There’s a delicious new reason to travel to Tulum, the burgeoning, bohemian-chic beach town in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Come May, Casa de las Olas is kicking off the third installment of its Eat Retreat series, which offers guests in-depth, hands-on experiences with the region’s culinary talent and unique ingredients.
Each morning starts at the intimate, beachside Casa de las Olas with a house-made breakfast of traditional Mexican staples, such as chilaquiles and sopes, created by the resort’s resident chef, Lulu, and served outside on communal tables. During the food-focused week, guests take private cooking classes with notable chefs, including Claudia Perez Rivas of Restaurant Cetli, who demonstrates a pre-Hispanic preparation Oaxacan mole from scratch. Dinners happen at some of the best restaurants in town, including Chamico’s, where guests are treated to freshly caught lobster and ceviche while they feast on views of Soliman Bay.
A private cooking class at Cetli
Courtesy Casa de las Olas
At the critically acclaimed Hartwood, former New Yorker and chef Eric Werner serves a seasonal menu inspired by ingredients sourced daily from the best farms in the Yucatán, while leading cooking demos on his wood-burning oven and grill. When guests aren’t learning culinary secrets, they’re off exploring the area’s picturesque cenotes, eco-reserves, and surrounding towns such as colonial Valladolid, or hanging out in a hammock at one of the five sea-facing suites at Casa de las Olas, which sits next to the lush Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Topping off the week’s events, a Tulum-based mezcal guru leads a tasting of Mexico’s finest liquor, and local sommelier Ricardo Garcia Gaxiola hosts a wine pairing at the final dinner, lecturing on the Yucatán’s most celebrated wines.
Dining at Hartwood in Tulum
Courtesy Casa de las Olas
Another Eat Retreat in June will explore the best of both Tulum and the picturesque colonial city of Mérida. In addition to the highlights of the Tulum experience, the Yucatán trip will include a private session with chef and James Beard Award–winning cookbook author David Sterling of Los Dos Cooking School in Mérida. The final retreat 2017 is a culinary exploration of Oaxaca, a seven-night itinerary on offer in September.
A guestroom at Casa de las Olas, Tulum, Mexico
Courtesy Casa de las Olas
>>Next: Magical Tree House Hotels
