This Friday, the final phase of the World Paella Day Cup 2024in which twelve chefs from around the world competed to win the trophy for the best paella prepared by an international chef. Finally, it was Joe W. Padilla Castrorepresenting Puerto Rico, winner of this year’s trophy thanks to his proposal “Mediterranean Lionfish Paella”, a recipe based on lionfish, carrucho (sea snail), boriken jueyes, fish stock base and Valencian seafood. Also on the podium were Miguel Ángel Moreno, from Colombia, in second place, and Shingo Hinokio, from Japan, in third place.
This new edition of the Paella World Cup, which took place for the first time in the Pergola of La Marina in Valencia, had as its motto “Paella: a universal language”to give visibility to everything that surrounds this popular Valencian dish and its importance in the world. The World Paella Day Cup is an initiative promoted by the Valencia City Council, through the Visit Valencia Foundation; in collaboration with the Tourist Center of the Provincial Council of Valencia, Turisme Comunitat Valenciana and Turespaña, with the collaboration of the DO Arroz de València, the Valencian Hotel Federation, Wikipaella and the Sueca Valencian Paella Competition.
In this 2024 edition, the jury was composed of Eric Gil, winning chef of the Paella World Cup 2022; Kohei Hatashita, winning chef of the World Paella Day 2024; Cristina Oliete, director of the Central Market; Raul Magraner, executive chef of the BonAire restaurant; and Maria Luisa Martín Tejera, professor and writer of wine culture and haute cuisine, as well as member of the Gastronomy and Wine Commission of the AEPEV.
“This year, the competition has been held in an unprecedented setting: La Marina de Valencia, specifically in the Pergola, a space that perfectly reflects the values that this date represents. The choice of this location is not fortuitous; because this date serves to give visibility to Valencia as a healthy city thanks to its Mediterranean climate, its light and its sea. In addition, in 2024, Valencia is European Green Capitaland paella and La Marina are emblems of this capital and reflect our city’s commitment to sustainable development,” said the Councilor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Acquisition, Paula Llobet.
The provincial deputy for Tourism, Pedro Cuesta, highlighted the importance of this event, “focused on Valencian rice and its many production possibilities, which is why it exponentially promotes our product and our gastronomy at an international level”. “It is a consolidated competition that promotes cultural and gastronomic exchanges, thus enriching the external image of our destination”, he added.
Paella World Cup Stage: Immersion in the Paella Tradition
The participants enjoyed a week full of activities to enrich their techniques and discover first-hand the particularities of preparing a Valencian paella. Thus, from September 17 to 20, they had the opportunity to benefit from the advice and training of pillars of Valencian gastronomy such as chefs. Chabe Soler and Rafa Margós or Santos Ruiz; as well as visiting places of great importance for Valencian gastronomy, such as its natural larders, the orchard, the Albufera or the central market of Valencia.
