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Date Published: 18/11/2022

Biggest paella in the world? Alicante chefs cooking up a storm in Valladolid

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Three brothers will prepare one of the world's largest rice dishes at the Intur Tourism Fair in Valladolid, Spain this weekend

Biggest paella in the world? Alicante chefs cooking up a storm in Valladolid

Three brothers and esteemed chefs are preparing to cook up a gastronomical storm this weekend, creating what could become the largest arroz dish in the world.

Chef Moncho Riquelme and his siblings David and Rocío Riquelme, chefs from the Casa Riquelme restaurant and the Alroze in Alicante want to ensure all eyes are on the Costa Blanca at the Intur Tourism Fair in Valladolid on Saturday November 19 when they whip-up the traditional Valencian rice dish for 1,000 people.

The Riquelme brothers are specialists in the preparation of giant paellas and have been commissioned by the Turismo de la Comunidad Valenciana through L'Exquisit Mediterrani to showcase their culinary skills.

The rice dish chosen by the chefs and Turismo is a speciality from the Vega Baja region of Alicante province with a base of chicken, lean meat and vegetables. In addition, seasonal ingredients such as artichokes, garlic, peas and cauliflower will be used, and a crane truck will be drafted in to help prepare the dish, a real spectacle for all those attending the event.

The event is also a marketing venture with the tourist board hoping to build on a year-on-year increase of visitors to the region bolstered by improved AVE rail connections with the addition of a new direct Valencia-Burgos route from next January.

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The regional secretary for Tourism, Francesc Colomer, stressed that "this type of event reaffirms the Government of Valencia's commitment to positioning Valencian gastronomy as a national benchmark through L'Exquisit Mediterrani, which demonstrates the excellence of our tourism offer."

The Valencia Region is home to 54 restaurants with Repsol Suns (Soles Guía Repsol): 4 with three Suns, 19 with two Suns and 31 with one Sun.

"We compete in a global market and we must do so responsibly: we are worth it and we have it, there is product, talent and skills," added Colomer.

The three chefs will begin their mammoth challenge at 12 noon on Saturday, the Intur fair's 25th anniversary, in the outdoor area of the Valladolid fairground.

In addition, entities and companies such as the Utiel-Requena Wine Route, the Alicante Wine Route, Bioparc Valencia, The Easy Way, Elche Convention Bureau, Tierra Bobal, Cocemfe, as well as the local authorities of Gandía, Cullera, Sagunto, Villena and El Campello will also participate and have stands at the tourism fair from November 17 to 20.

Image: Twitter/@WorldPaellaDay

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