Group Andean Cooking Class, Pachamanca

We took a private Peruvian cooking class with our amazing chef-instructor Alejandro as part of our honeymoon, and it was one of the best experiences we had in Cusco! Alejandro was super fun, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing his country’s cuisine. We started by learning about different local fruits, vegetables, and condiments used in Peruvian cooking, and we got to taste everything! Then we prepared our first ceviche, made delicious cocktails with the local Pisco, and finished with an amazing lomo saltado cooked on the wok - blazing flames and everything. Everything was truly an amazing experience and such great value for the money, highly recommended!

Great experience with kid and grandparents. We went for the 10am English class and it was perfect for lunch. We made two delicious courses and cocktails. We learned so much about Perus agriculture and food. Chef Fernando was great with kids - he played kids music, had mocktails and assisted them with cooking. Highly highly recommend. One of our best experiences in Peru.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Peruvian cooking class provided by Chef Fernando in Cusco. It was one of the highlights of our trip!! His recipes, instruction, personality, and overall presentation were all fantastic. He followed up by emailing us the recipes we made. Highly recommend!

What an evening! From the moment we arrived we had the most enjoyable time, learned a lot, and had amazing food! Our chefs were incredible and had us cooking like professionals and laughing at ourselves! The food was so good and I look forward to taking what we learned about ceviche, Lomo Saltado, AND pisco sours home to recreate! Cheers to Chefs Jose and Christina! We loved the whole night! Thank you so much! Highly recommend visiting when in Cusco!

We had a truly great time in this cooking class. It was fun, interesting, and the food was delicious. Our hosts were amazing, very welcoming and friendly. We did it for fun, and it was one of the highlights of our trip to Peru. I recommend it highly.

Jose Luis and Christine were wonderful hosts. They made us feel like family, were knowledgeable and fun. The food that we made was delicious.

This was one of my favorite parts of the trip! Christina was a wealth of knowledge and provided a fascinating history lesson. We got to taste different types of fruit and piscos before making my two favorite Peruvian dishes - ceviche and lomo saltado. I’d highly recommend this experience, especially if Christina is your instructor.

The food was delicious, and the host was great! The chef, Jose, was friendly, funny, and personable. He really made the class special. Nothing bad about the experience at all. The food, dishes, fruits, and cocktails were very similar to other things we'd tried in Peru.

This was the best cooking class I’ve ever taken! We did a private class, learned all about unique Peruvian ingredients and the influences from other cultures. Started with a fruit tasting, learned about perus unique potatoes, corn and peppers found at a market, made our own ceviche (this was the best ceviche we had, even compared to ones we had in Lima!). Then we did a pisco tasting and made Chilcanos and followed that with making our own alpaca lomo saltada with the most amazing flambé I’ve ever seen. This was professional level cooking! We finished by enjoying our meal and chilcanos in the beautiful courtyard. Christina our chef was amazing, so warm and friendly and knowledgeable! Christina sent us all the recipes and welcomed us to email her with any questions we have. Highly recommend this experience!! If you like cooking you will absolutely love it, and if you like food you will not be disappointed!!! Nice activity to mix in your itinerary with visiting all the ruins as well.

Chef Alejandro shared the history and evolution of Peruvian culinary arts. We learned about the local meats, veggies, grains, herbs, and their significant health benefits. We were served several samples of local fresh fruits and delicious appetizers made with local fare. He demonstrated, then coached us as we made both authentic ceviche (accommodating our individual food preferences) and limo saltado. We topped off our three hour class with him teaching us how to make several Peruvian Pisco drinks. Chef Alejandro was personable and knowledgeable with the skills of a high quality instructor. We left happy, smarter, and satisfied!

