Gwyneth Paltrow’s Favorite French Fries Are From a Grocery Store

Gwyneth Paltrow loves french fries. 

The Academy Award-winning actress might be the founder of a wellness brand — she started Goop, now valued at approximately $250 million, as a newsletter she wrote from her kitchen in 2008 — but that doesn’t mean she eats a vegan-only diet or sustains herself on solely fruits, vegetables, chicken, and fish. 

There’s no mistaking the majority of what Paltrow consumes falls in line with the healthy lifestyle she promotes on Goop but the mother of two doesn’t deprive herself. She drinks alcohol (but “only occasionally” gets hangovers) and eats not-so-healthy foods like french fries, which are among her favorites. 

French fries are Gwyneth Paltrow’s favorite cheat meal

During a YouTube video for Harper’s Bazaar — Paltrow is on the cover of the publication’s Feb. 2020 issue — where she broke down what she eats in a day, the Marvel actress revealed two of favorite cheat meals despite it being “hard to name just one.” 

Paltrow admitted french fries aren’t really a meal but said she’d make them one. 

“I love french fries which is a well-known fact. French fries are sort of my favorite meal not that they’re a meal, they’re technically a side but I guess I could eat them for a meal and I would,” she said in the video. 

What else ranks high on her list of cheat meals? Pasta. 

Her favorite french fries are from a grocery store

For french fry connoisseurs, not all potatoes fried in oil are the same. Paltrow’s No. 1 place to get french fries in Los Angeles, Calif., is surprisingly a grocery store, or more accurately, a fish market. 

“My favorite french fry in L.A. is at this grocery store called Santa Monica Seafood and they have this little counter where you can go and just have oysters and french fries or a delicious salmon burger they have,” she said before adding, “You can have a nice dry glass of wine.”

Although they have Paltrow’s favorite french fries, there’s a catch. 

“They have my favorite french fries in L.A. but it definitely smells like fish in there,” she explained. “It’s a fish market so it’s not for the fish sensitive.” 

The fish smell might be a turn off to some but it might be worth trying to ignore considering a plate of french fries at the market’s café only costs $5, according to their menu.

Paltrow’s recipe for french fries

For those who can’t get to Santa Monica Seafood to try Paltrow’s favorite french fries out for themselves, look no further than Goop. In a recipe titled “GP’s Fries,” Paltrow shared how she makes french fries at home using three ingredients: potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt. 

“It takes a little effort, but they turn out consistently crispy and delish,” she wrote about her homemade french fries.

Here’s how Paltrow makes french fries: 

1. Peel then slice to your liking.

2. Soak potatoes for up to an hour changing the water about three times throughout when it gets cloudy.

3. Steam for 8 minutes in a steamer (a bamboo basket would work as well). Dry super well until potatoes are completely dry.

4. Then, fry in small batches in peanut oil at 320 degrees for four or so minutes. Take them out of the oil and let them cool. Drain on a grate on top of a baking [sic] sheet (I use one from Williams-Sonoma).

5. When they are all done and cool, turn up the oil to 370 degrees and fry again ‘til crispy.

6. Serve in an oversized coffee mug lined with parchment. Salt well.