Sabor Colombiano Cooking Studio Review 2025

So, you’re looking for something that feels genuinely real, you know? Like, you travel all the way to a new country and you really want to connect with its heart. I was, frankly, a little tired of the usual tours. That is why I was pretty much hunting for an experience in Medellín that went a little deeper. At the end of the day, that’s how I stumbled upon the 2025 ‘Sabor Colombiano Cooking Studio’. I had to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. You book these things online and you kind of hope for the best, right? But what I found was, just, so much more than a simple cooking lesson. It turned out to be arguably the highlight of my whole trip, a really warm and genuine look into what makes Colombian culture so special. It was sort of an afternoon that fed not just my stomach, but really my soul too.

First Steps Inside: A Warm Colombian Welcome

Okay, finding the studio was sort of an adventure in itself. It’s located on a quiet, colorful street in the Laureles neighborhood, just a little away from the main tourist buzz of El Poblado. Walking through the bright blue doorway felt, you know, like I was being invited into someone’s home. The air inside was actually filled with the most amazing smells. I’m talking about, like, sweet plantains, fresh cilantro, and something citrusy I couldn’t quite place. Instead of a sterile, stainless-steel setup, the kitchen was seriously a cozy space, decorated with hand-painted tiles and shelves of local pottery. It felt incredibly lived-in and comfortable, you know what I mean? A small group of us were there, maybe eight people in total, which felt just about perfect. It’s almost like the setting was designed to make you relax and really open up from the very beginning. We were all a bit shy at first, but that clearly didn’t last long.

Our host and chef, Sofia, greeted everyone with a huge, genuine smile and a cup of tinto, which is basically a small, strong Colombian coffee. It was just the thing to get us going. Sofia, as it turns out, wasn’t just a chef; she was really a storyteller. She started by sharing a little about her family history, you know, explaining how these recipes were passed down through generations. It was really a personal touch that made everything feel so much more meaningful. This wasn’t some corporate, cookie-cutter class. It was pretty much a peek into her own family’s traditions. You could tell that, for her, food was completely tied to love and community. In a way, she made us feel like we were old family friends coming over for a Sunday meal, which was an absolutely incredible feeling to have in a new city.

Meeting Chef Sofia: The Heart of the Kitchen

So, Chef Sofia was just the star of the whole show, to be honest. She had this energy about her that was so infectious and full of life. You could just tell she absolutely adored sharing her culture through food. Her English was nearly perfect, yet she often paused to teach us the Spanish names for ingredients, saying them slowly and encouraging us to repeat them. For example, she’d hold up a strange-looking root and say, “This, my friends, is yuca… can you say it?” It was just this playful, lighthearted approach that made learning feel really fun and not intimidating at all. She had a way of explaining things that was so straightforward. It was as if she could sense when someone was feeling a little lost and would just appear at their side with a kind word and some gentle guidance.

“Basically, every Colombian family has their own way of making ajiaco,” Sofia told us, stirring a giant pot. “But, you know, the secret ingredient is always the same: a little bit of patience and a lot of love.”

I mean, what really struck me was her passion. She wasn’t just following a script. At the end of the day, her eyes would light up when she talked about the three types of potatoes that go into a traditional Ajiaco soup, or the exact right way to form an arepa with your hands. She actually showed us how the texture should feel, letting each of us have a go with the masa. You know, she corrected my clumsy attempts with a laugh, saying, “No, no, like this… be gentle with it!” It was a sort of hands-on, very human style of teaching that you just don’t get from watching a video or reading a recipe book. It’s almost like she wasn’t just teaching us to cook; she was teaching us to feel the food and respect the ingredients.

Hands-On with Arepas and Ajiaco

Alright, so we got down to the actual cooking part pretty quickly. We were split into small teams, and our first mission was to make arepas, which are basically these cornmeal cakes that are a staple everywhere in Colombia. Sofia showed us how to mix the masarepa (corn flour) with water and a pinch of salt. She stressed, “You have to feel it, the texture is everything.” We all dug our hands in, and it was just this messy, wonderful, tactile experience. Mine kept cracking at first, but Sofia came over and showed me how to roll it into a smoother ball before flattening it. Seriously, getting them perfectly round was way trickier than it looked. We cooked them on a hot griddle until they were just a little golden and crispy on the outside. Then, we filled them with soft, salty cheese—queso campesino. The smell of the toasting corn was, honestly, just incredible.

Crafting a Classic Ajiaco Santafereño

Next up was the main event: Ajiaco Santafereño, a classic chicken and potato soup from Bogotá. As I was saying, Sofia explained that the key is using three different kinds of potatoes. There was the papa criolla, which is small and yellow and dissolves to naturally thicken the soup. Then you have the papa sabanera and papa pastusa, which hold their shape. So, we all got busy peeling and chopping, and it was actually a very communal activity. We were all chatting and laughing while we worked. The soup base itself was chicken broth, simmered with corn on the cob and a special herb called guascas, which gives Ajiaco its very unique flavor. You know, that’s the one ingredient Sofia said you absolutely cannot skip. As the soup bubbled away, the entire kitchen just filled with this warm, savory aroma. It smelled, like, incredibly comforting.

The Feast: More Than Just a Meal

Finally, the moment we’d all been waiting for arrived. Sofia ladled the thick, steaming Ajiaco into bowls. We then set up a long wooden table with all the garnishes: shredded chicken, capers, heavy cream, and slices of avocado. You could pretty much customize your bowl exactly how you liked it. At the end of the day, we sat down together—all eight students and Sofia—and it really felt like a family dinner. We shared the food we had all worked together to create. That was a really special feeling. The soup was absolutely amazing. The creamy texture from the dissolved potatoes, the salty pop from the capers, and the freshness of the avocado—it was honestly a perfect combination of flavors. Our cheese-filled arepas were the perfect thing for dipping. We just sat there for over an hour, eating slowly, sharing stories about our travels, and laughing. It wasn’t rushed at all. You know, it was just about enjoying the food and the company. In that moment, we weren’t just tourists anymore; we were basically just a group of people sharing a beautiful connection over a home-cooked meal.

My Final Take: Is Sabor Colombiano Worth It?

So, you might be wondering if this cooking class is really for you. To be honest, if you are looking for a highly polished, professional culinary school experience, this might not be it. This is something else, something I think is a bit better. This experience is really for someone who wants to feel something real. It’s for the person who wants to get their hands a little messy and laugh with strangers. It’s almost for the traveler who understands that the soul of a place is often found in its kitchens and around its dinner tables. I mean, I walked away with more than just a couple of recipes. I seriously left with a much deeper appreciation for Colombian hospitality and tradition. I also left with a full stomach and a very happy heart. The cost, frankly, felt more than reasonable for what was a genuinely four-hour immersive cultural event. You really can’t put a price on the feeling of connection you get here. So yes, for me, it was absolutely worth every single peso. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, just to soak in that warm, wonderful atmosphere one more time.

Key Takeaways for You

You know, the class is genuinely hands-on. You will actually be chopping, mixing, and cooking your own food, so be ready to participate.
Basically, the group sizes are small. This means you get a lot of personal attention from the chef, which is honestly a huge plus.
So, it’s great for solo travelers and groups alike. The warm, communal vibe makes it really easy to connect with other people.
You really learn about more than just food. Sofia shares a lot about Colombian culture and history, which adds so much depth to the experience.
Honestly, just come hungry. You prepare a full, multi-course meal, and you will definitely want to enjoy all of it.

Read our full review: Sabor Colombiano Cooking Studio Full Review and Details

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Reserve Your Spot at Sabor Colombiano)