Paella and Burnt Basque Cheesecake Cooking Class (in Bilbao)

The best part of this Bilbao cooking class is that you make a complete Spanish meal, not just one dish. You will work on local starters, prepare two paellas, and bake Burnt Basque Cheesecake from scratch before sitting down to eat it all.

I like the small maximum of 12 people and the practical teaching from chef Mikel, whose background includes several Michelin-starred kitchens. I also like that the class explains useful basics, from chopping onions and making chicken and shrimp broth to handling bomba rice.

The main drawback is the price: at $150.18 per person, this is not a cheap lunch. You are paying for a three-and-a-half-hour class, drinks, ingredients, recipes, and a full meal, so it makes the most sense if cooking is a major part of your holiday plans.

Key points at a glance

• Two paellas in one class: You prepare both a fish paella and a meat paella, with chicken and rabbit appearing in the meat version.
• A full Spanish menu: Idiazabal cheese, chorizo cooked in cider, paella, and Burnt Basque Cheesecake make this closer to lunch and a cooking lesson in one.
• Hands-on instruction: You chop, cook, prepare broths, work with bomba rice, and make the cheesecake yourself rather than simply watching a demonstration.
• Chef Mikel leads the class: His restaurant background and clear cooking tips are a major part of the appeal.
• Drinks are included: The package includes three glasses of local wine, with non-alcoholic choices available.
• Small, social setting: The maximum group size is 12, and the class ends with a sit-down meal in a private dining room.

A Bilbao cooking class built around the whole meal

This is a good choice if you want more than a quick lesson in how to stir rice. The class runs for about three hours and 30 minutes, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Salbe pl., 6, in Bilbao. By the end, you have cooked several dishes and eaten a substantial lunch.

The menu has a clear Basque and Spanish feel. You begin with Idiazabal cheese, a local sheep’s milk cheese, and chorizo cooked in cider. Then come the two main paellas: one with fish and one with meat. Dessert is Burnt Basque Cheesecake, the crustless cake known for its creamy center and dark caramelized top.

I like this format because each course teaches something different. The starters introduce local ingredients. The paellas cover both seafood and meat techniques. The cheesecake shows how a short ingredient list can still demand careful timing and heat control.

You are not expected to bring equipment or ingredients. The class provides the food, cooking materials, apron, and electronic recipes. The recipes matter because they let you try the dishes again at home, though recreating two paellas and a specialty cheesecake may require some planning.

Meeting chef Mikel in a bright Bilbao kitchen

Chef Mikel is at the heart of the class. He has worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants, but the teaching style described here is practical rather than stiff. You can expect cooking advice alongside explanations of ingredients and technique.

One especially useful lesson is basic preparation. The class covers how to cook garlic and onions properly and includes chopping instruction. Those steps sound simple, but they form the base of many Spanish dishes. Good timing at the start can make a noticeable difference in the finished paella.

Mikel also brings storytelling and useful food tips into the session. One account specifically highlights advice on where to eat pintxos in Bilbao, which adds value beyond the meal you cook. This is the sort of local guidance I appreciate because it can shape the rest of your stay.

The supplied comments use both Mikel and Miguel for the instructor’s name. The repeated praise is clearly aimed at the same chef, so you should expect Mikel to be the principal teacher, while the occasional use of Miguel may simply reflect a naming variation.

Starting with Idiazabal cheese and cider-cooked chorizo

The first part of the menu is simple but well chosen. Idiazabal cheese gives you a direct taste of a Basque specialty before the more involved cooking begins. It requires no complicated preparation, so it also gives the group time to settle into the kitchen.

Chorizo cooked in cider adds a different lesson. The sausage brings spice and fat, while cider supplies sweetness and acidity. It is an easy dish to enjoy, but it also shows how Spanish cooking often gets a lot from a few strong ingredients.

Some descriptions of the session also refer to pintxos. That fits Bilbao well, since small bites are central to eating out in the city. You should not expect an entire pintxos crawl as part of this class, but the starter course and the local food advice connect the cooking lesson to Bilbao’s wider eating culture.

Preparing chicken, shrimp, and bomba rice for two paellas

The paella section is the main event. Rather than making only one version, you prepare a seafood paella and a meat paella. The meat dish includes chicken and rabbit, while the seafood version uses fish.

This two-pan approach is valuable because it lets you compare the role of different broths and ingredients. One particularly useful technique is making the chicken and shrimp broths. Stock is where much of the final flavor begins, and the class gives you a chance to see how the base is built rather than treating it as a mystery ingredient.

You also work with bomba rice, a short-grain rice associated with paella. It is known for absorbing liquid while keeping its shape, so learning how it behaves is more useful than simply following a recipe by rote. The important lesson is timing: add the right amount of liquid, avoid careless stirring, and let the rice develop its texture.

The final dishes are described as fragrant and full of flavor, with the seafood and chicken-and-rabbit versions offering clearly different results. I would especially value this part if you already enjoy cooking, since you get to compare two broths, two sets of ingredients, and two finished paellas during one sitting.

Still, do not expect every part of the meal to be equally active for every person. With a group of up to 12, the work is shared. You will have hands-on tasks, but the chef and assistant may handle some steps while the class moves forward. That is normal for a group lesson and helps keep the food on schedule.

Making Burnt Basque Cheesecake from scratch

The dessert is not an afterthought. Burnt Basque Cheesecake is famous for its dark, caramelized top and soft, creamy middle. It has no crust, which keeps the focus on the contrast between the browned exterior and the custard-like center.

