The 1 Ingredient ‘The Bear’ Star Jeremy Allen White Can’t Live Without

The beloved FX show, "The Bear," starring Jeremy Allen White, just released its third season—meaning we're finally back with Carmen, a.k.a. "Carmy," and the rest of the Chicago crew. Even with two seasons—and several Emmys—under its belt, we still can't stop thinking about White's confession that he wasn't much of a cook before the show.

Prior to filming, White completed a two-week "crash course" at the Institute of Culinary Education to play the part of chef Carmy. Now, we'd probably never know, but White claimed he was "really useless in the kitchen" before stepping into the role.

In an interview with "GQ," White dished on the condiment that he discovered during the pandemic and relied on for flavor before he got the hang of cooking. Naturally, we were intrigued.

Jeremy Allen White's Favorite Condiment

In a video on the "10 Things Jeremy Allen White Can't Live Without," alongside white Nike sneakers and fancy fig-scented candles, White revealed his favorite flavor booster: S & B Chili Oil with Crunchy Garlic.

The Japanese condiment, also known as 'S & B Umami Topping', is made with a mild chili oil that's mixed with crunchy fried garlic, almonds, chili paste, sesame seeds, and seasonings. According to the S & B website, it's intended as a crunchy add-on to imbue any dish with a boost of texture and umami flavor.

We guess great minds think alike because we chose the S & B condiment as a winner of our chili crisp taste test.

White first found the crunchy condiment through Cookbook, a specialty grocer in Los Angeles, and has kept it stocked in his kitchen—and on the road—ever since.

"I will have it everywhere with me. It's delicious," he said.

For those of us outside of Los Angeles, you can likely find it at Japanese or Asian grocery stores, or order it online from Amazon or World Market. I found it at my local H Mart for just under $10.

What Does Garlic-Chili Oil Taste Like & How Do You Use It?

As for the question on everyone's minds—what does the S & B Chili Oil with Crunchy Garlic taste like? I gave it a try on some plain sushi rice, then on its own to really taste it. It's very mildly spicy, much less so than other chili crisps I've tried, but with the same coarse sand-like texture. The big addition here, as the product's name suggests, is fried garlic, which lends a nutty sweetness to the mix. All in all, the chili-garlic oil has a really nice balance of sweet and savory that keeps you coming back bite after bite.

According to White, it's great on everything from sandwiches and eggs to rice and noodle dishes. Personally, we could already picture adding this to avocado toast for breakfast, topping grain bowls and salads at lunch, or using it to jazz up instant ramen along with some fresh scallions and a poached egg.

If you're looking for something to amp up flavor in a flash, but the typical chili oil packs too much spice for your taste, give White's favorite crunchy garlic-chili oil a try. If it's good enough for Carmy, it's good enough for us.