Traditional Yucatecan Cooking Class in Merida in a Cozy Home

"If you want an authentic meal in a authentic Yucatán neighborhood with the most genuine and kind woman(Sophia)then this is the cooking class for you. The recipes are her Grandmother’s. You can taste the love that was passed down to Sofia in the meal you prepare together.Pure heart and soul."

"This was a really great experience. I definitely recommend because you get to learn how to
cook, learn the culture of the Yukatan people, eat great food, and have a blast. Sofia is so
entertaining and fun to be with."

"Sofia is an incredible host and chef. She made me feel immediately welcomed into her home before we set off to the local market a few blocks from her house. The whole area that she lives in has been a Mayan village for ages, and her entire family has generations of roots in Merida. We spent an hour at the market, where I learned about all the different types of produce and proteins that are local to Merida, which was the PERFECT introduction on day 1 to the rest of my trip — when I went to other restaurants I was fully able to appreciate and understand what was unique about the dishes and recognize some of the ingredients. She bought a number of fruits and snacks for me to taste, like indigenous stone fruit and avocados. We decided on the menu on the spot there: I was particularly intrigued by the dogfish head shark that was directly from the Yucatan Channel. So, she made a whole menu around that.

We got back and went straight to work, learning about the ingredients, techniques, and history along the way. It was an incredibly informative and educational experience.

Sofia’s English was wonderful; I learned so much and I could ask any question that I wanted with an informed, deep answer. I noticed a previous guest complained about eating late and having to chop many things. It’s a hands-on cooking class with very little idle time or demo-based cooking. We ate around 3pm but had plenty of snacks along the way. As I learned, the Yucatan people eat big meals in the late afternoon, and small dinners. So if you want an authentic and rounded cooking experience, you shouldn’t hesitate to sign up. She’s trained chefs who have restaurants in Morelia, home cooks, and everyone in between. Sofia is full of knowledge and tradition. I would come back again and again to learn more from her."

"Our class with Sofia was such a memorable experience. She’s fun and incredibly knowledgeable, and we felt welcomed right away.

We made so many things completely from scratch: homemade tortillas, sikil pak, panuchos and salbutes, habanero salsa, and dulce de papaya were just some of the dishes we made. Sofia explained everything clearly and shared a lot about Yucatecan and Mayan food and culture, as well as sharing her family's version of traditional recipes.

Highly recommend if you're into food and want a really authentic, hands-on experience."

"Sofia is an incredible host and chef. She made me feel immediately welcomed into her home before we set off to the local market a few blocks from her house. The whole area that she lives in has been a Mayan village for ages, and her entire family has generations of roots in Merida. We spent an hour at the market, where I learned about all the different types of produce and proteins that are local to Merida, which was the PERFECT introduction on day 1 to the rest of my trip — when I went to other restaurants I was fully able to appreciate and understand what was unique about the dishes and recognize some of the ingredients. She bought a number of fruits and snacks for me to taste, like indigenous stone fruit and avocados. We decided on the menu on the spot there: I was particularly intrigued by the dogfish head shark that was directly from the Yucatan Channel. So, she made a whole menu around that.

We got back and went straight to work, learning about the ingredients, techniques, and history along the way. It was an incredibly informative and educational experience.

Sofia’s English was wonderful; I learned so much and I could ask any question that I wanted with an informed, deep answer. I noticed a previous guest complained about eating late and having to chop many things. It’s a hands-on cooking class with very little idle time or demo-based cooking. We ate around 3pm but had plenty of snacks along the way. As I learned, the Yucatan people eat big meals in the late afternoon, and small dinners. So if you want an authentic and rounded cooking experience, you shouldn’t hesitate to sign up. She’s trained chefs who have restaurants in Morelia, home cooks, and everyone in between. Sofia is full of knowledge and tradition. I would come back again and again to learn more from her."

"Sofia is an incredible host and chef. She made me feel immediately welcomed into her home before we set off to the local market a few blocks from her house. The whole area that she lives in has been a Mayan village for ages, and her entire family has generations of roots in Merida. We spent an hour at the market, where I learned about all the different types of produce and proteins that are local to Merida, which was the PERFECT introduction on day 1 to the rest of my trip — when I went to other restaurants I was fully able to appreciate and understand what was unique about the dishes and recognize some of the ingredients. She bought a number of fruits and snacks for me to taste, like indigenous stone fruit and avocados. We decided on the menu on the spot there: I was particularly intrigued by the dogfish head shark that was directly from the Yucatan Channel. So, she made a whole menu around that.

