Between you and me, I am addicted to food. When I’m not working, my time is usually spent drooling over food photos on Instagram or Pinterest.
In fact, one of my favorite things about traveling is being able to taste various cuisines from all over the world. I don’t know what it is but food just has this magical capability to instantly bring back memories.
One minute I was laughing with newfound friends drinking glasses of cava and next thing I know, I am back at my grandmother’s kitchen sneaking a bite of her famous paella. Being half Spanish-Filipino, early memories of family time was always associated with food.
While I sadly never learned how to make Paella from my grandmother, learning it from the guys over at The Paella Club was the next best thing.
Located in the vibrant neighborhood of Raval, The Paella Club is a MUST-do while in Barcelona. It is the perfect introduction to Spanish cuisine and is something I highly recommend everyone doing while in the city.
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Cooking Classes All Over the World with Cookly
By now, loyal readers of our blog should know about Cookly. And if you haven’t you are seriously missing out. If you’re looking for an authentic culinary experience, all you need to do is to input your location and Cookly will present you with various cooking classes within the area.
It’s like an Airbnb for food aficionados, wanna-be cooks, or for those that simply enjoy a good hands-on culinary experience. We’ve used Cookly’s services twice now and each time rave about the classes that they list, their prompt service and ease of booking. They really are fab! If you want to see what I mean, check out.
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The Paella Club
We entered The Paella Club dining space and was immediately welcomed with a glass of cava. As far as cooking classes go, I knew we were off to a good start.
Run by two Alex’, one assumed the role of our host and one of the chef making it a partnership that worked beautifully.
Throughout the entire class, we were both entertained and educated about the history of Catalunian produce, wine, and of course, paella.
The entire process felt less like a cooking class but rather a gathering of friends. The space that they have is beautiful and is so well designed. Everything from the Cava we drank, to the cooking stations that were already prepped and ready to go, it was a class that I really enjoyed doing.
The Paella
As soon as we started cooking, Chef Alex took over and immediately started explaining a little bit about himself and his knowledge of Paella.
The entire class was super fun, showing us step by step how to make the sofrito, how to brown the vegetables to get the most flavor, and how good olive oil makes a HUGE difference in your cooking.
Together with the other people that we met during the cooking class, we made three types of Paella which we would all end up sharing. We made two pork and leek paellas, two vegetarian paellas topped with truffle oil, and two traditional seafood paellas.
Surprisingly, despite all following the same instructions and having the exact same ingredients, all the paellas tasted differently. While I admit there were better tasting paellas than the one Tom and I made (I think we need more practice!), the fact that we could share it all, in the end, was fabulous.
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The Paella Club Experiences
Offering three types of experiences, you can either take part of the following:
Amuse Bouche– This is a two-course cooking class which lasts for an hour and a half, showing you how to make Spain’s famous pa tomaquet and paella. This course comes with a welcome glass of cava and a glass of wine during food. For those short on time, this is a great option.
Appetizer– Next up is a four-course cooking class lasts for 2.5 hours. This class serves you has seasonal appetizers, dessert, and of course, a workshop on how to make pa tomaquet and paella which are all surprisingly simple yet very delicious. The four courses are served with wine alongside with the welcome glass of cava.
Full Menu– If you have time (you NEED to make time), this class is the one I recommend as it really gives you the entire experience. It is a five-course meal, the food workshops, plus free-flowing cava and wine to match the experience. The Full Menu at The Paella Club lasts for three hours and was honestly one of the best cooking classes we’ve done in a while.
Overall Thoughts
Everything from the wine pairing to the passion that the two Alex’ exuded, made the evening a great experience putting it high up on my must-not-miss things to do in Barcelona.
All in all, it was an experience to remember and we left The Paella Club happy, full, and content which is, after all, everything that you would want from a night out.
Their passion for good food and wine created such a relaxed atmosphere as we got an insight into Spanish cuisine. More importantly, though, we got an insight into how it is enjoyed and celebrated across the region.
Opposite to the rules of the Fight Club whose first rule is to not talk it, I am pleased to say that I have followed the first rule of The Paella Club which is to talk about it and spread the word. Hopefully, this review will encourage you to try the Paella Club experiences for yourself. You can thank me later!
As far as cooking classes go, the Paella Club in Barcelona was hands down one of our favorite experiences. The hosts were both charming, kind, and really went out of their way to make sure you had the best experience. The food was incredible and the unlimited wine and cava just added to the entire evening. Highly recommended this cooking class when in Barcelona!
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