World's Best Spa Cuisine Slideshow
Rishikesh, India
Perched atop a mountain overlooking the small town of Rishikesh, India, Ananda in the Himalayas arranges for guests to have an initial meeting with an Ayurvedic doctor who fires off a long list of questions to discover what his client's unique internal make-up of "doshas" is. There are mainly three, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, each with its own set of suggested and not suggested fruits, vegetables, and meats. The doctor then caucuses with the healers at the spa and the chefs to tailor a program that promises to balance the constellation of elements and forces in the soul and body. There's also an elegant tea room to hang out in when not getting your doshas done over.
Miami, Fla.
The new oceanside branch of Canyon Ranch in South Beach is the only one to serve alcohol; also on the menu, local, seasonal dishes, each accompanied by info on caloric intake and fat grams so that spa goers can make well-informed choices. They encourage "quality-carbs", like those found in vegetables and fruits, and "healhy-fats" like omega 3 fatty acids and extra virgin olive oil. The Tropical Chicken Salad, with papaya, mango, pineapple, and coconut milk has become a guest favorite.
Kyushu, Japan
Far away in Japan's Southern island, Kyushu, about an hour away from the active volcano, Mt. Aso, lies Sanga Ryokan. Here guests soak naked in mineral baths, in privacy or with other guests, to relax the mind and soften the skin. The sound of a river stream is the only noise heard. And they also eat exquisitely, dining in-room on elaborate Kaiseki meals featuring 13 small courses of local, seasonal dishes, encountering much of what the Japanese prize most: the beauty of nature, the appreciation of exquisitely prepared meals, and service that is as attentive and caring as a loving grandparent.
Bali
Located in rural Bali, overlooking the Ayung River, Como Shambhala Estate abides by the "living foods tradition," attempting to preserve the nutritional integrity of ingredients by minimizing cooking methods, often keeping foods as close as possible to their raw states, like their Prawn, Fennel and Baby Carrot Salad. That way, they claim, guests benefit from the "life force" inside of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. They also offer a menu of fasting items, like juices, broths, vitamin boosts, and organic teas.
Cannes, France
The destination spa Les Thermes Marins in Cannes, France, boasts 46 treatment rooms, state-of-the-art Thalassotherapy, and Restaurant Le Bio, which aims to provide a culinary counterpart to the pleasure and benefits of spa treatments. Chef Reynald Thivet prepares diet-friendly bento boxes with fresh ingredients from small local producers and fish from the Mediterranean Sea. Vegetables are prepared in special broths created to meet one's individual fitness goals that have been developed with the consultation of an herbal pharmacist. For instance, one broth promises antioxidant benefits, another firming and toning.
Sedona, Ariz.
At The Sanctuary, guests start the day with a green drink made of kale, dandelion greens, parsley, arugula, apples and ginger picked fresh that morning from the resort's garden. Located in the high desert of Sedona, The Sanctuary is more geared towards individuals in crisis than your average destination spa, but under what better circumstances should one eat beautifully? With only five accommodations, individual attention is paramount, and Cynthia Mont'Ross, the retreat's chef and biodynamic gardener, focuses on raw and "energetic" seasonal food as part of a program to help guests eat more consciously.
Gold Coast, Australia
The culinary buzz concept at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat on Australia's Gold Coast is "low human intervention," or "Low HI" food, a kind of minimalist philosophy which dictates, essentially, that food on the plate at the dinner table ought to resemble what it looked like in nature before a chef or farmer plucked it for human digestion. For their clientele, simple cooking methods plus simple presentation adds up to profound satisfaction and nutrition. This, they say, helps spa goers re-evaluate their relationship with food. Whatever the long-term impact, guests rave about the meals.
Baja California, Mexico
Rancho La Puerta in Baja California, Mexico, has seven decades experience in serving a spa clientele, and is often considered the pioneer in spa dining. Nothing esoteric in the philosophy here — slow food tenets are observed, keeping things local and seasonal, and a five-acre organic farm provides much of the fruits and vegetables served. The Ricotta Cheesecake with Berries and Lavender may be enemy to guests' waistline, but it's a much beloved staple on the menu.
Hua Hin, Thailand
Over the years, Chiva Som destination spa in Hua Hin, Thailand, has gathered accolades for its spa cusine, thanks to making tasty, but affordably caloric, meals. A reliance on local spices — chiles, lemongrass, lime — mixed with a festive, adventurous presentation seems to make diners forget that they're not eating fattening foods. Their most popular dishes include pomelo and prawn salad, rock lobster curry, and black sticky rice with mango.
New York, N.Y.
Located in New York's Financial District, The Setai Club and Spa offers all the pampering one would expect from a luxury, urban spa, but enhances the typical regime of massages and pedicures with its restaurant, the sleek, hushed and chilled-out SHO Shaun Hergatt. Here local is schmocal, with frogs legs shipped in from Florida, escolar from Japan, and Tasmanian fish for the Ocean Trout Tartare (though you can use what your local fishmonger has at home). Better for those preferring to be high on life rather than brought back down to earth.