Spanish Cooking Class in San Sebastian 2025: A Full Review

You know, going to San Sebastián, or Donostia as the locals call it, just to eat is a completely valid plan. The city’s food scene is, honestly, legendary stuff. Still, I kind of wanted more than just popping from one pintxos bar to another. I really wanted to get a little bit closer to the heart of Basque cooking. That’s why, in a way, booking a cooking class for my 2025 trip felt like the most natural thing in the world to do. It was, at the end of the day, an idea to bring a piece of this culinary paradise home with me. I basically just searched online and found a place that looked pretty much perfect.

I wasn’t, to be honest, searching for some stuffy, formal chef’s academy. What I pictured was more or less something intimate, hands-on, and really full of local flavor. So, I felt incredibly lucky when I stumbled upon a class that seemed to tick every single box I had in my mind. The descriptions really painted a picture of a day spent with a local food expert, working with ingredients straight from the market, and obviously, eating everything you prepare. It just sounded like a seriously good time. So, with a bit of hopeful excitement, I clicked ‘book’ and started counting down the days, you know?

Finding “The Basque Kitchen” – First Impressions

Alright, so on the morning of the class, I found myself walking through the Parte Vieja, the Old Town of San Sebastián. It is, like, a maze of stone laneways with tall buildings leaning in. The air, seriously, smelled like a mix of salt from the nearby sea and roasting coffee from small cafés. Locating the school, called “The Basque Kitchen,” was actually pretty easy. You know, a tastefully painted sign hung above a big wooden door, which was slightly ajar. I pushed it open and, at the end of the day, stepped right into what felt like a good friend’s kitchen. You can find equally charming spots with a quick guide to the Old Town, by the way.

The space was, to be honest, absolutely amazing and totally inviting. Unlike some sterile professional setups, this kitchen possessed a real lived-in personality, which was just so nice to see. A long, weathered wooden table sat in the center, already set up with chopping boards and crisp white aprons for everyone. Copper pots and pans of all shapes and sizes dangled from a rack overhead, sort of gleaming softly in the morning light that streamed in through a big window. The walls were a warm shade of cream, and decorated with old culinary prints and shelves stocked with local pottery and cookbooks. The feeling inside was, you know, just immediately comfortable, as if good food and happy people were a constant here. Finding such a truly authentic local experience felt like I had already won.

Meeting Chef Iñaki and the Day’s Bounty

Just as I was, like, taking it all in, a man with a big, genuine smile and a chef’s jacket emerged from a back room. “Ongi etorri! Welcome!” he boomed, and his warmth was just infectious. This was, of course, Chef Iñaki, our culinary guide for the day. He had this really great energy about him—clearly passionate about his craft but also super down-to-earth and approachable, you know? He quickly introduced himself and basically told us his family had lived and cooked in San Sebastián for generations. So, we all knew we were in very, very good hands. His introduction made everyone in the small group, just five of us in total, feel immediately at ease, ready for a day of learning about deeply rooted Basque food traditions.

Then, Chef Iñaki gestured for us to look at the central table, and honestly, it was a sight to behold. He explained that this was the day’s bounty, which he had picked out himself from La Bretxa market just a few hours earlier. The display was seriously impressive. There were piles of glossy, bright red Gernika peppers, and a bowl filled with fat, green olives that practically glowed. A tray held up beautiful fillets of silvery hake, its skin still shimmering with freshness. Nearby, a heap of onions, a bundle of vibrant green asparagus, and a dozen large, farm-fresh eggs with rich, dark yolks sat ready. It was all so colorful and, you know, just bursting with life. At the end of the day, seeing such high-quality ingredients made the prospect of cooking them even more exciting, and many local market tours offer a similar visual feast.

The chef, I mean, he took his time with each component laid out before us. He picked up a deeply colored chorizo, explaining how its smoky paprika flavor is fundamental to many Basque dishes. He then held a glistening anchovy fillet to the light, telling us how these are not like the ones from a tin, but are semi-preserved in salt and have a much meatier, less salty taste. You could, frankly, see his respect for the produce in the way he handled everything. It wasn’t just food; it was, in a way, the story of the land and sea around us. He wanted us to appreciate that before we even picked up a knife, and that approach, to be honest, really set the tone for the entire experience. Learning to recognize this level of quality is a key takeaway from any good Donostia pintxos-making class.

