Cristina Hodgson
WORLD Paella Day, a tribute to Valencia’s most universal dish, is celebrated every September 20— coinciding with the harvesting of its main ingredient: rice.
This Monday, Valencia will celebrate World Paella Day with an international paella tournament, with the main events held in the Marian de Valencia, a function that has been held in the area for the last four years.
This Monday chefs from all over the world will compete live in La Marina de Valencia, specifically in La Marineta, in a paella competition which won’t fail to get mouths watering.
The semi-finals are set to start at 10 am and at 12:15 pm the Grand Final will take place with the expectation of finding out who is the ‘Top Paella Chef.’
The winner will be awarded with a trophy made by the Fallas artist, Jose Luis Platero, which is on display in the Central Market.
This year’s competition will see a total of 36 chefs from 20 different countries strive to become the Top Paella Chef of the year, with an expectant 50,000 paella and foodies fans keenly following the event and supporting their favourite chef through different social media platforms.
In addition to the competition in the Marina de Valencia, more than 30 countries are holding paella events around the world, in collaboration with the Spanish Tourist Offices abroad, to increase the visibility of Valencia’s most emblematic dish, which, with eight million searches a year on the internet, is considered the fourth most important dish on the planet.
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