Meet
Gabriela
Gabriela first learned to cook from her aunt and grandparents. Her grandparents, who were of Spanish origin and came to Argentina as teenagers escaping the war, owned a pasta shop where they produced ravioli, agnolotti, and a variety of other fresh pastas. Gabriela grew up in Buenos Aires’s La Boca neighborhood, famous for its artist community, and her grandparents (also artists themselves!) sold pasta to all the artists of the neighborhood. A social person from a young age, Gabriela studied public translation and went on to work at Reuters for over two decades before she began teaching language (Portuguese and English) to young children. Gabriela is excited to share her passion for food and connection with travelers – she says that she loves cooking and loves to teach, and Traveling Spoon is the perfect combination of both! She is the person who stops every person she sees with a map to ask how she can help, so if you have any questions about your visit don’t hesitate to ask this Buenos Aires native. Gabriela will also host some of her experiences with her close friend and neighbor, Patricia. Patricia is a former co-worker of Gabriela's from Reuters who studied arts, and enjoys good food and meeting new people. Patricia will be assisting with drinks for the experience, including a welcome spritz, wine and a homemade tea blend she creates herself.
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.
In-home meal:
(1-6 guests)
Join Gabriela and her friend Patricia in a central Belgrano apartment for a traditional Argentinean meal. Your experience will start with a welcome spritz and small snack of local cheeses, hummus and chorizo. Then sit down to enjoy a traditional Argentinean meal with Gabriela and Patrizia, featuring a starter of locro (local stew) or humita (steamed fresh corn cakes), depending on the season, followed by empanadas. Gabriela and Patricia will prepare a selection of empanadas with a variety of classic fillings, from chicken and beef to cheese and vegetables. End your meal with a classic Argentinian dessert such as dulce de leche pancake or alfajores and a selection of teas or coffee.
Cooking experience:
(2-6 guests)
Join Gabriela in her apartment in the Belgrano neighborhood for a traditional empanada cooking class in Buenos Aires. Over a welcome glass of wine or beer, enjoy a picada – a traditional Argentinian platter of cheeses, jams, and nuts – on Gabriela’s large balcony (weather permitting). After you’ve enjoyed your welcome beverage and snacks, Gabriela will teach you to prepare the empanada fillings. Learn how to best prepare the meat as Gabriela shares her secrets for how to perfect the filling. Note that the cooking portion of your experience will take place on Gabriela’s dining table, as she has a small kitchen. Gabriela can teach you the process of making dough for a small sample of the empanadas; because you’ll be making close to 50 empanadas Gabriela will also use some dough she has purchased from her local grocer to complete the rest. You will learn to prepare three different fillings, which might include a chicken, onion and leek filling, a zucchini, onion and cheese filling, and the traditional Argentinian cheese and jam filling. After you’ve finished cooking, enjoy your empanadas which will be served alongside a fresh salad. End your meal with a dessert of chocotorta, a traditional Argentinian layered cake of chocolate, biscuits and dulce de leche, served with coffee if desired. Your total experience will be around 3-4 hours.
Market visit:
(2-5 guests)
Meet your host Gabriela at her home and walk a few blocks to Mercado de Belgrano for your private market tour. This is a lively, indoor market that local chefs frequent, especially for gourmet ingredients. Walk through the market and explore with your host local and regional produce, fish and meat sold by her favored vendors at the market. You will sample local produce and purchase a few ingredients that you will use during your cooking class after the market tour. The market has tables outside where you will sample sweet treats. This is a unique experience because you will get to try cheeses and jams of the different provinces of Argentina. Your market tour will last about one hour.
Notes:
Please note that people typically eat quite late in Argentina! Dinner is traditionally served around 10pm. If you prefer an earlier start time please ask Gabriela while making your reservation. Also please note that Gabriela's apartment is on the 7th floor; there is an old-fashioned small elevator you will take to reach the floor. If you are interested in booking an experience with a larger group, Gabriela may be able to accommodate you at her friend's nearby apartment which is slightly larger. Please indicate this during your booking.
Please note that the price of your empanada making class in Buenos Aires includes alcohol.
Languages spoken:
Spanish, Portugese, English, Italian
Sample menu
Traveler reviews
I appreciated that Gabby reached out to us, as soon as we booked and we even met over Zoom. She was friendly and warm and willing to help with anything we needed. We had good directions to her home and she was waiting outside to meet us. We enjoyed our walk and visit to the market but we enjoyed the empanada class more. She prepared a snack for us, before we began and she had most of the ingredients prepped and ready for us to assemble. We learned different ways to fold the dough and how to tell what is inside, based on the fold. I think we made 3 or 4 different fillings. They were all tasty but unfortunately, we got talking and the last type was a bit burned. Our 2-3 hour experience turned into 6 hours and we left feeling like we were old friends.
