‘The Bear’ Episode 9’s Potato Chip Omelet Looked So Delicious We Made It For Ourselves — Here’s The Recipe

It’s been over 48 hours since I finished The Bear Season 2 and I can’t stop thinking about one thing… the potato chip omelet that Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) makes for Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto (Abby Elliot) in the second to last episode of the season. We know that eggs and potatoes are a superior combination, but what about potato chips?

Well, I did some digging. It turns out that this specific omelet is not really a thing. A Google search for “potato chip omelet” yields a few interesting results, and many of the recipes involve potato chips being baked into an omelet, which is crucially different than Sydney’s dish.

In the episode, Sydney starts with making a traditional French omelet by cooking scrambled eggs over low heat with a generous amount of butter. She then adds a neat line of Boursin cheese – commonly used in French omelet recipes – and rolls the egg into a cylinder. Sydney rubs butter on top of the cooked omelet and tops it with chives. But here’s where things get a little crazy? She crushes a handful of potato chips as garnished for the dish. Yes? Immediately yes. Put this in my mouth now? 

After reflecting on the scene, I decided to specify my Google search. This time, I typed in “omelet topped with potato chips” and the results grew even more sparse. Many of the same suggestions from my previous search appeared again, but there were a few creative standouts. One recipe was for a skillet egg dish using 12 eggs and six cups of plain kettle chips – sounds delicious, but not exactly what I’m looking for – and another skim through the results revealed a recent trend of potato chip omelets (with chips baked into the dish) topped with caviar and a fancy chip garnish. Close, but not quite. 

It’s obvious what this means. I’m going to have to make the recipe myself. Well, “make” is a bit inexact in this case given that real-life chefs Matty Matheson and Courtney Storer respectively serve as the food consultant and the culinary producer of the series, so we’ll settle on “recreate.” Come along as we recreate Syndey’s drool-inducing dish!

First, What Is A French Omelet? 

A French omelet differs from an American omelet due to its signature style which requires a right cigar roll rather than being folded in half. In order to achieve this look, you’ll need a trustable non-stick pan and lots of patience. Want some advice from someone who has neither of those things? Don’t let that scare you away from trying out this Berzatto-approved dish. 

According to Bon Appetit, a french omelet is custardy and doused in butter, and requires a few “fine-tuned techniques” to ace. The egg dish is cooked over low heat and requires “smooth eggs” and a non-stick pan. After the neatly scrambled eggs hit the warmed pan, the pressure is on. The outlet instructs to stir the eggs as soon as they are added to the pan to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom and to prevent egg curds. As demonstrated by Sydney in the penultimate episode, when the eggs begin cooking, you should “vigorously shake the pain in a circular motion” while stirring the eggs and scraping down the sides of the pan to ensure that the eggs don’t overcook. Fillings aren’t required for the dish, but are often added. Once the omelet has been rolled into its signature shape, it’s plated and then rubbed with butter. Voila!

Let’s Make the Potato Chip French Omelette From The Bear: Recipe Tips and Tricks

So, let’s get to it! After doing tons of reading and watching YouTube videos on how to make the perfect French omelet, I returned back to The Bear clip to make note of the ingredients used by Sydney, as well as her techniques.

To emulate the recipe, I used the following: 

• 3 large eggs
• 4-5 tablespoons of butter 
• A sliver of Boursin cheese
• 3 stalks of chopped chives
• A handful of potato chips
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. After scrambling the eggs and seasoning them to taste, I added them to a pot on low heat with roughly three tablespoons of butter. I attempted to stir and shake, and scrap the pan to the best of my ability but eventually accepted defeat and just stood and stared at the eggs while they bubbled. After the eggs appeared as cooked as they were going to get, I added a smooth line of Boursin cheese to the center and began to roll the omelet – it wasn’t perfect, but I made it. As instructed by Sydney and the Bon Appetit peeps, I added butter to the pan to help loosen the roll. At this moment, I realized my pan wasn’t as non-stick as I assumed it was, but I proceeded to roll the dish before it cooled. 

Watch the process below:

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After plating the “french omelet” (sorry for I have failed), I topped it with a heap of butter and sprinkled some chopped chives. Then came the fun part, I grabbed a bag of wavy Lays potato chips and crushed a handful directly on top of the omelet, and then sat back and admired my masterpiece. (Disclaimer: Sydney used sour cream and onion chips, but I used regular.)

As wonderful as the reveal seems, the real magic came after the first bite. The potato chips add an expected crunch to the dish, as well as a fun layer of saltiness. And with the soft cheese in the center? This omelet is creamy, crunchy, and salty… what more could you possibly want?

When Natalie tasted Sydney’s dish in the scene, she closed her eyes and moaned. “I could cry,” she told her colleague. “Honestly, it’s so good. Thank you!” And not a single one of those words were an exaggeration, including when she went on to tell the young chef, “You’re a fucking genius.” Later when Sydney tells Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) what she made, he gives her his approval. We’re happy to report that not only is this dish Sydney, Natalie and Carmy-approved, but it’s also Decider-approved. Get cooking!

The Bear is currently streaming on Hulu.