MANILA, Philippines - If you love paella, here is your chance to enjoy the rice dish that has put Valencia, Spain on the culinary map, and give to charity while you’re at it.
On Feb. 18, the Sociedad Española de Beneficencia (SEB) is going to make history by cooking at the Casino Español what promises to be the biggest paella in the Philippines, to raise funds to support its charity projects.
A team of chefs, headed by Chef Mikel Arriet of Club Punta Fuego, will do the cooking starting at 3 p.m., on a paellera measuring nine feet in diameter. The paella will be served at 6 p.m.
The paella, to be cooked over a combination of coal and firewood, will naturally require large amounts of ingredients — 60 kilos of rice, 55 kilos of assorted vegetables, 40 kilos of chicken, 50 kilos of seafood, as well as spices, olive oil, stock, etc.
SEB is an NGO founded in 1948 by Spanish citizens residing in the Philippines. Recognized by the Spanish government, it operates under the supervision of Spanish nationals.
It was initially established to provide shelter to indigent elderly Spanish citizens in the country but has since expanded its target beneficiaries to include indigent Filipino elderly and youth.
Its services have also been broadened to include the provision of medical assistance, hospitalization and burial assistance to the elderly, and medical/dental missions and feeding programs to the youth.
In the last two years, over 3,000 children were attended to in various medical and dental missions, and some 500 undernourished children were fed daily.
Co-organizers of this much anticipated fundraising event are Casino Español, Fuego Hotels, and La Cámara. Tickets will be sold at P700 each.
While supporting a great cause, you will have access to this unique culinary event, a serving of tapas with sangria and of course, the paella.
For more information or ticket reservations, contact the SEB at 843-0742, Casino Español at 524-5508 or La Cámara at 886-7643.