Pour six cups of chicken stock into a large pot and bring to a boil. Chicken stock instead of water is helpful in two ways: it prevents oxidation, and it adds more flavor.

Peel and cut the potatoes into equal sized pieces. The more equal they are in size, the more equally they will cook.

Add the potatoes to the boiling broth. The temperature will decrease, so bring it back to a boil.

Cook until the potatoes are very tender. You can test by using a toothpick or a fork. If it slides through the potato, it’s done!

Drain the potatoes, and do not let them cool. Hot potatoes absorb dairy better and will give you a smoother mash.

Begin mashing with a potato masher or, if you prefer a finer creamier texture like Cheesecake Factory’s, mash through a potato press.

First, then add the cream cheese, and mix until it dissolves with the heat of the potatoes.

Now, begin adding the buttermilk a little at a time. You don’t want the potatoes to be too thin, so add the buttermilk slowly.

Finally, mix in the softened butter. It should melt even further into the warm potatoes. I’ll sometimes add a little more butter than the original recipe calls for, just to make it a little richer.

Taste the potatoes and season generously with kosher salt. Season to your taste, olive garden style!

Enjoy warm fluffy and buttery.