We got back and went straight to work, learning about the ingredients, techniques, and history along the way. It was an incredibly informative and educational experience.

Sofia’s English was wonderful; I learned so much and I could ask any question that I wanted with an informed, deep answer. I noticed a previous guest complained about eating late and having to chop many things. It’s a hands-on cooking class with very little idle time or demo-based cooking. We ate around 3pm but had plenty of snacks along the way. As I learned, the Yucatan people eat big meals in the late afternoon, and small dinners. So if you want an authentic and rounded cooking experience, you shouldn’t hesitate to sign up. She’s trained chefs who have restaurants in Morelia, home cooks, and everyone in between. Sofia is full of knowledge and tradition. I would come back again and again to learn more from her."

"I cannot say enough about this experience. Sofia is unbelievable. She is so knowledgeable, so friendly, and absolutely wonderful. If you are a foodie, this activity is for you. It's worth every single penny you pay for it. You get to spend the day in Sofia's lovely home, making local cuisine from a person who obviously knows what she's doing. The food we prepared was amazing and we learned a ton about what's in season, how various things should be prepared to get the optimal tastes, and different approaches to cooking with things you already use. I would highly recommend this for people who love to cook and eat."

"🤩 wow! What a great way to spend the day! Sofia is a great history teacher as well as cooking instructor. We made authentic Yucatan & Mayan dishes - but the recipes have been perfected by the influence of Sofia’s grandmother. It is very much a hands on experience and you will leave with a much better understanding of the native fruits, vegetables and spices. We also had snacks & local beer with an after dinner digestive liquor to add to the experience. A must do when in Merida."

"The evening at Sofiá's was wonderful! She gave us a very warm welcome and we were able to find her house without any problems. After a few stories about her family, we started preparing the many different dishes. She gave us lots of tips and let us try everything, including typical and special drinks. A great ending was eating together on the terrace. The table was lovingly set. With Mexican music in the background, we were able to end the evening comfortably. Thank you Sofia for the great experience!"

"Sofia was so lovely and she shared some of the history of her family, which was interesting. We cooked six different dishes plus sauces with local ingredients and we learned so much. Everything was delicious and the best part is we feel like we can do this at home now. My kids are 18 & 20 and they don't cook very much, but they also enjoyed the experience."

"We had an amazing time, learning not only about many local dishes but also some culture and history. Would recommend this experience to absolutely everyone!"

"Better than Airbnb! Sofia was such an outstanding host, guide and chef! I didn’t realize how at home I would feel and how authentic the experience felt. Everything from going to Sofia’s local market and purchasing in-season fresh produce to cook, to being in her home kitchen prepping a meal fit for royalty. Can’t wait to bring my parents to visit and show them the local cuisine from the artist herself. Thank you Sofia!!"

"We had a fabulous day with Sofia. We learned a lot at the market and thoroughly enjoyed the class. Sofia is charming, entertaining and extremely knowledgeable. The food we made was superb and I am looking forward to sharing a Yucatecan meal with our friends at home."

"We had a wonderful time learning to cook Yucatean dishes with Sofia. She welcomed us
into her home and guided us through the processes involved in a range of traditional
dishes. After all the preparation we sat down and ate together. Delicious!"

"Wow what a day! We so enjoyed our cooking experience with Sofia. She was very warm and welcoming us into her beautiful home. She is an amazing chef, teaching us so new techniques for cooking. The food was glorious. We cannot recommend this experience more. Big thank you to Sofia for our Yucatan cooking experience."

"Best time and amazing local food! We had such a great experience. Highly recommend to
everyone who wants an authentic adventure."

"Sofia's cooking class was wonderful. It was a major highlight of our trip to Merida and I recommend it unreservedly. Sofia is an interesting, intelligent woman with many cooking tips and she speaks good English. She will put you to work chopping and preparing. And then, at the end, you sit down to the lovely food you made together."

"Incredible food and Sofia was fun to be around. She allowed us to have a big part in the
food prep- we learned a lot. Thank you!"

"On our last evening in Mérida we were able to cook with Sofia and learn from her. It was a great experience! Here are a few highlights: - The meal was at Sofia's house. This gave us insights into the life and traditions of Sofia. (Since our cooking class was in October, Dia de Muertos was just around the corner). - Sofia is an excellent chef who cooks with passion and precision. - Her kitchen is very clean and professional. - She is hospitable and ensures that her guests have everything they need (drinks, snacks) at all times. - The menu is very extensive (2 snacks, starter, main course, dessert). - Only seasonal and local ingredients are used, but there are also tips on how the recipes can be adapted to the European supermarket range. All in all, we had a really great, entertaining evening, which we were able to end with an excellent meal and a local schnapps. Gracias Sofia!"

"Extraordinary experience. We learned delicious dishes, tips and tricks of Yucatecan cuisine. Ingredients that we had never seen before but the best thing was our teacher who welcomed us very warmly into her home and told us many family and state stories, very interesting. We left delighted. Additionally, he adapted the class so that my daughter could eat since she is a vegetarian. Everything was divine!!! Sofi is the best host and teacher❤️. I would take it again, without a doubt and highly recommend it."

"It was a great experience, Sofía is a great host, we learnt a lot about Yucatecan food & culture. Gracias Sofía por tu hospitalidad y buen hacer. Un abrazo!"

"This was an amazing experience. A great opportunity to learn about the food, the culture and some Mayan history. And to get a glimpse into everyday life and homes in Merida. Sophia is a phenomenal cook and host and her English is even better than she says it is :)"

"Absolut best culinary school I've been to - and it has been a few! It turned put to be a privatr 1:1 teaching and I am so glad it wasn't cancelled since I was the only one. We covered a lot of dishes, all the spices and veggies were well explained, there were a lot of beverages to try as well. My host was incredibly attentive, funny, nice to talk to and the hygienic conditions were superb! It was a perfect day and I would recommend it 100% - don't miss it!"

"We had a wonderful evening with Sofia who enthusiastically welcomed all 8 of us into her kitchen and treated us to a delightful hands-on cooking experience. She gave us a short cultural history of the different dishes we miraculously made and then she ushered us back to her porch where she had set a beautiful table that perfectly showed off our culinary efforts. Thank you, Sofia!"

"We had a wonderful evening with Sofia who enthusiastically welcomed all 8 of us into her kitchen and treated us to a delightful hands-on cooking experience. She gave us a short cultural history of the different dishes we miraculously made and then she ushered us back to her porch where she had set a beautiful table that perfectly showed off our culinary efforts. Thank you, Sofia!"

"My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time learning to cook lots of Mexican dishes with Sophia! She was so welcoming and taught us so many different recipes and explained the origins of the ingredients and dishes. The food was fantastic and we ate so much! We were given very clear instructions on how to get to Sophia's and had a great time with her. We can't wait to cook these dishes at home."

"We spent a fabulous day in Sophia's house, cooking together as a family with our 21 and 22 years children. It was a highlight of our holiday in Mexico. Sophia is a wonderful hostess with a huge energy and a passion for the Mayan culture. We learned about the Yucatan way of life, we tried fruit and vegetables that we had never heard of before and after all our hard work we shared a truly delicious meal together. I strongly recommend the experience, thank you Sophia!"

"Our family had an extraordinary cooking experience with Sofia yesterday! We are vegetarian, and she put together an amazing menu of Yucatecan dishes for us to make: empanadas de chaya, papadzules, codzitos, polcanes, and calabaza... together with homemade guacamole, salsa tomate, sikil pak (a dip made with toasted and ground pepitas and tomatoes), and salsa habanero. As we diced and chopped vegetables and kneaded and rolled out dough, Sofia explained the traditional ingredients of Yucatecan cooking to us and told us stories of the Yucatan's history, her family, and her love of cooking. We learned so many tips and "secrets," and we know we will be using them in our own cooking!

Our whole family has studied spanish, so we told Sofia to feel free to speak only in spanish. Sofia was happy to do so, and she was wonderful and patient with us. As a result, we had an incredibly rich lesson in cooking, culture, and the spanish language that we will never forget! It was the very best cooking lesson we could ever imagine, all in the comfort of Sofia's own kitchen, where we snacked on bunuelos and refreshed ourselves with the Yucatan's oldest beer and homemade agua fresca made from steeped hibiscus.

After cooking, we sat down to our feast and Sofia told us more stories as we ate and sampled another Yucatecan beer. Finally, toward the end of the experience, she introduced us to the Yucatan's most traditional liqueur, Xtabentún, before serving us a delicious cup of coffee.

Thank you, Sofia, for being our wonderful teacher and guide! We will be taking the experience with us in our hearts, and hope countless others have a chance to meet and learn from you."

"Incredible food, friendship, and memories.
Sofia was a remarkably prepared skillful and experienced host. From the outset, we were talking, laughing and cooking. Easily The best food I had my whole time in Mexico, both because it was remarkably delicious and full of stories with each dish of her family history, but also it was varied, fresh and prepared with our own hands. I spent the entire day cooking and eating and would have gladly stayed longer had it not been we had to leave for another appointment.
Thanks so much for Sofia for the kindness, stories and forever memorable experience! Can’t wait to share all that I learned when home with my family and friends. Already bought ingredients to bring home and cook my first Yucateca meal."

"Incredible food, friendship, and memories. Sofia was a remarkably prepared skillful and experienced host. From the outset, we were talking, laughing and cooking. Easily The best food I had my whole time in Mexico, both because it was remarkably delicious and full of stories with each dish of her family history, but also it was varied, fresh and prepared with our own hands. I spent the entire day cooking and eating and would have gladly stayed longer had it not been we had to leave for another appointment. Thanks so much for Sofia for the kindness, stories and forever memorable experience! Can’t wait to share all that I learned when home with my family and friends. Already bought ingredients to bring home and cook my first Yucateca meal."

"We visited Sofia in her home during our honeymoon to the Yucatán peninsula. Sofia not only takes you step by step through the preparation and cooking process, she weaves in the Yucatecan and her own personal history in to why and how she cooks her food in the manner that she does. We would go back in a heartbeat! We suggest reserving an entire day for this activity and not making any reservations for dinner the evening you take this class. You will be quite full and happy afterwards!"

"We had a fabulous day with Sofia yesterday. She is a warm and welcoming home cook. We all learned new, helpful and surprising techniques. The food we prepared with Sofia’s patient guidance was delicious! We highly recommend cooking with Sofia."

"My husband and I regularly attend cooking classes when we travel and I would rate the class with Sofia as the best for a number of reasons. She is a most gracious host, an excellent instructor and her cooking is incredible. On arrival we were given options for what we might cook and we got to choose each course. We then went to the local market to purchase the ingredients. Back in her kitchen she guided us on how to chop the vegetables, how to fry tortilla chips and more. While we prepared the meal, we enjoyed guacamole and sikilpak. Sofia uses recipes from her grandmother and they are amazing. After the class Sofia shares these recipes. I look forward to trying to make her sopa de lima. The best!! Without a doubt our day with Sofia was the highlight of our stay in Merida. We hope to return to the city and will definitely book a day with Sofia.
"

"Cooking in Merida with Sofia is not to be missed. She has a vast knowledge of Yucatán cuisine and is a wonderful instructor. From our trip to the Mercado to food preparation to our meal, it was the perfect day. We have taken cooking classes all over the world and Sofia’s class is up there with the best of them. Please do yourself a favor and cook with Sofia."

"Sofia introduced us to ingredients unique to the Yucatan and showed us how to use them to create a delicious meal - perfect for your next dinner party. Her class is not only a demonstration, but also features a hands-on component which includes learning how to chop vegetables and fruit, techniques for rolling up tortillas to make codzitas, creating tortillas from scratch to use for panuchos and so much more. My husband is a professional chef and he and I learned many new things."

"Sophia was absolutely amazing. We learned tons of cooking tricks that Sophia had learned from her grandmother. She also taught us all about Yucatecan culture, history, and foodways. And then we sat around her lovely courtyard table and enjoyed the delicious feast we had just created! What an amazing day!!!!"

"My husband and I and his parents enjoyed a private cooking class with Sofía. We got to make several typical Yucatecan dishes (including relleno negro and handmade tortillas) and also learned a lot about Yucatán's history and Mayan culture as well as the story of Sofía's family. We had a lot of fun and the meal was amazing! Sofía is very patient and kind - a very generous host. I highly recommend this experience to anyone interested in food culture and connecting with locals."

"Spending time with Sofia, in her home, was a memory I will always cherish. She has such a warm soul, and she makes you feel like family. Her recipes were tasty, flavorful, and full of color."

"I thoroughly enjoyed my cooking experience with Sofia. She does not mix participants, so I had the benefit of one-on-one instruction – great, even if it did show up my rather ham-handed efforts at making tortillas in comparison to hers! We made a total of five typical Yucatán dishes, pretty much from scratch. Not only is Sofia a great cook, but she makes a real effort in the presentation too – so getting to eat what we prepared (to be honest, mainly Sofia), was a visual and gastronomic treat! Be aware however, that good food takes time to prepare – so having started at 5 pm, we didn’t start to eat until a little after 10."

"My mom and I had the most amazing time cooking with Sofia in her beautiful home. Exceeded all of our expectations. We could’ve spent all night talking to Sofia about her life and the culture and gastronomy of Mérida. Our lesson was extremely thorough and we have never before had a meal cooked with so much love and passion. Cooking with Sofia has been the highlight of my trip and everyone MUST do this when traveling to the Yucatán."

"Sophia gave us a good, clear, and well-organized lesson. We simultaneously prepared a set of dishes and always knew where we were and what we were doing. As another reviewer said, Sophia was passionate about food. We would add that she was passionate about people, engaging on a personal level rather than simply showing us how to do what."

"Very friendly host who took the time to cook for us with top tips! Pleasant to be at home, very organized. It was perfect and excellent"

"We enjoyed in Sofia's dedication, new flavours, completly new ingredients, cultural insights. It was the best time in Jucatan. Every moment was fulfilling and joyful."

"This was such an amazing opportunity. So thankful Sophia shared her culture and recipes. The food was authentic and delicious. Learned lots of tips and tricks too."

"This was a wonderful experience! Sophia invites you into her kitchen and shares her Mayan knowledge and her grandmother's recipes, passed down through many generations. We had a wonderful time and know so much more about the Mayans"

"Wonderful day with Sophia ! Best Yucatán food experience we had. We went to the local market and learnt a lot of stuff about Mexican food Then, we cooked and made different meals Finally we shared a very good lunch This is not just a cooking class, but also a amazing day with Sophia. Don’t hesitate !"

"On our last evening in Merida we cooked with Sofia. When we arrived we were offered a horchata. Sofia had discussed the dishes with us in advance and we had the opportunity to change the dishes that should be cooked. This gave us the opportunity to cook dishes that we had not yet tried during our stay in Yucatan. The dishes that we prepared together with her tasted very good. Only bottled water was used for cooking. So you don't have to worry. Sofia works very precisely and precisely. The boards used and the knives were washed several times so that each dish tastes as it should taste. We had a lot of fun cooking with Sofia and we recommend it to everyone who wants to try something new."

"I enjoyed my experience very much. Sofia was full of knowledge in regards to the Mayan culture and of Mérida history. It was very hands on and she explains everything very well. Explains the difference in the foods found in the Yucatan. What we prepared was delicious. I especially loved the sopa de lima and the dessert caballeros pobres. One of my favorite experiences here. Thank you Sofia for your hospitality."

"Sofía is a great host and she loves sharing her grandmother's recipes with people. During the cooking process she makes sure that alternatives are given so much that the recipes, which will be shared via the email after class can be re-cooked in when we you're back at home. And, for me the best, there are a lot of opportunities to try the foods while prepping it. Definitely a great experience."

"Anyone interested in Yucatecan cuisine should have the experience of cooking with Sofia. We thoroughly enjoyed our time learning about the regional food, drinks, customs and eating some delicious dishes. Sofia was a great host - very welcoming, patient and knowledgeable. The time went by so quickly as we were having such a good time. The food we cooked was amazing and everything was delicious. Even my husband who can be a picky eater loved it all. Can't wait to try the recipes at home, especially that tomato sauce! Wow...highly recommend."

"Best experience in Merida!! Sophia was super nice and welcoming, she took the time to explain everything and we were able to ask as many questions as we wanted to. Aaaand the food was AMAZING! A must do!"

"We had a wonderful cooking expierence with Sofia. After a visit at the local market wie learned everthing qbout our dishes we cooked and how to prepqir it. At the end we had a late lunch with her at her porch. We could ask her all the question about mexico we want to know and got extra tips how to substitute some special ingrediences at home."

"It was fun and food was very delicious. Sofia is very friendly and moves efficiently. I learnt a lot about cooking in general not only about Yucatan dishes. She told me that she is not a chef and changed some ways of cooking traditional Yucatan dishes. Because traditional ways could take a few days sometimes... But I enjoyed her way of cooking and appreciate that she invented faster ways to cook. I found it's very practical, so I can make those dishes when I go back home. The whole cooking took us 3 hrs but she offered cold beer in between so it was fun! She also told me that I'm her first student in 1 year and 8 months because she had to close the business due to COVID. I could tell she was very excited to teach and that made me feel special. After we are done cooking, we had dinner together. She showed me how to serve in certain ways along with some more cooking tips. I highly recommend taking this cooking class with Sofia if you ever come visit Merida. She also offer home stay with meals included!"

"I loved my class. My son bought me a gift card for Christmas and I wanted to share the meal with him. I was able to make a wonderful Father’s Day dinner for him, my husband and my father in law. Sofia was wonderful. She was very kind and helpful. I guess it was also Father’s Day in Mexico, so she took the time from her family to help me make a delicious meal for my family. The meal was very fun to make and the food was delicious. It was the perfect dish on a hot summer day. I plan to make the taco de pastor for my family again. Thank you for providing this wonderful service. It was a wonderful experience that I plan to use again. I will recommend you company and Sofia to my friends. "

"Sofia was terrific.. She was more concerned with our creation coming out fantastic then the time constraints of the class, willing to go over if needed. She gave great tips on not just how to follow the recipe, but techniques that can be used in many other cooking exercises. Strongly recommend"

"Sofia is fantastic! My partner and I took her tacos al pastor class and really enjoyed it. The food we made was fantastic, and the class was well-paced. We also asked her to make tortillas with us, and she spent a lot of time helping us troubleshoot and get it working on our specific stove. I would highly recommend her as an instructor!"

"Truly authentic experience. It was not something you could learn from a recipe book. Great fun too."

"Our afternoon with Sofía was very fun - she expertly guided us through the preparation of delicious tacos! It was wonderful to be able to have a taste of Mexico during this time when we can’t travel."

"I was very impressed by Sofia’s knowledge of Yucatan cuisine. I have been a long lover of Mexican food but was not familiar particularly with the cuisine of the Yucatán peninsula.

Private cooking lesson with Sofia. I asked Sofia if we could make tamales and although she informed me it wasn’t often travellers requested this, she managed to fulfil my request. I didn’t realise how long tamales took to make (we took 5 hours + eating time!) so I am very appreciative of Sofia’s persistence for this. It was just us two as I was a solo traveller.

We also make guacamole, several salsas, not one but 3 types of tamales + dessert. I was very full after the experience and it was a pleasure meeting Sofia and dining with her house guests."

"The six of us spent the day with Sophia and experienced authentic Yucatecan cooking, from shopping in the beautiful local Mexican market to preparing 7 wonderful dishes in her home. Sophia is a joy, English is good and she prepares recipes passed down from generations. We all left with a new appreciation of Yucatecan tradition, some family history and printed recipes. Gracias Sophia."

"We spent a day with Sofia, cooking traditional Yucatan recipes and had a fantastic experience. She is very knowledgable and incredibly chatty, a lot of fun and made us (two twenty something year old girls) feel very welcome - even when our chopping was sub par! We left with a recipe book and incredibly full stomachs (though don’t go hungry, it’s five hours of prep to get through!) Would recommend to anyone in Merida, as it’s a lovely day out. "

"Pasé un día extraordinario en esta clase de cocina.Sofia fue increible durante todo el Día. Comparte su amor por la cocina Yucateca y por su región.La visita del Mercado fue fenomenal. Me mostraba cada ingrediente y me explicaba los origenes de cada uno, y como se cocinaba. Me llevó a todos los sitios, frutas y hortalizas, especies, carne, pescado, artesania, etc. Fue muy interesante la visita y ayuda mucho en saber lo que vas a cocinar.Luego cocinamos casi 4 horas. Varias entrantes muy tipicas y deliciosas, y pollo pibil con arroz y platano frito. Sofia explica muy bien cada etapa, y otra vez, comparte toda su pasión por la cocina.Recomiendo 300% una clase con Sofia en Merida. Merece mucho la Pena."

"We (family with 2 children - age 10 and 12) had a superb day with Daniel and Julieta: the visit to the market and the cooking and eating in the lovely house of Julieta. Learned a lot about the Yucatan cuisine and the food was delicious. I would really recommend this tour to anyone who likes to do something different then the 'usual tourist activities'. Especially for families with children/teens I can recommend it. Our girls really enjoyed it: they learned a lot about fruits, herbs and veggies at the market and now they know how to make a perfect guacemole and banana empanadas!! Thanks again Daniel and Julieta!!"

"Our instructor Sofia picked us up at our hotel in Merida and took us to the big market here. It was very interesting seeing so many new fruits and veggies we don't have in the USA! Afterwards we cooked up several dishes at her house. Sofia is extremely knowledgeable on Yucatecan cuisine. She had so many great tips. Afterwards we all sat down at a lovely table she had prepared and dined on what we had prepared. Superb! Such a treat. Sofia is delightful and warm. Great experience!!"

