Every September 20th, Valencia celebrates its most famous dish “por todo lo grande” (in the grandest way) with the World Paella Day. The city becomes the stage where chefs from all around the globe gather to cook paella, merging their own culinary traditions with the Valencian recipe. It’s proof that paella – and food in general – is a universal language that connects people across cultures.
This year marks the seventh edition of the event, with twelve chefs from countries as far apart as Japan, Mexico, and Denmark competing in the World Paella Day Cup. Their challenge is simple but profound: respect the roots of the dish while adding a personal twist that reflects their own culture.
At Euroace, we love events like this because they capture what living in Spain is all about: tradition, innovation, and cultural exchange. Our students in Valencia, and our interns in Madrid and Barcelona, don’t just learn Spanish in class. They join tours, take part in local activities, and sometimes even cook paella themselves – discovering that language, just like food, is best learned by sharing.
What Is World Paella Day?
Every year, Valencia throws a party for its most famous dish. On September 20th, the world comes together to celebrate paella, the rice dish born in the fields of the Albufera just outside the city. This isn’t just a foodie festival – it’s a cultural event. World Paella Day is all about honoring tradition, sharing it with others, and proving that paella can speak a universal language.
The event was first launched in 2018 to give paella the recognition it deserves. Pizza and sushi had their place on the global stage, but paella was often misunderstood or simplified. Valencians wanted the world to understand what paella truly represents: history, community, and authenticity. Seven editions later, it’s become a global event that chefs and food lovers look forward to all year.
Where did Paella come from and why is it the official dish of Valencia?
To appreciate World Paella Day, you need to know where it all started. Picture farmers in the rice fields of Valencia’s Albufera, cooking lunch over an open fire. Whatever was available – rice, beans, vegetables, chicken, rabbit, even snails – went into the pan. The dish was humble, practical, and designed to be shared straight from the pan with family and friends.
That pan, by the way, is called la paella. Over time, the dish traveled from the fields to the city, then across Spain, and eventually around the world. Today you’ll find seafood paella on the coast, vegetarian versions for modern diets, and even creative fusions. But the soul of the dish remains the same: rice, saffron, and community.
World Paella Day International Championship
The star of the celebration is the World Paella Day Cup, an international competition where chefs from all over the world cook their version of paella in Valencia. It’s not just about winning. It’s about learning from Valencian tradition and then expressing it through your own culture.
Before the big day, the chefs take part in what’s called the Stage. From September 17th to 19th this year, they’ve been visiting Valencia’s Central Market, meeting rice producers in the Albufera, and discovering what makes the dish authentic. When they step up to the pans today, they do it with a new respect for the roots of paella – but also with the freedom to add their own twist.
This year, World Paella Day is built on the idea that paella can connect people the way language does. If you’ve ever shared a paella, you know what that feels like: the dish is designed for the center of the table and everyone eats together and reaches into the same pan. And just like learning Spanish, paella comes with its own vocabulary: socarrat (the crispy rice at the bottom), garrofó (the large white bean that’s essential to paella Valenciana), cuchara de madera (the wooden spoon used for stirring). These words tell you just as much about Spanish culture as a grammar lesson.
Winners from previous World Paella Day editions
The Cup has created some unforgettable moments, we still don’t know who will win this one (that we will know on the 20th of this month!) but looking at past winners, expect the best of the best:
In 2020, Valencia kept the crown close to home when Chabe Soler, a chef from El Pinedo, won the inaugural edition. Her traditional paella Valenciana was both a tribute to her roots and a reminder that the dish’s birthplace still sets the standard. It was a symbolic start, grounding the competition in authenticity.
Two years later, in 2022, the title crossed borders. French chef Eric Gil impressed the jury with a version that blended his French culinary background with Valencian technique. His win highlighted exactly what the competition is about: taking local tradition and reinterpreting it with global influences.
