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Potato chip exhibit to open Saturday
BALLSTON SPA — “In the Saratoga Style: Potato Chips and Their Regional Folklore” opens Saturday at Brookside Museum, Saratoga County History Center, 6 Charlton St. The exhibit, which will be on display through Dec. 31, explores the many stories that have claimed to explain the story behind the snack, from disgruntled customers to kitchen mishaps.
The use of the “Saratoga” name to nationally market potato chips is seen through the expansive collection of famed local expert Alan Richer, known as “The Toga Chip Guy.”
The exhibit is open to the public 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. For more information,
go to https://brooksidemuseum.org.
I have recently been featured in twi Times Union Articles
Please read the articles by clicking the links below!
Article 1 - Vanderbilt helped invent the chip in Saratoga?
Likely a salty myth
Article 2 - Toga Chip Guy makes a second showing on History Channel
Please read the article in Saratoga Today that features, your's truly, The Toga Chip Guy!
Click Here
Current Events!
Listen to my recent interview on Heart Radio.
Click Here
Listen To The New History Channel Podcast
After appearing in several episodes of The History Channel's Series "The Food That Built America", I have now been prominently featured in an associated podcast.
Please visit The ACast Site to listen!
Please read my recent interview with Julia Dunn on CBS 6.
Click Here
Read The Article About Me In Saratoga Today Entitled "Who: Alan Richer, The Toga Chip Guy"
This article was just published today, April 2nd, It starts on Page 3.
Click here to read!
Watch the latest episode of the History Channel's "The FoodThat Built America "that aired on Natational Potato Chip Day, March 14. Featuring the history of Herman Lay and then rival Fritos!
Click here to watch
John Karolefski, author of the blog Grocery Stories at:
https://www.grocerystories.com/
has written a book about grocery shopping. He had requested a quote from me about about chips -- their place in snack history, their popularity, etc.
I had provided him with a quote that I will disclose once his book is published.
Here is that quote!
"Potato chips are more American than apple pie. Compare the shelf space allotted to potato chips and apple pie in your local grocery store"
Recent Events
On Novemeber 19th 2019, I spoke to the New York Capital Region Elfuns Club at the Hilton Garden Inn in Clifton Park NY, on the History of the Potato Chip.
The club consists of mostly retired General Electric employees.
The Toga Chip Guy Is On The Air!
I have been interviewed about the history of the potato chip by a California based radio station, Yesterday USA Radio Networks, at 10:30pm New York time on Saturday, September 14th.
Listen here!
HAPPY NATIONAL POTATO CHIP DAY!
In honor of National Potato Chip Day - Sunday, March 14th - the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation will welcome renowned potato chip historian, Alan Richer, for a virtual program. “Take a Bite Out of History: From Saratoga Chip to Potato Chip” will take place on Thursday, March 25 at 7PM. Join the Foundation on Zoom or Facebook Live to learn about the alternative origins of the chip - including the players, facts, myths, and mystery.
“Alan’s enthusiasm for the history of the potato chip is infectious. I encourage everyone to grab some chips and enjoy this interesting program,” said Samantha Bosshart, Foundation executive director. He will cover the timeline, geographic expansion, company slogans, anthropological changes in clothing, companies that began by selling Saratoga Chips, and non-potato "Saratoga Chip" products.
Alan, also known as “The Toga Chip Guy,” will be featured on the History Channel’s "The Food That Built America” on National Potato Chip Day, check your local listings! He also has been interviewed on CBS, NBC, the Boston Globe, various radio, television stations, newspapers, magazines and podcasts, and he and his collection have been featured in a commercial. In addition, he has been a speaker for various meetings, conventions, educational programs, museums, and historical societies.
This program is open to the public for a suggested contribution of $10 and pre-registration is required to attend on Zoom. Everyone who pre-registers by 6:00PM today for this program will be emailed a Zoom link in advance, otherwise join us on our Facebook Page.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER WITH $10 SUGGESTED DONATION
TO REGISTER WITH OTHER DONATION AMOUNT CLICK HERE
Please include donation note “Virtual Program”
Email Anne McDonough at admin@saratogapreservation.org to register without a donation.
