$60 - $125 Book

Portuguese Cooking Class in Portimao with a Local Family

All amenities

Family Friendly
Vegetarian friendly
English, Portuguese
House
Cooking demonstration
home cook
Cooking Experience
3 - 4 hours
Min 1, max 6 guests
Start times: 11:00am, 6:00pm
Join Pedro in his home kitchen, that he designed himself for your Portuguese cooking class. In your 1-hour Portimao cooking class, learn to make two dishes from scratch. Learn to make an appetizer or dessert and a main dish. Pedro will prep a few things in advance but will take you through the entire process step by step. While you cook together, he will also share insights on ingredients, cooking techniques and stories of Porto, where is grew up and enjoyed his mother's cooking. After you cook, sit down to share the dishes you helped prepare.

In the summer months, from June to September, Pedro can host an outdoor barbeque on his terrace, on request. You will cook and eat sardinhada (charcoal grilled sardines with potatoes), pimentos assados (charcoal roast peppers) and salada algarvia (Algarve style salad) served with traditional bread, home made sangria and dessert on the roof top terrace with a view of Ria de Alvor. Please let Pedro know your preference in advance while booking your Algarve cooking class online.
Meal
1.5 - 2 hours
Min 1, max 6 guests
Start times: 12:00pm, 7:00pm
Pedro lives in a beautiful home in Portimao with his children, Pedro, who is 15, a skater and a surfer and Clara, who is 12, a swimmer and an extremely dedicated student. You can expect to try an authentic Portuguese meal at Pedro's house, where the focus is always on the ingredients - local, seasonal, simple ingredients, that are mostly organic. Pedro prepare the classics of the Portuguese cuisine that he grew up eating with a little twist of his own. Wines are also one of his passions and Portugal has so much to offer - having roots in the Douro region and working in the vineyards as a child, has certainly made Pedro both love and respect the art of producing wine. A few dishes that you can expect to share with Pedro and his children (when they are around) are Portuguese appetizers (local cheese, olives, meats), cataplana, a very traditional dish in the Algarve or feijoada de choco (cuttlefish stew with beans) and fruits in season and carob and almond mousse or arroz doce (sweet milky rice) for dessert. Enjoy your homecooked Portuguese meal with Porto tonic and a glass of white or rosé or red wine.
Notes
Pedro can accommodate lactose free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets, on request. Please inform him of any dietary restrictions or allergies in advance, while booking your experience online. 1-2 glasses of local wine is included in the cost of the experience.

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.

  • Welcome drink: Porto tonic
  • Petiscos (assorted appetizers, any 3 of the following): Portuguese organic cheeses, carrots Algarve style, seasoned olives, freshly made pate, chouriço or cold meats served with freshly baked bread from our local bakery
  • Main: Cataplana de Peixe (fish cataplana) or Feijoada de Choco (cuttle fish bean stew) or Bochechas de Porco Estufadas (stewed pork cheeks) or Borrego estufado (lamb stew) Vegan Cataplana (with tempeh)
  • Dessert: Organic fruit in season and Carob and Almond mousse or Arroz doce (sweet milky rice) or Carob and almond chia mousse (vegan option)
  • Wine: A glass of white or rosé or red wine

More about Pedro

Pedro is an entrepreneur, he runs an organic grocery store, known for its freshest, local produce. He was born in Porto, and for a few years he lived in London, Brazil and Kazakhstan. Pedro graduated in hotel management and later went back to college to earn a master’s in marketing, he is always hungry to learn new things. He has always worked in the food business - hospitality, food and beverage, catering, organic food retail and now hosting cooking classes at home. His mother is his first inspiration when it comes to cooking, which is so therapeutic for Pedro - it clears his mind and it helps him to relax. Pedro loves eating good food, simple cooking, made with good quality ingredients and whenever possible organic. And this passion for food, ingredients and cooking is what Pedro hopes to share with traveler’s visiting Algarve.

What others are saying

Oct 13, 2025
"Pedro is great! This is an unusual experience… in a good way!!. He welcomes you into his home, you have an opportunity to have real conversation about food, culture, history, family, etc. He taught us how to make a typical Portuguese meal (Cataplana). We also enjoyed time on his rooftop while making his carrot salad and having a cocktail. Overall, this was a fantastic experience. Don’t hesitate to book!"
Jennifer
Oct 07, 2025
"TLDR: want a cooking class in the Algarve? MUST DO this experience! Pedro and his children took great care to welcome us and allow time to get to know each other. We then had a lesson on how to make Algarve carrots, the children then gave their review of each of our dishes! It was a great way to learn to make something new. We then were led through the preparation of a Cataplana. Once it was set on the stove to cook, we were provided a tour of their home then chatted in their living room while enjoying organic cheeses, ham, chouriço, and local bread. After an amazing dinner, Pedro prepared a decadent carob and fig mousse. Overall, the evening was filled with delicious food, engaging conversation, and hospitality This was a highlight of our time in Portugal that we will not forget!"
Ross
Jul 18, 2025
"Pedro is an amazing host. He takes the time to get to know you and for you to get to know him. He knows the area, and all about local food, and organic produce. We met at his home and we prepared fish cataplana with fresh sting ray, croaker and a bounty of fresh organic product straight from his own market. We then went up to his rooftop where he served us an amazing Carrots Algarve and other appetizers as well as a port cocktail. We then moved on to our cataplana with bread from the bakery next door. We finished with an incredible dessert Pedro made for us. While the food was amazing the company and conversation was equally as amazing. Would recommend this experience to anyone!"
Daniel
Feb 27, 2025
"Pedro and his son welcomed us into their home for a lovely evening of food, wine and conversation. We had a traditional meal of Portuguese appetizers, soup and fish cataplana. Wonderful authentic food, home and friendship. We discussed many topics and particularly enjoyed 15 year old Pedros perspectives . It’s an evening that will stand out among our travels."
zekezola
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Cancellation

  • No worries booking: free cancellation within 24 hours of booking.
  • Cancel anytime up to 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus service fees.
  • If your experience is cancelled within 48 hours of your experience, no refund is provided.

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