Wellington chef off to world Paella competition

Wellington chef John Allred has no mediterranean background whatsoever but that hasn't stopped him making the finalists in a world Paella (pron: pie -ee-ya) competition dominated by Spaniards. Clasically trained in French cuisine, John's passion for Paella has resulted in him being the only New Zealander to take part in the Valencia International Paella Competition this September. Paella - for the uninitiated - is a rice dish with common traditional ingredients being chicken or rabbit, beans, seafood, stock and saffron. It's cooked in a wide pan and a key part of a good Paella is the soccarot - the caramelised crunchy bottom.