Kelle Howard
August 20, 2023
The food was beautiful and delicious. The perfect way to celebrate my husband’s 50th birthday!
Toshia McKeon
August 20, 2023
This food was AMAZING!!! Hands down the BEST paella I have ever had!
Katherine Sullivan
August 20, 2023
Delicious food and friendly service!
Tina Olson
August 20, 2023
Such amazing food! Loved the experience of watching him make it and man oh man was everything delicious! I absolutely recommend!
Yvonne Espinoza
June 20, 2023
We had an event catered for a work event. The food was absolutely amazing and delicious. Everything was handled professionally and with ease. Everyone was happy.
Joseline Emefa Boamah
June 16, 2023
Papa Paella is incredible!
The food is incredible, the ingredients are yummy and this is the second time that I've had his food.
If you're looking for an experience for your next event, do yourself a favor and book him!
Shelley Clayton
June 16, 2023
Fantastic food & experience - he is an expert at his craft !
Jonathan Sheppard
June 13, 2023
Food was Amazing!!! I highly recommend Papa Paella for catering large events.
Sady Bartlett
June 13, 2023
Amazing! The paella was delicious.
tradition meets passion
Born and raised on a cattle ranch in South Texas, where my ancestors were among the first Spanish settlers of the area, I learned to cook Spanish rice from my mother. Being her favorite dish, she would attend to it with all five senses. Her rice accompanied many of our meals growing up. From here, I learned to appreciate the art form of preparing rice.
I was instantly drawn to paella later on in life. Somewhat hard to find locally, I decided to learn how to make it myself. While in college, I experimented by adding spices and other ingredients to pre-seasoned boxed paella rice. I was pretty impressed with myself until I could afford to sample better paella! I began to look for paella recipes and soon discovered the rich history behind the dish.
From how the Romans introduced the paella pan and how the Moors cultivated the rice to how Iberian herders saved bomba rice from near extinction by adopting the paella style of cooking, I learned paella’s culinary intricacies.
I found a handful of “authentic” recipes and decided to try and resurrect some of my ancestors’ dishes using a small paella pan I found online and cooking on my stove and in my oven. A different paella emerged every time. I became hooked!
At the time, I was working in the fire department at a large, 12-person station. Each shift, we rotated cooking duties. I decided to buy a larger paella pan with a specialized burner to accommodate cooking for my second family. What better place to learn than cooking for a group of hard-to-please, heavy eaters—all with different restrictions and preferences? My first cook went better than expected. I was encouraged to repeat my paella and soon began tailoring my paella to local palettes.
During this time, a tight group of friends would camp together, and, with their input, I’d experiment on our trips. Somewhat like my ancestors, I learned to travel with my ever-expanding paella kit and cook with locally sourced ingredients.
With the support of my friends and family, my obsession has continued to grow. I cook for seasoned paella lovers and those who have never heard of the dish. I also enjoy coaching others and sharing the art of paella through classes and demonstrations.
Visit VoyageAustin.com to learn more about Chef Homero Garcia.
Born from the love of fine food, friendship and family–in all its forms–we’re grateful for the opportunity to be a part of each experience. From neighborhood dinners and school fundraisers to special ceremonies and campouts with friends, Papa Paella brings the perfect ingredients to every event.
menu
Paella de la Tierra
This is our most popular paella prepared with boneless chicken and Spanish-style Mexican chorizo, fire-roasted red bell peppers, Texas sweet onions, and fresh green beans as available.
Paella del Mar
My second most popular is the Seafood Paella which I can adjust to particular tastes and seasonal availability. This dish is prepared with shrimp, tilapia, shellfish, fire-roasted red bell peppers, Texas sweet onions, and garnished with parsley and lemon. It suits those that are pescatarian and I can easily omit the shellfish if preferred.
Paella Mixta
My original recipe is our most visually appealing and tends to be a favorite with smaller groups. This dish is prepared in the same fashion as our Paella del Mar but also includes Andouille Sausage and Mexican Chorizo.
Paella Verde
This is a regular favorite for vegetarians and also makes a great second dish option that has been well received by non-vegetarians alike. It is prepared with Kale, mushrooms, vegetarian “Soyrizo”, fire-roasted red bell peppers, and Texas sweet onions. Custom options are also available.
Paella Cosecha
In the fall I also offer a thanksgiving recipe that includes fresh pumpkin, pecans, cranberries, mushrooms, and turkey which may be omitted for vegetarian guests.
Inspired by traditional Valencian land and seafood paellas, our menu adds a local flair that will amaze and please your guests.
We also pride ourselves in creating a delicate layer of socarrat which is the crispy, savory crust that is formed on the bottom layer of rice often-times omitted by other chefs.
*All our paellas are prepared with Calispara rice, 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and hand-harvested Category 1 Spanish Saffron which is the highest quality available. No artificial dyes or colorants are used. We can work within most dietary restrictions to make this the perfect dish for you and your guests.