Traditional Cooking Class In Tamarindo
Badge of Excellence
Tamarindo, Costa Rica
- 2 hours 45 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Learn to cook some of the best foods in Tamarindo in this small-group cooking class. Your local chef takes you through the steps in making a three-course meal that you eat at the end with your group. Try things like tortillas, patacones, arroz de maiz, and more. Learn about Costa Rican culture through the food you prepare and the people who teach you.
- Easy to locate meeting spot near the center of Tamarindo
- Choose what you’d like to eat from several options
- Enjoy eating your home-made three-course meal
- Make a few new friends on this small, intimate group tour (max 8)
Sample Menu
Starter
Green Banana Ceviche
Dish from the Caribbean side of Costa rica
Main
Arroz de Mais Guancasteco and Picadillo
Served with Costa Rican Black beans with salsa Lizano
Dessert
Seasonal Fruit salad
Prepared using traditional Costa Rican tapa dulce, a rich unrefined sugar that adds depth and local flavor.
What's Included
- Kitchen Utensils
- Dinner
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 855R+8V4, Guanacaste Province, Tamarindo, Costa Rica
We are located in Tamarindo District, 8 min drive from Downtown.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
David_B
The spot can be hard to find. Pay close attention to the directions, if you’re taking a cab, maybe have the driver call the host. The meal and our host were excellent. We learned a lot about Costa Rica produce and history. Many good stories. A delicious and entertaining evening.
Reviews
4.5
based on 51 reviews
David_B, Apr 2026
The spot can be hard to find. Pay close attention to the directions, if you’re taking a cab, maybe have the driver call the host. The meal and our host were excellent. We learned a lot about Costa Rica produce and history. Many good stories. A delicious and entertaining evening.
Jojo_G, Apr 2026
I’ve done quite a few cooking classes in my home country, the United States, and abroad including a five star hotel in Italy and world renown culinary institutes. This class may be humble but I learned more about the food and culture of the area than I typically have in the fancy classes. I highly recommend. When I arrived it was not what I expected - don’t let it deter you, it is an experience of a lifetime!
Samuel_K, Nov 2025
This was an incredibly unique and fun experience. The host was so much fun and told us a lot of interesting stories about living in Costa Rica. The food was amazing and I'd highly recommend this experience.
Sanchita_S, Nov 2025
I’m sharing this review to help others understand what this experience truly entails.
First, the session lasted 4 hours, not the 2–2.5 hours listed. But even more disheartening, despite being positioned as a cooking class, we spent the *entire time* chopping vegetables and doing prep work, not actively cooking. We didn’t cook any dish from start to finish ourselves, so the format felt more like being sous chefs rather than learning how to prepare the recipes. It also isn’t a knife-skills class, as the knives were serrated or dull with worn-down tips.
On the positive side, this is a warm cultural immersion experience. Astanda is kind, welcoming, and clearly passionate about food and sharing her background. Being invited into her home was a special element, and we enjoyed meeting the other attendees.
However, I didn’t feel I learned very much, partly because a significant portion of time was spent in general conversation (including topics like COVID), which extended the length but didn’t contribute to learning. We arrived at 5 PM and didn’t eat until 9 PM, which may be difficult for families or travelers with young kids.
The food had mixed reviews in our group. The slow-cooked beans were excellent, but the chicken and rice were cold and bland, and we mostly assembled rather than cooked them. Also, many images in the listing appear to be stock photos rather than pictures of the actual experience, which felt misleading.
It’s also impossible to find the location with NO signage.
The worst part however is the cost—$600 for our family—felt very high given the limited hands-on instruction, long duration, and uneven meal quality. I left feeling the experience did not match the price point.
Worth maybe $20 including groceries, but my time was worth infinitely more
Ideas for Improvement
Clarify expectations in the listing!!
Make it clear that this is a cultural culinary experience with prep participation rather than a hands-on cooking class where guests cook full dishes.
