Sky Kitchen: A Lima, Peru Cooking Class Review

March 19, 2022 by jordangassner

SkyKitchen:

A Lima, Peru Cooking Class Review

It’s no secret that Lima is a huge foodie capital – home to some of the best restaurants in not only South America, but the world! Lima is known for fresh caught ceviche, causa limeña, lomo saltado, picarones and most famously the pisco sour. While these dishes were easy to find throughout the city, I knew I wouldn’t want to leave Peru without learning how to cook them!

Enter SkyKitchen. Run by two friends, a local Peruvian and a German expat, this Miraflores cooking school uses fresh ingredients to create traditional Peruvian cuisine alongside a great view. Offering multiple language and dietary options, I knew this was THE cooking school for me and immediately booked their Fruit Tasting + Peruvian Classics course.

lima peru cooking class

Fruit Tasting and Market Visit

Assortment of colorful Peruvian fruits at a local market stand inside Mercado 1 de Surquillo in Lima, Peru

After the market tour, my guide, who I later learned was one of the two cooking class owners, drove me to SkyKitchen. Before the class started, I enjoyed my fruit tasting which consisted of over 30 native Peruvian fruits. Some new, some old.

Being presented with so many options, I was meticulous SkyKitchen was in preparing everything. The fruits were well paired so you could easily taste even the smallest nuances and flavors – citruses were paired with other citruses, berries with berries, and so on.

The class started with a visit to the market: Mercado 1 de Surquillo, to be exact. Located just off the highway between “tourist-friendly” Miraflores and the more local Surquillo neighborhood, I learned that this is a spot enjoyed by both Peruvians and ex-pats alike.

During my visit with SkyKitchen, I not only picked fresh Peruvian fruits, but also received in-depth tour of the market’s mainstay bodegas.

Travel Blogger Jordan Gassner wearing a light blue cooking apron and sampling some local Peruvian fruits at a wooden table in front of a row of potted plants at SkyKitchen Cooking School in Lima, Peru

The most surprising fruit I tasted was undoubtedly the Lucuma. It reminded me of a sweet potato even though it more closely resembled a peach!

lima peru cooking class

Cooking Class

After trying the fruits, a few other guests arrived and we began cooking. Starting with Causa, we made our way through multiple courses of Peru’s most famous dishes: Causa, Ceviche, Lomo Saltado and finally Picarones.

The SkyKitchen owners were so attentive throughout the class – answering all of our questions, encouraging creative plating and just making sure everyone had an amazing experience.

Student-made causa on a white plate from SkyKitchen Cooking School in Lima, Peru

Freshly made Lomo Saltado, Rice and Fries on a white plate at SkyKitchen Cooking School in Lima, Peru

Fresh-made ceviche with red onion, pepper and corn in a white bowl from SkyKitchen Cooking School in Lima, Peru

Picarones were the only food that I hadn’t had before, and my goodness, were they tasty. Literally deep fried circular pieces of dough, they’re essentially Peru’s take on donuts. The only major difference is that picarones are typically accompanied by warm, melted chocolate sauce.

A plate of warm picarones drizzled in chocolate sauce on a white plate sitting on a wood countertop at SkyKitchen Cooking School in Lima, Peru

lima peru cooking class

The (Not So) Secret View

Blue "SkyKitchen" sign haging on some wooden beams next to a wall, underneath are rows of planters and flowers.

One of my favorite parts of the class was undoubtedly the view. Like its name suggests, SkyKitchen is a kitchen classroom located on a partially-covered rooftop, high above the Miraflores neighborhood. Sipping a pisco sour and preparing fresh ceviche over Lima’s ocean views? The ultimate way to end my month long stay in Peru!