Insolite : des chips made in Normandie !

In the heart of the country of Côte-en-Seine, Franck has launched a totally crazy challenge, to create a 100% Normand chips. My name is the Chipser of Lubin. In this early autumn, the harvest of the potato is in full swing. This morning, the potato is just as it should be. We can say that it is in love. It is neither too dry nor too wet. Franck harvests 2,500 tonnes per year, 10% of his production is dedicated to chips, which he transforms with a technique that suits him. It's an artisanal chip. It's really from the field to the chandron. A delicious bet and a real success story. A taste of revenge. That's what they say. They are beautiful. Yes, they are beautiful. Franck works with his partner Hélène and their daughter Alice. This morning, they come to pick up the first potatoes of the season. We had a good alternation of wells and sun, so it allowed them to develop as well as necessary. This is the ideal caliber to make chips. And it is on the harvester that our first Normand chips controls the quality. For once, the harvest conditions are really very good, which means that there is not much to remove. It's really a good day, because today the weather is great. Normandy is known for its fertile soil, but the harvests still remain random. It's not always obvious. We are so dependent on the weather, and we put our heart into everything we do. And sometimes it doesn't go as planned. But we don't give up, as they say. And it's true that today, it erases all the problems we have upstream. In the family, the love for potatoes doesn't really come from yesterday. It's a family heirloom. We have always produced it, even from my parents' time. My dad had the opportunity to come and take over an operation here. And that's how, when he retired, he offered me the opportunity to continue to operate after him here. A passion that he passes on to his children today. Creating the chips workshop is to give everyone a place. It's an opportunity to give everyone a place. Franck's obsession is that his chips have a real potato taste. But what kind of potato? I can give you the name of the variety that everyone is waiting for. It's the secret. And it's like the great chefs. You know, the great chefs, their recipes, they don't divide them either. Family secret. We won't know more. But the Loubouic family still agreed to reveal to us some stages of manufacturing. How are you? I want to launch another round. OK. No time to wait. Just out of the field, the potato is starting to transform. The potatoes come out very well. It's OK. Here, it's the peeler. That is, by a rotating system, we peel them. And once out, this is what it gives. We tolerate a little bit of skin. It's not very serious. Everything that is green has a little bit of rot. We make sure there are no pebbles. This is the last detail. We make sure to cook potatoes with no skin. It's a big pot that's boiling because the oil is at a certain temperature. And that's what allows the frying to happen. And that's what gives the crunchiness. And everything is handcrafted in cauldrons. The idea is to cook a certain amount at a certain temperature. But these three parameters are family secrets. And all that's left is to wring to make it as light and natural as possible. And then, all that's left is to pack it up. Well, you get the idea. The secret to success is not to reveal all its secrets, but also to make an authentic product with no additives and very little salt. Hello! There's a reinforcement. Hello, Patrice. How are you? This is the delivery. It's the production of the day. It was torn this morning and transformed in a jiffy. I can't believe that two hours ago the potatoes were in the field. It's to make you believe, that's for sure. Let's have a little taste, sir. Patrice is proud to have been one of the first to sell the Loubouic family crisps. It's a priority for him to sell terroir products. What did you serve us? Nature? Nature. No fleur de sel, sir. According to the producer. It suits me rather well, yes. It's important because it's terroir and secondly we are here in our charming village of Alouville. A lot of passage, a lot of tourists. And these people, when they stop in our rural area, the first thing they ask is for local products. Today, crisps are at the forefront of many local businesses, but not only. What makes our farmer proud is working as a family. It was a gamble, but today, it's so pleasant to be able to build something as a family. It's a little emotional, but let's say that it's a pleasure to know that the children are following us, and it makes perfect sense. That's it.