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Audrey
January 11, 2024
I appreciated that Gabby reached out to us, as soon as we booked and we even met over Zoom. She was friendly and warm and willing to help with anything we needed. We had good directions to her home and she was waiting outside to meet us. We enjoyed our walk and visit to the market but we enjoyed the empanada class more. She prepared a snack for us, before we began and she had most of the ingredients prepped and ready for us to assemble. We learned different ways to fold the dough and how to tell what is inside, based on the fold. I think we made 3 or 4 different fillings. They were all tasty but unfortunately, we got talking and the last type was a bit burned. Our 2-3 hour experience turned into 6 hours and we left feeling like we were old friends.
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Audrey
January 11, 2024
We had a great time during our class learning how to make delicious empanadas. It was a very fun way for our family to get together virtually from different parts of the country and celebrate a birthday! Gabriela was terrific in leading us all through the cooking.
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Gab
July 06, 2021
I couldn’t have asked for better! I never leave reviews, but this is worthy of one! The dynamic duo, Gabriela and Patricia, made my boyfriend and I (traveling together) feel like part of their family. Not only did they make us feel beyond welcome, but they taught us how to make delicious empanadas in order to be able to make them for our friends and family back home! It was also my birthday the day prior to this experience and my boyfriend mentioned that to them, they in turn made me a delicious cake with candles on it to blow out and gave me the most precious pearl earrings as a gift. They went above and beyond my expectations when we signed up for this!
If you’re considering doing any sort of empanada cooking class while in BA, then look no further! You’ve found the best class there is! I highly suggest signing up for this amazing experience!
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Sightseer606994
January 16, 2021
Four of spent a wonderful evening with Gabriela and Patricia learning the tricks of making empanadas. We were greeted with a nice beverage and after some socialization, headed to the kitchen. Great fun! We must have been successful as we really enjoyed our resulting dinner....More
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Supernop
September 17, 2019
I am SO happy I found this class with Gabriela and her friend Patricia! My mom was visiting me in Buenos Aires and I was looking to book her some fun things to do during the day while I had to work. She was on her own and does not speak Spanish. Imagine my delight when I came across Gabriela's empanada experience! Normally the class is for at least two people, but she made an exception for my mom, and I was so grateful! My mom had a total blast and felt like she was with two friends all day. She really enjoyed the lesson and wants to try making them at home for our whole family. They even took her on a tour of the lovely Belgrano neighborhood afterwards. My mom has not stopped talking about her great day with Gabriela and Patricia. I highly recommend this experience. They are both lovely, kind ladies and the empanadas are delicious!
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cgarrison13
May 24, 2019
A Foodie's Delight. Gabi and Patricia were amazing hosts and great company. The class is fun and hands on with a great chance to understand more about Argentine food, wine and culture. As a frequent visitor to BA this was one of the best activities I have done and felt so relaxed and had such an enjoyable time I didn't want to leave. As a hospitality professional I can thoroughly recommend this activity.
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S6273LHdavidy
May 01, 2019
Gabi and Patricia were amazing hosts and great company. The class is fun and hands on with a great chance to understand more about Argentine food, wine and culture. As a frequent visitor to BA this was one of the best activities I have done and felt so relaxed and had such an enjoyable time I didn't want to leave. As a hospitality professional I can thoroughly recommend this activity.
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S6273LHdavidy
May 01, 2019
Our hostess and teacher, Gabriella, showed us how to cook several types of really tasty empanadas and how to form five (that’s what I remember - maybe it was more) shapes of shells with different dough folding and pinching techniques. The pumpkin and cheese were fantastic! The best thing is, it’s easy enough to do and we do them at home all the time now. This was one of the best evenings we had in Buenos Aries and definitely was a bargain at the price. She mentioned that she can teach other classic Argentine foods as well and we will surely call her when we are back. Not to be missed!
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Jon A
April 01, 2019
I never leave reviews, but this is worthy of one! The dynamic duo, Gabriela and Patricia, made my boyfriend and I (traveling together) feel like part of their family. Not only did they make us feel beyond welcome, but they taught us how to make delicious empanadas in order to be able to make them for our friends and family back home! It was also my birthday the day prior to this experience and my boyfriend mentioned that to them, they in turn made me a delicious cake with candles on it to blow out and gave me the most precious pearl earrings as a gift. They went above and beyond my expectations when we signed up for this!
If you’re considering doing any sort of empanada cooking class while in BA, then look no further! You’ve found the best class there is! I highly suggest signing up for this amazing experience!
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Sightseer606994
January 16, 2019
Tuve la oportunidad de conocer a Gabriela y su socia Patricia por otra actividad de negocios, ambas excelentes profesionales en su rubro. Viví la experiencia de comer sus empanadas realmente excelentes, además conocen de vinos, de infusiones, reposteria y ademas lo combinan con sus experiencias en arte, viajes y fotografias son grandes anfitrionas.
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leoarcangeli
June 28, 2018
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