St. John’s: Rum Cooking Class with 6 Rum Tastings

Rum is not just a drink here. At Nicole’s Table, it goes into soup, steak, dessert, and the stories of Caribbean life. You cook a three-course meal in a local home high above the sea, then sit on the veranda for lunch and a tasting of six rums from Antigua, Guyana, Martinique, and Cuba. Nicole’s relaxed teaching style makes this feel more like an afternoon with welcoming friends than a formal lesson.

I especially like the hands-on choice: you can take part in every recipe or settle into a more laid-back class. I also like the setting and the practical recipes, which include dishes such as sweet potato soup with rum, rum-marinated flank steak, plantains wrapped in bacon, and bread pudding with rum-soaked raisins. The main drawback is practical: you must arrange your own transport, and the hilltop home is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Key points to know before booking

• Six Caribbean rums: Taste spirits from Antigua, Guyana, Martinique, Cuba, and other regional sources.
• A full four-hour meal: Prepare cocktails, starter, main course, sides, and dessert before sitting down to eat.
• Nicole and Adam host: Nicole leads the cooking, while Adam takes part in the rum tasting.
• A hilltop home setting: Cook and eat on a veranda overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
• Cruise-stop friendly timing: Classes begin at 11:00 and usually finish around 15:00.
• Plan for transport and dietary needs: There is no hotel pickup, and you should report allergies or other food requirements when booking.

Rum takes center stage at Nicole’s Table

The most unusual part of this class is the way rum appears across the meal. You do not simply taste a few pours at the end. Nicole explains how rum has shaped Caribbean food and culture since its use began in the region around the 17th century, then shows you how it works in savory dishes, sauces, marinades, and sweets.

I like this approach because it gives the tasting a purpose. You are not trying six unrelated drinks with a plate of snacks. You are learning why a dark or aged rum may suit a sauce, how rum can add warmth to a dessert, and how the spirit fits into everyday Caribbean cooking.

The class takes place at Nicole’s home, high on a hill with a view over the Caribbean Sea. That setting matters. You get a local home atmosphere rather than a restaurant kitchen or a large cooking school, and the meal unfolds at an unhurried pace. The view is part of the experience, but the home setting is just as important.

Nicole teaches in English and keeps the tone informal. You can expect explanations about the food, stories about life in the West Indies, and plenty of room for conversation. If you want detailed instruction, the class can be hands-on. If you prefer to watch, chat, and enjoy the setting, the format allows that too.

What happens during the four-hour class

Classes begin at 11:00 and generally finish around 15:00. That makes the timing useful for a cruise stop or a hotel stay, though you must leave enough time to get to the meeting point and return afterward.

The exact menu depends on the season and what is available. A typical class begins with drinks, including a local juice and Nicole’s Old-Fashioned Rum Punch. The punch gives you an early taste of the afternoon’s theme, while the juice provides a nonalcoholic option before the formal tasting begins.

You then move into the cooking. The class is not presented as a rigid demonstration where you sit quietly and watch every step. You may help prepare the recipes, ask questions, and choose how involved you want to be. That flexibility suits couples and small groups with different interests. One person can focus on the cooking while another takes in the view and follows along at a slower pace.

The meal usually includes a starter, a main course with several sides, and dessert. Since the recipes change with the season, you should treat the sample menu as a guide rather than a guarantee.

Sweet potato soup, rum marinade, and Caribbean sides

The starter is typically sweet potato soup with rum. Sweet potato gives the soup a mild sweetness and a soft texture, while the rum adds a warmer, more grown-up note. This is the kind of dish that shows how a small amount of spirit can change a familiar recipe without turning it into a cocktail.

For the main course, you may prepare flank steak marinated with rum and brown sugar, served with onion jam. The combination brings together caramelized sweetness, savory meat, and the darker flavor of rum. It is also a useful recipe to take home because the marinade and onion jam can work well beyond this one meal.

The sides make the plate feel distinctly Caribbean. Plantains wrapped in bacon provide a sweet and salty bite, while red beans and rice add a filling staple. A garden salad brings a fresh element to the meal. I appreciate that the menu is not just one rum-flavored dish with a few decorative extras. You prepare a complete lunch with enough variety to show how the ingredients work together.

Because the recipes depend on the season and supply, you should not book with the assumption that every listed item will appear. If you have food allergies or dietary requirements, tell the provider when you reserve. That is especially important in a class where you will handle and eat several prepared dishes.

Dessert and the six-rum tasting

Dessert usually takes one of two forms: bread pudding with rum-soaked raisins and butter rum sauce, or butter rum cake. Both continue the theme without making the entire meal taste the same. The raisins and sauce bring the rum forward in the bread pudding, while a butter rum cake offers a richer, softer finish.

The six-rum tasting is one of the strongest reasons to choose this class over a standard cooking lesson. The lineup includes rums from Antigua and Guyana, as well as Martinique and Cuba. That gives you a chance to compare spirits shaped by different Caribbean traditions rather than sampling only one local brand.

The tasting is part of the cooking experience, not a separate bar stop. Adam takes part in the rum tasting, while Nicole connects the drinks to the food and the region. You get cultural context along with the pours, which makes the tasting easier to understand even if you do not know much about rum.

