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Happy to be hereee

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Happy to b here

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Excited to be given this opportunity

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this is gonna be fun

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On the way

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Very turbulent landing in Madrid

Think the pilot could have been on an Erasmus internship themself.

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Brought the weather with us

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In front of a thingy

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Qmazing sights

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Beautiful big park in the middle of the city, I got to spend a few hours there on one of my days off. I loved seeing all the different birds and having a tranquil place to read my book in the sun.

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We all met at the airport at 6am including John, had a cheeky early morning drink along with some breakfast too! 

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Tradition done by the 93 year old owner 

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Every weekend in the plaza there is a free concert for everyone to enjoy!

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We went to a foie gras farm. We went on a tour of the farm, we were shown the process of what the ducks go through and how they prepare the liver. After the tour we ate liver pate and duck along with white wine 

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After the farm, we went to Paco Diaz's cave. We were greeted with chorizo, bread and wine. Then we had a look around followed by dinner made by Paco and his wife. It was roasted chicken in a sauce and a salad. After dinner, we had a singsong with lyric books. We sang Hallelujah, I Will Survive, What A Wonderful World and many more! After we sang, Paco and Angel did a tradition that would keep away the bad spirits! Such an amazing evening!

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Public Holiday in Valladolid (May 13th), Saint Peter of Regalado (San Pedro Regalado)

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Public Holiday in Valladolid (May 13th), Saint Peter of Regalado (San Pedro Regalado)

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Crème Diplomat filled puff pastry dipped in chocolate 

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After our first day at work, we met up with Dean and went for a walk around the city trying to find a place for dinner! We landed on Grosso Napoletano Pizzeria! We all ordered the same pizza but we didn’t realise how spicy it was going to be!! When the waiter brought our pizzas he just said “Why?!” I couldn’t finish the pizza but the other two did somehow! Spiciest pizza I’ve ever eaten 

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Thunder and lightning outside the apartment 

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Thunder and lightning outside the apartment 

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Here in valladolid there’s a huge park with loads of birds , ducks , peacocks and red squirrels that will come right up to you . It’s really beautiful

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The weather has been hit and miss since we arrived . On Wednesday there was a huge storm with lighting and thunder and really heavy rain , but other days it’s been gorgeous , i even got abit sunburned

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In plaza mayor there are concerts most nights , this local band Arizona Baby were outstanding . Even though they are from Valladolid a lot of their music was in English . Great songs and they had a lot of special guests with them who apparently were very significant people in the city . The lead singer looked excatly like Jack Black 😂

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To be honest I’m not exactly sure what was going on here . I was beside the main cathedral in the city centre and some sort of ceremony started outside the church with a live band . And after everybody followed the float into the church for mass .

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Monday and Tuesday was sort of like a bank holiday over here . There was music and dancing going on in Plaza Mayor and a lot of markets around selling everything from hand made clothes , leather book covers , even hand made sock puppets for kids

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We went to a foie gras farm and saw exactly how they make it in the most ethical and humane was possible . It was tough to see some parts like the picture I have attached above , but as chefs and food consumers I think it’s vital we understand where our food comes from and how it is prepared. This is a very ethical and sustainable way to produce such a high quality product . The ducts are allowed to roam their whole life and fed in a natural way. They are over fed towards the very end of their live to fatten the liver but at no moment are they made uncomfortable, everything is done to make sure the bird is healthy and happy . The owner of the farm , Manuel , explained that if the duck is unhappy or stressed it actually causes problems within the liver , resulting in a bad end product . So although it is harder work and more expensive to do it ethically , it results in a much cleaner , tastier end product 

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it’s crazy how they aren’t afraid of people atall and will literally climb on you

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I went to the supermarket and got a fresh trout , butchered it , made stock from the bones and head and made this lovely dish out of it . The difference in quality of the local veg and fruits and seafood is huge .

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After the foie gras farm we went to have lunch and a sing song with Paco Díez. A very talented man and I have to say a great cook aswell . He was very good at settling the nerves of people that were nervous to sing and by the end everyone was singing and having great craic . He even made me get up and sing

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First few days spent learning how the kitchen works and baking chips for a tapas expo. 

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First few days spent learning how the kitchen works and baking chips for a tapas expo. 

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So far everything is going amazingly well, getting to know the surrounding areas and eating loads of delish food produced by my kitchen, suite 22.

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So far everything is going amazingly well, getting to know the surrounding areas and eating loads of delish food produced by my kitchen, suite 22.

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First family dinner, not too much english but luckily everyone is supportive 

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First family dinner, not too much english but luckily everyone is supportive 

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Conor Bradshaw

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Pacos cave

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Walking home from a night of eating tapas 😳

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First day of work

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Getting mise en place ready

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Gift from the sous chef

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Gift from the head chef Javier Pena who found out I like rugby (Valladolid jersey)

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the chef I work with on mains called ronal is a TikTok “influencer” he said he’d take a video for my instagram and I’ve had a few people with a lot of followers text me and like the post

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The view from my work at 10:00 pm on Sunday night

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Valladolid is a very walkable city, nothing is more than 25 minutes away but the walks never feel that long. I spent my first few days wondering around to get my bearings and I would highly recommend doing so as there are many museums and little parks to enjoy.

