Pati is throwing a picnic for family and friends in her backyard. She'll make some of her favorite "picnic foods" and serve everyone outside picnic-style. It also happens to be her husband Dany's birthday, so a big surprise is in store!

Pati heads to the coastal city of Champotón, Mexico, and gets a warm welcome from her friend Chachi. They taste their way through the local market and gather groceries for a family dinner at Hacienda Niop, where Pati learns the secrets behind the area's most prized dishes including a giant tamal cooked underground. Back in her home kitchen, Pati makes her own simpler versions of those dishes.

Pati gets an insiders look at Mérida, the capital of the Yucatán, with help from local chefs Pedro Evia and David Cetina. She explores the forefronts of molecular gastronomy, botanas or "bar snacks" at a cantina, family classics at the market, and even foreign influences like Kibi. One thing is for sure, Mérida is a food-lovers' city. Back home, Pati puts together a classic Yucatecan family meal.