1
Arrival
Check in at the historic Casa de Avila Hotel front desk, meet your local hosts, and be guided to our peaceful central garden.
Peruvian Cooking Experience in Arequipa
The Journey Step by Step
From arrival at Casa de Avila Hotel to hands-on open-air cooking, plating, photos, and tasting—this is what happens during your immersive gastronomic journey in Arequipa.
Home > The Journey
What to expect during your gastronomic journey
Journey flow at a glance
A quick overview of your immersive step-by-step experience in the garden.
2
Preparation
Wash hands, receive your apron, get comfortable at your individual station, and enjoy our signature maracu-chicha welcome blend.
3
Cooking
Chop, mix, season, and cook authentic Peruvian recipes step-by-step, discovering the cultural stories behind every ingredient.
4
Tasting
Plate your creations beautifully, take memorable photos, share a toast, and take home your complimentary digital recipe book.
Arrival at Casa de Avila Hotel
Upon arrival, please walk into the historic Casa de Avila Hotel and let our friendly front desk team know you are joining the Peruvian Cooking Experience. Your interactive gastronomic journey takes place directly inside our peaceful, sunny central garden and open-air courtyard.
Host Note: For your convenience, secure credit card payments are seamlessly accepted at the front desk. Standard hotel registration may require a quick look at your ID or passport copy before entering the garden.
Welcome, hospitality and station setup
After warm introductions, our hosts guide you to the handwashing area to ensure comfort and hygiene. You will receive your clean apron and get comfortable at your individual station, while cooling down with our signature *maracu-chicha* welcome blend served directly in the garden.
This initial part of the experience is also the perfect moment for pre-cooking photos, especially for families, couples, and small travel groups who want to capture vivid cultural memories to share long after the journey ends.
Hands-on cooking with local instructors
The instructor explains the selected recipes and guides the group through pre-preparation. Guests chop, peel, mix, season and cook the ingredients with step-by-step support.
You do not need to take notes during the class. Digital recipes are shared after the activity, so you can focus on cooking, asking questions and enjoying the process.
Plating, photos and tasting
Once your creations are ready, you will plate and creatively decorate your food, capturing beautiful photos at your station. This final presentation is a key part of the experience, helping you take home an amazing visual memory of your culinary achievements.
Your gastronomic journey culminates in a rewarding shared tasting set in the tranquil atmosphere of our colonial garden. Our signature *maracu-chicha* welcome blend is completely included. To elevate your tasting, selected Peruvian craft beers and regional wines are also available to complement your meal perfectly.
What is included in your experience?
Everything is covered. No hidden fees, no classrooms—just an authentic culinary journey in the garden.
Cooking materials
All fresh native ingredients, professional utensils, and your own individual open-air cooking station are fully covered.
Guided hospitality
Warm, bilingual local hosts guiding you step-by-step through the recipes, cultural secrets, and culinary stories.
Drinks & tastings
A full tasting of your prepared dishes, our signature maracu-chicha blend, and a complimentary digital recipe book.
Ready to secure your station?
Stations are limited per session to maintain a personalized, shared small-group atmosphere.
Standard premium rate: US$ 43 per participant. Dietary restrictions adapted beautifully with advance notice.
Frequently asked questions about the Journey
What happens during the Peruvian cooking experience?
Guests arrive at Casa de Avila Hotel, meet their warm local hosts, receive a clean apron, prepare fresh native ingredients at individual stations, cook the selected menu step-by-step, plate their creations, and enjoy a rewarding tasting in our beautiful colonial garden.
Do I need previous culinary experience?
No previous experience is required at all. Our hands-on gastronomic journey is fully designed for travelers of all skill levels, guided step-by-step with friendly, local hospitality.
Are recipes provided after the session?
Yes, absolutely. To ensure you can focus entirely on cooking and enjoying the garden atmosphere without taking notes, a complete digital recipe book will be sent directly to you afterward as a living cultural souvenir.
What drinks are included to complement the meal?
Our refreshing signature *maracu-chicha* welcome blend is completely included. Additionally, selected Peruvian craft beers and boutique regional wines are available for purchase to elevate your final tasting experience.
What happens if it rains or the weather changes during the garden experience?
Arequipa is famously known for its year-round sunny weather, with a short rainy season occurring only between February and March. Furthermore, our cooking stations are permanently set under a beautiful, fully covered terrace within the colonial hotel garden. This ensures that your hands-on culinary journey continues comfortably and completely uninterrupted, allowing you to enjoy the outdoor garden atmosphere with total protection at any time of the year.
What is the policy regarding punctuality and arrival times?
To respect the flow of our interactive shared sessions and ensure all participants enjoy the step-by-step menu preparation from scratch, we highly recommend arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled session (11:00 am or 4:00 pm). If you face an unexpected delay, please notify us immediately via WhatsApp.