Puerto Rican Cooking Class in San Juan with a Chef

I cannot recommend this cooking class enough! Viviana is a wonderful host who welcomed us into her lovely, inviting home in Puerto Rico. The experience felt less like a formal class and more like cooking with a friend. My husband and I will be trying some things we learned when we get home. The food was absolutely great, but what made the experience truly special was the conversation. Viviana didn't just teach us recipes; she wove in the history of the island and the ingredients, giving us a deeper appreciation for the culture. If you are looking for delicious food and a genuine connection, book this class!

If you’re looking for an authentic Puerto Rican culinary experience, Chef Viviana Acosta with Traveling Spoon is an absolute gem! With over 23 years in the culinary industry, her expertise shines through in every detail of the experience. Viviana welcomed us into her beautiful home cooking studio in San Juan, creating an atmosphere that was warm, inviting, and deeply connected to Puerto Rican culture. We participated in a hands-on cooking class where we learned to prepare classic dishes like sofrito (the fragrant base for many Puerto Rican recipes), arroz con habichuelas (rice and stewed beans with Caribbean pumpkin), and crispy tostones (smashed fried plantains). Viviana shared not only her culinary techniques but also the history and traditions behind each dish, making the experience both educational and heartfelt. Her passion for preserving and sharing Puerto Rican gastronomy was evident throughout. After cooking, we sat down to enjoy the meal we had prepared together, and it was absolutely delicious! The flavors were vibrant and authentic, and the conversation around the table made it feel like we were part of her family. This wasn’t just a cooking class, it was a cultural immersion that gave us a true taste of Puerto Rico. Chef Viviana’s philosophy says it all: food is a gateway to understanding a country and its people. She delivers on that promise, offering an experience that is personal, memorable, and full of flavor. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a beginner, Traveling Spoon is an experience you won’t want to miss when visiting San Juan. Highly recommend Traveling Spoon for anyone who loves food, culture, and meaningful travel experiences!

This was the best thing I've done on a vacation in a long time. Vivianna taught us so much about Puerto Rico and its food. We got to really experience the food by cooking it and then having a wonderful meal with her.

This was hands down our favorite activity in Puerto Rico. We were interested in a hands on cooking class and Viviana delivered that and so much more. We learned the history and importance of many PR ingredients while prepping and cooking our lunch along side our host. We prepared a delicious mufungo (had this earlier in the week on a food tour and THIS was not THAT), beef picadillo, rice, and an amazing stewed beans with pumpkin. Everyone thinks they make the best beans, but Viviana actually does. After completing our meal prep in the separate commercial kitchen we sat down in her beautiful house and enjoyed our lunch together along with dessert, coffee and a few toasts including her homemade coquito. We cannot recommend this activity enough. Try to book at the beginning of your stay as it will greatly inform the rest of your culinary adventure in Puerto Rico.

Fabulous cooking experience with Viviana. Not only was the cooking educational and fun, the food was delicious and Viviana is knowledgeable, energetic and engaging!

We learned so much about PRican culture by just learning to cook PRican food! This event was worth every penny through Traveling Spoon. And of course, the wonderful memories we created together that involved all the senses- smells, tastes, the clinking of glasses, and the shared laughter was such a delight! Our Chef Viviana Acosta Padial shared that, "food is the great equalizer"! And she is so right! We didn't walk into an intimidating professional kitchen- we stepped into her beautiful historic Spanish bungalow and we instantly felt like we were part of her inner circle. Dining at various PRican restaurants around the island is one thing, but cooking together in a professional chef's home takes it to a whole new level! Chef Viviana transformed those everyday cooking tasks into a shared, mindful experience that told the PRican story- her story- giving us a better sense of understanding and acceptance and inspiration for this culture. Chef Viviana was trained in New York and worked all over the world to fine tune her craft as a chef. She can also be hired for catering or as a personal chef- or simply attend one of her classes in her home. We highly recommend!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ¡Buen provecho!

Viviana was a great host, putting me to work and telling me not only about the recipes and putting them together, but interesting facts about how the foods Puerto Rico uses arrived there and became staples. I had a really lovely time, and even had some leftovers to take with me!

Viviana was a complete delight! She gave us so much information, including the history of Puerto Rican cuisine and recommendations of what to do while still in town. We could have stayed in her company for hours. The food was FABULOUS-- the best things we've eaten all week, and I am so excited to bring the recipes home with me.

My mom and I thoroughly enjoyed our private cooking class with Viviana in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We were celebrating my mom's 60th birthday and as both of us love to cook I thought it would be a fun experience for us to discover more about Puerto Rico, its history, and culture through a cooking experience. I literally cannot say enough good things about this experience and Viviana. It was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip! First, Viviana's home is a beautifully curated, colorful, and artistic space. Second, she is so welcoming and friendly, and we enjoyed conversing with her about life. It felt like we were spending time with a family member. Third, and most importantly the food was DIVINE and bursting with flavor!!! My mom is pescatarian, and I sincerely appreciated Viviana curating a menu that catered to my mom. We made mofongo, mahi mahi on top of sofrito with an additional mojo sauce, arroz con gandules, stewed beans with pumpkin and plantain dumplings, and Viviana had various sweet treats for us for dessert. You have more than enough food to take home, and we were able to share with our other family members who didn't join the experience. She also shares her recipes with you so that you can prepare them on your own at home. Since our lesson, I've prepared several of the dishes even ones we didn't cook. This was an immersive experience, where we were actively involved in preparing the meal, which is exactly what I wanted. All of the dishes were approachable in how they were prepared, which is why I've been able to incorporate it into my cooking at home. This was worth every penny, and honestly if I come back to San Juan I would look for this experience again. I highly recommend this to anyone visiting the area. You absolutely will not regret it!

