Cartagena: Cooking Class with Market Tour & Local Lunch

Summary

Cartagena cooking class with chef-led market tour and lunch

You’ll sip agua de panela on arrival, cook Cartagena classics side-by-side with a local chef, and share stories over coconut rice and beef at lunch. Choose the market tour for extra flavor or add a rum tasting if you’re feeling bold—the kitchen warmth lingers long after you leave.

What’s the experience like?

Sleeves rolled, apron tied—someone’s handing me a glass of agua de panela before I’ve even set my bag down. It’s sweet, cold, kind of earthy—like brown sugar dissolved in sunshine. The kitchen smells like cilantro and frying plantains. Chef Andrés (he just says “call me Andrés”) lines up yams and tree tomatoes and starts talking about how his abuela made mote de queso. I’m already thinking there’s no way I’ll remember half these steps, but he grins and says, “Don’t worry, we do it together.”

We chop onions while the rain taps the windows—Cartagena weather doesn’t care if you’re cooking. There’s music from someone’s phone, cumbia maybe, and Andrés shows us how to fillet red snapper without mangling it (I definitely mangled it). He tells stories about the old Bazurto Market where he buys fish at sunrise; if you book the market tour option, you actually go with him to pick out ingredients. I wish I’d done that part now—it sounds wild.

Lunch is coconut rice that sticks to your spoon, beef so dark it almost glistens black, avocado ají sharp enough to wake you up. Someone tries the optional rum tasting (not me—I’m still thinking about my knife skills), and we all laugh when Andrés tries to teach us the word for plantains in temptation. The kitchen gets loud then quiet as we eat dessert—tree tomato in syrup. I didn’t expect to feel this much like family by the end of a cooking class in Cartagena. Still think about that soup sometimes.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Gourmet cooking class in Cartagena

• Arrive and try agua de panela
• Learn about local ingredients and dishes
• Prepare typical local dishes
• Learn to fillet fish and cooking tips
• Optional rum tasting during lunch

Top questions

What dishes do you learn to cook in this Cartagena cooking class?

The menu includes mote de queso (yam and cheese soup), posta negra cartagenera (black topside beef) with coconut rice and plantains in temptation, plus tree tomato in syrup for dessert.

Is there a market tour included with the cooking class?

You can book an optional Bazurto Market tour along with the Cartagena cooking class for an extra fee.

Are drinks included during the Cartagena cooking workshop?

Yes, alcoholic beverages are included. There’s also an optional rum tasting experience during lunch that can be paid on-site.

Is lunch provided during this Cartagena cooking class?

Yes, lunch is included as part of the experience—you eat what you cook together.

Can infants or small children join this Cartagena cooking class?

Infants and small children can participate; prams or strollers are allowed.

How long does the Cartagena cooking class last?

The exact duration isn’t specified but expect several hours including prep, cooking, and lunch time.

Where does the Cartagena cooking class take place?

The class takes place in Cartagena; details are provided after booking.

What is agua de panela served at arrival?

Agua de panela is a traditional Colombian drink made from raw cane sugar dissolved in water—served cold here as a welcome refreshment.

What’s included

Your day includes all ingredients for hands-on cooking, welcome agua de panela on arrival, a full local lunch with alcoholic beverages (plus optional rum tasting), and the option to add a guided market tour before your chef-led workshop begins.