Wilson was our guide, he picked us up at our apartment right on time. He took us to a local market to buy the ingredients and also told us about all the different exotic and local fruits. We then went to his aunts house which was very nice in a gated community. Wilson did all the translating and reall made us feel very comfortable, even learned a new way to chop an onion! Lunch was very good and the fruit drink exceptional. Wilson is a fantastic guide would recommend to anyone coming to Ecuador.

Fabulous tour. Highly recommended. We had a lovely morning in the market learning about Ecuadorian food and ingredients. Then with the help of Alexandra, we helped to prepare a marvelous meal. Absolutely wonderful!

This experience was amazing. We had such a good time with Javier and his wife. We learnt a lot about Ecuador and its cuisine. I can only recommande it !

We spent a lovely 4 hours with Flavia and her aunt, exploring a local market, buying ingredients, and preparing and eating a tasty and generous lunch of pollo seco and rice with all the typical accompaniments. Both have a wealth of knowledge about local recipes and ingredients and enthusiastically shared their tips and “secrets”. Be sure to ask Flavia’s aunt for her “green garlic” seasoning hack!

We absolutely loved the market shopping, participating in cooking locro de papas (potato soup), seco de pollo (chicken), rice, and several accompanying dishes. And we had the choice of English or Spanish which we loved because we wanted to practice Spanish. We learned so much about the city and culture as well from our guide and the cooking instructor, in whose home the class was hosted. We highly recommend this experience!

We enjoyed the guide and all of the history he shared about Ecuadorian food, this was the most interesting part of the tour. We felt very welcomed in a traditional Ecuadorian home, the food was hearty, the potato soup was excellent. It was a little difficult to really immerse ourselves in the cooking process, although we were invited to help, mostly due to the home kitchen set up being a little tight for all three of us to be in the kitchen at once. We are glad we took the tour, it was also interesting to go to the market to pick out the ingredients. We feel this was an authentic experience in Cuenca.

Was visiting Cuenca on a solo trip and saw the opportunity to take a cooking class. All I can Say is this was absolutely fantastic! What a great experience to shop the Mercado with my guide Peter, who not only helped with my Spanish, but just made the overall experience a 10/10. My kitchen host was absolutely the most kind woman on the planet and I couldn’t have a stronger recommendation than taking this class. Would do it all over again when I’m back. Aloha.

Wonderful experience and meal!!! Tour of one of the Cuenca open markets with a discussion of local culture and customs. A cooking class in a private home with delightful hosts and incredible food. Pictures are of the market as I did not ask our host's permission to post pictures from her home.

First of all it was nice and we enjoyed the food. It was delicious. The Cook was really friendly and lovely. But we have a few things that maybe can be changed. We compared it to other cooking classes we had in different countries. First it felt like a cooking show and not a cooking class. We watched her almost the whole time how she was preparing and cooking the dishes. We only peeled potatoes and cut a few vegetables. We prefer to cook more by our own. We also ask ourselves if the price is justified. It would also have been nice to know in advance that the cook only speaks Spanish. We had a translator but it's just a different atmosphere when there is a language barrier.

We had a fantastic experience! The market tour was great! We learned a lot about the fruits of Ecuador, about ancient grains and the origin of potatoes. Wilson answered our many questions and treated us to some mercado fare. Our cooking class hostess gave us several different fruits to taste, showed us how aji and lulo were made, and prepared a delicious traditional Ecuadorian meal. This was one of the best experiences of our time in Ecuador!

I highly recommend this tour! We live in Cuenca but really wanted to learn more about the local cuisine. This tour was perfect. We learned how to shop at the market, the names of local fruits and really enjoyed getting to know our chef and tour guide. Really a must experience if you enjoy food or cooking at all.

It was great going to the market, then. Seeing how all the ingredients were used in the soup and chicken. We also tasted fruits I had never heard of. Juan was a great guide; his English was so good that we were able to engage in a far reaching conversation during appetizers and the meal.

This was so much fun! We visited the Mercado (which is interesting in and of itself) and got food for the meal we were cooking. While there, we also enjoyed a quick snack and drink, which were delicious. Then we went to our guide/cooking instructor's home to make the meal. It was so neat being in a local's home and cooking authentic dishes together. We learned so much about Ecuadorian food and culture as well as some history during our few hours together. By the end, we felt like part of the family! The food was amazing and there is something extra special about connecting with other people while traveling (beyond just walking around a museum or park). I highly recommend this experience for anyone who loves yummy food and/or wants to get to know what it's like living in Cuenca.

It was so a nice experience! We went to the market with our guide Sebastian and we learn so mandy new things about Ecuador. It was really interessting and also the cookingclass! The learn about the culture and all the things about food and cooking. Thank you for this beautiful experience!

Our guide Flavia picked up my husband and I right on time at 10:00 at our front door for our half-day cooking tour and drove us to a local open-air market. On the drive she explained just what our adventure today would entail and a little about the city as we drove along. Once parked she gave each of us a cloth bag to carry everything we’d need from the market for our meal today, along with the shopping list. Walking through the market was a true sensory experience – the colors of the wide assortment of fruits and vegetables - and the traditional clothing, the aromas of roasting pig and baking sweet breads, the sounds of busy people, and tasting stuffed tortillas right off the griddle. Once provisioned off we go to the home of our vibrant teacher and excellent cook Monse who makes us feel warmly welcomed. More than simply helping us prepare our soup and main course, Monse showed us how to prepare a base sauce for all savory dishes, and a so delicious sauce for appetizers – made from the tree tomato. All the while we are peppering Flavia with questions about Cuenca culture and life. Flavia is so knowledgeable and articulate, and Monse the magician in the kitchen, we learn far more than we expected and are delighted with the entire experience they provide. Our resulting meal was both delicious and filling! The cost of a 2-hour cooking class back home is anywhere from $50-$80, with no market experience! This 4-hour class was well worth the cost and I would gladly take it again, especially since planning the class via email with Javier was a breeze.

A wonderful, approachable introduction to the food of Cuenca and the Andes. Staring in the market gave a sense for the beautiful diversity of foods cultivated in Ecuador. Monse is a gracious host and wonderful cook who, along with Wilson, talked us through all the steps of preparing a traditional lunch. Less hands on than anticipated but still thoroughly enjoyable. A great first taste of ingredients and elements you'll find throughout Cuenca.

Our experience was much better than I anticipated. The market was interesting to us with the variety of produce unknown to us. The guide, Wilson, was patient and congenial. He gave us a true market experience. Then he drove us to the home of the most gracious hostess I have ever met. She effortlessly prepared the entire meal while we watched and learned. She cheerfully served us each course and surprised us with her dessert.

The cooking class was good, lovely people. But not worth the price. Two courses for 95 dollars, ingredients very cheap, good quality though. The two recipes are lovely and easy to cook. But for this price I would expect a bit more, there was no alcohol involved, which was fine with me, but how to justify the costs then.

The tour and the cooking class at an Ecuadorian home was such a unique and special experience. It was a beautiful way to connect with Ecuadorian culture and people through delicious food and traditions! We had a great time. Silvia was an excellent guide and Monse was such a warm and caring host.

We made and ate a wonderful Ecuadorian lunch. The trip to the market was interesting and educational. We enjoyed getting to know the people and food culture.