Corporate team building activities in NYC
Having trouble finding a corporate activity that will please your entire team?
I know the struggle. I planned corporate team building activities for 15 years and could never find something I liked apart from the usual happy hour or team dinner. On top of that, I was usually WAY too busy to do anything out of my remit, which planning events certainly was. So, when I started Ultimate Food Tours, I knew that I wanted to create the corporate program I wish I had. I designed our corporate program to:
Be unique and engaging events that add value to the employee experience as well as leadership’s goals
Take the parts of activities people love (the food!) and package them in different, unique, and fun ways.
Be able to facilitate corporate team building activities either on location or in office, making them accessible for all sorts of teams
And I believe we did just that. We offer food tours, cooking classes, and even in-office culinary experiences. To learn a bit more about our most popular experiences, check out our offerings below:
Your team works hard and they deserve to be rewarded. Of all of the team bonding activities NYC loves, we’ll show you the best in the articles below. No matter if your team calls New York City its home or is distributed across the world, Ultimate Food Tours has the perfect activities to build strong connections while showing your team a great time. Check out a few of our options below.
Fully-customizable food tours
I started Ultimate Food Tours with a single Chinatown tour on Airbnb experiences in 2019. Today, we have six food tours (as of this writing) covering Manhattan and Brooklyn. Teams really love taking our food tours because:
They connect by sharing multiple meals at different establishments, making it a more engaging team dinner
They get to walk a total of 1-2 miles, which is great for mental health
There is no pressure to drink alcohol
We sample a variety of foods, so organizers don’t need to find a perfect restaurant to please every palate
We can customize tours to any dietary restriction, geographic area, or cuisine.
You can see our complete collection of food tours on our tours page. For more information, please send us an email and we’d be happy to get back to you.
Cooking classes with exclusive access
For teams who want a more hands on experience, we offer a variety of cooking classes. Unlike other NYC cooking classes, ours are taught by the city’s best chefs in their own kitchens. This took us years to make and offers guests
Exclusive access to the NYC’s best chefs in their own kitchens
A challenging assortment of classes to choose from, including Pizza, Pasta, and Cannoli Making, Chinese Hand Pulled Noodle Making, and Dumpling Making
An option to add a drinks package
A way to compete in a friendly setting to see who is the best chef
This is the ONLY place you can find these experiences. For more information, please send us an email and we will help you craft the perfect cooking class for your group.
In office team building experiences
We solved a complex problem: Busy teams are the ones most in need of a fun event, but are the least likely to have the time to do it. That’s why we launched our In Office Tea Making Class! In this class, we aim to:
Bring the cooking class to you, where you will learn the art of making Chinese Gongfu tea in the comfort of your office
Bring the food tour to your office by providing a variety of snacks from some of the best restaurants in Chinatown
Accommodate the entire team, from folks who can attend the whole event to people who only have time to much on a cookie and run
Host the Tea making class at any place and at any time
This is the only In-Office Cooking Class in New York City. For more information, please send us an email and we will help you set up this fun event.
Want to learn more about our corporate team building activities?
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Corporate Food Tour FAQ
What is a corporate food tour?
A corporate food tour is a unique team-building activity that combines culinary exploration with team bonding. It involves a guided tour through specific neighborhoods, such as Chinatown and Little Italy or the West Village in New York, where participants get to sample a variety of delicious foods while engaging in team-building exercises led by experienced tour guides.
What are corporate team building activities?
Corporate team building activities are designed to enhance teamwork, collaboration, and communication among team members. Food tours are a great alternative to some more classic team building activities such as escape rooms, museum hacks, scavenger hunts, and more. Food tours aim to strengthen the bonds within teams and improve their overall performance.
How can a corporate food tour benefit my team?
A corporate food tour can benefit your team by fostering team bonding, improving collaboration, closing deals, and providing a unique and enjoyable experience. It allows team members to connect while sampling diverse cuisines and exploring different cultures, ultimately enhancing their collaboration and camaraderie.
How long does a corporate food tour typically last?
The duration of a corporate food tour can vary depending on the specific tour and provider. On average, these tours usually last around 2 to 3 hours, providing ample time for both team-building activities and tasting a variety of foods.
