Costa Rica cooking class: traditional dishes with Doña Chela

Cook rice, beans, tortillas and picadillo the way Doña Chela's family has for generations

A hands-on cooking class in Costa Rica where you learn to prepare traditional dishes—rice, beans, salad, picadillo and tortillas—in a wood-fired kitchen using garden ingredients, then sit down to eat what you've made. The class runs two hours with a guide in English or Spanish, and children from age 5 are welcome.

The Experience

What makes this different from a cooking demonstration is that you're the one doing the work. Doña Chela walks you through the preparation of a typical meal—starting with rice and fried beans, moving to salad and picadillo, and learning to make hand-rolled tortillas the traditional way. Everything comes from her garden or the kitchen stores she's kept stocked the way her family always has. The wood-fired stove is the real thing, not a modern range: you're cooking in the heat and rhythm of how it's been done for decades.

After two hours of prep work, you sit down with Doña Chela and the other guests to eat the meal you've made, along with a natural drink. There's no plating for show or restaurant timing—it's the food people actually eat here, made the way you just learned it. The class is small enough that you get real instruction, not a demonstration you watch from the side.

What’s included

• Instruction in traditional cooking techniques.
• all ingredients from the garden.
• use of the wood-fired kitchen.
• the meal you prepare.
• a natural drink.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by El Fogón de Chela

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so choose the language that lets you follow the instruction comfortably and ask questions as you cook.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

153 verified traveler reviews

5 ★153

4 ★0

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What exactly do I learn to cook in this class?

You prepare a typical Costa Rican meal: rice, fried beans, salad, picadillo (a ground meat or vegetarian option), and hand-rolled tortillas. Everything is cooked in the wood-fired kitchen using ingredients from Doña Chela's garden.

Do I eat what I cook, or is it just for learning?

You eat it. After the two-hour class, you sit down with Doña Chela and the other guests to share the meal you've prepared, with a natural drink included.

What language does the guide speak?

Doña Chela offers instruction in English or Spanish, so you can choose the language that works for you when you book.

Can I bring my children to this class?

Children are welcome from age 5 and up. The class is hands-on and interactive, so older kids can participate in the cooking alongside adults.

How long does the whole experience take?

The class runs two hours from start to finish, including the cooking instruction and the meal at the end.