Anthony Bourdain's Simple Tip For Irresistible Scrambled Eggs

Anthony Bourdain had an encyclopedic knowledge of cooking courtesy of his training at the Culinary Institute of America. Following a stint as the executive chef at French restaurant Brasserie Les Halles, he released a cookbook featuring several fancy recipes, such as escargots aux noix and foie gras au pruneaux. However, he was also adept at making simple dishes with few ingredients. For instance, while Bourdain hated brunch with a passion, the act of preparing low-effort breakfast items on repeat honed his scrambled egg-making skills. His top tip? To use fresh eggs and skip the add-ins to allow the natural flavor to come to the fore.

"I am old school," explained Bourdain in a YouTube clip from Insider Tech. "I believe that a scrambled egg, or an omelet for that matter, is principally about the egg." He added that scrambled eggs are a "very, very simple dish. but like a lot of really good simple things, more often than not people find a way to overcomplicate them and screw them up."

For this reason, the chef's personal recipe features nothing but fresh eggs, salt and pepper, and a little butter. He also advises tapping the eggs on a flat surface and cracking them into a bowl (to catch any fragments of shell) before beating them very lightly with a fork moments before cooking.

Bourdain advises that the eggs shouldn't be overbeaten when making a scramble. Rather, there should be a "ripple of white and yellow throughout." Beating them at the last minute, while the butter foams up in the pan, ensures that the air stays trapped inside, resulting in a fluffier textured dish. Once the eggs hit the pan, the chef allows them to form up a bit before pushing them around the skillet in a figure-eight pattern. This technique creates eggs that are fluffy, airy, and full of inviting texture. Similar to Bourdain, cookbook author Martha Stewart makes her scrambled eggs with butter too. However, she prefers using the clarified variety, which has a higher smoke point than regular butter and results in eggs with a creamier consistency and nuttier flavor. 

Adding a dash of dairy to scrambled huevos is a common technique (for instance, actress Jenifer Garner prepares her scrambled eggs with whole milk). That said, Bourdain doesn't pour milk or cream into the pan, explaining that "it's about the eggs. You aren't making a quiche here." Having said that, his repertoire does include an elevated version of scrambled eggs that features butter, bacon, and scallions, which is finished off with a swirl of sour cream at the very end. Other unexpected additions to scrambled eggs that are worth trying include pesto, mirin, or even soy sauce.