Arros QD in Fitzrovia becomes first restaurant outside Spain to win paella prize

A London restaurant has become the first in Europe outside Spain to win the highest award for paella.

Arros QD in Fitzrovia is one of only 33 in the world to hold the Cullera de Fusta honour given to restaurants judged to prepare the highest quality paellas. All but two of them are in Spain with the other held by Jaleo by José Andrés in Las Vegas.

The award, which translates as “wooden spoon”, is normally a title given to competitors who come last, but in this case is a rare accolade for makers of the rice speciality. Chef Quique Dacosta, who opened the £4.3 million restaurant in June, said he was “very proud” to have brought authentic paella to London that was far from the Anglicised version with fluffy rice and ingredients such as chorizo or pineapple.

He said: “Traditional recipes have ingredients that have to be respected. How would you feel if I put chorizo on your Yorkshire pudding? If people put pineapple in it then it is not paella, then it is rice with pineapple.”

He added: “It is our duty to act as guardians over paella. We must take care of our popular recipes, but also be generous with those who are interested in getting to know us.”