There are a lot of culinary schools in Spain as well as a lot of major culinary influences present in Spanish food, including French, African and Moroccan are all over the board due to the country’s long multicultural tradition.
The Spanish Federation for the Food and Beverage Industry boasted upwards of 102 billion euros worth of production in 2017 thereby setting a new record at that time and firmly establishing its role as the leading industry in Spain.
In terms of employment, it has provided direct employment to more than half a million people in Spain.
These figures represent a 2.9% increase in production value with regard to 2016 and mark the eighth consecutive year of growth for this key industry.
Deciding to attend the culinary schools in Spain is a great choice and as such you will expect to grow with the growing industry.
Culinary education takes more forms, therefore in Spain, learning opportunities are not defined by a particular model.
There are a lot of full-blown professional culinary arts schools operating in Spain, and their influence is supplemented by a myriad of smaller-scale cooking schools.
Culinary Education in Spain
Celebrity chefs who are charismatic have inspired the new generations to the industry, not only in the US, but internationally, and in Spain.
Creative and ambitious new menus feature fusions and re-inventions of classical Spanish dishes.
Also, in recent times, Spain has built a successful wine industry, which acts as the perfect complement to her colourful modern food culture.
While studying in Spain, an essential part of your culinary education includes a trip through the local food scene.
Spain is a country with distinct regions and geography, so the gastronomic bounty available to you is limited to your ability to travel.
The hospitality and restaurant sectors are strong in Madrid and Barcelona, which drives a perennial need for well-trained culinary arts professionals.
The List of Culinary Schools in Spain
The following culinary schools are not arranged in the order of the best culinary schools in Spain, rather they are good schools to consider when you arrive in Spain for your culinary education.
- Le Cordon Bleu Madrid
- StPOL University College of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts
- Culinary Institute of Barcelona, Escuela de Cocina
- CETT School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy
- Cooking Point
- Basque Culinary Center
- Escuela Montalban Granada
- Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy
- 5 Senses Taller de Cocina
- Te Quiero Cocinar Cooking School
Le Cordon Bleu Madrid
This is one of the culinary schools in Spain that has helped aspiring culinary professionals to turn their ambitions into reality.
Nowadays they offer a wide range of culinary arts, wine, management and hospitality programs. They offer the following programs:
- Cuisine
- Pastry & Confectionery
- Cuisines of the world
- Gourmet & Short Courses
- Online Learning-Accredited
- Online Learning-Non Accredited
The duration of the courses listed above varies. There are courses for 3 months as well as ones for 9 months.
StPOL University College of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts
This culinary school has a methodology that trains the future heads and CEOs of hotels and restaurants while enhancing their personal abilities.
They offer University degrees, Technical degrees, vocational degrees, masters, short programs, and specialization courses. There are also courses focused on foreign students and companies.
They offer university degrees in the following areas:
- Hospitality Management
- Restoration and Events Management
- Gastronomy and Kitchen Management
There are students from over 45 countries attending with 17 students per class, on average. There are online degrees in:
- Master in Hospitality Management
- Diploma in Food & Beverage and Restaurant Management
- Diploma in Hotel Management
- Specialization Diploma in Healthy Cooking
Culinary Institute of Barcelona, Escuela de Cocina
This is one of the culinary schools in Spain that is designed so that you have a unique and unrepeatable experience based on multiculturalism, innovation, and creativity.
They have adapted the teaching model used in Silicon Valley, the Mecca of digital technology, to international gastronomy. They offer the following programs:
- Pastry and chocolate chef
- Postgraduate in Fire Cuisine and Low Temperature
- Postgraduate in Molecular Cuisine
- Postgraduate in Integrative Healthy Cooking
- Diploma in Executive Chef
- Gran Chef Diploma
CETT School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy
CETT is the leading higher education school in Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy. They are an affiliated centre of the University of Barcelona.
They have a true international vocation and their highly specialized team of professionals provide students with a model for knowledge creation as well as for transfer.
Over 50 years, CETT has become a hub that connects people and links academia with the business and public administration sectors. Some of the programs they offer include:
- Máster Oficial en Gastronomía Sostenible
- Gestión Gastronómica, Circular y Accesible
- Innovación en Cocina Responsable
- Tourism Management of Culinary and Gastronomic Heritage
- Tourism Management of Culinary and Gastronomic Heritage (Blended Version)
Cooking Point
Cooking Point is 100% local, passionate about cooking and Spanish food culture. They offer the following classes:
- Paella Cooking Class
- Tapas Cooking Class
- Online Cooking Class
They can customize their classes for corporate groups and for team building. Visit their Website.
Escuela Montalban Granada
This is one of the culinary schools in Spain where you will have access to Spanish courses and cooking classes. You will be exposed to the skills for preparing some of the exquisite recipes.
They have experienced instructors with many years of experience in catering.
- Classes: in addition to a general Spanish course 2 cooking sessions of 90 minutes per week.
- Group size: from 1 to 2 students.
- Starting dates: every Monday.
- Course duration: from 1 to 50 weeks.
- Timetable: to be confirmed
- Group size: minimum 15 persons.
- Course duration: 1 evening
- Cooking class:130 €/week
Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy
Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy was founded in the year 2013 and currently are leading in terms of teaching and organizing any mainstream dish.
Their training services and specialty ingredients products are designed to show how to make plant-based vegan dishes.
All courses, private training, and consulting services are conducted by all three (3) owners and founders of the academy that have trained at cooking academies around the world. Visit their Website.
5 Senses Taller de Cocina
This culinary school has cooking classes as well as cooking workshops from Indian to Mexican food, passing through the rich pasta or the sensational.
You will meet Alicia, who professionally teach cooking courses and workshops to groups. Visit their Website.
Te Quiero Cocinar Cooking School
This culinary school offers the following programs:
Spanish Cuisine: This course teaches traditional recipes of Spanish Cuisine. You will learn how to make Seafood, accompanied by typical Spanish Wines from the area. Their classes are taught by professionally trained bilingual Spanish Chefs. Classes last for 3 hours and prices start from €65.
Pastry classes: In their pastry classes, they immerse themselves in a Sweet World through their practical classes and other demonstrative ones. Classes last for 4 hours and prices start from €65.
Chef Masterclasses: This is one of their classes with an international theme proposal. Visit their Website
Basque Culinary Center
The Basque Culinary Center aims to provide higher education, research, innovation and promotion of gastronomy and food. They work to promote gastronomy.
A pioneering academic institution worldwide. It integrates the Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences attached to Mondragon Unibertsitatea and a Center for Innovation and Research, BCC Innovation.
It is a pioneering institution made up of the Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences and BCC Innovation, the Technological Center in Gastronomy. Visit their Website.
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