Fire & Rice - Naples’ Original Paella! has been going full steam ahead since November and is now wrapping up its busiest season. As things begin to wind down locally, Fire & Rice founder, Chef Paul Schmidgall, sets his sights on working with franchisees throughout the U.S. to build their brand identity and grow their business. 

In June, Chef Paul will pack up his Fire & Rice food truck and trailer and hit the road, stopping at various locations across the country to offer guidance and support and also lend a helping hand. In June, he’ll spend two weeks in Michigan at the Lansing and Ann Arbor locations. Later in the season, he’ll head to Low Country, South Carolina, for the Bluffton Seafood Festival and then make his way up to the Fairfield, Connecticut location later in the fall.  

Chef Paul launched the original Fire & Rice location in Naples more than a decade ago, and it caught on like wildfire. Starting at the local farmers’ markets in Naples and Marco Island, people got to see first-hand what the excitement was all about.
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The popularity of experiencing Fire & Rice’s award-winning paella in an exciting atmosphere spread throughout Southwest Florida, and soon enough people were hosting Fire & Rice parties and requests were coming in for area events, including the PGA Tour. Today, the Naples’ team books more than fifty parties and events each month from November through the end of April – business is booming!  

After success at the Naples’ location, it was clear that his paella catering concept was a hit, and Chef Paul decided to expand Fire & Rice into territories across the U.S. With an MBA in International Business and having gone through the start-up process himself, he understands what it takes to get a new franchise off the ground and achieve success.

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For Chef Paul, the success of each franchise has always been a top priority, and he takes his leadership role very seriously. When a new franchisee comes on board, they spend four to six weeks at the original Naples’ paella location learning all aspects of the business. Since every territory is unique, each franchisee works with Chef Paul to navigate the opportunities and challenges in year one. Chef Paul then travels to franchise locations during the summer and early fall months, guiding and offering support. 

Chef Paul is passionate about the paella catering business, and it shows. Whether you visit Fire & Rice in Naples or across the country, you’ll see chefs preparing award-winning paella out in front for everyone to see, creating an exciting atmosphere, and engaging the crowd. More than fabulous paella, Fire & Rice is a unique catering concept that allows people to come together and connect in a festive setting that delights all the senses.
 
If you’re interested in learning about Fire & Rice paella franchise opportunities in your area, contact Chef Paul Schmidgall at 239-269-8857 or visit the website. 

​April showers bring May flowers and paella! Spring is here, and Fire & Rice of Fairfield has officially kicked off the paella season. The doors are open, and we’re ready to share our award-winning paella with you at the farmers’ market, private parties, and events. 

​We love the farmers’ market! From May 23 to November 9, you can find us on Thursdays from 10-2 at the Westport Farmers’ Market on Imperial Avenue where people line up early to get the first batch of our magnificent paella and be part of the communal dining setting. Just come on down, look for our Fairfield food truck, and join in the fun. We hope to see you there!

Looking for a unique alternative to your next catered affair? Host a Fire & Rice party! Fire & Rice of Fairfield offers delicious paella in an interactive setting that is exciting for everyone involved. Our unique twist on catering energizes any crowd, making your party or event an occasion that guests will remember for years to come.

Whenever you see Fire & Rice, you know there’s fun to be had. Whether you’re at a private party or local event, our chefs enthusiastically prepare our magnificent paella out in front for everyone to see.  Using only the finest ingredients dating back to 16th- Century Spain, we combine chicken, sausage, saffron, and Bomba rice in large shallow pans for divine textures and flavors that you’ve never encountered before. Meat can be swapped out or combined with seafood, and vegan options are also available, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.  

During the preparation, gentle aromas fill the air, and our passion for paella draws in the crowd. As everyone gathers around the pans, we encourage guests to join in the preparation process. It’s fun and exciting, and people come together as they share in the experience!

