Anthony Bourdain's Secret to the Best Mashed Potatoes on Planet Earth

In college my nickname was Molly Mashed Potatoes. I sort of wish I was kidding, but I also wear that moniker with pride. It’s unclear what made me deserving of the nickname at the time, but I’ve grown into it.

I absolutely love mashed potatoes, and while I am usually very humble, my Thanksgiving version of the comfort food classic is not to be missed. I pride myself on having a deep understanding of the humble yet complex potato, and have counseled countless friends on how to troubleshoot their holiday spuds over the years. 

However, recently, a famous mashed potato recipe crossed my desk (something only a food writer can say!) that made me question everything I thought I knew. The recipe came from Anthony Bourdain, legendary chef and food personality with a reputation for breaking rules.

I thought his suggested ratio of four pounds of potatoes to one and a half pounds of butter in the recipe was an example of this, but as it turns out, Bourdain’s mashed potatoes are a riff on a classic potato puree by another culinary icon, Joël Robuchon.

Robuchon, who earned 31 Michelin stars in his career, is credited for single-handedly bringing the humble potato into haute cuisine. During his early days as an up-and-coming chef in Paris, the simple potato was not included on many fine dining menus.

Robuchon changed all that with his stunning four-ingredient potato puree made solely with potatoes, milk (Bourdain used heavy cream instead), salt, and butter and a peculiar technique: stirring the mashed potatoes over low heat for two to three minutes before adding the butter. 

Wouldn’t all that stirring make for gummy, overworked potatoes? How could that much butter be mixed into such a small amount of potatoes? Was everything I was taught in culinary school a lie? To quell my fears, I consulted a couple of experts in French cuisine.

Why Anthony Bourdain's Mashed Potato Technique Works

Chef Philippe Roussel of Cafe D'Alsace in New York City has some words of wisdom. He says, “It's important to boil peeled potatoes—Yukon Gold, only—over low heat to control the temperature and then put them through a food mill or ricer. This process makes the texture of the mashed potatoes very smooth."

"Achieving that special, silky texture comes from folding in cubes of cold butter and boiled milk in a slow, intentional way. You'll know when to stop stirring, the potatoes tell you themselves. The texture is beautiful, not too loose and has that perfectly whipped curl.” 

I also spoke to Chef Ann Ziata from my alma mater, The Institute of Culinary Education, for reassurance. Ziata explains that there's no reason to stress about the starch. She says, “First of all, Yukon Gold potatoes are not super-starchy. They are richer and creamier and can handle a little extra stirring without becoming too gummy."

"Second, this recipe calls for a much higher ratio of butter to potatoes than most other traditional recipes. With such a large amount of fat being mixed in, the starch molecules have less access to water and are less likely to become gluey.” Armed with this new knowledge, I regained my confidence. 

After making the dish, I was flummoxed in a good way. This was the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever tasted. Sure, it was rich, but also delightfully potato-y. They tasted like a potato should, but with a little extra pizazz. I promise that what you’ll spend on butter for this recipe is very much worth it.

They may not replace the standard weeknight spuds that accompany your mom’s meatloaf, but they will be the star of the show on your holiday table!