O’Johnny’s Chips started the way a lot of good Nashville stories do. With a phone call and a party.

Back in 1998, my catering company got a call to create the menu for a country music star’s CMA after party. The request was simple. Casual but fabulous. A chips and dips table that could hold its own in a room full of boots, guitars, and plenty of sequins.

So we got to work.

We started slicing thick Russet potatoes by hand, frying them in small batches until they reached that perfect golden crunch. Then came the seasoning. A four pepper blend from Ethiopia, a little umami magic from mushroom powder, and Japanese sea salt to bring it all together.

That table was the first thing to disappear that night.

Since then, O’Johnny’s Chips have been a staple at the parties, dinners, and late night celebrations we cater all over the city. If you have been to a good Nashville gathering in the last thirty years, there is a decent chance you have had a handful.

I was born and raised right here in Nashville, and after more than 30 years of feeding this town, it is safe to say I know what Nashville needs food wise.

We cook our chips in organic rice bran oil. No seed oils. No canola. No soy. They are vegan, nut free, and full of the kind of flavor that keeps people hovering around the bowl.

My chipsters and I are still slicing, seasoning, and cooking every batch with care, and I am still doing quality control the only way I know how.

One bite at a time.

Welcome to Nashville in a bag.

— Chef Johnny Haffner