Paella: A Cultural History

Instituto Cervantes, the official Spanish Centre, is a public institution founded in 1991 to promote Spanish language teaching and knowledge of the cultures of Spanish speaking countries throughout the world.

Instituto Cervantes Dublin

A talk on the art, advertising and culture of Spain's most iconic dish by gastronomy writer Blanca Valencia

Culture Night 2026

Discover the arts in Spanish through a multidisciplinary programme for all ages. Immerse yourself in Hispanic culture.

The Instituto Cervantes in Dublin, the Spanish cultural and language centre in Ireland, invites all food lovers to join this immersive event that will explore the origins, mythology, and visual history of paella—a dish that has come to represent an entire nation while remaining fiercely regional.This talk, presented by food writer Blanca Valencia, traces paella from the rice fields of Valencia to modern TV advertising campaigns and to viral comedian critiques. Blanca will examine how a peasant dish cooked over an open fire, and eaten communally, became Spain's most photographed, most debated, and most misunderstood export.One of the highlights of the event will be the exploration of paella in popular arts like ceramic tiles and tourism. The content of the talk will unravel the question of the original recipe, the war over chorizo, when to eat it, and why Valencians say that what most of the world eats is not the real dish at all. Blanca will also include information about the restaurants and chefs who shaped the dish's image, and will examine what paella reveals about Spanish identity, regionalism, and pride.The evening will culminate with a tasting of an authentic Valencian recipe —paella valenciana— with its rabbit, chicken, beans, and the all-important socarrat, the caramelised crust of rice at the bottom of the pan that separates the masters from the rest.This event will take place at the Auditorium (Ground Floor).Blanca Valencia is a food writer and event curator whose work explores the crossroads of food, culture, and art. Born in Spain and raised in Central America, she has cooked and worked across three continents before settling in Dublin.She is the author of The Gazpacho Chronicles, a Substack that takes a playful look at Spanish food and drink culture, and which was nominated for Best Food Blog by @IFWA. She is a member of the Irish Food Writers Guild and has written for Scoop, Irish Country Living, and Foods and Wines from Spain and collaborates regularly with the National Gallery of Art. <a href="" title="" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">EUNIC Culture Trail (incluir en todas las actividades)</a>This event is part of the European Culture Trail – a EUNIC Ireland (European Union National Institutes for Culture) in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Ireland.For those visiting European Culture Trail events in person, download the passport <a href="https://rb.gy/4cbske" title="https://rb.gy/4cbske" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">here</a> and collect stamps at each stop. You can win some wonderful prizes!Passport: <a href="https://rb.gy/4cbske" title="https://rb.gy/4cbske" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://rb.gy/4cbske</a>

Paella: A Cultural History

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Paella: A Cultural History

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