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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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
148 reviews
Excellent
143
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
3
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 March 17, 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 May 15, 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 February 26, 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 May 4, 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 October 17, 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 February 26, 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 February 5, 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.
NYCtravel
New York City, NY227 contributions
Apr 2017 • Family
We booked a combination farm tour and cooking class. I booked everything through email while I was still home with Mariam, who was really prompt at answering questions and accommodating when we needed to tweak our itinerary.
We were picked up at 7:45am from our hotel, and we're finished at about 5:30. It turned out to be a rainy cloudy day after lunch so the staff said we could take our time and go as slow as we wanted, which was fabulous for us. This was definitely a perfect idea for a rainy day, although given the views from the place, it would have been spectacular if the sun was out. We are lucky that Mariam was with us while we were in the car, and she gave us slot of information about the area, crops, local customs, and patiently answered all my kids questions with a smile. I feel like we had a third mini tour in the car - Scott is lucky to have her!
Definitely skip breakfast if you do this, and you won't need dinner either given how much food you eat!
We started the day with a farm tour. When we arrived there there was fresh fruit and coffee, tea and juice waiting for us. Our guide walked us along the farm, explained things very well for our kids and they got to harvest things, plant things, and taste things. After the tour there was a chef, Eddie, who made us lunch. He also works with Scott at the restaurant. Everything we ate was fresh, and tasted great. The chips for the guacamole were made fresh from the roots at the farm, the rice dish (which was amazing, I have asked for a recipe) also had farm products in it, salad was made with a type of spinach grown on the farm (really hearty tastes more like kale which we love), plantains had a chocolate sauce which my kids helped make. Really can't say enough about the incredible staff. If you don't have the day to do both, definitely do the farm tour!
After we finished we were taken to Scotts place where the cooking lessons were held. They really explained everything really well, and the kids really chopped and cooked everything just like the adults!
I was skeptical about the cashew crusted fish, but it's the most delicate tender fish I have ever had!
We also spent some time with the dogs after we were finished. Our kids love dogs so much, it was really hard to leave without bringing one of the dogs back home with us!
We were picked up at 7:45am from our hotel, and we're finished at about 5:30. It turned out to be a rainy cloudy day after lunch so the staff said we could take our time and go as slow as we wanted, which was fabulous for us. This was definitely a perfect idea for a rainy day, although given the views from the place, it would have been spectacular if the sun was out. We are lucky that Mariam was with us while we were in the car, and she gave us slot of information about the area, crops, local customs, and patiently answered all my kids questions with a smile. I feel like we had a third mini tour in the car - Scott is lucky to have her!
Definitely skip breakfast if you do this, and you won't need dinner either given how much food you eat!
We started the day with a farm tour. When we arrived there there was fresh fruit and coffee, tea and juice waiting for us. Our guide walked us along the farm, explained things very well for our kids and they got to harvest things, plant things, and taste things. After the tour there was a chef, Eddie, who made us lunch. He also works with Scott at the restaurant. Everything we ate was fresh, and tasted great. The chips for the guacamole were made fresh from the roots at the farm, the rice dish (which was amazing, I have asked for a recipe) also had farm products in it, salad was made with a type of spinach grown on the farm (really hearty tastes more like kale which we love), plantains had a chocolate sauce which my kids helped make. Really can't say enough about the incredible staff. If you don't have the day to do both, definitely do the farm tour!
After we finished we were taken to Scotts place where the cooking lessons were held. They really explained everything really well, and the kids really chopped and cooked everything just like the adults!
I was skeptical about the cashew crusted fish, but it's the most delicate tender fish I have ever had!
We also spent some time with the dogs after we were finished. Our kids love dogs so much, it was really hard to leave without bringing one of the dogs back home with us!
Written April 21, 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.
twobearsontour
Edinburgh, UK354 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
If you enjoy cooking or are a relative newbie you will enjoy this class. Chef Scott Allen, William and Eddy made this a fun and relaxing addition to our holiday. Beautiful setting with lovely views of the arenal volcano and gorgeous food! Especially enjoyed the mojitos, cashew encrusted chicken, coconut flan and surprisingly the cerviche as we are not big fish lovers. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Written August 13, 2016
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.
Susan C
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA14 contributions
Nov 2015 • Couples
We spent the afternoon learning to cook some dishes with Chef Scott. He is great! First, we were met with mojitos, and then we actually got to start cooking. After each course we were able to sit down and enjoy the food, and get to know Scott and his journey to Costa Rica. The food was absolutely amazing and Scott took the time to answer all of our questions about cooking. He also has a dog rescue on the property and the second floor kitchen overlooks both the rescue and the volcano. A must if you are in this area of Costa Rica! You will not regret it.
Written November 26, 2015
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 May 23, 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 May 23, 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 April 28, 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 May 10, 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 October 11, 2016
That's a bit far. Would be better if you could stay in the Arenal/La Fortuna area.
Written May 10, 2018
We are coming in July to see family. Do you have any classes then and what is the cost?
Written June 13, 2016
Search Costa Rica cooking. Their site should pop up. They book through that site too.
Written June 13, 2016
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