Then came one of the most talked-about victories. In 2023, Japanese chef Kohei Hatashita took the top spot with a paella made of duck, orange, and leek. On paper, the combination seemed unusual, but the way he respected the cooking method – from the sofrito to the socarrat – showed a deep understanding of Valencian culture. His dish proved that even unexpected flavors can belong in paella if the roots are respected.
Last year, in 2024, the Caribbean took center stage. Joe W. Padilla Castro from Puerto Rico stunned the judges with a paella featuring lionfish, sea snail, and Borikén crab. These were not ingredients you’d find in Valencia’s markets, but they told a story of his island home while following the Valencian method to the letter. It was a paella that carried both the Mediterranean and the Caribbean in the same pan.
What is going on in the 7th Edition of World Paella Day?
This year marks the seventh edition of the event, and it’s happening right now. The final competition is taking place at La Marina de València, Tinglado nº 2, where 12 chefs from 12 different countries are battling it out over open flames.
If you were there today, you’d see giant paella pans sizzling, chefs concentrating on their sofrito, and the aroma of saffron filling the air. The event runs from 10:00 to 15:00, and visitors can even grab a plate of paella for about five euros while watching the competition unfold on big screens. It’s part contest, part festival, and all community.
This Year’s Finalists
The 2025 edition is more international than ever, with chefs from Poland, France, Denmark, Romania, Bulgaria, Mexico, Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, China, and Japan. Each one has their own story, their own ingredients, and their own style. But they all have one thing in common: today, they’re cooking paella in the very city where it was born.
Study Spanish in Valencia with Euroace and live like a local!
This year, twelve chefs from across the globe have converged on Valencia to compete in the seventh edition of the World Paella Day Cup. The line-up is a snapshot of just how international the love for paella has become.
From Europe, we have Łukasz Kaniecki representing Poland, Frederic Gallego from France, Eva Gallart López bringing Denmark into the mix, Ramona Trujillo Núñez cooking for Romania, and Kaloyan Kolev competing for Bulgaria. Their presence highlights how deeply paella has taken root in European kitchens, far beyond Spain’s borders.
Latin America is strongly represented too. William Téllez from Mexico, Ian Escobar from Uruguay, Andrés Felipe Otálvaro from Colombia, Luis Fernando da Rocha Coutinho from Brazil, and Roger Sandoval from Puerto Rico are all stepping up to the pans. For them, paella isn’t just Spanish – it’s part of their own culinary landscape, often adapted with local seafood or flavors.
Asia completes the picture, with Cheng Xiao Jie from China and Kenta Seki from Japan. Both countries have a long tradition of rice-based cuisine, which makes their interpretations especially intriguing. Will they incorporate techniques from their home kitchens while staying true to Valencian methods? That’s the beauty of this competition: nobody knows until the rice hits the pan.
What Spanish programs do we offer at Euroace?
- Spanish Courses: From beginners to advanced, with flexible schedules (mornings, afternoons, or evenings). You can choose group classes, one-to-one lessons, or even online if you’re not here yet.
- Exam Preparation: If you need an official certification, we prepare students for DELE, SIELE, and CCSE exams.
- Special Programs: From survival Spanish for travelers to professional Spanish for business, medicine, or tourism.
- Internships Abroad: If you’re more career-focused, we also run international internship programs in Valencia, Madrid, and Barcelona. You gain work experience while living in Spain – and yes, learning the language too.
- Cultural Activities: This is where paella comes back in. We organize guided tours, excursions, and sometimes even cooking classes where you can try making your own paella.
At Euroace, we make sure you get that experience. Our courses are designed to give you not just the Spanish language, but also the Spanish lifestyle. So, while chefs from around the world are discovering paella today, you could be next in line – not as a contestant, but as a student living and learning in Valencia.
If paella can bring people from twelve countries together around one pan, imagine what learning Spanish in Valencia can do for you. At Euroace, we’ll give you the tools to speak the language, the opportunities to immerse yourself in culture, and the memories you’ll take home forever. Check out our programs here and start planning your Spanish adventure today. And who knows? Your first new Spanish word might just be socarrat
