We had a private cooking lesson with Chef Manu. We first sampled acorn fed ham and chorizo, 2 different kind of olives, cheeses (cow urgellia, goat, sheep manchego) with small slices of bread, 3 different kinds of southern Spain extra virgin olive oil, local Merlot red wine vinegar and Riesling white wine vinegar. They were all great - my favorites were the meats, oils, and vinegars. The taste of the vinegars were nothing like the U.S. We then cooked fresh gazpacho soup, deep fried patatas bravas with a smoked paprika, onion, garlic sauce, escalivada (roasted whole onions with a hazelnut, Spanish almond, and dried red pepper Nora paste), and seafood paella. The roasted onions and broth were made ahead of time with fish head and vegetables (leeks, celery, tomato, parsley, garlic, onion). The whole meal was paired with wine. We ended the meal with crema de Catalan dessert and caramelized the top sugar crust with a quemador. The Crema de Catalan dessert was made ahead of time, with whole milk, cinnamon, and orange zest. Everything was amazing. Chef Manu ate with us and we had a great conversation with him. Chef Manu was overall great, helpful in every step of cooking. You can also buy a lot of the ingredients at Born to Cook. Would recommend trying one of their cooking lessons! Free WiFi is available. read more

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1- Overall Experience Born to Cook provided mixed results for our wedding catering. While their service staff was exceptional, significant issues with communication, food quality, and contract clarity created unnecessary stress during what should have been a joyful time. We acknowledge that as clients, we weren't always easy to work with, feel our experience highlights important areas for improvement. 2- Our Role as Clients We'll be honest - we weren't the easiest clients. My wife and I frequently changed our minds about food selections and guest numbers, which understandably became tiring for them. Wedding planning brings out indecisiveness in many couples, and we recognize that this added complexity to their job. However, we believe good caterers should have systems in place to manage these common client behaviors, including clear change deadlines and structured communication processes. 3- Service Quality The service during the wedding was absolutely flawless. The staff maintained exceptional professionalism throughout all three days, always being available to help and assist guests. They were friendly, attentive, and consistently standing by to ensure everything ran smoothly. This aspect truly deserves a 10 out of 10 rating. 4- Communication Issues Communication started well with them being responsive and available for WhatsApp messages and Google Meet calls anytime we needed. They were accommodating with our menu changes, which we appreciated. However, the relationship deteriorated about two months before the event when they began using AI-rephrased replies that were aggressive and felt threatening. While we understand our indecisiveness was challenging, the response was disproportionate. Despite paying everything on time, we received emails that told us we can either move on or not without being able to get any more clarifications, which created undue stress during an already overwhelming period. Key Problems: - Inconsistent contract terms (brochure stated x weeks payment deadline vs. contract requiring y business days, and lack of clear deadlines for final changes upfront) - We were notified later this is because personalisation requires changes, but inevitably it caused confusion and unnecessary pressure on our side. - Administrative chaos rarely acknowledged - Given the changes of terms throughout the planning stage, it'd be much more helpful if we only need to refer to a few centralised documents instead of going back to refer to historical attachments in several long email threads. - Disrespectful AI communication that threatened cancellation and even asked us not to send emails for clarifications to avoid unnecessary communications - Given the issues raised above, it's hard for us not to send any emails for clarifications, but we were told (by the AI-phrased email) not to email them. 5- Food Quality The food was the most disappointing aspect of our experience. We acknowledge that we should have been more specific about our preferences earlier on, but even accounting for this, the execution fell short. Major Issues: - Paella: Hard, undercooked rice grains that tasted rushed and overly salty - significantly inferior to paella we'd enjoyed elsewhere in Barcelona and Spain - BBQ: Limited meat variety despite brochure promises. On the day there were many steaks, chicken breast skewers, sausages, chorizos, and very nice vetearian food options. But for the meat, we expected to have some classic chicken wings and beef ribs that are common in many BBQ venues. We should have specified our preferences earlier, but the brochure suggested more variety would be standard - Wedding Cake: Red velvet cake was disappointingly dry and overly sweet - our home-baked cakes and previous catering experiences were notably better For Born to Cook: - Establish clear, firm deadlines for menu changes upfront and communicate them consistently -Centralise comms. - Provide clear, consistent contract terms and brochures - Eliminate AI customer service responses, especially threatening ones read more

Amazing Experience! You get to learn about the culture, food, and preparation for Spaniard cuisine. We were taken on a market tour to pick up our fresh produce before we started cooking. Alex explained how to pick fresh fish and produce. Alex was very personable and a great chef! Definitely recommend this experience! read more

