Why Baked Potatoes Taste Better In Restaurants Than At Home

At restaurants, baked potato production is an entity unto itself — a well-oiled machine based on customer metrics of how many potatoes are expected to be ordered each hour in a cycle that starts right after opening and ends just before closing. Chances are, at home, your baked potato production is a lot more understated. But, that doesn't mean that the ultimate, restaurant-worthy baked potato is out of reach.

When you sit down to dinner at your favorite steakhouse, the baked potato that arrives on your table is steaming hot, wrapped in a salt crisp with a tender inside. That means, for starters, they're baked in the oven, not the microwave (even though that totally also works, BTW). As professionals know, it's a sin to neglect the skin. That potato's exterior is more than just a casing for a plush interior, and it should be both crispy and flavorful.

To achieve a killer potato skin, season the potato pre-bake with a generous layer of olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and garlic powder. The olive oil helps the seasonings adhere to the surface of the potato. To save time, restaurants often apply the oil with a spray bottle. Thanks to their naturally high starch content, which creates a plush texture under heat, Russet potatoes make a good fit for baking. Conveniently, Russets also tend to be one of the cheapest potatoes at the grocery store, as well as physically large enough that one potato will keep dinner guests satisfied.