This incredible entrepreneur loves blending food with history, transforming the classic food tour into a cutting-edge culinary learning experience.
It is astonishing to notice how a few professionals started from somewhere, but life’s challenges got there somewhere else and only turned them into exceptional success stories. Even more spellbinding is how these individuals made the most of those opportunities, created new ones, and became their best versions in their chosen industries. We couldn’t help but notice the rise of one such incredible entrepreneurial talent, Scott Goodfriend, founder of Ultimate Food Tours, a lover of food and history, and the creative soul who believed in the idea of blending the two and building a profitable business. He has effortlessly become people’s good friend in their journey of exploring delicious cuisines in NYC and knowing its history.
It started as a hobby, with Scott taking his friends on food tours around New York City. However, a layoff after landing his dream job at Meta inspired him to launch Ultimate Food Tours, inspired by the vibrant culinary landscape of New York City. Today, Ultimate Food Tours stands as a premier choice for many who seek excellent cuisine and incredible culinary experiences. However, Scott goes beyond that and offers people a unique approach, combining food and history to give them unparalleled culinary tourism experiences.
Scott Goodfriend is known for giving guests immersive experiences that set him and his company, Ultimate Food Tours, apart from contemporaries and competitors. Scott gives six food tours around New York City and offers cooking classes as well. Each one combines food and history, which people don’t often get in today’s culinary experiences. They serve people the best food in the city. And, if people want a historical walking tour, they give them the best they’ll find anywhere and also feed them. Scott has spellbound people through his love for food and travel and his passion for storytelling, which he has crafted into a brand that satisfies the taste buds as well as feeds the minds.
From Augmented Reality Producer at Meta to food tour pioneer Scott Goodfriend has come a long way. After getting laid off from Meta, he decided to pursue his goal of entrepreneurship over the pull of a comfortable corporate world. The decision did come along with several challenges, after all, he was building a business after having worked in the corporate world for 15 years. But ask him if it was all worth it, and he exclaims, “Yes.”
He recalls that after moving to New York City from Los Angeles in 2011, he gradually got drawn toward the city’s diverse culinary offerings and neighborhoods, which led him to explore the city’s food tours. He began walking to neighborhoods and trying different foods at various eateries and restaurants. What started as a hobby for him later only strengthened his pursuit of taking his career forward. So, the once Augmented Reality Producer at Meta was now the man behind Ultimate Food Tours, planning walking routes to different eateries and giving people one-of-a-kind immersive culinary tourism experiences.
Today, he proudly says that Ultimate Food Tours is known as the best and most unique food tour company in NYC. However, he also mentions how his success thus far has required him to overcome several hurdles, one of which was his layoff from his dream job in Meta in 2023. But he says this was a blessing in disguise as it ignited the fire in him to return to his dreams and follow a new path to build and run Ultimate Food Tours.
Ultimate Food Tours thrives on six unique food tours and three cooking classes and boasts a dedicated team of expert guides. He believes his brand stands tall and unique from the rest because it combines the best food New York City offers with deep and engaging historical context as guests don’t just eat delicious dishes but also learn about the historical and cultural significance of the city’s neighborhoods. If you’re not in New York City, it’s not a problem. You can experience all Ultimate Food Tours has to offer digitally. They have a web series called Origin Stories where he tells the stories behind New York’s famous food and the best places to eat them. You can catch these episodes onInstagram, TikTok, andYouTube.
Scott Goodfriend’s vision for Ultimate Food Tours is to go beyond NYC. He aims to help local guides and restaurants grow their businesses through local and authentic experiences. His ultimate goal with his brand is to make it the go-to brand for culinary experiences. “The most rewarding aspect of my work is bringing people together through food and opening their eyes to the stories behind what they eat,” he concludes.
