Cozumel Cooking Class: Mexican Recipes in Josefina's Kitchen

Cook traditional Mexican food in a local home kitchen using molcajetes and comals like Josefina's family

A 3-hour hands-on cooking class in Cozumel limited to 6 students, held in Josefina's home kitchen with her son Jeronimo as an alternative instructor. The class begins at El Mercado, Cozumel's local market, where you learn to select fresh traditional ingredients from vendors, then move to the kitchen to prepare handmade tortillas, sauces, guacamole and side dishes using authentic Mexican cooking tools. You'll make margaritas or agua frescas, enjoy the meal you've cooked, and leave with Josefina's e-cookbook of family recipes. The class is available in English or Spanish, and vegetarian and gluten-free options are available with advance notice.

The Experience

Cozumel's El Mercado is where the class starts. You walk through the market with Josefina or Jeronimo, learning how to pick the ingredients that matter—the right chiles, the tomatoes, the herbs—and talking with the vendors who sell them. This is not a tour of the market; you're there to shop for what you'll cook, and the guide shows you what to look for and why. The walking is light, though some surfaces are uneven.

Back in Josefina's kitchen, you work with the tools that make Mexican cooking what it is: the molcajete (a stone mortar and pestle for grinding spices and making sauces), the lime press, the tortilla press, and the comal—a flat griddle that sits over the heat. The class covers handmade tortillas from scratch, traditional sauces, guacamole, and side dishes. You're not watching a demonstration; you're making these things yourself, with instruction and correction as you go. A small group of no more than 6 means there's room to ask questions and time for the guide to watch what you're doing.

Toward the end, you have the choice to make margaritas or agua frescas—the traditional Mexican flavored waters. Then you sit down and eat what you've made, a multi-course meal that takes time. Water, snacks during class, and your choice of beer or margarita are included. Before you leave, you get Josefina's e-cookbook with the family recipes from the class, so you can cook these dishes at home. Children from age 6 are welcome, and vegetarian or gluten-free versions can be arranged if you let the operator know when you book.

What’s included

• Small-group cooking class limited to 6 students.
• guided tour of El Mercado to select fresh ingredients.
• instruction in authentic Mexican cooking tools (molcajete, lime press, tortilla press, comal).
• preparation of handmade tortillas, traditional sauces, guacamole and side dishes.
• choice of making margaritas or agua frescas.
• the multi-course meal you've cooked.
• water, snacks during class, and beer or margarita.
• Josefina's e-cookbook with personal family recipes.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cozumel Chef

Is this one for you?The class involves a small amount of walking on uneven surfaces at the market and some time standing in the kitchen, so it suits someone comfortable with light activity and hands-on work. If you want to learn Mexican cooking from someone who cooks it every day, in her own kitchen, with recipes you can take home and make again, this is built for that.

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Top questions

What is El Mercado and what do I do there during the class?

El Mercado is Cozumel's local market where the class begins. You walk through with Josefina or Jeronimo to learn how to select fresh traditional ingredients—chiles, tomatoes, herbs—by talking with the vendors and understanding what makes each ingredient right for Mexican cooking. You're shopping for the ingredients you'll use in the kitchen, not sightseeing.

What cooking tools will I use, and are they tools I can use at home?

You'll work with authentic Mexican cooking tools including the molcajete (a stone mortar and pestle for grinding and sauces), lime press, tortilla press, and comal (a flat griddle). These are traditional tools; a molcajete and comal are available for home cooking, though you'll need to source them yourself after the class.

How many people will be in the class, and is there enough time to get individual instruction?

The class is limited to 6 students, which keeps the group small enough that Josefina or Jeronimo can watch what you're doing, answer questions, and give correction as you work through each dish. A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.

What dishes do I actually make during the 3 hours?

You'll prepare handmade tortillas from scratch, traditional sauces, guacamole, and side dishes. Toward the end, you also make either margaritas or agua frescas (traditional Mexican flavored waters). The class culminates in eating the multi-course meal you've prepared together.

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

Yes. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available; you'll need to let the operator know your dietary requirements when you book so Josefina can adjust the recipes and ingredients ahead of time.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the class?

Yes, you'll need to arrange your own way to Josefina's kitchen. Public transportation options are available nearby, and the operator can provide directions and information on how to get there from wherever you're staying. The class location is wheelchair accessible, and transportation options in the area are wheelchair accessible as well.