Jolly Tamales Cooking Class

What’s on your dinner table this holiday season? Join Barrio Queen to learn how traditional tamales and guacamole are prepared and add a sparkle of Scottsdazzle to your menu this year!

Barrio Queen, a Scottsdale staple since 2011, brings the delicious flavors of its authentic, Mexican cuisine to Scottsdazzle with a hands-on cooking class led by Chef Mata. Learn the steps to crafting these scrumptious traditional, Mexican holiday recipes including Barrio guacamole, traditional tamales and horchata.

The cooking class takes place in the heart of Scottsdazzle, outdoors on the Marshall Way Bridge, surrounded by beautiful holiday decorations and steps away from the first Barrio Queen restaurant. Barrio Queen believes in supporting its community by using locally sourced, fresh ingredients and creating taste-craving memories that linger even after you leave. They are known for their homemade chips and mouthwatering salsa, made from scratch daily at the restaurant. Their famous guacamole was featured on Food Networks “Best Thing I’ve Ever Ate”!

Menu

You will receive your own ingredients to put together Barrio Queen's Award-Winning Tableside Guacamole and Green Chili Pork Tamales. You will also receive a sample-sized Horchata.

About Chef Julio Mata

Julio Mata’s culinary journey began at the age of 16, starting as a busser in restaurants. However, it was in the kitchen where he found my true passion. Watching line cooks add wine to the pan, creating flames, and skillfully using metal tongs ignited a fire within me. At 18, he was already running a kitchen and hungry for more knowledge. Culinary school provided the opportunity to learn techniques and explore international cuisine.

Throughout his career, he had the privilege of working with renowned chefs, constantly refining my skills. Joining Barrio Queen in 2014 felt like coming home. Here, he could create and share recipes from my childhood, fostering my deep passion for our food.

As the guardian of food quality and recipe standards, his role is to ensure consistency across all our restaurants. He’s dedicated to educating others about authentic Mexican cuisine and culture.