An Auckland chef has won the 2018 World Tapas Championship in Spain.

Congratulations to the chef Shuyun Chen of the restaurant #Bellota of Auckland, New Zealand! She is the winner of the World #Tapas Competition held today in Valladolid, Spain. Thanks for being a Spanish gastronomy lover! #tapasvll2018 pic.twitter.com/3xl5fLQdAi — FoodWineSpain (@FoodWineSpain) November 7, 2018

Shuyun Chen of Bellota by Peter Gordon restaurant impressed the judges panel with her "Crispy Rice" tapa, a tuna roll with pickled vegetables.

She was awarded the supreme prize of 6000 euro - ($NZ10,000) - at the closing ceremony in the city of Valladolid on Wednesday.

The gala was attended by more than 500 people, who packed the Millennium Dome of the Valladolid.

Ms Chen earlier this year won the Oceania Tapas Championship, which was held in New Zealand for the first time.