Begin your French and Mexican culinary journey in Chamant in the northeast of Paris with a five-minute walk to the Senlis village to learn about the history of the medieval French town. Ximena also shares the importance of pre-Hispanic Mexican ingredients to French cuisine - imagine French cuisine without vanilla crème brûlée or pain au chocolat! Grab a coffee and pastry at the village before walking back to Ximena's home to begin your Mexican and French fusion cooking class in her kitchen. During your hands-on cooking class, learn to knead masa dough and make fresh tortillas, create a delicious soup or ceviche and learn techniques involved in making salsa in a molcajete. You will learn to cook three dishes from scratch during your cooking lesson that lasts about 1.5 hours. You will end your cooking lesson by learning the French technique for creating a creamy chocolate mousse! After cooking, sit down at the table to share the French and Mexican meal you helped prepare with Ximena. Your meal is paired with French wine if you include the alcohol add-on with your booking!
Please note that this experience takes place in Chamant, a village in the northeast of Paris. Chamant is a 30-minute drive from Charles de Gaulle airport and about a 1 hour drive from Paris.
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
Chicken tortilla soup or local fish ceviche (in the summer)Chocolate mousseSalsa roja or salsa verdeTaco de pollo pibil (marinated chicken tacos)Ximena is a warm and wonderful host who lives in Chamant, a beautiful village 30 minutes north of the Paris airport (and 1 hour from the city centre). She lives with her husband and son in a traditional French home surrounded by nature. Ximena spent the first half of her career promoting France in Mexico. She now works for Mexico to promote Mexican culture and cuisine in France! Ximena hosts an annual Mexican festival and France and uses it as a platform to promote gastronomic tourism as well as Mexican food products. Ximena learned to cook from her mother and enjoys cooking Mexican food because it brings back fond memories of her childhood and family. She is delighted to teach guests French and Mexican cooking techniques as well as share Mexico's contributions to French cuisine!
"Experiencing a home cooking session with Ximena was a true blessing. Her Mexican heritage shines through in her storytelling and passion, which she infuses into the way she welcomes you and explains each ingredient she uses. A highlight for me was her guiding me through making tortillas, a skill that truly came to life during the class.
Finally, I would like to thank her for welcoming me into her home and allowing me to learn about her journey from Mexico to France. For anyone making their way through her Chamant, close to Chantilly, I highly recommend giving Ximena's cooking class a try. Discover the unique twist of Mexican cuisine in France—it's an opportunity not to be missed!"
