We were staying at a resort in Elviria near Marbella, and looking for a fun day trip. This was…read morerecommended by the concierge, and was much more than we anticipated.
David and Simone picked us in in a van, and our first stop was the large market in Marbella, where we browsed vendors selling meat, fish and fresh produce. Simone knew many of the vendors, and we purchased the ingredients for our meal, which was to be prepared by the chef at the Hacienda La Herriza Hotel in Gaucin, about an hour up in the mountains from Marbella.
The Hacienda is a beautiful boutique hotel in a picturesque mountain setting. Nice bar and killer views. Marco was our chef, a delightful Italian who spoke with a unique mix of Italian and Spanish. He demonstrated preparation for each of five courses, including a salad, two small plates, a main course of seafood paella, and a chocolate desert. We assisted and asked questions, and were rewarded with outstanding food and wine pairings at a table next to the window.
We enjoyed our desert on the terrace with coffee, joined by Monty, the hotel's friendly yellow lab. The event was completely unhurried, and we finally left for our trip down the mountain. David and Simone were great guides, and we stopped for photos a couple of times.
This was one of the highlights of our trip to Spain, a completely unexpected pleasure. We booked through the resort, I'd recommend booking directly which would probably save a bit of money.
