We have a winner!
The II edition of the International Contest 'Arrocito de Castelló' already has a winner: the chef Paco Rodríguez, from the Miguel y Juani restaurant, in l'Alcúdia (Valencia).
"What differentiates a 'rice from Castelló' from the rest of the rice dishes is that it is made with local products. They use what they have around them, of great quality, such as good fish, prawns, sepionet de la punxa, artichokes…” the winner tells Traveler.es
“It is a seafood rice with the touch of the artichoke which gives it a very special earthy flavor”, states Paco Rodríguez.
In the contest, held on May 6 in the Plaza Mayor of Castellón, a total of 15 chefs with their respective assistants competed to win the award by preparing the best version of the recipe proposed by Miguel Barrera (Michelin star for Cal Paradís).
The cooking point, the key to making a good 'Arrocito de Castelló'
VALENCIA, WINNING PROVINCE
Second place went to Jairo Varas, from Avenida 2.0, in Massamagrell and in third place was Isabel Ribelles, from the Nazaret restaurant, in Puçol. Thus, the three winners belong to the province of Valencia.
The 'Arrocito de Castell'ó, popularized by El Último de la Fila in his song 'Like a donkey tied up at the door of the dance', is a gastronomic reference of the Castellón region and both locals and onlookers enjoyed watching its preparation live.
The song said: "... I am an airplane pilot, take me to the movies, love, and eat a little rice in Castelló." And said and done, the chefs got down to work using ingredients from the area such as extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, artichokes, garlic, sepionet de la punxa, king prawns from Castelló, monkfish, fumet, rice and saffron.
The artichoke, essential ingredient of the 'Arrocito de Castelló'
A JURY FULL OF SUNS AND STARS
Among the members of the jury, there were distinguished chefs and chefs with Michelin stars and Repsol suns, such as: Michael Barrier from the Cal Paradi restaurant, Bernard Koeller from the Riff restaurant, Miguel Angel Mayor from the Sucede restaurant, Rafael Soler from Audrey's, Luis Valls from the El Poblet restaurant and Christina Figueira of El Xato.
They were also members of the jury Patricia Door , Councilor for Tourism of the Castelló City Council; Santos Ruiz , manager of the Regulatory Council of the D.O. Rice from Valencia and gastronomic critic; Jesus Terres , editor of The Hedonistic Guide to Valencia; Y Manuel Rodriguez , president of the Academy of Gastronomy of the Valencian Community.
Of the fifteen participating chefs, six are in charge of restaurants in the province of Castellón: Joan Baths , from the restaurant of the Club Náutico de Castelló (Grau de Castelló), Cesareo Marti , from Casa Lola (Grau de Castelló); Adrian Merenciano , from the Flote Restaurant (Castelló); Jorge Allepuz the Denim Gastrobar (Castelló); Borja Jesus Llido , from El Chato Gastrobar (Artana), winner of the first edition; Abel Ramon Calvet , of the Ramsol (Xert) ; Y Joaquin Pomer, of the School Menu S.L. (Castello).
From the province of Valencia have participated: Isabel Ribelles , from the Nazaret restaurant (Puçol); Jairo Varas , from Avenida 2.0 (Massamagrell); Juan Jose Sanbartolome , from Sequial (Swedish) ; Fernando Piris Llopis , from La Mar Salà (Cullera) ; Paco Gimeno , from El Racó de Meliana (Meliana) ; Daniel Garcia , from Bufit (Valencia) ; and the winner, Paco Rodriguez , from the Miguel y Juani restaurant (L'Alcúdia) .
There has also been a contestant from Valladolid, Yolanda Martin , of the Mesón Maryobeli (Cugeces del Monte).
The three winners of the contest
PACO RODRÍGUEZ: “THE SECRET IS AT THE POINT OF COOKING”
“Paco Rodríguez's little rice has been the winner because he had a perfect cooking, both of the rice and of the ingredients, ”said Miguel Barrera, member of the jury and author of the recipe for 'Arrocito de Castelló'.
The winner, Paco Rodríguez, has been cooking rice dishes at the restaurant for fifteen years Miguel y Juani, founded in 1989 by this marriage and run by the second generation of the family.
Miguel and Juani It is a family restaurant and I was practically born in it as a chef after having passed through the Catering School of Castelló de la Plana”, Paco tells Traveler.es
Miguel and Juani's kitchen is traditional, market and with an unmistakable Mediterranean stamp. Paco is in charge of the kitchen and his brother, Pedro, is the head of the room. Together they inaugurated a Miguel and Juani four years ago in Tokyo and later, in Yokohama and Osaka.
Fifteen chefs and an exceptional jury
“I like to enter contests. But I recognize that this is very special because I spent many of the best years of my life studying in Castelló, a city for which I feel great affection and always will. That is why it has been very special for me to win this contest here”, says Paco.
What makes a 'Arrocito de Castelló' unique? Precisely that: “which is from Castelló. The important thing about a rice is that it is indigenous to the place. And the 'Arrocito de Castelló' has an excellent raw material... and from Castelló", says Paco forcefully.
In the opinion of Miguel and Juani's chef, the number one rule of rice is “have a good taste”, although it also stands out the cooking point: “It is something basic. I think the cooking point of the rice has been the key that has made me win”.
For readers who want to prepare it at home, Paco Rodríguez is clear about his advice: “Above all, prepare a good 'fumet', a good sofrito... and put the exact cooking point to the rice. All this is the most important."
We take note!
The contest was held in the Plaza Mayor of Castellón