Jamie Oliver Comes Under Fire For Inauthentic Paella Recipe

Jamie Oliver, the British celebrity chef, is facing some backlash for his take on the traditional Spanish dish paella.

Jamie Oliver’s Paella

Oliver’s “recipe of the day” on Twitter Thursday was paella – one that controversially included chorizo, a Spanish pork sausage. “Good Spanish food doesn’t get much better than paella,” Oliver tweeted along with a photo of the dish. “My version combines chicken thighs & chorizo.”

On Twitter, many condemned Oliver for butchering the traditional dish, with some mocking the celeb chef’s spin on it.

Oliver has defended his paella recipe, calling the result “damn good” and advocating for people to experiment with traditional dishes.

“It did say my version. It did say my version,” Oliver said in his defense. “So, you know, that is my version and I stand by it. It’s damn good,” Oliver said.

Oliver added, “Look, I think there’s so much evolution in recipes, whether it’s a risotto or paella or a classic. I mean, you know, if people try and say it’s a classic is that OK? Why is there one hundred recipes that are all slightly different? I think it’s good to respond to what’s available in your market.”