Yale’s Quest for a Better Potato

Potatoes have received a bad rap, said James Benson, director of culinary excellence at Yale.

Thanks to their association with French fries and mashed potatoes, people generally think of potatoes as unhealthy, but Benson said it’s time to set the record straight. He pointed out that potatoes are made up of 79% water and only 15% carbs. And, he added: Potatoes have less calories and carbs than white rice or pasta, they are fat-free (provided they aren’t fried or filled with butter), and they are rich in vitamins C and B6 as well as a good source of potassium and fiber.

Now, through a partnership with the Netherlands-based potato seed company HZPC, Yale is growing special, nutrient-dense, GMO-free potatoes on a Connecticut farm that are tailor-made for the state’s growing conditions. The Jennifer potato, with its white skin and creamy texture, and Maggie potato, with its yellow skin and buttery taste, are the first Yale-specific potatoes being grown from these seeds at Cecarelli Harrison Hill Farms in Northford, Connecticut.

“These are the first potatoes of their kind grown in the state of Connecticut, and the seeds were developed through traditional breeding techniques which are customized to complement our local growing conditions while producing a high yield crop,” said Benson.

On a recent sun-drenched fall day at the farm, members of the Yale Hospitality team and produce distributor Freshpoint helped to harvest the potatoes by hand as a tractor made its way down the rows, turning over the soil. Some potatoes were washed, boiled and pan-fried for them to sample on-site.

“Our team was grateful to share the potato harvesting experience through social media for the time-being. The amount of views and engagement got me excited about the prospect of bringing students along to connect to where their food comes from in-person,” said Christelle Ramos, senior manager for marketing and communications for Yale Hospitality.

While students could not attend the farm trip due to COVID-19 restrictions, Benson said connecting students with the origins of their food, sustainable growing practices, and healthy eating are all part of Yale Hospitality’s “Better for You” menu philosophy.

Fortunately, students have been able to taste the new Yale potatoes which have already made it onto dining hall dishes in the form of golden shepherd’s pie, cremini mushroom and potato soup, and roasted rosemary and garlic potatoes. Yale Hospitality remains focused on plant-forward menu options and the culinary team is excited at the prospect of testing new recipes inspired by this year’s crop, highlighting how potatoes can lay an important role in a nutritionally balanced diet.

“These initiatives are representations of our approach towards influencing and improving the quality of the products that are planned, implemented and evaluated for possible scaling up with the larger community, a true consumer-farmer local partnerships and collaboration. Food System represents,” Benson said. “By supporting our local farmers, we are influencing the quality of produce that is grown in our region and it provides us with seasonal produce that packs more flavor and delivers higher levels of vitamins and nutrients. Yale and our surrounding communities greatly benefit from these partnerships.”

An additional eight unique potato varietals are currently in development, which Yale Hospitality plans to plant in the spring of 2021.