A warm, dynamic and delightful Mexican grandmother (and former pediatrician), Isabel loves to garden and cook, and welcomes guests into the beautiful home and garden she designed herself, just 30 minutes northwest of San Miguel de Allende. Isabel and her sister Michele learned to cook from their mother, with fond memories of preparing meals on pre-Hispanic clay grills and molcajetes. While Isabel now greets guests and hosts them in her home, your hands-on cooking class will be led by her sister Michele or her daughter Maria Jose, who share the same family recipes and traditions. Together, they are passionate about teaching pre-Hispanic cooking, including the ancient milpa (three sisters) method of farming. Above all, Isabel loves bringing people together and sharing meals that celebrate family, culture and tradition.
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
Cooking experience: (2-7 guests) Experience an authentic San Miguel de Allende cooking class in a beautifully designed home, where you’ll learn to cook a seasonal, traditional Mexican meal with a warm and welcoming local host. Begin with a fresh margarita (if you choose the optional alcohol add-on) and a jicama and orange snack, then explore the garden to discover the “three sisters” method of growing corn, beans and squash. Step into an open kitchen for a hands-on Mexican cooking class and learn to prepare 3–4 pre-Hispanic dishes from family recipes passed down through generations. Depending on the season, you may cook nopales, ceviche, black bean soup or pollo santo with corn, mushrooms and squash blossoms, and even make salsa in a traditional molcajete. End your San Miguel de Allende culinary experience by sharing the meal you prepared, followed by a classic dessert of ate con queso. This immersive Mexican cooking class offers a deeper understanding of local culture, ingredients and traditions, perfect for travelers seeking an authentic food experience in San Miguel de Allende. This is a quintessential "travel off the eaten path" experience.
Notes:
If you select the alcohol add-on, enjoy margaritas with Isabel. Otherwise, refreshing non-alcoholic options like agua de jamaica or horchata will be served.
If you select the transport add-on, you will be picked up from your location in San Miguel de Allende approximately 30 minutes before your experience and dropped off afterward.
Languages spoken: English, Spanish, French and some Italian
A WONDERFUL experience. Isabel picked us up from our rental right on time and was an expert driver to her beautiful home a few miles outside town. She led us through the cooking class, starting with ingredients and the history behind them. We then proceeded to cook a beautiful and delicious meal together which we all shared around her dining table after a margarita lesson on her patio. A 5 star experience!! Definitely book this amazing class!- jakkie May 19, 2026
Isabel and her sister shared a fun afternoon with us in her home outside San Miguel. After picking us up at out lodging in town we learning about heritage foods of Mexico and how to prepare them. After the cooking and prep we had a great lunch!- chris May 11, 2026
Isabel, Rick and Michelle were all so great. The food was delicious and she was so great and showing us techniques as well as talking us through the recipes. It was such a fun time cooking and eating with them. Thank you for welcoming us into your home.- rachel May 01, 2026
This was a highlight of our trip to San Miguel. Isabel is an interesting and engaging person. She accommodated our need for a vegetarian meal perfectly. Isabel shared the history of the foods we cooked with and we made a lovely meal. Her home and gardens are so peaceful after the hustle and bustle of San Miguel. A few tips: Isabel lives out of town so be sure and arrange transportation with her ahead of time. The event was about 4 hours total and so worth the time.- ellen April 25, 2026
We had such a wonderful time with Isabela and her family. She picked us up and drove us about 30 minutes to her beautiful house in the country outside SMA which features an impressive garden and lovely grounds. The cooking experience was great fun: she’s a knowledgeable and patient teacher and we enjoyed learning and the hands-on experience of cooking with her. The food was wonderful and we truly loved it and the experience of dining with her family. Would highly recommend.- john February 21, 2026
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