Do I need prior cooking experience to join the class?

No prior experience is required; the class is designed for all skill levels.

Are dietary restrictions accommodated?

Please inform the staff in advance so they can accommodate dietary needs when possible.

Is the final meal included with the class?

Yes, you’ll enjoy the tamales you prepare during the class as part of the meal.

Can I take home recipe instructions?

Each participant receives a recipe packet to recreate the dishes at home.

What beverages are provided during the class?

Complementary water, coffee, hot tea, and iced tea are offered; beer, wine, and soda are available for purchase.

How many people are in each class?

Classes maintain limited capacity to ensure personalized instruction and a hands-on experience.

Hands-On Tamale Class in Santa Fe at Santa Fe School of Cooking | Food Tour | Workshop

Santa Fe sits at the crossroads of the American Southwest’s rich culinary and cultural heritage, where food tells stories as vivid as the desert landscape. At the heart of this lively city, the Santa Fe School of Cooking offers a rare, immersive hands-on class that goes well beyond the plate: More Tamales feat. Three Different Types of Tamales. This isn’t just a cooking lesson; it’s a chance to dive deep into New Mexican flavors and cooking traditions while actively crafting three distinct tamale varieties.

The class invites you to roll up your sleeves and prepare green chile chicken tamales, Asian duck tamales glazed with a sweet and sour sauce, and green tamales filled with chayote squash alongside a creamy poblano drizzle. Each recipe is steeped in unique influences—combining local ingredients and a blend of traditional and innovative approaches to tamale-making. The pièce de résistance is the authentic New Mexican green chile sauce that ties all three varieties together with its signature smoky heat.

Set in Santa Fe’s vibrant historic district, the school benefits from the region’s high desert climate that yields an abundance of fresh chiles, herbs, and squash, ingredients central to this cuisine. The city itself is known for its Pueblo-style adobe architecture and a culture shaped by Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo settlers—reflected in its food and festivals alike. Participating here means tapping into the roots of this regional cuisine, learning to prepare a meal that connects you to centuries of culinary tradition.

This intimate, three-hour program balances hands-on instruction with communal dining, making it perfect for food lovers, travelers seeking authentic experiences, and anyone wanting to bring a little of Santa Fe’s fire and flavor back home. From grinding masa by hand to mastering tamale wrapping techniques, this class isn’t just a cooking course—it’s a culinary adventure that electrifies your taste buds while putting skills in your hands.

About Santa Fe School of Cooking

Santa Fe School of Cooking is a culinary education and event company based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The school offers a diverse schedule of hands-on and demonstration cooking classes, themed dinners, and collaborative musical dining events. Classes range from technique-focused demonstrations to hands-on sessions that teach traditional New Mexican, Mexican, and border-region recipes. Students learn dishes such as chilaquiles, corn pudding, cream of green chile soup, carne tampiqueña, tacos al pastor, and salsa macha, and explore ingredients like achiote, lime, apricot, eggplant, and green chile.

The school partners with local venues and cultural organizations to present unique dinner concerts and festival collaborations. Featured events include jazz evenings at Dave’s Jazz Bistro with performers such as Delbert Anderson, Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim with the John Rangel Trio, Robby Beasley, Dr. Chris Buckholz, Eddie Daniels, and Lee Musiker. The program has also collaborated with the Santa Fe Indian Market and the New Mexico Jazz Festival, pairing live music and poetry with menus inspired by Native culinary traditions.

Instruction is led by experienced chefs and culinary professionals who design curated menus for holiday dinners, healthy seasonal menus, vegetarian offerings, and culturally rooted tasting menus. The school emphasizes authentic regional flavors, practical techniques, and convivial dining experiences. Visitors and students can expect clear instruction, thoughtfully sourced recipes, and opportunities to taste and take home new skills. Santa Fe School of Cooking focuses on culinary education, cultural connection, and memorable food-centered events. Classes accommodate home cooks and visiting travelers seeking authentic regional cooking experiences and techniques.