Farmer's Market Tour & Cooking Class in Mauritius

You pick the fish from the market, then cook it into curry back at the chef's home.

A five-hour cooking class in Mauritius that starts at the Flacq Farmers Market, the largest in the country, where you taste local street food, shop for fresh produce and spices, and select the catch of the day. Back at the chef's home, you cook a three-course dinner under instruction from Jaya, a chef trained by her mother and grandmother in Mauritian spice work. The meal comes with unlimited local rum punch and cocktails, and time to hear stories from Jaya and her co-host Avi about the customs that shape daily life.

The experience

The experience opens at the Flacq Farmers Market, where you'll taste local street food for breakfast and walk the market lanes with Jaya, who points out the vegetables and spices that anchor Mauritian cooking. You choose the fresh fish from the fishmonger yourself. The ingredient that becomes the day's centerpiece, a local fish curry. This is not a tour of the market. It's a shopping trip where you learn what to look for and why each item matters to the food you're about to make.

Back at Jaya's home, the cooking class begins. She learned her craft from her mother and grandmother, and her focus is the layering of spices that defines Mauritian flavor. You work alongside her to prepare fried fish with spiced chilli, the fresh fish curry you selected, rice, tomato salsa, green salad, and jalebi sweets. The instruction is hands-on. You're making the meal, not watching a demonstration. Bottled water and snacks are provided throughout.

The three-course dinner happens when the cooking is done. You sit down to eat what you've made, with unlimited local rum punch and Mauritian cocktails. Jaya and Avi join the table, and the conversation turns to the customs and rituals of Mauritian life: the stories behind the food and the way meals anchor the culture. This is the part that lingers: the meal as a frame for understanding how people actually live.

What’s included

• Breakfast at the market.
• lunch.
• a three-course local dinner.
• unlimited local rum punch and Mauritian cocktails.
• bottled water and snacks throughout.
• private transportation to and from the Flacq Farmers Market.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday and SundayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (15 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (3 to 14 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Heritage Spice House Experiences

Is this one for you?Five hours is long enough to move unhurried through the market, cook without rushing, and sit down to eat and talk, but short enough to leave the rest of your day open for other plans in Mauritius.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 14 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Flacq Farmers Market like, and how much time do we spend there?

The Flacq Farmers Market is the largest market in Mauritius, filled with local produce, spices, and a fishmonger's counter. You'll spend the early part of the morning there, tasting street food for breakfast and walking the lanes to select the ingredients, especially the fresh fish, that you'll cook later at Jaya's home.

Do I need cooking experience to join this class?

No prior experience is required. Jaya teaches the cooking as part of the class, and you work alongside her to prepare each dish. The focus is on learning the spice techniques that define Mauritian cuisine, not on advanced skills.

What exactly do we cook and eat?

You prepare fried fish with spiced chilli, a local fresh fish curry served with rice, tomato salsa and green salad, and jalebi sweets. These three courses make up the dinner you eat together at the end of the class, paired with unlimited local rum punch and Mauritian cocktails.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to arrange separately?

The experience includes breakfast at the market, lunch, the three-course dinner, unlimited local rum punch and cocktails, bottled water, snacks, and private transportation to and from the Flacq market. You do not need to arrange transportation to and from Jaya's home. That's handled as part of the class.