Heyo!!
I just had my first bout of Los Angeles FOMO yesterday, on Cinco De Mayo.
Some months back, my pals Karl Hess, Greg Barris, Stephanie Breijo and I realized that Greek Easter fell on May 5th, a new Holiday which we ceremoniously dubbed Greek-o De Mayo. Together, united in a group thread, we envisioned a feast filled with lamb on the spit, tacos, feta cheese (for my feta-cheesy-alfredo), dolmas, salsas, and really whatever anybody wanted to bring to this once-in-a-lifetime culture bang. Alas, as everybody visualized this goofy, joyous occasion, I also realized that I would not be in L.A. long enough to see it.
Witnessing the Greek-o festivities from Instagram was the first time I wished I was back in Los Angeles. Greek-o De Mayo is exactly the type of silly planned fun I miss about L.A.—it’s the same city where I was inspired to make a charcuterie board centered around a giant gummy worm. Cheers to all my pals, and a happy Greek-O De Mayo to everyone reading this here newsletter.
You know that one friend who just watched Game of Thrones and wants to talk about it now? And you’re like, “Hey buddy, no offense but can you turn around and stare at that wall for a while??” Well, that’s me, you, and the potato chip omelette.
No, I didn’t watch The Bear Season 2. I watched season one, liked it, and then pretty much just put the entire show on ice. I don’t hate it or anything; I’m just done. My whole life is restaurants and food, so I like my entertainment to be anything but. Also, too many of my friends are disgruntled comedians and chefs living in Los Angeles. Being pals with these curmudgeons ultimately ruins a lot of fine entertainment for me, so, alas, The Bear is not something I’ll be getting back around to for a while.
Still, for almost a year now I’ve been vaguely aware the show delivered some sort of viral potato chip omelette. This sensation was all over the internet last Summer, and supplanted itself in my subconscious via various internet thumbnails. Since last June, this crunchy, eggy torpedo has been intellectualized and riffed into oblivion. It was instantly a tutorial on just about every YouTube chef’s page, from Babish to Sam The Cooking Guy.
Holy shit, I completely forgot about Sam The Cooking Guy!!
Speaking of disgruntled and jaded, I used to hate Sam. I mean I really got unreasonably annoyed with this videos during the pandemic. If you don’t know Sam, he’s a YouTube chef who says things like “what’s up bitches???” and sells T-shirts disparaging vegans. It’s like he just read Kitchen Confidential two weeks ago. Sam makes food videos for the most normal people you’ve ever met in your life. There’s content out there for everyone, but what Sam does just ain’t for me.
Anyway, if Sam the San Diego Guy is making the potato chip omelette, well shit, you know it’s just about over. But was the potato chip omelette just a moment in time? Or does it actually have staying power? I firmly believe the latter, and here’s why: There are endless combinations to the omelette, and each one is an opportunity to make something wholly new.
It’s no surprise this revelation of a dish came from the mind of Courtney Storer, who absolutely rules. Here’s the video from The Bear, Season 2:
Side note: The sound design is a bit much. What the fuck is going on here? The stove turning on sounds like a jet engine exploding. The omelette flopping onto the plate sounds like…somebody taking a dump??? Jesus. This video is just too quiet and the sounds are too intense. Thank god nobody is holding a boom mic over our stoves at home while we cook. The ASMR here is too noisy and nasty, even for a freak like me.
Haters of The Bear be damned, I love this omelette and the immediate inspiration it provokes. It is a dish with two key variables—cheese and potato chips. The eggs are non-negotiable: You just need good eggs, dummy. Preferably fresh and from a farmer’s market, and with dark yolks. No pale yolks. Not for this banger.
Though in the show Syd (Ayo Edebiri) uses Boursin cheese, you should get deeply personal with your cheese selection. I prefer to use French feta, which is salty, creamy, briny, and has the same crumbly-yet-whipped vibe as Boursin. As far as chips go, this is where things should get wild. There’s just all sorts of exciting options—Grandma Utz for lard, dill pickle chips for herby acidity, ranch chips, Parmesan chips, and oh, sour cream & onion makes all the sense in the world. I went fancier than regular potato chips, though, and decided to incorporate Terra Mediterranean garlic & herb vegetable chips for my omelette.
These chips rock—a combination of root vegetables and spices make for a salty, earthy, sweet & savory snack that compliments the richness of the eggs well. Plus, I just love sweet potato hash for breakfast—this is a riff on that.
As far as making the the omelette itself, well, it helps if you’ve already got good omelette technique. Step one is to buy a good pan. I just got this Nordic Ware guy from Amazon, and it was perfect. Heat up a tablespoon of butter on medium heat, wait for it to melt and almost sizzle, then drop in your two perfectly whisked eggs. No need to use the fine-mesh sieve whisking method from the show. You are not a professional chef and I promise everything will be fine. Whisk in a bowl.
Swirl and shake and cook, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and edges continuously, allowing the eggs to reach the edge of the pan often. Also, adjust the heat if need be (medium heat on my electric stove gets absolutely nuclear.) When the eggs form curds, start to solidify on the bottom, and seem justtttt wet enough on top, add a layer of French feta and crumbled up Terra chips like so. Most recipes for this omelette don’t call for putting chips inside the omelette, but my goal here is to aim for max crunch. If we’re eating potato chips in an omelette, we’re eating potato chips in a motherfucking omelette, ya feel me?
Start to gently fold the omelette with the rubber spatula using the classic technique, and flip it over onto a plate. You won’t hear the unnerving, gooey plop as heard on The Bear. Thank Christ.
Other notes: Chives are a little unnecessary in my opinion, especially if you choose potato chips that have good flavor. Oh, and the thrice applied butter technique Syd uses is a little too much, too. One tablespoon to cook the eggs is fine, and then a light brushing with an open stick of butter at the end is preferred for glossiness, but not at all necessary.
There are now two ways in which I prefer to eat an omelette. One is with a lightly dressed side salad and a glass of red wine—the Loupiotte experience, I call it. The other is potato chip style. It’s a crunchy, gooey, decadent, deeply flavorful breakfast. It utilizes both American junk food and French technique, but more than anything, it just makes sense.
Props to Coco Storer, she really made something wonderful and awesome. A modern day hit. In the years to follow, I can see myself making dozens of potato chip omelettes, each one a different flavor combination and unique expression of personality. Cheers to The Bear for inviting such creativity in the kitchen.
Note: If you’re a visual learner, you can’t go wrong with Babish. Use his video for technique, but add your own chip and cheese flare. I strongly oppose too much butter, however.
Thanks for reading The Move!!
If you’re reading this, go ahead and tap the heart icon below. Leave a comment, too! It really helps get the newsletter seen by more eyeballs. See ya Thursday, food freaks.