PRIVÉ Yucateecookles in Sofia's Merida-huis

We stayed at a private home in Merida for the first week of June and had a fantastic guide from ToursByLocals - Hernan E. -- who spent 5 days with us and also picked us up from the airport and dropped us off a week later. We visited 9 Mayan sites -- including Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Ek Balam, Kabah, Sayil, and Labna (on the Ruta Puuc) and Coba - and to Celestun for the flamingos and a beach-side lunch and to the Pink Lagoon for swimming in salty pink water. He was one of the best guides I ever have with ToursByLocals (or any other tour company) and I recommend him without reservation to anyone seeking to explore the Yucatan! We spent one day diving in the Cenotes as well with a diving organization. We'll be back. Marjorie (Jorie) Roberts and Daryl Dodson, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

+6

Very very long, hot and chaotic. Sofia was disorganized and time management was a real issue. We didn’t eat for over 5 hours (class started at 5 and we didn’t eat until 10:15). Nothing was prepped or chopped. She was very specific and would often scold us if things weren’t done her way. It was over a 100 degree day with all oven burners on for hours without AC. I felt very dizzy from the heat and not eating for hours. Felt more like a chore than a fun experience.

Sophia was great! She welcomed us into her home and gave us a great overview of her family's history. She then took us to the market and to the Tortilleria to watch them make tortillas using a machine. We then went to her house and cooked all of the recipes listed in the description and then some. She was fantastic and it was great to spend the day with her. She provided us all with the recipes and images of the food we made so we can make them again at home.

Thank you, Sofia, for such a wonderful day! We chose relleno negro as the main dish. She showed us a few different ways of serving the dish, including in tacos and making our own salbutes. We opted for the market tour and learned about traditional ingredients used for the dishes we made. It was very fun learning to cook everything in her home kitchen. And we were absolutely stuffed from the feast she helped prepare. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun, authentic experience.

Our cooking class with Doña Sofia was a truly remarkable experience during our stay in Merida. It was just my wife and I, and we were treated to not only a thorough lesson on the history, ingredients, and cooking method of multiple Yucatecan specialties (sikil pak, pollo pibil, codzitos, guacamole, calabaza frita, +), but also Doña Sofia's rich storytelling and life experiences along the way. We started at 11am, and the lesson, stories, and finally dinner went through all the way to 7pm. So - it was an all-day thing, and we are very thankful for Sofia spending the time with us. We were also able to try some of the local artisanal beer and a Mayan liqueur called Xtabentun. Our experience ended not only with excellent recipes that we will surely try again at home, but also memories that we will remember as a highlight of our three-week Merida trip.

I spent all day cooking with Sofia and it was one of the best experiences of my two weeks in Mérida. We made seven or eight dishes — I honestly lost count — and every single one was delicious. Sofia is a fantastic cook and a clear, patient teacher. She explains techniques in a way that actually makes sense, and I learned so much about authentic Yucatecan food. She also shares the history behind the dishes, along with parts of her own story that influenced her cooking. It gave the class much more depth than just following recipes. She speaks both English and Spanish. I was in Mexico to improve my Spanish, so we spoke mostly Spanish during the class, so it pretty much turned into a full immersion experience. In fact, this was the most impactful immersion experience I had during my entire trip. But if you need her to speak English, that’s great too. At the end of the day, we sat down to a beautifully set table and ate everything we had prepared. It was such a satisfying way to finish — and the food was excellent. I recommend this excursion without hesitation. Thanks, Sofia!

We really enjoyed our class experience with Sofia. She is knowledgeable and interesting, the food was delicious, and it was great to do a class in a home kitchen setting.

We had a fantastic afternoon learning Yucatán recipes from Sophia. She taught us so much. It was supposed to be 4 hours but we were there for 6 hours and was very welcoming to her home. She taught us how to make several dishes and shared the recipes with us after. We didn’t go to the market with her but she explained how to buy the ingredients, how to know if something was ripe and different ways to prepare the item. This was a very personal hands on cooking class. Highly recommend it!!!

My sister, nephew and I booked the market tour and cooking class with Sofia during our trip to Mérida, and it ended up being one of our favorite experiences. We took an Uber to her home, where she welcomed us warmly and walked us through the dishes we could make. She explained the ingredients, showed examples from past classes, and helped us choose a menu. The neighborhood market tour was fantastic. Sofia introduced us to her regular vendors, explained local produce, and let us taste Yucatecan spice mixes so we could understand the flavors. We decided on pollo pibil, a papaya dessert, and a few starters. Back at her house, we spent the afternoon cooking, chatting, and learning her family recipes. The pace was relaxing and fun, and she kept us stocked with snacks and homemade horchata. By the time we sat down to eat on her terrace, it felt like sharing a meal with a friend. Sofia followed up with recipes, photos, and great recommendations for Yucatecan food and Mayan culture. Highly recommend this cooking class to anyone visiting Mérida.

Thanks dona Sofia for all your energy and experience. The food was amazing and you made us feel so much at home. I would love to do it another time with different courses.