About this tour
A 3.5-hour hands-on cooking class in Madrid where you'll make Spanish tapas and paella from scratch with a professional chef, then eat what you've cooked alongside unlimited wine and beer. Held in a small private kitchen, the class focuses on technique and Spanish culinary tradition rather than lecture — you're cooking the whole time, and the chef shares historical and cultural context as you work. Best for food-curious travellers who want to learn by doing and take home real skills.
Highlights
- Make tapas and paella entirely yourself under chef guidance
- Eat your own dishes with unlimited wine, beer, and soft drinks included
- Small-group format keeps the class personalised and interactive
- Chef Lola shares Spanish culinary history and local food culture
- Located 2 minutes from Pacífico metro, line 1, near Retiro
- Vegetarian and most dietary restrictions accommodated with advance notice
- No passive watching — hands-on participation throughout
What to expect
You'll arrive at a private kitchen space just outside the Pacífico metro station. The chef will run through the recipes and techniques, then you'll begin cooking: preparing tapas components and building a paella from stock to finish. Throughout, the chef circulates to correct technique, answer questions, and share background on the dishes and Spanish food culture. Once everything is ready, you'll sit down together to eat what you've made, with drinks flowing the entire time.
The class runs 3.5 hours straight, so there's no separate lecture block — learning and cooking happen simultaneously. Expect to get your hands properly dirty, taste as you go, and leave with a solid understanding of how to make both dishes at home.
What travellers say
- Entirely hands-on — you cook and eat your own food, not just watch
- Unlimited wine and beer included throughout the class
- Chef Lola is knowledgeable, approachable, and shares cultural context generously
- Small groups feel intimate and allow proper one-on-one guidance
- Excellent metro access makes logistics straightforward
- Vegetarians catered for, but advance notice required or options may be limited
- Standing and cooking in a warm kitchen for 3.5 hours — not ideal if mobility is limited
- Gratuities not included in the stated price
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This suits anyone who learns best by doing rather than watching, and food enthusiasts keen to understand Spanish home cooking rather than tourist-focused cuisine. No cooking experience is assumed. The kitchen is warm and active during cooking, so come prepared for heat and some standing time; there's no heavy fitness demand, but comfort on your feet matters. Vegetarian options and most dietary needs are manageable, but you must notify the organisers before booking. The class is very hands-on and sociable, which appeals to solo travellers and small groups alike. Drinks are unlimited and included — plan accordingly if you're sensitive to alcohol or heading somewhere after. Gratuities aren't included in the price. Group size is kept deliberately small; expect 4–8 people maximum.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BookNow summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.