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VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Viviana

San Juan, Puerto Rico

USD
$119-$275 per person

Puerto Rican Cooking Class in San Juan with a Chef

Host offerings
  • House
  • Professional cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Viviana

With 23 years in the culinary industry, Chef Viviana Acosta brings extensive experience from working in restaurants and as a private chef abroad. She has also contributed as a recipe tester, developer, and food writer for magazines and cookbooks. Today, she runs a catering business from her home cooking studio in San Juan, where she teaches hands-on Puerto Rican cooking classes for both locals and travelers.

When we asked Viviana why she wanted to be a Traveling Spoon host, she shared: “I believe that it is through tradition, food, and the gathering at the table that you can really get to know a country and its people. Knowing its food and its table antics makes it easier for the traveler to navigate through the country they are visiting.” Her philosophy perfectly captures the spirit of her classes: more than just cooking, guests experience Puerto Rican culture, tradition, and the joy of gathering around the table, creating lasting memories of their visit to San Juan.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-14 guests) Chef Viviana is professionally trained in French and international cuisine, but her true passion lies in the gastronomy of Puerto Rico. She loves sharing her knowledge and family recipes, passed down through generations, offering guests an authentic taste of Puerto Rican culture and cuisine while sparking rich conversations around the dining table. During your Puerto Rican home dining experience, you'll enjoy tasting traditional dishes such as tostones (crispy, smashed fried plantains), arroz con habichuelas (rice and stewed beans with Caribbean pumpkin) and piñón de amarillo y picadillo (sweet plantain lasagna with spiced ground beef). Your meal concludes with a homemade panetela de guayaba (guava shortbread) served alongside coffee, offering the perfect sweet finish to a meaningful cultural and culinary experience.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Step into Viviana’s beautiful home cooking studio in San Juan for a private, hands-on Puerto Rican cooking class, set in a thoughtfully designed kitchen perfect for learning traditional recipes. During this 1.5-hour class, you’ll prepare classic Puerto Rican dishes, including sofrito, a fragrant mix of herbs and vegetables used as the base for arroz con habichuelas (rice and stewed beans with Caribbean pumpkin), and crispy tostones, smashed fried plantains. As you cook, you’ll discover authentic techniques and family recipes passed down through generations, experiencing the vibrant flavors of the island in a fun and engaging way that’s suitable for all skill levels. After cooking, sit down with Viviana to share the meal you helped prepare in her welcoming dining room, creating a true cultural and culinary experience in San Juan.

Notes:
1. Dietary Accommodations: Viviana is happy to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free meal requests. Please let her know when you book so she can prepare accordingly.
2. Space note: The cooking class takes place in Viviana’s home kitchen. For groups of 8 or more guests, the space may feel a bit crowded.
3. Group Cancellation Policy: For groups of 8 or more, a 7-day cancellation policy applies instead of the standard 48-hour policy. To receive a full refund (minus a small payment processing fee), please cancel at least 7 days before your experience. This policy ensures your host has adequate time to prepare for larger groups.

Languages spoken: Spanish or English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Tostones (smashed fried plantains)
  • Arroz con habichuelas (stewed beans with Caribbean pumpkin)
  • Piñón de amarillo y picadillo (sweet plantain lasagna with spiced ground beef)
  • Panetela de guayaba (guava shortbread)

