French chefs have been responsible for some of the world’s most indulgent culinary inventions, from bechamel sauce to soufflés. Now they have focused their efforts on creating something more humble: perfect frozen chips.
This week Pierre Koffmann, three Michelin star chef and maestro of French cooking, launched a range of oven-cooked frozen chips in Ocado at £2.50 for 800g — cheaper than a bag of McCain’s.
Previously, Koffmann’s Chips, produced in partnership with the family-run business The Food Heroes, were only sold wholesale to restaurants and chefs online. Customers include Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay and Jason Atherton, and the chips are served in some of the country’s best known restaurants, including Jamie Oliver Catherine Street, Hawksmoor, The Ivy and Soho House.
This is the first time that the chips, which come in two shapes — Classic French Fries and Classic Chunky Chips — will be available to home cooks to add to the weekly shop.
Koffmann, 76, has championed using top quality tubers since he arrived in London in the 1970s and opened his restaurant La Tante Claire, which was awarded three Michelin stars and saw some of Britain’s best chefs pass through its kitchens, from Marcus Wareing to Tom Aikens and Ramsay.
“My grandmother Camille’s cooking was an important element in my boyhood memories,” Koffmann said. “Potatoes were always available and a staple in her dishes. As years went on, I became more interested in potato varieties and the importance of using the right potato for the right dish. Not all potatoes are suitable for mash or chips.”
He said his chips were superior to other well-known brands because of the potatoes they use. “The variety really depends on the season. Generally, I would say Agria is a reliable all-rounder for chips. However, at Koffmann’s, we work closely with growers to develop varieties, select the best regional soil variations and maintain strict conditioning and storage regimes”
Pierre Koffmann
PETER TARRY FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES
He also claimed a unique coating meant that they stayed crispy and golden for 40 minutes after being cooked. But what do they actually taste like?
We put them to the test, comparing them with McCain’s French Fries, arguably the most recognised brand of chips in Britain, and a supermarket brand.
Koffmann’s Classic Chunky Chips 800g
★★★★★
ocado.com, £2.50
These humdingers are thick and fat. Lots of fat chips fail by burning on the outside and remaining dry in the middle, but these are fluffy and crunchy and big enough to withstand a generous dollop of ketchup.
Koffmann’s Classic French Fries 800g
★★★★★
ocado.com, £2.50
First things first, you can tell these are real potatoes, not just because there are patches of skin still on them, but because they taste like spuds, rather than greasy oil. Cooked, they are golden on the outside and fluffy and soft on the inside. C’est bon!
McCain Frozen Crispy French Fries 900g
★★★☆☆
waitrose.com, £3.30
These are moreish — in that ultra processed McDonalds sort of way. They are thinner and shorter than Koffmann’s and taste a bit saturated, like the variety you get in a takeaway shop’s deep fryer. They’ve been dusted with an orange seasoning that has an unpleasant aftertaste. For fast food fans.
Tesco French Fries 1.5kg
★★☆☆☆
tesco.com, £1.99
These are golden and crunchy but a touch dry — pass me a drink! Covered in salt and ketchup they are perfectly fine.