Holiday itinerary
Enhance your trip to Barcelona with a wonderful Spanish cooking class and tour of the famous Boqueria food market for a city break with a difference.
This cooking class differentiates itself not only with its carefully thought out menu using locally sourced and where possible, organic produce but also with its wine tasting opportunities as the school has developed a private label reserve so that guests can taste and enjoy their choice of two magnificent wines during throughout their course. These artisan wines have been especially developed by Carlos and Emi, two talented winemakers based in the famous wine region of La Rioja.
There is a set menu each day which includes the Spanish classics of Gazpacho, Tortilla, Paella and crème catalana to give you a real taste of traditional Spanish dishes and to teach you how to recreate these dishes back home to impress your friends.
Before you start the cooking class, you will enjoy a guided visit to the famous Boqueria market where you’ll learn to spot the freshest ingredients as well as discovering some of Spain’s food specials in the market that is guaranteed to stimulate all of your senses.
This is a hands-on Spanish cooking class, so roll up your sleeves, put on your apron and get ready to say ‘yes Chef’ for a cooking class with a difference.
Suitability
- Cookery classes are suitable for all levels from complete beginners to experienced cooks
- Minimum age 3 (under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult and cannot take part in the wine tasting)
- Children aged 3-12 receive a 50% discount on the cooking class price
- Your chefs are Spanish but speak excellent English so all cooking classes are taught in English
- Please note that as the school is on the 2nd floor of a building with no lift, unfortunately this course may not be suitable for those with mobility issues who cannot climb stairs
Travelling Solo?
- These cookery classes are ideal for solo travellers and singles are welcome to join an existing group
Spanish Cooking Class Start Days
- The cooking school is open year round with the exception of Spanish holidays
- Market visits take place Monday to Saturday only as the market is closed on Sundays
- Market tours start at 10am Monday to Saturdays and last around an hour
- Cooking classes start at 11am and last around 3 hours so finish around 2-3pm depending on how long you linger over lunch
Boqueria Market Visit, Wine Tasting And Cooking Class Itinerary
The itinerary is for guidance only and is subject to change depending on the group’s needs and wishes but is typically as follows:
Boqueria market tour
- Meet your hosts and guide at 10am or 5pm at the cooking school and walk the 50 metres to the famous Boqueria market tour to begin your guided tour with the Chef
- The professionally trained Chef will explain the history of the market, the story behind vendors, several of which have been selling at the market for many generations, and the inside secrets that you won’t find published in tourist guides
- You will also selecting a number of ingredients that will be used for the day’s cooking class
- After the tour, walk to the nearby state of the art modern kitchen which is on the 2nd floor of the building in Las Ramblas with spectacular views, roll your sleeves up and begin the cooking at around 11am or 6pm
Cooking lesson
- Note: the cooking school is just 50 metres from the market
- At 11am or 6pm you’ll start the 3 hour cooking class which is a combination of demonstration with plenty of hands-on cooking as you learn the skills to cook a 4 course Spanish menu
- The class is fun and informative and feel free to ask as many questions as you like and be prepared to immerse yourself in the flavours, sights and smells of Spanish food
- The ingredients used are where possible, locally sourced and organically grown as the school has a zero food miles policy so you can be assured the freshest, locally produced produce for the best flavours
Starter: Gazpacho
Tapa: Tortilla Espanola
Main course: Paella
Dessert: Crème Catalana
Note: Occasionally the menu will vary and may include alternative dishes such as strawberry gazpacho, patatas bravas or mussel soup but generally the menu is fixed as above and special dietary requests generally cannot be catered for although it may be possible to do a vegetarian version provided eggs and dairy produce is acceptable but this must be communicated to us prior to booking
Wine tasting
- The Barcelona cooking school has developed a private label reserve so that guests can taste and enjoy their choice of two magnificent wines during their course
- These artisan wines have been especially developed by Carlos and Emi, two talented winemakers based in the famous wine region on La Rioja who produce either a Rioja red or an Albariño white wine
- Carlos is an award winning wine producer, having won the 'Best Winemaker of The Year Award 2012' by Naked Wines, an online wine retailer from the UK.
About Your Chefs
- Classes are taught in an informal and fun manner by a number of professional and enthusiastic chefs with many years’ experience
- Head chef and co-founder Candido joined the team after many years experiencing teaching cookery classes in the city and enjoys nothing better than passing on his knowledge of Spanish food to guests
- Fellow founders Tony and Emma are also on hand, as friendly, knowledgeable hosts to provide everything you need during your day
What Will I Learn?
- Your cooking class will be a mix of demonstration with plenty of hands-on cooking to give you the skills to prepare and cook a delicious 4 course traditional Spanish menu
- You’ll start the morning with a market tour to learn the history of the market, meet some of the vendors who have been at the market for many years passing stalls from generation to generation, how to select the freshest locally grown produce as well as picking up some Chef secrets along the way
- You’ll learn to cook gazpacho, tortilla, paella and crème catalana so that you can recreate the dishes back home to impress your friends
- You will also get the chance to taste and learn a little about the cooking school’s own private label Albariño white wine and Rioja red wine
Enhance your stay in Barcelona with a guided visit to the famous Boqueria market, taste some private label artisan wine and learn to cook four amazing Spanish dishes and have fun on this wonderful cooking course with a difference.