who invented the potato chip

The invention of the potato chip is widely attributed to George Crum, also known as George Speck, a chef of African American and Native American heritage. In 1853, while working at Moon's Lake House in Saratoga Springs, New York, he supposedly created the potato chip incidentally when a customer complained that the fried potatoes were too thick. Crum sliced the potatoes as thin as possible, fried them until crispy, and salted them heavily. This newly invented snack was surprisingly well received and came to be known as "Saratoga Chips." However, it is important to note that this popular story is considered somewhat mythologized. Early recipes for frying thin slices of potatoes existed before Crum's time, and historians have pointed out inconsistencies with the details of the legend. Despite the debates, George Crum is credited as the inventor, and his name remains associated with the potato chip's origin.