The Palatum

What The Palatum does

The Palatum is a privately held culinary travel company operating as a DBA of Countrybred LLC, headquartered in Claremont, California, and founded by Marco and Dejou Marano. The company organizes small-group, chef-led food and wine expeditions to European destinations — currently Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal — with each departure capped at 10 to 16 travelers and priced between $7,590 and $11,490 per person on group itineraries and $1,200 per person per day on private custom trips. A $1,500 deposit secures a booking, with the balance due 90 days before departure, and revenue is one-time per booking with no subscription or recurring contract structure.

Its product portfolio spans three core offerings: Expeditions (the multi-destination "Culinaire Collection"), Soirées (the "Soirée Collection" of single-location immersions), and Private Expeditions for both individuals and organizations. Each trip is hosted by a "Tastemaker" — an acclaimed chef, sommelier, or culinary artisan, including James Beard Award honorees — drawn from a curated network that the company actively recruits via a public "Become a Tastemaker" channel.

Distribution is invitation-only and high-touch: bookings flow through thepalatum.com, supported by HubSpot-powered payment links and complemented by a Digital Palatum Portfolio (online itinerary) plus a physical Welcome Package mailed pre-departure. Travel Guard is the disclosed insurance partner, the James Beard Foundation is the flagship brand partner (with 5% of net proceeds directed to its Women's Leadership Programs), and editorial features in Travel + Leisure, Eater, and Food & Wine Magazine serve as primary demand-generation channels. The company operates with a small, founder-led team.

Name

The Palatum

Legal name

Countrybred LLC

Website

https://thepalatum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Palatum is a culinary travel company that curates small-group, chef-led food and wine expeditions across Europe for high-net-worth gastronomes, offering three product lines: Expeditions, Soirées, and Private Expeditions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Culinary Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Culinary & Wine Travel Agencies (THAKAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food, Market & Culinary Culture Tours (THAJAAAG), Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH)

Keywords

• Culinary travel
• Luxury food tours
• Wine tourism
• Culinary expeditions
• Private group tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Claremont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Group Expedition Bookings: Revenue from scheduled small-group culinary expeditions (10-16 travelers) priced at $7,590-$11,490 per person based on double/single occupancy. Includes all ground transportation, accommodations, meals, tastings, and activities as outlined in each itinerary.
2. Private Expedition Bookings: Custom private group culinary expeditions priced at $1,200/per person/per day, designed for friends, family, or organizations seeking exclusive experiences. Minimum group size of 10 travelers for organizations.
3. Corporate/Organization Expeditions: Private group trips for organizations including food/wine societies, restaurants, and gourmet retailers, available exclusively for groups of 10 or more travelers at custom pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Palatum designs and sells seasonally inspired, small-group culinary travel expeditions (10-16 travelers) hosted by renowned chefs, sommeliers, and culinary artisans to off-the-beaten-path gastronomic destinations. Offerings include scheduled Expeditions under the Culinaire Collection, Soirées under the Soirée Collection (single-destination immersions), and fully custom Private Expeditions for individuals, families, or organizations such as food/wine societies and restaurants.

