Melburnians awarded best Paella outside of Spain

A father and son team from Melbourne have won the title of the Best Paella (outside Spain) at an international competition.

Leno Latarullo is the chef and owner of Simply Spanish at the bustling South Melbourne Market.

This week Mr Latarullo and son, Jake, flew over to Valencia to participate in the ‘International Paella Competition’— colloquially known as ‘Concurs Internacional de Paella.’

The dad-and-son duo beat 43 teams from across the globe to take out the prestigious title.

Mr Latarullo attributed the victory to his ingrained passion for Spanish cooking, having started work as a chef as a young teenager.

“I don’t think I could see myself doing anything else,” he said in an official statement today.

“My appreciation for good food drives me to seek inspiration, and I am always seeking to learn more.”

Simply Spanish’s signature ‘big pan Paella’ stays true to the ancient recipe, comprising  chorizo, boneless chicken, calamari and local mussels, all cooked with a house blend of herbs and spices.