Cusco: San Pedro Market Tour & Peruvian Cooking Class

Summary

San Pedro market stroll, hands-on cooking and pisco sours in Cusco

You’ll wander Cusco’s bustling San Pedro Market with a local guide, tasting fruits you’ve never heard of before heading to a sunny kitchen for a hands-on Peruvian cooking class. Make pisco sours, prep ceviche and Andean dishes together, and share laughs over dessert. You’ll leave full — and maybe wanting to try saying “mashua” again.

What’s the experience like?

I nearly walked past the meeting spot at San Pedro Market — it’s chaos out front, carts squeaking, women in bright shawls selling everything from purple corn to what looked suspiciously like guinea pig (our guide Marco just grinned when I asked). We squeezed between stalls, stopping every few steps so Marco could hand us something new to smell or taste. There was this moment with chirimoya — sweet, creamy — that I still think about. I’d never tasted fruit like that before.

After the market, we ducked into a little studio kitchen nearby. Sunlight spilled through the windows and someone put on salsa music quietly in the background. We started with pisco sours (I definitely squeezed too much lime but nobody minded), then got our hands messy prepping ceviche three ways. The chef explained each ingredient — kushuro algae from Andean lagoons, tarwi beans, camu camu — and there was this pride in her voice that made me pay attention. She laughed when I tried to say “mashua.” I probably butchered it.

The high vibration menu was honestly more creative than I expected: creamy mashua soup with crunchy purple corn, stuffed chili pepper loaded with mushrooms and native potatoes. By dessert (lucuma gnocchi with custard apple ice cream), we were all swapping stories about food back home. It felt less like a class and more like making lunch with friends you just met — except way better ingredients.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Market visit and cooking class in Cusco

• Meet at San Pedro Central Market
• Learn about local potatoes and corn
• Make and taste pisco sours
• Prepare High Vibration Menu dishes

Top questions

Where does the cooking class in Cusco start?

The tour begins at San Pedro Central Market in downtown Cusco.

Is lunch included in the Peruvian cooking class?

Yes, all meals including appetizer, main course, dessert, plus drinks are included.

What dishes do you make during the Cusco cooking class?

You’ll prepare ceviche trio, mashua cream soup, stuffed chili pepper with salad and potato cake, plus lucuma gnocchi dessert.

Are vegetarian options available for this cooking class?

Yes, vegetarian options are available if requested when booking.

How big are the groups for this Cusco cooking tour?

The average group size is 4 people; maximum is 12.

Is there an English-speaking chef or guide?

Yes, your professional Peruvian chef speaks English and Spanish.

Does the tour include pickup from my hotel?

No hotel pickup is included; you meet directly at San Pedro Market.

Can children join the Peruvian cooking class?

Yes, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

What’s included

Your day includes all ingredients for every dish on the high-vibration menu—ceviche trio, mashua cream soup, stuffed chili pepper and lucuma gnocchi—plus fruit tasting at San Pedro Market with your English/Spanish-speaking chef-guide. Drinks like pisco sour and chicha morada are part of it too; just show up hungry and ready to chop alongside locals in downtown Cusco.