Never Too Many Cooks in bcnKITCHEN
The secret to Spanish cooking is good Rais
Ever since Thomas did his cooking class in Cambodia, I’ve been looking for my own similar Food-Venture. Luckily, our stop in Barcelona included a day at bcnKITCHEN, a unique facility which offers everything from cooking classes to show-cooking to corporate bonding sessions.
When I think about it, Catalonia Tourism was probably strategically using our day at bcnKITCHEN as a type of corporate bonding session to allow our group of traveling bloggers to connect while exploring Catalan cuisine. It was a brilliant move, a recipe for success.
And the secret to this recipe, like much of Spanish cuisine, was good rice… I mean Rais. Patient, hilarious, and supportive, our teacher Rais made the day as she instructed us in the Spanish art of paella along with a couple of starters and crema catalana. Our cooking course began with a trip to the local market to select the ingredients. Afterwards, we learned to properly chop vegetables, drink wine, clean squid, drink wine, prepare mussels, drink wine… let’s just say it was a lot of fun. We worked, we sampled, we drank more wine, we bonded and we feasted on the product of our work.
I think it’s fair to say that if you get bored at bcnKITCHEN, there’s probably something wrong with you. Their emphasis on cooking education as a way to experience Catalan culture, cuisine and hospitality is tremendously fun. And from now on, I’ll cut vegetables better than anyone in the kitchen.
9 out of 10 scientists agree that wine helps the learning process.
Lorna eyes Laurel’s perfectly cut bell peppers
Some cooking students progress faster than others, but temper tantrums are rare. DISCLAIMER: bcnKITCHEN wants you to know that no students were injured in the making of this paella.
Marco tweets live on how to cut potatoes
Corno helps Jen discover the secret beauty of squid and cuttlefish
Time to eat!!!
The most fun I’ve ever had cooking! But you left out the most important part: The two of us had the nicest looking peppers 🙂
@Laurel, I know. We were laughing the entire time. There’s the suggestion of superior peppers under the picture of you holding the bowl.
Everyone looks like they are having so much fun!
@ Jackie,
It was even more fun than the pictures can express. Rais was hilarious… and very patient with the room full of blogging goofballs.
Everytime I finish cooking, I’m already full. Does anyone have the same issue (with eating while cooking)?
@ Rita,
That could have been the case here too because we were stuffing ourselves with snacks the whole time. Rais served this amazing bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil. I think I ate a whole plate of it myself.
This looks like so much fun! You realize though that I expect perfectly cooked paella the next time we meet!?
@ Leonie,
I’m not sure it’s going to be perfectly cooked but I can definitely try. As you can tell from the article, I was a bit focused on the wine.
Ok,Tony…you requested meat pies when you get home….now I want Paella!
@Dad,
Let’s do it. I’m all set. 🙂
Quite possibly the best photos of me ever?! haha.
Great day, particularly all that brown cuttlefish juices? 🙂
@Jen,
I love that picture, too. And as for brown cuttlefish juices, I’ve had to suppress certain memories. 🙂