Paul Young cooks up a storm on the Costa del Sol

POP legend Paul Young is one chef that doesn’t follow the rules when it comes to Spanish cooking.

On a trip to the Costa del Sol this week for a cooking demonstration, the singer-turned-chef told the Olive Press that he likes to mix it up in the kitchen by adapting traditional dishes to individual tastes.

“I enjoy experimenting with fish dishes from the coastal areas of Spain,” he said, reflecting on his long-standing love of the Costas. “But with all my recipes I chop and change a few of the flavours.

“Ultimately you don’t always have to follow the rules,” added Young, who is a regular visitor to the Costa del Sol, where his mother-in-law has lived for years.

After becoming famous in the Eighties with hits such as Wherever I Lay My Hat, he became something of a celebrity chef over recent years, having appeared in a number of TV shows including Master Chef and Devils Kitchen.

So keen has he become with cooking in fact, that he has just launched his own cookbook Recipes Found On My Travels, which features a number of Spanish dishes.

“My favourite recipes are those that combine a range of influences, I find that sort of cooking the most exciting,” he added.

While some of the dishes may seem extravagant, Paul is quick to point out that many of the recipes can be mastered by even the most novice chef.

“The book has everything from simple soups and family favourites right up to extravagant Mexican and pork dishes,” he said.

“So it’s up to you whether you want to stick to simple cooking or branch out and be more adventurous.”

The singer was showing off his culinary flair this week when he whipped up his seafood paella at a cooking demonstration to a packed audience at the Club La Costa World resort, near Fuengirola.

The resort restaurant Safari has even now installed three of his recipes on the menu.

However, he admitted he’s still got a lot to learn when it comes to Spanish cooking.

“I know very little about cuisine from other regions of Spain,” he said. “I’ve tried simple tapas but I’d be really interested to travel inland and experiment with different styles.”