Increase hands-on cooking instruction
Allow guests to actually cook at least one full dish themselves. Even small technique lessons (e.g., proper knife skills, seasoning, heat control) would add value.
Provide more real photos of the space and food
Replacing stock images with accurate photos would help set realistic expectations and build trust.
Improve timing and pacing
Serving food earlier—or structuring prep so guests aren’t hungry for four hours—would greatly enhance the experience
Upgrade tools and equipment
Sharper knives and more functional prep tools would make the experience feel more professional and educational.
Align price with value delivered
Either lower the cost or expand the educational component to better match a premium price point.
I appreciate the intention and hospitality behind the experience, but as currently designed, it felt misaligned with the expectations of a true cooking class and the premium price. I was left feeling taken advantage of, and I would not recommend this experience.
Elise_H, Mar 2025
Great time with a wonderful and charming host. Delicious food, and an authentic experience! Thanks so much for the fun!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you for your lovely review. We're glad you enjoyed the delicious food and the authentic experience. Our team takes great pride in offering a taste of local flavors and traditions. We look forward to welcoming you back for more fun and memorable moments.
Natalie_Z, Jan 2025
We loved cooking and getting full on delicious, healthy Costa Rican food! Astanda was a great teacher and made us feel very welcome. We mostly just cut fruit and vegetables ourselves, but Astanda made sure we knew and could see what she was doing on the stove.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Dear Natalie
Thank you for your kind words! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the cooking experience with Astanda.
Costa Rican cuisine is deeply influenced by Spanish, African, and Mesoamerican traditions, creating a unique and flavorful blend. Chef Astanda ensures that you not only learn how to cook these dishes but also understand the rich cultural history behind them.
Robin_S, Dec 2024
This was a fun interactive experience. The chef Astanda is full of knowledge and secret ingredients. The location is a bit hard to find so reach out and add the local transportation. We would definitely recommend and we would do this experience again!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the interactive experience with Chef Astanda. One of the highlights for many guests is the hands-on cooking session, where you can feel the excitement and creativity flowing as you prepare delicious dishes together.
Your Chef sources the ingredients from local farmers who have been cultivating their land for generations making it a true farm-to-table experience.
Julie_L, Nov 2024
Fun, interactive, local experience with a delicious and fresh menu from the chef! David and Suzanna created an authentic experience for our family. Excellent hosts and would recommend.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for your wonderful review, Julie. It has been a pleasure and honor meeting you and your family :-)
We're happy to hear that you enjoyed and recommend the experience. Did you know that shared culinary experiences can enhance teamwork and foster a sense of togetherness?One of the highlights for many guests is the interactive cooking, which offers a unique opportunity for families to bond and work as a team while creating delicious meals.
Looking forward to see you very soon again.
Best wishes,
Your Davianna Team
Erica_B, Nov 2024
As other reviewers have noted:
1) The experience was over 4 hours. The listing says 2.5. So you should have a snack just before arriving or you will get too hungry. This is really not for kids and young teenagers for this reason or adults who don’t snack beforehand.
2) The host did not prep sufficiently before the class, thus 4-4.5 hours long. This should be more of a demo class versus spending 3+ hours chopping produce in very tiny tiny pieces. I understand that chopping is obviously an important part of the meal prep, but it is too time consuming for the class. She could tell the participants to expect to spend so many minutes chopping for each meal component. We didn’t actually cook on the stove. She and her assistant did, which is fine given it was her home, but we didn’t see what they were doing. Again, this would be better as a cooking demo class with a yummy meal to eat.
3) The host is very nice and funny.
4) It is a cultural experience - you are in the chef’s home, she provides some interesting info about the typical ingredients used in CR cooking. The meal was traditional and it was tasty enough.
5) It you want recipes expect to write them yourself and eyeball portions - no measurement tools are used.
6) The space is small for 8 participants.
Additionally, bring your own hand towel. The bathroom only had a very tiny one that several people use and the chef doesn’t remind patrons to wash hands often. Napkins are also not provided unless requested.
