Tapuchip's Potato Chips "Chef Series" with Chef Eyal Shani

Tapuchips Elite has joined in the recent trend I mentioned in my reviews of Tzabar & Chef Raffi Cohen's Potato Salad and  Tivoll & Chef Erez Komrovsky's Eggplant or Zucchini "Burger" , where big companies team up with local successful chefs to develop a product that will be mass produced yet still have an element of that chef's "special touch". Tapuchips chose to team up with Chef Eyal Shani and together they have come up with a "Chef Series" of potato chips.

I can't help but wonder if they intentionally waited to "début" these potato chips to coincide with the start of the second season of the highly rated and extremely popular "Master Chef Israel" TV show staring Chef Eyal Shani, among others.



Master Chef Israel's Judges - including Chef Eyal Shani

Regardless this "Chef Series" line of potato chips did seem to get quite a bit of attention. I read a few on line reviews and even saw a segment on Channel 10's "לילה כלכלי"  (Layla Calcaly) show where they did a taste test with random shoppers in a mall. I have to say most of the "reviews" were negative, which made me apprehensive about trying them, but something about Chef Eyal Shani's "quirkier" and unique personality intrigued me and I decided to try it anyway.

I'm not sure how much of Chef Eyal Shani's personality you can pick up from the commercial that's running on TV for these chips, but here it is for those of you that want a small "taste".

The 2 flavors in this Tapuchips "Chef's Series" are Sour-Cream & Wild Mushrooms and Balsamic Vinegar & Onion Jam

Sour Cream & Wild Mushroom Tapuchips
When I first opened the bag, I thought the chips had a nice shape and size. I liked that they were very crispy and crunchy, but after eating a few I actually tasted the mushrooms and I gotta say it was "kinda funky" and not in a good way. I really didn't enjoy the flavor, and the aftertaste it left was even worse. After one or two chips I had no interest in putting another Sour Cream & Wild Mushroom chip in my mouth.

Bottom Line: I agree with the other reviews I saw. These Sour Cream & Wild Mushroom Tapuchips were not at all enjoyable to me. Unless you like exceptionally unique & different flavors or have an extreme fondness for mushrooms, I would tell you to "skip this chip"!

Balsamic Vinegar & Onion Jam

These chips on the other hand were not awful. They too were crispy & crunch and had the same large size and wavy shape that the Sour Cream & Wild Mushroom chips had.

As soon as I opened the bag I was hit with a whiff of balsamic vinegar which I'd say was the dominant flavor as a whole. I didn’t really taste the onion per say but, the chips did have a bit of a spicy kick to them; I'm just not convinced it came from onions.

תפוציפס סדרת השף אייל שני

Bottom Line: Although these Balsamic Vinegar & Onion Jam Tapuchips are far from the best potato chip I have ever tasted, and personally I don’t think I'll ever buy them again, I have to say that they weren't "all that bad". I expected them to be horrible and they weren't. It's very likely that people who enjoy Salt & Vinegar chips would like these Balsamic Vinegar & Onion Jam chips as a change of flavor from time to time.

60 gram bag - 4.49NIS

Kosher Parve Rabbinate Netevot

Disclaimer: All items were purchased by me. No one is paying me for this review. All opinions are my own.