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Oaxaca Cooking Class
Oaxaca, Mexico
From USD 116.03
Select Date and Travellers
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
Oaxaca City Tours
Attractions
Recommendations
Nearby
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Hotel pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Learn how to create Oaxacan cuisine at a world-class restaurant in Oaxaca raved about in the ‘New York Times’ and ‘Bon Appétit.’ During this 3.5-hour cooking class led by an expert chef-instructor, your small group, limited to just 10 cooking enthusiasts, decides which dishes are on the menu. After picking up the necessary ingredients, all fresh, from a local market, prepare your dishes back in the kitchen. Whether it’s tortillas, salsas, soup, mole, or dessert, take home exciting recipes knowing you’ll be able to easily recreate the flavors of Oaxaca.
- 3.5-hour cooking class in Oaxaca
- Tour the local market to pick out your ingredients
- Learn to prepare a variety of classic dishes with a professional chef
- Create mouthwatering specialties like salsa, mole and guacamole
- Enjoy eating lunch with like-minded Mexican food lovers and take your recipes home with you!
- Small-group class with a maximum of 10 people ensures a personalized experience
- Hotel pickup and drop-off included
What's Included
- Local guide
- Food tastings
- Coffee or tea
- Gratuities
Meeting And Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Start time
10:00 am
Pickup details
Departure Point: Oaxaca hotels. If staying at a residency/house, meeting point is Hotel Quinta Real in the historical center. Address: Office: Hotel Quinta Real, 5 de Mayo 300, Centro Historico, Oaxaca. The main office is located inside the hotel Dates: Daily
What To Expect
Enjoy pickup from your hotel from your chef-instructor, who takes you to Casa Crespo, a restored colonial home in Oaxaca’s historic district, for your 3.5-hour cooking class. A world-class restaurant, Casa Crespo also boasts a cooking school, and both have received acclaim in Bon Appétit and the New York Times.
While many cooking classes have set dishes planned, this Oaxaca cooking lesson starts off differently. Over a cup of coffee or tea, your small group decides, with the help of your chef, which regional dishes you’d like to make that day. Typical Oaxacan fare you might try include salsa, tacos and rose petal ice cream. Learn to make a main course like mole negro Oaxaqueño (Oaxacan black mole) or caldo de piedra (spicy seafood soup) on the stove, roll up empanadas or grind guacamole with a mortar and pestle.
Once the menu’s decided, set out on foot to the nearby Sánchez Pascuas food market. Your chef picks up the necessary ingredients (included), and shows you a variety of dried and fresh chiles and specialties like grasshopper. Sample local fruits before you leave.
Back in Casa Crespo, start preparing your 4-course meal under the guidance of your instructors, including a sous-chef who explains each step during your hands-on class.
Afterward, settle down at a table and enjoy the lunch you’ve cooked together, accompanied by a beverage such as beer, mescal, water or a soft drink. Enjoy another cup of coffee or tea after lunch, completing your tour with drop-off at your hotel.
While many cooking classes have set dishes planned, this Oaxaca cooking lesson starts off differently. Over a cup of coffee or tea, your small group decides, with the help of your chef, which regional dishes you’d like to make that day. Typical Oaxacan fare you might try include salsa, tacos and rose petal ice cream. Learn to make a main course like mole negro Oaxaqueño (Oaxacan black mole) or caldo de piedra (spicy seafood soup) on the stove, roll up empanadas or grind guacamole with a mortar and pestle.
Once the menu’s decided, set out on foot to the nearby Sánchez Pascuas food market. Your chef picks up the necessary ingredients (included), and shows you a variety of dried and fresh chiles and specialties like grasshopper. Sample local fruits before you leave.
Back in Casa Crespo, start preparing your 4-course meal under the guidance of your instructors, including a sous-chef who explains each step during your hands-on class.
Afterward, settle down at a table and enjoy the lunch you’ve cooked together, accompanied by a beverage such as beer, mescal, water or a soft drink. Enjoy another cup of coffee or tea after lunch, completing your tour with drop-off at your hotel.
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Note: maximum number of participants per tour is 10
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 13 travellers
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.
