“In this country, nothing is more popular than a conspiracy,” says Spanish celebrity chef César Román in the true crime series Cooking Up Murder: Uncovering the Story of César Román. Directed by Román Parrado and written by Noemí Redondo and Isabel Paniagua, the three-part docuseries investigates the murder of Heydi Paz. Román, the man convicted of her murder, maintains his innocence — but his laundry list of misdeeds suggest otherwise.
The series covers Román’s quick rise through the ranks of Spain’s restaurant industry and his downfall after being charged in the murder of his then-partner, Heydi Paz. The documentary details the investigation that led to Román’s arrest and the extensive media coverage that followed, shedding light on why Román was implicated in the killing.
César Román
Román, known as “King of Cachopo” within the Spanish foodie community for popularizing the Asturian dish cachopo, is a former restaurateur known for rubbing elbows with the best and brightest in Spain’s gastronomy scene. Born in Venezuela, Román says he’s lived an unusual life — he’s claimed to have been a trade unionist, the owner of multiple newspapers, the founder of several political parties, a military man who served in Bosnia, and a Basque undercover agent.
Román also worked with some of the best chefs and restaurateurs in the world. In 2016, he claimed to have won the title of Best Cachopo in Spain for that year from La Academia Española de Amigos del Cachopo. However, as the series explores, Román is now most famous for being charged in Paz’s murder — and for the pathological lies and financial fraud that preceded his notoriety as a criminal.
In April 2018, Román met Heydi Paz, who worked at one of his restaurants. By early June, Paz told Román she no longer wanted to see him. By early August, she was missing. On Aug. 13, 2018, firefighters responding to a building fire found an unzipped suitcase with dismembered body parts inside. The remains were later identified as belonging to Paz.
Yes, it’s based on the real criminal case against Román.
The events covered in the docuseries take place in Madrid and Zaragoza, Spain.
Cachopo, a traditional dish from the Asturias region in northern Spain, is a breaded and deep-fried sandwich — but instead of bread, the Serrano ham and cheese filling is sandwiched by veal fillets (or sometimes beef). So picture two slabs of wiener schnitzel, but with meat and cheese in between and fried all together. The dish is typically served with French fries and cooked peppers on the side.
Román is currently serving a 15-year sentence in a prison near Madrid. He was convicted and sentenced in 2021.
