Article by:
Sherri Murry
For as long as I can remember, I have loved gathering people.
Around a table. Around a bottle of wine. Around an idea.
Travel has always been a huge part of my life. Kieran and I have built businesses around connection and experience. Through Ignite U and Ignite U Travel, we’ve had the privilege of bringing people together on river cruises, in wine regions, and inside conversations that matter.
But Passport to Table was born from something quieter.
It started in my own kitchen.
I haven’t been to every place we feature in Passport to Table.
And that’s actually part of the beauty of it.
Some destinations are rooted in places I’ve experienced firsthand. Others are inspired by upcoming journeys, wine regions we partner with, cultural traditions I want to understand more deeply, or simply a longing to explore something new.
I believe curiosity counts.
You don’t have to physically stand in a country to honor its cuisine. What matters is respect. Research. Intention. And a willingness to learn.
Passport to Table is my way of exploring the world thoughtfully, one menu at a time.
It’s not a travel diary.
It’s not just a recipe collection.
It’s a curated monthly experience designed to help you bring a sense of place into your home.
Each edition includes:
A layered menu that tells a story
Wine pairings rooted in real relationships
Editorial reflections that explain why this destination spoke to me
A playlist to set the tone
Tablescape inspiration so the evening feels complete
Some months feel bold and celebratory. Others feel reflective and seasonal. Japan in spring was about renewal and stillness. Provence felt warm and fragrant. Ireland felt grounded and heritage-driven.
Every Passport reflects something happening in my own life, my own season, my own creative rhythm.
Wine isn’t just an add-on for me. It’s woven into everything we do.
Through Let’s Talk About Northwest Wines and our wine-hosted river cruises, Kieran and I have built incredible relationships with winemakers throughout the Pacific Northwest. When I suggest a pairing, it often comes from someone we know. Someone we’ve shared a table with. Someone whose story matters to us.
That collective energy carries into Passport to Table.
Food tastes different when there’s connection behind the bottle.
I create Passport to Table because I believe gathering matters.
I believe in lighting candles even on ordinary nights.
I believe in opening a good bottle instead of saving it for someday.
I believe in putting intention behind a meal, even if it’s just for two people.
We live in a world that moves fast. Passport to Table is my invitation to slow down.
To explore a place through flavor and story.
To try something new.
To set a table that feels meaningful.
Whether you’ve been to the destination or it’s still on your bucket list, you can experience a piece of it at home.
And sometimes, that’s how the journey begins.
Sherri Murry is the co-owner of Ignite U and Ignite U Travel and the founder of Passport to Table, a monthly culinary and wine experience inspired by travel, culture, and intentional gathering. She and her husband, Kieran, have spent more than two decades building communities rooted in connection and shared experience.
