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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Melissa

Jaco, Costa Rica

USD
$130 per person

Traditional Costa Rican cooking class and meal with a modern twist

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

Meet Melissa

Melissa believes food is a way to share love, a way to learn about someone's culture and to connect with people. She grew up eating traditional Costa Rican food that her mom cooked for them at home. Melissa learned these family recipes from her mother and then perfected them with time. Today she re-creates traditional meals and adds a modern twist to make her own recipes. Melissa is very keen on showcasing the rich culture and heritage of her country through its food and that is why she published her first cookbook: ‘Living Longer, Healthier and Happier - Recipes from Costa Rica’. Her first cook book is a true reflection of her passion.

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: (4-10 guests) Melissa lives with her husband and their well behaved dog in a beautiful home close to the beach and city center. She will prepare some traditional Costa Rican dishes that she grew up eating with a modern twist; using local, seasonal and fresh produce. Through her food, Melissa wants people to know that Costa Rica is a beautiful country with a great cuisine too. A few dishes that you might try at Melissa’s dining table or outdoor patio are casado (chicken in salsa, rice and black beans), ceviche (a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices), cooked sweet plantains and mango and avocado salsa.

Cooking experience: (4-10 guests) Join Melissa in her kitchen for a hands-on cooking class that will last for two hours. Before you start your cooking class, snack on some delicious mango salsa and then learn to cook 2-3 dishes, that might include ceviche (a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices), Costa Rican casado with chicken ( a tasty dish of chicken, vegetables and rice) or picadillo (a fragrant stew). After the class, sit down at Melissa's dinning table to enjoy a the meal you helped prepare.

Languages spoken: English, Spanish

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.
  • Casado (chicken in salsa, rice and black beans)
  • Ceviche (a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices)
  • Cooked sweet plantains
  • Mango and avocado salsa
  • Picadillo (a fragrant stew)
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Melissa was incredibly kind, welcoming and knowledgeable about Costa Rican cuisine. Melissa made us fish, and it's probably the best fish I've ever had in my life. She made it look so simple! It was also really nice to spend some time at the table chatting about Costa Rican culture and learning tips about Jaco from her and her husband, it was really interesting hearing their perspectives and stories. Also, Melissa just came out with a cookbook called "Living Longer, Healthier, Happier Recipes from Costa Rica" we purchased a copy from her, and it's definitely our favorite souvenir to date! It was hands down a wonderful experience - one of the best I've ever had while traveling!

Gina and Brian, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Meli and her husband were so welcoming! Their home was beautiful and easy to find. She planned an amazing menu! She taught us about ingredients we weren’t familiar with and we helped make the best meal of our trip to Costa Rica! We absolutely plan to return the next time we visit the country!
- Chad C April 21, 2023
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Melissa

$130 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 4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $130 $130
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $130 $130
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Melissa

Melissa believes food is a way to share love, a way to learn about someone's culture and to connect with people. She grew up eating traditional Costa Rican food that her mom cooked for them at home. Melissa learned these family recipes from her mother and then perfected them with time. Today she re-creates traditional meals and adds a modern twist to make her own recipes. Melissa is very keen on showcasing the rich culture and heritage of her country through its food and that is why she published her first cookbook: ‘Living Longer, Healthier and Happier - Recipes from Costa Rica’. Her first cook book is a true reflection of her passion.

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: (4-10 guests) Melissa lives with her husband and their well behaved dog in a beautiful home close to the beach and city center. She will prepare some traditional Costa Rican dishes that she grew up eating with a modern twist; using local, seasonal and fresh produce. Through her food, Melissa wants people to know that Costa Rica is a beautiful country with a great cuisine too. A few dishes that you might try at Melissa’s dining table or outdoor patio are casado (chicken in salsa, rice and black beans), ceviche (a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices), cooked sweet plantains and mango and avocado salsa.

Cooking experience: (4-10 guests) Join Melissa in her kitchen for a hands-on cooking class that will last for two hours. Before you start your cooking class, snack on some delicious mango salsa and then learn to cook 2-3 dishes, that might include ceviche (a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices), Costa Rican casado with chicken ( a tasty dish of chicken, vegetables and rice) or picadillo (a fragrant stew). After the class, sit down at Melissa's dinning table to enjoy a the meal you helped prepare.

Languages spoken: English, Spanish

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.
  • Casado (chicken in salsa, rice and black beans)
  • Ceviche (a seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices)
  • Cooked sweet plantains
  • Mango and avocado salsa
  • Picadillo (a fragrant stew)
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

Melissa was incredibly kind, welcoming and knowledgeable about Costa Rican cuisine. Melissa made us fish, and it's probably the best fish I've ever had in my life. She made it look so simple! It was also really nice to spend some time at the table chatting about Costa Rican culture and learning tips about Jaco from her and her husband, it was really interesting hearing their perspectives and stories. Also, Melissa just came out with a cookbook called "Living Longer, Healthier, Happier Recipes from Costa Rica" we purchased a copy from her, and it's definitely our favorite souvenir to date! It was hands down a wonderful experience - one of the best I've ever had while traveling!

Gina and Brian, Traveling Spoon Ambassador

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Meli and her husband were so welcoming! Their home was beautiful and easy to find. She planned an amazing menu! She taught us about ingredients we weren’t familiar with and we helped make the best meal of our trip to Costa Rica! We absolutely plan to return the next time we visit the country!
- Chad C April 21, 2023
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $130 $130
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $130 $130
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 11:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
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 3% 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.