Cooking Lisbon
08.05.2026
Would you like to discover Portuguese cuisine? Sign up for a class at Cooking Lisbon.
In April, I visited a unique place that has been operating in Lisbon for 14 years. Meet Filipe – the owner of a culinary studio in Lisbon. Cooking is his passion. He learnt the trade from his grandmother, who left Portugal before the war to live in France. When Filipe’s grandfather died, she returned to Lisbon to raise her grandson and teach him to cook. This cooking school is a tribute to Filipe’s grandmother.
The studio consists of two rooms and can accommodate two groups of guests at the same time, including a large group of 90 people. Both rooms are equipped with the appliances needed for cooking and baking. What kind of cuisine features most often in the classes? Well, exclusively Portuguese cuisine. Usually, it’s a set consisting of 8 mini tapas. The programme also includes the iconic Portuguese pastry – pastel de nata.
Filipe employs four chefs, but he doesn’t teach the classes himself. How many classes are there each week? Quite a few – usually ten. Classes are held in the morning and in the afternoon. Filipe didn’t choose the studio’s location by chance; there’s a market nearby. Often, the whole group goes to the market first to choose the ingredients. They then use these ingredients to cook the dishes.
What are Filipe’s plans? He wants to expand his business and branch out into tourism. Most of his guests are from the US, and this group is interested not only in cooking but also in visiting Portugal’s historical sites.
Our visit is coming to an end. He gives us some beautiful cork salt shakers filled with sea salt. Two of Portugal’s most characteristic products. In return, he received a ‘bus stop’ apron and an invitation to Zabrze.
Thank you for your hospitality.
