Authentic Spanish Cooking Class in Valencia with a Local Chef

"If you’re looking for another industrial 12-person cooking class where the dull chef barely notices you, then this class isn’t for you.

Instead you will have a fun, multi-course meal from a highly skilled chef that demonstrates a passion for food and culture.

It was just me and my 2 firiends in the class. Prior to our arrival we received a detailed survey which helped shape our experience, taking into account our food preferences and level of desired cooking participation.
We met José at a well-known building in Valencia (saving us from having to navigate in an unfamiliar city) and after a short walk we were seated in his intimate home kitchen.

The experience itself was fantastic. Not only did José enhance our paella skills, but he gave us snippets of Spain’s history while he treated us to both traditional and Michelin-style courses.

I also learned several tips that can help me in my non-paella cooking. Grating a tomato has to be my new favorite for making bolognese.

Make sure to arrive hungry! I highly recommend this experience for anyone looking for a paella class that doubles as a 5+ course tasting menu (with various libations throughout) in an intimate setting.

If you are a foodie that likes to cook or just likes a fantastic astronomical experience, Book this now."

"We had a great time. Our chef, Jose was awesome. Took his time and explained things to
us. Would highly recommend and the food was delicious!"

"This class with Chef Jose is truly a unique and memorable experience. Chef Jose is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. He does a great job of blending the history of Spain and paella with the teaching of the proper techniques to prepare the dish and your tapas. For the average home cook or someone looking for a introduction into cooking, you will not be disappointed with this one of a kind experience."

"Jose met us on time , with a big smile. He’s friendly, charming, knowledgeable, and skilled at his craft.
We enjoyed every minute with him. Watching him prepare each course as he shared what he was doing, and how he was going to do it, offering tidbits of history and interest along the way, made the process as delicious as each dish.
Although a native of Valencia, he speaks excellent English.
He gives you the choice to observe and or be as involved in the cooking process as you would like. He also gives you choices of dishes for each course, taking your specific needs and preferences into account.

We highly recommend!"

"Jose welcomed us with a smile and contagious enthusiasm. We loved the local experience in his charming home. Jose shared the history of his family, paella 🥘, and his passion for food & life. This was the first time we enjoyed authentic paella, sangria, special tapas and dessert Jose prepared. We highly recommend booking with Jose and enjoy an experience that is unforgettable. The afternoon will be filled with laughter, pure joy, delicious food, and LOVE ❤️ Thank you Jose for making our time with you EPIC!"

"It’s been over three weeks, and I still can’t stop thinking about the highlight of our Valencia trip: cooking with the legendary Chef Jose. We’ve done a class in Rome before and loved it—but Chef Jose raised the bar tenfold. He’s a culinary ninja: everything prepped, perfectly organized, and somehow makes learning to cook feel like a party at your hilarious foodie friend’s house (if that friend happened to be a 5-star chef). I did this with my husband and our 19-year-old son—we laughed, we learned, we sipped his cleverly tweaked concoctions, and devoured absolute masterpieces. No spoilers—but trust me, your taste buds will thank you. If you’re in Valencia, book it. You’ll leave full, happy, and slightly convinced you’re now a gourmet chef. Honestly, this experience alone would be the perfect reason to come back to Valencia."

"The experience was incredible! Five stars is an understatement. Jose is not only an excellent and very professional chef, but also a wonderful person. We spent the whole afternoon with him, and it seemed like five minutes, given how much fun we had. The paella was delicious, with more than enough, and the dessert was spectacular as well. The place was impeccable, with everything we needed. We learned a lot and now we can make our own paella at home. 100% recommended."

"Chef Jose was amazing and his cooking class/experience was the highlight of our trip! He
is friendly, funny and a great cook. Make the time to enjoy his hospitality!"

"This was the highlight of our trip to Valencia! Jose was just great! Not only was the food 🥘 incredible, but the history and side stories made it even better! The Ajoblanco may be my favorite dish of our entire trip! Also….don’t stir the rice 😉

10/10 - would HIGHLY recommend!"

"Jose was fantastic and made the experience so fun for me and my 3 friends! The sangria he
taught us to make was the best we had in Valencia!
"

"Excellent experience all around, from the hands on cooking and Jose’s expertise and engaging personality. The finished products were a spectacular array of culinary delights. Muchas gracias José, for the hospitality and entertainment, and, of course, the gastronomic enlightenment and sharing of your world!"

"Excellent experience all around, from the hands on cooking and Jose’s expertise and engaging personality. The finished products were a spectacular array of culinary delights. Muchas gracias José, for the hospitality and entertainment, and, of course, the gastronomic enlightenment and sharing of your world!"

"My husband and I always take cooking classes when traveling. Our day with Jose was fantastic, beginning to end. Jose is delightful and engaging, and the food and drink were delicious ... you probably won't find a better paella in Valencia than the one you'll make with Jose. And the rest of the meal is equally amazing, from cocktails to tapas to dessert. It truly felt like we were hanging out with a new friend, eating and drinking our way through the afternoon."

"This was the highlight of our trip to Spain! Jose is an amazing cook teacher and historian of Valencia culture . The food was soo yummy we got to learn how to make and participate in his awesome apartment . It was cozy fun and edu ! Hit all the marks and more!!!! A MUST do!!!!"

