06/10/2026
There are potatoes, and then there is Poulette: the result of a transatlantic courtship between a French heirloom and a New York potato.
In 2013, legendary French chef Michel Bras and potato breeder Dr. Walter de Jong met at conference about seed hosted by Dan Barber and started talking potatoes—specifically about Bras’ beloved French heirloom, Institut de Beauvais.
Walter crossed it with a classic New York potato, kicking off a decade of breeding, tasting, and testing with chefs and farmers across the country.
The result? Poulette: savory, rich, and deeply roasty. Bake it. Fry it. Mash it into the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever had.
An ode to Michel Bras, and to the belief that something as humble as a potato is worth a decade of pursuit.
Poulette is available now at Whole Foods Market throughout the Northeast.