4h Cooking Class in Cancun with 8 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

4 hours

Mobile ticket

Discover the unique flavors of Yucatecan cuisine during this immersive small group “eat-as-you-make-it” cooking class in a local Cancun home.

In this fun and hands-on experience, you’ll prepare 9 traditional recipes and drinks that highlight the rich flavors of the region.

Start by (optionally) visiting a bustling Cancun market, where you’ll shop for fresh ingredients and sample traditional Yucatecan favorites, including the iconic cochinita pibil.

Then, get your hands dirty as you prepare an appetizer, main dish, and dessert, guided by a skilled culinary chef.

Finally, sit down to enjoy the delicious creations you’ve prepared, all while learning about local culture, food, and traditions in a family home setting.

Vegan and vegetarian alternatives available upon request (please specify when booking).

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Begin your experience inside a true Mexican home kitchen, where authentic flavors, stories, and hands-on cooking come together. Meet your instructor and a small group to begin your Mexican culinary adventure. No experience is necessary, and you're bound to learn something new about Mexican cooking and culture, whether you're a novice or an expert chef. Your group will create several traditional Mexican dishes such as burritos, tacos, and quesadillas, plus several appetizers and the classic margarita. Listen as your instructor guides you through the process of making each dish, taking notes if you like. Most of the ingredients used can be found all over the world, so you'll be able to recreate everything at home. Once everything’s ready, gather around the table to enjoy the full meal you created, share stories with your host, and toast with a homemade margarita. You leave not just with recipes, but with skills, moments, and connections most travelers never experience.

Sample Menu

starter

Margarita

Bottomless... All you care to make and drink

starter

Tostadas de pollo

Crispy golden tortillas crowned with succulent shredded chicken, fresh herbs, and a zesty drizzle that bursts with flavor.

starter

Extra zesty Guacamole

Velvety avocado whipped with bright lime, peppery cilantro, and a pinch of sea salt — creamy, tangy, utterly craveable.

starter

Quesadillas

Melted cheese folded in pillowy tortillas, griddled until crisped edges give way to molten bliss.

starter

Salsas

A rainbow of fresh, flavor-packed salsas.

main

Burrito

A warm, hand-rolled bundle brimming with tender fillings, melty cheese, and a symphony of savory spices.

main

Tacos

Crispy, golden tortillas cradling juicy, seasoned bites and topped with a spruced rainbow of fresh garnishes.

dessert

Arroz con Leche

A creamy, sweet rice dessert.

What‘s Included

Small group for a personalized experience

Recipe booklet in digital format to recreate dishes at home

5-Star Experience Guarantee - or your money back

All ingredients, utensils, and apron provided — nothing to bring

Full meal (appetizer, main dish, dessert) + unlimited drinks

Hands-on cooking experience guided by a bilingual local chef

transfer

Options

Private class

Duration: 4 hours
Min. of 2 participants require

Shared Group Cooking class

Reviews

5.00

40 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Fun, authentic cooking class.
Laurie L,,Dec 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Lovely evening starting with unique cocktails in Chef Mel’s home with her husband. The menu was authentic and ingredients fresh. We had a lot of hands on opportunities and Chef Mel made you feel competent. A fun and delicious way to experience local living. I highly recommend.
Best Cooking Class Ever!
Lohandbehold,,Dec 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Loved our cooking experience at Chef Mel’s. She and her hubby were so welcoming and made us feel comfortable. She prepared some unique cocktails to get us started and then we participated in the rest of the cooking. Fresh ingredients, recipes we could do at home and plenty of delicious food. We loved the intimate setting of a local home in Cancun. Ed highly recommend.
The best cooking class experience in Cancun!!
charlottew649,,Dec 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The experience was amazing! The food is wonderful and shared in my such a personal and fun manner. Extremely tasty and authentic. Fresh ingredients. Outstanding drinks. We can’t wait to come back next year!
Best cooking class!
O3826ISlizr,,Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Melissa and her husband were amazing! The food was super delicious and I learned so much that I can do again. It was a comfortable environment and great value. Highly recommend!
Fun and so good and organized
kathigeorge,,Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had such a great time. So personal and so good. Mel really also took into consideration our food restrictions and even got creative with it. Husband was also helping and so fun. Highly recommend this class if you are looking for a fun thing to do. So relaxed and YUMMY!
If youre thinking about it, DO IT.
cheyannel228,,Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Come hungry! 10/10 recommend if you're looking for something a little more local and less touristy. The chefs are super hospitable and amazing. They explained every step very well during our time with them and made us feel super comfortable. We made multiple traditional dishes that were all delicious and easy to make for beginers. Drinks were so yummy too. We stayed in the middle of hotel zone and google maps will bring you right where you need, we took an Uber and were able to locate it easily from where they dropped us off. Both chefs spoke English well.
TOP experience
M3941IMalessandrod,,Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We are hosted at the home of chef Mel who makes you feel really comfortable and makes you prepare exceptional typical dishes! We cooked and then tried the real Mexican cuisine at the home of Mexicans, what more do you want?? Highly recommended experience
Fantastic experience
Adventure40750246548,,Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Due to bad weather in Playa del Carmen, we found out about this experience on Tripadvisor... and it was the best choice we could make! Cooking typical Mexican dishes was not only fun, but also an authentic way to immerse yourself in the local culture. It was just the two of us and we immediately felt welcomed: a warm, familiar and really special atmosphere. An experience that we recommend from the heart!
Amazing!
lisasA5366TQ,,Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Cooking class with Mel was amazing! Great atmosphere, delicious dishes and great tips - we felt very comfortable! Mel and her husband are very warm and so is the whole cooking class! We would do it again anytime!
Cochinita, cocktails, and connection
Road37574644442,,Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This cooking class was an absolute highlight of our trip. Held in an intimate setting at the host’s apartment, it offered a truly authentic and personal experience. We cooked traditional Yucatán dishes that celebrated the simplicity, beauty, and depth of Mexican cooking. On top of getting to enjoy some incredible food, what made the class extra special was the overall vibe. Sharing stories and laughter with strangers who quickly felt like friends, it captured the warm and communal spirit of México so beautifully. The instructors were friendly and incredibly hospitable. It was a refreshing change from the bustle of the resort, and we left not only with new cooking techniques and appreciation for local ingredients, but also with VERY full bellies. I’d highly recommend this class to anyone who loves great food, a relaxed and welcoming environment, and a genuine taste of regional cuisine.