Zen and the Art of GROCERY SHOPPING
"Zen and the Art of GROCERY SHOPPING" has hit book stores, and The Toga Chip Guy has been mentioned in it several times. John Koralefski, the author, had asked for a quote from me for the book and until just recently I wasn't able to share what it was. So now that it has hit stores, here is the quote!
"Potato chips are more American than apple pie. Compare the shelf space allotted to potato chips and apple pie in your local grocery store"
See the pages below!
Click here to purchase the book on Amazon!
The Start Of It All
Spending Black Friday in Chamblee, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. This Lowe’s Improvement Center is on the spot of a former Lay’s Potato Chip factory. Herman W. Lay began his potato chip empire on this very spot. While others are in the mall today, I walked on the very same ground as a titan of industry.
Enjoy, “This Could Be The Start of Something Big.”
Always on the hunt!
My recent visit and tour of Herr’s Potato Chips in Nottingham, PA
My visit to the Utz Quality Foods Headquarters in Hanover, Pa. thanks to Kevin Brick, Senior Vice President of Marketing, pictures on the left in the first photo.
Here is my interview from LookTV regarding
The Chip Festival 2017.
Me, The Toga Chip Guy, At SNAXPO18 In Atlanta
Taking some time out on our recent family vacation in Italy to sample the local chips!
Taking some time out on our recent family vacation in Cape Cod, to visit
the The Cape Cod Potato Chip Company factory.
Here it is in all of it’s entirety! The Fail Chip Documentary, mentioned below!
Click here to view the video on the web site!
CHIP GUY IN A CHIP COMMERCIAL!
Today my home was converted into a television set as a crew of eight spent four hours shooting me and my Toga Chip memorabilia collection for a commercial of a soon to be launched limited edition new potato chip. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to sharing more details in the future……
HERE IS A VIDEO FROM THE 2016 CHIP FESTIVAL!
Here are the ad and the brochure page from my talk in April at the Saratoga Springs Library about the history of the Saratoga Chip.
Alan Richer "Toga Chip Guy" at the Saratoga History Museum to talk about the history of the potato chip
July 23, 2014
A TRIP TO THE JONES’ & BALLREICH BROS. POTATO CHIP COMPANIES
Here are some photos of me on a trip to visit the folks at The Jones Potato Chip Company & The Ballreich Bros. Potato Chip Company. As a collector of Saratoga Chip and Potato Chip memorabilia, making trips to visit people and companies that helped start the industry is always fun and educational.
On this particular trip I was fortunate to not only meet various members of the Jones family, but was also able to see my friend Don Noss (Son of Harvey Noss and featured in the Building An Industry portion of my site)
Left - Donald Noss with Bob Jones (President of Jones’ Potato Chip Company) Right - Yours truly (Alan Richer, the Toga Chip Guy) with Bob Jones (President of Jones’ Potato Chip Company)
Myself (Alan Richer) in front of the Jones’ Potato Chip Company Plant, Mansfield, OH
Left - Brian Reis (President / CEO of Ballreich Bros. Potato Chip Company) with Elizabeth A. Wells (Snack Food Association) & Donald Noss Right - Brian Reis (President / CEO of Ballreich Bros. Potato Chip Company) with Elizabeth A. Wells (Snack Food Association) & yours truly, Alan Richer (The Toga Chip Guy)
The Toga Chip Guy with Maile Carpenter, Editor-in-Chief of
Food Network Magazine.
Here are some great testimonials from The Chip Festival regarding my exhibit!
Exhibit Shots From The Chiefest 2016
More shots from The Chip Festival
A great time was had by large crowds at the Chip Festival
From the Saratogian article in which the Toga Chip Guy, Alan Richer, was interviewed prior to the 2016
Chip Festival.
Saratoga Chip Festival Interview 7/5/16
Join Look TV as we sit down with the Toga Chip Guy himself, Alan Richer and Greg Dixon of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club and the chair the of Chip Festival Committee. They’re here to talk about Saratoga’s upcoming first annual Chip Festival.
Click the image below to watch the interview on our site.
“A Saratoga Essential Event!”
Join Alan at the 2016 Chip Festival to learn more about the history of the Potato Chip.
Click here to learn a bit more about what Alan will be presenting at the festival.
THE 2016 CHIP FESTIVAL
Alan in front of the Idaho Potato Country Truck on its spring visit to Saratoga!
Learn more about Chip Festival 2016!
As heard on one of the Empire Broadcasting Network stations