You love to entertain and would really like to mix things up for your next party, but you’re tired of the same old catering fare you see at every occasion. After all, how many stuffed mushroom caps can one person eat? You want something new and exciting, something guests will remember for years to come, but what else is out there?   
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If you’re looking for a unique catering alternative that guests will rave about, Fire & Rice Low Country offers award-winning paella in a communal dining setting that’s fun and exciting. More than fabulous food, a Fire & Rice party is the ultimate paella experience, bringing people together in a festive atmosphere and touching all the senses.

Fire & Rice is passionate about paella, and from the moment your guests arrive, they’ll know they’re in for a unique experience. Our chefs enthusiastically prepare our magnificent paella out in front for everyone to see, and as people mix and mingle, they are drawn to the large shallow pans filled with a palette of primary colors. As gentle aromas fill the air, guests gather around and are encouraged to participate in the preparation process. It’s fun and exciting, and everyone wants to join in!

Using only the finest ingredients dating back to 16th-Century Spain, we fuse chicken, sausage, and saffron with Bomba rice, creating exquisite flavors and gentle textures that are like nothing you’ve ever encountered before. The meat can be substituted or combined with seafood, and vegan options are also available, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether it’s Mixta Paella, Paella Valencia, or Paella de Marisco, there is beauty and magnificence in every dish that delights all the senses.

When the paella is ready, your guests will come together in a communal dining setting that is warm and inviting.  Paella is a dish that is meant for sharing, and as people gather together to take their first bite of paella, it exceeds every expectation. Many of our clients have traveled all over the world and say our paella is the best they’ve ever tasted.
If you’d like to host a Fire & Rice party, we make it as easy as possible for you. We arrive in our catering food truck about an hour in advance with everything we need to prepare and serve your guests. All you have to do is book your party, and we take care of the rest. It’s that easy!
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If you’d like to learn more about our paella catering services in Hilton Head, Beaufort, Bluffton, Savannah, and surrounding areas, call us today at 843-949-0089 or book your party online.  And if you’ve never tried our award-winning paella, head down to the Hilton Head Farmers’ Market at the Honey Horn Plantation on Tuesdays from 9am-1pm or the Bluffton Farmers’ Market on Thursdays from 1pm-6pm to join in the fun. We look forward to seeing you there!

​Chef Paul Schmidgall, the founder of the Fire & Rice paella catering franchise, remembers what it was like when he first opened the doors of his Naples food truck more than a decade ago and the challenges that went along with being a new business owner.  With an MBA in International Business and a degree from the College of Culinary Arts at Johnston & Wales University, Chef Paul is reaching out to small business owners, particularly in the food industry, to share some helpful tips for growth during the first two years. 

One of the biggest challenges of starting a new business, according to Chef Paul, is cash flow.  When you’re just starting out, you’re likely in a lower tax bracket, and you want to take advantage of that situation. During your first year, you need to invest in your business, but you also need to set enough money aside for taxes throughout the year.  ​

No one wants to be blindsided on April 15th, so it’s critical to plan ahead.  Chef Paul recommends creating a new tax bank account and setting aside 31% of your income over the year, 6% for sales tax (in Florida) and 25% for federal taxes. This allows you to stay on track through your first year of business and avoid being stuck with a big tax bill in April.  
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If you choose to continue implementing this strategy beyond into your second year of business, you’ll likely end up with a surplus as your profits grow. That’s when you can determine other ways to invest and grow your business even more, which is a good position to be in at the end of year two. 

Creating a tax bank account allowed Chef Paul to focus on creating and investing in new ways to grow his business.  What started out as a Naples’ food truck expanded into a full-service catering company and is now a national paella franchise.  By planning ahead and investing in your business the right way, you can create your own vision for growth and make it a reality. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Fire & Rice paella franchise opportunities or Chef Paul’s journey, call Fire & Rice – Naples Original Paella! at 239-269-8857. We look forward to hearing from you!

