Enrique Paños, L'Albufera's rice chef for decades, retires at the end of October
Enrique Paños, the head chef of the rice restaurant L'Albufera at the Meliá Castilla, retires on 30 October 2026 after more than four decades in the hotel's kitchens. A tribute menu runs until 31 October.
Enrique Paños retires on 30 October 2026 after four decades in the kitchens of the Meliá Castilla hotel, home of the rice restaurant L'Albufera. Las Provincias calls him the cook of a million paellas.
El Periódico de España tells the story: born in 1963 in Santa María del Campo Rus, in Cuenca, he joined the Meliá Castilla at 16. L'Albufera opened inside the hotel complex in 1983, and Paños officially started there in 1989, later becoming head chef.
If you want to eat his rice one last time, L'Albufera is serving a farewell tribute menu from 21 September to 31 October.
Location
Calle del Poeta Joan Maragall 43, Madrid
Chef
Enrique Paños
Restaurants mentioned
Frequently asked questions
When does Enrique Paños retire from L'Albufera?
Officially on 30 October 2026, according to El Periódico de España.
Can I still eat Enrique Paños's rice at L'Albufera?
Yes, until 31 October 2026. COPE reports a farewell tribute menu running from 21 September to 31 October.
How long has Enrique Paños worked at L'Albufera?
He joined the Meliá Castilla at 16 and officially started at L'Albufera in 1989, later becoming head chef. COPE puts his career there at four decades.