Costa Rica Cooking
Costa Rica Cooking
5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Costa Rica Cooking is the place where Chef Scott Alan showcases his passion for cooking while using fresh, local ingredients from his beautiful home of La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica. You will cook alongside him learning about the food and culture behind the dishes and hear many entertaining tales of life in Costa Rica. Our kitchen is located near the base of Arenal Volcano and boasts amazing views of the volcano along with the adjoining dog rescue center, Costa Rica Dog Rescue. This is a unique and rewarding experience and is a must while visiting La Fortuna.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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5.0
149 reviews
Excellent
144
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
3
Ally
Chicago, IL33 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
My friend and I went to this and we really enjoyed it. We spent several hours learning how to cook numerous dishes, with intermittent breaks to eat and drink our creations. The facility is very nice and the chef and his assistants were all wonderful. He was also very accommodating to a dietary restriction (one of us is dairy free). It was on the pricey side but we felt it was worth it for the food, the new skills, and the chance to do something different than many of the typical arenal activities (and we were glad to stay inside and stay dry for a few hours!).
One tip: for the pickup at Lava Lounge you are supposed to go to the bar and tell them you are there. We just stood out front for awhile because we didn't realize this.
One tip: for the pickup at Lava Lounge you are supposed to go to the bar and tell them you are there. We just stood out front for awhile because we didn't realize this.
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy K
Denver114 contributions
Mar 2022
My husband loves cooking, so when we saw the option for having a cooking class with a local Chef as an attraction opportunity, we definitely wanted to try. We were picked up at our hotel by Chef Scott's team and driven to his restaurant for what turned out to be a private cooking class in the rooftop kitchen at Scott's restaurant and home. It was absolutely amazing. We learned how to cook local plantains and beans, which we have made multiple times since our return, pistachio crusted sea bass, and pork, finishing it off with doing our own bananas flambe! We also got to make our own mojitos, which kept coming after we finished the first one. Everything was absolutely delicious and we loved getting to talk with and learn from Chef Scott throughout the evening. Even better, he runs a dog rescue and when we told him we loved dogs and were missing our own, he let a couple of the pups hang out in the kitchen, so it felt like home. The view from the kitchen is stunning, and we saw plenty of toucans while we were cooking. Absolutely loved this experience- if you love to cook and love the feeling of cooking with family and friends, this is a must while you're in Costa Rica!
Written 9 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy,
Thank you for choosing us, we are so happy to have the oportunity to have you with us, we are so glad to know you have enjoyed the class.
Best regards
Written 16 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Greg
Roswell, GA7 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Wonderful instruction by a very talented chef in a beautiful kitchen with amazing views; we loved our 3 hour cooking course. Absolutely delicious results with all farm to table ingredients. Highly recommend this class.
Written 22 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bethany F
1 contribution
Feb 2024 • Couples
What an amazing tour meeting Brian and Scott! How fun to walk around the organic farm learning and tasting fruits and vegetables! After the tour Scott prepared a delicious meal for us with many of the fruits and vegetables we picked on our farm tour. Highly recommend this tour!
Written 17 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sixpacmama
Seal Beach, CA27 contributions
Apr 2012 • Friends
I had the opportunity to take this cooking class with Chef Scott and the food was amazing. When we arrived, the view is what first caught my attention, absolutely breathtaking so don't forget your camera. We were started off with a Costa Rican Mojito and moved on to make Ceviche. Now, I'm not one to eat any type of seafood, but I gave this Ceviche a try and I'm hooked. Following Ceviche, we had pork chops (with the most amazing Papaya Chutney) sweet potatoes with a pineapple sauce, and Chocolate Bread Pudding. The food was amazing. His staff he has working with him were very supportive not only to Chef Scott but to all of us in the class. They were there to wipe down our cutting boards, bring us new utensils and clean up any mess we made. Overall an experience you don't want to miss. And you also get to bring home a book with the recipes for the items you make that day. Don't miss out and again, don't forget your camera!
Written 15 May 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raywayski
Orange County, California60 contributions
Feb 2017 • Couples
On my fourth trip to Costa Rica, I did something different. While my husband and brother were canyoning, my sister-in-law and I took a cooking class from Scott, along with two of his helpers. We were the only two in the class and had a wonderful experience. We had handmade Mojitos and another Costa Rican specialty drink to sip as we prepared the food. The menu was varied and outstanding. We enjoyed dining on the private balcony with a view of the Arenal Volcano and lush vegetation. Scott shared his passion for cooking and for rescuing dogs. He sent extra food back to the hotel for my husband and brother to have for a delicious dinner. I highly recommend this attraction! My husband would also like to take it when we return to Arenal. My sister-in-law tried out one of the dishes the day after we returned home from our trip.
