4-Hour Guided Panamanian Cooking Class and Markets Experience

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Summary
Experience Details
What You’ll Experience
Where to Meet
Reviews
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Duration
4 hours 30 minutes
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Number of Guests
2 - 8 guests
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Language
English, Spanish
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Digital Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted

Join a 4-hour Panamanian cooking adventure. Tour Casco Viejo's markets, gather fresh ingredients, and create a personalized five-course meal. Learn local cooking techniques from a seasoned chef.

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For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals

Experience Details

Discover Panama's unique cuisine in this local market tour combined with a hands on cooking class. With your expert local food guide you will explore the local markets in Casco Viejo, Panama's famous colonial Old Town where you will look for the freshest ingredients for your personalized menu. You will learn about the herbs and seasonings that are unique to Panama while you create a five course meal that would make every Panamanian's grandma proud. You will learn the techniques to wrap the perfect Panamanian tamale and stuff a carimañola from a local chef with generations worth of knowledge and experience. Your cooking experience will be personalized based on your dietary preferences. Options are available for gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian.

Sample Menu

STARTER
Panamanian Style Ceviche
Made with the fresh corvina that we will get at the seafood market
STARTER
Carimañola
A Panamanian staple that consists of mashed yucca (cassava) stuffed with seasoned meat (chicken or vegetarian)
MAIN
Pollo Guisado
You will learn how to make this stewed chicken with local herbs and spices. You will use this chicken in the carimañola and tamal recipes.
MAIN
Tamale Tipica
The centerpiece of any family dinner in Panama made with a velvety corn masa filled with meat and/or vegetables and wrapped in a plantain leaf
DESSERT
Plátano en Tentación
Sweet plantain slowly cooked in a cinnamon, molasses and citrus fruit juice.
MAIN
Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten Free Options
All of the dishes can be substituted with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free ingredients to fit your dietary needs.

What You Get

Cooking class
Lunch
A late lunch based on the same items cooked on the cooking class
Bottled water
Cold Bottled water to start the walk to the markets.
Optional Tips

Good To Know

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Legal age that can be served alcohol is 18
  • Service animals allowed

What You’ll Experience

Your tour starts at the Restaurante El Nacional in Casco Viejo, the colonial historic center of Panama City. You will walk with your expert local guide to gather your personalized ingredients at the two main markets in Panama's Old Town. You will first visit the famous Mercado de Mariscos, Panama's largest seafood market. With the help of your guide, you will select the perfect fish for your ceviche from amongst the many varieties that are delivered here daily from local fisherman on both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Next you will walk a short distance to the Mercado San Felipe Neri. Here you will maneuver amongst the organized chaos of local vendors selling the freshest meats, fruits, and vegetables that Panama has to offer. Once you have your ingredients, you will head back to the cooking studio at El Nacional to begin the cooking class. During the hands on cooking class, you will create a 5 course menu consisting of classic Panamanian dishes made from scratch while learning about spices and herbs that are unique to Panamanian cuisine. The tour will conclude with a sit down lunch where you can enjoy the food that you just created along with complimentary local drinks.

Meeting & Pickup

Meeting Point

Restaurante El Nacional Sabores de Panamá, Panamá Provincia de Panamá, Panama, PA

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Tour starting point is in Restaurante El Nacional, PH Catedral, located on Plaza de la Independencia, in the former Museo de Esmeralda
End Point

This experience ends at the meeting point.

Cancellation Policy

Cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.

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What People Are Saying
Overall ratings and reviews
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(104)
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Fun and Filling!!
June 15, 2025
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(Viator)

Small group - no more than 8. Learn to make 5 traditional Panamanian dishes. Very hands on. We had an afternoon class so we took them up on their offer of complimentary beer wine and even rum that ...read more

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Must do in Panama City
May 31, 2025
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(TripAdvisor)

This is an absolute must do to immerse in the local culture, learn some amazing culinary techniques and just have an amazing day. Three of us participated including my 12 year old daughter. Chef Jo...read more

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Delicious cooking adventure
May 07, 2025
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(TripAdvisor)

Thankful for the great cooking class and Panamian food cultural experience. Big applause to the passionate and knowledgeable chef Jorge for the teaching, cooking guidance and market experience. Big...read more

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AMAMAZING!!!
April 22, 2025
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(TripAdvisor)

Amazing food experience, awesome food, vibes and a great chef. I would highly reccomened this experience for anyone!!!

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It was okay. The choice...
April 18, 2025
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(Viator)

It was okay. The choice of food was delicious, but there was too much on the menu to learn, and we needed other sous chefs to help out. It didn't feel organized. The tours to the fish market, the m...read more

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from  $203.80 
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Please note that the time is in Eastern Standard Time.
Free cancellation (24 hours notice)
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from  $203.80  per guest
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Please note that the time is in Eastern Standard Time.
Free cancellation (24 hours notice)
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For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals
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