Great food, good fun for experienced and novice cooks alike. Chef Mikel was friendly, patient and accommodating. - My wife and I enjoy taking cooking classes while traveling, so when we went to Basque Country, known for their food, we had to learn how to make some of the food. We did this class with family who would not do cooking classes by themselves, so we were a bit unsure of how it would go. The chef, Mikel, was wonderful and accommodating, and he ensured that everyone had a great time. He made sure a pregnant member of my group was able to drink non-alcoholic cider and wine when the alcoholic versions were served to everyone else. Mikel was patient with novice cooks, and he is from Basque country so he knew all about the region and provided background/history along with the food. He was a terrific host in his kitchen and in his country. We made traditional Basque food: Pintxos, chorizo with cider, steak, and a dessert. And we had some charcuterie to pick at the whole time. The wine glasses were never empty. The venue is a bar/restaurant later in the day, and you can buy local ingredients afterward, should you want to, including the wines served at the class. It was a great activity to do to understand Basque food and culture a little more deeply with a friendly, funny and accommodating chef who wants to share his passion for his food and culture with anyone who visits.

Great Excursion - We had such a fantastic experience today (May 14th, 2025) at Gastronomía Bilbao for an immersive Basque cooking class! Chef Mikel Larrañaga was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also warm, fun, and accommodating. He made the entire experience feel personal and relaxed, and his passion for Basque cuisine really shone through. As part of the class, we cooked several delicious traditional dishes (and enjoyed unlimited wine while doing it!). We also got to keep our aprons, and Chef Mikel kindly sent us home with the full recipes. We were visiting Bilbao on a cruise and, while it took a little extra effort to get there (a 20-minute walk to the metro, a 20-minute ride, and then another 15-minute walk), it was 100% worth it. Carnival offered a free shuttle into town, but it didn’t get us quite as close, and we didn’t want to wait around. The extra effort paid off with a truly memorable excursion. Highly recommend this class if you’re in the area or visiting by cruise—it was the perfect mix of culture, cuisine, and fun. Huge thanks again to Chef Mikel for making it such a special experience!

Cooking class was great! - Mikel was great. He was very knowledgeable and friendly! The cooking class exceeded my expectations, and I would do it again if I’m ever back in Bilbao. Highly recommend!

Learn from the best - I learned several new ways of preparing dishes. Mikuel is a top notch chef and a fun instructor. The best dessert ever.

Gastronomy with highly skilled cook - Such good vibes, felt like cooking with a group of friends. Thanks to Mikel for creating the best atmosphere. Also he was notably a very good chef, one to learn a lot from. It was 100% worth our money.

Great cooking experience with Mikel! - What a fun class! My teens loved the massive steaks, and we all thought the chorizo cooked in cider was phenomenal. Oh and the wine was yummy too! Mikel was a great chef/instructor - he kept us entertained AND we learned something. We would take a class with Mikel any day!

A wonderful class, highly recommended. - We were lucky to have Mikel to ourselves for this wonderful class. He is a great chef and a excellent teacher. Although we are both experienced home cooks he gave us great tips on Basque cooking. The ingredients will be easy to find at home, (Canada), so we it will be easy to recreate these wonderful dishes for our friends and family. The Basque Stew was especially tasty and paired well with a local wine. Definitely will come back to do another course if visiting Bilbao again in the future. Aideen and Michel

Basque Cooking Experience - It was super fun! Michel is very knowledgeable and accomodating. Learnt a lot about basque cooking and ate a lot of food. Recommend going to class hungry.

Great experience - well worth it! - We had an amazing experience with Mikel! Our small group of four learned how to cook traditional Basque dishes, including La Gilda, Marmitako (Basque stew), chorizo in cider, txuleta, and torrijas. Everything was absolutely delicious, and Mikel was a fantastic teacher. He shared great cooking tips and entertained us with wonderful stories throughout the class. We got to enjoy our creations at the end, and he even sent us the recipes afterwards, which was a lovely touch. At first, we thought the class was a bit pricey, but it ended up being well worth the cost for the quality of the experience, the food, and the personalised attention. The cooking studio was easy to find - just across the river and close to the Guggenheim Museum. The space itself was modern, bright, and spotless, making the whole experience even more enjoyable.

Thank you Mikel!!!! - Mikel was WONDERFUL! We learned about the historic Basque culture while trying their delicious foods. Mikel made us feel very welcome and was eager to share his knowledge. We cannot recommend this class enough and can’t wait to make the meal at home. We hope Mikel will come visit us in Washington state someday!