Luxury Hotels Go Native With Specialized Cooking Classes

Cooking classes at luxury hotels are nothing new, but now a number of them around the world are pushing their culinary instruction one step further, offering native cooking classes that immerse guests in the cultural roots of a property's local cuisine by incorporating historic recipes and techniques.

From preparing queso fundido like the ancient Aztecs, to perfecting a spice-laden Moroccan stew using a traditional tagine, these hotels provide travelers the opportunity to learn more about their destination's indigenous background, further broadening their guests' horizons and palates:

Rosewood San Miguel de Allende (Mexico)
At Los Pirules—this hotel's new, immersive outdoor cooking venue overlooking the city of San Miguel de Allende—guests use local Manchego cheese, fresh salsa, and herbs picked from the property's garden to prepare sizzling queso fundido in a heated stone bowl or molcajete, a technique that can be traced back to the Aztecs.

The Peninsula (Hong Kong)
Through an interactive session with experienced dim-sum chefs, guests learn how to make traditional shrimp dumplings and steamed pork buns using Chine bamboo steamers at the Peninsula's Spring Moon restaurant.

The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds (Lake Oconee, Ga.)
On warm afternoons, travelers staying at the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds can experience an authentic Georgia pig roast and learn grilling tips and secrets to brining and seasoning from chef Aaron Baxendale.

Riad al Assala by Sanssouci Collection (Morocco)
At Riad al Assala, guests get a taste of Moroccan culture by shopping at local souks and crafting traditional North African tagines made with lamb, apricots, and dates and baked in the dish's traditional ancient earthenware pot of the same name.