So THAT's Why Restaurant Mashed Potatoes Are So Much Better

If you’ve ever tried to make restaurant-level chips at home only to be disappointed by the results, chefs say you might not be cooking (then cooling, then cooking) them enough.

And if your homemade poached eggs fall a little flat, the pros recommend strainers, stirring, and vinegar. 

But if mash is your Achille’s meal, some commenters on the Reddit forum r/AskCulinary ― where we non-experts can ask chefs for the secrets to professional-level food ― say it might have to do with how you cook the spuds. 

Boiling may not be your best bet, they say. 

How should you cook potatoes for mash?

The trick to getting creamy, fluffy mash is working with a dry, floury spud. That’s why a lot of experts recommend a variety like Maris Piper or King Edward for the job. 

The drier the potato, the more of its creamy smoothness can come from decadent butter or milk ― and the better you can control its texture.

But once you get to a professional level, simply choosing the right potato for the job might not cut it.

Nigella Lawson boils her potatoes in their skins to stop them from becoming “waterlogged”, peeling them as soon as they’re cooked. 

She also suggests patient cooks go with the advice some Redditors offer: baking, instead of boiling, the potatoes will yield the “driest” results.

But the most common response was a time-saving middle ground. 

“Most places will steam the potatoes, mainly because there’s less water in them that way,” site user ChefGuru wrote. 

They added: “Using baked potatoes could be another option because they cook without being soaked in water.” 

They’re not alone 

Delia Smith and The New York Times recommend steaming, rather than boiling, the veg too.

Both recommend letting the potatoes cook for about 20-25 minutes; Delia stresses the importance of testing how “done” they are with a skewer, as undercooked potatoes will run lumpy.

Lastly, the TV chef says your regular potato masher may not cut it for pro-level results. 

After adding milk and crème fraîche to the mash, she brings out an electric whisk to “whip the potatoes up to a smooth, creamy, fluffy mass”. Nice.