The Heartbeat of the Andes
On Your Palate: market tour and cooking class in Cusco
San Pedro Market, exotic fruits, Pisco Sour, ceviche and lomo saltado, made with your own hands.
45 USD
per person
Market tour + cooking class · approx. 5 hours
Reference image
Schedule
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Format
Market tour & cooking class
Language
Spanish / English
Location
San Pedro Market & studio
The experience
The soul of Cusco, one dish at a time.
Peruvian cuisine isn't just a recipe; it's a story of biodiversity, cultural heritage and passion written anew every morning. We invite you to discover the culinary soul of Cusco through a lively, hands-on and beautifully crafted experience, designed to connect you with the very essence of our land.
Your journey begins in the vibrant heart of the city: San Pedro Central Market. Guided by a professional local chef, you'll wander aisles full of aromas, colors and textures. You'll learn the secret of the chili peppers that bring our dishes to life, discover hundreds of Andean potato varieties and enjoy an exclusive tasting of fresh, colorful exotic fruits from the rainforest and the highlands.
With your chosen ingredients in hand, you'll head to our private cooking studio. Here, with your own individual station and a designer apron, you become the star. We'll awaken the senses with a cocktail workshop, where you'll learn to balance and shake the perfect Pisco Sour.
Under our chef's expert guidance, you'll discover the secrets of a precise cut and just the right acidity to create an unforgettable Peruvian ceviche, and master the art of fire by wok-searing a juicy, smoky lomo saltado. Finally, we'll share the table over an intimate, relaxed lunch, enjoying the dishes you created with your own hands, paired with laughter and good company.
Don't just taste Peruvian food. Learn the art of transforming it, create a lasting memory and take the flavor of Cusco home.
Highlights
Why you'll love it.
01
San Pedro Market with a chef
Explore Cusco's iconic market with a local chef and learn about native potatoes, corn, chilies and herbs.
02
Exotic fruit tasting
Taste cherimoya, lúcuma, granadilla, aguaymanto and pacay, fruits that are hard to find back home.
03
The perfect Pisco Sour
Learn the history of pisco and shake your own Pisco Sour from scratch, or an alcohol-free mocktail.
04
Ceviche and lomo saltado
Master the precise cut of a Peruvian ceviche and the wok fire of a juicy lomo saltado.
05
Your own cooking station
Cook at an individual station with utensils, apron and chef's hat, guided by a bilingual chef.
06
Lunch and recipes to take home
Share a relaxed 3-course lunch and leave with a digital recipe book to cook Peru at home.
Itinerary · From market to table
From the market to your plate.
Approximate schedule. Times may vary slightly depending on the group.
Step
01
Meeting point and welcome
Meet your chef-guide at the cooking studio, usually located in Cusco's historic center near the Plaza de Armas, for a short introduction to the day's menu.
- Meet your chef-guide
- Introduction to the day's menu
Step
02
Immersion in San Pedro Market
A guided walk to the iconic San Pedro Central Market. The chef teaches you to identify the native ingredients at the heart of Peruvian cuisine: Andean potato varieties, corn, chili peppers (amarillo, limo, panca) and local herbs such as huacatay.
- Andean potatoes and corn
- Amarillo, limo and panca chilies
- Local herbs like huacatay
Step
03
Exotic fruit tasting
A special stop inside the market to taste fresh fruits from Peru's coast, highlands and rainforest that are hard to find back home, such as cherimoya, lúcuma, granadilla, golden berries (aguaymanto) and pacay.
- Cherimoya and lúcuma
- Granadilla, aguaymanto and pacay
Step
04
Back to the cooking studio
Return to the studio with the fresh ingredients bought at the market. Put on your apron, wash your hands and get ready for the action.
- Fresh ingredients from the market
- Apron on, hands washed
Step
05
Cocktail workshop: the perfect Pisco Sour
The chef or a professional bartender shares the history of pisco. Each guest makes a traditional Pisco Sour from scratch (or a fruity version such as passion fruit Pisco Sour), learning the secret balance between pisco, lime and simple syrup.
