Madrid chef and entrepreneur Mar Orozco has opened her first public culinary space, named Cocinar, at number 20 Calle Oquendo in Madrid, Spain.
For years, learning from Orozco was an experience reserved exclusively for private clients, corporate groups, and high-profile contestants on the television competition MasterChef Celebrity. She spoke with reporter Tatiana Ferrandis of the Spanish newspaper La Razón just hours before the official opening of her new establishment.
The new venue transfers her teaching methods and culinary philosophy into a regular public schedule of structured courses and hands-on experiences. Orozco conceived the space as her personal home designed specifically for learning, sharing, celebrating, and cooking.
Addressing people who feel reluctant to spend time preparing meals, Orozco said they are not wasting their time and simply lack foundational kitchen knowledge. She explained that beginners only need key guidance on handling ingredients from the start, including understanding produce, proper cutting techniques, and cooking methods.
Her practical instruction begins with fundamentals such as holding a chef knife correctly to make food preparation more efficient while lessening fatigue in the hand and arm. Another essential element involves treating raw ingredients properly, starting with how to peel and chop an onion correctly to achieve the exact result required for a specific dish.
Orozco emphasized that beyond mastering techniques, cooks must learn organization, ingredient selection, cooking times, temperature control, and how to adapt when issues arise. She noted that once individuals gain command of these basics, their confidence in the kitchen increases significantly.
A living space for traditional home cooking
The project is structured neither as a commercial restaurant nor as a conventional cooking school, but rather as a dynamic living space. One of the initial preparations students will learn to make is pisto, a traditional Spanish stew made of diced vegetables fried in olive oil.
Orozco explained that she teaches students how to prepare a proper tomato sauce, highlighting how temperature and timing allow tomato moisture to evaporate correctly and bring out the full flavor of the vegetables. While acknowledging that people cook less at home due to busy routines, she noted that those who enjoy spending hours at the stove view cooking as a therapeutic way to disconnect.
To help people manage daily meal preparation, Orozco offers a specialized weekly session called the Monday Club, focused on batch cooking. During these sessions lasting over two hours, participants prepare complete weekly menus while learning recipes, techniques, and practical tips to use at home.
The Monday Club menu costs 79 euros and features two soups and four main dishes designed to provide balanced nutrition through proteins, vegetables, and legumes. Current dishes include a zucchini soup with coconut and lime, a light vichyssoise, a lentil salad with pickled vegetables and sauteed prawns, grilled Oriental-style sea bass with basmati rice, soy dressing, and roasted vegetables, alongside a chicken stew with mushrooms and baked small potatoes.
Weekly workshops and prepared meal warnings
On Wednesdays, the venue hosts basic cooking classes for individuals looking to build confidence and overcome their fear of working at the stove. Saturdays feature rotating thematic workshops covering specialized culinary topics, including Italian cooking classes and techniques for preparing traditional Spanish rice dishes.
Commenting on the growing popularity of pre-cooked supermarket meals, Orozco advised consumers to inspect nutritional labels carefully, noting that some options are healthier than others. She observed that ready-made meals present strong competition to the traditional daily set menus offered by local neighborhood bars and restaurants across Spain.
While acknowledging that convenience meals can solve an immediate lunch need, Orozco warned that the trend moves people away from traditional home cooking. She stressed that preserving home cooking is vital to maintaining the core identity of Spanish gastronomy.
Corporate events and television mentorship
In addition to public classes, the venue is configured to host corporate team-building events, product launches, client gatherings, live showcookings, and private celebrations. Student demographics range from retirees seeking an enjoyable activity to young people looking for alternative leisure options and social connections, with Orozco promising a wonderful atmosphere around the table.
Before pursuing a career in gastronomy, Orozco studied Advertising and Public Relations and spent several years working in corporate marketing. After deciding to change career paths, she completed professional culinary training at the Le Cordon Bleu academy in Paris and completed an apprenticeship stage at the Dos Cielos restaurant in Madrid, operated by Michelin-starred twin chefs Javier and Sergio Torres.
Orozco gained national prominence through her work as a private culinary mentor for contestants on the reality television show MasterChef Celebrity. She coached Spanish comedian Miki Nadal and sports journalist Juanma Castaño prior to their joint victory on the show, and she trained model and actor Juan Betancourt for a subsequent season of the competition.
