el Pretexto Food Experience
Want to dive into Puerto Rico's vibrant culinary culture in an immersive, engaging, and utterly delicious way? This trip is for you. Crystal Díaz's thoughtfully organized, deeply rewarding, unique itineraries allow visitors to explore the Island's foodways from field to fork, while meeting some of Puerto Rico's best chefs and food producers, and dining in some of the top restaurants. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not to be missed.
- Nevin Martell, Food and Travel Writer
- Crystal Díaz, El Pretexto's owner and co-founder of PRoduce (a local marketplace connecting food producers and consumers) and A Cultural Action and Food studies graduate.
“For OVER 20 years I've been traveling and eating throughout the world, giving me great perspective on all that my home island has to offer. Let me show you Puerto Rico from a food lover's perspective!"
Vacation time is precious (and often limited), but by joining us in this immersive food experience, you'll maximize your enjoyment of our fabulous Island. This seven-day experience allows you to have an enriching time by slowing down and enjoying our diverse geography, culture, food, and traditions.
Connections will be made with our landscape, locals, fellow travelers, and, most importantly, yourself. You'll experience hands-on cooking classes, learn from producers, meet top chefs and traditional home cooks, enjoy great wines, sip the best rums, taste premium coffee, and visit farms and producers while making stops along natural landscapes, historical places, beaches, and must-see locales. I promise you’ll be glad you joined us.
HANDS-ON COOKING
LEARN HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC PUERTO RICAN DISHES, NATIVE BBQ AND DESSERTS, AND EVEN HOW TO FILLET A FISH!
MEET THE PRODUCERS
VISIT A LOCAL AGROECOLOGICAL FARM, A PREMIUM COFFEE FARM, AND OTHER FOOD PRODUCERS, WHILE GETTING TO KNOW LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION FIRST HAND.
EAT (REAL) FARM-TO-TABLE
WE'LL HOLD LUNCHES AND DINNERS AT THE BEST AND MOST AUTHENTIC RESTAURANTS WITH LOCAL CHEFS SOURCING THE MAJORITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS LOCALLY.
SLEEP SOUNDLY SURROUNDED BY NATURE
EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTIFUL NIGHTS OF TROPICAL MOUNTAINS FROM YOUR PRIVATE VILLA.
Food tastes best when grown and eaten locally, and when harvested by hand, in rhythm with the seasons. Through shared meals with a majestic view, our guests enjoy the highest quality of locally produced vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs, coffee and rum –much of it grown and harvested within a radius of no more than two hours from us.
WHEN ARE THE NEXT EXPERIENCES?
NOV 17 TO 24, 2024
JAN 19 TO 25, 2025
Feb 5 to 9, 2025
ABR 23 to 27, 2025
NOV 16 TO 23, 2025
JAN 11 TO 18, 2026
FEB 18 TO 22, 2026
MAR 22 TO 29, 2026
NOV 15 TO 22, 2026
My husband and I had an extraordinarily enjoyable stay at El Pretexto. Our host Crystal introduced us to a side of Puerto Rico that we could never have experienced on our own - a curated selection of delicious cuisine and fine restaurants, hands on cooking classes with charismatic chefs, al fresco meals in beautiful settings, discussions with hard-working entrepreneurs, and a wide variety of food-related expeditions and activities. We hope to return with friends and family to El Pretexto.
- B. Drucker
Wilmette, Chicago
There is not a more perfect host, a more spectacular setting or a more rewarding experience. Come to learn about Puerto Rico, share great food and drink in wonderful company, and visit places that give you a view of the real island experience. It was one of the best vacations we have ever had.
-The Rossmans, Boston
El Pretexto Food Experience provides a unique immersion in farm-to-table cuisine in Puerto Rican style. We loved every minute of our cooking classes, chef interactions, farm visits, new friendships, and, most importantly, beautiful meals. Being part of Crystal's family for a week, staying in her lovely accommodations, meeting her beloved chickens and Santiago the rooster, and sharing in her enthusiasm for new Puerto Rican cuisine is an experience not to be missed. Just do it.
- M. Barresi, Boston
as highlighted on travel+leisure by kathleen squires
Back to the land: In the mountains of Puerto Rico, a new culinary program spotlights the island’s diverse cuisine.
as highlighted on the boston globe by nevin martell
This is for people who want to get to know puerto rico, but not from the classic tourist perspective.
