WORLD PAELLA DAY CUP 2025 is an international competition in which between 8 – 10 chefs from all over the world will participate with their culinary skills and knowledge to represent their country in the preparation of Paella.

The grand finale will take place on September 20 in Valencia, Spain.

For the first time, 8 qualifying competitions will be organized in 2025, at different locations around the world. See all dates and locations here.

At each of them, winners will be selected to compete in the grand final on September 20.

One of these competitions, part of the WORLD PAELLA DAY CUP 2025 will be held on 21 and 22 June in Burgas, Bulgaria.

The winner will receive the right to participate in the World Final in Valencia.
And this year, the finalist chefs will participate in the World Cup to experience five days in Valencia to immerse themselves in the culture of Paella, meet world culinary stars, visit major landmarks in Valencia, the rice fields of the Albufera Natural Park, the central market and many other emblematic places for the city and the region.
Spain retains its role as host country in the competition, but will not participate.

Finalists and assistants from the previous three editions are also not eligible to participate.

PRINCIPLE OF PARTICIPATION

We divide participation into four phases:

PHASE 1. HOW TO PARTICIPATE (until April 30 2025)

Fill out this form and submit a short video before April 30, 2025. It should be no longer than 59 seconds, and in it tell us:

• • Your professional history

• • Which country do you want to represent?

• • Why do you want to participate in the World Paella Day CUP?

Attach the video to the form or send it to email: contact@sole.bg

PHASE 2. SELECTION OF FINALISTS (May 01 to May 15)

The best and most suitable candidates will be selected by a jury and will move on to the final phase;

A list of all those admitted to the competition in Burgas will be uploaded to www.sole.bg (or the SOLE Festival social networks)

The jury, composed of professionals engaged by the World Paella Day CUP organizing committee, taking into account personal qualities, professional experience, motivation and submitted materials, will select 8-12 participants who will cook live on June 22 in Burgas. Those selected will be notified via personalized email.

PHASE 3. PREPARATORY STAGE:

Preparation time (June 20-21). Between 8 – 12 selected finalists will be invited to come to Burgas to compete on June 22. The national finalists are offered a full program of activities that will allow them to prepare for the competition on site – access to local producers and traders of products, the opportunity to prepare and process the products in a professional kitchen, a Paella master class by a member of the jury, socialization and acquaintance with the other participants in the competition, visits to emblematic places in Burgas, inclusion in the SOLE festival, which will be held in parallel at the same time in Burgas.

The Organizing Committee of the WORLD PAELLA DAY CUP 2025 will cover the accommodation costs of each national finalist (in a double room) for the dates June 20-21-22, as well as the activities included in the competition.
In the event that any of the contestants does not accept the conditions of participation, the organizers will offer a place to the reserve finalists until the appropriate number of contestants is selected.

PHASE 4. NATIONAL FINAL OF THE WORLD PAELLA DAY CUP 2025:

In this stage, 8-12 finalists will face each other in a direct competition on June 22. In the first round, some participants will be eliminated, with 5 of them participating in the second round and preparing a second dish live. One of the five will be selected as the national winner and entitled to participate in the Grand Final in Valencia on September 20, 2025.

AWARD

The winner will receive a National Cup as a prize, which will certify him/her as the winner of the First National Paella Competition in Bulgaria, part of the WORLD PAELLA DAY CUP 2025. In addition, the second and third place finishers will also receive plaques certifying their ranking in the competition.

All finalists will receive special commemorative jackets and a certificate of their status as a finalist in the National Competition. All finalists will be provided with overnight accommodations for the period June 20-22 in the city of Burgas.

The winner of the competition will be entitled to participate in the World Final in Valencia on September 20, 2025. Transportation costs to Valencia and back are part of the national prize, and the organizers of the WORLD PAELLA DAY CUP 2025 will provide accommodation and stay in Spain.

To confirm that you agree with the rules described here, you must accept these GENERAL RULES OF PARTICIPATION.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR PARTICIPATION

1. Materials (texts, images, videos, etc.) that are not submitted correctly for participation and within the established dates will be disqualified.
2. Any application for participation that arrives outside the established deadlines will be rejected.
3. One finalist will be selected from the national competition for the World Final.
4. Participants agree that the submitted photos, images and video content with their images will be used for the purposes of the National Paella Competition, part of the WORLD PAELLA DAY CUP 2025, as well as for an indefinite period thereafter.

5. The jury and the organizers may make decisions that they deem necessary for the smooth running of the competition.

6. After the approval of all national finalists, they will receive detailed instructions and regulations for the competition in Burgas on June 21 and 22.