Cook with Maido’s creative chef and chef de cuisine

Lima’s food scene comes into sharper focus when you cook with someone who works at Maido, the acclaimed restaurant named the best in the world in 2025. This small-group class brings you into the kitchen with Chef Hector Aguilar or Chef Jose Aguilar, where food preparation, local ingredients, and Peruvian culture share the same table.

I like the market visit, which gives the class a stronger sense of place than a standard cooking demonstration. I also like the mix of hands-on cooking, a pisco sour lesson, and a sit-down meal, all within about two hours. The main consideration is timing: the class is short, and a group of up to 15 people may mean less individual attention than a private lesson.

Key points at a glance

• Learn with Maido chefs: Chef Hector Aguilar or Chef Jose Aguilar leads the cooking class.
• Visit a Lima market: The experience includes a market stop before the food preparation.
• Make a pisco sour: The class covers Peru’s famous cocktail as well as its food.
• Eat what you prepare: Your cooking becomes lunch or dinner at the end of the session.
• Choose morning or afternoon: The schedule works for different days in Lima.
• Small-group format: The maximum is 15 people, with a relaxed setting for questions and practice.

Why this class gives you more than a recipe

A cooking class can be a pleasant way to fill two hours. This one has a better reason to exist: it connects what you eat in Lima with the people and ingredients behind it.

Working with a chef from Maido gives the session a professional link without turning it into a stiff restaurant lecture. You can expect practical instruction, food preparation, and conversation about Peruvian cooking. The tone is meant to be relaxed, so you are not required to perform like a television chef.

That matters if you want to understand Peru through its food rather than simply order another plate at a restaurant. You will see how ingredients enter the kitchen, learn how dishes are put together, and then eat the result while the process is still fresh.

I also appreciate that the class includes both food and drink. The pisco sour lesson adds a distinctly Peruvian touch, while the cooking portion gives you something useful to repeat at home. Recipes from the day are included, so the experience does not end when you leave the table.

Starting in Miraflores at Ca. Gral. Borgoño 712

The class begins at Ca. Gral. Borgoño 712 in Miraflores and ends at the same meeting point. That simple arrangement is useful in Lima, especially if you are planning other activities before or after the class.

The meeting point is near public transportation. The supplied information does not specify a hotel pickup service, so you should plan to reach the address on your own and allow enough time to arrive before the start.

You can choose a morning or afternoon class. A morning start works well if you want cooking to become your main midday activity. The afternoon option may suit you better if you have spent the morning visiting Lima sights or prefer to turn the class into dinner.

Since the session lasts about two hours, it fits neatly into a day in Miraflores. Still, allow a little extra time around the official duration. A market stop, food preparation, the pisco sour lesson, and the meal all need room to breathe.

The market visit puts ingredients before recipes

The market portion is one of the most useful parts of the experience. Instead of meeting a prepared dish with no context, you begin by seeing the food world that supports Peruvian cooking.

The information provided does not name the market or list the ingredients you will see, so I would not promise a particular fruit, fish, pepper, or herb. The value is in the setting itself. You can ask about unfamiliar foods, notice how ingredients are presented, and connect the day’s cooking with everyday life in Lima.

That makes the class more than a cooking tutorial. You are not just learning steps from a printed recipe. You are getting a clearer idea of where Peruvian food begins and how a chef thinks about the raw materials.

The market visit may also be the most unpredictable part of the morning or afternoon. Markets are working places, not staged attractions, and the amount of time spent there may vary. If you prefer a tightly timed class with every minute fixed, this loose edge could feel less convenient.

For me, that is a fair trade. A short market visit gives the class a local setting and helps explain why Peruvian food has such a wide range of flavors and ingredients.

Cooking with Hector Aguilar or Jose Aguilar

The class is led by Chef Hector Aguilar or Chef Jose Aguilar, both identified with Maido. Chef Hector is described as the restaurant’s creative chef, and the experience centers on sharing professional cooking skills in an easygoing environment.

The class is not presented as a passive demonstration. You should expect to take part in preparing the food, with the chef guiding the work and explaining the recipes as you go. That hands-on format is important if you want to remember what you learned after returning home.

Chef Hector is also described as sharing cooking tips, recipes, and the foods of Peru. That combination is useful because technique alone can feel disconnected from culture. You want to know not only how to prepare a dish, but also why the ingredients matter and how they fit into Peruvian eating traditions.

The instruction is aimed at a broad range of cooking abilities. The description calls the skills advanced, but the setting is laidback and the class is designed for participation. If you are an experienced home cook, you may enjoy the professional perspective. If you cook only occasionally, the relaxed pace should make the class less intimidating.

The group can reach 15 people. That is still a small enough number for a social class, but it is not the same as a private session. Your access to the chef may depend on where you are working and how active the group is with questions.