Getting Hands-On: Preparing the Pintxos

So, our first task was to create some classic pintxos, those little bites that have made San Sebastián famous. Chef Iñaki, you know, thought it was the best way to get our hands dirty right away. It’s almost like a perfect introduction, a warm-up for the main courses. We all gathered around the big wooden table, aprons on, feeling like a team of cooks ready for service. He explained that pintxos are more than just snacks; they are, in some respects, a very social tradition, a reason to gather and chat. Understanding the culture behind the food is something that often elevates a San Sebastián culinary workshop from good to great.

The Gilda – A Basque Classic

We started with what is arguably the most iconic pintxo of all: the Gilda. Chef Iñaki held up a skewer threaded with an olive, an anchovy, and a spicy pickled pepper, or *piparra*. He explained that this little bite was supposedly named after Rita Hayworth’s character in the movie *Gilda* because, just like her, it’s a little green, salty, and spicy. This little story, you know, just made the whole process more fun. We were basically instructed on how to properly select and skewer the ingredients for the best balance of flavor, a skill you can refine through different traditional recipe classes.

So, we each took our little wooden skewers. The task seemed simple, right? But Chef Iñaki showed us the “right” way to do it. The olive, plump and briny, went on first. Then, you had to gently fold the beautiful, meaty anchovy fillet twice before piercing it through. Finally, we added one or two of the bright green *piparras*. The trick, he said, was to create a bite that delivered all three flavors at once. It was actually quite satisfying to line up our finished Gildas on a platter, looking like a row of little culinary jewels. Honestly, it was a very simple, yet profoundly tasty start to our cooking adventure, and you can find the best ingredients at any quality Spanish food market.

Sizzling Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

Next up, it was time to turn up the heat, literally. We moved over to the stove to make Gambas al Ajillo, or garlic shrimp. Chef Iñaki demonstrated first, pouring a generous amount of good Spanish olive oil into a small clay *cazuela*. He taught us how to thinly slice a lot of garlic—way more than you’d think—and a bit of dried red chili. The key, he stressed, is to infuse the oil with flavor without burning the garlic. He just let it gently sizzle until it was fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Knowing this technique is essential for so many popular Spanish tapas dishes.

Then, it was our turn. We each had our own little clay dish. I carefully added my sliced garlic and chili to the warm oil, watching it bubble and dance. The aroma that filled the kitchen was, like, absolutely incredible. Once the garlic was perfect, we added the fresh, peeled shrimp. They sizzled instantly, turning pink in what felt like just a minute. The final touch was a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a good pinch of sea salt. We served them piping hot, with crusty bread to sop up all that ridiculously delicious garlic-infused oil. At the end of the day, it was simple cooking, but the result was so good it felt almost magical. This dish is a highlight of many culinary adventures in the region.

Crafting the Perfect Tortilla Española

The final pintxo challenge was, in a way, the big one: the Tortilla Española. Chef Iñaki explained that every family in Spain has its own version, but he was going to show us the classic Basque way. This is, you know, something people are really passionate about. He showed us how to finely slice potatoes and onions into almost paper-thin rounds. Then, instead of frying them in a shallow pan, he had us poach them slowly in a deep pot of olive oil until they were completely soft and tender, but not brown. This method ensures the inside of the tortilla is creamy and luscious. Many top chefs agree this poaching method is what makes a truly exceptional Spanish omelet.

After draining the potatoes and onions, we mixed them with the lightly beaten eggs. Now came the nerve-wracking part: cooking and flipping it. I poured my mixture into a hot, non-stick pan and cooked it, shaking the pan gently, until the edges were set. Chef Iñaki came over, placed a large plate over my pan, and with a confident “Uno, dos, tres!”, helped me flip it. It worked! The uncooked side slid back into the pan perfectly. After another minute of cooking, my tortilla was done. The sense of accomplishment was, honestly, huge. We all sliced our tortillas into small wedges, served them on bread, and admired our handiwork. For anyone serious about food, mastering this is a real goal in a hands-on Spanish cooking vacation.

The Main Event: Bacalao al Pil Pil

With our pintxos ready and waiting, it was time for the main course, something deeply and truly Basque: Bacalao al Pil Pil. Chef Iñaki explained that this dish is almost a test of a Basque cook’s skill, using just four ingredients: salt cod, olive oil, garlic, and chili peppers. The magic, you know, is in the technique. The name “pil pil” is meant to mimic the sound of the fish skin crackling in the hot oil. He showed us the thick, white fillets of salt cod, which had been desalting in water for a couple of days to rehydrate them and remove the excess salt. Preparing this fish is a key step in many classic Basque seafood recipes.

