A Taste of Madagascar: Culinary Riches of the Red Island

2026 International Book Award Winner for Travel: Guides & Essays, 2026
IPPY Awards Silver Medal in Cookbooks/Specialty, 2026

Discover Madagascar’s hidden food treasures from vanilla to caviar to unique spices—a food explorer’s guide across the Red Island.

What’s hiding in Madagascar’s lush forests, vibrant coasts, and fertile soil that beckons culinary explorers worldwide?

A Taste of Madagascar: Culinary Riches of the Red Island takes you on a rare sensory journey of the island’s flavors. From the world-renowned vanilla beans to the endemic voatsiperifery wild pepper, and more. Award-winning author and food podcaster Emmanuel Laroche unveils the island’s extraordinary food treasures. Discover the inspiring stories behind both legendary and little-known ingredients alongside the Malagasy farmers, artisans, and chefs who cultivate and transform them.

With Emmanuel as your guide, you’ll uncover:
- The vibrant flavors and stories behind Madagascar’s famed vanilla, cocoa, wild honey, pink peppercorn, and caviar.
- Recipes reimagined by Malagasy chefs and global culinary leaders.
- Inspiring interviews with local farmers and companies committed to sustainable practices.

Perfect for chefs, food writers, home cooks, and conscious travelers, A Taste of Madagascar invites you to explore a rich culinary scene that’s waiting to be savored, shared, and preserved.

Emmanuel Laroche is a French-born culinary explorer, food writer, and photographer with a unique perspective on the industry and deep understanding of flavor trends and ingredients. He is vice president of marketing with Symrise North America and a global manufacturer of flavors and natural ingredients for the food and beverage industry. In 2015, he developed an exclusive partnership with StarChefs, a trusted resource for the food and beverage industry, and began moderating panel discussions with successful culinary professionals. He launched the popular podcast Flavors Unknown in 2018 which features conversations with acclaimed, award-winning cooks, chefs, and mixologists. Emmanuel published his first book, Conversations Behind The Kitchen Door: 50 American Chefs Chart Today’s Food Culture with more than 3,500 copies sold in 2023. He currently lives in New Jersey and continues to travel, conduct tastings, lectures, and presentations on food and consumer trends.