May 6 – May 10 marks National Teacher Appreciation Week, and school districts and parents around the country are taking the time out to celebrate our teachers and show gratitude for the pivotal role they play in our children’s lives. Teachers inspire a love of learning and discovery in today’s youth that can last a lifetime, and while working hard every day to meet curriculum requirements, they instill students’ self-confidence and motivation for long-term success.  For all of these things, and so many more, we are thankful. 

​This year, Fire & Rice is proud to be a part of National Teacher Appreciation Week in both Collier and Lee School Districts. Our team looks forward to kicking off the midday festivities in both districts and sharing our paella with the local teachers who work so hard each day to educate and inspire our children.

​While bagels, sandwiches, soups, and salads are typically the go-to fare for Teacher Appreciation Week, two school districts in Southwest Florida are taking a different approach. To recognize their teaching staff, both Collier and Lee School Districts are bringing great food as well as fun and excitement to lunchtime celebrations with Fire & Rice paella catering. 

At Fire & Rice, our team is passionate about paella, and we prepare our award-winning paella in large, shallow pans right out in front for everyone to see. As we delicately fuse the flavors of chicken, sausage, and saffron with Bomba rice, the beauty of the dish boasts a palette of primary colors, and gentle aromas fill the air, touching the senses.
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People are drawn to our enthusiasm as well as the creation of this unique dish, and as the crowd gathers around, we encourage people to engage in the preparation process.  The excitement builds, and even the quietest members of the group take part in the fun. It’s interactive, exciting, and something to be remembered for years to come. 

​When the paella is ready, we invite everyone up to the pans and serve them.  As people join in the communal dining experience, they come together and connect in the warm and inviting atmosphere.  And when they taste the paella, it’s like nothing they’ve ever encountered before, exceeding all expectations.
 
Fire & Rice makes catering at a school event easy. We arrive about an hour before the celebration and bring everything we need to prepare the paella and serve the staff.  All you have to do is book your party, and we take care of the rest. It’s really that easy!
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If you’re interested in bringing unique fare, fun, and excitement to your next party or event, call us today to learn more about Naples’ paella catering from Fire & Rice at 239-269-8857 or book your party online. We look forward to sharing our award-winning paella with you! 

​​It’s such a great time down at the farmers’ markets in Naples and Marco Island each week, and Fire & Rice is right in the middle of the action.  As you enjoy the fun, excitement, and, of course, the paella, have you ever wondered how it all got started?

​More than two decades ago, Chef Paul Schmidgall, founder of the Fire & Rice franchise and owner of the Naples’ location, was stationed in Europe with the US military and visited a small island off the coast of Spain called Menorca. There, he watched an elderly woman prepare paella on Sunday afternoons and became fascinated with the process.

Though he didn’t speak Spanish, and she didn’t speak English, she engaged him in the paella preparation and demonstrated each step of the process, passing her tradition onto the next generation. Chef Paul learned how to clean the fish, prawns, and shellfish, and the woman demonstrated how to cook the paella in a large shallow pan, fusing the delicate flavors together with saffron and Bomba rice. 
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Chef Paul knew then and there that he had learned something special and decided to bring the paella concept to the US. A few years later, with a culinary degree, an MBA, and two military tours under his belt, he established Fire & Rice and opened the original location here in Naples, where residents and visitors have been enjoying the interactive paella experience ever since.

The concept that started at the farmers’ markets and is now a Naples’ tradition, has spread like wildfire to private parties, events, and the LPGA and PGA tour. Because of the success here in Naples, you can now enjoy award-winning paella at multiple Fire & Rice locations throughout the country. ​
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But don’t be fooled by imitators!  There are actually people here in Naples who are pretending to be us, and we don’t want you to be disappointed.  When responding to an online ad or visiting the farmers’ markets, just make sure you’re dealing with Fire & Rice.  If there’s any kind of run around, it’s not us!   

If you’re in the Naples Area and would like to enjoy original paella from Fire & Rice, an interactive communal dining experience, at your next party or event, call us at 239-269-8857 or book your party online. We look forward to sharing Naples original paella with you!