My Honest Take on a 2025 Peruvian Cooking Class in Cusco

So, when you first get to Cusco, you’re honestly hit by the altitude and the sheer history of the place, you know. The city sits in this massive valley, and, well, everywhere you look, there are these amazing old stones and tiny streets that just feel ancient. Anyway, after a couple of days of checking out ruins and getting used to the thinner air, I was honestly ready for something a bit different. I mean, the food in the restaurants was incredible, don’t get me wrong. But, you know, I sort of wanted to get my hands dirty and really figure out what makes Peruvian food tick. So, basically, I started looking for a cooking class, something that felt real and not too touristy. It’s a very popular thing to do, apparently, so there are quite a few choices out there. You have these super slick, modern kitchens on offer, and then there are the ones that are a little more rustic, kind of promising a more homespun feeling. Honestly, I wanted the second kind. The idea of learning from a local chef, and maybe even going to a market, was just really what I was looking for. So, after a bit of searching online and reading a few reviews, I just went for it and booked one for the next day. I was pretty excited, to be honest, and just a little bit nervous about my own cooking skills.

Starting the Day at San Pedro Market

Alright, so the day of the class started really early, and you know, the first stop was the famous San Pedro Market. Our guide and chef, a super friendly woman named Sofia, met our small group just outside. She explained that we were actually going to buy the ingredients for our lunch, which I thought was a really cool way to begin. Honestly, the second you step into that market, your senses just go into overdrive. It’s almost a complete overload, you know, but in the best possible way. The smells are just everywhere; you’ve got fresh herbs, pungent cheeses, roasting meats, and sweet fruits all sort of mixed together. And the colors, I mean, it’s like a painter’s palette gone wild. Sofia was just amazing; she would stop at these stalls and talk to the vendors like they were old friends, which, apparently, they were. We saw these massive piles of potatoes, and she explained that Peru has, like, thousands of types. Seriously, she picked up a few different ones for us to try later, some purple, some yellow, some with these strange, knobby shapes. They looked more or less like alien vegetables. For instance, have you thought about how authentic local markets can change your travel perspective? She then took us to a stall piled high with peppers, the famous aji amarillo, which she said gives many Peruvian dishes their signature sunny color and just a little bit of heat. We also got to try some strange and wonderful fruits, like lucuma, which is kind of like a creamy, maple-flavored avocado, and a super tart passion fruit called maracuyá. The whole experience in the market was so much more than just shopping; it was a lesson in itself, you know, about the ingredients that are literally the foundation of all Peruvian food. It was kind of an amazing way to see daily life in Cusco up close, just watching people haggle and chat.

Getting into the Kitchen: Pisco Sours and Prepping

Okay, so after the market adventure, we took a short walk to the cooking school, which was basically located in this beautiful old colonial building. You know, the kind with a central courtyard and lots of plants. The kitchen itself was, pretty much, the perfect mix of modern and traditional. It had really nice, clean workstations for all of us, yet it still had this cozy, homey feel with all these colorful tiles and wooden beams. Anyway, the first thing on the agenda was not food, but a drink. And of course, it was going to be a Pisco Sour. Sofia, with a big grin, announced that, really, no Peruvian cooking experience is complete without learning to make the national cocktail. She gave each of us our own little cocktail shaker, a small glass of Pisco, some lime juice, simple syrup, and a little bit of egg white. I mean, she made it look so easy, obviously. She explained that the key is to shake it really, really hard with lots of ice until the shaker is just freezing cold to the touch. It’s pretty much a workout for your arms, to be honest. But at the end of the day, when you pour out that frothy, delicious-looking drink, it’s totally worth it. And the taste? It was so much better than the ones I’d tried in bars. It was perfectly balanced, sort of sweet and sour at the same time, with that lovely foamy top. It was definitely a great way to break the ice with the other people in the class, and you can find some incredible Pisco recipes online too. After our cocktails, we finally washed our hands and put on our aprons. Sofia then laid out all the amazing things we’d bought at the market, and we all just sort of gathered around this big wooden table. It was now time, you know, to start prepping for the main event.

The Main Course: Cooking Lomo Saltado Step-by-Step

So, for our main course, we were making Lomo Saltado, which is, basically, one of Peru’s most iconic dishes. It’s kind of a stir-fry that shows off the mix of Peruvian and Chinese-Cantonese cultures in the country, you know, a style of cooking they call ‘Chifa’. Sofia started by showing us how to properly slice the beef, which was surprisingly a very tender sirloin cut. She stressed that the pieces should be sort of uniform in size so they cook evenly. So, next, we moved on to the vegetables. We chopped up red onions into thick wedges, sliced tomatoes, and finely minced some garlic and aji amarillo pepper. It’s almost like a dance, the way you prep everything first so the actual cooking part is super fast. That, you know, is the secret to a good stir-fry. We each had our own wok station, and this is where things got really exciting. Sofia showed us how to get the wok incredibly hot, like, almost smoking, before adding a little oil. Then, you throw in the beef. The sound of the sizzle was just fantastic, and the smell was instantly mouth-watering. You only cook it for a minute or so, just to sear it. You then take the beef out and do the same with the onions and peppers. The whole process is incredibly fast. Then comes the really fun part. You add the beef back into the wok with the vegetables, and then you add the liquids: a splash of soy sauce and a little bit of vinegar. Sofia then showed us how to tilt the pan just right so the flame from the gas stove actually leaps into the wok, flambéing the whole dish. It was slightly scary, but also absolutely exhilarating, and it gave the dish this amazing smoky flavor that is, apparently, the hallmark of a true Lomo Saltado. As a matter of fact, exploring these traditional cooking methods is just so rewarding. Finally, we tossed in the tomato wedges and a big handful of cilantro right at the end. The dish was traditionally served with both french fries and rice, which just seemed like carb heaven, to be honest. I mean, who would have thought to serve fries and rice together? It’s brilliant, really.