Traveler reviews

5.0 (36)
My sister-in-law's parents were from PR but she had only been there a few times as a child. I brought her back, hoping to help her reconnect with her roots. Viviana, a professional chef, spoke not just about PR food but the history and the cultural significance behind it. I could see the impact this had on my sister-in-law as they shared stories of how recipes got passed down through generations. I enjoyed learning about the PR culture and discussing the politics in PR with a local! We both had a wonderful time, learned how to cook some new dishes (which Viviana was gracious to do at our request) and ate great food. Now we can both peel plantains quickly thanks to Viviana!
- tom May 26, 2026
Thank you, Viviana, for your warmth, hospitality, and passion for Puerto Rican cooking! It was our first at-home cooking experience while traveling and we are so thankful to Viviana for opening up her bright, cheerful home to us. The kitchen workshop had more than enough space and we enjoyed learning about the history, culture, and flavors of comida criolla. The process was so smooth-sailing, with a menu based on our preferences and room for a bit of improvisation as well. It was such a treat to share these dishes over the dining table and to have so much food that we were able to enjoy leftovers! It really felt like a bit of home away from home.
- malice April 22, 2026
When on vacation to a new area, our family enjoys cooking experiences. This one was particularly unique and fun! Viviana has an amazing cooking studio detached from her home, where there was room for the 4 of us to food prep, learn, and cook. The smells and tastes were delicious. After cooking, it is time to enjoy the food in Viviana's charming home where we enjoyed great conversation and laughs. Having had mofongo several times over the week, this was the best BY FAR. One in our group is dairy-free, which we advised in advance, and Viviana had already made menu & ingredient adjustments. Our mistake -- we should have scheduled this earlier in our trip so that we could have enjoyed all the leftovers!
- jong April 15, 2026
The private cooking class with Chef Viviana was one of our favorite experiences during our stay in Puerto Rico. We enjoyed learning the history and culinary evolution of the locally grown food. It was fun to prepare and blend together the ingredients of a delicious local meal, including sofrito, mofongo, tostones. Viviana also provided us with a list of recommended restaurants that fit to our liking during our stay. We highly recommend Viviana's private cooking class, it is an excellent way to start off your trip when staying in Puerto Rico.
- utah April 06, 2026
Our experience with Viviana in San Juan was absolutely wonderful! She was incredibly warm, welcoming, and especially amazing with our 6-year-old and 4-year-old. Traveling with young kids can be unpredictable, but Viviana was so patient, flexible, and adaptable throughout the entire experience, which made everything feel relaxed and enjoyable. She created such a comfortable and engaging environment for our family, and our kids genuinely had a great time. It didn’t feel like a “tour” at all—it felt like being welcomed into someone’s home and culture in the best way possible. We are so grateful for the experience and would highly recommend Viviana to anyone traveling to San Juan, especially families with young children!
- roni March 23, 2026
Read More

Viviana

$119-$275 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $119 $119 $119
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $275 $235 $235
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $119 $119 $119
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $275 $235 $235
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 5:30pm-7:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-12:00pm 3:00pm-5:00pm

Meet Viviana

With 23 years in the culinary industry, Chef Viviana Acosta brings extensive experience from working in restaurants and as a private chef abroad. She has also contributed as a recipe tester, developer, and food writer for magazines and cookbooks. Today, she runs a catering business from her home cooking studio in San Juan, where she teaches hands-on Puerto Rican cooking classes for both locals and travelers.

When we asked Viviana why she wanted to be a Traveling Spoon host, she shared: “I believe that it is through tradition, food, and the gathering at the table that you can really get to know a country and its people. Knowing its food and its table antics makes it easier for the traveler to navigate through the country they are visiting.” Her philosophy perfectly captures the spirit of her classes: more than just cooking, guests experience Puerto Rican culture, tradition, and the joy of gathering around the table, creating lasting memories of their visit to San Juan.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-14 guests) Chef Viviana is professionally trained in French and international cuisine, but her true passion lies in the gastronomy of Puerto Rico. She loves sharing her knowledge and family recipes, passed down through generations, offering guests an authentic taste of Puerto Rican culture and cuisine while sparking rich conversations around the dining table. During your Puerto Rican home dining experience, you'll enjoy tasting traditional dishes such as tostones (crispy, smashed fried plantains), arroz con habichuelas (rice and stewed beans with Caribbean pumpkin) and piñón de amarillo y picadillo (sweet plantain lasagna with spiced ground beef). Your meal concludes with a homemade panetela de guayaba (guava shortbread) served alongside coffee, offering the perfect sweet finish to a meaningful cultural and culinary experience.

Cooking experience: (1-6 guests) Step into Viviana’s beautiful home cooking studio in San Juan for a private, hands-on Puerto Rican cooking class, set in a thoughtfully designed kitchen perfect for learning traditional recipes. During this 1.5-hour class, you’ll prepare classic Puerto Rican dishes, including sofrito, a fragrant mix of herbs and vegetables used as the base for arroz con habichuelas (rice and stewed beans with Caribbean pumpkin), and crispy tostones, smashed fried plantains. As you cook, you’ll discover authentic techniques and family recipes passed down through generations, experiencing the vibrant flavors of the island in a fun and engaging way that’s suitable for all skill levels. After cooking, sit down with Viviana to share the meal you helped prepare in her welcoming dining room, creating a true cultural and culinary experience in San Juan.

