Top chefs take their culinary creations on the road: 10 must-try pop-up dining events

In recent years, pop-up dining events have become a phenomenon, offering renowned chefs the chance to showcase their skills in new and exciting kitchens around the world.

Whether it's a tropical getaway with fresh local ingredients, a one-off event, or a week-long stint on a culinary cruise, there's plenty of opportunity to experience the culinary talents of chefs like Malcolm Lee, Chele Gonzalez, and Hugh Acheson.

Here are 10 delicious ways to embark on a culinary adventure and enjoy their creations in unique settings.

1. Malcolm Lee at the Asia Society’s Garden Court Cafe in New York

Chef Malcolm Lee is the mastermind behind Singapore’s Candlenut, the world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant, located in a beautifully renovated heritage building.

From March 7 to June 4, the Asia Society in New York celebrates Peranakan cuisine and culture, highlighting the heritage of Chinese-Malay descendants.

Expect to indulge in dishes like ‘YeYe’ coconut chicken curry with kaffir lime, octopus with a tangy pineapple achar pickle, and a creamy coconut panna cotta topped with pandan jelly.

Asia Society and Museum, Garden Court Café, 725 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021; +1 212 570-5202

2. Iberostar Chefs on Tour, traveling through Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Cuba

World-renowned chefs, including Emma Bengtsson of Aquavit in New York and Suzette Gresham of Acquarello in San Francisco, are heading to sunny destinations like Mexico for a series of exclusive pop-up dinners with the Iberostar hotel group.

The nine chefs involved have collectively earned 14 Michelin stars across a range of culinary styles, offering diners at Iberostar properties the opportunity to savor some of their signature dishes.

For instance, young Danish chef Ronny Emborg, who delights guests at Atera in New York, is presenting exquisite dishes like razor clam with beets and horseradish or beef with broccoli, wasabi, and smoked bone marrow sauce.

Iberostar Chefs on Tour is taking place at Iberostar hotels across Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Cuba until July 2017.

3. ‘Four hands’ dinners at Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, four of the world’s top chefs are collaborating on a special series of ‘four hands’ dinners.

Each chef – Bruno Oteiza (Biko), Joan Roca (El Celler de Can Roca), Mauro Colagreco (Mirazur), and Virgilio Martinez (Central) – is pairing up with Josean Alija, the Michelin-starred chef of Nerua restaurant in the Guggenheim.

This exclusive series, which began in February and runs through September, offers an extraordinary 12-course tasting menu along with culinary conferences featuring the chefs as part of the Toparte program at the Guggenheim auditorium.

Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao, Abandoibarra Avenue 2, Bilbao, Spain; +34 94 400 04 30

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4. Test Kitchen, Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s dynamic food scene receives regular boosts with pop-up dinners at Test Kitchen, a trendy venue in the city’s rapidly growing Sai Ying Pun district.

For three or four nights at a time, internationally acclaimed chefs showcase their unique skills, culinary influences, and innovative flavors, while immersing themselves in the local ingredients and traditions.

This could include chefs like Gal Ben-Moshe from Berlin’s Glass restaurant, Iceland’s Victoria Eliasdóttir, or Ireland’s Mark Moriarty, the 2016 San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year, leading the kitchen at Test Kitchen.

Test Kitchen, Shop 3 Kwan Yick Building, 158A Connaught Rd West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong; +852 2540 0616

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5. 'Archipelago Amigos' at the Ubud Food Festival, Bali

'Archipelago Amigos' brings together three of Southeast Asia’s top chefs: Chele Gonzalez from Manila’s Gallery Vask, Ray Adriansyah, and Eelke Plasmeijer from Restaurant Locavore in Bali.

Spanish chef Chele Gonzalez, known for his pop-ups like the Cross Cultures dinners in Manila, will join the Ubud Food Festival on May 14, bringing his culinary expertise to Bali.

The collaborative tasting menu created by the three chefs highlights the locavore movement, showcasing the local ingredients from both Indonesia and the Philippines, which are gaining global culinary recognition.