The class gives you the chance to make it from the beginning. One especially memorable description compares the finished texture to brioche turning into custard under a crisp caramelized surface. That captures why this dessert is worth learning: it looks simple, but the result depends on the right balance of heat and timing.

The cheesecake is also a strong final course for a long class. After working with rice, broth, seafood, and meat, you finish with something rich and smooth. You may want to pace yourself earlier in the meal, since the class serves a full menu rather than a few small samples.

The exact personal recipe belongs to Mikel, so you should not expect a generic version copied from a standard cookbook. You receive electronic recipes, but the chef’s particular method and advice are part of what you are paying for.

Sitting down to eat everything you prepared

After the kitchen work, you move to a private dining room and eat the meal together. This is an important part of the experience. Cooking classes can feel rushed when the food is whisked away immediately, but here you have time to taste the finished dishes and enjoy the social side of the afternoon.

Three glasses of local wine are included. You can also choose non-alcoholic options, which makes the class more practical for anyone avoiding alcohol. Some descriptions of the session also mention cider and sangria during the cooking, but the stated inclusion is three glasses of wine or non-alcoholic drinks, so I would treat those additional drinks as part of the class atmosphere rather than a guaranteed extra allowance.

The menu is large enough that you should not need lunch afterward. That helps explain part of the price. You are not paying only for instruction. You are also receiving a multi-course meal, drinks, kitchen access, an apron, ingredients, and recipes.

The private dining room gives the class a proper finish. You can focus on flavor rather than cleaning up or rushing to the next activity. It also gives you a chance to ask final questions and compare the two paellas while the techniques are still fresh.

Is $150.18 a fair price?

At $150.18 per person, this sits in the premium range for a cooking class. The value depends on how you use your time in Bilbao. If you want a low-cost meal, this is not the right pick. If you want lunch, instruction, local food context, drinks, and a social activity in one booking, the price is easier to justify.

The class lasts about three and a half hours, which is a substantial block of the day. You receive a full menu rather than a single dish, and the class keeps the group to 12 people. That small size should make it easier to get direct help than in a large demonstration.

The chef’s background also adds weight. Instruction from someone who has worked in Michelin-starred kitchens can be useful when it translates into simple, repeatable advice, and the feedback consistently points to Mikel’s teaching, friendliness, and cooking tips as major strengths.

I would see this as especially good value for couples, families with older children, food-focused visitors, and cruise passengers looking for a substantial shore activity. It is less appealing if you dislike group cooking, want a quick meal, or plan to spend the day on Bilbao’s museums and streets.

Timing, location, and booking details

The class begins at 11:00 a.m. at Salbe pl., 6, 48007 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain. It ends back at the same meeting point, so you do not need to arrange a separate return transfer.

The start time works well for a lunch-centered plan. You cook through the late morning and early afternoon, then finish with the meal you prepared. I would avoid scheduling another fixed activity too close afterward because the class is listed as approximately three hours and 30 minutes.

It is offered in English and includes a mobile ticket. Confirmation arrives when you book. Since the class averages 45 days of advance booking, planning early is sensible, especially if your Bilbao dates are fixed.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The class also requires a minimum number of participants, and if that minimum is not met, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Who will enjoy this class most?

I would choose this for someone who wants to understand Spanish cooking through technique, not just taste. The broth preparation, rice lesson, chopping practice, and cheesecake method give you useful skills to take home.

It also suits people who want a relaxed social lunch. The group is limited to 12, drinks are included, and the meal is eaten together after the work is done. The tone appears friendly and informal, with room for food stories and local suggestions.

This is a particularly strong option for a cruise stop because it fills the morning with a focused activity and returns you to the original meeting point. The class has also been described as a favorite excursion by people using it during a cruise, though you should allow enough time for your ship’s departure requirements.

I would think twice if you need a highly structured private lesson. The group format means tasks are shared, and not every person will prepare every element alone. I would also skip it if you are looking for a strictly traditional Basque menu, since paella is Spanish rather than uniquely Basque, even though the local cheese, cider, food guidance, and setting connect the meal to Bilbao.

Should you book the Bilbao paella class?

Book it if you want a full food experience with real participation. The strongest reasons are the two paellas, the careful attention to broths and bomba rice, Mikel’s teaching, and the chance to make Burnt Basque Cheesecake from scratch.

The price is high, but the package covers a long class, a complete lunch, three drinks, ingredients, an apron, and recipes. For a food-focused day in Bilbao, that is a fair trade. If your priority is seeing as much of the city as possible or keeping costs low, spend the money elsewhere.

My practical advice is to reserve well ahead, arrive ready to work, and treat the class as your main midday activity. You will get the most from it if you care about how the food is made and want to repeat the dishes at home.

FAQ

Where does the cooking class begin?

It begins at Salbe pl., 6, 48007 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain.

What time does the class start?

The class starts at 11:00 a.m.

How long does the experience last?

It lasts approximately three hours and 30 minutes.

Where does the activity end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

What language is the class offered in?

The class is offered in English.

How many people can join the class?

The maximum group size is 12 travelers.

What food will I prepare?

You will prepare Idiazabal cheese and chorizo cooked in cider as starters, fish and meat paellas for the main course, and Burnt Basque Cheesecake for dessert.

Are drinks included?

Yes. Three glasses of local wine or non-alcoholic options are included.

Are ingredients and cooking equipment provided?

Yes. Ingredients, materials, and an apron are provided. You also receive electronic recipes.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.