Mole Sauce Cooking Class

Join Ernesto Rodriguez, an Indigenous chef from Oaxaca, for a vibrant, free, and fully hands-on cooking experience at Wild Onion Market on February 7. This immersive class invites participants to explore native ingredients such as heirloom corn, cacao, pasilla, chilhuacle, and costeño chilies, along with wild herbs like epazote and hoja santa and fresh seasonal produce.

Guests may begin by grinding corn on a metate to create fresh masa for tortillas or tamales, while also learning about traditional tools such as soplador, jarros y molenillos, and prehispanic corn-based drinks. Throughout the session, Ernesto shares ancestral knowledge and stories that connect food to community festivals, agricultural cycles, and cultural traditions, with a focus on food as a living expression of identity.

This is a tactile and collaborative cooking experience where participants are involved in every step, from selecting ingredients to preparing dishes such as mole negro or mole coloradito, tlayudas, or memelas. Expect techniques such as hand-shaping tortillas and roasting ingredients over heat.

The class concludes with a shared communal meal where everyone gathers to enjoy the dishes prepared together, accompanied by mezcal or agua fresca.

Date & Time
February 7, 2026
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Location
Wild Onion Market
7007 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60626, USA

Registration is required for this free event- click here to RSVP!