We had a wonderful experience learning to cook local Peruvian food. Christina and the team put on a fabulous class - first learning and tasting local fruits, making local dishes such as ceviche and lomo saltado and of course a pisco beverage (Chilcano)! Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Brilliant, well thought out, fun experience. José was so knowledgeable and even sent some recipes for us to take home and try out. The passion he has for cuisine makes it 10/10

This cooking class was so fun! It started with learning about the foods and spices of Peru, which was so interesting. We tried a variety of fresh fruits and they were delicious. Then we made a ceviche dish that was so fresh and perfectly seasoned. One person in our group couldn't eat uncooked fish so they made ceviche zuchinni which was also delicious. We then learned to make a couple cocktails including the famous pisco sour. And the class ended by cooking a delicious alpaca dish. Even if you don't cook often, this is a class someone with any level of cooking experience can enjoy. It was so fun and everything tasted great! I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a unique experience and full stomach. :)

The private cooking class with Jose was an absolute highlight of our trip. We learned how to prepare lomo saltado, ceviche, and Pisco sour. They accommodated our dietary restrictions. Overall it was a blast!

This was a wonderful experience! We learned so much about Peru, Cusco, food, and local agriculture. We really had a great time cooking too! I’ve already made one of the drinks at home - the Chillcano. My family loved it and I plan on cooking the other plates too. Of course I will be making a Pisco sour too! I can’t say enough about how comfortable and fun our experience was. Definitely a highlight of our trip to Peru!

Jose is so knowledgeable and super passionate. The class was so much fun and the food came out amazing!

Jose is an excellent maestro in the history, culture and culinary arts of Peru. We learned about native fruit, indigenous cooking and making the epimonious pisco sour. Shaking and blending our own recipe.

We loved the experience we had with Alejandro Castillo, our Peruvian chef. Alejandro took the time to tell us the background on Peruvian gastronomy and then showed us how to make ceviche with mahi mahi, pisco sour, chilcano, and lomo saltado. Cooking the lomo was especially fun. We also learned a lot about the history of these dishes/drinks and many of the foods native to Peru. It was really a fun afternoon, highly recommend!

Alejandro’s passion and knowledge of Peruvian history infused into an incredible culinary experience. We learned so much and had a blast making ceviche, Pisco cocktails and lomo saltado. This was a highlight of our trip and look forward to getting the recipes by email when we return home. Did I mention the food and drinks were amazing? This is a must do for many reasons.

On our final day of our two-week vacation in Peru, before flying home out of Cusco, we ended our trip on the perfect note, at Marcelo Batata. We found out about the classes when we met Jose and Christina on a tour in Manu National Park (the group we were with was staying at the same place as Jose's & Christina's group - they are tour guides, by the way, in addition to running Marcelo - and we were guests on a different tour). We were drawn to chat with them by their friendly personalities, and after finding out about their cooking classes, asked if they could squeeze us in once we were all back in Cusco, and they were happy to set it up. We couldn't have been happier with the class, because it was not just a class - it was an EXPERIENCE! We cooked, we ate, we learned about Peruvian history and geography, and we got to spend time with this amazing family (Jose's and Christina's) who know so much and are able to share it in a personal, warm, and fun way. If we are ever back in Cusco, we will be setting up another class with them!

My husband and I had so much fun taking this cooking class or what Chef Jose calls “culinary experience” . Not only we learned how to prepare ceviche and lomo saltado and mix pisco sour and chilcano but we also learned about potatoes, peppers & corns. There’s so many kinds! Chef Jose made it easy for us to follow the steps. Our ceviche and lomo saltado came out amazing and very tasty. The cooking class is one of the highlights of of our trip. Thank you, Chef Jose!

Jose was the ultimate chef/ host for our cooking class which featured TRUE Peruvian cuisine. The techniques we learned were helpful and the experience unforgettable. There are certainly less expensive alternatives, but this class is worth every penny. Quality ingredients and a lesson from a true professional. Don’t pass it up !

We spent a magical afternoon with Jose learning about Peruvian food and cooking. Jose was so entertaining. He is a talented chef and a fun teacher. We learned about fruits and vegetables, visited their "little market" which was so informative. We made ceviche and Lomo Saltado and even learned how to make a good Pisco Sour. Thank you for sharing your love of food with us. It was a wonderful experience!

The only thing wrong with this class is that we didn't take it our first day in Cusco! We learned a lot of Peruvian history from Jose (who was a fabulous host and teacher), and how that related to the cuisine in Peru. We are a family of 3 teenage boys, my husband and myself. My kids are not fond of cooking and they even loved the class! The food samples from the restaurant that is housed there was delicious and we're sorry we didn't have time to eat a real meal there. We would all highly recommend this class!

