George Crum was chef at an elegant Saratoga Springs, New York resort in 1853. On the Moon Lake Lodge menu were thickly-sliced fried potatoes. These had become popular after Thomas Jefferson introduced the recipe that he enjoyed while ambassador in France in the 1700s.
Legend of the Potato Chip Invention
Confident in his cooking skills, George Crum disliked the pettiness of some wealthy diners. When a diner complained that the potato slices were too thick, George grumbled to his sister Kate who worked with him. He then fried up some thinner slices and sent them out to the customer. That plate of potatoes was returned to the kitchen. The diner wanted thinner, crunchier potato slices.
Legend has it that George decided to annoy the constantly complaining patron and gain some personal satisfaction. He cut some potatoes into paper-thin slices and fried them in very hot grease until they were hard and crunchy. He knew the finicky diner would not be able to eat them with a fork. George then piled the slices onto a plate, covered them with salt, and sent them out.
The customer was delighted. Soon, more customers requested the new menu item that became known as Saratoga Chips – a house specialty.
George Crum Adirondack Mountain Guide
George Speck and his sister Kate were born to Abraham and Catherine Speck, children of an African American father and a Native American mother. Professionally, George used the name Crum as his father had when he was a jockey. George worked as a trapper and an Adirondack Mountain guide during his early years. With his exceptional cooking talents, he eventually became the chef at the Moon Lake Lodge.
George Crum opened his own restaurant in 1860 near Saratoga Lake. His clientele included members of many wealthy families. His restaurant closed around 1890 and he died in 1914 at the age of 92.
George Crum Legend by Saratoga County Historical Society
According to the Saratoga County Historical Society, “A similar story explains that Kate (Speck) Wicks, who also worked at Moon's, accidentally dropped a chip of potato into the hot fat, and Crum fished it out and tasted it. Further research indicated that George's sister, Kate Speck Wicks, has the stronger claim.” George Crum did not take credit for or patent the invention.
Another part of the widely-referenced legend mentioned by the Saratoga County Historical Society is, “An interesting variant of the dissatisfied customer story seems to have been created in the 1970s by a potato chip industry support organization, which claimed the dissatisfied customer was none other than Cornelius Vanderbilt. This claim has been widely disproved.”
Lay's Potato Chips the First National Brand
Several people produced potato chips in their homes for sales at local grocery stores. The invention of the mechanical potato peeler took the product from specialty item to popular snack food. Potato chips were dispensed in bulk from barrels. Wider distribution was possible when Laura Scudder of California developed the wax paper bag.
In 1932, Herman Lay of Nashville, Tennessee founded Lay's. He peddled potato chips to southern grocers out of the trunk of his car. His was the first successful national brand of potato chips.
Source:
Invented in Saratoga County By Timothy Starr, Rock City Falls, New York
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