Private Porto or Farm-to-Table Experience & Cooking Class

It was a joy to learn to cook authentic Portuguese food with Heitor! He welcomed us into his beautiful home, took us on a tour of the historic building and farm, then set us to work! We made an incredible 5-course meal that rates in my top 5 most delicious meals of all time. You get to choose your menu from a variety of options depending on what sounds good, which was nice. We made so much food that we left totally stuffed. All the dishes were great but the “fish a portuguesa” was particularly exceptional and featured the best tomato I’ve ever eaten in my life. I’m excited to try to recreate it at home (he emails the recipes too). Heitor also grows grapes to make his own wine, and we got to drink (lots of) his amazing vinho verde with the meal! It was delicious, easy drinking and we left a bit tipsy. The farm is located about 50 minutes outside of Porto but was easy to get to via either uber or train (we did uber one way then took the train back). I would recommend this to anyone visiting Porto who is interested in a meaningful, authentic cooking experience. Note that the class took about 5 hours total so don’t try to cram other scheduled activities on the same day.

Chef De Melo is truly remarkable—genuine, passionate, and deeply dedicated to both the art of cooking and the people he teaches. His class goes far beyond preparing a meal; he shares valuable techniques, insights, and skills that will elevate your own cooking long after the experience ends. Every detail of the evening felt magical, from the warm hospitality to the hands-on instruction and incredible food. We will cherish our time with Chef De Melo and the memories created there for years to come. He has a rare gift for making every guest feel welcome, and by the end of the experience, he feels less like an instructor and more like a true friend. Highly recommended.

Thankfully, we were able to switch our experience from the Porto venue to the Farm, where the chef (Heitor) actually lives. Such a generous host, consummate chef of European gastronomy, and a master of his own Portuguese cuisine. We spent a wonderful afternoon chopping, prepping, mixing, cooking and joking together. While waiting for the oven and stovetop Heitor’s assistant escorted us around the early 19th century (1818) farm with its old kitchen and living quarters, and a private chapel. Our 4-course meal was extraordinary, the experience was the highlight of our time in Porto.

+1

Heitor and his asst went above and beyond. We got a tour of the farm incredible. We made 4 dishes and enjoyed a true authentic Portuguese afternoon meal. Heitor is a good soul and after meeting him once I know I have a new friend in Portugal. Best class ever

We had a lovely experience with Heitor and his team! We enjoyed getting a taste of local life in Portugal and the workings of a farm. We were taught several traditional Portuguese recipes and got our hands dirty working in the kitchen. Then, we got to sit down and enjoy the fantastic dishes we helped create along with Heitor's wine!

Heitor welcomes us into his beautiful home on a farm 30 minutes outside Porto, and with his team (Joāo and Rose) provided a truly memorable experience for us. He taught us how to cook bacalau fritters, pan fried fresh sardines, an amazing fish stew, braised chicken baked over basmati rice, and an almost custardy orange rolled cake. He used many ingredients from his own property, and everything was absolutely delicious.

This is just about the most fun I’ve ever had in a kitchen. The menu was varied and we were able to participate in the preparation of each item. Hector was so gracious to us and we are so happy that we decided to do this experience.

The cooking class with Chef Heitor was the highlight of our trip to Porto. Just a short train or taxi ride outside of Porto, we visited the family farm of the chef and learned to cook a multi-course meal with fresh produce grown on the farm. As avid cooks, the Chef taught us how to make authentic Portuguese food and introduced new techniques that will make us better cooks. What made the visit so special was the hospitality of Chef Heitor, from the moment we booked, he made the visit special. He provided details on how to easily get to the farm, arranged a taxi, and ensured that the travel was smooth. Once we got to the farm, we had a tour of his family's home, visited the family chapel, kitchen, and since it was harvest watched the process of harvesting the grapes. He welcomed us like family. The kitchen was warm and welcoming, the afternoon flew by as we learned how to make Portuguese fish stew, rice, and appetizers of cod cakes and sardines. For dessert. we made a simple orange roll cake. We then ate in the family dining room, enjoying each course we made accompanied by his own wine. We truly enjoyed our time with Chef Heitor, his assistant Christina, and will be back when we visit Porto again.

+3

Heiter was very cordial and helpful, leading us through the preparation of a delicous Portuguese meal, which we then enjoyed. We stated with some confusion about the location, going to the Porto address, rather than to his farm outside of Porto. Once we got to the farm, the experience was most enjoyable. At the end, his assistants gave us a ride back to our hotel in Porto.

⸻ Last night, my husband, son, and I spent four wonderful hours with Heitor and Christina at Heitor’s farm—cooking, tasting, and laughing. We were taken on a tour around the farm, and later we picked the vegetables we needed for the dishes we were going to cook. We met the geese and the chickens and saw the vineyard. Cooking in the kitchen with Heitor and Christina—talking, laughing, and teasing each other—created a lovely atmosphere. It was clear that the two of them share a great relationship, which gave the whole experience a very cozy and familiar feel. The food we made was delicious, and we thoroughly enjoyed eating the dishes we had prepared ourselves. We highly recommend spending time with Heitor and Christina to learn about Portuguese cuisine and traditions. Thank you for a lovely evening!