My family and I had the pleasure of taking the Peruvian cooking class with Jose Luis at Marcelo Batata and we had a great experience. Jose was instructive, entertaining and encouraged us to try different foods and drinks. The class was one of the many highlights of our trip to Peru and should we visit again, I would definitely take another class with Jose. In addition, the food was superb and Jose emailed all of the recipes to each of us, which we will definitely use to impress our friends and family.

We attended Jose’s cooking class and learned much more than how to cook Peruvian food. Jose talked about his country, culture, history including how immigrants to Peru influenced the tastes and consistency of the meals! I was afraid to flambé and Jose was so supportive and reassuring that I followed through. Aside from all of the above, Jose has an engaging and enthusiastic personality. He sent the recipes as he said he would when we came home Put this on your list as Must Do when you visit Peru

Chef Alejandro Castillo provided a unique and highly personalized experience in learning and appreciating classic Peruvian cuisine and drinks. His ability to relate the history and culture of the Peruvian people to the ingredients and dishes made for a very unique experience. This is one of the best experiences we have ever had in Peru! Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn more about Peruvian cuisine.

My wife and I took a private cooking class after earning our appetites on the Inca Trail. The chef was extremely knowledgeable about the history of culinary influences which only increased our appreciation of the Peruvian cuisine. The combination of available resources to Peruvians in addition to the expertise learned from Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese influences makes one of the world's best culinary experiences. We enjoyed making both classic ceviche and ceviche with an added twist of citrus as well as lomo soltado. We even brushed up on our virgin cocktail expertise (we are both non-drinkers) as the chef was able to adapt the pisco sour and chilcano recipes to cater to our preferences. A top notch experience and one of our highlights in Cusco. Highly recommend!

Great introduction to original Peruan cuisine. Great Pisco Sour receipes, we'll try it at home surely.

As well as being a master chef, Alejandro, was incredibly educated about Peruvian gastronomy and history. He was able to answer all questions we had. He coached us in preparing ceviche and limo saltado with flare. This is a must when visiting Cusco.

On our Peru excursion we had just 1 day in Cusco and half of that was planned by tour agent for this cooking class. So we were skeptical about whether it's worth doing this instead of seeing some more monuments or shops. But the mood changed rapidly as we embarked on this culinary journey with Jose. Let me tell you that this is not a typical cooking class but if u want to immerse into the culture of Peru, if you believe that food, history and geography are inseparable elements of culture and of course if u r a food lover, u can't go wrong with this premium experience! Time just flies as Jose takes u on the joy ride of fruits, spices, flavours, spirits all the while showing how history and geography bind with food. It was simply amazing and unique experience and we didn't regret for a moment not seeing some monuments of shops instead. If we come again to Cusco, this will be first on the list. Thanks Jose! U nailed it!

My wife and I were lucky enough (due to a cancellation) to get a private cooking class with Chef Alejandro. He explained the culinary history of Peru to us all while letting us sample delicious local fruits and dishes from Uchu. We were excited to learn how to make Ceviche, Pisco Sours and Lomo Saltado, but more importantly it was a delight to spend time with someone who is so obviously passionate about the mixing pot that is Peru!

This really was one of the highlights of our trip to Peru as Jose gave us such a great overview of the geography & history of Peru in relation to its food. The course was very professional and we covered so much in the short time we were there.

We did the culinary cooking class with José and we had the most wonderfull time of the year. José really has a passion for cooking and ingriedients. We had small tastings throughout the class that mind blowing. José thaught us so much about the Peruvian food culture, I would definitely recommend doing this in Cusco.

Our group of 11 was in Peru for 2 weeks and this is definitely a highlight. Jose is informative and fun. The cooking class is a great education and introduction to Peruvian foods and history. The cooking is interactive and fun. We all agreed that cooking classes would be a regular thing on our trips, though not sure any will hit the mark as high as Marcelo Batata!!!! Thank you Jose, we had an awesome time.

Even those in our group not excited about the idea of a cooking demo left with huge smiles. The morning was entertaining, informative and delicious. Five stars!

