A Michelin-starred chef has revealed the secret for making the ultimate omelette – and it’s not as complicated as you think.
Paul Foster, a Coventry-born chef whose former restaurant Salt earned a Michelin star in 2018, revealed his trusted method for mastering the classic egg dish.
The secret is to heat a non-stick pan over medium heat before adding a knob of butter, Paul said.
‘If it just melts it’s not hot enough, if it starts to brown straight away it’s too hot. Reduce the heat as the omelette comes together,’ he explained.
‘Only add salt just before cooking,’ he said, explaining that it’s important that the egg mixture does not sit in salt since it ‘will break down the proteins in the egg and affect the texture if added too early.’
Using the right kind of fat is also important.
‘I use butter, but you can also add a neutral oil like sunflower or vegetable to help prevent the butter from burning,’ he said.
The pan should also be the right size. If it is too small, the egg will not cook evenly and will be difficult to roll, but if it is too big, it may not cook quickly enough.
A Michelin-starred chef has revealed the secret for making the ultimate omelette – and it’s not as complicated as you think. Stock image pictured
The perfect number of eggs is three per omelette, he said, explaining that regardless of size, two wouldn’t be enough and four too many.
Paul said the combining of the eggs was a vital step often misjudged by people at home.
He said: ‘Don’t overbeat your eggs, whisk until combined. If you overdo it, it will get foamy and add too much air, affecting the final texture.’
To avoid the omelette tearing, he advised leaving the mixture to rest for around 10 to 15 seconds and then to practice folding rather than flipping.
‘This should be done when the omelette is set as one piece but the top is still slightly runny and soft, use a spatula to fold one side into a third, then into a third again to create a rolled effect, then carefully turn onto a warm plate so the fold line is on the bottom.
‘And if folding feels risky, serve it open – no shame in avoiding the scramble,’ he added.
Finally, cooks opting for a cheese filling should be sure to use a fine grater for an even distribution throughout the dish.
‘Most fillings are best going in at the end just before folding as it will be much easier to get an even finish and help prevent cracks when rolling,’ he said.
Paul said the combining of the eggs was a vital step often misjudged by people at home. Stock image pictured
To add a final flourish, cooks can rub a knob of butter over the surface to add a ‘luxurious glaze’.
Additionally, a ‘garnish of chopped herbs like chives or dill and a fine grating of lemon zest can really bring it to life,’ he said.
‘Alternatively, for texture contrast, add some crisps or lightly toasted panko breadcrumbs, other great flavour additions could be pickled red onions and a spoonful of crème fraiche.’
According to a new study by British Lion Eggs, omelettes have been voted the most popular breakfast for 2025.
Despite their popularity, recreating the perfect omelette is tricker than it looks, with more than half of those in the study admitting it was one of the hardest dishes to master.
Two thirds also said they’d faced kitchen disasters while trying to perfect the technique, with many complaining of burnt pan bottoms, overstuffing and overly dry final products.
The study, conducted in September, also found the most popular filling for omelettes was cheese, with 79 per cent selecting as their favourite.
Other filling favourites included ham, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes, with some more experimental cooks admitting to adding crisps or panko breadcrumbs to the egg dishes.
Most people gobbled their omelettes down with a fresh green salad, 38 per cent, oven chips, 32 per cent, or bread, 20 per cent. Others enjoyed balancing the dish with a tomato salad or dipping into ketchup or brown sauce.
Paul was once the owner of Salt, a Stratford-upon-Avon-based eatery that earned its first Michelin-star in 2018.
After eight years of trading, he announced earlier this year that he was having to close the venue earlier amid cost-of-living pressures on customers.
Revealing his next steps in a video posted to social media, he unveiled his new YouTube channel, called Food Unfiltered, where he will share stories from his career as a chef.