Cooking Classes in Chile

If you love food and want to get your hands dirty while in Chile, cooking classes are a fantastic way to really connect with the culture. Picture yourself in a cozy kitchen in Santiago’s Bellavista neighborhood, learning how to make pastel de choclo, a creamy corn and meat pie that’s a real crowd-pleaser here. Or maybe you’ll try your hand at empanadas, mastering the art of the perfect dough seal with advice from locals who’ve been making them since childhood.

Spring and fall are ideal times to look for classes, as fresh markets brim with seasonal ingredients you’ll use right away. Some classes even take you to the Mercado Central or Feria de Abastos beforehand, so you get the full market-to-table experience. I remember one class in Valparaíso where we cooked congrio , the local fish , right after picking it up at the fish market. That freshness you can’t buy in a supermarket.

Also, don’t be shy about asking your instructor for the variations they grew up with. Chilean recipes can vary wildly from region to region, so you might pick up a secret ingredient or two. Oh, and always leave room for some pisco sours at the end; they’re the unofficial grand finale to many cooking sessions around here.