Netflix’s latestdocuseries capturing the infamous life and crimes of celebrity chef César Románhighlights some of the lesser-known facts behind the murder of Román’s girlfriend, Heidi Paz. Throughout the three-part docuseries,the makers attempt to provide insights from both sides of the storyto paint a real picture of the true events that led to Paz’s death in 2018. Moreover, the fate of the notorious chef after the events encapsulated inCooking Up Murdermay be of great interest to those who have just finished Netflix’s latest truecrime docuseries.
Cooking Up Murder: Uncovering the Story of César Román
A compelling true crime film that chronicles the story of César Román, a prominent figure in Madrid’s culinary scene, who became the central suspect in a grisly murder case. The narrative traces Román’s journey from a successful restaurateur to a man on trial for the brutal killing of his girlfriend. Utilizing interviews with legal experts, journalists, and acquaintances, the documentary pieces together the events leading up to the discovery of the victim’s remains and the complex investigation that followed.
How Did César Román Become “The King of Cachopo”?
According toEl País, César Román had a long history of manipulations and scams to his credit, long before earning the title of “The Cachopo King.” From being a television show host to once being part of the military, Román claims to have achieved quite a lot in his life before making it really big with his cachopo – a Spanish meat delicacy from the region of Asturias. Román, at various points, claimed to have beena journalist,a politician, and to possess a Russian diplomatic passport.Román’s first tryst with fame came when his cachopo tapas became a hitat a tapas fair in 2014. From there on, Román’s natural charm and ability to create noise around him became key factors in his rise. As suggested eventually byCooking Up Murder, Román used every trick in his book, including marketing himself through fake awards, to become a local celebrity in Madrid. Within one and a half years, starting in 2016,he was able to open five stores under the brand A Cañada Delic Experienceselling his famous cachopo.
Despite Román’s enormous popularity, his history was continuously stained with scandals. As reported byABC Madrid, he used a bad check in an attempt to buy a hotel, without any funds to back the check. His employees also started voicing their concerns over unpaid dues, while his stores kept shutting their doors. Alongside burgeoning debt, thanks to Román’s ambitious business plans, he also managed to attract a restraining order from his ex-lover (viaEl País). His violent streak was marked by an arrest foranimal abuse. According toThe Digital Closure, thefamous restauranteur of Madrid had gone missing since July 14, 2025. El País reported that Román had allegedly withdrawn all the cash from his accounts, in what could be seen as preparation before his attempt to flee.
César Román Was a Master of Deception
After disappearing from Madrid, Román started a new life, with a new appearance and new name, in the Aragonese capital Zaragoza (viaEl País). To become unidentifiable, he shaved his head, lost weight, and grew a beard. But despite Román’s best attempts, the consequences of his actions soon caught up. Soon after Román’s disappearance,firefighters who went to extinguish a fire in a warehouse in Usera discovered the torso of a woman, covered in caustic soda, inside a suitcase on August 13. The warehouse was rented for one of the entities owned by Román. This discovery led the police to believe there could be a direct correlation between the disappearance of Román and his girlfriend, Heidi Paz. In July,Heidi’s mother had reported the disappearance of her daughter.
Although the discovery of the body and the disappearance of Román did not seem to have a connection initially, Román’s actions came into light when DNA reports confirmed thatthe discovered body belonged to the 25-year-old Honduran woman Heidi Paz(via ABC Madrid). An arrest warrant was soon issued, and the owner of the restaurant, whereRomán was working under the name of Rafael Luján, helped facilitate the arrest of the former celebrity chef. Hereon, the fall of “The King of Cachopo” was quick and neat. Incriminating evidence in the form of Román’s fingerprints on the suitcase in which the torso was stored and the bottle of caustic soda, used to encourage decomposition, ensured that Román could not talk his way out of guilt. Also, Heidi’s phone was found in the possession of Román when he was arrested in Zaragoza.
What Happened to Heidi Paz?
As reported by El País, Heidi was murdered and dismembered in the early morning of August 01, 2025, after she went to Román’s apartment in Vallecas. Upon being put on trial, Román had a different version of the story to present. According to Román,he was threatened by members of the local drug mafiaafter Heidi stole a significant amount of drugs that belonged to the mafia. Román claimed that his disappearance was rooted in these threats and not the discovery of the torso on August 13. In fact,Román maintained that Heidi was alive in Hondurasand the police had a role to play in framing him for the murder of the woman whose body was recovered from his warehouse. As suggested inCooking Up Murder,Román used a variety of tactics to prove his innocence in court, even coming up with his own arguments against the furnished evidence and winking at the lawyers and the judge.
Where is “The King of Cachopo” César Román Now?
Considering all the evidence against Román, the jury unanimously concluded that Román was guilty of the murder of Heidi Paz. Román’s past history helped establish that Román could have killed Heidi after she tried to end her relationship with him. For the crimes,Judge Araceli Perdices sentenced Román to 15 years in prisonfor killing and brutally dismembering Heidi Paz. Along with the prison sentence, Román would be put under supervised freedom for 15 years and would need to compensate Heidi’s two children and her mother.
Presently,Román is servinghis prison sentencein the Alcalá Meco penitentiaryin Madrid. After maintaining the claim of his innocence for the longest time, Román has come clean in a letter sent by him to the Provincial Court of Madrid. As per the letter accessed byEl País, Román suggested that he is ready to take responsibility for his actions after his “reconciliation with God.” According to the letter, Roman is also studying law in the prison. On the other hand, Heidi’s family and lawyer believe that this is merely an attempt by Román to gain access to special prison privileges by admitting to the crime. Meanwhile,Heidi’s family is still waiting to receive the remains of Heidito proceed with the burial.
All episodes ofCooking Up Murder: Uncovering the Story of César Románare available on Netflix.
