The Best Cooking Classes to Take in Montevideo, Uruguay

Uruguay’s cuisine has an established identity built upon long-standing traditions. But in Montevideo, the most cosmopolitan city in the country, people have begun adopting new types of food in their everyday lives. This, along with the success of Masterchef‘s first Uruguayan edition, has helped rejuvenate culinary interest – which means that cooking schools are now at their best. Take advantage of it. These are the best cooking classes to take in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Crandon is the main gastronomy school in Uruguay and almost a national symbol. In fact, some of the many editions of Crandon’s cookbooks are sure to be found in practically any Uruguayan home. Apart from courses aimed at people interested in culinary careers, amateur cooks also get a chance to learn from professionals in any of the short courses that take place during the year. Some consist of a demonstrative one-day workshop, others last for a few weeks, and there are lots of options in between. Some recipes include: petit fours, gluten-free cooking, Christmas recipes, pasta, and cooking with beer.

This school, founded by the renowned Argentinian chef Gato Dumas, is one of the most prestigious in Uruguay. Apart from culinary careers, the institute offers summer courses and short courses in four different categories: cooking, pastry, bakery, and event planning, which then have different subcategories to choose from. For example, those interested in bakery can take classes to specialize in basic bakery, pizza and empanadas, or pizza and pasta. There are options to satisfy every curious cook.

This vegan couple is willing to share all their cooking secrets with the world, and do so with two different courses. The first one is for small groups of up to six people that teaches students how to prepare a vegetarian dinner with appetizers, main dish and dessert – which attendees can enjoy later with a good wine. The other option is a personalized course for up to two people, in which the main idea is to cook without pre-made recipes, instead learning the different ways to successfully combine veggie ingredients in an improvisational manner.

This young chef, who has a cooking segment on a popular national TV show during the week, is an expert in making cooking fun and simple. Her recipes (which are irresistible, by the way) usually have few ingredients and are quick and easy to prepare. Some of her courses include: Italian food, meats, sushi, healthy meals, pastries, or a combination of any of them. The best part is that the classes can take place wherever the student wants.

These cooking classes sometimes take place in a home decoration store, which make a perfect backdrop for Caio’s cuisine. At other times, the chef’s chameleon-like style allows him to teach vegetarian recipes with freshly harvested products in a coop. He’s so versatile that his Instagram account includes many posts of meat recipes, but he’s also a promoter of Meat-Free Mondays. That’s why his classes are so great – he adapts to most types of cuisine or special requests for anyone interested in enriching their diet and cooking skills.

Anna Purna specializes in raw food, and her top course is the Raw Desserts class, where attendants get to learn irresistible recipes that are raw and gluten- and sugar-free – because dreams really do come true, and the healthiest of desserts can also be delicious. The class is a one-day course, usually held on Saturdays, consisting of a theoretical and a practical part. The attendants leave happily with a serving of every preparation – which includes brownies, alfajores, cupcakes and more – and a PDF of all the recipes.

Vegetarian foodies or just anyone who likes to explore adventurous cuisines will delight in this short course that takes place in the restaurant Namasté. Students will learn not just recipes, but also invaluable secrets and how to combine different types of food throughout the cooking process. Namasté was one of the first vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Montevideo, back when finding veggie options in the city was almost an impossible quest. The course takes place several times a year, and lessons include both savory and sweet recipes, proven to be tempting for even the most carnivorous of people.