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Host: Sophia

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

USD
$70-$108 per person

Traditional Dominican cuisine in Punta Cana

Host offerings
  • Apartment
  • Professional cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Sophia

Sophia believes that you can learn so much about a country through its food - it is a beautiful way to get to know a country, its history, culture, tradition, and people. Through her Punta Cana cooking class, this is exactly what she hopes to offer travelers visiting Dominican Republic. Sophia is multicultural - she has a Hungarian mother and Italian father and moved to the Dominican Republic in 2018. Sophia quit her corporate job to follow her passion for cooking – she started by selling weekly meal plans, then developed a boutique catering business, worked as a personal chef, organized events in collaboration with restaurants and later started offering cooking classes as well. She learned to cook from her grandmothers and mother. Seeing how much joy cooking brought her she later enrolled in cooking classes in Italy, to enhance her knowledge and skills. Apart from cooking, Sophia also loves traveling, and has had the privilege to visit and live in several different countries throughout her life.

Here is what Sophia had to say when we asked her what travelers can expect at her cooking class in Punta Cana, "I look forward to connecting with food lovers from around the world and creating an engaging space where we can come together to cook, share in laughter, and spread the love and joy of cooking."

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-6 guests) Sophia and her boyfriend welcome you into their apartment in Cap Cana, Ciudad Las Canas, to share a home-cooked Dominican meal using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Sophia loves sharing her recipes and the stories behind them, her family traditions and anecdotes and is always curious to hear travelers' stories. Sit down to La Bandera Dominicana, a traditional food platter that includes rice, beans and meat served with a salad, avocado and tostones. Enjoy your home-cooked Dominican cuisine over conversation and a wine pairing (if you choose the optional alcohol add-on) at her dining table. Some of the authentic Dominican dishes you might try are chicken stew, tostones, rice and beans, tostones and a local dessert.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) During your Dominican cooking class in Punta Cana, learn to make two authentic Dominican dishes from scratch that make up the La Bandera Dominicana, a traditional platter that includes rice, meat and beans. Sophia shares her knowledge and skills while you have fun cooking, chatting and preparing a meal together. Your hands-on cooking class lasts about two hours. Just like a family cooking together, everyone will have their own task and then you will put together a dish using Sophia’s expert guidance, tips and tricks. Learn to make an appetizer or dessert and a main dish together, before sitting down to share the meal you helped prepare at Sophia's dining table. Your meal might include 1-2 dishes that Sophia has prepared in advance to save time.

Notes: If you add alcohol for an additional cost with your meal, Sophia will teach you about local wine and how to pair it with the dishes! Sophia can cook Italian, Hungarian, Asian and Creole cuisine so if you prefer one of those cuisines instead or a fusion menu that includes risotto de gandules with lamb, sweet plantains and mango tiramisu) please let her know when making your booking. Sophia can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets, on request.

Languages spoken: English, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Dominican mini empanadas (3 types)
  • La Bandera - stewed chicken, rice, and beans
  • Tostones
  • Avocado salad
  • Coconut creme brûlée
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Sophia

$70-$108 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $108 $100
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $54 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $108 $100
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $54 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-3:00pm 7:00pm-10:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm

Meet Sophia

Sophia believes that you can learn so much about a country through its food - it is a beautiful way to get to know a country, its history, culture, tradition, and people. Through her Punta Cana cooking class, this is exactly what she hopes to offer travelers visiting Dominican Republic. Sophia is multicultural - she has a Hungarian mother and Italian father and moved to the Dominican Republic in 2018. Sophia quit her corporate job to follow her passion for cooking – she started by selling weekly meal plans, then developed a boutique catering business, worked as a personal chef, organized events in collaboration with restaurants and later started offering cooking classes as well. She learned to cook from her grandmothers and mother. Seeing how much joy cooking brought her she later enrolled in cooking classes in Italy, to enhance her knowledge and skills. Apart from cooking, Sophia also loves traveling, and has had the privilege to visit and live in several different countries throughout her life.

Here is what Sophia had to say when we asked her what travelers can expect at her cooking class in Punta Cana, "I look forward to connecting with food lovers from around the world and creating an engaging space where we can come together to cook, share in laughter, and spread the love and joy of cooking."

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-6 guests) Sophia and her boyfriend welcome you into their apartment in Cap Cana, Ciudad Las Canas, to share a home-cooked Dominican meal using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Sophia loves sharing her recipes and the stories behind them, her family traditions and anecdotes and is always curious to hear travelers' stories. Sit down to La Bandera Dominicana, a traditional food platter that includes rice, beans and meat served with a salad, avocado and tostones. Enjoy your home-cooked Dominican cuisine over conversation and a wine pairing (if you choose the optional alcohol add-on) at her dining table. Some of the authentic Dominican dishes you might try are chicken stew, tostones, rice and beans, tostones and a local dessert.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) During your Dominican cooking class in Punta Cana, learn to make two authentic Dominican dishes from scratch that make up the La Bandera Dominicana, a traditional platter that includes rice, meat and beans. Sophia shares her knowledge and skills while you have fun cooking, chatting and preparing a meal together. Your hands-on cooking class lasts about two hours. Just like a family cooking together, everyone will have their own task and then you will put together a dish using Sophia’s expert guidance, tips and tricks. Learn to make an appetizer or dessert and a main dish together, before sitting down to share the meal you helped prepare at Sophia's dining table. Your meal might include 1-2 dishes that Sophia has prepared in advance to save time.

Notes: If you add alcohol for an additional cost with your meal, Sophia will teach you about local wine and how to pair it with the dishes! Sophia can cook Italian, Hungarian, Asian and Creole cuisine so if you prefer one of those cuisines instead or a fusion menu that includes risotto de gandules with lamb, sweet plantains and mango tiramisu) please let her know when making your booking. Sophia can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets, on request.

Languages spoken: English, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Dominican mini empanadas (3 types)
  • La Bandera - stewed chicken, rice, and beans
  • Tostones
  • Avocado salad
  • Coconut creme brûlée
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $108 $100
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $54 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
 Not offered $78 $70
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $108 $100
Alcohol
 $14 per person
Transportation
 $54 per car
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
 12:00pm-3:00pm 7:00pm-10:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm 5:00pm-9:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.