Flavors of Morocco with Chef Matt DaiLEY
OCTOBER 16th - 25th, 2027
Join us for an unforgettable journey through Southern Morocco, where food, culture, and landscape are inseparable, and where every experience is shaped by the people here.
This is a journey we return to year after year for one simple reason: it reveals itself slowly, generously, and differently each time.
Traveling from the vibrant energy of Marrakech to the stillness of the Sahara and the windswept Atlantic coast, you’ll experience Morocco not as a welcome guest through its kitchens, its traditions, and its daily rhythms.
From the scent of spices drifting through the medinas to the quiet rituals of bread baking in the mountains, this is a journey of connection to the people, the culture, and the stories carried through generations.
The Journey
Day 1 - ARRIVAL IN MARRAKECH - October 16th
Private Riad Life in the Medina
- Arrive and transfer into the heart of the medina, where behind unassuming doors lie extraordinary spaces.
- Your riad is a world apart with cool courtyards, intricate tilework, and the quiet hum of fountains offering an immediate sense of place.
- Dinner introduces the journey through refined interpretations of traditional Moroccan home cooking unveiling flavors that are both comforting and complex.
Day 2 — MARRAKECH: MARKETS THROUGH A LOCAL LENS - October 17th
Morning — Deep Souk Exploration
- Experience an immersive walk through the souks. With local insiders, you move beyond the main arteries into a network of workshops and hidden spaces where artisans work as they have for generations. Conversations unfold naturally, offering insight into craft, trade, and daily life rarely seen by visitors.
Culinary Workshop
- Along the way, step into a private cooking atelier where the building blocks of Moroccan cuisine come into focus amid spices, preserved ingredients, slow cooking techniques, and the philosophy behind them.
Evening
- As night falls, the medina shifts in energy and lanterns glow, food stalls come alive, and the atmosphere becomes electric. This is your time to explore freely and dine at your own pace.
Day 3 — OURIKA VALLEY: BERBER FOODWAYS & AGRICULTURE - October 18th
Leaving Marrakech behind, the landscape softens into terraced hillsides and fertile valleys framed by the Atlas Mountains.
- As the light fades, you settle into Kasbah Bab Ourika, perched high above the valley with sweeping panoramic views. Here, luxury is quiet and intentional. Gardens supply the kitchen. The air is still. The mountains stretch endlessly in the distance.
- Dinner is served on a terrace under the open sky or in a softly lit dining room where the only sound is the evening settling in.
Day 4 — Marrakech: Design, Gardens & Modern Moroccan Cuisine - October 19th
- Return to Marrakech the next afternoon and visit the bold color and botanical calm of Jardin Majorelle to the refined lines of modern Moroccan design, the city’s creative energy comes into focus. The tiny Berber Museum filled with a fine collection of the ancient culture, a stop at the highly curated gift shop and a visit to the YSL museum completes the day.
- Dinner takes place at a gorgeous riad turned jazz club where the fusion of classic jazz, Berber and Moroccan music creates an exciting sound that accompanies the delicious, elevated food.
Day 5 — Marrakech to Sahara (Errachidia → Merzouga) - October 20th
A desert fantasy unfolds
- The journey shifts dramatically from city to vast, open landscape on a one-hour flight to reach the jeeps that take us on a quick drive to the luxury desert camp
- Dinner is cooked over fire. Music carries across the sand. The experience is both grounding and expansive.
Day 6 — Sahara: Desert Culture & Culinary Simplicity - October 21st
The desert reveals itself slowly starting at sunrise as the dunes take on an infinite quality shaped by wind and time.
- As we listen to the rhythms of Gnawa music telling stories of migration and cultural exchange, we feel and understand the connection of Morocco to a broader African heritage.
- Lunch is prepared in the most authentic style with madfouna baked beneath the sand, vegetables cooked on an open fire and the aroma of spices fill the dessert air.
- As night falls, we enjoy a private dinner away from camp without noise, or distractions, and only the experience of being fully present in the stunning dessert night.
- Sleep in a luxury tent with all the amenities
Day 7 — Return to Marrakech - October 22nd
We’ll take a flight back to Marrakech in the afternoon and you’ll have time to explore at your own pace whether through a traditional hammam or curated shopping with insider access.
- Dinner will be at one of the best rooftop gastronomic restaurants in Marrakech.
Day 8 — Marrakech to Essaouira - October 23rd
Atlantic Transition
- The landscape shifts again to argan trees, open roads, and the distant scent of the sea. Essaouira welcomes us with a different energy of a relaxed, coastal, and quietly creative fishing village.
- Dinner will be at a highly acclaimed waterfront restaurant serving freshly grilled fish and other local delicacies
Day 9 — Essaouira: Ocean, Markets & Craft - October 24th
·As we tour the port, the day begins with the fishermen. This is not a curated, performative experience designed for tourists. It represents the real, working life of this fishing village on the Atlantic Coast. The catch is selected directly, based on what the ocean has given that morning.
- Our lunch follows the exploration of the port with an incredibly fresh bounty of just caught seafood.
- The afternoon unfolds through the history of the ramparts shaped by centuries of trade, woodworkers carving thuya, and the lingering influence of Essaouira’s multicultural past.
- The farewell dinner brings together all of the flavors, spices and traditions of Morocco in an intimate setting
- Because music takes center stage in Essaouiran life, take a short stroll through the town after dinner to hear local bands playing in the street and in clubs.
Day 10 — DEPARTURE - October 25th
Return to Marrakech for departure.
Inclusions & Price
October 16th - 25th, 2027
• Luxury accommodations throughout, including boutique riads, Kasbah Bab Ourika, and a design-forward Sahara desert camp
• Private airport transfers and all in-country transportation, including flights to/from the desert
• Expert local guides and ENV Travel host
• Daily breakfasts, select lunches, and curated dinners
• Hands-on culinary experiences with local chefs
• Berber home cooking experience in the Atlas Mountains
• Desert experiences including sunrise walk, cultural visits, and private dinner under the stars
• Market-to-table seafood experience in Essaouira
Entrance fees and all scheduled activities
Not Included
• International airfare
• Travel insurance
• Gratuities for local guides
• Personal expenses (spa treatments, shopping, etc.)
• Anything not specifically listed in the itinerary
$9,850 per person (double occupancy)
$2,450 solo supplement
Optional extensions available upon request.
With only 12 guests, this journey is intentionally intimate allowing access, flexibility, and a level of connection that larger groups simply cannot achieve.
Meet Your Host
Chef Matt Dailey, Co-Owner and Chef at PLAYTE Kitchen
Chef Matt’s cooking is rooted in a deep curiosity for flavor, culture, and the stories carried through food. With Moroccan heritage through his grandmother—a French-Moroccan born and raised in Morocco—his connection to the cuisine is both personal and practiced, shaped by tradition, memory, and continued exploration. His approach to cooking reflects a respect for complexity and nuance: the layering of spices, the balance of sweet and savory, and the importance of technique, patience, and hospitality.
Today, as CEO and co-owner of PLAYTE Kitchen in Napa Valley, Matt leads immersive culinary experiences that connect people to food through technique, storytelling, and hands-on learning. Whether exploring the markets of Morocco or the kitchens of Southeast Asia, his work is driven by a singular goal: to help others understand not just how to cook, but how to taste, interpret, and experience the world through food.
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