The lowdown: Pierre Koffmann’s spuds

Pierre’s spuds - that’s very personal ​

No, it’s not a euphemism, we’re talking actual potatoes.

The great chef has had a potato named after him? About time…​

Don’t be silly. Rather, he’s put his name and face (and signature) to a range of ‘potatoes for chefs’ specifically chosen for their chipping and roasting qualities. 

So spuds for chefs, then?​

Exactly. Working alongside Cambridgeshire-based Linwood Crops, which has 100 years of procurement, handling and sales experience for various potato market sectors, Pierre the Bear has created ‘a product which delivers in all areas of the potato usage’ - as the Twitter handle goes. By potato usage, we’re guessing he means ‘cooking’.

This is a bolt from the blue.​

Not really. Pierre and his wife Claire make no secret of their love for the spud. Claire even goes by the name of Mrs Pomme de Terre on Twitter, with her avatar a humble potato, so it’s hardly a surprise that the Koffmanns have entered this seedy world.

They sound like top tubers​

They probably are, but they've got competition from another top chef-endorsed potato range. Michel Roux Jr endorses Albert Bartlett’s range of potatoes and has served them at his Le Gavroche restaurant for over a decade. So loyal is he to Bartlett’s bakers that he even walked away from presenting MasterChef: The Professionals after his endorsement of them broke BBC rules.

Who knew potatoes were so divisive?​

Indeed. And don’t even get us started on parsnips…