Nicole is an American chef who has called Spain home since 2007. A graduate of the Michelin-accredited Hofmann Culinary School, she blends her 15 years of teaching experience with her passion for Spanish cuisine to offer warm, informative, and hands-on cooking classes. She guides guests through a delicious culinary journey—discovering local ingredients, learning authentic techniques, and preparing traditional Spanish and Catalan dishes. Nicole first learned to cook paella and fideuà when she moved to Spain, later refining her skills at Hofmann and returning in 2022 for an intensive three-month course dedicated entirely to rice. Today, she loves welcoming travelers from around the world into her kitchen and showing them how food connects people across cultures. Nicole is excited to share the tips, tricks, and traditions behind making the perfect paella and fideuà so guests can recreate these iconic dishes at home.
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
Cooking experience: (1-8 guests) Join Nicole for a 3–4 hour Barcelona cooking class on her rooftop terrace in Sants Badal, where she teaches travelers how to make authentic paella or fideuà from scratch. Begin with a welcome spread of olives, cheese, and cured meats before heading upstairs to her sunny rooftop terrace overlooking Barcelona. In her hands-on paella cooking class, Nicole guides you step-by-step through essential Spanish cooking techniques—preparing the sofrito, making homemade stock, prepping the proteins, and cooking the rice or noodles the traditional way. After the paella is underway, learn how to make Crema Catalana, the iconic Catalan dessert, torching the caramelized sugar top for the perfect finish. Along the way, Nicole shares the history and flavors behind classic Spanish and Catalan dishes. Sit down to enjoy the paella or fideuà you helped create, accompanied by local wine (optional add-on) and great conversation. This immersive Barcelona cooking experience is the perfect way to learn, cook, and eat like a local.
Market visit: (1-5 guests) Meet Nicole at her apartment and enjoy a short 10-minute walk together to Mercat de Sants for your guided Barcelona market tour. This lively covered market is where she sources her fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients—from olives and seafood to meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. As you explore the stalls, Nicole will introduce you to essential ingredients used in traditional Spanish cooking and introduce you to some of her favorite vendors. Pick up a few items for your class before returning to her penthouse apartment for your hands-on cooking and dining experience.
Notes: Nicole can accommodate lactose free, vegetarian and vegan diets, on request. Please let her know if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies in advance, while booking your Barcelona cooking class online.
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Nicole was very informative with the ingredients and how to layer ingredients. It was a great learning experience and we have decided to do it again when we do it again. The dish was so rich with flavor and I can't wait to try to make it at home.- larry April 15, 2026
We spent an unforgettable day with Chef Nicole Hooks through Traveling Spoon, learning to make traditional paella and Crema Catalana on her sunny rooftop terrace overlooking Barcelona. Nicole met us at a nearby café before leading us on a short walk through the Jardins de la Rambla de Sants, an elevated park full of murals and local life. At the Mercat de Sants, she shopped like a true local, explaining ingredients and sharing stories of the neighborhood. We loved the personal touches and storytelling along the way. Back at her apartment, we enjoyed wine, cheese, and olives before moving to her rooftop kitchen, complete with a double-ring paella burner and sweeping city views. Nicole guided us step-by-step through every stage—from chopping and browning to building the sofrito and achieving that perfect socarrat crust. The finished paella was incredible—rich, smoky, and perfectly balanced—and our Crema Catalana dessert was the ideal sweet finish. Nicole’s warmth, humor, and deep knowledge made the afternoon fly by. If you’re looking for an authentic, hands-on cooking class in Barcelona that blends culture, history, and great food, this is it. Highly recommended for anyone arriving by cruise or staying in the city—five stars all the way!- Cam November 05, 2025
Cooking with Nicole will leave a lasting impression on my husband Greg and me . Not only was our food amazing , but it was an incredible experience. We felt like we were at home hanging out with a friend . We can not wait to go home and cook our new dish for our family ! Highly recommend cooking with Nicole!- Becky October 05, 2025
Cooking with Nicole will leave a lasting impression on my husband Greg and me . Not only was our food amazing , but it was an incredible experience. We felt like we were at home hanging out with a friend . We can not wait to go home and cook our new dish for our family ! Highly recommend cooking with Nicole!- Becky October 05, 2025
This review is overdue! My friend and I decided to book a paella cooking class with Nicole and it was by far one of the biggest highlights of the trip! To start, Nicole’s flat and rooftop setup is the authentic setting we were looking for. It was the perfect balance of a cooking classroom (you can tell Nicole was a former teacher and details like a map of Spain that Nicole referenced throughout was a great, unexpected value add to the cooking classroom) /entertaining environment. Nicole herself was a delight. Not only was she a great instructor, but she is genuinely a kind, cool person who entertained our questions even if they weren’t entirely related to cooking. She really made the extensive process of cooking paella seem relatively easy. The paella and dessert were both beyond delicious and Nicole provided wine that paired perfectly with the dish. 10/10 - I highly recommend booking with Nicole if you’re seeking a fun, laid back, authentic and educational paella making experience. Also noting, while Nicole never rushed us, she was very good about staying on schedule to ensure we finished our session on time as not to impact other plans we had for the day. I greatly appreciated this as my friend and I both have ADD and needed someone to keep us on track. Thanks, Nicole for a great experience!- Gaby September 21, 2025
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