What types of food can we expect to try on a corporate food tour in New York?
The types of food you can expect to try on a corporate food tour will vary based on the tour's theme and location. For example, on our New York tours, you might sample dishes like dumplings, noodles, cakes, lox and bagels, cheesecake, pastrami and rye sandwiches, hot dogs, and more, depending on the tour you choose.
What types of team building activities are available in New York?
New York offers a diverse range of corporate team building activities, including escape rooms, museum hacks, scavenger hunts, and food tours. We find that food tours are the most unique and effective way to promote teamwork, team bonding, and collaboration among team members.
Can dietary restrictions be accommodated on a corporate food tour in New York?
Our corporate team building activities can accommodate dietary restrictions with advance notice. Whether your team members have allergies, dietary preferences, or restrictions, we are able to tailor the tour to meet their needs and ensure everyone can enjoy the experience.
How many people can participate in a corporate team-building activity?
We’ve had teams as large as 70 and as small as six! Some tours are better for small groups, while others are suitable for larger teams. Let us know your team’s size when you book and we can recommend the best tour for you.
Are corporate food tours suitable for team-building activities?
Absolutely! Corporate food tours are an excellent choice for team-building activities. They provide a relaxed and enjoyable environment for team bonding while exploring new culinary experiences and locations, making them ideal for improving team dynamics.
What parts of New York do we visit on a corporate team-building food tour?
Corporate team-building food tours in New York can take you to various neighborhoods, such as Chinatown and Little Italy, the Lower East Side, the Upper East Side, Times Square, and the West Village. Each neighborhood offers a unique culinary and cultural experience.
Can we customize the itinerary for our corporate food tour?
We certainly can and we love to do so! Our tour organizers will work with you to create a tailored experience that aligns with your specific team-building objectives.
How much does a corporate food tour in New York cost?
The cost of a corporate food tour in New York can vary depending on factors such as the chosen tour, the number of participants, and any customization options. While our standard tours are $90 per person, many corporate clients request a more elevated experience. Contact us to hear about our options. We can customize our tours to any need, goal, and budget.
How do I book a corporate food tour for my team in New York?
Fill out the form on this page and we’ll get back to you soon. You can reach via email or phone to discuss your team's needs, preferences, and availability. They will guide you through the booking process and help you plan a memorable team-building experience.
Our origin STory
I was in the corporate world for over 15 years managing teams both local and distributed. I was responsible for planning events and ran into a problem: It’s really hard to please EVERYONE! Team dinners and happy hours were great, but they’ve been done to death. I had a bunch of fun planning boat trips and rage rooms, but at some point, people wanted to eat. That’s when I booked my first food tour!
Food tours were the perfect solution to my business problem. When I polled my team, the common blocks I got were:
They wanted to eat but I couldn’t find consensus on a restaurant
Not everyone wanted to drink, which eliminated happy hours
People wanted to move around a bit since they’re sitting all day, but many didn’t want things to strenuous
So, on my New Orleans trip, I booked a food tour! It solved all of these problems because
There was a variety of restaurants for people to try. We also had some dietary restrictions, which our guide was able to accommodate
Everyone started with a bottle of water, but people who wanted to drink were able to purchase one along the way
We had a brisk 1-ish mile walk in about 2 hours!
This ended up being the perfect activity for my team. For months after the food tour, my team was:
Talking to each other about their favorite places, which lead to friendly banter that brought everyone much closer together
More aware and understanding of people’s life choices as they were able to experience their team mates in person
Connecting 1v1 on things related to and not related to work. On the walks to each stop, people would have 1 on 1 conversations as well as group ones, which lead to personal connections between my coworkers, which was really a conversation starter that lead to ongoing deep, connection-building conversations far after the trip
When I went to Meta, I booked a food tour on our London trip, which was the highlight of the trip. When we came to New York, I planned a custom Iconic Foods tour for my team which had the same amazing results. This team bonding activity NYC loves was enjoyed by my whole team.
Since I started Ultimate Food Tours, I have been able to keep this tradition going with our corporate clients, such as Google, McKinsey, Doordash, and many more. Many of these clients booked all of our food tours, so we needed more products. We tapped our connections and came up with a great new product, which is the perfect compliment to the team building activities NYC loves: