Start your Mexico City cooking class in Margarita’s stunning and spacious home, where you’ll be welcomed with traditional Mexican appetizers like sopes served with fresh guacamole. This hands-on Mexico City cooking experience lasts about two hours and offers an immersive introduction to authentic Mexican cuisine.
You’ll begin by learning how to make tortillas from scratch - a staple of Mexican cooking - which you might transform into delicious quesadillas filled with huitlacoche or flor de calabaza (squash blossoms). Enjoy your freshly made creations as you move on to prepare a comforting soup, such as creamy chorizo-bean soup or classic tortilla soup.
Next, dive into a flavorful main dish like chiles rellenos or pork tenderloin in tamarind sauce. You’ll also learn to make Mexican rice from scratch, toasting the grains and cooking them with a medley of aromatic vegetables, a skill that’s essential to many traditional meals.
Once everything is ready, sit down with Margarita to enjoy your home-cooked feast, either at her dining table or, during warmer months, outside in her charming garden. You’ll finish your experience with a sweet treat like traditional rice pudding or spicy chocolate mousse, served with coffee or tea.
Perfect for travelers looking for things to do in Mexico City - this is a rich cultural and culinary experience you won’t forget.
Meet Margarita at her home, then take a short five-minute drive together to her neighborhood’s local covered market in San Ángel. This is a traditional Mexican market where locals shop daily for fresh ingredients. During your visit, Margarita will introduce you to a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs commonly used in Mexican cooking. You’ll see fresh tortillas being made, meet her favorite market stall owners, and help select the ingredients you’ll use later in your Mexico City cooking class. The market tour lasts about an hour, after which you’ll return to Margarita’s home to begin your hands-on cooking class.
Meet Margarita at her home on a quiet, residential street in Mexico City’s charming Tlacopac San Ángel neighborhood. Weather permitting, your experience will begin in her lovely garden, where you’ll be welcomed with a refreshing drink and appetizers as Margarita shares stories about her life and culinary journey. Her husband Gonzalo, an economist, may join you for evening or weekend experiences when he’s not working, adding to the warm and personal atmosphere.
You’ll then move to their family dining table to enjoy a traditional, home-cooked three-course Mexican meal. Start with a comforting soup such as creamy corn soup or classic tortilla soup, followed by a flavorful main dish like chiles rellenos or chicken stuffed with cheese and served with a zesty salsa verde, accompanied by traditional Mexican rice. End your meal on a sweet note with a homemade dessert like rich chocolate mousse with vanilla crème or crepes drizzled with Mexican dulce de leche, paired with coffee or tea.
1. Margarita is typically available for experiences Monday through Friday. If weekends are your only option, feel free to inquire as she may be able to accommodate you.
2. Your host can accommodate dietary restrictions including vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. Please let her know your dietary preferences or restrictions when making your booking.
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.
Mexican red or green riceChocolate mousse with vanilla creme or traditional flan or rice pudding or dulce de leche crepesSopes with beans and guacamole or panela cheese with dried chilesTraditional Mexican soup such as tortilla soup or creamy black bean soup or pumpkin flower soupChile rellenos or stuffed chicken breast with cheese and salsa verde or pork tenderloin in tamarind sauceMargarita was born and raised in Mexico City, where her lifelong passion for food was sparked in her grandmother’s kitchen. Inspired by her grandmother’s mastery of traditional Mexican cooking, she began taking formal cooking classes at the age of 15. Her love for the culinary arts grew into a successful 15-year career as a food stylist, with her beautifully crafted dishes and recipes featured in several magazines.
Seven years ago, Margarita transformed her passion into a business, launching a cookie company that now offers over 60 unique varieties to a loyal local clientele. She is also the co-author of a Mexican cookbook and is deeply committed to preserving and sharing her country’s rich culinary heritage.
For Margarita, food is one of the most powerful ways to understand a culture. As she puts it, “If you want to understand Mexico as a country, you have to taste its flavors. I want to share the richness of Mexico and its incredible food culture with others.”
"If you like cooking (or if you want to learn more about cooking) this experience is perfect. Margarita taught us how to make homemade tortillas, chili rellenos, and green salsa, among many other things (I'm just listing my favorites). My husband and I love to cook and bake, and this class provides something that a cookbook can not - a hands on approach. We learned what the texture of the masa/water ratio should feel like to make tortillas and the technique to roasting, peeling, and removing the veins and seeds from the poblano peppers before stuffing them for the chili rellenos . We were most excited at the opportunity to join Margarita in her home for the class. I think that is what makes it extra authentic, to be able to learn and cook in the same kitchen Margarita makes meals for her family and friends. The duration of our visit felt like spending time with a friend. We made appetizers, then enjoyed them in the garden with hibiscus tea and beer. Then we returned to the kitchen to complete the main course, before heading back out to the patio to eat, talk and drink wine. Her sweet dog Lola enjoyed laying in the sunshine and getting pets from me too!Come hungry and be prepared to leave full and satisfied."
"I had an incredible time with Margarita! I highly recommend booking a class with her :) she is a wealth of knowledge."
"Fantastic experience! Margarita was very accommodating and responded quickly to all our questions before we arrived and planned foods that fit our dietary needs. We were interested to learn to cook with squash blossoms, and she was quick to accommodate us. Margarita is very knowledgeable and encouraging in the kitchen. She even shared pictures and recipes when we were finished. We highly recommend the experience. It was such a great way to learn more about the culture and connect with a local!"
"Margarita was very communicative and made sure we knew how to get there. Margarita has a beautiful home. She sat down and talked with us before starting. She explained all the recipes at the beginning and everything was well organized. She gave us the information for each dish and everything was tasty. These are recipes we may not have tried on our own. My sister and niece have never tried a cooking class in someone’s home and agreed it was a unique experience! She had us promise to make the dishes at home and also gave us alternative ways to change the dishes up. We also received restaurant recommendations for Mexico City which we appreciated! We are ready to tackle the menu at home!"