Born to Cook - Paella - Cooking Schools Near Me - Barcelona, B

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Wow! What a great experience my wife, daughter and I had during our private cooking experience with Núria. We shopped at the local market and Núria's pleasant demeanor was enchanting as she described the various items and their place in Spanish / Catalan culture. After picking out prime ingredients, we proceeded to the most charming location in Born -- a wonderful mix of 15th century and the modern -- for our cooking lesson. The food and company was wonderful and we felt right at home. 100% recommended. read more

This was one of our favorite parts of our Barcelona trip. Chef Alex was entertaining, informative, and funny. We had a great time. Not to mention, we got to cook paella and it was the best paella we had during our entire trip. The unlimited booze was also a great touch. We highly recommend this cooking class. So much fun! read more

Born to Cook - Cooking Schools Near Me - Barcelona, B

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Born to cook is a great experience - we went their with our team and learned how to cook and enjoy different paellas in no time while tasting a variety of cavas and just having a great time with chef Alex and his amazing team members. If you want to spend a unique evening or day in Barcelona (as they will take you as well to the market to buy all the ingredients), 'born to cook' is the place to go even if you are just two or three couples seeking a unique experience and for sure for any company wanting to have a unique team experience. A true place to recommend and... in one of the original residences of Christopher Columbus read more

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Our favorite day in Barcelona was spent with Born to Cook and Chef Alex. From the market tours and tips, to the snacks, wine and of course learning the core Spanish dishes from the expert with this unique hands on experience. You won't be disappointed --or hungry! read more

Born to Cook - Cooking Schools Near Me - Barcelona, B

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My husband and I LOVED this. In fact, we are now going to search this out every where we travel. The shopping portion some folks seemed to skip, but I would not. We learned a lot and went to markets we would have otherwise probably not traveled to. Alex, our tour guide and chef, is a great guy. He kept everything entertaining and educational. I can not wait to try the recipes at home; everything we cooked was delicious. Hopefully I can find the ingredients back home. Nevertheless, I did learn some new techniques in the kitchen that will stay with me for a long time. The experience does take time, but it is worth it. I highly recommend Born to Cook Barcelona. I'm also eager to find Born to Cook ... (anywhere). read more

Such an amazing experience! Alex was such a great teacher and host! From the food market to the cooking, we learned so much about the Spanish cuisine. The best Barcelona cooking experience hands down! read more

My daughter and I spent a wonderful day learning about all the flavors of Spain and the cooking techniques to bring them alive. If you are at all a foodie, the market tour with Alex alone is worth the price. You see the food, talk about where it comes from, how it is raised and then, often, get to sample delicious flavors. This afternoon we had 7 different kinds of tomatoes, 4 different olive oils, two vinegars, not to mention ham, sausage and cheese...all before we even started cooking our own meal. Wine and cava was plentiful, company was good, the space was beautifully authentic and while there was plenty to do it never seemed we were rushed. I highly recommend Born to Cook to anyone. read more

This was an amazing experience and beautiful evening. Our group had a blast! Definitely a must when in Barcelona. Chef Nordia made us feel like family and the food was authentic and delicious. For sure coming back next time. read more

This was definitely our favorite experience in Barcelona. All is in English, and the class that i attended was all Americans. I highly recommend doing the cooking class and market tours at the very beginning of your trip as it is a great introduction to the Spanish food culture and ingredients, plus offers a little intro to the city neighborhoods. We began with two market tours, learning about the ingredients, cuisine, and even wine selections. We then returned to the cooking school to sample olive oils, cheese, meats, and olives. We prepared about 5 dishes as a group - I did however feel like it was slightly less hands-on than other classes I've done. A number of the steps were completed by the staff and some would be just one person doing, as opposed to everyone completing dishes from start to finish. Even so, it was a very long day so we didn't mind the shortcuts and getting to just observe. After cooking, we sat and enjoyed a huge meal together. Wine and other beverages are readily available throughout the day. I definitely suggest booking at the beginning of your trip, and allowing plenty of time! They don't rush you, and you will be full of food and wine, so don't make the mistake we did of planning sightseeing immediately after! read more

A wonderful day in the heart of Barcelona. The market tour was terrific and a feast for the senses and the class was expertly taught . We enjoyed all of it and the results were delicious. In addition, it is all done in a pristine space that is a beautiful renovation of 15th century stables. Do this, you won't be disappointed. read more