The minimum drinking age is 18. Since the class includes a rum punch and six tastings, plan your day with care. The activity is not a good fit for anyone avoiding alcohol, although the cooking, meal, setting, and conversation still form a large part of the afternoon.

A local home instead of a formal cooking school

Nicole’s Table works best if you want personal contact rather than polished culinary theater. The class takes place in a Caribbean home, and the hosts keep the mood warm and informal. You are not being rushed from station to station or pushed toward restaurant-level technique.

That does not mean the class lacks structure. You still prepare a planned meal, learn how rum is used, receive the recipes, and sit down for lunch. The difference is that the structure leaves room for stories and conversation.

I also like the fact that the recipes are described as easy to make at home. You are not learning a complicated dish that depends on equipment you will never use again. The sweet potato soup, rum marinade, onion jam, plantains, rice and beans, and rum dessert give you several ideas to repeat after your trip.

The atmosphere may be especially appealing if you enjoy meeting local people and seeing how food fits into daily life. The class offers more than a cooking technique. It gives you a window into Caribbean hospitality, the role of rum in the region, and the way a meal can bring all of those pieces together.

The hilltop view comes with a transport decision

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You meet at Nicole’s Table, and directions are sent after booking. You should plan this part before the day of the class, especially if you are coming from a cruise ship and have a fixed return time.

The class itself is scheduled to finish around 15:00, but you still need to account for your journey to and from the meeting point. Do not treat the four-hour duration as the total time needed for your shore day.

The hilltop position provides the Caribbean view that makes the setting special, but it also means this is not a good choice for wheelchair users. Anyone with mobility concerns should consider the access conditions before reserving. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and unaccompanied minors are not allowed.

Hand washing is required, and you will need to wear a mask if you have flu-like symptoms. These rules are simple, but they matter in a hands-on class where several people are preparing and eating the same meal.

Is $164 a fair price?

At $164 per person, this is not a cheap lunch or a basic rum tasting. The value comes from combining several separate activities into one afternoon: cooking instruction, a full meal, drinks, six rum samples, a recipe booklet, local conversation, and a sea-view setting.

If you only want to taste rum, you can likely find a less expensive way to do that. If you only want lunch, a restaurant will cost less. But if you want a personal cooking class with a three-course meal and a regional tasting, the price is easier to justify.

I would judge the value by how much of the afternoon you plan to use. Someone who wants a quick excursion may find four hours and $164 too much. Someone who enjoys food, stories, and a relaxed pace gets a fuller experience than the price of a meal alone suggests.

The recipe booklet also adds practical value. You can recreate at least some of the dishes at home, so the class does not end when you leave the veranda. The recipes are meant to be approachable rather than overly technical, which makes them useful souvenirs.

Who will enjoy this class most?

I would recommend Nicole’s Table to couples, small groups, food-focused visitors, and cruise passengers looking for something more personal than a bus tour. It also suits people who enjoy rum but want to understand its place in Caribbean cooking rather than simply drink it.

The flexible format helps. You can take an active role in preparing each course, or you can participate at a gentler pace. That makes the class workable for people with different cooking skills and different levels of interest.

It is less suitable if you dislike alcohol, need guaranteed menu items, require wheelchair access, or want transportation included. You should also be comfortable with a home setting and an informal class rather than a professionally staged kitchen.

The strongest feature is the combination of warmth, food, and place. The hosts, Nicole and Adam, are central to the experience. The local setting gives the meal character, and the rum theme ties the cooking, tasting, and Caribbean history together.

Should you book Nicole’s Table?

Book this class if you want an afternoon built around food, conversation, and Caribbean culture, not just a quick activity. The setting, three-course meal, six-rum tasting, and friendly hosting give you plenty for the price.

Before you commit, confirm that you can reach the meeting point, that the hilltop home works for your mobility needs, and that the menu can accommodate any allergies. If those details fit, Nicole’s Table is a strong choice for a memorable Antigua shore experience, especially if you prefer local hospitality over a standard organized excursion.

FAQ

Where does the cooking class take place?

The class takes place at Nicole’s Table, a local home high on a hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea in Antigua.

How long does the experience last?

The cooking class lasts four hours. Classes begin at 11:00 and usually finish around 15:00.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You meet at Nicole’s Table, and directions are emailed after you make a reservation.

What food will I prepare?

A typical menu includes sweet potato soup with rum, rum and brown sugar marinated flank steak with onion jam, plantains wrapped in bacon, red beans and rice, garden salad, and either bread pudding with rum-soaked raisins and butter rum sauce or butter rum cake.

How many rums will I taste?

You will taste six different regional rums, including rums from Antigua and Guyana to Martinique and Cuba.

Is the class suitable for children?

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied minors are not allowed, and the minimum drinking age is 18.

Can I request a special diet or report an allergy?

Yes. You should advise the provider of specific dietary requirements, especially food allergies, when booking.

Is the class wheelchair accessible?

No. The activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Can I cancel my reservation?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now-and-pay-later option is also available.