Waffle House worker reveals how they make omelets. Viewers are shook

Photo by@short_order_cooking/TikTok Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock

Being able to chow down on classic American fare at odd hours of the day for relatively low prices has been the cornerstone of Waffle House’s culinary philosophy for nearly 70 years.

Given that the chain has been in operation for more than 2.5 billion customers since it started, it's reasonable to think that a significant portion of them might not be fans of Waffle House. However, it's hard to tell just by looking at the responses to this TikTok video shared by Donovan the Cook (@short_order_cooking).

The Waffle House short order maestro demonstrated how he, as a seasoned cook for the chain, makes omelettes. Numerous folks were left impressed by his technical skill with others wondering: “How did he do that?” He detailed his abilities in a viral clip that’s accumulated over 407,000 views.

It’s all in the wrist

In the opening of his video, Donovan mentions that he decided to create it in response to people's inquiries about the process for making omelettes at Waffle House.

“This is how we do it. It’s two eggs. It goes in a milkshake blender,” he states, holding up a stainless steel cup. Then, the cup is placed into a milkshake apparatus that’s mounted to the wall. The device gets to work whipping up the eggs.

Next, Donovan grabs a stainless steel pan. “We use butter oil, two scoops,” he says, detailing the fat used to coat the pan. Then he grabs a ladle resting in another stainless steel container on the grill filled with the butter oil. He places two scoops of the fat into the pan which is angled on the grill.

“Then that goes on the heat,” he says, placing the pan on the burner, stating that the oil needs to “get hot.” Giving viewers a better vantage point, he places the camera “up top” on a shelf with the lens pointed downwards. This gives the viewer a birds-eye view of the cooking skill Donovan is about to display.

Eggs in the pan

“This is just gonna be a plain cheese omelet,” he says, wiping down the counter and readying a plate. The milkshake machine’s whirring is heard and Donovan details why this step is so important.

“So the blender is whipping air into the eggs and makes them very fluffy…that’s how they get fluffy. So once the pan is hot, then we have our whipped eggs.”

At this point, Donovan unsnaps the metal cup from the wall-mounted blender and he shows the contents on camera. The fluffy yolks take up a significant portion of the cup, considering there are only two inside.

Donovan then carefully transfers a small amount of the egg mixture into the pan. He mentions that this was a "trial" to check the oil's heat. Once he's content with the oil's temperature, he swiftly adds the eggs to the pan, shaking the container to ensure all the yolks are removed. Donovan swiftly moves the pan over the heat—the eggs begin to sizzle in the oil right away.

“Shake it around,” he says, never sticking a single utensil into the pan. He jerks the pan up, causing the omelet to flip over.

“That’s pretty much it,” he says, slightly shaking the pain again. After the omelet jiggles a bit, the TikToker slaps two slices of American cheese on top of it and moves it around some more.

Then, he transfers the omelet from the pan to a plate. But, in doing this, he carefully puts his fingers right in the center of the omelet, right over the cheese pieces. This action results in a crease in the omelet, trapping the cheese in the middle.

The omelet test

Because of the heat created by this eggy pocket, the cheese can melt, giving a gooey texture. He holds up his handiwork to the camera. “That’s it that’s how we make a Waffle House omelet.”

Numerous culinary experts believe that the ultimate measure of a chef's skill is demonstrated through their mastery of the simple omelet. Thierry Isambert Culinary & Event Design elaborates on the significance of this morning favorite. The company states that the fragility of omelets renders them susceptible to mistakes. The challenge lies in balancing the heat evenly, monitoring the texture, accurately measuring the ingredients, and handling the equipment properly. Undoubtedly, if a chef fails to address these elements, they will struggle to produce quality omelets consistently.

Evidently, Waffle House believes it has some seriously talented cooks on its hands. This Medium piece indicates that the chain has a term for skilled kitchen workers: Rock stars.

Numerous folks have taken to the internet to express wonder about how the popular establishment makes such fluffy eggs. Additionally, there have been copycat recipes spread online for folks who want to emulate that flavor at home.

TikTokers were gobsmacked

A user was impressed by Donovan's dedication to cleanliness.

“Bro said I’m not wearing gloves 'cause I’m not serving it to anyone. I have never seen a cook wear gloves at Waffle House but I still love that place! Where I came from we call it redneck hibachi,” they joked.

Another quipped, “It’s not the Waffle House. It’s a waffle home.”

One person was so impressed with Donovan’s omelet-making abilities, they pitched a reality TV show idea. “I would love for one of the cooking show competitions to do a whole series with nothing but Waffle House cooks,” they said.

However, one user pointed out a slight technicality when it comes to Classic French omelets.

“I have to tell you that I believe a proper omelet has three eggs in it,” they penned.

Donovan acknowledged their point, however, he said that Waffle House’s standard omelet portion is 2 eggs.

“I don’t disagree. It’s just the way Waffle House does it,” he replied.