Inside the Troncones Cooking School

Stepping into a traditional outdoor Mexican kitchen is a remarkable experience. The smell of wood burning, the heat from the open flame, the smoke clinging to clay and earth—it feels like a time capsule. I might be a little jaded; I’ve seen many kitchens like this. I was a chef for many years in New York and have always been a kitchen voyeur. I love looking into kitchens. A tour is even better.

The first time I ate at Rufi’s was probably fifteen years ago. Back then it was a classic dirt-floor operation—real Mexican food, cheap, fresh, fast and deeply family-run. It still is. Rufi’s remains one of Troncones’ most popular traditional restaurants, appealing equally to locals, expats and visitors. The menu is straightforward and beloved: mole, enchiladas, pozole on Thursdays, and the unexpectedly famous stuffed baked potatoes.

Just on the other side of the open-air restaurant wall is where the Troncones Cooking School has its classes. While the restaurant has been updated to cement floors, the kitchen next door still has its immaculate packed-earth floor and a traditional clay comal made of barro, fired with wood. This is where tortillas puff, salsas deepen and the school quietly does its work.

The Troncones Cooking School was founded in February 2023 by the two daughters of Doña Rufi—Anai and Mine—and their niece Araceli—encouraged by a close friend who urged them to finally open their kitchen to others. The idea had existed for years, but, as they explain, it wasn’t until then that the conditions were right.

Rufina, they say with reverence, is their mother, their example and their teacher. Their parents arrived in Troncones in 1980. Mine was very young; Anai was born here. Cooking started early, helping their mother feed the family, learning traditional techniques by repetition rather than instruction. Over time, they added their own sensibility while keeping the foundation intact.

Their classes are small, hands-on and practical. I observed two: a salsa class and a fish taco class. When I arrived at the end of the salsa class, everyone was a little tipsy, happy and clearly proud. Students had been grinding chiles, tomatoes and herbs by hand using a molcajete—a stone mortar and pestle—and several remarked that they genuinely felt they could recreate what they’d learned back home. One woman noted that even though Mine’s English wasn’t strong, everything was easy to understand—and that this only added to the authenticity of the experience.

The fish taco class had a more focused energy. Students worked carefully, turning out beautiful bi-color tortillas on the comal while Anai led the group. Later, everyone sat down to eat marinated mahi mahi with pineapple and roasted peppers, alongside three salsas labeled hot, hotter, and hottest.

The sisters prefer cooking over a traditional wood fire, explaining that it adds flavor to everything. The clay comal is cured with garlic so tortillas don’t stick, and they typically cook using espino wood. It’s slower, hotter and more aromatic.

Participants often ask about the community and are surprised by how much Troncones has grown and changed. The school is open seasonally, from November through April, and remains the only cooking school of its kind in Troncones.

Their goals are straightforward: to reach more people who want to learn traditional Mexican cooking techniques and to share their love of good food. Nothing fancy. Nothing performative. Just a family kitchen. And the confidence that comes from teaching something special, the practiced and knowing ways of several generations.

COOKING CLASS (WHAT TO KNOW)

Classes are intentionally kept small, usually between six and ten students, which allows everyone to participate directly at the comal and prep table. The school offers a rotating mix of classes, including salsas, handmade tortillas, fish tacos, chile rellenos, mole, and other traditional dishes tied to local cooking. Many classes sell out in advance, particularly during high season, and private group classes are occasionally offered when schedules allow.

Visit http://www.tronconescookingschool.com/ to learn more and to register.