Emeril Lagasse Has A Very Specific Way He Eats Potato Chips — And It Might Be Worth Trying

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When a world-renowned chef dishes on the snacks they can't get enough of, no matter how eyebrow-raising they might be, we listen. After all, who knows food better? We learned that one of iconic chef Emeril Lagasse's favorite foods is Zapp's potato chips, which is not at all surprising and totally relatable. The twist, though, is that he likes to eat them frozen.

The TV personality and restaurateur told Grub Street he freezes his chips before indulging because this somehow improves the taste and texture of the snack. The freezing, he explained, "coagulates the peanut oil or something." Lagasse might be onto something. Think about what happens when you freeze cooking oils. The fat content means that oils don't freeze like water; they develop a gel-like consistency before solidifying. Zapp's chips — like its Bayou Blackened Ranch potato chips — are made with vegetable oil that may include peanut, corn, sunflower, and/or canola. When frozen, the oil in these chips will indeed solidify, giving the chips' natural crispiness a toothsome snap and providing a more concentrated flavor of savory richness. 

This works especially well with Lagasse's preferred brand of Zapp's because they're kettle chips. The difference between regular and kettle chips is that the latter is cut thicker and also cooked in batches at different temperatures, compared to standard chips' one steady temperature. The results are more crunchiness and an almost caramelized quality from the cooking method, both of which provide a perfect backbone for that layer of frozen-oil snappiness and richness.

Freezing chips not only works flavor and texture magic — it also keeps chips fresher and better-tasting longer. Once you open a bag of chips, they inevitably become exposed to fluctuating temperatures, air, and the moisture in that air, all of which begin to cause the chips' texture to become limp and soggy. If you transfer chips from their bag to an airtight container and freeze them, you'll be able to enjoy them at peak crispiness for up to a couple of months.

Between the preservation factor and the flavor and consistency boost, we're about to start freezing our chips — especially kettle chips like Zapp's. It's easy to see why Lagasse prefers this brand: Not only is it from his adopted state of Louisiana, but Zapp's boasts plenty of fun varieties of chips, many of which embrace local Cajun flavors. With their freezer-improved profile, you'll want to try crushed-up jalapeño chips to give huevos rancheros a flavor boost, barbecue chips sprinkled over deviled eggs, and pickle chips stacked onto your favorite sandwich. Cheesy chips would be a burst of crunch for topping macaroni cheese, too. If you're feeling fancy, frozen regular chips would bring extra richness and crispness to a sour cream-and-caviar snack. It would also be fun to make cajun-style nachos with Zapp's Voodoo Heat chips, peppers, cheese, corn, and andouille sausage. Of course, you'll also want to enjoy frozen chips on their own, to experience the difference firsthand.