Marking Spanish tradition, culture and culinary excellence, the world-renowned Valencian rice dish, paella, will be celebrated on 20 September at World Paella Day.
Spearheaded by the Spanish city of Valencia, the birthplace of paella, the city will be encouraging cooks from around the world to try their hand at creating the iconic Spanish dish.
On 20 September, the Valencians who normally play passionate custodians over the traditional recipe will end the age-old debate and share their secrets; with the ambition of celebrating the dish around the world and establishing it as an international emblem of Valencia.
Over the years, paella recipes have evoked controversy on an international scale, such as the use of chorizo by British chef Jamie Oliver, a baked recipe cooked in a glass dish by actor Rob Schneider or the rice, chicken, squid, chorizo and clam version by chef Gordon Ramsey. World Paella Day on 20 September will put these differences aside and will encourage the world to try their hand at creating the Valencian paella, revealing the traditional recipe that famously unites family and friends in Spain and around the world.
World Paella Day will include a series of activities throughout September 2018 including the International Paella Contest of Sueca (Valencia) on 16 September, a series of 'rice days' and workshops in Valencia and the 'Festival of the Rice Harvest' in Albufera Natural Park. In the UK, the Spanish Tourist Office in London is also arranging a series of events to mark World Paella Day (details will be uploaded in due course on http://socialnewsroom.spain.info/).
Word Paella Day is an initiative spearheaded by Valencia City Council, the Valencia Tourism Foundation, Valencia Tourism Agency, the Hotel Catering Business Federation of Valencia, Wikipaella, the D.Orix Rice of Valencia, the International Contest of Paellas of Sueca and paella organisation, Paella Today.
