Meet Gabriela

Gabriela first learned to cook from her aunt and grandparents. Her grandparents, who were of Spanish origin and came to Argentina as teenagers escaping the war, owned a pasta shop where they produced ravioli, agnolotti, and a variety of other fresh pastas. Gabriela grew up in Buenos Aires’s La Boca neighborhood, famous for its artist community, and her grandparents (also artists themselves!) sold pasta to all the artists of the neighborhood. A social person from a young age, Gabriela studied public translation and went on to work at Reuters for over two decades before she began teaching language (Portuguese and English) to young children. Gabriela is excited to share her passion for food and connection with travelers – she says that she loves cooking and loves to teach, and Traveling Spoon is the perfect combination of both! She is the person who stops every person she sees with a map to ask how she can help, so if you have any questions about your visit don’t hesitate to ask this Buenos Aires native. Gabriela will also host some of her experiences with her close friend and neighbor, Patricia. Patricia is a former co-worker of Gabriela’s from Reuters who studied arts, and enjoys good food and meeting new people. Patricia will be assisting with drinks for the experience, including a welcome spritz, wine and a homemade tea blend she creates herself.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (1-6 guests) Join Gabriela and her friend Patricia in a central Belgrano apartment for a traditional Argentinean meal. Your experience will start with a welcome spritz and small snack of local cheeses, hummus and chorizo. Then sit down to enjoy a traditional Argentinean meal with Gabriela and Patrizia, featuring a starter of locro (local stew) or humita (steamed fresh corn cakes), depending on the season, followed by empanadas. Gabriela and Patricia will prepare a selection of empanadas with a variety of classic fillings, from chicken and beef to cheese and vegetables. End your meal with a classic Argentinian dessert such as dulce de leche pancake or alfajores and a selection of teas or coffee.

Cooking experience: (2-6 guests) Join Gabriela in her apartment in the Belgrano neighborhood for a traditional empanada cooking lesson in Buenos Aires. Over a welcome glass of wine or beer, enjoy a picada – a traditional Argentinian platter of cheeses, jams, and nuts – on Gabriela’s large balcony (weather permitting). After you’ve enjoyed your welcome beverage and snacks, Gabriela will teach you to prepare the empanada fillings. Learn how to best prepare the meat as Gabriela shares her secrets for how to perfect the filling. Note that the cooking portion of your experience will take place on Gabriela’s dining table, as she has a small kitchen. Gabriela can teach you the process of making dough for a small sample of the empanadas; because you’ll be making close to 50 empanadas Gabriela will also use some dough she has purchased from her local grocer to complete the rest. You will learn to prepare three different fillings, which might include a chicken, onion and leek filling, a zucchini, onion and cheese filling, and the traditional Argentinian cheese and jam filling. After you’ve finished cooking, enjoy your empanadas which will be served alongside a fresh salad. End your meal with a dessert of chocotorta, a traditional Argentinian layered cake of chocolate, biscuits and dulce de leche, served with coffee if desired. Your total experience will be around 3-4 hours.