Although the music adds to the ambiance, it was a little loud and made it difficult to hear the host.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Dear Ericka,
We strive to create a welcoming environment for all participants. We regret to hear that you did not feel comfortable enough to request another hand towel, napkin, or even ask to lower the music volume from your chef during a 4-4.5 hour class, and instead chose to post about it publicly.
We encourage travelers who want to help their chef to do so during the class, as this enhances their own experience and that of others. We apologize if we misunderstood the purpose of your review.
We acknowledge that the class ran longer than expected. We have since implemented a new organization system to ensure the class remains under 2.5 hours, even with more than four attendees.
Our interactive format allows participants to engage with each part of the process. We encourage guests to communicate their preferences during the class, such as requesting more demonstrations, snacks for kids, or special techniques. This helps us tailor the experience to everyone's needs.
While the host and assistant handle the cooking on the stove for safety reasons, we encourage guests to ask questions and observe closely. We will ensure this is communicated better in future classes.
Traditional Costa Rican cooking often relies on intuition rather than precise measurements. However, we provide recipes with measurements on our website for those who prefer them. We will make sure this information is more accessible.
We hope to see you again and show you the improvements we have made.
Sincerely,
Your Davianna Team
Greg_R, Jul 2024
Overall, it was ok. Probably not worth the money for the quality of food and experience, though.
The class was 10 people. It should be max 8. Because of the spacing and number of people, attention and descriptions by the host were limited.
The food was ok, though it was a bit disappointing that the ceviche was "banana" instead of fish. The water in the house went out midway through, thwn came back on. That was a bit odd. It ran over 4.5hrs - things could have been prepped more.
All in all an interesting experience, but not something I'd do again.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Greg,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with the community😊
We are surprised to hear that the experience hasn't been as you expected despite the fact that we placed you in a group of 6 around the table set for 8.
For more information on the menu in advance, our consultancy team was and will remain at your full disposal.
The experience’s focus is offering recipes that you won’t typically find in restaurants - such as the Caribbean Green Banana Ceviche. For this, chef Astanda is committed to create seasonal dishes using locally sourced ingredients 🍲
While the entire town had a brief interruption as mentioned, thanks to the stored water reservoirs the cooking immersion wasn’t affected. Our team is confused you mentioning this aspect.
As you could see the class could last less than 1,5 hours, however the experience lasts as long as guests choose to enjoy their evening - more than a cooking class it is a local encounter and cultural exchange 👩🍳
We appreciate the time you took to share your feedback and will implement it by creating a private cooking experience option 🙏🏼
Khari_B, Jun 2024
Loved learning about the local food. Good food and conversation. Will definitely cook the recipes at home.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear Khari,
Thank you for your kind words about the local food immersion!
We’re happy to hear you are going to recreate the menu at home – more than savoring the flavor, giving a delicious treat to your friends and family, it will allow you to rekindle cherished memories.
Justin_M, Apr 2024
What an amazing night of food and fun. Susanna was so much fun. She invited us right into her home and we worked together as a team to create a beautiful dinner. She told stories while cooking, kept us chatting, and kept us fed. She taught us some great cooking tips and some great recipes. We did have a little trouble finding it because we didn't realize it was right in her home. 8-). There are a couple of things that people should know if they do this:
1. This is an all evening event. I think we were there about 4 hours.
2. This is NOT an event you should bring kids to. Thankfully there weren't any when we were there. It was just us and one other couple.
Overall this was the best meal we had while in Costa Rica, and we can't wait to try the recipes on our own.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience. This means a lot to us!
We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the cooking class. It’s always a joy to see guests actively participating and learning new recipes.
Did you know that cooking in a traditional setting, like a local’s home, is a unique way to immerse oneself in the culture of a place? In Costa Rica, for instance, many traditional recipes have been passed down through generations and are often tied to specific regions or families. More than just learning to cook a dish, you’re also getting a taste of Costa Rican history and tradition - it’s a culinary journey that goes beyond the food itself.
