Chef Susana Trilling's celebrated culinary school in countryside hacienda outside Oaxaca. Market shopping in Etla followed by traditional Oaxacan recipes including mole negro from scratch. Legendary program running since 1995.
Seasons of My Heart is a culinary school in the Oaxacan countryside operated by Chef Susana Trilling, an American-born food writer and educator who relocated to Oaxaca and has been teaching traditional regional cooking since 1995. The school is set on a hacienda-style property outside Oaxaca City, reached by a morning drive through the valley landscape surrounding the state capital. The full-day programme runs from 9 AM to approximately 4 PM and begins with a market visit — typically to the Etla Wednesday market or local suppliers — where the day's ingredients are selected before cooking begins. The cooking session takes place in the school's professional demonstration kitchen and covers traditional Oaxacan recipes that rotate by season, though mole negro — the region's most complex sauce, requiring up to thirty ingredients and hours of patient preparation — is a recurring centrepiece of the curriculum. Participants learn to grind ingredients on a metate (the traditional stone grinding tool), handle dried chiles with precision, toast and blend layered spice sequences, and manage the long, multi-stage cooking processes that define Oaxacan cuisine. The programme also covers complementary preparations such as regional salsas, corn dishes, and the pairing logic underlying Oaxacan cooking. The day concludes with a shared meal of everything prepared during the session, served with local mezcal or agua fresca. Lessons are conducted in English and Spanish, with Susana Trilling personally involved in many sessions, lending the school an intimacy unusual in culinary tourism. Group sizes are small, typically between six and twelve participants. At USD $150 per person, the programme includes market shopping, all ingredients, cooking instruction, and the shared lunch. Transportation from Oaxaca City to the hacienda should be confirmed when booking. The school is widely regarded as one of the premier cooking education experiences in Mexico, drawing both serious home cooks and culinary professionals seeking depth in Oaxacan technique that brief city-based classes cannot match.
Good to know
- Operator
- Seasons of My Heart
Highlights
- Full-day programme at Chef Susana Trilling's countryside hacienda, a celebrated school running since 1995
- Morning market visit to select fresh Oaxacan ingredients before the hands-on cooking session begins
- Learn to prepare mole negro from scratch using a metate and traditional multi-stage technique
- Conclude with a shared meal of all dishes cooked, paired with local mezcal or agua fresca
Tips for visiting
- Book well in advance — class dates fill quickly, particularly in high season from November through March
- Wear comfortable clothing suitable for several hours of kitchen work; an apron is provided but splashing can occur
- Confirm transportation arrangements from Oaxaca City when booking as the hacienda is outside the city centre
- The day is physically active; participants are on their feet for most of the session so comfortable footwear matters
- Ask about the season's focus dishes when booking, as the mole type and complementary recipes rotate throughout the year
Frequently asked questions
Does Susana Trilling personally teach every class?
Susana Trilling is involved in many sessions but occasionally works with trained instructors from her team. Personal participation on a specific date is best confirmed directly with the school when booking.
Is the class suitable for beginners?
The programme is designed for enthusiastic home cooks rather than professional trainees. No prior cooking experience is required, but participants should be comfortable with hands-on activity over a full day.
Are vegetarian options available?
Oaxacan cuisine includes many naturally vegetarian preparations, and the curriculum typically covers corn, chile, and vegetable-based dishes alongside the moles. Participants with specific dietary needs should notify the school at booking.
What languages are the classes conducted in?
Classes at Seasons of My Heart are conducted in English and Spanish, and the school's materials and recipes are provided in both languages.