Even before the pandemic, I never went to many conferences, food-related or otherwise. I do like them, though. The last time I went was a sous-vide conference in 2019, and I met a lot of interesting people there, including Cole Wagoner, who worked for Anova Culinary at the time.
Why Pouring Boiling Water Over Chicken Thighs Is a Game Changer
Cole is one of those people who always makes food that lives at the intersection of approachable and aspirational. His dishes are beautiful and inviting, and always perfectly plated. His chicken thighs, for example, are golden and juicy, with crispy skin that falls apart at the slightest pressure.
The secret to that crispy skin? Humble water. Boiling water, to be exact.
Since chicken thighs are my favorite part of the chicken, I messaged Cole on Twitter to ask him to share his experiences with this method and explain why it works so well. (The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity.)