We hope the recipes you learned will bring back fond memories when you cook them at home.
Looking forward to welcoming you back in the future for new recipes and tricks :-)
Chris_B, Apr 2024
What a fun evening! We talked, we learned, we helped make an amazing meal and we even did a little dancing and singing.. And it was all done with the most important ingredient, love! Tiny, tiny Astanda. We'll never forget!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Chris,
Thank you for sharing your experience with the community. The team is delighted you had an exceptional moment with Astanda.
Interestingly, the concept of love as an essential element in cooking has deep roots. Historically, meals prepared with love are said to nourish not just the body but also the soul, creating a bond that transcends the dining experience.
Looking forward to welcoming you again to another journey filled with love, laughter, and culinary delights.
Mau_C, Feb 2024
Great experience in Tamarindo. If you want the best mix of food, fun, culture and best dinner in town you cannot miss this experience. We are a family of 4 with 2 kids 11 years old. They had a lot of fun (including some dancing 😀). You will learn many dishes. All with natural and local ingredients. The chicken rice and the dessert were amazing! Sangra (chef) is very caring, loving and excited to share her food passion. A must if you are in the area! Important... make sure you arrive hungry because you will be eating plenty of food!!!!
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Dear Maura,
Thank you for sharing your delightful experience with us. We’re thrilled to hear that you and your family, especially your children, enjoyed the cooking class.
In many Costa Rican cooking classes, not only do you learn to prepare traditional dishes, but you also get to immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture through dance. This unique combination of cooking and dancing is a testament to the ‘Pura Vida’ lifestyle that defines Costa Rica. So, while you’re mastering the art of preparing ‘Arroz con pollo’, you might also find yourself swaying to the rhythms of salsa or bachata. It’s a culinary experience that truly engages all your senses!
Thank you for recommending us. We hope to see you again on your next visit to Tamarindo. Remember, there’s always a new dish to learn and a new flavor to discover!
Greetings
Teresa_B, Feb 2024
Our chef was wonderful and so knowledgeable. Really appreciated all the tips and tricks for making these traditional dishes.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Your review is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
There are numerous traditional cooking techniques which you will be able to take home with you. For instance, the power of volcanic rocks! This natural wonder enhances flavors, blends ingredients beautifully, and releases nutrients. It’s a sustainable, taste-boosting secret of traditional Costa Rican cuisine🌋🍲
Deb_A, Feb 2024
We enjoyed learning about traditional food and the hands on experience. The food was delicious and our host was fun to be with. Come hungry! We had great communication ahead of time to discuss what we would make and appreciated a ride being arranged to and from our hotel. Would highly recommend this experience.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Dear Deb,
It was a great pleasure to have you as our guests!
We are glad that you had fun learning how to prepare some of the most authentic dishes from our culture, such as chicken rice, or “arroz con pollo”. This is one of the most popular dishes in Costa Rica, and it gets its signature orange color from achiote, a paste made from the seeds of the annatto tree. Did you know that achiote has many uses besides being a spice and food colorant? It has been used traditionally for its medicinal properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. It has also been used as a fabric dye, body paint, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
Your chef Astanda is always happy to share with you some of the stories and secrets behind the recipes. Thank you for your feedback and your appreciation of our service 😊
Gerald_D, Feb 2024
How to make ceviche. Excellent variations between fish and vegetarian. Would highly recommend this tour. Cognescent of allergies. A little hard to find. Recommend taxi service arranged by the tour
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Dear Gerald,
Thank you for your kind words. It has been a pleasure meeting you.
We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the class.
Plantain ceviche is considered a typical dish and a cultural heritage of Costa Rica and a great way to taste the freshness and diversity of the local fruits and vegetables, as well as the flavors of lime, onion, chili, and cilantro.
Did you know this dish is not cooked with heat, but with the acidity of the lime juice, which changes the texture and color of the plantains ? This method of curing plantains dates back to the pre-Columbian era, and it has been influenced by different cultures over time.
From $99.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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