We could learn a little about the peruvian cuisine and we had a lot of fun by cooking. Whether Pisco or Chevice everything was perfect.

Jose's passion for Peruvian food, culture and history was conveyed to us in a delicious and educational few hours in his kitchen. We didn't just learn the how, but also the why, of Peruvian cuisine. Who knew there are over 3,000 types of potatoes in Peru? Overall, a great experience and well worth seeking it out.

What an awesome experience. Not only did we learn to make ceviche and "Alpacha" de lomo, we learnt so much about Peruvian history, culture, ingredients and got to make pisco sours. Peru has been the top culinary country for the last 4 - 5 years and this is evident as you hear more about its history, its multiple climates and its passion for food. The cooking itself is interactive, simple for everyone and even has some flames thrown in. I can highly recommend doing this in Cusco as not only will you learn something new about food and Peruvian history, you will enjoy doing it, and then eating it!

What a fun, interesting and educational morning we had with Jose in his kitchen. We learned to cook some fabulous dishes (and eat them of course). We set the kitchen alight with our alpaca saltado, washed down with pisco sours. Made our own ceviche and generally had a fun, informative morning which we all enjoyed thoroughly. The small taster snacks throughout the morning were absolutely delicious!!

A big thank you to José and Pachamama for this great moment that made me discover the diversity of Peruvian products, the great variety of exotic fruits. The preparation of Cevice, Alpaca saltado and Pisco sour has no secrets for me, the tasting of bruchettas and cocoa dessert will be recorded. I still have my taste buds writhing. Ready to open a Peruvian restaurant in Paris;)

My girlfriend and I took the private "Pachamanca in a Clay Pot" cooking class. This was taught by Chef Jose Luis Lescano Perez Pacheco. It was great fun - and informative...not only from a culinary standpoint; Chef Jose provided historical perspective as well. This is a hands-on class and we prepared a wonderful meal. And sprinkled throughout our time, we were treated to appetizers/little tid-bits of incredibly tasty morsels as well as making our own Pisco Chilcanos. I highly recommend this fun and informative and tasty activity to everyone.

In over twenty years of being a tour manager, have I had such an amazing culinary experience as this one. The class is extremely well organized and the information given on Peruvian history and food is extraordinary. It is, without any doubt, the best activity we have done in our travels in Peru.

My wife and adult son signed up for the school for our last day in Cusco. It turned out to be one of our best experiences of the trip. Alejandro Castillo was our energetic, impassioned, and knowledgeable chef and teacher. Over our four-hour class, he told about and showed us the various vegetables and fruits native to Peru, all while we sampled delicious appetizers from next-door restaurant Uchu. The school is well equipped, with an informal bar area where students sat, with our chef instructor teaching behind the bar, an adjacent room stocked with produce for ready inspection, and a cooking area with prep areas and cooking stations for six. Our class included five. Alejandro gave a culture lesson weaving Peruvian history and its food, punctuated by hands-on lessons in making ceviche and Pisco drinks, and as the culminating challenge, cooking the national dish Lomo Saltado in a wok over a blazing hot flame. We each donned an apron and chef toque, which helped us feel the part of an aspiring chef. Highly recommended, even to those who don't know their way around a kitchen, like me.

José was an extremely engaging, and patient :) teacher. We learned how to make several kinds of delicious ceviche, which I always assumed would be too difficult, but it was easy and enjoyable! Definitely going to re-create at home. Great location as well.

We went expecting a cooking class but came away with much more. Jose's knowledge of the history made this experience well worth attending. We also like the little market they have set up further explaining the differences between the foods. We highly recommend for anyone interested. Al I.

Went with some friends we are all between 22 and 25. We had a private truffle cooking class and had lots of laughs throughout the 1.5 hour class. Great way to spend an afternoon of the weather isn't great! Yilmar was a good host ask for him if you can.

Very good class. I loved cooking something traditional and unique. Very central location and very comfortable and very nice place.

The cooking class given by Alejandro is highly recommended! Before we started cooking we got an explanation about the history of food in Peru. This explanation was not only very clear but also gave a good insight into how the dishes were influenced. During the class we cooked two dishes and made two cocktails. Everything was explained in a good way and we can not help but say that we enjoyed this experience enormously!