The Spanish Pantry Festival, held in Shenzhen (China), is where the Montero Brothers presented their new brand of rice and promoted Spanish gastronomy. If there is one thing Spain and China share, it is a love of rice. There are countless recipes that can be made with this ingredient and, depending on the country; it is prepared in one way or another. That is why the brothers David and Jose Montero have been wanting to travel to China for so long.

On this occasion, it was to promote the Spanish product and to publicise their new rice brand, Ricepaella. They did so as part of the Spanish Pantry Festival, one of the international missions currently organised by ICEX Spain Export and Investment. This was held at the end of September in Shenzhen (China).

For a week, the luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel in the city – one of the most technologically advanced in the world – brought together Spanish gastronomy professionals and Chinese importers, distributors, journalists, opinion leaders, hoteliers and sommeliers. In addition to exhibiting typical products such as ham, cheese, wine and oil, seminars were held and dozens of recipes were tasted, including Ricepaella rice dishes.

Passing on the flavour

“Showing them what we do and how we do it has been a gift for us,” explains master rice cook David Montero, better known on social networks as @Ricepaella. The aim was to transmit the local flavour in a special way, thus attracting new looks. They have achieved this by cooking various rice dishes from their menu and from their book ‘Paella Lovers’, such as pumpkin rice, vegetable rice, coconut fideuá, Valencian paella or caramelised apple rice. The latter is one of the most popular, as it contains star anise, an ingredient that is highly prized in China.

These are recipes that have been prepared with Ricepaella rice, grown in the heart of the Albufera Natural Park and with the Arròs de València Denomination of Origin. A fact that Jose Montero is proud of: “Taking Valencian rice so far away excites us because it makes us ambassadors of our land”. An experience in which the company, according to the brothers, has been unbeatable. Travelling with them were sommelier Alejandro Paadín and chef Ager Urigüen, organisers of the Spanish Pantry Festival; and Michelin star chef Rafa Centeno. All of them delighted more than 500 people with the best of Spanish gastronomy.

The Montero brothers have not only brought València’s rice to another continent, but they have also learnt how they work it there and what varieties they use. “Bringing paella to China has been quite a challenge because they have a great rice culture, although the flavours are very different”, says David, who says that this experience has been one of the most professionally enriching.

A gastronomy that travels

However, this is not the first time that the Montero brothers have taken Valencian rice on the road with the Spanish Pantry Festival. They have previously visited countries such as Switzerland (2023), Saudi Arabia (2022) with LaLiga or Mexico up to three times (the last one in 2022). In all of them, they have highlighted Spanish products -both food and beverages- through activities such as seminars, educational sessions, gastronomic festivals, gala dinners and buffets.

Ricepaella also wants to continue its journey around the world. This time, by marketing the product at European level, one of the challenges facing David and Jose Montero in the final months of the year. Since they launched the product onto the market last June, both individuals and restaurants have shown interest in rice. To this, must be added the arrival of their online courses, at popular prices and taught in Spanish and English. “We want them to learn how to cook traditional rice dishes easily, but also creative ones,” adds Jose.

About Ricepaella 

Under the slogan ‘We are the paella dragon, we are the rice dragon’, Ricepaella rice comes in two formats, one for paella lovers and the other for large kitchens or restaurants. Its two varieties, J. Sendra and Albufera, have the Arròs de València Denomination of Origin, which makes them a high quality product. A resistant rice, with a good resting time and which absorbs flavours well, which is already on sale in their physical shop (Músic Peydró, 4) -right in the centre of the city-, and also in their online shop.

Report by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

Photo: From left to right, the chef Rafa Centeno, the brothers Jose and David Montero (Ricepaella), and the organisers Alejandro Paadín and Ager Urigüen.

More info: www.ricepaella.com

@ricepaelladelivery

@ricepaella