Flavors of Costa Rica - NEW
Turrialba, Costa Rica

About the location: At the edge of Costa Rica’s green Central Valley, you find Turrialba, the gateway to the beautiful Caribbean lowlands. Like most boundary regions, this intermediary area between the valley and the Caribbean boasts the benefits of both local traditions in the region’s culture and eating habits, with a blend of Tico Highland, Afro Caribbean and European cuisine. The landscape in this region is also highly diverse, with dramatic gradations in heights in just a few kilometers. From nearly freezing on cold days up at the top of the volcano to pleasantly tropical temperatures in the town, the climate of the Turrialba region is unique in Costa Rica. In fact, it is one of the richest regions in plant and bird species. The goal of this cooking vacation is to experience the “Tipico Tico” lifestyle, with its very own colorful traditions and fresh local products. You will be staying at Guayabo Lodge, an eco lodge on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano in Santa Cruz de Turrialba. The National Tourism Board of Costa Rica recently ranked Guayabo Lodge as a Four Leaves Sustainability eco-hotel for its efforts in environmental conservation and social areas. This richly agricultural area is famous for its Turrialba Cheese, a fresh cow-milk cheese produced by the local people. From the lodge you have a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside with the smoking Turrialba volcano to the North and the lush Turrialba Valley to the South.

Guayabo Lodge was also selected as one of the best five mountain hotels in Costa Rica by CANATUR, the National Chamber of Tourism. After renovations, the lodge now offers four junior suites, which are superior bigger rooms with a kitchenette, satellite TV, and minibar.

About the cooking classes: Your cooking classes will be given by different members of the kitchen team at the lodge: chef Carlo Hernan Aguilar, born and raised in Turrialba, with experience in the local cuisine and Costa Rican fusion cuisine; Norma Pacheco, who hails from the Santa Cruz area and has a lot of practical experience in regional cooking; chef Carlos Aguilar from Hotel Casa Turire, who specializes in Costa Rican and tropical cuisine but also has vast experience preparing inernational cuisine; Rossana Lok is by profession an anthropologist, has been running the Lodge and Cooking School for the past 9 years and has a great passion for authentic and fusion cuisine.