Ubud Food Festival, Restaurant Locavore, Jl. Dewisita, Ubud, Indonesia; +62 361 977733

6. The 'Sparkling 10' Chef Series at Altira, Macau

The 'Sparkling 10' series brings together world-class culinary talent, including Gaetan Evrard from L’Evidence in France, Norbert Niederkofler from Italy’s Restaurant St Hubertus, Kirika Oi from Manila’s NOBU, and Ryan Clift from Singapore’s Tippling Club, to celebrate Altira Macau’s 10th anniversary.

This pop-up dining event, running throughout May, offers a diverse array of cuisines, from Japanese-Peruvian fusion to classic Cantonese, modern European, and refined French fine dining.

Available for lunch and dinner across four- or five-day residencies, the guest chefs are supported by some of the world’s top mixologists, ensuring a perfect match between food and drinks.

Altira, Avenida de Kwong Tung, Macau; +853 2886 8866

7. Root & Bone from New York at Wyndham Grand, Puerto Rico

Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth, the creative minds behind Root & Bone in New York, recently introduced their Southern American cuisine at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort in Puerto Rico.

The menu featured dishes like ‘Drunken Deviled Eggs’ and ‘Momma’s Biscuit with Chicken Jus’, as well as Puerto Rican-inspired items such as Mango Queso Blanco.

Booth hails from Australia, while McInnis is from Florida; both are alumni of 'Top Chef' and have been finalists for the James Beard Awards.

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort, Rio Mar Boulevard, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico; +1 787 888 6000

8. Epicurean Adventure aboard Windstar

Speaking of James Beard winners, chef Hugh Acheson, a multiple award honoree, will be preparing meals for guests aboard a one-of-a-kind food cruise from Dublin to Lisbon.

This 10-night voyage explores Irish oyster farms, the Cognac region, and offers guests the chance to sample port in Porto. The 106-suite Windstar Legend will even navigate the Garonne River to visit the famed vineyards of France’s Médoc region, followed by dinner in a château.

Chef, author, and restaurateur Hugh Acheson is preparing his signature dishes daily and hosting cooking demonstrations, while wine lovers can join sommelier Steven Grubbs for exclusive tastings.

The James Beard Foundation Epicurean Explorations of France, Spain, and Portugal sets sail on August 15, 2017.

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9. Collaborative dining at Amber, Hong Kong

Richard Ekkebus, the two Michelin-starred Culinary Director at Hong Kong's Landmark Mandarin Oriental, often invites some of the world’s most acclaimed chefs to collaborate in a series of ‘four hands dinners’.

Previous collaborations have featured iconic names like Spain’s Ferran Adrià and the three-Michelin-starred Corey Lee from California. The next dinner will feature Australia’s Dan Hunter, chef-patron of Brae restaurant.

Hunter will be cooking in Hong Kong for the first time this June, offering a taste of his “clean, green, delicious, concise” cuisine. His Brae restaurant, located outside Melbourne, is surrounded by 30 acres of organic gardens, and his Hong Kong menu will showcase the best sustainable produce available in the city.

Amber, 7/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong; +852 2132 006

10. Tali Wiru, Uluru, Australia

Tali Wiru, meaning 'beautiful dune' in the Pitjantjatjara language, is a pop-up dining experience in the heart of Australia’s iconic Uluru. Guests enjoy a unique menu showcasing ancient local flavors and produce, served under the open sky on the dunes with a view of the rock.

Following a sunset with Champagne and canapés, the evening continues with a four-course meal paired with premium Australian wines. A local storyteller then shares indigenous tales around a campfire beneath the Southern Desert sky.

The menu is a celebration of local ingredients, featuring dishes like Smoked Kangaroo with Kutjera Crostini, and Textures of Chocolate with Davidson Plum, Lemon Myrtle, and Quandong.

Tali Wiru, 175 Yulara Dr, Yulara NT 0872, Australia; +61 2 8296 8010