Learning the Secrets to Perfect Quinoa

By the way, before we even started the main dish, Sofia actually gave us a fantastic mini-lesson on quinoa. You know, it’s that superfood that’s now popular everywhere, but it’s been a staple in the Andes for thousands of years. She explained that most people outside of Peru cook it wrong. The real secret, apparently, is to wash it very, very thoroughly in cold water first. You basically have to rub the grains between your hands under running water for a few minutes. This process, you know, removes the saponins, a naturally occurring bitter coating that can make the quinoa taste soapy or just plain bad. A lot of packaged quinoa you buy is pre-washed, but she said doing it again yourself makes a huge difference. Then, her method for cooking was completely different from what I’ve seen online. Instead of just boiling it in water like pasta, she had us toast the washed and dried quinoa in a dry pan for a few minutes. It sounds like a small step, but it gives the grains this wonderfully nutty, more complex flavor. You know when you toast spices to bring out their oils? It’s kind of the same idea. After toasting, we added a small amount of finely chopped garlic and onion to the pan and sautéed it for another minute before adding the liquid. For the liquid, she used a flavorful chicken stock instead of just plain water, which, of course, just added another layer of taste. Her ratio was also precise: one part quinoa to two parts liquid. We brought it to a boil, then reduced the heat to the absolute lowest setting, covered the pot, and let it steam for about 15 minutes. At the end of the day, the result was a perfectly fluffy, flavorful quinoa where every single grain was separate. It was nothing like the mushy stuff I had made at home before. Seriously, learning this one simple technique was worth the price of the class alone, and it’s something you can apply to all sorts of Andean grains. It just showed me that sometimes the simplest dishes have the most important techniques behind them.

Sitting Down to Eat: The Best Meal in Cusco

Alright, so after all the chopping, sizzling, and shaking, the moment of truth finally arrived. We all carried our plates, piled high with the steamy Lomo Saltado, the fluffy quinoa, and, yes, a side of crispy french fries, to a long wooden table set up in the courtyard. The feeling was, honestly, a mix of pride and just pure hunger. You know, there’s something really special about sitting down to eat a meal that you’ve made completely from scratch, especially when you’ve started the day by picking out the ingredients yourself at the market. It just feels different, more meaningful in a way. The first bite of the Lomo Saltado was, just, incredible. The beef was so tender, the vegetables still had a slight crunch, and that smoky flavor from the flambé was absolutely there. It was rich from the soy sauce but also had this bright kick from the vinegar, and the fresh cilantro just lifted everything up. It was, without a doubt, the best Lomo Saltado I had in all of Peru, and I honestly think it’s because we made it with so much care and attention. We all just sort of sat there for a minute, eating in a kind of happy silence, you know? Then everyone started talking at once, comparing notes, saying how amazing everything tasted. It was a really lovely, communal moment. Sharing that meal with the new friends I had made in the class, along with Sofia, our wonderful teacher, felt like being invited to a family dinner. We talked about our travels, about our home countries, and of course, about the food. You can really get a sense of a place by sharing a meal you prepared together. To finish, Sofia brought out a simple dessert: a small bowl of fresh strawberries with a drizzle of honey. It was the perfect light, sweet end to a really rich and savory meal. The whole experience, from the market to that final bite, was more or less perfect.

Is This Cusco Cooking Class Right For You?

So, at the end of the day, you’re probably wondering if a class like this is a good fit for your trip to Cusco. To be honest, I think it’s a fantastic activity for almost anyone. If you’re a solo traveler, like I was, it’s a really easy and fun way to meet other people. You sort of bond over the shared experience of trying not to burn your onions, you know? It’s much more interactive than, say, a typical guided tour. For couples or families, it’s also a really engaging activity to do together; it gets you talking and working as a team. You don’t have to be a master chef at all, so don’t worry about that. In fact, it’s almost better if you’re a beginner. Sofia was brilliant at explaining things in a way that was super easy to understand, and she was always there to help if you were struggling. So, the class is definitely geared towards all skill levels. It’s really for people who are curious, you know, people who want to do more than just see the sights. If you like food and want a genuine cultural experience that gives you a little peek into local life, then you should absolutely do it. The market tour alone makes it worthwhile. For some helpful tips, I’d recommend looking up what to pack for a Cusco trip. I’d suggest booking in advance, especially during the busy season, as the classes are kept small and can fill up quickly. Wear comfortable shoes, because you’ll be on your feet for a few hours, especially during the market tour. And, most importantly, just go with an open mind and a big appetite. You will not be disappointed, I promise. It was seriously one of the highlights of my entire trip to Peru.