Market Visit and Cooking Lesson: Learn to Cook Authentic Mexican Food with a Modern Twist

Choosing the freshest fish at a local market and making a simple, but delicious ceviche, was a highlight of our experience. Manu was knowledgeable, friendly, and considerate. The entire experience during Covid felt safe.

Had a wonderful time learning to cook after shopping for our ingredients at an outdoor market. Manu, was wonderful and he took the time to see what we wanted to get out of the lesson and then we went to the market a few blocks away. We picked out fresh shrimp and vegetables and even saw fresh tortillas being made. We came back and made a delicious meal and then ate it. Manu is fun and made the day just perfect. Highly recommend this event. A ++++

This was an absolute wonderful experience. I would highly recommend. Manu was very personable, informative and the perfect host. He got a feel for the foods we liked and we shopped at the local market for all fresh ingredients and went back to house to prepare. The food was excellent and can’t wait for him to email everything I need to make this at home. What a great experience. Looking forward to my next trip to Puerto Vallarta and another great experience with Manu

We had a great time from start to finish. We enjoyed venturing out of the downtown area to a home located in a fantastic neighborhood. The experience was fun because we walked to a Mercado for ingredients. As well as learned to design a two course meal. 5 stars!

He was very professional it was one on one , and I learned news recipes and it was very fun ok ok ok ok ok ok ok

My wife and I spent a morning with Manu (Manuel) on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Our only regret was not taking our two teenage boys because they would have loved it. This is our experience: 1) We research fun things to do in PV and cooking lessons pop up a few notches down from zip-lining, which we have already booked. These cooking lessons do not look like anything we have done in the US. These lessons involve a trip the market with the chef to acquire the foods available fresh that day. And after shopping, we are going to prepare the foods at the chef's house. That sounds different and fun, so we book online. 2) When we arrive in PV, I write the address and the phone number for the chef's house for the taxi driver to reference. That proves helpful because the driver does call Manu for directions. The house isn't difficult to find. It's just that taxi drivers find restaurants and hotels faster than they find residential addresses. 3) I knock on a nondescript door and Manu greets us with perfect English. He invites us into his immaculate, small house and our adventure begins with a conversation about our food preferences. After 20-30 minutes discussing potential dishes to make and our tolerance for food adventure, we walk to the market with Manu over cobblestone streets. He greets people and they greet him as we walk. Manu knows the neighbors and they know him. 4) Our first stop is the fish market, a lively place where Manu seems to be a celebrity. He knows everyone's name and they know him. They also know Manu seeks the highest-quality fish, so they show him their best. As Manu talks with the market staff, he identifies all the fish and shellfish for my wife and me and he shows us how to recognize the freshest fish. The market staff wraps our fish neatly and we repeat the process for vegetables and dairy products with a stop by a small tortilla factory. We acquire tortillas that are warm because the little assembly line has just produced them. Manu tells us all the produce is from the area, so this market resembles a US farmers' market, not a grocery store. 5) We return to Manu's house, and the preparation begins with a lesson in food safety. He washes the vegetables carefully and then disinfects them with an iodine wash which makes you question your own food-handling measures. He moves quickly, explaining the steps and the reasons as he goes. He is preparing two courses for us and wonderful smells fill the kitchen as he multi-tasks effortlessly. 6) While this is a lesson, this is not a group project because he is fast and needs no assistance. He slows to demonstrate good knife skills and he shows us the proper way to slice serrano peppers without abusing them in a way that releases too much heat. After a few attempts, we acknowledge we have been slicing peppers incorrectly for years and Manu takes charge again. He moves efficiently, always placing the knife here and the spoon there. We cannot believe how little space he requires to be so productive. 7) He assembles our first course, ceviche. It looks beautiful and tastes better. We conclude it is the best we will ever eat. When would we ever eat ceviche made in front of us from ingredients so fresh? 8) As we enjoy that course, he begins work on the next, enchiladas. The ceviche is so good we forget more food is coming. These enchiladas are unlike anything we have tried. They are small, filled with panela, a cheese that does not melt and they are delicious. 9) After spending the morning eating and conversing with Manu, he tells us how to walk to the tourist areas of PV. When we meet the rest of our group, we tell them about our morning and they envy our adventure. My wife and I recommend that you take a break from the resort, beach and ocean for 4 hours and treat yourself to this experience.

Our cooking class with Chef Manuel was amazing, enlightening, delicious and would recommend to everyone.

This was one of the best experiences we had in Puerto Vallarta. Manu is very knowledgeable and a great teacher. He showed us around the local market, introduced us to some new produce I'm excited to try at home, and answered any questions we had. The food was phenomenal, leaving us with a memorable experience I'll be sure to recommend to all my friends. Thanks Manu!

Manu is a wonderful host, an engaging instructor, and a great chef. He welcomed us into his home and led us on a shopping trip to the neighborhood food market, including the local fishmonger and tortilla factory. Upon our return to his kitchen, he demonstrated how to make cerviche and enchiladas. He communicated clearly and the cooking process and his presentation were at a level fully appropriate for amateur cooks. The food was wonderful, light and flavorful (but not hot or overly spicy).

Manuel is a great chef. We had a great time learing how to cook enchilada, salsa and mahi mahi chevice. Outstanding taste!