St. John’s: Rum Cooking Class with 6 Rum Tastings

The best part of this Antigua experience is that the cooking happens in Nicole’s home, high on a hill above the Caribbean Sea. You prepare the meal with Nicole, hear stories about life in the West Indies, and sit down on the veranda to eat what you made. It feels like a local lunch with a cooking lesson attached, not a staged kitchen show.

I like the six-rum tasting, which ranges from Antigua and Guyana to Martinique and Cuba, and I like the practical menu. Sweet potato soup, rum-marinated flank steak, plantains wrapped in bacon, rice and beans, and bread pudding are dishes you can actually try again at home. The main consideration is getting there yourself, since hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Key points at a glance

• A hilltop Caribbean home: Nicole’s Table offers sea views from a private home rather than a restaurant or resort classroom.
• Six regional rums: Taste rums from Antigua, Guyana, Martinique, and Cuba as part of the class.
• A full three-course meal: You help prepare the starter, main course, sides, and dessert, then eat lunch on the veranda.
• Nicole and Adam host together: Nicole leads the cooking, while Adam takes part in the rum tasting.
• A relaxed teaching style: You can work hands-on or take a more laid-back approach while Nicole explains the food and shares local stories.
• A useful cruise-stop schedule: Classes begin at 11:00 and generally finish around 15:00, though you must arrange your own transport.

Cooking above the Caribbean Sea

Nicole’s Table is set high on a hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea. That setting matters. You are not simply sitting in a classroom with a recipe sheet. You are welcomed into a home, cook in an informal setting, and eat outside with the view in front of you.

The home setting also shapes the pace. Nicole teaches in a relaxed way, and you can choose how much you want to do. If you enjoy chopping, mixing, seasoning, and asking questions, the class is hands-on. If you would rather listen, taste, and take in the setting, you can take a quieter role.

I would choose this experience for the chance to see how food, rum, and daily life connect in the Caribbean. The cooking is the main activity, but the stories about living in the West Indies give the meal a wider context.

You should also set your expectations correctly. This is not presented as a formal culinary school, and it is not a fast demonstration where you watch a chef do everything. The teaching is informal. That will suit you if you want conversation and flexibility, but it may feel too relaxed if you expect strict technique, professional equipment, or a tightly timed lesson.

A four-hour class with a clear rhythm

The class begins at 11:00 and usually ends around 15:00. That four-hour window gives you time to cook, taste rum, eat lunch, and talk without having to rush each course onto the table.

The exact order of activities can vary, but the experience centers on the recipes and the uses of rum in the meal. Nicole explains how rum appears in Caribbean food, then guides you through the preparation. The recipes depend on the season and what is available, so the menu is not guaranteed in every detail.

That seasonal approach is worth keeping in mind. You may not receive every item listed below, but the sample menu shows the style of food and the role rum can play:

• A local juice and Nicole’s Old-Fashioned Rum Punch
• Sweet potato soup with rum
• Rum and brown sugar marinated flank steak
• Onion jam
• Plantains wrapped in bacon
• Red beans and rice
• Garden salad
• Bread pudding with rum-soaked raisins and butter rum sauce, or butter rum cake

This is a substantial lunch, not a small tasting plate. The price includes the food and drinks, so you are paying for a meal as well as instruction and the setting.

Rum in the starter, main course, and dessert

Rum is not added as a gimmick at the end of the class. Nicole discusses its use in the starter, main dish, and dessert, showing how the spirit can affect both flavor and texture.

A rum-spiked sweet potato soup gives you a gentle introduction. The rum and brown sugar marinade for the flank steak takes the idea into a savory main course, while the rum-soaked raisins and butter rum sauce bring it into dessert. If the menu changes, the same basic idea remains: rum is treated as a cooking ingredient as well as a drink.

The class also covers rum’s place in Caribbean culture and its history in the region, which reaches back to around the 17th century. That background helps explain why rum appears so often in Caribbean drinks, sauces, marinades, and sweets.

The tasting includes six rums from several parts of the Caribbean and nearby region. You can expect examples connected with Antigua, Guyana, Martinique, and Cuba. The appeal is the range, not simply the amount of alcohol. You get to compare regional styles while learning how rum fits into the food on your plate.

The minimum drinking age is 18. If you do not drink alcohol, the meal and cooking still form the core of the experience, but the tasting is an important part of the advertised program. I would mention any dietary needs or allergies when booking, especially since you will be eating several prepared courses.

Preparing lunch instead of watching it happen

The class gives you a chance to take part in the recipes. That makes the included booklet useful. You are not left with only a pleasant memory of lunch, since the recipes are provided for you to try at home.

The menu is also a good fit for cooks at different levels. The dishes are recognizable and practical, but they still show techniques and flavor combinations that may be new to you. Plantains with bacon, rum marinade, onion jam, and butter rum sauce give the meal a clear Caribbean character without making it feel inaccessible.

I particularly like the balance between a structured menu and a flexible class. You know you are working toward a three-course lunch, but the teaching is not described as rigid. Nicole can explain the food and answer questions while the meal takes shape.

There is one trade-off. Because the recipes depend on season and availability, you should not book this expecting one exact dish. The listed menu is a typical example, not a firm promise. If a particular ingredient matters to you, ask about it before you reserve.

Lunch on the veranda

After the cooking, you eat the meal at Nicole’s home, on the veranda overlooking the Caribbean Sea. This is the point where the separate parts of the class come together. You have tasted the rum, learned how it is used, and prepared the food yourself. Sitting down for lunch gives the experience a natural finish.

