Your experience begins with a warm welcome and a brief introduction to Catalan and Spanish cuisine: the ingredients, traditions and stories behind the dishes you are cooking. Along with your chef, you’ll head to the kitchen and get to work right away. You will learn to prepare a traditional paella from scratch: selecting the right rice, making the sofrito, controlling the heat and getting the iconic socarrat, that golden crust of the bottom for which all Spaniards quarrel. In addition to the paella, you will prepare a selection of seasonal tapas that reflect the fresh and local products of each time of year. Your chef will guide you through each recipe, explaining the techniques, cultural context and little tricks that make each dish a success. Once everything is ready, you will sit together to enjoy the food you have prepared, paired with a careful selection of wines from different regions of Spain, with a brief explanation of each. You will leave with recipes, techniques and a real taste of what makes Spanish cuisine so special.