"private cooking class with Jose where we learned SO much and made Sangria. , tapas Paella and dessert . This was SO amazing we absolutely recommend to everyone ! Well worth the money ! Jose is such a great HOST and it is worth twice the money he charges for all the time and effort he put in! A MUST DO in Valencia"

"Jose is a delightful and skilled ambassador for Valencian culture and cuisine. Jose is a very engaging and friendly host. We loved the way he used his home environment to share his knowledge, professional chef expertise, local stories and fabulous recipes. We very much appreciated that he consulted with us many days before on our preferences for the menu, and ran the session with just the two of us."

"My wife, sister and brother-in-law spent an incredible afternoon with Jose. After we met, he guided us to his apartment while he talked to us a little bit about Valencia, its history and some of the must-dos in the area.

His small kitchen is very well equipped and he proceeded to describe how the afternoon would proceed, interjecting more history along the way (via historic photos on his wall).

Jose made sangria with his own twist and it was refreshing and not too sweet. He also brought out the ingredients for the two tapas we were to prepare and gave us some small jobs to do. All the while, he answered questions, got us laughing and prepared us for the "big event".

The cooking of the paella began with the chicken and rabbit searing in one of his many paella pans. In succession, we added the veggies, sofrito and rice, each of the additions being handled by a different person in our group. It was a bit nerve-racking, but we all did our jobs successfully. Note that you do not have to participate in any of the cooking if you so choose.

We nibbled, drank, laughed, learned, and thoroughly enjoyed our time with Jose. He is so personable and professional. The tapas were delightful and our paella turned out amazing and very flavorful.

We had some time to enjoy our meal with just the four of us before Jose rejoined us for a final drink.

We said our goodbyes and commented to each other that it was one of the best experiences, ever. We highly recommend this to anyone who likes great Valencian food and wishes to learn from a master."

"Jose was fantastic. Met us at arranged location and walked to his apartment. He had
everything ready for the experience. Was delightful and informative. We cooked, talked and
then ate! Well worth the expense."

"It was a great experience ! A super selfmade sangria, tapas, the real Valencian paella and dessert. Delicious. My husband and myself enjoyed the private cooking with a nice chef and interesting tips. Really good afternoon we had during our trip to Vancia. freddy and Martine (Belgium)"

"My husband and my mother in law traveled to Spain for 14 days.
While in Valencia I booked this Paella making class for us. It was one of the highlights of our trip! Jose was great in explaining about the culture as well as showing us his amazing recipes for Sangria, Paella, and several other tapas.
A must do while in Valencia, you won’t be disappointed!😀🇪🇸"

"I highly recommend this experience! If you want a very personal experience this is for you. The maximum he can host is four. You spend time in his home and his kitchen where you learn to cook and learn about the culture. Then you enjoy a meal like no other you have ever had."

"Excellent Sangria and Paella with Chef Jose! We had a great time cooking with chef Jose. His sangria recipe will be a staple in our household; it was a great refreshment to start our paella making. We had a few vegetarians in our group so we made a vegetable paella along with the traditional Valencia paella. Both turned out excellent and along with the tapas we left very full. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone traveling to Valencia."

"We try to do cooking classes like this where ever we visit. This class with Chef Jose ranks at the top! He is very knowledgeable about cooking, was passionate about making it the best experience for us, and easy to understand. Oh, and patient with all our questions! Cooking with him and his kitchen was up close and personal, and we walked away with memories, Recipes, and full stomachs. (PS: his Sangria is the best ever!)"

"Such a great class! Jose met us and took us to his house and couldn't be more welcoming. He was so knowledgeable, all the food was amazing, and the whole day was super relaxed. We booked this at the start of our trip and got some good recommendations for the rest of our stay. His sangria was also the best we've had 😁
Would 100% recommend Jose and his class!"

"This was a fabulous experience. Jose was an amazing host and teacher. If you’re looking for a personal chef experience this is it. You are welcomed into his home and given step by step instructions on how to create traditional Spanish tapas and paella ….he even shows you his mothers secrets 😀. Definitely worth every penny. A must do when in Valencia."

"Looking for an intimate paella cooking classs, taught by a chef in his home? This is it, an experience to remember! Our family group of 4 was met close to the chefs home. What a special treat to experience how paella is made in the city of it’s origin, by a chef that have deep roots in Valencia. Learn all those little tips from a local and help produce the best paella that you have ever tasted. I have done many cooking classes, but this truly was an exceptional experience. If you are lucky enough to read this, don’t hesitate to book the class. (The chefs English is very good, honed by working in the UK)"

"We had an incredible experience! He was so accommodating and made us feel right at
home. A must do!!"

"Chef Jose provided an exceptional experience our family will remember for years to come - highly recommend!
Tripadvisor review: Private Paella and Tapas Cooking Class in a Local Chef's Home
Had a great trip to Spain and this was one of the absolute best parts. Chef Jose's communication and thoughtfulness before the meet-up day was exceptional. He provided a number of options to choose from and was highly responsive to communication.

We brought our kids (12 and 9) to the experience and he was incredibly attentive to them having a great experience as well, from their ability to participate and learn, to providing them with food and drinks that would be special for them. My youngest daughter called it the best meal of her life.

The quality of the food was tremendous. Chef Jose walked us through how everything was made (and had a very helpful recipe that he gave us that covered everything we learned). Both the tapas and paella were excellent, as were the drinks he prepared.

This met and exceeded any expectations I had - highly, highly recommend this experience and getting to know Chef Jose!"

"Jose's passion for Valencian cuisine is simply wonderful! It is a unique opportunity to learn to cook from a fun and native Valencian trained at the Michelin-starred restaurant El Poblet in Valencia."