The brainchild of Globetrotting Gourmet, Robert Carmack, the world-first Isan Food Festival will provide an added incentive for people to visit one of Thailand’s most beautiful regions and discover its unique culinary delights including gai yang grilled chicken, som tom green papaya salad, herbal tom som curry, delicious jaeow chilli jam, and sticky rice.

Having travelled the world and stayed in some of the best hotels around the globe, Carmack chose the Sofitel Raja Orchid Kohn Kaen as the base for the festival because of the Sofitel commitment to quality food and beverage and the hotel’s five-star facilities including the largest entertainment complex in the region, with 13 bars and restaurants on site, a state-of-the-art health centre with pool, gym, aerobics room, sauna and body treatments and more.

“We are very excited to sponsor and host the Isan Food Festival because it allows us to promote the wonderful food of the region while showcasing the city’s finest hotel,” said Sofitel General Manager Marc Begassat.

The Sofitel lies 265 miles north of Bangkok in the region's capital city Khon Kaen. It is at the centre of the Isan - a land rich in Buddhist and Khmer temples, dinosaur digs, archeological sites, colorful festivals, silk markets, and national parks. Bordered by Laos to the east and Cambodia to the south, the Isan's lifestyle, dialect, customs, and spicy cuisine remain distinct from the rest of the Thai Kingdom.

Impressive works by some of the nation’s top artists pay homage to the region’s proud, rich culture throughout the hotel and all rooms feature woodcarvings and hand-woven silk in stylish Thai décor.

Globetrotting Gourmet organises deluxe gastronomic adventures for small groups, with VIP reservations at the Isan Festival and Thai Cuisine Masterclass Weekend.

The ‘Tastings 08’ tour, including the Isan Food Festival runs from 6-16 March 2008 in Thailand with an optional Burma/Myanmar extension from 17-22 March.