Written 26 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lee M
Cary, NC69 contributions
Apr 2012 • Business
Chef Scott Allen clearly has Costa Rican food and ingredients down to a science. His knowledge of costa Rican ingredients and the direction of where the cuisine is going is truly inspiring. We talked about how he supports the local farms, one in particular and the importants to cook with fresh ingredients. The class overlooks the Arenal Lake. I found it to be the perfect setting for an enjoyable cooking experience. Please don't forget your cameras, the panaramic view is breath taking. We started with a demonstration of a classic Mojito, Costa Rican style. Follow with a lovely ceviche, which was perfectly marinated. Dinner was a lot of fun as we grilled some chops with Costa Rica's famous "Salsa Lizano", created a papaya chutney and topped it off with a chocolate bread puddin. WOW! It was a fun and fulfilling day. From one chef to another, hats off to Chef Scott for making the class a memorable one. I truly recommend the class for anyone interested in Costa Rican cuisine done right. Pura Vida!!!
Written 4 May 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matt S
Providenciales6 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
I am a private chef traveling solo, and so elected the “shared” class instead of the “private” one, the latter of which indicates a two person minimum. I was later advised via email that the “shared” class also had a two person minimum, and so I would “need to pay for 2 people or bring a friend”. I expressed my surprise and asked about a refund if I was unable to find a second person, and never received a response. Instead, the booking remained “pending” and I was too afraid to cancel, as I was not guaranteed a refund to cancel. Instead, I wasted my day waiting for the class, only to be informed at the time of class that it was not happening because I hadn’t confirmed. I am incredibly upset at the unprofessionalism, the poor communication, false advertising, and ultimately the lost day I could have spent at a different cooking course. I still have not received an apology or clarification for why the “shared” class was not actually an option.
Written 17 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SacramentoStefano
Sacramento, CA135 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
WHAT A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON! When you look for to do activities in La Fortuna your first thought; " Oh too much!" Wrong mi amigo. We prepared with Scott and his super helpers many Costa Rican dishes. Patatones (fried chip plantains)with black bean purée con queso, grilled pork lion ,pan fried black onions beyond carmelized, a fruit chutney, cerviche, tilapia with lime, sea bass crusted with ground cashews with a lite cream sauce , and a coconut flan for dessert. We began with making a mojito. Beer or wine included! Toucans and rescued dogs included. What an afternoon shared with other fellow travelers! The experience exceeded the price! And what a view!
Written 26 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly L
Nipomo, CA22 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
Chef Scott is simply amazing. He’s an absolute riot and we had SO much fun learning to cook traditional Costa Rican meals. It was just my husband and I, so everything was intimate and we really got our hands dirty! It’s also co-located with a dog rescue, which was the icing on the cake! What a wonderful experience, I’ll treasure this memory for years to come!
Written 5 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello !
I would like to take the class Friday, the 25th. However, we arrive at 11:30 am in SJO and have a 2 1/2 hour to our hotel whcih is in your area. Do we have time to make it to your class at 3pm? We are staying in Srings Resort. Which other class times are available ? or is it just one per day? Please let me know.
Thank you!
Written 23 May 2018
The regularly scheduled class starts at 2:00 with pickup at the Lava Lounge at 1:50, so it would be better for you to schedule it for another day. It will probably take closer to three hours to get to The Springs from SJO, and you'll have to go through customs and immigration.
Written 23 May 2018
How did you book this, and what was the cost per person. I am interested - have family of 4 (2 college age kids)
Written 28 April 2018
Just go to their website; there's a link up above. They're very helpful. You can reserve online. There are two different prices - one for if you all want to receive your own ingredients and cook along with the chef, and another for if you just want to observe. We did the hands on class, and it was fantastic. Food was delicious too. The chef is fun and friendly. He keeps the class sizes very small. They picked us up at Lava Lounge and drove us to the kitchen - it's located out close to the waterfall.
Written 10 May 2018
We are staying with friends at a condo on the Peninsula Papagayo.
Is it too far to come to your class and return the same day?
We do have a car but I am thinking the trip is just too long.
Thank you.
K. D.
Written 11 October 2016
That's a bit far. Would be better if you could stay in the Arenal/La Fortuna area.
Written 10 May 2018
We are coming in July to see family. Do you have any classes then and what is the cost?
Written 13 June 2016
Search Costa Rica cooking. Their site should pop up. They book through that site too.
Written 13 June 2016
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