Wellington chef to compete on world stage

Wellington chef John Allred (Osteria del Toro) is no flash in the pan, he’s so good in fact that he’s been invited to compete on the world stage at the 56th Concurso Internacional de Paella Valenciana (Valencia International Paella Competition) this September.

Allred will be the only New Zealander among 30 contestants from across the globe competing for the title of the ‘World’s Best Paella Chef’ on the 11th of September in Sueca, Valencia, Spain. Following success at the Pacific semi-finals held in Tasmania earlier this year, Allred says it is an honour to be representing New Zealand doing something he loves.

Allred, who has been cooking paella for more than 15 years, says “Valencia is the home of paella, and I am so grateful to be invited to cook there.”

He says there are some differences in his methods of cooking but is looking forward to cooking the ‘Spanish way’, “their style remains very true to tradition, where most people on this side of world cook over a gas flame, in Valencia, you must cook over a wood fire.”

Perhaps his 14-year-old son Michael will help take the title of world champ. He will be joining Allred in Valencia—as rules state each contestant is permitted to have one assistant. Allred says his son Michael has shown a keen interest in cooking since a very young age and is really working on improving his paella cooking skills.

“We fly out on Father’s Day, so I think that’s a pretty good omen,” Allred says.

Concurso Internacional de Paella Valenciana began in 1968 as part of the annual Fiesta del Arroz (The Rice Festival). By 1990, the competition had gained world-wide attention and since then organisers have granted entry to international contestants who place through a series of semi-finals held in the Pacific, USA and Asia. - http://concursodepaella.com/en/

About Chef John Allred
New Zealand born Allred ditched his text books for cook books, and in 1995 won the inaugural Huka Lodge Scholarship which was set up to provide a New Zealander international exposure. He went on to Le Gavroche, London and the Ritz Hotel, Paris.
Allred says, “My experience in New Zealand and France over the last 15 years includes Michelin-starred restaurants to wood-fired oven cooking at home. These experiences have given me a diverse background which I use today at my restaurant Osteria del Toro.”

Every Monday at Osteria del Toro are Paella Demonstrations, where chef prepares a giant paella in the centre of the restaurant.

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