Basque Cooking Class in Bilbao: Learn to Cook Local Dishes

Cook the dishes Basque sailors ate, then sit down and taste them.

A small-group cooking class in Bilbao where you prepare 2–3 starters, 2 mains and a dessert using seasonal ingredients from the local market, then eat the meal you made with wine in a private dining room. The class runs 3.5 hours with a professional chef leading instruction in English; maximum 12 people keeps it hands-on and personalized. All food and drink are included.

The Experience

You start in the kitchen with a chef who walks you through the most iconic dishes of Basque Country. Bacalao with tomato sauce—one of the region's most famous plates—is on the menu, along with marmitako, the tuna and vegetable stew that Basque sailors have eaten for centuries. The menu shifts depending on what the market has that day, so you're always working with seasonal ingredients. You'll cook 2–3 starters, 2 mains and a dessert, moving through each dish with instruction and your hands in the work.

The class holds a maximum of 12 people, which means you're not standing in a crowd watching a demonstration—you're actually cooking, with the chef moving through the group. The space is part of Gastronomía Bilbao, the city's largest wine bar, so when you finish cooking, you move into a private dining room to eat what you made. The wine is included and local, poured while you sit down to the meal you just prepared.

The whole experience runs 3.5 hours. You need to be 15 or older to join. English-speaking instruction is built in, so language isn't a barrier to following along.

What’s included

• Hands-on instruction from a professional chef.
• all seasonal ingredients sourced from the local market.
• a full meal of 2–3 starters, 2 mains and dessert that you prepare.
• local wine served in the private dining room.

Operated by Gastronomía Bilbao

Is this one for you?At 3.5 hours, the class fits into a morning or early afternoon without consuming your whole day, leaving time to explore Bilbao before or after. If you want to spend a full day cooking or need a longer culinary experience, look for a full-day workshop instead.

Traveler reviews

4.99★★★★★★★★★★

77 verified traveler reviews

5 ★76

4 ★1

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What dishes do I actually cook in the Basque cooking class?

You prepare bacalao with tomato sauce, marmitako (the Basque tuna stew), and a sweet Basque toast, plus 2–3 starters and a dessert. The exact menu changes based on what's available at the market that day, so the dishes shift with the season.

Is this a hands-on class or do I watch a chef cook?

It's hands-on—you cook the dishes yourself with the chef's instruction. The class caps at 12 people so everyone gets space to work and personalized guidance rather than standing and watching a demonstration.

What happens after we finish cooking?

You move to a private dining room in the wine bar and eat the meal you prepared together. Local wine is included and served throughout the meal.

How long does the whole class take?

The class runs 3.5 hours from start to finish, including cooking and eating the meal.

What's included in the price?

All ingredients, instruction from a professional chef, the full meal of everything you cook, and local wine are included. You don't pay extra for food or drinks during the class.