
Try to make your layover in a city on the continent you’re traveling to and/or a city you’re cool with being stuck in. For instance, I’d rather be stuck in NYC or Atlanta than Boston.
Don’t opt for an international layover that leaves you with less than 2-3 hours. Domestic layovers at an hour are fine. I’ve been burned by busses picking you up on the tarmac and driving you to the customs line. An extra 30-minute headache not in my original timeline. I’d rather take a longer layover and grab a bite in the airport than run to my gate and eat plane food just to “save” an hour or two of the travel day.
If there’s an issue with your layover and you have the budget, create solutions from your phone and then fight your airline later. If you go wait in line or on hold you’re already screwed. Book a hotel or a new flight and keep the receipts. I’ve submitted reimbursements on three separate occasions and always got my money or miles back. Don’t blame me if it doesn’t work…but it’s worked for me.
Free time and finding gems
How I eat when traveling really depends on where I am. If it’s not delicious I try to not eat it. I eat so much that I’m not usually suffering for sustenance, unless I’m in rural France or the UP. Many places in Europe go crazy for lunch and breakfast/dinner are chill. But Japan and Ireland are famous for their breakfasts. Unless I’m on an industry heavy research trip I usually only book one lunch and one dinner a day. But if I’m in LA for only 2 days, I’m definitely booking multiple dinners: 4 PM and 10 PM preferably or 5 PM and 9 PM at the tightest.
As a rule of thumb, if you are eating or drinking somewhere and it is awesome, start asking every employee who will talk to you: “Where else should I go eat? What’s your favorite bar? Where does the chef hang out? Where should I get breakfast? What do you think of the restaurants on my itinerary? What’s a must-do while I’m in town?”
I’ve been lead to soooo many gems around the world by making friends and going where they tell me. Tip hard when you get a good lead.
Tipping
Yes. Some cultures don’t have tipping as a normal practice. Some employees aren’t allowed to accept tips. But, I can tell you that the gesture is not insulting. More often than not, a $20 tip goes a long way to ensure that your hotel room is spotless, your drink is perfect, your coffee made beautifully, your taxi prioritized by the door man, your next beer on the house and your tacos at the cart made with love. Basically, always tip. If they turn you down, so be it. But most people of the world aren’t mad at a $20 bill.
Customizing the travel experience
I’m a big fan of walking food tours, Jeep wilderness tours, boat rides, moped tours, pub crawls, brewery tours, champagne tastings, cheesemaking demos, sake tours, and so on. However, some of them can be hijacked by pretty lame tourists. The first thing I do when inquiring about a tour is ask if it’s private. If it’s not, then ask what a private tour would cost. One time, in St. Lucia, I wanted to book a fruit plantation Jeep tour. I called and they said they weren’t offering it that day because no one else booked. I asked what amount of money would change their mind. They said $300. I said “no problem!” Next thing I know, my girlfriend and I are in the jungle hiking to a secret waterfall with our guide after eating fresh fruit all day. Then we got a tour of the market and a little history lesson on the island. All for $300! What a steal. Of course, I tipped! In Vietnam, I called a moped tour company and said “I just want one guy and I don’t care about your itinerary.” I had my own places I wanted to see that I researched beforehand. They sent a young guy and I showed him my first few stops. After a while, he realized I wanted deep cut, real food experiences. He took me to some spots outside of town that I never would have found on my own. I ended up eating a seafood dumpling in a clear broth with a ton of chives that I’ve recreated at Mabel Gray often. So cool! And yes, I definitely tipped him. So my point is, when booking a food tour or anything recreational, be inquisitive, friendly, and generous. Your opportunity for something untraditional will present itself. If a group tour is the only thing available, still do it. Sometimes the group is fun.
Choosing a destination
This is, by far, my biggest challenge. I’ve been to about 20 countries; some of them 4-8 times. I get obsessed and once I start making friends and unlocking new resources in a country I find myself going back again and again. Don’t be afraid to repeat. However, I’m not a fan of the same resort in the same town every year. The timeshare culture is definitely not why you’re reading this far down. If you’re a complete newbie to travel, maybe pick somewhere accessible to Americans. Ireland, Montreal, Vancouver, or London. A four-to-seven-day trip—something to wet the palate. Take notes. What did you love? What did you not love? Alternatively, you can certainly go straight to Thailand and just say “screw it, I’m in.” But, maybe learn a bit about yourself before spending big time and money. I must warn you: I think Paris is overrated, Disney is hell, domestic travel doesn’t count and I RARELY wear shorts in public in other countries. So, only take my advice if the previous statements don’t hurt your feelings.
My favorite cities/countries I immediately recommend and will deep dive in future posts are:
Tokyo
Mexico City
Oaxaca
Prague
Montreal
Galway
Ho Chi Minh
All of Italy
Champagne
Saint Lucia
And more of course!
Now that we have the basics covered: upcoming posts will be city-specific breakdowns, interviews with people who inspire us, recaps of meals, pictures, videos, recipes, and more. Thank you for following, hope to see you out there!
Chef James
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