Notes:
1. Dietary Accommodations: Viviana is happy to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free meal requests. Please let her know when you book so she can prepare accordingly.
2. Space note: The cooking class takes place in Viviana’s home kitchen. For groups of 8 or more guests, the space may feel a bit crowded.
3. Group Cancellation Policy: For groups of 8 or more, a 7-day cancellation policy applies instead of the standard 48-hour policy. To receive a full refund (minus a small payment processing fee), please cancel at least 7 days before your experience. This policy ensures your host has adequate time to prepare for larger groups.

Languages spoken: Spanish or English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Tostones (smashed fried plantains)
  • Arroz con habichuelas (stewed beans with Caribbean pumpkin)
  • Piñón de amarillo y picadillo (sweet plantain lasagna with spiced ground beef)
  • Panetela de guayaba (guava shortbread)

Traveler reviews

5.0 (36)
My sister-in-law's parents were from PR but she had only been there a few times as a child. I brought her back, hoping to help her reconnect with her roots. Viviana, a professional chef, spoke not just about PR food but the history and the cultural significance behind it. I could see the impact this had on my sister-in-law as they shared stories of how recipes got passed down through generations. I enjoyed learning about the PR culture and discussing the politics in PR with a local! We both had a wonderful time, learned how to cook some new dishes (which Viviana was gracious to do at our request) and ate great food. Now we can both peel plantains quickly thanks to Viviana!
- tom May 26, 2026
Thank you, Viviana, for your warmth, hospitality, and passion for Puerto Rican cooking! It was our first at-home cooking experience while traveling and we are so thankful to Viviana for opening up her bright, cheerful home to us. The kitchen workshop had more than enough space and we enjoyed learning about the history, culture, and flavors of comida criolla. The process was so smooth-sailing, with a menu based on our preferences and room for a bit of improvisation as well. It was such a treat to share these dishes over the dining table and to have so much food that we were able to enjoy leftovers! It really felt like a bit of home away from home.
- malice April 22, 2026
When on vacation to a new area, our family enjoys cooking experiences. This one was particularly unique and fun! Viviana has an amazing cooking studio detached from her home, where there was room for the 4 of us to food prep, learn, and cook. The smells and tastes were delicious. After cooking, it is time to enjoy the food in Viviana's charming home where we enjoyed great conversation and laughs. Having had mofongo several times over the week, this was the best BY FAR. One in our group is dairy-free, which we advised in advance, and Viviana had already made menu & ingredient adjustments. Our mistake -- we should have scheduled this earlier in our trip so that we could have enjoyed all the leftovers!
- jong April 15, 2026
The private cooking class with Chef Viviana was one of our favorite experiences during our stay in Puerto Rico. We enjoyed learning the history and culinary evolution of the locally grown food. It was fun to prepare and blend together the ingredients of a delicious local meal, including sofrito, mofongo, tostones. Viviana also provided us with a list of recommended restaurants that fit to our liking during our stay. We highly recommend Viviana's private cooking class, it is an excellent way to start off your trip when staying in Puerto Rico.
- utah April 06, 2026
Our experience with Viviana in San Juan was absolutely wonderful! She was incredibly warm, welcoming, and especially amazing with our 6-year-old and 4-year-old. Traveling with young kids can be unpredictable, but Viviana was so patient, flexible, and adaptable throughout the entire experience, which made everything feel relaxed and enjoyable. She created such a comfortable and engaging environment for our family, and our kids genuinely had a great time. It didn’t feel like a “tour” at all—it felt like being welcomed into someone’s home and culture in the best way possible. We are so grateful for the experience and would highly recommend Viviana to anyone traveling to San Juan, especially families with young children!
- roni March 23, 2026
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $119 $119 $119
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $275 $235 $235
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 $119 $119 $119
Cooking Experience + Meal
 $275 $235 $235
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-2:00pm 5:30pm-7:30pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-12:00pm 3:00pm-5:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 4% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can't make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host's profile doesn't work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host's family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the "Notes" section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.