This winter we took a sunny escape to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula to enjoy the sandy white beaches and impressive archeological ruins throughout the region.

We were set on learning the secret to making fresh corn tortillas, how to mix up a tasty margarita, and try some authentic Mexican dishes, but as you know, finding an accommodating vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free cooking class can be a challenge.

The Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center

In our search we found The Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center in Cancun, which offers a range of experiences for vegetarian or vegan food lovers. You can choose from hands-on cooking classes, a guided mercado tour, Chef’s Table tasting with wine pairings, or a tequila tasting night.

We love hand-on cooking experiences and seeing local cultures so we signed up for the Deluxe Chef’s Experience & Mercado Tour. After meeting at the Ritz-Carlton, Chef Manning took us into town to visit a local market, before heading back to the Culinary Center to don our aprons and learn some new Mexican recipes.

Mercado 23

Mercado 23 is known as the ‘local’s market’ and gives a real look into daily life in Mexico. The market is filled with fruit and vegetable stalls, bags of spices, potions, chilies, and even party supplies like piñatas.

By far our favorite stall was the tortilleria. In a small, scorching hot, store front they mix together Masa flour with salt and water to make corn tortilla dough which is flattened and cooked in a tortilla assembly machine. We need one of those! Meeting the people who worked in the shop and tasting warm tortillas rolled up with a sprinkle of salt was a delicious trip highlight.

Chef Manning guided us around with plenty of time to see the sights of Marcado 23, but we were also on a mission to find the ingredients for our cooking class. As we sampled pieces of tropical mamey sapote fruit, searched for local honey, and watched in fascination as they removed the spines off cactus, Chef Manning told us he keeps the menus flexible so he can adjust to what is being sold at market that day.

After a ride back to The Ritz-Carlton Cancun we were ready to start cooking…

The Culinary Center

Walking into the Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center we were greeted by the huge open kitchen and a breezy ocean view. The Culinary Center is set up with everything you could need… a huge knife collection, Viking appliances, personal work stations, and (our favorite) the support of a team of Ritz-Carlton sous-chefs!

First thing’s first, Chef Manning showed us how to make a classic Margarita. While squeezing fresh limes, we chatted about different types of tequilas and mezcals, as well as the hype around the worm or scorpion in the bottle.

That first sip of Margarita was fresh and zesty with the perfect amount of salt! Chef Manning also mixed together a second margarita tres capas, with a bit of holiday flair, demonstrating his creativity towards modern Mexican cuisine.

We settled right in feeling quite at home in the luxurious kitchen.  Soon we were mastering homemade tortillas in the tortilla press, chopping ingredients for the spicy vegan ceviche, and toasting pumpkin seeds for a potent chili hot sauce, all while nibbling on fresh corn tortilla chips and creamy guacamole.

Chef Manning was so knowledgeable about everything, giving us many tips along the way about how to make different varieties of guacamole, or what to look out for at home when you are choosing a dried chili peppers. {Read more in our interview, Meet the Chef: Ryan Manning}

We had so much fun cooking up a storm and enjoying margaritas and guacamole, but we felt most spoiled when Chef Manning invited us to sit down for lunch. Course after course of vegetarian and vegan Mexican dishes were brought out.  Some we had helped prepare, others Chef Manning showcased himself, though each was thoughtfully paired with delicious Mexican wines, showing off the flavors and ingredients of regional Mexican cuisines.

The 5 Course Meal

We started with some street food inspired appetizers called antojitos, ‘little cravings’. Second, a flavorful vegan ceviche made of the freshest avocados, oranges, mangoes, jicama, and a spicy lime marinade called Aguachile.

Next we enjoyed a rich vegetarian tortilla soup. A beautifully flavored tomato broth was delicately poured over the garnishes and crispy tortilla strips, allowing the flavors to mingle with each spoonful.

Dessert was a wonderful treat of homemade fluffy Mexican donuts, mamey sapote fruit, and local artisan anise-infused honey. Truly decedent, it was a delicious way to taste the exotic fruit we had sampled road-side at the market earlier.

To finish with a hit of holiday flair, Chef served a mamey sapote ice-cream served with traditional Mexican Christmas cakes. Traditionally on January 6^th, Three King’s Day, these cakes are shared among friends and family. A small baby doll is hidden in one of the cakes, and the person who finds the doll is chosen to cook tamales for the whole family!

What an incredible experience!  As we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves, we quizzed Chef Manning on all of the tips he could share to help us bring the experience of traditional Mexican cooking back home with us.

Chef Manning’s Tips – Mexican Cooking Utensils

Chef Manning shared with us some of his favorite utensils in the kitchen to cook homemade Mexican food:

• Citrus Juicer – Great for making Margaritas and getting every last drop of juice out of limes
• Microplane Grater – Use this to zest limes, chocolate, nutmeg or hard cheeses.
• Soap Stone or Volcanic Rock Molcajete – A traditional mortar and pestle, excellent for guacamole or mole sauces.
• Cast Iron Tortilla Press – Tortillas are never going to taste the same once you’ve made fresh corn tortillas.

Final Words

We really enjoyed our day visiting the markets, and experiencing Mexican cuisines at The Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center. Chef Manning made us feel right at home, graciously sharing his knowledge and giving us an appreciation for Mexican cuisine, its ingredients, and techniques.

A visit to Cancun Mexico would not be complete without a visit to the The Culinary Center for a vegan, vegetarian or even gluten free cooking class… especially when right outside your kitchen window lies this absolutely stunning seascape.

We’d love to hear your stories about your favorite cooking classes while traveling. Share them in the comments!

~ Thanks to The Ritz-Carlton Cancun for hosting us ~
Visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/mexico/cancun to learn more.
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