Cooking Class in Quito: Market Tour & 3 Dishes
Market hunting, hands-on cooking, a meal you made
A cooking class in Quito that starts at the Central Market, where you shop for fresh local ingredients with Andres, then move to a Colonial house in Old Town to make three traditional dishes from scratch under a chef's instruction. Pickup from your hotel is included. You choose whether to add return transportation at checkout. The class runs four hours and ends with lunch: the meal you cooked.
What’s included
- Hotel pickup in urban Quito.
- guided tour of the Central Market and surrounding area.
- three traditional Ecuadorian dishes made from scratch under chef instruction.
- apron and chef hat.
- printed recipes.
- lunch (the meal you cooked).
- local fruit juice.
Times
- Every day 09:30 11:00 13:00
Before you book
Operated by Galapagos Connoisseur
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Need assistance?Message us on WhatsApp or by emailTraveler reviews
The experience
Andres picks you up at your hotel and heads to the Central Market, walking if it's close by or taking the SUV if distance makes sense. Once there, you're not sightseeing. You're shopping. He takes you through the stalls to find the specialty vendors: the stand with the freshest vegetables, the medicinal herb seller, the fruit juice counter, the flower girl. You're hunting for the exact ingredients you'll need to cook, and Andres points out what makes each one right for the dishes ahead. This is how locals eat in Quito, and you're doing it their way.
From the market, you head to the restaurant in a beautiful Colonial house in the heart of Old Town. A chef, Andres's best friend's mom, meets you there and teaches you to make three dishes from scratch. You chop, dice, and cook like a local, learning the techniques and the stories that go with them. The menu changes based on what's available and what you want to make: you might cook Locro de Papa (a classic potato and cheese soup), tamales wrapped in achira leaves, shrimp ceviche, empanadas, or Encocado de Pescado with coconut sauce. There's also a Quinoa Soup option if dairy isn't for you. Everything is made from the ingredients you picked out at the market.
Once you finish cooking, the chef sets the table and you sit down to eat the meal you made, still in the Colonial house. You get an apron and chef hat to wear during the class, recipes to take home, and a local fruit juice included. The whole day is four hours, and you leave with the skills to replicate these dishes back home.
Is this one for you?The class runs four hours with walking at the market and standing time in the kitchen, so come ready for an active morning or afternoon. Andres meets you at your hotel, so there's no navigation or timing to arrange on your own. The day is built for you.
Compare the 3 alternatives
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What three dishes will I learn to cook in this Quito class?
The menu is flexible and built around what's available at the market and what you want to make. Options include Locro de Papa (potato and cheese soup), tamales, shrimp ceviche, empanadas, Encocado de Pescado (fish in coconut sauce), and a Quinoa Soup for those avoiding dairy. You'll make three of these dishes during the class.
Do I need cooking experience to join this class in Quito?
No experience is required. The chef teaches you everything from scratch: how to chop, dice, and cook like a local. You make everything yourself, and the chef guides you through each step and shares the stories behind the dishes.
What happens at the Central Market part of the tour?
You shop for fresh local ingredients with Andres, visiting specialty vendors for vegetables, herbs, fruits, spices, and other products you'll use in the cooking class. This is the ingredient-hunting phase, not a sightseeing walk. You're selecting what you'll cook with later.
Is transportation from my hotel included in this cooking class?
Pickup from your hotel in urban Quito is included. Return transportation can be arranged but is not included in the base price. You can add it at checkout if you need it.
Where do I cook and eat the meal?
The cooking class takes place in a beautiful Colonial house in the heart of Old Town Quito. After you finish cooking, you eat the meal you made at a table set in the same house.
What do I take home from this class?
You get printed recipes for the three dishes you made, so you can replicate them at home. You also keep the apron and chef hat worn during the class.
Cooking Class in Quito: Market Tour & 3 Dishes
4h · EN · ES · at your hotel
from US$ 88 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.