Premium Tequila Tasting and Mexican Food Pairing
Premium Tequila Tasting and Mexican Food Pairing
request your date
2 hrs
from la contenta oeste (directions)
led by marco andon (beverage director)
co-led by luis arce mota (chef/owner)
in-person ⬝ hands-on
Most people have a tequila story. Chances are it involves salt, lime, and a night they'd rather forget. This experience is designed to change that.
Join agave expert Marco Andon and Chef Luis Arce Mota, Chef-Owner of La Contenta Oeste, for a deep dive into the world of 100% Blue Weber agave tequila. Through guided tasting and expert instruction, you'll discover tequila as it was meant to be experienced — complex, terroir-driven, and full of character.
Over two hours, you'll taste six standout expressions, from ultra-premium bottles like Clase Azul and Casa Dragones to high-proof blancos that showcase the raw, unfiltered character of the agave plant. Each pour is paired with dishes by Chef Luis Arce Mota, whose cooking has made La Contenta Oeste one of the West Village's most celebrated destinations for authentic Mexican cuisine.
You'll leave with a new vocabulary for tequila, a deeper appreciation for what's in your glass, and likely a few new favorites.
What You’ll Learn
How to identify, appreciate, and articulate the nuances of ultra-premium tequila expressions.
On the Menu
Special menu designed by Chef Luis Arce Mota with varying dishes paired with tequilas sampled in tasting
Your Booking Includes
2 hour class
Tasting of 3 high-end tequilas (such as Clase Azul, Komos and Casa Dragones) and 3 high-proof blanco tequilas (such as G4, Cazcanes and Forteleza).
Tequilas sampled will be paired with appetizer-sized portions of dishes such as Aguachile de Camarón, an assortment of Tacos, Moles, and more
Good to Know
Please be on time.
Tequilas are subject to change
6-10 guests per group
Please enter your approved date + start time at checkout
About Your GuideS
Luis Arce Mota
Chef/Owner, La Contenta Oeste
Chef Luis Arce Mota brings years of skill, experience and ambition to the kitchen of La Contenta Oeste, where it’s his goal to showcase his Mexican roots and classical French culinary training to offer Mexican cuisine with French accents. Chef Mota’s story is archetypal, that of someone starting at the bottom and determinedly working his way up. Emigrating to the United States from Mazatlán, Mexico in the early 1990’s, Luis began his culinary career as a dishwasher in Carmine’s Restaurant in Times Square. His early exposure to and love for family cooking and traditions in Mexico primed his eagerness to learn more in New York at every opportunity.
Chef Mota’s initiative and performance were rewarded, and he gained experience in many famous Manhattan kitchens, under the tutelage of renowned chefs including Cesar Ramirez, David Bouley, Michael Lomonaco, and Michael Romano. In between stints at Bouley, Windows on the World, Union Square Café and Jefferson Restaurant, Luis received formal culinary education at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Marco andon
Beverage Director, La Contenta Oeste
Born in Piaxtla, Puebla, Mexico, Marco Andon comes from a family of cultural pioneers. His journey in the culinary industry began at the ground level, and Marco worked as busboy, food runner, server, barista, bartender, and eventually, beverage director — roles that shaped his dedication to service and attention to detail. He eventually became a manager at French Roast, an iconic restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village (the previous incarnation of La Contenta Oeste) where he worked under the tutelage of Aviram Turgeman (beverage director of Chef Driven Group) and solidified his philosophy of providing excellent customer service.
In addition to restaurant management, Marco has honed several specialties that set him apart: he is a certified barista and an expert in agave spirits and beer.
About The Business
La Contenta Oeste
78 W 11th St, New York, NY 10011
La Contenta Oeste made sure to do right, because there’s no way to do it wrong at this gem in the heart of Greenwich Village. From the ambiance to the comforting energy of Chef Luis Mota, this is one Mexican restaurant that’s definitely made its mark on NYC.
”Mota went on to a career that included Union Square Cafe, Bouley and the private Upper East Side Colony Club. This month, he soft-opened La Contenta Oeste in the former French Roast space. The dynamic menu is a tribute to his native Mazatlán and includes pre-Hispanic Mexican fare, bold cocktails, ancestral spirits and a robust roster of Mexican wines.”
-Time Out NY