Cooking Schools / Classes in Spain & Portugal

[Becca]

Hi Silly,

I was very excited to come across your postings b/c I've been thinking about culinary school in Spain myself. I've only just begun to seriously investigate the options, but Hofmann is one of the schools I'm considering. I would love any insight/advice you (or others) have....What made you choose Hofmann over other schools in Barcelona/Spain? How would you say it compares to other Barcelona schools? Are most of your classmates Spanish? Do you feel like you'll come out of the program prepared for a culinary career (whatever that means....)?

thanks!

Becca

[Silly Disciple]

Hofmann is a good cooking school, and the course I'm taking is oriented to either working professionals who want to learn/perfect technique or hard-core amateurs (my case). The course is really good, albeit a bit ... thin, i.e. we see many techniques only once, and maybe this is fine for people already working, but in my case I have to try and use them at home as soon as possible (sometimes this is not possible, as for instance I don't own a huge industrial oven :) ).

That being said, there's a professional, much more compprehensive, 28-month course, which resembles I think the american schools curriculum. I know it has some age restrictions though (maybe 19 to 27 only, not sure).

In terms of what you learn, there are other schools here which have a stronger curriculum for the kind of money you spend at Hofmann (i.e. Escola Superior d'Hosteleria de Barcelona), but what you are really paying is the name and network Hofmann has. It is very prestigious, and I would think pretty much every gastronomic kitchen in Spain has at least one graduate from the school, which is key to get stages and/or work as you finish your degree.

Hope it helps,

SD

[Bux]

For someone contemplating a culinary career outside Spain, I still wouldn't discount the advantage to a stage at one of Spain's best restaurants. In fact, I suspect the chance to work in one of the best Spanish restraurants might be the most important thing you could accompllish before leaving Spain in terms of your education.

[Becca]

Thanks so much for your feedback (and advice offline). I spent a great week in Barcelona, ate lots of good things, and visited 3 schools, including Hofmann, but ultimately decided that Escola Superior d'Hosteleria de Barcelona seemed like the best fit. It's so hard to know for sure, but if nothing else is MUCH cheaper than culinary school here in NYC. Thanks again, Becca

[Silly Disciple]

Thanks so much for your feedback (and advice offline). I spent a great week in Barcelona, ate lots of good things, and visited 3 schools, including Hofmann, but ultimately decided that Escola Superior d'Hosteleria de Barcelona seemed like the best fit. It's so hard to know for sure, but if nothing else is MUCH cheaper than culinary school here in NYC. Thanks again, Becca

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Becca,

my brother is doing their 3-year restaurant management program, so if you have any questions about the school let me know, I'll pass them on to him.

Glad you had a good time.

SD

[Bux]

. . .  if nothing else is MUCH cheaper than culinary school here in NYC. Thanks again, Becca

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Not to mention in a better position to make acquaintance with chefs in Catalunya and all over Spain.

[Silly Disciple]

. . .  if nothing else is MUCH cheaper than culinary school here in NYC. Thanks again, Becca

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Not to mention in a better position to make acquaintance with chefs in Catalunya and all over Spain.

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And on this note I'm happy to say I will be staging at Restaurant Mas Pau during the month of August. So if any of you fellow eGulleters are in the area, please do stop by!

Also, tonight I had dinner at Hofmann. I had always discounted it as being a traditional place for posh catalonian clients. I was pleasantly proved otherwise, the food and the service were excellent. Unfortunately, as Bux would say, there are too many more interesting restaurants to visit if you are on a tight schedule...

SD

[Becca]

For someone contemplating a culinary career outside Spain, I still wouldn't discount the advantage to a stage at one of Spain's best restaurants. In fact, I suspect the chance to work in one of the best Spanish restraurants might be the most important thing you could accompllish before leaving Spain in terms of your education.

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Hello! I'm about 2 months into the year-long culinary program at l'Escola...I meant to post sooner, but getting settled in a new country has been crazier than I'd expected! I can't say the program isn't entirely without shortcomings, but I am really enjoying it (and cooking and eating my way across Barcelona!). I do think working in Spain will be an important complement to the program and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about how I might go about finding such a position. A main problem is that my classes are from 5-8 pm, which potentially cuts into both lunch & dinner service. Of course I'd love to be paid , but would probably be willing to stage for free if I thought I'd learn from the experience. Any and all suggestions would be welcome!

gracias!

