our story
the gourmet chip story
Places like this don’t just get created - they come from a vision, a dream and a lot of passion. Neala and her team are dedicated and love what they do. If you ever meet her - you can feel it for yourself.
The Gourmet Chip Company started with a dream of wildly inspired flavors and hand-made chips in 2011 when we opened the doors to a one-of-a-kind cafe in Asheville, NC. With hopes to create snacks for people who are excited about flavors and hand-crafted food, we ended up creating something even more special- a place immersed by comforting chatter and revolving music playlists with locals and tourists alike. We don’t fit the mold of what you’d expect from a chip company found in a mountain town, and we love that.
We hand-blend herbs and spices to create flavor combinations that represent regions we’re inspired by, whether that’s across the globe or in our own backyard. Our unique combinations speak for themselves - truffle oil, house ground organic lavender, Belguim Chocolate or woodland herbs from Pisgah National Forest. Our original flavors blended together with our precisely selected chipping potatoes straight from the farm, and our secret frying process, creates a flavor story that unfolds in each bag opened. To us - it’s all in the detail.
what makes our chips special?
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Hand-ground spices from local growers
when possible
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Unique and wildly inspired flavor pairings
from around the globe
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craftmade & small batch
with zero preservatives
about neala
Neala's journey with Gourmet Chip traces back to a simple craving for a satisfying, salty snack and a longing for better alternatives. An avid foodie, Neala initially embarked on her career as an actor in Los Angeles, blending her love for gourmet flavors while working in high-end restaurants. The fusion of her diverse culinary experiences and refined palate sparked the innovative idea of creating gourmet chips. Alongside her husband, she traded the bustling city life for a simpler existence in the mountains of Asheville, only to find that their pursuit of simplicity evolved into a flourishing business at the heart of the community. Neala's cafe and chips have become local favorites, with her vision continually expanding. She stands as a testament to the idea that with hard work, one can pursue their dreams.
Visit the cafe, and you may find Neala there, singing her favorite songs and welcoming patrons with her infectious smile. Her passion is a reminder that dreams can be pursued without compromise.
what we value
Bold Flavors, Worldly Inspired
We express our love for the world through flavor. Each of our chip flavors is wildly unique because we want eating them to be a transformative experience, that takes you to a new place. Whether it’s Salted Belgium conjuring cozy European winters or Pisgah Wild Herb illuminating the fresh flavors from our own backyard, our chips are much more than just asalty snack. We could have made typical chip flavors…but where’s the fun in that?
Integrity In Every Step
We don't just want to make the best potato chips. We want to make them in the best way, too. As your trusted officially unofficial chip connoisseurs, we take our process to new levels. We source the one single variety that produces the most fantastic chip so that our chip lovers have a consistently satisfying crunch in every bite.
Hand-cut with precision with locally-grown spices from regional growers that we blend in-house, we're involved in every step of our chips.
It's All Love
At Gourmet Chip Co., it's all love here from chips to our customers to our employees. We put people at the center of everything we do (well...and chips) but we slow down to get to know our customers personally. We invite them in for a conversation on a rainy day or for a quick snack time in their busy day. Tourists and locals alike, Gourmet Chip Co., is a spot that people come to to relax, refuel or buy gifts because they too, want to share with their people the love and goodness here.
We have a great love for our staff too, some of who have been with us for over ten years and our long-lasting relationships with our growers who have become family just the same.
Infectiously Enthusiastic
If our chip flavors are any indicator, we like to do things big, bold, and bursting with energy. We’re inspired daily by the work we get to do and want to infuse that into everything we create. From experimenting with new pairings and spices to selecting the *perfect* playlist for that day, our goal is to make sure someone feels that jolt of enthusiasm, kindness and good vibes when theyv stroll into our storefront or open some of our chips from afar.
our cafe - a DOWNTOWN asheville favorite
At our roots, we’re a homegrown business using homegrown ingredients to bring people together for a curiously good time. Stop by our popular downtown Asheville cafe for the best sandwiches and chips in the city. Not the mention, the one of the best music 80-90s playlists in the city.
our address
43 1/2 Broadway Street Asheville, NC 28801
contact us
(828) 254-3335
info@gourmetchipcompany.com
our hours
Thurs — Tues: 11a - 5p Wed: Closed