Paella is one of Spain’s most well-known traditional dishes. The name ‘Paella’ comes from the name of the round, shallow pans in which the rice dish is cooked.

Paella originated in Valencia and was devised as a hearty, hot meal to feed the farm workers in the countryside. Ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, and snails were added to the rice, as were rabbit, chicken, or duck, as these were readily available on the land.

Although many people associate paella with seafood, the original Paella Valenciana contained only meat (Usually Rabbit, Duck, chicken, or Snails). Nowadays, each region and indeed family in Spain have their own preferred recipe, and there is no one set of ingredients that makes up a ‘typical paella’. Indeed, the whole idea of paella is that whatever the cook has on hand is used, which can include seafood, shellfish, and a variety of vegetables.

The very idea behind paella embodies the essence of BellaPaella. The dish is to be cooked to feed many people, sharing a good, hearty meal with friends over an open fire. In fact, traditionally, a paella was cooked over an open flame created by orange and pine branches, so the aromatic smoke from the burning branches would infuse with the rice.

We use the freshest local ingredients from every town we visit to give you the freshest and most delicious Paella possible!

Our Paella has been passed down through generations of strong, confident, and typically Spanish women.

Cooking food for their families, who are out working in the local town or farming the land. The small town in Cordoba, Dos Torres, roughly translates as the Two Towers.

In 2019, the Town had just 2,411 inhabitants, and it is here that our Paella recipe was crafted.

Julian’s Grandmother taught him how to cook. His favourite dish is, of course, Paella. His home town of Dos Torres, being in the centre of Spain, didn’t have access to fish or shellfish readily and relied on the farms for cattle and pork to survive.

Peppers and Onions were easily accessible, as were Chickens and Pigs. The pork meat was often cured to last through the winter months, and as a result, one of the key ingredients in our paella is the paprika-rich Chorizo sausage.

Another key ingredient in the BellaPaella recipe is chicken stock. Although it has changed from the days of old, the modern-day equivalent gives our paella a flavour that works so well with the garlic and Spanish wine that are put into the recipe just before adding the rice.

Finally, the most important ingredient added to the Paella is patience. A lesson taught by his grandmother stays with him in the production of the best Paella.

Waiting on each stage until every bit is cooked to perfection.