Guided Cooking Class with a Local in Samara
Description
Our project aims to help you discover the secrets of this cuisine. To learn to cook alongside a passionate chef, who will take pleasure in explaining to you in English or Spanish, and to help you master the techniques and specialties of this dear country. Empanadas, plátanos, picadillo de gallo, frijoles molidos, tamales. Vegetarian or not, you are welcome for this new experience. It's a 3-hour course with the preparation of a dish and a juice that's a little out of the ordinary.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
Reviews(40)
What a cooking experience! When I arrived, Jorge had his kitchen organized produce prepped, and ready to go. He is an excellent teacher and can bounce back-and-forth between English and Spanish, depending on my comfort level, which was really fun for me to practice Spanish. We made cheese empanadas, beans, guacamole, Patacones, fresh fruit juice, and some of the best ceviche I've ever had! I appreciate that he opened his home and provided such care. Highly recommend.
This was a wonderful and immersive experience. It was like going to a friend's house and making dinner together. Learning about the the foods of Costa Rica and Costa Rican culture was great.
I booked this class and was added to a group What's App thread. The provider had made plans with another participant to hold the class at an alternate location vs the provider's home. The participant had not cleared it with her host and the class was not allowed to be held at that location. No alternative location was offered by the provider. I just tried to get my refund and was told the provider denied it and therefore Viator will not refund my money.
Not what we expected. Jorge was nice and personable, but class was not as advertised. Jorge showed up with about $20 worth of root vegetables and a pound of beef. He told us that we would be making soup. Not the 'elaborate multi course cooking experience' shown on the website. 'All kitchen utensils supplied' was a dish towel, cleaver and small plastic cutting board. We peeled and choped the vegetables while Jorge sat, chatted and watched. He then added them to a pot of water and let it simmer. 'Cooking tips' were to always wash your produce. The 'special juice' was a chopped mango, ice and water in a blender. He basically did nothing but watch us prep veg, eat and leave us with a huge mess. Oh, and complain about his phone being scammed. $120 USD for 2 people.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are sorry to hear that the activity did not meet your expectations. Our cooking class was designed as an authentic and friendly experience, allowing guests to discover traditional Costa Rican cuisine as it is prepared in local homes. The goal is not only to learn recipes, but also to share a cultural experience by exploring local ingredients, traditions, and the country's culinary heritage. The dishes prepared may vary depending on the season, the availability of fresh produce, and the local ingredients available on the day of the activity. The traditional soup prepared during your visit is one of the most common and beloved recipes in Costa Rica : "la ola de carne" This is intentionally a hands-on experience. Guests actively participate in preparing the ingredients in order to enjoy a genuine home-cooking experience rather than simply watching a professional chef demonstrate recipes. However, we understand that some travelers may prefer a more formal cooking class. We also appreciate your comments regarding the equipment provided and the overall organization of the activity. Feedback from our guests is valuable and helps us continue improving the experience we offer. Thank you for visiting us, and we wish you a wonderful remainder of your journey in Costa Rica.
We had an absolutely fantastic experience. The chef was incredible, the food was amazing, and the whole evening felt authentic and welcoming from start to finish. At one point we even lost power and water — and honestly, it still didn’t matter. That’s how good the experience was. Everyone stayed positive, adapted, laughed, and kept the evening going without missing a beat. In a strange way, it made the night even more memorable and gave us a real Costa Rica experience. We learned to make delicious local food, including fresh patacones, beans, and traditional drinks, and everything tasted fresh and homemade. You could tell there was a lot of pride and passion behind the cooking. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. Great people, great food, great atmosphere, and memories our family will talk about for a long time.
We enjoyed our cooking experience with Jorge. He walked us through how to make patacones, pollo mechado, guacamole, and tuna carpaccio (2 ways.) He encouraged us to try using our Spanish (even though mine is horrible) and talked with us about the food, where it came from, and the role it played in Tico culture. The food was delicious and Jorge was really fun to learn from and share a meal with. I would recommend this experience to anyone, it was a blast and I'm so glad we took the opportunity to do it.
Very professional. Walked us through the process step by step. And the food was absolutely amazing! Will do again when we visit Costa Rica
Jorge’s class was awesome. Super authentic and absolutely the best class you could take while in Sámara! He showed us how to prepare our catch from the day before and we prepared fresh civeche and patacones! His hospitality and love for his local food was incredible. Best cooking class ever!
Jorge was a fantastic cooking class instructor. He taught us all about the importance of Costa Rican food and culture. We learned how to make Ceviche and Chifrijo and had the best time! 10/10 recommended. If you are visiting Sámara, I highly encourage you to book with Jorge!
Our cooking experience with Jorge was fantastic! In a clean and well maintained mobile home, we prepared guacamole, pico de gallo, chifrijo, patacones, tortilla chips, and a fresh mango drink. Jorge included everyone in the food preparation and offering clear, easy to follow instructions while emphasizing safety throughout. The entire experience was both fun and informative and the meal we created was absolutely delicious and very filling. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Costa Rica! A little caveat, it was hot in the kitchen, so dress accordingly.
