The competition dates back to 1961, the year in which the 600th anniversary of the discovery of the image of the Virgin of Sales, patron saint of Sueca, was celebrated. It also coincided with the beginning of the arrival of European tourists to the Spanish Mediterranean coast. In this context, the then mayor of the city, Francisco Segarra Fabià, decided to promote a festival dedicated to paella.

Thus was born the Rice Festival, which included the State Paella Competition in the morning and, in the afternoon, the Rice Parade. All the events were presided over by the Rice Queen, dressed in traditional Valencian attire.

Five years later, the festival was officially recognised as being of tourist interest. The popularity of the event continued to grow, reaching 1,600 diners in 1974. On 18 January 1980, its status as a festival of tourist interest was published in the Official State Gazette.

In 1987, collaboration began with the Club of Head Chefs of the Valencian Community, the Association of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Valencia, and the Federation of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of Spain, organisations that have participated in the organisation of the competition ever since.

In 1990, the competition was opened to international participants, with the arrival of chefs from Europe, America and Japan. That same year, the Valencian paella recipe was certified as the official recipe for the competition, and the event was granted the status of a festival of national tourist interest.

In 2016, a new qualifying semifinal for Australia and New Zealand was introduced, held in Tasmania.

In 2021, during the 60+1 edition —so named because the 60th edition could not be held due to the pandemic— the figure of a notary was introduced for the first time in the history of the competition, with the aim of guaranteeing transparency, rigour and the utmost confidence in the jury’s deliberations. This edition also saw the active involvement of the Sueca and Beaches Hospitality Guild.

In 2024, for the first time in the history of the competition, the first Valencian Community Qualifying Semifinal was held in Vinaròs, with the aim of selecting the 12 contestants who would participate in the Sueca Competition. This semifinal was subsequently held again in 2025 and 2026, in the city of Castellón de la Plana.

Furthermore, in 2025, a National Qualifying Semifinal was held for the first time, in the city of Guadalajara. Chefs from different parts of Spain —with the exception of those from the Valencian Community, who have their own semifinal— competed for qualification for the 64th edition of the International Valencian Paella Competition of Sueca. A total of 10 contestants qualified.

Finally, in 2026, for the first time in its history, the lunch and awards ceremony were held outside the town of Sueca, as had traditionally been the case until then. That year, the event took place in Mareny de Barraquetes, within the municipality of Sueca, at the Sucrer restaurant.