ABOUT US
Our ambition is to immerse our customers in the world's culinary secrets
Secret Food Tours is the world's fastest growing experiential food tour operator - offering customers superior, carefully curated culinary food tours delivered by experienced local guides.
Essor's transformational technology dashboard and website provides a seamless user experience for our guides and our customers.
Essor Founders
Nico Jacquart
CEO & Co-Founder
Oliver Mernick-Levene
Executive Director & Co-Founder
“When we founded in 2013, we imagined a company where passionate food guides would unveil the hidden gems of their local city, creating unforgettable and unique tasting experiences. All of our tours have 'secret' locations and dishes that can only be discovered on the day.”
Here's how our story has evolved since we started:
2025
9 new cities opened in 3 months, 16 more planned.
Completes minority PE deal selling stake to Harwood PE, with a rollover from Pembroke VCT.
Acquires and integrates Local Food Tours in Canada.
Wins 14th in Times 100 fastest growing companies in the UK, 59th place on the FEBE 100 & Tripadvisors Best of the Best Award
2024
Secret Food Tours expands to 26 new cities. All profitable in under 12 months.
Wins 7th in Deloitte Fast50 & 22nd in Times 100 fastest growing companies in the UK.
2023
Successfully opens in 13 new cities to take the brand to 55 cities worldwide, including launches in Milan, San Sebastian, Palermo, Seattle and Houston, becoming the largest food tour operator by cities (next largest has c.21 cities)
Appoints new CFO – August 23.
Record December sales in New York with 1,518 Pax.
Wins Certificate of Excellence Award from TripAdvisor and becomes #1 NYC gastronomical experience out of 329 food experiences.
2022
Rapidly re-scales to 42 locations as travel markets reopen post-COVID 19
Wins TripAdvisor Best of the Best Travellers Choice Award for the 6th year in a row
Turnover hits £11 million+ with 13,000+ customers
Pembroke VCT invests further £1m into the business post-pandemic
2020–21
The COVID-19 pandemic results in the global lockdown of international travel, with wide ranging impacts across every operator in the industry
Management takes pro-active steps to down-size the business and minimise cash burn
Management pivot efforts towards building a transformational technology dashboard that significantly enhances efficiency, operating margins and ability to roll out to new cities across the world
Identifies opportunity and successfully acquires and integrates the Little Havana Tour in Miami
2019
Added 25 new cities, expanding to 55 total cities including Mexico City, Singapore, Nashville, and Seoul.
2018
Doubled the number of cities in one year, reaching 30 cities globally, including Bangkok, Toronto, Tokyo, Istanbul and Athens
Hire Paris manager who has helped to drive the Paris location to be one of the largest revenue generating food tour cities in the world
Pembroke VCT invests £1m into the business to support growth and development
Wins USA Today Best Readers Choice Award
2017
Continued expansion to 15 cities, including in the US and Asia
Launched flagship locations including New York, Chicago, Boston, Hong Kong and Dublin
Wins the TripAdvisor Best of the Best Travellers Choice award for the first time
2014–16
Organic expansion to 6 cities in Europe including Berlin and Madrid
First restaurant opened in Paris, changing the format of the Paris tour to it’s current, high-margin format
Hired first Madrid manager
2013
Founded by Nico & Oli, with initial events, including a food festival being held
The first food tours were established in Paris and London
We have a truly global presence.
5
Continents
94
Cities
500+
Local Guides
400,000
Satisfied Customers
Partner with a Global Leader in Travel Technology
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