Hands-On Cooking Classes and Chef’s Table Dinner with Carolina Verdugo & Miguel Bahena
Week of July 25, 2026
Chefs Carolina Verdugo & Miguel Bahena offer hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center, on Tuesday at 4pm and Wednesday at 11am. In addition, Chefs Carolina Verdugo & Miguel Bahena will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Head Chef, Vivian Mercado and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.
Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up
Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.
Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 11:00 AM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.
Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.
Madre Restaurante
Carolina Verdugo and Miguel Bahena are the chef-owners of Madre Restaurante, a culinary space in Baja California devoted to seasonal, regional, and responsibly sourced ingredients from both land and sea.
Their journey began in the kitchen of the renowned Restaurante Manzanilla, under the mentorship of chefs Benito Molina and Solange Muris. While Carolina built her foundation there in 2011, Miguel expanded his experience in other acclaimed kitchens, including Deckman’s in Baja California and Bestia in Los Angeles, California.
In 2016, the couple launched their first joint venture, Pacífico, a seafood-focused restaurant that over time evolved into Madre, a project that better reflects their culinary philosophy: honoring local ingredients through creative technique, respect for the product, and a deep sense of place.
Madre has earned recognition in several prestigious publications, including Larousse’s 250 Best Restaurants in Mexico, the Marco Beteta Guide, and most notably, a recommendation from the Michelin Guide in 2024 and 2025. It was also featured in Culinaria Mexicana’s Guía México Gastronómico as one of the country’s Top 250 Restaurants in both 2021 and 2022.
Beyond the kitchen, Chef Miguel Bahena actively collaborates with Ensenada Creativa, part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities of Gastronomy, representing the region in international culinary congresses in Brazil, South Korea, and the United States.
Meanwhile, Chef Carolina Verdugo has recently expanded her culinary reach with the opening of María Carolina, a pastry shop where her desserts carry the homemade warmth and detail that reflect her personal style.
Together, they continue to shape Baja California’s contemporary cuisine — one that is rooted in origin, elevated through craft, and always guided by respect for the ingredient.
@madre.restaurante @shopmariacarolina @miguelbahena @verdugocarolina