Fire & Rice – Naples’ Favorite Paella Catering – is Thriving Through the Pandemic

​Throughout the pandemic, the people of Naples have still had a strong desire to come together and celebrate the special moments in life – birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, graduations, and more. With restaurants at limited capacity, making it almost impossible to get reservations, and a lack of local events, residents quickly ran out of interesting dining options. It was at this point that Fire & Rice paella catering decided to create opportunities. 

Fire & Rice Creates Unique and Safe Outdoor Dining Opportunities Throughout the Naples Area

Fire & Rice founder, Paul Schmidgall, knows the Naples’ lifestyle well, having catered parties and events, big and small, in a wide variety of venues for more than a decade. Instead of allowing the pandemic to slow his paella catering franchise down, he adapted to the new reality and created alternative dining solutions that were safe and fun.

Fairly quickly, Schmidgall knew that it was critical to adapt to COVID-19, which has proven to be the ultimate challenge for hospitality businesses. For however long this virus was going to stick around, the structure of his franchise needed to change. And he did it: The Fire & Rice franchise has been thriving through the pandemic – not just in Naples, but at other locations throughout the country.

How did Fire & Rice do it?

Like many restaurants, they started doing take-out.  Next, they started offering paella delivery.  But, as the novelty of those services began to wear off, Schmidgall realized that they needed to do more.  It was critical to get to the root of what the people of Naples really wanted: to gather and interact with others safely over a delicious meal.

Residents Enjoy Award-Winning Paella at Condominium Complexes & HOA Communities 

Soon, Fire & Rice started booking condominium complexes and HOA communities throughout the Naples area during the week, creating outdoor dining opportunities for residents on-site. People could pre-order their paella, ensuring no-contact payments, and walk outside their front door to the Naples’ food truck, pick up their paella, see people, and socialize!  
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All over Naples, residents came together at a safe distance to mingle with neighbors and friends over a unique dish in their own communities.  This wonderful opportunity was exactly what people had been craving.  Not only was the paella delicious, but it was safe, fast, easy, and inexpensive! Before they knew it, Fire & Rice was bringing original paella to Pelican Marsh, the Villages of Monterey, Marbella Isles, the Tall Pines community, and the Contessa. People couldn’t get enough of the paella or the social experience. 

Friends & Families Dine Al Fresco with Naples Paella Catering in Their Own Backyards

Early this fall, Fire & Rice began offering an outdoor paella catering experience where residents could dine al fresco in their own backyard.  Since restaurant dining options were limited, people jumped at the chance to celebrate over beautiful plates of paella on their decks and patios. It was a huge hit!  Not only did they enjoy a personalized menu, but they were also entertained during the preparation process and able to linger as long as they like!

If you’d like to learn more about more about Naples’ paella catering opportunities, call Fire & Rice today at 239-269-8857 or book online.  We look forward to hearing from you and helping you create unique dining experience in your neighborhood or home.