The pisco sour lesson adds a taste of Peru

The pisco sour class gives the experience a second focus beyond food. Pisco is one of Peru’s best-known spirits, and learning how to make the drink helps you recognize a familiar part of the country’s dining culture.

The supplied details do not specify the exact method, ingredients, or whether you prepare the cocktail individually. So you should think of this as a guided pisco sour lesson, not a promise of a full cocktail workshop with several variations.

Its place in the class is still valuable. You learn about a drink that appears on menus across Lima, then pair the lesson with cooking and a shared meal. That creates a more complete introduction to Peruvian food culture than a class focused on one dish alone.

If you do not drink alcohol, check your needs before booking. The information confirms that a pisco sour class is included, but it does not explain whether a nonalcoholic substitute is available.

Lunch or dinner turns the lesson into a social meal

At the end, you sit down to eat lunch or dinner. This is more satisfying than leaving with a container of food or a quick taste at the counter. You have prepared the meal, so the final table gives the class a clear finish.

The experience is also designed to encourage conversation. Music and a relaxed meal are part of the atmosphere described for the class, and the meal can feel like a shared occasion rather than a rushed lesson.

That social side may be especially appealing if you are traveling alone or want an easy way to meet other people without joining a large sightseeing group. You still need to be comfortable with a communal class, since the group can include as many as 15 people.

The meal is included in the $60 price. In Lima, that makes the value fairly strong for anyone who wants a meal, instruction, a market visit, and a drink lesson in one booking. It is not the cheapest way to eat, but you are paying for the chef’s time and the chance to participate, not simply for a restaurant plate.

What the $60 price really covers

At $60 per person, the class sits above a basic local meal but below the cost of many high-end restaurant experiences. The price includes the cooking class, instruction from a Maido chef, the pisco sour class, lunch or dinner, and the recipes from the day.

The market visit adds another useful layer. You are getting a short food tour, a cooking lesson, a cocktail lesson, and a meal in one experience lasting about two hours.

I would book it for the activity and instruction, not only for the amount of food. If your main goal is a cheap lunch, a neighborhood restaurant will cost less. If your goal is to learn, ask questions, cook alongside a chef, and take home recipes, the price makes more sense.

The group size affects the value. With a maximum of 15 people, the experience should feel more personal than a large demonstration, but you should not expect constant one-to-one coaching. People who want close chef supervision may prefer a smaller private class if one is available.

Who will get the most from this Lima cooking class

I would recommend this experience to you if you meet one or more of these descriptions:

• You want a practical introduction to Peruvian food.
• You enjoy cooking more than watching a demonstration.
• You like meeting a chef in a relaxed setting.
• You want a meal included in your activity.
• You are curious about pisco sours and Peruvian ingredients.
• You want an activity that fits into either a morning or afternoon.
• You would like recipes to use after your trip.

It is also a good choice for people who want a cultural activity without committing to a full-day tour. Two hours is manageable, and the return to the same meeting point keeps the logistics simple.

Families can book, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Food intolerances and allergies can be accommodated, though you should provide that information when arranging the experience rather than waiting until the cooking begins.

I would be more cautious about booking if you dislike group activities, need a strictly private lesson, or want a long, slow culinary workshop. The class is compact, and the maximum group size is 15.

Booking, timing, and cancellation details

Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Since this experience is booked an average of 31 days ahead, reserving early is sensible if your Lima dates are fixed.

For last-minute bookings, contact the provider by phone or WhatsApp at +51 922 063 425. The supplied information gives that contact for urgent arrangements.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded, and changes within that period are not accepted.

The experience requires good weather and a minimum number of participants. If poor weather or insufficient bookings cause cancellation, you will be offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Should you book this Maido cooking experience?

I would book this class if you want a compact, personal introduction to Peruvian cooking with a clear connection to Lima’s restaurant scene. The combination of market visit, hands-on preparation, pisco sour instruction, recipes, and a sit-down meal gives you plenty for $60.

The strongest reason to choose it is the access to Chef Hector Aguilar or Chef Jose Aguilar, along with the chance to cook rather than simply watch. The main limits are the short two-hour format and a group that may reach 15 people.

Choose a morning or afternoon slot that leaves you some flexibility, mention allergies in advance, and reserve early. If you want food, conversation, and practical recipes in one easy Miraflores activity, this is a sound pick.

FAQ

Where does the cooking class start?

It starts at Ca. Gral. Borgoño 712, Miraflores 15074, Peru.

Where does the experience end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point in Miraflores.

How long does the cooking class last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

Who teaches the class?

The class is taught by Chef Hector Aguilar or Chef Jose Aguilar, identified as chefs at Maido.

Is a pisco sour lesson included?

Yes. A pisco sour class is included in the experience.

Is a meal included?

Yes. Lunch or dinner is included.

Do I receive the recipes?

Yes. Recipes from the day are included.

Can food allergies or intolerances be accommodated?

Yes. Food intolerances and allergies can be catered for.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.