My friend & I really enjoyed our cooking class with Viviana. She was very accommodating, well spoken, and all around a great host in her stylish home cooking studio. We even got to take home some recipes! Highly recommend :)

Viviana was wonderful! She gave us history as well as a cooking lesson. Her home is welcoming and charming! She was very professional but also personable. We felt like we were visiting an old friend! We will definitely book with her on our next trip to Puerto Rico!!

My cousin and I are two Puerto Ricans who live in NYC and were looking for an experience to connect with our culture while here. Viviana was super welcome of us into her beautiful home. And not only did we cook a delicious meal of classic Puerto Rican staples, but we also learned the history behind each ingredient. I highly recommend Viviana’s class!

Viviana was absolutely WONDERFUL!!! Learning to cook Puerto Rican food from her was pure joy! In the few hours that we spent together, she felt like family. The food was DELICIOUS and plentiful! I can't wait to recreate the dishes in my own kitchen! Don't miss out on a great experience!!!

Viviana is one of the most hospitable and interesting people I have ever met. A wealth of knowledge on Puerto Rico, food, and life. The highlight of this trip.

Viviana is one of the most hospitable and interesting people I have ever met. A wealth of knowledge on Puerto Rico, food, and life. The highlight of this trip.

Our family agreed hands down that our cooking class with Viviana was the highlight of our trip to Puerto Rico. She was so warm and welcoming, and she did a wonderful job of sharing how the food, history, and culture of PR are intertwined. Plus, the food was delicious! One of my picky kids went back for seconds, and the other was so proud of the tostones he made that he tried and enjoyed something new. I highly recommend this activity to get an authentic taste of the country.

Highly recommend - I booked super last minute; Viviana was able to squeeze me in with a group and it was fantastic. The class was right in her home - which truly set the PR cultural vibe of the class. Not only did we learn how to make a traditional plate but were given the history on everything. I highly recommend & will be back again!

Highly recommend - I booked super last minute; Viviana was able to squeeze me in with a group and it was fantastic. The class was right in her home - which truly set the PR cultural vibe of the class. Not only did we learn how to make a traditional plate but were given the history on everything. I highly recommend & will be back again!

If you’re at all interested in learning more about Puerto Rican food and culture do yourself a favor and take this cooking class with Viviana. Everything was well organized, easily understood, fun and delicious! Mahalo Viviana for a fantastic evening!

Husband and I LOVED the immersive experience with Viviana Acosta. Her knowledge of local customs and food history was impressive. We chopped, mashed, cooked and laughed and fully enjoyed our evening. Highly recommend and will be back with friends. Thank you Viviana!!

My boyfriend and I decided to take a cooking class and when we saw the words "sustainable farm" and "forage" we knew we had found the right one. Vivi was such a wonderful host and so passionate about what she does. We met the animals around the farm and got to work identifying and foraging our herbs (definitely make sure to wear pants and t shirt, you're going to be on your hands and knees plucking the perfect herbs from the dirt). Once we finished collecting our herbs, Vivi explained all the different properties and uses of each. She assigned us various tasks-homemade bread, herb and egg salad (this might have been my favorite dish), vegetable soup, and pasta with a delicious, light tomato sauce- everything except the flour came from her farm! The class is supposed to last about 4 hours or so, but we were all having such a wonderful time enjoying each others company, that we must have spent 6-7 hours just talking and eating. This is not your conventional cooking class, but we had the most amazing experience. Vivi even sent us home with some seeds to plant in our own garden back home. Definitely recommend for anyone looking to do something off the beaten track!

What a wonderful experience! The two of us, along with our two 20-something kids and their significant others joined Viviana at her house and from the beginning she was extremely welcoming! We learned a lot about the culinary influences and history of food in Puerto Rico and made an incredible meal together. Viviana was very approachable - she obviously has incredible talent but was a fun and calming presence around those of us whose skills left a little to be desired. The stories flowed while she guided us on our tasks - it was fun to explore the various ways to use plantains in a meal. And then to eat what we had prepared was exquisite. Would highly recommend Viviana for anyone who wants to experience home style Puerto Rican cuisine.

Had an excellent time cooking with Viviana. Learned a lot about Puerto Rico. Viviana was a great host. Highly recommend!

Viviana welcomed me into her beautiful home and provided a plethora of information regarding native ingredients, it’s culinary history and she catered to my palette and food interests :) She was very also generous with information on where I can find certain things both related and unrelated to food. I am excited to recreate these dishes at home!

Amazing experience! Highly recommend! Viviana was an engaging host, cooking delicious food and teaching about the history of puerto rican cooking in her lovely home.

I am an avid cook and have always wanted to take a class, while on vacation, to pick up the local flavor. Since this was my first time meeting up with someone in their home, I was cautiously optimistic. Viviana far exceeded my expectations!! Her home was lovely and her kitchen was a pleasure. She was warm and hospitable and full of knowledge. When I expressed curiosity about a particular dish, not only did she tell me all about it, but we, then, whipped it up on the fly. After cooking, we sat down for a lunch that would rival any restaurant. It was like an afternoon hanging out with and old friend. Thank you, Viviana, for such an amazing experience! I’m already dreaming about my next trip to PR, and you are at the top of that list.