Burgas has established itself as the culinary capital of Bulgaria with a victory in a national paella competition.

On June 22, 2025, the stage of Flora Expo Center in Burgas turned into an arena of flavors, aromas and passion for Spanish cuisine. In a fiercely contested competition at a high level of mastery, Kaloyan Kolev was declared the grand winner by the international jury, which included the best paella master for 2024 Joe Padilla from Puerto Rico, Jorge Castellanos from Mexico, Gabriela Novak from Spain, Miguel Perez from Spain and Andre Tokev from Bulgaria.

Kaloyan Kolev is a lecturer from the Institute of Culinary Arts at the University of Management in Varna and has his own business as a culinary consultant. For his signature paella recipes, he uses only Bulgarian products - rabbit, chicken, Petrohan, truffles and others, produced by his family. With this triumph, Kaloyan will have the honor to represent Bulgaria at the World Paella Day Cup final in Valencia - the birthplace of paella - on September 20, 2025.

Although only one chef will carry the Bulgarian flag in Valencia, the competition in Burgas was a true celebration of talent. Eight contenders cooked two paellas each within the competition. Nikolay Genchev deservedly won second place, thanks to his exceptional interpretation and professional approach. And Manuel Casado, the third-place winner, brought the spirit of Spain with every bite of his authentic recipe.

The paella competition was more than a contest - it was a fiesta of taste, mastery and cultural unity. From the first stir in the pan to the final "¡Olé!" on stage, the audience witnessed the magic of paella - a dish that brings people together around the fire and tradition. The organizers, the jury, the participants and the enthusiastic audience turned this day into an unforgettable celebration of the sun, the sea and the flavors!

The competition was part of the Sole festival, dedicated to Spanish culture, music, art and cuisine, which took place from June 20 to 22, 2025 in Burgas. Next stop - Valencia! We wish Kaloyan Kolev success - with his passion for culinary arts, he will leave a bright mark in the world history of paella!