Private Ecuadorian Cooking Class in Quito with Maria

Cook llapingacho, ceviche and empanadas in a local kitchen, then sit down to eat them

A private cooking class in a local Quito home where you learn to prepare two authentic Ecuadorian dishes (an appetizer and a main) using family recipes and local ingredients, then share the meal you cooked with your host Maria and her family. The class runs three hours and includes an English-speaking guide. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available if you request them in advance.

The experience

You arrive at a quiet home in Sangolqui, a suburb of Quito, and spend an hour in the kitchen learning to cook from scratch. Maria, who spent 21 years in the hospitality and gastronomy industry and learned traditional cooking from her mother, walks you through two dishes: an appetizer and a main course. She shares tips, tricks and stories about Ecuador's food traditions as you work with local ingredients. The dishes change, but you might prepare llapingacho (potato pancakes), ceviche, or empanadas, depending on what Maria has planned for the day.

After cooking, you sit down with Maria and her family to eat the meal you just made. The table typically includes quimbolitos (steamed corn cakes with a hint of sweetness) as a finish. This is not a performance or a demonstration. You are cooking in a working home kitchen, and the meal is the real thing you prepared together.

The class is entirely private, so the pace and the recipes are yours alone. If you need vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan or lactose-free options, Maria can adjust the menu if you let her know when you book. You can choose between a lunch or dinner class depending on when you want to cook and eat.

What’s included

• One hour of hands-on cooking instruction in Maria's home kitchen.
• two authentic Ecuadorian dishes prepared from scratch using family recipes and local ingredients.
• a full home-cooked meal shared with Maria and her family.
• an English-speaking guide throughout the class.

Options for this experience

2 options

Lunch-inclusive cooking classGuide in English · 11:00

Cooking class with dinner includedGuide in English · 17:00

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00 and 17:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Traveling Spoon

Is this one for you?Choose the lunch option if you want to cook and eat earlier in the day, or the dinner class if you prefer an evening experience. Both are the same three-hour private lesson with Maria, just at different times. If you have dietary needs, let Maria know at booking so she can plan the recipes around them.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What dishes will I actually cook during the class?

You prepare two dishes from scratch: an appetizer and a main course. Maria's menu includes empanadas, Ecuadorian ceviche, llapingacho (potato pancakes) and quimbolitos (steamed corn cakes), though the exact dishes depend on what she is preparing that day and any dietary requests you make in advance.

Do I eat the food I cook, or is this just instruction?

You eat the meal you prepared together. After the one-hour cooking lesson, you sit down with Maria and her family to share the dishes you made, so the class includes a full authentic Ecuadorian meal.

Is this class shared with other travelers, or is it just my group?

The class is 100% private, so it is only you and anyone in your party cooking with Maria in her home kitchen.

Can Maria accommodate dietary restrictions like vegetarian or gluten-free?

Yes, Maria can adjust the menu for vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free diets if you inform her when you book, so she has time to plan the recipes and ingredients.

How long does the whole experience take?

The class runs three hours total: one hour of hands-on cooking instruction, then time to eat the meal together and spend time with Maria and her family.