Selena Gomez Says Her Cooking Has ‘Come a Long Way’ in 4 Seasons of ‘Selena + Chef’

“Season one I was a complete disaster,” Selena Gomez tells PEOPLE for our 50 Food Faves package

As part of the 50 Food Faves package, PEOPLE named our top tastemakers — including Selena Gomez, Top Chef‘s Buddha Lo, and more — who made an impact on the culinary world with their cooking and creativity in 2022. Catch up with Gomez below, and for the full list, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

“Season one I was a complete disaster and not to say I still don’t have my moments but I’ve come a long way,” Gomez tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.

The star has been learning to cook — via Zoom! — from pros like Jamie Oliver and Ayesha Curry. The biggest takeaway for her has been “you don’t have to necessarily follow a recipe exactly,” she says. “Experiment with it.”

Not only has the show helped her gain confidence in the kitchen (she now rates her skills a modest “5 out of 10”) but it’s also allowed her to give back with donations equaling more than $500,000 to charities chosen by the chefs.

Gomez doesn’t get to use her new skills as often as she likes, but still cherishes her time in the kitchen. “I wish I had more time to cook but with work it’s not always easy,” says the singer who also stars on Only Murders In the Building and runs her Rare Beauty company. “I love when I get the chance to cook for my friends and family.”

“I have revisited many of the dishes I’ve made on the show,” she adds.

When Gomez welcomed her first in-person mentor on Selena + Chef season four, Gordon Ramsay, the chef taught her to make this simple but impressive scallop dish (below). “When I saw him I almost started crying,” she said on the episode. “It was such an honor.”

Source: people.com