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Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna
La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica
From USD 59.40
Select Date and Travellers
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
La Fortuna Tours
Attractions
Things to do in La FortunaMistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park Tours & TicketsArenal Observatory Lodge and Spa Tours & TicketsLa Fortuna Waterfall Tours & TicketsVenado Caves (Cavernas de Venado) Tours & TicketsTabacon Hot Springs Tours & TicketsButterfly Conservatory Tours & TicketsProyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center Tours & Tickets
Recommendations
Nearby
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Get a taste of authentic Costa Rican life and cuisine as you join a local family for a cooking class and home-style meal. Along with a guide, visit the home of your hosts outside of La Fortuna and learn about household customs and cooking techniques. Join in the preparation of a typical meal, and then savor the fruits of your labor alongside new friends.
- Cook and eat with a Costa Rican family in their home
- Learn how to make authentic Costa Rican dishes
- Eat a delicious Costa Rican dinner with your new local friends
- Visit a garden and pick vegetables for a fresh salad
- Includes hotel pickup and drop-off
Sample Menu
Main
Casado
You’ll be gathering all of the farm fresh ingredients and chopping up vegetables from local providers and creating a delicious “Casado” meal.
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Cooking class
- Dinner
- Gratuities
Meeting And Pickup
You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.
Meeting points
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Pickup points
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Start time
05:00 pm
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Pickup details
We can pick you up from your La Fortuna hotel or you can meet at our office in downtown La Fortuna, 100 meters West of the Central Park on the west side of the Church. The Coking Class takes place at our exclusive riverside location at Hunters and Gatherers. Returns to original departure point at approximately 8pm
What To Expect
We'll pick you up from your hotel and drive to a hidden spot next to the enchanting El Salto waterfall near downtown La Fortuna. Upon arrival to your Costa Rica Cooking Class, you'll learn about the farm where the fresh cooking ingredients come from. You'll get an understanding of what it takes to get the food from the farm to the table.
To get started, you'll try your hand at mixing a delicious tropical Costa Rican cocktail we call the “Kiss of the Cacique!” You will then start the cooking process of a traditional Costa Rican “Casado.” Get ready to chop as you learn how to cook up some Tico-style "picadillos," tortillas and "guisados" for a delicious traditional sit-down meal and plenty of captivating conversation.
After dinner, relax with a cup of coffee, share some recipes and head back to your hotel to dream about the scrumptious food you'll hopefully recreate back home! This is the perfect, interactive Costa Rican Cooking class.
To get started, you'll try your hand at mixing a delicious tropical Costa Rican cocktail we call the “Kiss of the Cacique!” You will then start the cooking process of a traditional Costa Rican “Casado.” Get ready to chop as you learn how to cook up some Tico-style "picadillos," tortillas and "guisados" for a delicious traditional sit-down meal and plenty of captivating conversation.
After dinner, relax with a cup of coffee, share some recipes and head back to your hotel to dream about the scrumptious food you'll hopefully recreate back home! This is the perfect, interactive Costa Rican Cooking class.
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Minimum age is 5 years old.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
Traveller Photos
Featured review
Randy_S
Katherine was most kind and personable. She made it simple and delicious. She shared about Costa Rican life and culture and answered ALL our questions so well. Great English skills as well. Thank you, Viator!
Reviews
4.5
40 reviews
Reviews by Viator travellers.
Showing 1-10 of 40 reviews
The Best
Randy_S, May 2023
Katherine was most kind and personable. She made it simple and delicious. She shared about Costa Rican life and culture and answered ALL our questions so well. Great English skills as well. Thank you, Viator!
COOK LIKE A LOCAL - Not a good experience
amrita_g, Jan 2023
The entire class was not a good experience. The class was supposed to be 3 hrs but it ended it in 1.5 hrs.
We cut one vegetable each, and made tortillas. We were not involved any preparation otherwise.
The host was not engaged with the group and said she was exhausted as she had been under the weather.
The decription mentioned, the class was hosted by a Costa Rican Family but was not true as well. It was 2 young women.
