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Guide summary
- In Spain, you need no academic degree to open a restaurant, but legally mandatory training does apply: the food handler certificate, allergen awareness training, and workplace risk prevention (PRL).
- The most strategic training for a prospective restaurateur is not mandatory. It is restaurant management and administration.
- Through FUNDAE, you can fully or partially fund your team's training using the annual training credit available to any company with registered employees.
Table of contents
In Spain, you need no academic degree to open a restaurant. But that does not mean you can open your doors empty-handed. Spanish regulations set out a series of training requirements that every restaurateur must meet before the first service, going far beyond knowing how to cook. Mandatory certificates, food hygiene and safety competences… Here is everything you need to know about restaurant training in Spain.
Key figures.
- More than 1 million students are enrolled in vocational training (FP) in Spain. The Hospitality and Tourism family is growing steadily (1)
- Only 35% of hospitality workers hold professional or university qualifications (1)
- The hospitality sector in Spain has over 300,000 establishments and employs more than 1.85 million workers (2)
Is training mandatory to open a restaurant in Spain?
You do not need any diploma or academic degree to open a restaurant in Spain. However, there are legally mandatory training certifications you must obtain before opening.
1. The food handler certificate
Mandatory for all staff in contact with food: chefs, kitchen assistants, waitstaff. This food hygiene and safety training ensures knowledge of best practices in food handling.
It is obtained at accredited training centres, in person or online, and is valid throughout Spain. Non-compliance may result in financial penalties or even closure of the establishment.
Duration: from 30 minutes online to 8 hours in person Price: from €7
2. Allergen awareness training
Mandatory under EU Regulation No 1169/2011, in force in Spain. Every food service establishment must ensure its staff know the 14 compulsory allergens (which must be labelled on the premises). They must also know how to inform customers and prevent cross-contamination. This training is often integrated into the food handler certificate, though many organisations offer it as a standalone module.
Duration: approximately 10 hours online Price: from €20
3. Workplace Risk Prevention (PRL) training
Mandatory for any company with employees, under Law 31/1995 on PRL. As the establishment's responsible party, you must ensure your team receives workplace safety training tailored to each role: kitchen risks, load handling, ergonomics, first aid. This training must be provided from the first day of employment and renewed periodically.
Duration: variable depending on the role (minimum 6 hours) Price: from €20
Important: If you are taking over an existing restaurant, part of the team may already hold the mandatory certifications. However, make sure to verify that the certificates are valid and properly documented before signing anything (just as you would check the licences).
What are the recommended training courses for restaurateurs in Spain?
Complying with legal requirements is just the starting point. But to run a successful restaurant, there are key skills that no mandatory course will teach you.
Restaurant management and administration
A restaurant management and administration course prepares you to take control of your business in all its aspects: financial, fiscal (filing, VAT…), human resources, and operations. You will learn to calculate the true cost of each dish, to write a market study, to create a business plan, to draw up a realistic budget, to manage shifts and teams, to negotiate with suppliers, and to read the indicators that determine whether your restaurant is profitable.
It is also the training that banks and investors will value most if you need funding to launch your project. A restaurateur who knows their food cost, break-even point, and cash flow plan inspires far more confidence than one who only talks about their gastronomic concept.
This type of training can be taken at hospitality schools, chambers of commerce, or online. Some regional governments offer it subsidised through FUNDAE.
Other complementary training courses
To go further and stand out in a highly competitive market:
- Digital marketing and social media: Google My Business management, Instagram, online reviews, delivery platforms
- Menu and card design: menu engineering, pricing psychology, profitability per dish
- Customer service and conflict management: non-violent communication, handling difficult customers, loyalty building
- Sustainable restaurant and CSR: reducing food waste, local sourcing, Law 7/2022
- Languages: English and other languages for serving international customers
- Digital transformation: management software, POS systems, online reservation platforms
Where to train in hospitality in Spain?
Spain has a solid training offering in hospitality, both for mandatory certifications and for management and specialisation. Here are the main organisations by profile and need.
For mandatory training (food handler, allergens, PRL), any centre accredited by the relevant regional authority is valid. Many can be completed online in less than a day.
For restaurant management and administration, these are the leading references in Spain:
- Basque Culinary Center (San Sebastián): international benchmark in gastronomy and hospitality management, offering degrees, master's programmes, and professional courses
- Le Cordon Bleu Madrid: training in haute cuisine, restaurant management and direction
- Escuela Superior de Hostelería de Barcelona (ESHOB): hospitality management and direction programmes
- Escuela de Hostelería de Sevilla: practical training with official qualifications
- Your regional Chamber of Commerce: business management courses for hospitality professionals, often subsidised
- EOI (School of Industrial Organisation): training in management and entrepreneurship
- Campus Hosteleria: sector-specific training and resources for hospitality professionals
Training is the first step. The second is having the right tools to manage your restaurant from day one (reservations, payments, customer loyalty, online visibility). Covermanager helps thousands of restaurateurs in Spain fill their dining room, reduce no-shows, and get to know their customers better. All in one platform.
FAQ
Is a degree required to open a restaurant in Spain?
No. In Spain, no academic degree or diploma is required to open a restaurant. However, there are legally mandatory training certifications you must obtain before opening your establishment.
Can my team access state-funded training?
Yes. Through FUNDAE (the State Foundation for Employment Training), any company with employees registered with Social Security has an annual training credit that can be used for subsidised training. In practice, this means you can train your team in management, food hygiene, customer service, or any other subject, free of charge or at very low cost. The amount of the credit depends on the size of your workforce and your contributions in the previous year.
How many hours of mandatory training are required before opening?
There is no fixed number of hours established at national level, as regulations vary by region. In total, approximately 15 to 25 hours are required. We recommend checking the specific requirements of your region before opening.
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