The veranda setting is also a strong reason to choose this over a standard cooking class. The view adds time and place to the meal. You are in Antigua, looking out toward the sea, rather than eating in a generic indoor venue.

Past participants have described the home as warm and comfortable, and that matches the tone of the class. Nicole and Adam host together, with Nicole focused on the cooking and Adam taking part in the rum tasting. Their friendly approach is a central part of the experience, especially if you enjoy conversation as much as the recipes.

You should allow the full four hours. This is not a quick meal stop where you cook one dish and leave. The class, tasting, lunch, and conversation are designed to fill the late morning and early afternoon.

Why cruise passengers should pay attention to the timing

The 11:00 to 15:00 schedule can work well during a cruise stop, but only if your ship’s port times allow enough margin. There is no hotel or port pickup, and the meeting point is Nicole’s Table. After booking, you receive directions.

You will need to arrange your own way to the home and back. That adds a practical task, and it means you should check the distance and allow time for the return journey. The activity provider does not include transportation.

The timing also suits hotel visitors who want a daytime activity that includes lunch. You can spend four hours away from the resort and still have the evening free.

Class size is not stated, but a minimum of four people is required. If your party has fewer than four, the booking may need to move to another day unless you join an existing class. Contacting Nicole’s Table before booking is a sensible step for a small party.

Is the $164 price fair?

At $164 per person, this is not a cheap cooking demonstration. It is a premium half-day outing. The price includes hands-on instruction, drinks, six rum tastings, a three-course lunch, the recipes booklet, and the home setting with the sea view.

I would judge the value by what you want from your Antigua day. If you only want to taste rum, you can likely find a less expensive drink-focused activity. If you only want lunch, a restaurant will cost less. This experience combines food, instruction, alcohol, conversation, and a private-home setting in one four-hour visit.

The value is strongest for couples, food-minded visitors, and people who prefer personal contact over a large commercial tour. It is also a good option for a cruise stop because lunch is built into the schedule.

The price may feel high if you are not interested in cooking or rum. It may also be less attractive if you need included transportation or have a strict budget. I would treat the sea view as part of the setting, not the sole reason to pay the price. The real value is the combination of the local host, useful recipes, a full meal, and the six regional pours.

Who will enjoy Nicole’s Table most?

I would recommend this class to you if you want an activity with a personal feel. You get a look at Caribbean food through a local host’s stories and cooking methods, rather than simply receiving a list of facts.

It suits:

• Couples looking for a relaxed daytime experience
• Cruise passengers with enough time before and after the 11:00 to 15:00 class
• Home cooks who want recipes they can repeat
• Adults interested in comparing regional rums
• Visitors who enjoy eating a full meal after helping prepare it
• Small groups willing to join an existing class if needed

It is less suitable for wheelchair users, since the activity is not designed for wheelchair access. Pets are not allowed, and unaccompanied minors cannot attend. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The class is taught in English. You should share dietary requirements and food allergies when booking. Hand washing is required, and anyone with flu-like symptoms must wear a mask.

What I would know before booking

I would first confirm the class date if your group has fewer than four people. The provider may move a small booking to another day to meet the minimum, so this matters if your Antigua plans are fixed.

I would also check the transport plan before paying. Directions are sent after booking, but pickup and drop-off are not provided. For a cruise visit, build in a generous return margin.

Finally, I would ask about the likely menu if you have a strong food preference. Recipes vary with the season and ingredient availability. The sample menu is appealing, but you should view it as a guide to the style of lunch rather than a guaranteed course list.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and you can reserve while paying later. Those options help if your plans are still shifting, but they do not remove the need to sort out transport and cruise timing.

Should you book this Antigua cooking class?

Book it if you want a personal Caribbean experience built around food, rum, and conversation. Nicole’s Table gives you far more than a recipe lesson: you cook in a local home, taste six regional rums, eat lunch on a veranda above the sea, and leave with recipes you can use.

Skip it if you dislike alcohol, need wheelchair access, want included transportation, or prefer a tightly scripted professional cooking school. For everyone else, the mix is unusually well judged. The most praised features are the warm hosting from Nicole and Adam, the beautiful home setting, the tasty food, and the sense of being welcomed into a family space.

FAQ

Where does the rum cooking class take place?

The class takes place at Nicole’s Table, a local home high on a hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea in Antigua.

How long does the experience last?

The class lasts four hours. Classes begin at 11:00 and usually finish around 15:00.

Is lunch included?

Yes. You prepare and eat a three-course lunch, and meals and drinks are included in the price.

How many rums will I taste?

The experience includes six rum tastings from Antigua and Guyana to Martinique and Cuba.

Who teaches the cooking class?

Nicole teaches the cooking class and explains the food, rum, Caribbean culture, and her experiences living in the West Indies. Adam also takes part in the rum tasting.

What food might be on the menu?

A typical menu includes rum punch, sweet potato soup with rum, rum and brown sugar marinated flank steak, onion jam, plantains wrapped in bacon, red beans and rice, salad, and a rum-based bread pudding or butter rum cake.

Are the recipes provided?

Yes. A recipes booklet is included.

Is transportation included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You meet at Nicole’s Table and receive directions after making a reservation.

Can children attend?

Children can attend only when accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied minors are not allowed, and the minimum drinking age is 18.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is also available.