Host offerings
Josh grew up in Portland, Oregon and moved to Spain in 2002 to improve his Spanish. He ended up moving there permanently because he fell in love with the country's language and culture. He translated and interpreted for a while before realizing his passion for food. Josh first started cooking in his childhood, exploring spices and different ingredients. He then learned about different ways of cooking in Spain and appreciated relying on quality of ingredients to make amazing flavors. He loved the shift from depending on spices to using time and careful preparation of the best, freshest ingredients to create incredible meals. He loves the variety of fresh seafood available in Spain and learned from friends' grandmothers and fathers, learning their favorite family recipes. Josh opened up a cooking studio a few years ago to teach travelers about the region's amazing ingredients and to communicate what he loves about the area's local history and food culture through a shared food experience. Josh is also a percussionist in band and he will be happy to share his favorite local music recommendations (and even play them on the sound system)!
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal (1 - 15 guests) Your experience takes place at Josh’s cooking studio. It is centrally located and is easy to reach via public transport. The location is a professional kitchen. Enjoy your meal of paella together with Josh while you talk about food, travel, music. You can choose between seafood, meat and vegetable paella. Armed with information about Spanish food and culture, finish your meal with a tasty local dessert such as crema catalana. Sangria is included in the cost of your experience.
Cooking experience (1 - 15 guests) Join our immersive paella cooking class in Barcelona! Learn the art of making traditional Spanish paella with fresh ingredients and expert guidance. Your Barcelona cooking class starts with chopping up fruit to prepare the sangria, the perfect way to start your experience! Then, you will make the dessert together, learn all the tricks to making a perfect crema catalana. Finally, Josh will take you through the step-by-step stages of preparing the ingredients for your paella. Learn some of Josh's favorite basic culinary tips needed to make a great paella and more. Expect a hands-on cooking class in Barcelona - Josh's philosophy is that you will learn to cook only by doing it! As Josh details the different ingredients and techniques of your dishes, you will prepare a traditional paella together. At the end of the class, he will offer you a chance to caramelize the sugar on the top of your own crema catalana dessert! Perfect Spanish cooking class for all skill levels.
Market visit (1 - 15 guests) Guided tour of Mercat de la llibertat, a must visit market frequented by local Catalans. Start your tour with a taste of Spanish jamon at Josh's favorite Catalan charcuterie and learn about how and where the best jamon is made. Josh is friends with many of the local vendors who sell very high quality, locally-sourced meats, fishes, cheeses, and produce. Walk around the market and stop at many of his favorite vendors everything from salt cod to specially-macerated olives. Josh will point out what differentiates the best meat from the rest and will give you recommendations for cheeses, cured meats and other delicacies. By the end of the tour you'll understand the difference between Catalonian and Spanish cultures and learn a lot about specialty ingredients that are such an important part of the local diet and culture; in particular, the cured acorn-fed Iberian ham. Your market tour will last roughly 45 minutes, during which you might purchase local ingredients like squid or red peppers for your paella from Josh’s favorite vendors. Return together to Josh's cooking studio with your basket of ingredients to begin your Spanish cooking lesson and meal.
Please note that the market is closed on Sundays so market tours are unavailable on this day.
Notes: On days when Josh is not available, his colleague and fellow chef will host you. The cooking studio is located one floor up from the ground floor. However, there is an alter-able accessible elevator for those who cannot take the stairs. 1-2 glasses of Sangria are included in the price of every experience you book. Your host can also accommodate a vegetarian diet in his Spanish cooking class. <br><br> Our host Josh requests a minimum of four guests (or for a total payment of 4 guests even if there are fewer guests) to host this private culinary experience.
Languages spoken: #<HostLanguage::ActiveRecord_Associations_CollectionProxy:0x00007ffad99ea968>
This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.
Cooking seafood Paella with Josh was one of the highlights of our 8-day stay in Barcelona. After hitting the typical tourist sites, it was refreshing to get the perspective of a local who is so passionate about food. He was very educational and patient, and we had a really fun time. It was great to pick up lots of tacit information not included in the recipe. Lastly, we enjoyed the food in the dining room with Josh and talked about his music and Catalonia. We loved hearing about Josh’s stories living in Barcelona, and greatly appreciated his tips and local perspective. We had an overall amazing experience and would highly recommend this!!
Sam and Shirbi, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
Pricing (per person)*
| 1 person | 4 people | 5+ people | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking Experience + Meal | Not offered | $108 | $108 |
| Market Tour + Cooking Experience + Meal | Not offered | $135 | $124 |
| Alcohol | $0 per person | ||
| *Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout. | |||
| Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Experience + Meal | 11:00am - 02:00pm | 5:00pm - 08:00pm |
| Market Tour + Cooking Experience + Meal | 10:00am - 02:00pm |
Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.
