On this tasty half-day private experience, a visit to a typical market in Oaxaca City precedes the creation of a meal at a local cooking school and restaurant. Upon arrival, the private cooking guide, Oscar Carrizosa, will be introduced. Oaxaca is a culturally rich state in Mexico that’s home to 16 ethnic groups, each with its individual language, traditions, and cuisine. Oscar has visited many local villages to study directly with these communities, developing knowledge and practice of traditional Oaxacan cuisines. After selecting the menu for the day, participants will head out to learn about typical Mexican ingredients, walking the 10 minutes to a local market. Meandering through the space, participants will take in the sights and smells as the cooking guide talks about the fundamentals of Mexican cooking, like colorful and flavorsome dried chilies. After visually exploring, it's time to step into the kitchen and get hands-on. The ingredients will be ready and waiting when participants get back, measured and prepared for the selected menu. With the guidance of the chef, the next couple of hours will be spent chopping, grinding, and frying to create 3 salsas, 3 types of tortillas, an appetizer, soup, Oaxacan mole, and a dessert. Once completed, participants can take a seat and enjoy the delicious feast, accompanied by wine, beer, or a shot of Oaxacan mezcal.