The Specific Way Emeril Lagasse Eats Potato Chips

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Celebrities — they're just like us! Except, maybe, when it comes to some of their culinary rituals. For instance, does anyone else remember exactly where they were when they learned how Kourtney Kardashian famously eats her Kit Kats (layer by layer)? These unique snacking habits don't just stop at reality TV royalty, though — they extend even to world-class chefs like Emeril Lagasse. In fact, he once told Grub Street that he prefers his potato chips (Zapp's, to be specific) bone-chillingly cold — as in, eaten fresh out of where he stores them: the freezer. Apparently, the frigid air "[coagulates] the peanut oil or something." His words, people, not ours.

Naturally, we decided to dive into the highly specific science of fat viscosity here — as one does — and, lo and behold, Emeril might actually be onto something. Peanut oil — the frying medium for Zapp's, along with other vegetable oils — starts solidifying at approximately 37 degrees Fahrenheit (and a typical freezer sits well below that mark). However, when the chips hit that temperature, they don't just turn into a bunch of inedible icy blocks, because they lack the water content needed to actually freeze. Instead, the liquid fats trapped in the potato's porous surface simply thicken. That slick — okay, fine, greasy — coating most of us are accustomed to transforms into a firmer structure.

The result? The chip becomes "snappier" — more brittle and arguably more satisfying than at room temperature. Plus, Zapp's has a head start on the crunchiness factor because its chips are already kettle-cooked — aka, denser and sturdier. Honestly? Color us intrigued.

If we're already transforming our preferred Zapp's flavors by freezing them, we might as well take it a step further and elevate the experience, right? For instance, we could see Emeril Lagasse's favorite snack serving as an ideal ingredient in some unique desserts: crumble them as an unconventional ice cream sundae topping, use them to up the crunch factor in your next batch of chocolate-covered potato chips, or, heck, make an easy s'mores dip in your air fryer and deploy your crispy discs to scoop it up for some hot-meets-cold deliciousness.

Want to go a more savory route? No problem. Delight your party guests with a novel, fancy canapé by serving your frozen chips with caviar for a twist on blini, or pair the assorted Zapp's offerings with a spread of tasty dips. The Mesquite Bar-B-Que flavor would be amazing with guacamole, for example, while the iconic Voodoo edition would add a tangy kick to hummus. If you're someone who likes to mix and match, you can also snag a variety pack of flavors on Amazon and conduct your own taste tests at home.

Of course, if you just can't get behind the idea of eating your chips cold, you can always transform the snack in other ways. Roasted store-bought potato chips are infinitely customizable, and, hey — nothing's stopping you from throwing a handful of your favorite flavor into a sandwich, a creamy mac and cheese, or even an omelet. BAM! That's culinary innovation for you.