Playa del Carmen · Small groups
Three hours in Chef Alma Gonzalez's Playa del Carmen kitchen, cooking her family's home recipes from scratch — tortillas, salsas, sides and a different main every class day — then eating together.
About this class
Chef Alma Gonzalez runs one of the warmest kitchens in Playa del Carmen. Her class is short enough to fit into a beach day and hands-on enough to actually change how you cook at home: from-scratch tortillas, two salsas, two side dishes and a main course that changes with the day of the week.
There is no market walk on this class. You arrive, meet Alma, and she walks you through the history and technique behind the dishes you are about to make — why nixtamal matters, how a salsa changes when the chile is charred rather than boiled, how to get the dough to the right texture by feel. Then you cook it all, together, and sit down to eat.
Classes are small, capped at eight guests, and run Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00 in the morning. The kitchen keeps a Tripadvisor Badge of Excellence year after year, and it is an easy, family-friendly way to spend half a day in Playa.
Itinerary
A welcome, an introduction to the kitchen and a look at the day's menu.
The history and technique behind tortillas, salsas and the main course.
Make tortillas, two salsas, two sides and the main from scratch.
Enjoy everything you cooked with the rest of the group.
The menu
Included
Good to know
Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00. About 3 hours.
Playa del Carmen. Meeting details are in your confirmation email.
All ages welcome with an adult. The class is capped at 8 guests.
Vegetarian and other dietary requirements can be accommodated — tell us in advance.
MX$1,900 per person, quoted in Mexican pesos.
Full refund when you cancel at least 24 hours before the class.
Cancel or reschedule within the policy window and you get a full refund. Gratuities are not included; 15% is customary if you enjoyed the class.
Reviews
“An absolute highlight of our trip to Playa del Carmen. Alma was incredibly warm, welcoming, and engaging, and she created such a fun, relaxed atmosphere that we immediately felt at home. We laughed, connected, learned about the history and culture of the region.”
“Alma made the experience especially memorable, and you can tell how much passion she has for sharing her knowledge and bringing people together. We would wholeheartedly recommend Cookin' Playa!”
“Such a great day, time flew by as we learned lots about Mexican markets, shopping tips, visited a tortillaria and saw the process of turning corn into the staple food used by most Mexican dishes. The cooking experience was hands on and very educational.”
Reviews are published as guests wrote them. 121 verified reviews for this experience.
FAQ
Just yourself and a willingness to learn. All ingredients, tools and aprons are provided.
Yes. Private classes for up to 10 guests can be arranged in Playa del Carmen — see the private cooking class page or contact us.
Yes. Tell us when you book and Alma will build a vegetarian version of the day's menu.
No. All skill levels are welcome and every step is shown first.
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Cook with us
Home-style cooking with Chef Alma · 3 hours · from MX$1,900 per person. Small groups, taught in English and Spanish.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before · +52 322 171 7854
