Meet
Josh (Boqueria)
Josh grew up in Portland, Oregon, and moved to Spain in 2002, where he fell in love with the language, culture, and food. Inspired by local families and their traditions, he learned to cook using fresh, high-quality ingredients, especially Spain’s incredible seafood. Today, he hosts guests in his cooking studio, sharing regional recipes, stories, and the rich culinary culture of his adopted home. A percussionist as well, he’s always happy to share his favorite local music during the experience.
What to expect
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:
(4-10 guests)
Enjoy a private, hands-on Barcelona cooking class in a centrally located Gràcia studio with local host Josh or his chef colleague. Learn how to make authentic Spanish paella from scratch using fresh, high-quality ingredients, with step-by-step guidance and practical cooking tips.
Start your experience by preparing refreshing sangria together - chopping fresh fruit and learning how to balance flavors to create this classic Spanish drink. Then, create a traditional crema catalana and learn how to perfectly caramelize its signature topping.
This immersive Barcelona paella cooking class is fully interactive - you’ll chop, prep, and cook alongside your host while learning about Spanish food culture and local traditions. Choose from seafood, meat, or vegetarian paella options.
On days when Josh is unavailable, his colleague and fellow chef will host you. The cooking studio is located one floor above ground level and is accessible by elevator for those who cannot take the stairs.
End your experience by enjoying the meal you prepared together over conversation about food, travel, and music. Each experience includes 1–2 glasses of sangria. This Barcelona cooking experience is perfect for all skill levels and those seeking an authentic, local connection in the city. Your host is happy to tailor the menu to accommodate dietary preferences, so please include them when booking.
Market visit:
(4-10 guests)
Explore La Boqueria, Barcelona’s most iconic food market, on a guided market tour with your local host Josh or his equally passionate chef colleague. Begin with a tasting of Spanish jamón at a trusted Catalan charcuterie and learn how premium Iberian ham is sourced and prepared.
Walk through the vibrant market as your host introduces you to favorite vendors offering fresh, locally sourced seafood, meats, cheeses, and produce. Sample specialties like salt cod and marinated olives, and learn how to identify high-quality ingredients. Along the way, gain insight into Catalan food culture and what makes it unique within Spain.
During your 45-minute Barcelona market tour, you may also pick up fresh ingredients such as squid or peppers to use in your paella cooking class. After the tour, enjoy included transportation to your host’s cooking studio, where your hands-on Barcelona cooking class begins.
Notes:
1. Josh requires a minimum of four guests to host this private culinary experience, or payment equivalent to four guests if your group is smaller.
2. Market tours are not available on Sundays and Mondays.
3. You can choose between seafood, chicken, or vegetable paella. Kindly share your preference with Josh ahead of time, or seafood will be prepared by default.
Languages spoken:
English, Catalan, Spanish and French
Sample menu
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.
Cooking seafood Paella with Josh was one of the highlights of our 8-day stay in Barcelona. After hitting the typical tourist sites, it was refreshing to get the perspective of a local who is so passionate about food. He was very educational and patient, and we had a really fun time. It was great to pick up lots of tacit information not included in the recipe. Lastly, we enjoyed the food in the dining room with Josh and talked about his music and Catalonia. We loved hearing about Josh’s stories living in Barcelona, and greatly appreciated his tips and local perspective. We had an overall amazing experience and would highly recommend this!!
Sam and Shirbi, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
Traveler reviews
The class was a big success. Very well done - chef was excellent and the setting was perfect. Our clients were impressed and loved every minute!!!
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Robert
April 30, 2026
One of the best parts of our Spain vacation trip. 100% recommended! We have really cool reel in Instagram
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Milly
March 31, 2025
Chris guided us through cooking a delicious traditional Spanish dinner… complete with sangria, seafood paella and crema Catalan. He was friendly, knowledgeable and patient with our entire family. It was the perfect way to round out our trip to Barcelona and our kids loved getting involved in the kitchen. The food was delicious! We would recommend this class to any group looking for a personalized and unique dinner experience.
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818mic
December 30, 2023
We had an excellent experience making sangria and paella and putting the finishing touches on our traditional crema Catalana dessert. It was our first night in Barcelona and a much needed relaxing, fun, and educational evening. Everyone got to help chop, stir, cook, carmelize, drink, and eat. The apartment was welcoming and comfortable and we had a terrific time.
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Jamie
December 27, 2022
We had a great time walking around the market and getting to know the culture of Spanish food shopping. We cooked the paella from scratch and had a great time chatting, cooking and tasting :) We can totally recommend this also for kids, our 11 and 15 year old had a great time and participated in cutting and cooking.Thanks Eric for a wonderful morning and paella lunch!
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SusanneS717
December 29, 2019
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