Furore over Jamie Oliver's paella with chorizo

Paella with chorizo PHOTO: JAMIE OLIVER'S TWITTER

LONDON • British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is facing a fierce backlash after his chorizo-filled paella triggered outrage in the home of the traditional Spanish dish.

"Good Spanish food doesn't get much better than paella. My version combines chicken thighs and chorizo," he posted on Twitter, accompanied with a picture.

He faced an immediate avalanche of hostility, with traditionalists insisting that putting chorizo in a paella was utterly unacceptable.

One social media user said: "Remove the chorizo. We don't negotiate with terrorists. First warning."

Others threatened retaliation by making traditional British fish and chips with duck and aubergines.

On Canada's CBC television, Oliver insisted: "It did say my version. That is my version and I stand by it. It's damn good."

He did receive some support. Omar Allibhoy told the London Evening Standard newspaper: "I'm a Spanish chef, I know how it's cooked. Somebody like Jamie, that's not what he does, he puts twists on things and he's being criticised because he called it paella instead of 'Spanish rice'."

Jose Andres, a famous Spanish chef in the United States, said: "People of Spain! I know you think that photo doesn't look like a paella. But is a 'Spanish arroz'. Let's give Jamie a break."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 08, 2016, with the headline Furore over Jamie Oliver's paella with chorizo. Subscribe