Chef José Andrés’ daughters recall the time their famous dad burned their eyelashes while making paella

José Andrés is known for being one of the best chefs in the world and for his humanitarian efforts; however, he is still in trial mode when it comes to parenting. During an episode of his podcast, Longer Tables with José Andrés, the chef brought his three daughters, Carlota, 23, Inés, 21, and Lucía, 18, as guests to share their experience having a celebrity dad. They also spoke about their new show, José Andrés and Family in Spain.

“I hosted my most important guests ever on this week’s episode of my podcast, Longer Tables…my three daughters!” the World Central Kitchen founder said on Instagram. “They were supposed to be sharing stories from #behindthescenes of our new show, José Andrés and Family in Spain..but I think it turned into more of a roast of their dad!!”

And it was a roast indeed! Carlota recalled the time they traveled to Valencia to partake in a festival where paper-mâché and wooden sculptures are burned. According to the chef’s eldest daughter, they were so close to the flames that it felt like they were the ones catching fire.

“I thought you were trying to kill us because we got so close to one of those sculptures,” she told her dad. “My face was on fire. It was red. I think I got first-degree burns.”

“Are you saying I put you in danger?” the 53-year-old cook asked.

© José Andrés and Family in Spain

“I was scared that my eyelashes were gonna burn off again,” Inés added.

“Again? Why again?” Carlota asked.

Andrés jumped in, “Hold on, hold on. Why are you talking about it again? When did that happen before?”

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“You all know this story. So, we always cook paella at home, a family tradition. Us girls are trying to master paella-making, and I think this was five years ago. A really windy day, we cook paella rain or shine,” Inés recalled.

“And I’m there controlling the fire. I lean down to put in some more wood, and then a gust of wood just comes right in. Flame kinda gets near my face, chars my eyelashes off,” she said.

“But she now has the longest eyelashes in this family, so we all have to ask her what her trick is,” Carlota joked.

“You know, you gotta be careful cooking paella,” Inés warned.

“I was aware of that moment?” Andrés asked, to which his daughter replied, “Yes, you were aware.”

“I was aware that I burned your eyelashes,” he said, confused.

Carlota said, “Dad, you actually burnt my eyelashes as well.”

After getting roasted by his daughters, José Andrés said: “So my dear friends of Longer Tables, you may think I’m a monster because I burned the eyelashes of my daughter. Oh, I forgot my daughters at the supermarket. Those things happen, but I never say I’m a perfect person.”

“We’re an imperfect perfect family,” Inés said.

“Like probably every family around the world, and that’s why we love each other,” Andrés noted.

José Andrés and Family in Spain is streaming on discovery+