Reviews
4.5
11 reviews
Reviews by Viator travellers.
Showing 1-9 of 11 reviews
Nice food, not so nice chef
Renee_T, Sept 2022
I felt as though the chef didn’t want to be there and was just doing it because it made some extra cash. When questions were asked he seemed annoyed and it felt as if he thought they were stupid questions- they weren’t. I am a chef and was genuinely curious about things, especially at the market. He didn’t have much patience with others as well. In the end he didn’t sit with us to eat, not even for 5 minutes. It felt a bit rude as we were curious about him and his history in Oaxaca, But we could barely get the time of day out of him when it was all over - more concerned about getting us to go buy his chocolate upstairs.
The food was great and we learned a lot, but it wasn’t one of my favourite cooking class experiences and I’m sure you could find a better one with a chef that isn’t up himself.
An exceptional experience with Oaxacan cuisine
Thomas_L, Mar 2020
We joined Chef Oscar and a group of avid cooks for an afternoon of authentic Oaxacan cooking. We planned our menu, walked to a local market where Oscar described the food items unique to the region and enjoyed the local color. Chef Oscar's kitchen provided each of us with a personal work space. We prepared two first courses, a main course and two desserts. Following food preparation, we were served on his patio/ garden room. The experience was great, our fellow cooks were fun and engaging and the meal was divine. We would highly recommend this experience. Thank you Oscar.
Oaxaca Cooking Class
Joan_P, Dec 2019
Oscar helped us set our menu, then we set off to the local market to purchase many of the ingredients. We toured the market and Oscar explained how many of the foods displayed are used in Oaxacan cuisine. We walked back to the restaurant through a lovely neighbourhood and park, then spent several hours preparing our meal under Oscar's supervision. Finally, we ate our meal on a covered patio. There was lots of time for questions, and lots of time to visit with the other participants. I highly recommend this class.
Relaxed and Fun
carolineQ8540MD, Oct 2019
This is great for the food lover, and the rest of us. One of us is a food nerd, the other not. We both had a fantastic day. Was incredibly enjoyable.
Delicious and Entertaining
Nancy_D, June 2019
Learn how to prepare the authentic cuisine of Oaxaca. Oscar will take you on a journey into the delicious cuisine of Oaxaca: First, in the local markets, and then in the private kitchen of Casa Crespo.
You will participate and learn how to prepare and then dine on a menu of your own choosing. I cannot recommend this more highly. This was fun, informative, and delicious. Great for couples, friends or the whole family!!!
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed...
mcleanking, Aug 2017
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this well-organized, inspiring cooking class featuring several classic Oaxacan dishes. The experience began with a walking tour of the local mercado followed by excellent instruction in the preparation of the dishes including helpful tips and the recipes. We highly recommend this Casa Crespo Cooking School. The chef and owner was professional, patient, and encouraging as we learned everything from making homemade tortillas to mole negro. Highly recommended!
Gerardo was great. We enjoyed the...
Marcella S, June 2016
Gerardo was great. We enjoyed the Central Market experience and the cooking class with his family was fun. Our food turned out delicious and my grandson appreciated his birthday gift.
This was a very enjoyable. The...
Keith E, Nov 2014
This was a very enjoyable. The Mercado shopping experience was fun and informative. The home was lovely and the kitchen space was unique and adequate. Herardo and his Mother were delightful instructors and we did learn cooking techniques that we will use at home. We did not prepare all the dishes we thought were included (no guacamole) but what we did make was quite good and we enjoyed it. A small group of 6 gave us each opportunities to participate and interact. The pick up and drop off at the hotel was much appreciated.
Great cooking class! Oaxaca is known...
Bandit, Dec 2013
Great cooking class! Oaxaca is known throughout Mexico (and the world!) as a culinary destination and this class is a great introduction to Oaxaca's food. Oscar is an amazing chef and guide and helps where necessary. The cool part about this cooking class and what sets it apart from others is that the menu for the day is entirely up to the group. Oscar will give his recommendations, but if you want to make something specific, you can! And since Oscar is so talented, he'll know exactly what ingredients to buy and the best way to make it! Great fun and would do it again in a heartbeat.
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