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We have been trying a bit of everything while here and all the food has been unbelievable. Everywhere does there tapas differently so everything is a new experience, it’s been fun finding our favourites from the different places.

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There’s a lovely sandy beach next to the river, I went one of the days expecting to be the only person there but to my surprise there was a good amount of people. It’s not recommended to go in the water but I saw one woman bring her own spray bottle to keep herself cool which I thought was a great idea. There’s also a restaurant/ cafe at the beach if you want any refreshments or the bathroom.

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Just learnt not all posts have a header 

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Lemon curd with a cookie crumb, quonelle of lemon ice cream and lime zested spanish marangue. Plated by yours truly 

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Shauna and I have been working in the production kitchen for a bakery called Belaria.

I had never worked in a bakery before so was unsure what to expect especially as a student only working there for three weeks but the experience so far has been nothing but positive. Everyone we work with is so nice, they’re like one big family.

We are being moved around the different stations of the bakery and being shown how to do everything and they actually have us do it as well as showing us, sometimes it can be like a game of charades as very few of the people who work there have English and my Spanish is very basic.

We’ve been working in Belaria for a week and a half now and they have made us feel like part of the family, everyone has a lot of patience with us and take the time to make sure we understand what we’re doing and are enjoying ourselves.

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I have learned loads as my 3 weeks draws to an end. I have a notebook with a few new recipes. As the language barrier poses an issue with work flow i have not been doing a lot of service but have been shown all the plating and have done a few. Ihave however been placed on desserts.

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While here I reached out to one of my friends who lives in Madrid and on one of my days off work we organised to meet up.

I got the fast train @9:50am from Valladolid train station (only a 20min walk from our apartment), it only took 1 hour 10 mins to get to Madrid and the return tickets cost me €50.

We spent the day walking around Madrid seeing all the beautiful park and going into art galleries. It was lovely being shown around by a local and not trying to fit in a load of touristy bits but getting a real feel for the city. The only break we took from walking around was to get a bite to eat where we ate in one of my friends favourite places “honest greens” it was delicious and great value for money.

I got the 8pm train home which meant I arrived back in Valladolid just after 9pm so I had enough time to do a little food shop and be back in the apartment before 10pm.

I would recommend for any future Erasmus+ students to reach out to friends or family friends living in the county they’re working in while away to get a feel of what the country is like for a local and to have a fun day trip (or few days depending on their schedule). For me the one day was perfect, I went on a Saturday and I got to come home and make sure all my things where in order for work and wasn’t stressing trying to get home on the Sunday, I just got to enjoy a lovely day in the sun after an action packed day.

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Got to experience eating in where I did my work placement . Outstanding this is just the first 4 of 16 items on the tasting menu . One of the best meals I’ve ever had , and actually my first Michelin dining experience 

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Traveled to Madrid on my days off to see the city and visit the jaw dropping Santiago Bernabéu. Incredible city and incredible stadium. Another great opportunity within eramus , it doesn’t have to all be about work . I actually went with a Mexican guy that I shared a house with and he didn’t speak any English and my Spanish is very minimal . But we communicated and talked over the little bits of each others languages we had and with help from google ! Was a great experience that wouldn’t have been possible had I stayed in Ireland and without eramus . The things to see and do over here our endless this is one of the best decisions I have ever made 

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The finale to a wonderful time. The last week was spent with more of an understanding as to how the kitchen ran, i was able to help with more and more plating, i wasnt relying on my colleagues to tell me what to do and when to do it and spent a vast amount of time jotting down inspiring recipes that will help me desypher different forms and ways to produce good food

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As my time comes to an end In Valladolid I want to reflect on my time . This has hands down been one of the greatest experiences of my life . This is a great opportunity for any students , well traveled or not , to have a different or new experience in such a culturally rich city . The food, the people , the accessibility to other places , I find it hard to flaw my time here . I would highly recommend this to anybody thinking about it . The time has flew in my biggest flaw about this is I feel I want more time ! My work placement has been amazing the staff are so welcoming, there is however a large language barrier but they are patience and understanding of that . It’s my first time working in a Michelin star restaurant and it has opened my eyes to the possibilities of my career and I have learned a lot of new techniques and seen a lot of ways to do things I would of never even imagined were possible before here . This experience has made me realise the worlds my oyster and I can really bring my trade with me anywhere I want , dublins a small place there is countless opportunities all over the world for me to go and experience. Again , one of the best decision I’ve ever made is to apply for eramus

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My Erasmus experience at the bakery Belaria in Valladolid, Spain was an incredible journey of growth, both professionally and personally. Working alongside skilled bakers, I learned traditional Spanish techniques, improved my pastry skills, and discovered the value of precision and passion in everything they provide. Beyond the kitchen, I embraced a new culture, tried to practice my Spanish daily, tried new foods and built meaningful connections that made me feel truly at home. The friendships I made on this trip have meant so much to me. It was an unforgettable chapter that shaped my confidence and love for baking in the most beautiful way and I’ll be forever grateful

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On the last day in the bakery, they asked me if I’d like to make my own cookies from my own business. I was so grateful for the feedback and the support from all the bakers who enjoyed them!

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One of my favourite nights spent with the group