AZCOOK family cooking workshops

AZCOOK (Azeitão Cooking Studio) is a hands-on cooking school in Azeitão, the village between Setúbal and the Serra da Arrábida. It was founded by Susana Pimentel, and its workshops and courses are taught by professional chefs in a practical kitchen that takes groups of up to 20. Most of its programme is for adults, from bread to sushi, but it runs special family workshops where children cook alongside a parent, and it hosts a summer camp for young chefs.

Everything at AZCOOK is practical. You don’t watch a demonstration from a chair: you chop, stir and taste.

The family workshops, called Especial Família, are for children aged 6 to 14, each with an adult from their family. Children and adults cook side by side for the whole session. Each workshop lasts three hours and covers three recipes, and at the end you eat what you’ve made.

When we checked in September 2026, two family workshops were on the agenda, both led by chef Cátia Roque.

Halloween family workshop, 1 November 2026

From 11:00 to 14:00, families make a Halloween menu: “witch’s fingers” to start, pasta “mummies” and “monstrous” burgers for the main course, and scary cupcakes for dessert. For a child who likes gore and giggles, it’s a good excuse to play with food.

Mini-Chefs em Ação, 14 November 2026

From 10:00 to 13:00, families make savoury muffins, vegetable nuggets with coloured rice, and chocolate energy balls. The vegetable nuggets are a sneaky way to get a fussy eater to try vegetables they’ve shaped and cooked themselves.

When checked in September 2026, each family workshop cost €50 for one child (aged 6 to 14) and one adult, since the first adult comes free. A second adult brings it to €75. Each session takes up to 20 participants.

All the ingredients, tools and equipment are provided, so you don’t need to bring anything. The studio emails the recipes as a PDF a few days afterwards. AZCOOK has civil liability insurance for all its activities.

You can cancel by email to info@azcook.pt up to 48 hours before for a full refund or a new date. After that, there’s no refund. AZCOOK can cancel a session if it doesn’t reach 40% of its places, with 48 hours’ notice, and then offers a refund or another date.

For older children who want more than a morning, AZCOOK hosts a week-long Junior Chef Summer Camp, sold through the Hands On workshop platform. It’s for young chefs aged 10 and up. Under a professional chef, children cook lunch and snacks every day while learning kitchen safety, hygiene and basic techniques, with an emphasis on teamwork and creativity.

The camp was listed at €234, with discounts for siblings. When we checked in September 2026, the listing said new dates were coming soon, so look again in the spring. The Hands On blog says its kids’ workshops are for children only, with families joining for a final tasting. Confirm the arrangements for the camp, including daily hours and whether you drop off, when dates are announced.

AZCOOK runs private events for groups, including school activities and birthdays, and says it pays attention to food restrictions. A homeschool co-op could ask for a private session built around a theme, such as bread, Portuguese cooking or healthy snacks. Contact the studio for prices.

Six- to nine-year-olds get the most from the family workshops, since a parent is right there to help with knives and heat. Ten- to fourteen-year-olds can take more of the lead, and the summer camp gives them real independence in the kitchen. Under-sixes can’t join the family workshops.

Children who find it hard to concentrate for three hours may flag before the dessert, though the eating at the end helps. It’s a busy, hands-on kitchen rather than a quiet class.

AZCOOK is on Rua da Padaria in Azeitão, and the studio says it has parking. Contact it at info@azcook.pt or +351 938 406 444. The sources don’t cover step-free access, so ask if you need it.

Family workshop dates are one-offs, not a weekly timetable, and they fill up. Check the AZCOOK agenda regularly, especially before school holidays and seasonal festivals such as Halloween.

Only book the workshops marked for families or children. AZCOOK’s adult workshops, such as its pizza-dough and sushi classes, are aimed at adult cooks.

Azeitão sits at the foot of the Serra da Arrábida. After cooking, drive over the hills to the beach at Portinho da Arrábida, or visit Palmela castle, which looks out over the whole area. In Setúbal, dolphin-watching trips on the Sado look for the estuary’s resident bottlenose dolphins.

What age are AZCOOK’s family cooking workshops for?

Children aged 6 to 14, each with an adult from their family.

Do parents cook too?

Yes. In the family workshops, children and adults cook side by side for the whole session.

How much does a family cooking workshop cost?

€50 for one child and one adult, or €75 for one child and two adults, when checked in September 2026.

Is there a kids’ cooking camp in Azeitão?

AZCOOK hosts a week-long Junior Chef Summer Camp for ages 10 and up, listed at €234. New dates hadn’t been announced when we checked in September 2026.

Do we eat what we cook?

Yes. Each workshop ends with eating the dishes you’ve made, and the recipes are emailed to you afterwards.