"To say that Sophia Casellas goes the extra mile does not describe our amazing day with her! We had suggested a few Yucatacan recipes that we would like to make and Sophia made them all. Sophia picked us up at our hotel and we headed to Luis Galvez market, the largest market in Merida, where we spent a full morning enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the market. At the market Sophia carefully selected every fruit and vegetable that was to go into our meal. She described what each item was and what was in season at the time of our visit. The market was pretty overwhelming but Sophia knew which vendors had the best fruits, vegetables and spices.After shopping, Sophia drove us to her home where we began preparing our feast. We made: guacamole, sikil pak (a dip with tomatoes and ground pumpkin seeds), empanadas de chaya, tortitas de chaya, ceviche (this she had prepared the night before), salsa de tomate (tomato sauce), chile kut (a sauce made with roasted habaneros, lemon and garlic), pollo pibil (chicken in annatto or achiote, sauce), rice, fried plantains, picked onions, and for dessert, mousse de mamey (a fruit indigenous to the Yucatan). After an afternoon of cooking, we moved to a beautifully set table on her patio where we enjoyed an amazing meal. Sophia is, to put it mildly, amazing! Not only is she an incredible cook, she explained the native fruits and vegetables and how they are used in Yucatanian cooking. At the end of the evening, she presented us with all of the recipes we had prepared and what we could substitute for the Yucatan items. If you have an opportunity to take one of her classes, jump at the chance. You will not be disappointed!"

"We booked this cooking class end of October 2018 and we're glad we did - we received an authentic experience in a Yucatecan kitchen. We started around 11 AM with some local snacks Sofia had prepared for us (guava paste with cheese, jicama, dulce de papaya madura) and a local beer. We then proceeded to cook the 12-item menu Sofia had planned for us. We got some very helpful insider tips for tackling Yucatecan cuisine. We finished with a delicious, well-deserved meal in her backyard topped off by coffee and Xtabentun (Honey meets Pastis/Sambuca). Overall, the class was about 4-5h, including the meal at the end. Time flew by in Sofia's company.Thanks for a great experience Sofia!P.s. sorry for the delay in writing a review :)"

"We booked this cooking class for November 2018. We took a Taxi to get to Sofias place and started the cooking class. She explained us every detail about the ingredients and the story behind. We learned sooo much about the culture and it was a lot of fun. She explained us what we have to do and after 4hours we could finally eat and it was so delicious and healthy. It felt like Sofia was a friend we knew since long time. If you want to learn how to cook yucatecan food, and learn a lot about the mayan traditions than try this class! It takes up to 4hours since you do everything from scratch, so be patient. Would totally recommend <3 Gracias Sofia y hasta pronto! Tus amigas Suizas"

"I had an great day with Sofia: right from the start she was helpful and gracious. She quickly adjusted her plans when my partner got sick and cancelled early in the day. Sofia very kindly drove her back to the place where we were staying and carried on with just me. We visited both the large downtown market and the smaller local market, and she explained many of the ingredients, encouraging me to try new fruits and taste spice pastes. She was very knowledgeable about the cuisine and her english communication skills were very good. She made sure that all her ingredients were safe for my food allergy and carefully washed all fresh ingredients in purified water. She also went to great effort so that I could learn about as many Yucatecan dishes as possible. We made papadzules (so delicious), salsas, pollo pibil, drinks and several botanas. The full day program (market plus cooking and dining) took 6 hours and it was an interesting but tiring day. If you have less time you can request a visit to the very small local market: all the ingredients are there but it is much less hassle than getting to the the large market and back. Or you could skip the market and do just the cooking and dining. This is not a professional cooking school experience; it is an experience of cooking with a local person in her home. You should be prepared to work in a very warm kitchen and do significant food prep while learning about the ingredients. The neighbourhood was a quiet residential area of tidy family homes. It was nice to meet Sofia's family members; for me it was interesting to learn about their lives and share a meal with them. Two small recommendations that I would make to improve the experience: although juice drinks were offered throughout it would be good to offer guests some food early on (I was hungry by the time we ate at 3pm). And I would recommend that the host handout the recipes to guests on arrival. I look forward to receiving the recipes by email soon and to making some of these dishes for friends. This was an extremely valuable hands-on experience that I would recommend to anyone with an open mind and heart who wants to learn about authentic Yucatecan home cooking."

