food

As the founder and director of New York City Wine and Food Festival (opening today) andSouth Beach Wine and Food Festival (celebrating its 15th anniversary February 24-28, 2016), when Lee Schrager travels for business, it's always with a lot of pleasure at the table. (We've shared many suppers with him and can totally vouch for this.) We asked him to sift through his long, long list of unforgettable meals to compile a Fathom Little Black Book of the best restaurants in the world, according to Lee.

THE GLOBE – I'm fortunate that my work allows me the flexibility to travel often — almost demanding it in recent years. It's relaxing and invigorating to meet chefs and renowned movers and shakers in the wine and spirits industry from around the world, to spend time experiencing the places that everyone is buzzing about, and to discover hidden gems off the beaten path. A new event idea might hit me at a highly rated restaurant in France or at a street cart in Thailand, making travel a key part of my normal business operations. Here are a few spots I've discovered over the years and hold near and dear to my heart.