[Silly Disciple]

I do think working in Spain will be an important complement to the program and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about how I might go about finding such a position. A main problem is that my classes are from 5-8 pm, which potentially cuts into both lunch & dinner service. Of course I'd love to be paid , but would probably be willing to stage for free if I thought I'd learn from the experience. Any and all suggestions would be welcome!

gracias!

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Lunch service is usually 12-4 and work hours are 10-4:30, so theoretically speaking you could at least do lunch, and even dinner if you convince someone to let you get in a bit late for it (usually 7-12), it is not unheard of.

Your first resource is the school itself, which has excellent connections. Find out who's in charge of the "bolsa de trabajo" and see if there are any stage or paid positions available.

Your second option is to come up with a list of restaurants that would be interesting for you, and just show up with a resume.

Third option, find out about "bolos", basically one-day jobs working as an extra for big events. Particularly during this time of the year demand is huge, and you should be able to find some work. This will help you get some money, experience, connections and local resume references.

[Becca]

Lunch service is usually 12-4 and work hours are 10-4:30, so theoretically speaking you could at least do lunch, and even dinner if you convince someone to let you get in a bit late for it (usually 7-12), it is not unheard of.

Your first resource is the school itself, which has excellent connections. Find out who's in charge of the "bolsa de trabajo" and see if there are any stage or paid positions available.

Your second option is to come up with a list of restaurants that would be interesting for you, and just show up with a resume.

Third option, find out about "bolos", basically one-day jobs working as an extra for big events. Particularly during this time of the year demand is huge, and you should be able to find some work. This will help you get some money, experience, connections and local resume references.

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Thanks for those thoughts--very helpful. Unfortunately, I'll be away over the holidays so may miss out on some opportunities, but plan to hit the streets in January! Thanks again, becca

[Becca]

Just an update -- finding a stage position in Barcelona was much easier than I'd expected (making me wonder why it took me so long to ask if I could work for free...). I inquired at 5 Sentits and Hisop and the timing worked out better at Hisop so I start there next week (but might figure something out for 5 Sentits in the spring. I'm really excited and think this will be a great complement to the somewhat traditional (?) teaching at L'Escola.

[Silly Disciple]

Just an update -- finding a stage position in Barcelona was much easier than I'd expected (making me wonder why it took me so long to ask if I could work for free...). I inquired at 5 Sentits and Hisop and the timing worked out better at Hisop so I start there next week (but might figure something out for 5 Sentits in the spring. I'm really excited and think this will be a great complement to the somewhat traditional (?) teaching at L'Escola.

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Congrats Becca, Hisop is a great restaurant and I'm sure you'll learn quite a bit from the guys there. I'll be sure to stop and say hi next time I have dinner there.

[Becca]

Thanks! And, definitely do say hi when you come!

[Pranian man]

Great series of posts Silly D. Doesn't sound much like Kitchen Confidential there (which is literally all I know about cooking schools).

Just wondering what level the trainee chefs have to reach to cook for the restaurant? I was planning to visit soon.

[yonatanbram]

Hey all, I've been a Spain forum reader for a while, first post though...

I'm looking to find a serious culinary school in spain, something in the class of CB or CIA. the 2 I've found so far (besides short term or touristy schools) are escuela irizar in san sebastian (not replying my mails) and a school in san pol del mar(site updated a few years back...). Does anyone have any current reliable info? I've been googling nights away on this...

[Txacoli]

Hey all, I've been a Spain forum reader for a while, first post though...

I'm looking to find a serious culinary school in spain, something in the class of CB or CIA. the 2 I've found so far (besides short term or touristy schools) are escuela irizar in san sebastian (not replying my mails) and a school in san pol del mar(site updated a few years back...). Does anyone have any current reliable info? I've been googling nights away on this...

