The gastronomic school LaLlarga has won the first prize in the 64th edition of the International Valencian Paella Competition in Sueca, held this past weekend, in the category of best paella in the Comunitat.
And with a clear peculiarity: it is not a typical restaurant, but a cooking school that has made paella its central experience.
While the award for best paella in the world in 2025 went to the Quito restaurant, Sabor Amar Paellas, in Ecuador, LaLlarga takes over from Alejandro Platero in 2025 as the best paella in the whole community.
Cooking the champion paella with your own hands at LaLlarga
The most unique thing about LaLlarga’s proposal is that you don’t have to book a table to try their paella, they invite you to be the cook. Under the slogan “the best paella is not on a restaurant’s menu”, they offer an immersive gastronomic experience.
The day, which lasts three hours, begins in the Russafa market square. There, participants meet with the LaLlarga team to shop together for the fresh, zero-kilometer ingredients that will bring the dish to life: chicken, rabbit, bassqueta, garrofó and, of course, rice.
From the square to the paellero, the experience becomes a shared party. ” We cook together, with music and wine,” LaLlarga explains on its website.
While the rice slowly absorbs the broth, there is no shortage of sangria and an appetizer to whet the appetite and encourage conversation.
This experience is designed for everyone, from curious tourists to locals who wish to perfect their technique, either alone, as a couple, with friends or even as a company activity. The objective is to live an authentic Valencian experience, similar to that proposed by other outsiders such as Toni Montoliu in Meliana.
The price to discover the secrets of the best paella in the Valencian Community in 2025 is 52,73 € for adults, 36,91 € for teenagers (from 12 to 16 years old) and 16 € for children (from 4 to 11 years old). Reservations are already enabled on their website.
However, if you come from Wednesday to Sunday, from 18:00 to 00:00, you can discover the other side of LaLlarga: a cocktail bar in the heart of Ruzafa.
The bar and cooking school is located in Dénia street, 22.