Product overview

The Palatum is a traveling collective of epicures offering seasonally inspired food and wine expeditions. The product portfolio consists of three main offerings: Expeditions (micro-group trips of 10-14 travelers under the Culinaire Collection, hosted by renowned chefs), Soirées (intimate micro-group culinary immersions rooted in a single location under the Soirée Collection), and Private Expeditions (custom-tailored experiences for individuals or organizations). Current scheduled expeditions include La Dolce Dolomiti with Chef Karen Akunowicz in Italy, Autumn in Provence in France, Sicily Vine to Table, and Culinary Soul of Andalucia in Spain. Private group trips start at $1,200/per person/per day.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Expeditions (Culinaire Collection) Micro-group culinary expeditions of 10-14 travelers under the exclusive Culinaire Collection, designed for food aficionados to experience authentic regional cuisine in off-the-beaten-path destinations, hosted by acclaimed chefs and culinary personalities.
• Soirées (Soirée Collection) Intimate culinary immersions rooted in a single destination where culture is experienced through daily life at the table, featuring micro-group experiences with one curated hideaway as the base.
• Private Expeditions Custom-tailored epicurean adventures for private groups, either for individuals (friends and family) or organizations such as food/wine societies, restaurants, and gourmet retailers; organization trips require a minimum of 10 travelers and are priced upon request.
• La Dolce Dolomiti with Chef Karen Akunowicz 7-day/6-night gastronomic expedition through Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige exploring alpine farmsteads, emerald orchards, and terraced vineyards, with stays at Castel Fragsburg and Hotel Milla Montis (Michelin-recognized properties). From $9,500 per person double occupancy; $11,450 per person single occupancy.
• Autumn in Provence 6-day/5-night culinary sojourn through the Luberon and Alpilles regions of France featuring market mornings, cellar tastings, perfume workshops, and lingering Provençal-harvest dinners. Superior Room from $7,590, Luxury Room from $7,990, Suite from $8,390 per person double occupancy.
• Sicily Vine to Table 7-day culinary journey through southeastern Sicily from vine to table, tasting wines from mineral-rich volcanic soils, exploring Baroque towns, and based at the Baglio Occhipinti estate. Classic Room from $8,290, Superior Room from $8,590, Deluxe Room from $8,990, Suite from $9,490 per person double occupancy.
• Culinary Soul of Andalucia 7-day intimate journey through southern Spain featuring hacienda stays, flamenco performances, Sherry Triangle tastings, cooking classes, and visits to markets in Cádiz, Sevilla, and Jerez. From $9,990 to $11,490 per person double occupancy.
• Made in Mallorca with Neilly Robinson and Chef David Viana 7-day expedition to Mallorca exploring ancient Serra de Tramuntana villages, boutique Mantonegro wines, artisan olive oils, and Mediterranean bounty from finca to fishing net, hosted by Neilly Robinson and Chef David Viana.
• Taste of Portugal with Joey Medeiros 8-day epicurean adventure from UNESCO World Heritage vineyards of the Alto Douro and port lodges of Porto to traditional tascas and Atlantic-inspired creations of Lisbon, hosted by Joey Medeiros.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5% of net proceeds from each journey supports James Beard Foundation's Women's Leadership Programs

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• James Beard FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Palatum partners with the James Beard Foundation, committing 5% of net proceeds from each journey to support the foundation's Women's Leadership Programs. This partnership aligns The Palatum's mission of celebrating culture and cuisine with the foundation's work of empowering the next generation of women in food.
• Travel Guard®minorOthersTravel Guard® is The Palatum's preferred travel insurance provider, offering optional travel insurance coverage for trip protection including accident, sickness, or unexpected cancellation. Insurance can be purchased through The Palatum at additional cost.
• Travel + LeisureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Palatum has been featured in Travel + Leisure magazine, a leading luxury travel publication, enhancing brand visibility among high-net-worth travel consumers.
• EaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Palatum has been featured in Eater, a prominent food and restaurant publication, strengthening credibility within the culinary community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Devour Tours: Food tour operator running small-group culinary experiences in European cities (Spain, Italy, France, Portugal) with deep local expert guides. Directly comparable in product focus on food/culture immersion and European geography.
• Eating Europe: Operates small-group food tours and culinary experiences across major European cities, with a focus on local guides and authentic neighborhood food culture. Comparable in target customer (food-loving travelers) and curated multi-stop culinary itineraries.
• Butterfield & Robinson: Premium experiential travel company specializing in small-group, expertly guided walking, culinary, and cultural journeys worldwide. Highly comparable in luxury positioning, group size discipline, and curated local access model.
• CountryBred: Founded by the same Marano family, CountryBred is the parent/related experiential travel company featuring curated food, wine, and cultural journeys to Europe. It is the most direct comparable — same founders, same model, broader thematic scope beyond purely culinary.
• Authentic Vacations: Specializes in culinary and wine vacations to Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal with chef-led and small-group formats. Comparable in destination mix, culinary focus, and small-group guided model.
• Wine Paths: Luxury wine tourism operator creating bespoke wine-focused journeys in premier regions (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal). Directly comparable in luxury positioning, European geography, sommelier/chef-led experiences, and HNW wine enthusiast customer base.
• Culinary Backstreets: Publishes in-depth culinary city guides and runs small-group food walks and multi-day food-focused trips in cities like Istanbul, Athens, and Lisbon. Directly comparable in editorial depth, small-group food experiences, and hyperlocal chef/artisan access.

Broad incumbents

• Black Tomato: Boutique luxury travel agency offering bespoke, expert-led experiential journeys worldwide. Comparable in luxury pricing tier, curated access model, and experiential positioning, though broader than culinary-only.
• Adventures by Disney: Disney-branded guided group travel offering curated, premium experiences across Europe and beyond. Comparable in small-group guided itinerary model and premium positioning, though broader in theme and family-oriented.

Others

• TourRadar: OTA marketplace aggregating multi-day guided tours from hundreds of operators globally. Indirectly comparable as a distribution/competitor in the multi-day guided tour space where The Palatum's products may eventually be listed.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thepalatum
• Instagraminstagram.com/thepalatum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-palatum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Palatum