Cooking Class in Chirijuyú: Ancestral Guatemalan Recipes

Grind corn on stone and cook over clay in a village kitchen outside Antigua.

A cooking class in Chirijuyú, 15 minutes from Antigua Guatemala, where you learn ancestral Guatemalan recipes from a local family and cook a full meal together using traditional techniques. The group stays small (up to 12 people), and private transfer from Antigua is included. You'll prepare Quichón with its mystical ancestral sauce, grind corn by hand, pat tortillas on a comal, and eat what you cook as lunch or dinner depending on your booking time.

The experience

Chirijuyú sits close enough to Antigua that the transfer takes 15 minutes, but far enough that you step into a working village kitchen instead of a tourist zone. A local family welcomes small groups and teaches you to make the dishes they cook at home: recipes passed down for generations. The centerpiece is Quichón, a smoked meat dish with an ancestral sauce that defines the meal, but the day builds around the full process: you'll grind dried corn into flour using a traditional stone metate, shape tortillas by hand, and cook them on a clay comal the moment before you eat. The kitchen is intimate and warm, built around a shared table where the group eats together when the cooking is done.

The class runs four hours and includes Soldadito soup (a traditional broth with fresh ingredients) and ticucos (tortillas stuffed with beans and cooked on the griddle). A roasted sweet potato with syrup rounds out the meal. Eggs cooked on a clay griddle without fat, served with roasted tomato sauce and handmade tortillas, is another option depending on the day. The guide speaks English or Spanish and walks you through each step. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions are available if you request them when you book. Private transfer from your Antigua hotel is included. If you want a more immersive arrival, you can arrange to travel by traditional chicken bus with the guide instead.

Children from age 6 are welcome. The space is wheelchair accessible, and the operator can accommodate strollers for infants and small children. Public transportation options are nearby if you prefer to arrange your own arrival.

What’s included

• Private transfer from Antigua Guatemala.
• all ingredients and use of the family kitchen.
• instruction in traditional cooking techniques including stone grinding and clay griddle cooking.
• the full meal you prepare (Quichón, handmade tortillas, Soldadito soup, ticucos and roasted sweet potato).
• vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free adaptations with prior notice.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30, 09:00, 13:00 and 14:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (13 to 89 years) · Infant (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Utum

Is this one for you?The guide teaches in English or Spanish, so you'll follow comfortably in whichever language you speak. The small group size and intimate kitchen setting work well for anyone seeking a genuine cultural experience rather than a demonstration watched from a distance.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (6 to 12 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What exactly do I cook and eat in this class?

You prepare Quichón (smoked meat with an ancestral sauce), grind corn by hand and shape tortillas on a comal, make Soldadito soup, and cook ticucos (bean-stuffed tortillas on a clay griddle). You eat everything you cook together as a shared meal, which becomes either lunch or dinner depending on what time you book.

How does the transfer from Antigua work?

Private transfer from your Antigua hotel is included in the class price. The drive to Chirijuyú takes about 15 minutes. If you want a more local experience, you can choose to travel by traditional chicken bus with the guide instead.

What if I have dietary restrictions?

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions of the recipes are available with prior notice when you make your reservation. Let the operator know your needs at booking.

How many people will be in the group?

Groups stay small, with a maximum of 12 people, so the experience remains personal and the kitchen doesn't feel crowded.