It's no exaggeration to say: Querétaro has the best paella in the world. This is how the gastronomic creation of Rogelio Castañón and Alfonso Ovalle, the two Mexican chefs who won the 61st edition of the Sueca International Valencian Paella Competition, was recognized.
The history of this award began at the Freixenet Paella Festival 2022 , an event in which Zacatecan chefs earned the right to participate in the international feat. It was thanks to the support of Freixenet, as the winners commented, that they had the impetus to perform in Sueca, Spain, to represent Mexico.
Now, in the presence of Freixenet authorities, as well as Adriana Vega Vázquez Mellado, Secretary of Tourism of Querétaro, they celebrated the consecration of their first place in Sueca.
The winners pointed out that they are proud to get this award, in addition to representing Querétaro and Mexico in general in a contest in which they were not considered favorites to win.
The celebration and tasting of their dish was accompanied by a visit and tour of the Freixenet vineyard, an afternoon in which the famous Cava was tasted and the best paella in the world was paired.
The coexistence with the chefs served to talk about traditional Spanish food, a dish that has served as a flag for that nation. Originally, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Valencian peasants sought to create a complete dish but with the ease of being able to include food that they had within their reach.
Valencian paella has pork, chicken, in some cases rabbit, snails, beans, green beans, artichoke, tomato, pepper, rice and of course saffron. A combination that the world has tried to replicate, and in some cases surpasses the most Valencian of paellas.
The aroma of wood in the fire was mixed with the notes of sparkling wine with which those present toasted, in front of them the best paella in the world was prepared, a dish that for the first time in 61 years gave the gold medal of the International Valencian Paella Competition of Sueca to a foreign team.
Rogelio and Alfonso moved more than one with the narration of their triumph, mainly the moment when on stage, and after receiving the medal from the jury, they exclaimed a genuine 'Viva Mexico!'.
A tour of the workshops of Villa Progreso, where the craftsmanship of ixtle and ceramics reveals the tradition and talent of its artisans.
Bodegas Vaivén is a vineyard that is clear about its concept; balance and equilibrium are a fundamental part of its philosophy. Visit it and experience everything about wine in the Querétaro semi-desert.
The Hotel Villa Mexicana is a space full of elegance and good service. Its exclusivity is one of its main characteristics. It is an environment in which business tourism can enjoy signature spaces in a typical Mexican hacienda environment.