The food was basic with limited quantities and there was not enough food for the group and ran out of most food.
The host and the helpers ate and left before the our group. We we surprised when they told us in a bit over an hour that we were done
We cleaned up the plates, cutlery and stacked in on a trolley outside the kitchen.
This is not a experience we expected for the money we paid.
We could have gone out to a resultant and had a great meal for the money we spent.
We were hoping to have a good fun experience with the kids and learn a new cuisine but it was very disappointing.
I would like my money refunded and this review to published.
This is a SCAM
anuja_B, Dec 2022
This is a SCAM. These are following pointers we experienced, then decide whether you want to book it-
1. Class got over in one and half hour which includes our eating/driving time.
2. Chef and the staff left the place before us and we cleaned up.
3. There was very little cooking involved. You just watch them cook and most of the stuff was cooked before hand. I rather go to a restaurant and eat.
4. We were a group of 12 ppl and most of them lost interest in first 15min of the class. Host ate at the same as us and left quickly after eating. There wasn’t enough food left for us.
5. We contacted the host after the event raising my concerns. He was not co operative and was adamant that the event was conducted as per description which is a lie.
Highly recommend not to take this tour.
great experience and lots of fun
Max_c, Dec 2022
Great experience! lots of fun! Highly recommend. Well organized, good value for the money. Our whole family enjoyed doing it!
Perfect evening spent cooking, learning, and eating!
Jessica_T, Apr 2022
What a great evening experience to learn to cook a local meal & the history of the dish & ingredients. The venue was very accommodating & clean. Then to try what we made was the best part!
Not as advertised - don't waste your money
Erin_W, Sept 2021
This tour was not the activity that was advertised and paid for. We signed up for a tour advertising a trip to the garden to pick fresh produce while learning about the farm everything came from, going to a local family's house to meet them and learn about cooking and mealtime customs while cooking and eating with them in their home, then learning and trading recipes over coffee after the meal. Not one of these things were a part of this tour, and our guide/cook was not very open to answering questions or discussing traditions, etc. She told us that she was hungover from a party the night before, and did not seem interested in actually teaching us anything. She wasn't even able to tell us what fruit was used to make the juice provided. The "fresh picked produce" was a couple herbs that she cut from a pot sitting nearby the restaurant (not local family home) that we cooked in. The produce was all cleaned, picked, and ready to chop, and she just handed us pieces of things to chop or dump into pots then did the rest herself. It felt like we were completing a "Hello Fresh" meal prep. The food was pretty good, and the cocktail tasted great, but we certainly had better at local restaurants for about $6 compared to the $100 we paid for this. Don't waste your money if you are looking for a true local learning experience.
Response from Host, Oct 2021
Hola Erin,
Thank you for letting us know about your experience with us. We advertise that our cooking class takes place at our elegant riverside location next to the El Salto waterfall, not at a family’s home. We are sorry for any misunderstanding and that the tour did not meet your expectations.
I have also spoken with our staff about your comments to take corrective action. I appreciate your feedback.
Wishing you the very best,
Christine Larson
Co-owner
Desafio Adventure Company
Yummy!
naomi_P, Aug 2021
Great food and great teacher. Got the recipe afterwards right away. Very delicious meal that we made!
A Must Do Activity!
Sarah_M, Aug 2021
Such a fun experience! A great option when the weather is unpredictable as it is all covered. The food was delicious and we loved talking with our teacher! I would highly recommend anyone traveling to La Fortuna to take this class.
Great and friendly host
James_B, Apr 2021
Our teaching chef was enthusiastic and energetic even though our group does not have much real cooking talents. We enjoyed learning about the local vegetables and spices. Definitely recommend this for a fun way to have a dinner.
Great teacher, great food!
Alison_H, Feb 2020
This class was wonderful. It was a really hands on experience, our instructor was great, nice facilities, and the food was delicious! Everything was super fresh and locally sourced. I also really appreciated that hotel pickup and drop off was available for this experience. Highly recommend!
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Cooking Class "Cook Like a Local" La Fortuna
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2 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
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