Cooking Class in Quito: Make 3 Ecuadorian Dishes with Market Tour

You peel, cut and season every dish yourself, then taste it fresh in an ancient courtyard.

A cooking class in Quito where you shop at a local market with a chef, then prepare three traditional Ecuadorian recipes (Locro Quiteño, Encocado and Chocolate Soup) using techniques and ingredients you can recreate at home. The class runs four hours and includes hotel pickup. You choose between a shared class or a private one with market access included. Children from age 5 are welcome, and vegetarian options are available.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cooking class with market visit

• Pickup from hotel
• Visit local food market with chef
• Buy ingredients for cooking
• Walk back to restaurant
• Receive chef's hat and apron
• Prepare Locro Quiteño dish
• Prepare Encocado dish
• Prepare Chocolate Soup dish
• Learn about dish history and origin
• Taste prepared dishes in colonial house patio

The experience

The morning starts at one of Quito's main food markets. You walk through with the chef, who stops at different vendor stations to explain the products, culinary traditions and what grows locally. You taste endemic fruits as you go, buy the ingredients for the day's cooking, and take pictures if you want. It's a three-block walk back to the restaurant where the actual cooking happens.

Once there, you get a chef's hat and apron. The three dishes: Locro Quiteño (a stew), Encocado (a coconut-based dish) and Chocolate Soup, were chosen because their ingredients exist worldwide, so you can make them again at home. You do the hands-on work: peeling, cutting, seasoning, mixing, beating. The chef guides you through each step, explaining the history and origin of each dish as you cook. This is not a demonstration. You're the one handling the food.

After you finish cooking, you sit down with the chef in the patio of a colonial house and eat what you made. The meal is included, and if you have dietary needs (vegetarian, allergies, preferences) let the operator know when you book. The whole experience takes four hours from start to finish.

What’s included

• Professional chef guiding you through each step.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• all cooking lessons and hands-on preparation.
• three-course lunch you prepare yourself.
• fruit tasting at the market.
• all activities and equipment (chef's hat and apron provided).

Options for this experience

2 options

Shared option - market not includedGuide in English or Spanish · 10:00pickup is included

Private option - includes marketGuide in English or Spanish · 10:00pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (12 to 78 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Latin Adventures Cía Ltda

Is this one for you?Choose the private option if you want to start your day at the market and learn where Ecuadorian ingredients come from before you cook. The shared class skips the market and moves straight to the kitchen, saving time if you just want to cook and eat.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What's the difference between the shared and private cooking class options?

The shared option does not include the market visit. You start at the restaurant and cook the three dishes. The private option includes the full market tour with the chef before cooking, and costs more.

Can I cook this class if I'm vegetarian?

Yes. Vegetarian versions of the three dishes are available. Just tell the operator when you book so they can adjust the ingredients and the market shopping accordingly.

What are the three dishes I'll cook?

Locro Quiteño, a traditional Ecuadorian stew; Encocado, a coconut-based dish; and Chocolate Soup. All three use ingredients that are available outside Ecuador, so you can prepare them in your own kitchen later.

Does the class include hotel pickup?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included in both the shared and private options. Public transportation is also available nearby if you prefer to meet at the restaurant instead.