The process started similarly to the shrimp, with garlic and chilies sizzling gently in a wide, shallow clay cazuela. Once the garlic was golden, we removed it and let the oil cool down a bit. Then, we placed the cod fillets, skin-side up, into the oil. The trick, Chef Iñaki demonstrated, was to continuously and rhythmically swirl the pan. It’s not about stirring with a spoon; it’s about moving the whole pan in small, constant circles. This motion encourages the natural gelatin from the cod’s skin to release and emulsify with the olive oil, creating a thick, creamy, pale-yellow sauce. It’s a technique that feels very unique to this specific style of regional cooking.

Seriously, it was a bit of an arm workout. My pan-swirling was clumsy at first, but with a bit of coaching from Iñaki, I started to get the rhythm. After about 15 minutes of constant motion, I could see the magic happening. The oil was thickening, turning from clear to a creamy, opaque sauce. It was an amazing transformation to witness firsthand. At the end of the day, it’s not a complicated recipe in terms of ingredients, but it’s all about patience and technique. Seeing the sauce come together was probably the most rewarding moment of the entire class. It’s the kind of authentic skill you hope to pick up from a really great chef-led course.

A Sweet Finish and Sips of Txakoli

So, with our main dishes cooked and resting, we turned our attention to the final part of our meal: dessert and wine. For dessert, Chef Iñaki kept it simple and traditional, showing us how to make Pantxineta. It’s a classic Basque dessert made with puff pastry, filled with a rich, thick pastry cream, and topped with toasted almonds. He already had the pastry cream made, so our job was basically to assemble these little parcels of deliciousness and bake them until golden brown. It was, you know, the perfect sweet note to end our cooking session. Many a good Basque culinary experience includes this delightful treat.

Now, for the best part. It was time to eat! We sat down at the long wooden table, which was now laden with all the food we had prepared. The Gildas, the sizzling shrimp, the wedges of tortilla, the glorious Bacalao al Pil Pil, and the warm Pantxineta. To go with our feast, Chef Iñaki brought out a few bottles of Txakoli. He explained that this is the local white wine, very dry, slightly fizzy, and just perfect for cutting through the richness of Basque food. It’s not just a drink; it’s an important part of the whole dining experience here.

Then he showed us the proper way to serve it. This was, frankly, quite a show. He held the bottle high above his head and poured a thin, steady stream into a glass held low down. This theatrical pour, he said, isn’t just for show; it actually helps to aerate the wine and awaken its slight effervescence. We all had a go, with varying degrees of success and a little bit of spillage. We laughed, we ate, we drank, and we chatted. It was more than just a meal; it was, at the end of the day, a shared celebration of the food we had made together with new friends. This communal aspect is what makes a memorable food and wine adventure.

Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Honestly, the day at “The Basque Kitchen” was a standout moment of my trip to San Sebastián. It was so much more than just a cooking class. It was a genuine connection to the local culture, a hands-on lesson in tradition, and just a really, really fun day. Chef Iñaki was the perfect host—knowledgeable without being intimidating, and just full of passion that was completely infectious. I left not just with a full stomach, but also with new skills, new stories, and a much deeper appreciation for Basque cuisine. For anyone thinking about a visit to San Sebastian in 2025, I can’t recommend an experience like this enough.

The class size was, in a way, just right. With only five people, everyone got personal attention from the chef and had plenty of space to work. The quality of the ingredients was, to be honest, exceptional, and seeing them at the start really set a high bar for the day. You leave with a recipe booklet, but more importantly, you leave with the confidence to actually try and recreate these dishes at home. It’s one thing to eat amazing food on vacation; it’s another thing entirely to bring the taste of that vacation back with you. At the end of the day, that’s what made this a truly special foodie experience.

“It wasn’t just about following recipes; it was about understanding the ‘why’ behind them—the history, the ingredients, the techniques. That’s what makes the memories, and the food, so much richer.”

Here are, basically, my main takeaways from the day:

• Perfect for All Skill Levels: You know, whether you’re a complete novice in the kitchen or a seasoned home cook, the class is really accessible. Chef Iñaki does a great job of catering to everyone.
• Genuinely Hands-On: This isn’t a demonstration where you just watch. You literally do everything, from chopping the onions to swirling the pan for the pil pil sauce.
• More Than Just Cooking: The cultural context and stories shared by the chef provide, in my opinion, so much value. You learn about Basque traditions, not just recipes.
• Excellent Value: Considering you get a multi-hour lesson, a full multi-course meal that you cook yourself, and plenty of local wine, the price feels very fair for the experience. A great choice for a