Traditional Cooking Class in Oaxaca: Home-Cooked Meals with Minerva Lopez

Immerse yourself in the authentic flavors and traditions of Oaxaca with Minerva Lopez’s traditional cooking class. Learn to cook like a local in a small, intimate setting, using fresh, organic ingredients from the local market. Whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian, or meat lover, there’s something for everyone. Join us for a unique culinary experience that goes beyond just a class.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • C. Monterrey 1370 - A warm welcome awaits you at my traditional wood-fired stove.\nAs an award-winning instructor in Traditional Oaxacan Cuisine and the recipient of the 1st Place prize at the Oaxacan Traditional Cooks Meet, I’m excited to guide you.\nOur journey begins with a stroll through Oaxaca’s largest market, where we’ll explore indigenous…
What's Included
  • Local Market Tour
  • Lunch
  • Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free menu option
  • Seasonal dessert
  • Seasonal fruit waters
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Snacks
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Beer or soda
Meal Options
  • House chocolate with bread - A chocolate drink is served accompanied with traditional bread
  • hand tortillas - Learn to make tortillas by hand on a clay griddle or pre-Hispanic stove
  • OPTION 1 Oaxacan Mole - available moles(10)
    you can choose 1 of them
    BLACK MOLE
    reddish
    chichilo
    green
    yellow
    yellow mixe
    stew
    nutty
    manchamanteles
  • Option 2…
Additional Information

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT:
IT IS NOT A RESTAURANT, I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF A CHEF
I am Minerva Lopez and I am a traditional cook from Oaxaca and I have more than 40 years of experience in pre-Hispanic and traditional cooking.
I invite you to spend a day at my house, with my family, my culture, it is an authentic experience where you will learn to cook as…

Location
Gral. Antonio de León 1
General Antonio de León
WE CAN AGREE ON A PLACE OF DEPARTURE OR THE ZOCALO OF THE CD OF OAXACA, IN FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL. ALSO IN THE LESCAS CO TOURS OFFICE, THEY ARE FRIENDS OF MINE AND CAN WAIT IN THEIR OFFICE ANTONIO DE LEON NO. 1 LOCAL I IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN CONTACT ME BY CALL OR WHATSAPP +529512903409
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(200 Ratings)
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Elena_s
Feb 25, 2026
Best travel experience ever - It was the best experience of the whole trip to Mexico, Doña Minerva is incredible. She is an amazing chef, strong woman and she uses food to employ women and help them by building an amazing community and sharing her huge knowledge with foreigners like us. It’s the best experience to both learn new dishes, learn about local culture and also support a female owned business and community. I will remember this day forever.
Review provided by Viator
Jorgeat159qd
Jan 25, 2026
Very good and authentic experience. - Minerva is a great exponent of authentic Oaxacan cuisine. She and her family greet you in their kitchen with great kindness, having taken a tour of the supply center to buy the ingredients needed to prepare the meal. Foreigners have a good translator who not only translates them but also explains the local context. Excellent food, everyone participates and everyone enjoys the cooking. The transport very good and with air conditioning. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Debbie_d
Jan 12, 2026
First rate cultural cooking class! - Minerva is an accomplished cook who is well known in the community. Our translator Amy was excellent sharing with group many cultural aspects of not only preparing mole but also life in the local area. The setting is Minerva’s lovely garden and outdoor cooking area. (outside of town about 20 min.)
Review provided by Viator
Worldexplorer53
Jan 9, 2026
a highly recommended experience - we were 4 adults, all foodies and experienced cooks, who totally enjoyed this excellent hands on class to learn the techniques and components for creating a delicious molé. This is a family presentation passing along what they have learned growing up in their family. this class would appeal to a person at any level of kitchen skill. we all learned and appreciated the sharing of ideas.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ana_h
Jan 6, 2026
Amazing experience we won’t forget! - This was an unforgettable and unique experience and we are very grateful for senora Lopez welcoming us in her kitchen. We opted for the corn experience and enjoyed making salsas, mole, tortillas, empanadas, and memelitas. The food was some of the best we’ve had on our whole Mexico trip! Senora Lopez is very kind, patient, and knowledgeable. We are also so grateful to Amy, the expert translator, who explained many things to us, including some of the historical context behind Oaxacan cuisine. She was very friendly and kind, as was the rest of the team. Thank you senora Lopez, Amy, and the whole team! we recommend this experience to anyone who is in Oaxaca and is curious to learn more about some of the most traditional regional dishes.
Review provided by Viator
Susan_m
Dec 25, 2025
Best cooking class in Oaxaca - This experience was perfect- lots of hands on cooking with local foods. Very authentic cooking methods and catered to our vegetarian needs. Word to the wise - bring an appetite! You will not leave hungry! Best ever!
Review provided by Viator
Devanshu_p
Dec 18, 2025
Thank you for welcoming me into your home! - Minerva offers a lot of different classes. This one was specifically for mole negro. You start with going to a local market which is an experience unto itself and then get a really warm welcome to Minerva's home where you're guided through the whole process. It's a great experience and I'd definitely sign up again for one of the other classes when I'm back in Oaxaca. Amy translated everything for English speakers like me and the snacks and cocktails provided by Tanya (Minerva's daughter) are great as well! 100% would recommend.
Review provided by Viator
M
Dec 18, 2025
An Authentic Cooking Class That Directly Supports Locals - Minerva’s cooking class was a highlight of my time in Oaxaca. The meeting point for pickup was easy to find, and the experience started with a guided visit through Oaxaca’s largest market that truly caters to locals. Having an English translator made everything easy to follow and added a lot of context while shopping for ingredients. From there, we went to a lovely home to cook. Our menu was mole negro, which is both labor and ingredient intensive. Minerva walked us through each step with care, explaining the process and the purpose behind it. The result was incredibly delicious and made the effort feel worthwhile. If possible, I recommend booking with her directly on Instagram, especially if you are interested in a specific menu. The experience felt personal, well organized, and thoughtfully executed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephenie_l
Dec 9, 2025
Wonderful experience!... - Wonderful experience! Minerva does a fantastic job of catering to your dietary needs and the provides a full experience.
Review provided by Viator
J2026znvivianb
Dec 3, 2025
Book on Instagram!! Fanastic - Book on instagram instead of TripAdvisor!!! Fantastic class - such a beautiful spot and Minerva is lovely. 100% would recommend if you book on instagram its much better for her and youll be able to make requests if needed!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $111
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).