- The history of pisco
- Your own Pisco Sour from scratch
Step
06
First course: ceviche or causa limeña
At your interactive cooking station, learn to cut fresh fish and make leche de tigre on the spot for a perfect Peruvian ceviche, or layer a causa limeña with chicken or trout. Then sit down to enjoy your starter.
- Cutting fresh fish
- Leche de tigre made on the spot
- Enjoy your starter
Step
07
Second course: the art of fire (lomo saltado)
Back at your individual station, learn the high-heat flambé and wok stir-fry technique to cook a juicy lomo saltado (or a vegetarian option with mushrooms or quinoa).
- High-heat wok technique
- Vegetarian option available
Step
08
Lunch, dessert and farewell
Sit down to enjoy the main course you made yourself, with ice-cold chicha morada or a glass of wine. The workshop usually closes with a handmade dessert prepared by the studio. End of the experience.
- Your own main course
- Chicha morada or a glass of wine
- Handmade dessert
What's included
Everything you need at your station.
Included
Hotel pick-up.
Professional bilingual chef.
Guided visit to the local market.
Exotic fruit tasting.
Individual cooking station.
Utensils, cutting boards, apron and chef's hat.
3-course menu: preparation and tasting of a starter, a main course and a complimentary dessert.
Pisco Sour preparation (or an alcohol-free mocktail for children and non-drinkers) and unlimited soft drinks (water, chicha morada).
Digital recipe book.
Not included
Tips or personal expenses.
Transportation from hotels outside Cusco's historic center.
Food not mentioned.
Before you go
Before you cook.
Wear comfortable shoes
We'll walk for about an hour through the streets of Cusco and the market aisles. Closed, comfortable shoes are a must.
Tell us about dietary restrictions
When you book, please let us know your preferences or restrictions: vegetarian, vegan, celiac (gluten intolerance) or shellfish allergy. With advance notice, we adapt the ingredients at your individual station without any problem.
Bring cash in soles
If you'd like to buy souvenirs or artisan chocolate at the market, the local stallholders only accept cash in local currency (soles).
FAQ
What guests often ask us.
Do I need cooking experience?
No. You'll have your own individual station, and the chef guides you step by step through every technique.
How long does the experience last?
About five hours, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, including the market visit, the cooking class and lunch.
Where do we meet?
At the cooking studio, usually located in Cusco's historic center near the Plaza de Armas. Hotel pick-up is included for hotels in the historic center.
What will I cook?
A Pisco Sour, a starter (Peruvian ceviche or causa limeña) and a main course (lomo saltado or a vegetarian option). The studio prepares a handmade dessert to finish.
Can you adapt the menu to my diet?
Yes. Tell us when you book if you are vegetarian, vegan, celiac or allergic to shellfish, and we'll adapt the ingredients at your station.
Are there alcohol-free options?
Yes. Children and non-drinkers can make an alcohol-free mocktail, and soft drinks such as water and chicha morada are unlimited.
What should I bring?
Closed, comfortable shoes for about an hour of walking, and some cash in soles if you'd like to buy souvenirs or artisan chocolate at the market.
What does the 45 USD price include?
Hotel pick-up, a professional bilingual chef, the guided market visit, the exotic fruit tasting, your individual cooking station and equipment, the 3-course menu, the Pisco Sour and unlimited soft drinks, and a digital recipe book. Tips, personal expenses and food not mentioned are not included.
Gallery
Flavors of the day.
More experiences
You may also like.
Inari Select
Inca Sunrise: Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cusco
From 90 USD
View tour →Inari Select
Andean Alchemy: Paint Your Energy and Protection
From 40 USD
View tour →Your next table
Book your cooking class in Cusco.
Tell us your preferred date, how many people are joining and any dietary restrictions. We'll reply on WhatsApp with availability and next steps.
Subject to availability. This inquiry does not confirm a booking.