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I visited Irizar last week. It is small, but busy and competent. They have two shifts of 14 students, morning and afternoon. The students all work as well. One of the two Americans I met, Francisco from Pasadena, works at Alona Berri.....by far the best pintxos place in Donostia.

Just call them up: 011-34-943-431-540. It is a family business, and the wife works in the office and speaks some English. Or ask for Francisco....he studies in the morning and works in the pm.

The owner, Luis, is semi-retired but has a younger guy and his daughter running the instruction. They looked like they run a tight ship. They have excellent relations with all the local superstars: Juan Mari Arzak, Pedro, Andoni, Martin B, etc. If you need a good base instruction, why not? The cost is modest at 545 euros a month, eleven month program.....October to August.

Donostia is my favorite city in the world: people, cuisine, ingredients, scenery, ambience. You could do worse. Compare that to $40k for CIA.....and how employable are you after all that dough? We fired all three of our CIA hires within days or weeks.....and love our Spanish guys.

There ARE gnarly cooking schools in Spain. The chef at Mugaritz, Paco, is a grad of one in Sevilla....and it was only two hops from there to El Bulli for him. It was a hotel school, with two sides...front and back of house. So expand your search to hotel schools and maybe have more luck.

Most young guys in Spain do stages, though. All the good places accept stages....it is how they can afford 30 chefs on duty in the winter for only a handful of covers at 100 euros a pop. Lengths of time vary with the place.....and it is brutal. Eighteen hour days, six days a week, living in a tiny dorm. Still, without basic skills you run the danger of scraping pots with a soup spoon.....competition is fierce.

Hope this helps.

[yonatanbram]

thanks, that sounds like sound advice, I just might go for it. still, if anyo0ne knows of any other schools worth checking out, I'm all ears. errr, well and eyes and mouth etc.

[Silly Disciple]

thanks, that sounds like sound advice, I just might go for it. still, if anyo0ne knows of any other schools worth checking out, I'm all ears. errr, well and eyes and mouth etc.

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In Barcelona and surroundings the main ones are:

Hofmann

Escola de Restauracio i Hostalatge de Barcelona

Sant Pol as you mention.

Cett

[yonatanbram]

thanks, that sounds like sound advice, I just might go for it. still, if anyo0ne knows of any other schools worth checking out, I'm all ears. errr, well and eyes and mouth etc.

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In Barcelona and surroundings the main ones are:

Hofmann

Escola de Restauracio i Hostalatge de Barcelona

Sant Pol as you mention.

Cett

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which one did you go to? do you recommend it? from what I saw, these schools are either half-time culinary studies or full time hotel studies, is that what I should expect?

sorry for the bombardment and thanks for the help...

Edited February 11, 2007 by yonatanbram (log)

[Silly Disciple]

thanks, that sounds like sound advice, I just might go for it. still, if anyo0ne knows of any other schools worth checking out, I'm all ears. errr, well and eyes and mouth etc.

←

In Barcelona and surroundings the main ones are:

Hofmann

Escola de Restauracio i Hostalatge de Barcelona

Sant Pol as you mention.

Cett

←

which one did you go to? do you recommend it? from what I saw, these schools are either half-time culinary studies or full time hotel studies, is that what I should expect?

sorry for the bombardment and thanks for the help...

←

I took the one-year part-time professional course at Hofmann, then on to the one-year part-time pastry at Espai Sucre (instead of taking the pastry year at Hofmann). I heartily recommend both. They also have a three-year full-time course, so maybe that's what you're looking for. They have great connections with starred restaurants to place you for summer stages. I went to a one-star near Barcelona (because it was more of a hobby for me), but I know people who went to Can Roca, Berasategui, etc.

My brother is about to finish the three-year at Escola de...., although he's in the restaurant management / service track and not the cooking one. He's quite happy with the school though, and they also have good placement options. There was someone in the forum (called Becca if I remember correctly) who was a cooking student at Escola de...

so both schools (and I believe CETT too, not sure about Sant Pol) have full-time three-year long culinary programs.

A word of advise though: if you don't speak Spanish, try to learn some before you get here. While the schools are open and some teachers speak English, it will be far easier if you can communicate at least a bit in Spanish/Catalan.

