Back of House Tours Expands into the Workweek for Teams
For one year now, foodie locals and tourists have been exploring hidden gems, classic standbys, and up-and-comers in downtown Modesto's exciting and growing food scene by experiencing the Back of House Food Tour. And today, Back of House Tours is announcing its expansion into the workweek, a decision made in response to growing feedback that the tour would be great for team-building events and hosting business guests. Until recently, the tours had only been available Fridays and Saturdays.
Now, tours can be booked Tuesdays through Thursdays as well. They begin promptly at 2 pm and conclude at 5 pm. On the website, you can book directly for a group of up to eight guests or message tour organizers to work on a special reservation of up to 12 guests.
For $75 per ticket, guests dine at four different restaurant establishments and stop at one food shop, although you won’t know ahead of time which eateries they will be at. “We want to keep guests in a state of mind conducive to curiosity, wonder, and adventure. We need the flexibility to achieve that,” said Josh Bridegroom, President and CEO of Downtown Modesto Partnership, the nonprofit behind Back of House Food Tours.
“We have enjoyed the company of first-time Modesto visitors as well as those who are returning after some time away,” stated Sara Lowry-Dominguez of the Downtown Modesto Partnership. Lowry-Dominguez leads the tour and, as a result, has burrowed into the downtown dining scene, parlaying the benefits of “knowing the chef” to guests who catch rare and exclusive glimpses into the adventurous minds of the purveyors of our culinary treasures.
In each case, guests are wowed by not only the culinary offerings but also the storytelling about local art, history, and architecture, much of it not found online.
“We worked with local historians, sat for hours with chefs, and did our homework,” said Josh Bridegroom, Downtown Modesto Partnership, “so let’s just say the result is an experience that is uniquely something you can find on the tour.”
The term back of house refers to the kitchen in the restaurant industry, the behind-the-curtain area of the dining experience patrons don’t get to see. While Back of House Food Tours are not tours of the kitchen per se, it does deliver stories from the back of the house that customers don’t get when they dine on their own. “We’ve learned that every dish has its own untold life story,” said Stephanie Foster, who works for Downtown Modesto Partnership and helped conduct a year of research and in-depth interviews to develop the tour. “When we retell these stories to our guests, we witness something so wonderful– we see in their eyes that they are traveling through time and all around the world, employing all senses at once to experience awe.”
Guests should prepare to show up hungry and in adventurous spirits. Dishes are predetermined and selected by the restaurants themselves, and for good reason; “These tours are an opportunity for Galletto Ristorante to get our culinary story out to new audiences, and we’re seeing people who have never sat at the dining table with us before,” said Cal Romo, General Manager of Galletto Ristorante at 1101 J Street, downtown Modesto. “Our menu tells a rich story of this region with which the Gallo family has formed a strong relationship. We are constantly evolving with the pulse of the seasons, and it is beneficial to partner with Back of House Tours because they help us to convey this with sincerity and a sense of adventure.”
Book the Back of House Food Tour online at https://www.backofhousefoodtour.com. Gift certificates are also available online.