Finca Las Encinas offers comfortable accommodation in rural setting, fine cuisine, and cooking courses for those who appreciate good food and fine wines.
Holidays (2)
4 Day Mediterranean Seafood Cooking Vacation in Iznajar, Cordoba
Oct | Nov | Dec | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | More…
from US$ 514
7 Day Spanish Cooking Vacations in Iznajar, Córdoba
Oct | Nov | Dec | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | More…
from US$ 1,644
Instructors (1)
Clive Ridout
Clive was born and bred in Cardiff, Wales, in the UK, has been a professional chef for almost 30 years since he started as a trainee chef at a French restaurant whose master chef is an elite graduate of Cordon Bleu School in France. After long and hard training, he went on to work as a head chef at a few prestige restaurants in Cardiff, London and Cornwall to expand his vision and develop new styles of cooking. His recipes are featured in a cookbook ANDALUZ by Fiona Dunlop, published in 2018, with endorsements by José Andrés and Yotam Ottolenghi.
Reviews (12)
Brent Mesquit
from United States, May 2024
"High expectations, and ...!"
I had high expectations going in to this cooking school experience, and Clive and Maki absolutely exceeded those expectations with their incredible hospitality and spirit. This experience was the centerpiece for our trip and it was so good that we will be going back. We learned so much from Clive in the kitchen and enjoyed the fresh, delicious fruits of our labors. Maki went above and beyond to make sure our visit was memorable and took good care of us. We treasured our time with them.
Jeremy Hackett
from Australia, April 2024
"A dream holiday!"
Maki and Clive's Andalusian villa is stunning and both our exceedingly generous hosts went above and beyond to provide our group of four the perfect holiday. Clive's cooking classes were wonderfully informative and enjoyable, showcasing local produce and techniques. Even the reticent cooks in our group returned eagerly from daily site-seeing outings for the next lesson. Maki's local knowledge allowed us to plan days immersed in the beauty of the region, tasting olive oil and Anis at the source, hiking in the hills, and visiting towns and attractions. We could not have asked for more and highly recommend this experience to all.
Jennifer Tseng
from United States, March 2024
"Best week ever "
Our week with Clive and Maki was an absolutely fabulous experience. I am a 50ish surgeon mom and my son who is an 18 yo teenager and our interests and experiences could not be more different and we both loved it. The gorgeous bucolic setting, the charming rooms, even the dog and cats — everything sets the scene. And the food … from their perfect leisurely breakfasts to the great recommendations for lunch and exploration each day and then the cooking lessons followed by exquisite yet casual dinners with fine wine were perfect.
Barry Baer
from Puerto Rico, November 2023
"Iznajar Seafood Mediterranean Cooking Class "
Everything. From the initial contact to my departure and after.
Winnie Cheng
from Australia, July 2023
"Wonderful experience and very relaxing"
The food was great, as were Clive's instructions. The accommodation was lovely and rustic but best of all were the views when dining, just superb. Oh and I loved having the four legged host, Jan.
Waleska Larice
from United States, June 2023
The attention was fenomenal. We felt at home. We enjoyed and learned so much. I will go back next year.
Ron Parks
from United States, June 2023
"Spanish Cooking is Fun!"
Clive and Maki are charming and attentive hosts and Clive's cooking classes were functional, educational but most of all fun! The Finca is in a serene valley surrounded by millions of olive trees which I found really relaxing. The food and hospitality were without equal and I heartily recommend this as part of your Spanish experience.
Kayla Seguin
from Canada, December 2021
"Perfect getaway!"
The food was absolutely amazing. Daily cooking classes were a blast and easy for amateurs like us. The atmosphere that Maki and Clive have curated at their farmhouse is both relaxing and fun (their dog, Jan, steels the show!). Maki was very helpful with helping us plan our daily visits to neighboring villages and teaching us about the history.
This week long getaway was the highlight of our month in Spain! We hope to return one day :)
Andrew Hemming
from Norway, December 2019
"Highly recommended. "
Beautiful location and wonderful hosts. Very welcoming and food was simply delicious. Surpassed all expectations and found the region to be stunning with historic villages in delightful countryside. Loved every minute of my visit.
Morag Todd
from France, November 2019
"Special cooking weekend"
This is my husband's review - he was the one cooking with Clive!
- Thanks to Clive and Maki, a delightful stay in a lovely old farmhouse conversion.
- A hands-on experience of cooking with Clive as very friendly teacher extraordinaire and me as student, to prepare and serve two three-course meals in Andalusian style (Mediterranean cuisine). WOW!
- Easy going but professional, it should be a must do for keen amateur chefs (or those trying to be, like me). It was also a much appreciated birthday treat for me.
- We were spoiled by Maki who made sure everything was in apple-pie order throughout. In all a super short stay.
Ian Jenkins
from United Kingdom, September 2017
"Rural Laid-back Restfulness"
This accommodation is in a traditional building with great character, set in a lovely rural setting with great views. This is a truly relaxing place, with Clive and Maki ensuring you can see the best of the surrounding towns, attractions and experiences, if you don't want to just laze by the pool. The cooking experience teaches much about technique, from filleting fish to even chopping herbs. Clive is very organised, clear and gets you involved in hands-on cooking at each stage for delivering the evening meal for all guests, but without being under pressure; focused but stress-free.