James London has cooked in kitchens in New York City and San Francisco and earned James Beard Award nods for his work at his Charleston seafood restaurant, Chubby Fish, but he’s determined to stay humble. In his hands, crème fraîche with shallots, chives, and lemon zest becomes “Fancy Ranch.” He loves caviar but hates its “hoity-toity” reputation. “Whenever we do a caviar presentation, we try to make it really casual and approachable,” he says. (Chubby Fish’s caviar sammich is a crowd favorite.)
That’s not to say London isn’t particular about the ingredients he uses, and he is especially fond of the North Carolina purveyor Caviar Star. “They put a lot of care and love into their product. Every time we open it we know it’s going to be extremely high-quality,” he says. Pair that (or the best caviar you can afford) with his Fancy Ranch and some Lay’s Poppables—a potato chip that resembles a style he learned to make in culinary school—and you have a delicious, cheffy appetizer that’s still breezy and fun. In other words, the perfect party dip.
London recently stopped by the G&G offices to show us how it’s done.