"What can I say, we've done a few cooking experiences over the years and thoroughly enjoyed them and this was not what we expected or enjoyed. I'm surprised by all the great reviews, because what we experienced was really not fun OR enjoyable. We arrived at the home in an area that seemed a little sketchy compared with the area (downtown) where we were staying. We were greeted at the door by a woman who spoke no English and had on a very stained tshirt. We didn't know if this was Sofia or not. It wasn't she was the maid. Sofia appeared in a few minutes and was dressed very nicely. The home was tiny and the kitchen where we did the prep work was a 2 person kitchen and there were 3 of us plus Sofia. We sat at a table 3 feet from the stove. Sofia's English is quite basic, but one of our group spoke Spanish so it helped. We spent the next 4 1/2 hrs. mostly chopping vegetables. Something we didn't need to learn. We weren't offered ANYTHING to eat during the 4 1/2 hrs. We snuck tastes when Sofia wasn't looking. We also had to ask for water at the beginning. The only other drink offered during this time was some Tamarind water. Other cooking classes we'd been to offered drinks and snacks throughout. Remember we came hungry expecting to eat. Sofia wasn't very organized always trying to find things to use. It would have been a 2 hour experience if she had pre-chopped everything and was organized. The kitchen was unbearably hot. With 5 burners going and no a/c we were all sweating including Sofia. During this 4 1/2 hr sweat shop, her sister stopped in twice, her niece stopped in, and her mother stopped in. She took time to talk with all of them which was surprising and annoying. Finally at 9:30 (we started at 5pm to prepare the food) we went to the patio to eat the food we'd prepared. It was nicely set and she had her niece join us. The niece was nice and spoke perfect English, but it seemed inappropriate to have other guests during our paid experience. We also had to share 1 quart of beer between the 5 of us. No margaritas, no wine, etc. The food was just ok. Some of the experience was interesting with a few ingredients we weren't familiar with, but mostly we all felt like we'd worked in a sweat shop. Finally, the worst part was that at the end, Sofia was relentless on pushing us to write good reviews on Travelingspoon and Viator. I'm giving her her wish, sort of. I do think Sofia could be a good teacher, but a few things need to happen. She needs to improve her English, she needs a different house with a larger kitchen and A/C. She needs to understand that she could have things pre-chopped and everything organized and ready to go. Also, eating and drinking while we learned would have been appreciated and expected. This was a bust and something I would not recommend, at least until it's totally revised."

"From the minute you arrive in Sophia‘s home you’ll be culturally immersed. Her menu was all inclusive-12 items in total. The class covered everything from how to peel a sour orange, slice an onion, how to blacken red peppers stove top, grind spices, and tips on banana leaf handling. Plan to roll up your sleeves, work hard and eat well! It got warm in the kitchen so dress for it. I brought my own Mexican wine. She had one beer for my husband. Not an issue. We were busy eating! One of the highlights of our trip to the Yucatán! "

"Our family had a great experience with Sofia and were very happy with the many dishes she taught us to prepare and the effort she made to properly introduce us to the ingredients and educate us about them. She provided interesting information about the influences Spaniards/Europeans had on traditional Mayan recipes. Since our group had one person with dietary restrictions, Sofia went out of her way to customize the menu to accommodate everyone and get very fresh ingredients, which was greatly appreciated. The food was delicious and our family will surely use the recipes she provided in the future. Since we were a larger group, the cooking portion of the activity took a bit over 4 hours. At the risk of stating the obvious, the kitchen got very warm with all the cooking going on, so I recommend dressing for hot weather! Overall, a highly recommended experience."

"Sofia was me engaging host with a long connection to the area. We started with some local seasonal fruit before cooking amazing food over a period of 3-4 hours. All food was made fresh and prepared while we were there. Sofia was also able to conduct the class in English which was great.All things told a great experience. Note: there is a $7 USD alcoholic beverage option which we paid for. This turned out to be 1 large bottle of beer between both of us and was a disappointing element of the package."

"Sofia is a local gem :) Her family from her mother side has been in Merida since the 1500s ! Talk about somebody to learn a lot from. We did the market tour, cooking class, and meal at her wonderful casa. The experience was unforgettable and a fun way to spend a full day. If you're in a rush, just do the meal and have some of the best panuchos and sopa de lima of your life."

"Sofia was such a gracious hostess, a wonderful "chef," and a very effective teacher. Our experience was very relaxed and hands-on. We loved doing most of the cooking, guided by Sofia's expertise. She was lots of fun and the food turned out DELICIOUS!!"

"Sofia was such a gracious hostess, a wonderful "chef", and a very effective teacher. Our experience was very relaxed and hand-on. We loved doing most of the cooking, guided by Sofia's expertise. She was lots of fun and the food turned out DELICIOUS!!!"

"Cooking and dining with Sophia was a pleasure. She truly loves Yucatecan culture and is very knowledgeable about its history, traditions, and especially food! I especially enjoyed learning about the differences between Mayan and Yucatecan cuisine. Sophia also has a flare for plating, so a camera is a must!"