[yonatanbram]

thanks, that sounds like sound advice, I just might go for it. still, if anyo0ne knows of any other schools worth checking out, I'm all ears. errr, well and eyes and mouth etc.

←

In Barcelona and surroundings the main ones are:

Hofmann

Escola de Restauracio i Hostalatge de Barcelona

Sant Pol as you mention.

Cett

←

which one did you go to? do you recommend it? from what I saw, these schools are either half-time culinary studies or full time hotel studies, is that what I should expect?

sorry for the bombardment and thanks for the help...

←

I took the one-year part-time professional course at Hofmann, then on to the one-year part-time pastry at Espai Sucre (instead of taking the pastry year at Hofmann). I heartily recommend both. They also have a three-year full-time course, so maybe that's what you're looking for. They have great connections with starred restaurants to place you for summer stages. I went to a one-star near Barcelona (because it was more of a hobby for me), but I know people who went to Can Roca, Berasategui, etc.

My brother is about to finish the three-year at Escola de...., although he's in the restaurant management / service track and not the cooking one. He's quite happy with the school though, and they also have good placement options. There was someone in the forum (called Becca if I remember correctly) who was a cooking student at Escola de...

so both schools (and I believe CETT too, not sure about Sant Pol) have full-time three-year long culinary programs.

A word of advise though: if you don't speak Spanish, try to learn some before you get here. While the schools are open and some teachers speak English, it will be far easier if you can communicate at least a bit in Spanish/Catalan.

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ok, so right now I'm looking in to schools based in either barcelona or san sebastian, I figure these are the places to be (gastronomically speaking of course) in spain. I'm looking at these schools:

in san sebastian: luis irizar, AIALA and 'EL TXOKO DEL GOURMET' (?)

and in barcelona : the 28 month program at Hoffman and the bell-art school

Silly D kindly informed me about hoffman but does anyone in the EG realm have intimate knowledge concerning the other establishment? I'm planning a visit early may and I'd like to know what to look for when I come in.

thanks for any input,

Y

[Silly Disciple]

ok, so right now I'm looking in to schools based in either barcelona or san sebastian, I figure these are the places to be (gastronomically speaking of course) in spain. I'm looking at these schools:

in san sebastian: luis irizar, AIALA and 'EL TXOKO DEL GOURMET' (?)

and in barcelona : the 28 month program at Hoffman and the bell-art school

Silly D kindly informed me about hoffman but does anyone in the EG realm have intimate knowledge concerning the other establishment? I'm planning a visit early may and I'd like to know what to look for when I come in.

thanks for any input,

Y

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Don't bother with Bell-Art, it's a very small school and not worth it at all.

I asked my brother about the differences between Hoffman and Escola de Restauracio (since he took the one year cooking course at Hofmann with me).

He says it depends a lot on the instructor you get, but generally speaking he would recommend Hoffman over Escola.

He also thinks you should consider the school in Girona, since people like Roca teach there.

[TheUnknownCook]

yonatanbram:

The most "current reliable (source of) info" that I know of is Shaw Guides. ShawGuides' Spain page

Edited March 1, 2007 by TheUnknownCook (log)

[yonatanbram]

yonatanbram:

The most "current reliable (source of) info" that I know of is Shaw Guides. Checking their Spain page, I see that most of the aforementioned schools in this thread are private schools. How about attending a university such as EUHT StPOL?

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I was interested in that school because it did seem very serious, but when I got to see the actual curricullum (available only in PDF and I don't know how to link it...), it appeared to be focused mainly at hotel managment and only very partialy in culinary arts: with only 300 annual hours actually in the kitchen (?!), and a 2 month training period per year, I don't really consider it as an option.

thanks though

P.S: why do you figure I should shy away from private schools?

[Silly Disciple]

yonatanbram:

The most "current reliable (source of) info" that I know of is Shaw Guides. Checking their Spain page, I see that most of the aforementioned schools in this thread are private schools. How about attending a university such as EUHT StPOL?

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StPol is not a university as far as I know. The Girona school is public.

edited to add CETT in barcelona is a university, or affiliated to a university, or something like that.

Edited February 28, 2007 by Silly Disciple (log)