It’s not on daily basis you see a former three-Michelin-star chef slinging burgers and home made potato chips out of a historic crimson prepare automotive. However at Dad’s Luncheonette, the low-key restaurant tucked off Freeway 1 in foggy Half Moon Bay, that’s precisely what you’ll discover—if the place to look.
Should you pull up, likelihood is you’ll discover Scott Clark—chef, dad, and now cookbook writer—chatting with prospects, cracking jokes, and working the move for his or her short-and-sweet seasonal menu.
I haven’t been but, however after studying his debut cookbook Coastal, I bought curious. The e book, which dropped in March, is a love letter to the California shoreline and the meals that occur in between the miles. Except for studying extra about his journey from advantageous eating to roadside eats, I additionally needed to know the way he thinks about feeding his circle of relatives within the course of.
You most likely have a picture in your head after listening to “Michelin chef turned diner man.” If I needed to guess, you’re unsuitable (I used to be too). His Instagram bio reads “father to at least one, dad to many,” and in case you scroll the feedback, you’ll discover followers lovingly calling him a “tat daddy baddy”—a nickname that circulated after he appeared on The Drew Barrymore Present.
Picture by Cheyenne Ellis
He has the résumé to again all of it up: former chef de delicacies at Saison in San Francisco (sure, the one with three Michelin stars). It was throughout his time there {that a} good friend satisfied him to attempt browsing and that finally sparked a much bigger realization.
That shift—browsing, turning into a dad, and rethinking what meals may imply—led to the opening of Dad’s Luncheonette in 2017.
So, what’s Dad’s Luncheonette?
It’s informal, cozy, counter-service. The sort of place with a self-described “restricted however yummy menu,” which is my private favourite kind of menu. Sometimes, it’s 5 – 6 gadgets—$15ish sandwiches with higher elements than you’d ever count on from a roadside cease. Assume maitake mushrooms, grass-fed beef, crimson oak lettuce, home made chips. And Scott’s most likely there, handing it to you himself.
“For me, what’s thrilling is pulling aside this stuff that we’re all actually accustomed to, and that attracts nearly an emotional response, after which enjoying with them and making use of approach,” he defined to me.
Picture by Cheyenne Ellis
What concerning the Guide?
Whereas the menu at Dad’s is tight, the cookbook is sprawling in one of the best ways. Coastal: 130 Recipes from a California Street Journey is crammed with tales, recipes, and over 300 images from California’s Central Coast—shot by fourth-generation Californian Cheyenne Ellis.
The chapters are organized by vibes, not meal sorts. You’ll discover sections like Afternoon At Dad’s, Street Journey Snacks, and Lunch within the Winery.
The storytelling is what makes the e book really feel totally different. Scott talks about meals with an actual reverence for place, whether or not that’s chatting with a forager within the Santa Cruz mountains or tossing collectively one thing fast after an extended day within the water. And whereas it’s not a youngsters’ cookbook, per se, his id as a father shines all through. Particularly within the last chapter, Again House with the Child.
How do you make one thing each you and your child will love?
For Scott, it comes down to 2 principal issues: high quality and enjoyable.
“It’s how I take a look at feeding the household: the best way to get everybody’s arms into the pot and ship one thing that’s lovely, contemporary, and tremendous scrumptious,” he defined.
It’s not essentially about hiding veggies or making a “child meal.” It’s about beginning with nice elements, involving your child within the course of, and preserving issues playful. That may seem like making your personal mayo collectively or shopping for higher fish for fish sticks.
“You’ll be able to faucet deeper into what everyone knows, bear in mind, and love about consuming after we have been youngsters,” he mentioned. “So it’s enjoyable to make as an grownup, however nonetheless shareable together with your kids.”
Picture by Cheyenne Ellis
A couple of of Scott’s favourite family-friendly recipes:
A few of his high picks to make together with your youngsters, all excerpted from the e book.
Date, Sopressata, Arugula, and Smoked Gouda Pizza
This one requires a day of prep upfront, however it’s properly value it. Additionally an awesome excuse to get a pizza stone in case you don’t have one already. And in case you don’t suppose your youngsters will eat arugula but, I extremely advocate saving this for the sauce recipe alone. Professional tip: he sweetens it with slightly brown sugar which I like.
Roasted Snap Pea Salad with Yakult-Fashion Dressing
This one’s excellent for a cookout or seashore day. Simply toss it in a Tupperware or make it over the hearth in case you’re feeling formidable. The Yakult-style dressing is the true star right here and far more enjoyable than your common yogurt state of affairs. It’s vibrant, crunchy, and simply candy sufficient that everybody will find it irresistible.
Pretzel Crispies
For the best of the three (in case the primary two felt like quite a bit), these Pretzel Crispies are a simple win. It’s a salty-sweet spin on Rice Krispies that comes collectively quick—and sure, they’re simply as harmful as they sound.
Substances
| Pan spray, if wanted | |
| 1 | pound [455 g] skinny salted pretzels |
| 1 | cup [226 g] unsalted butter |
| 12 | ounces [340 g] marshmallows |
| Pinch of kosher salt |
| Pan spray, if wanted | |
| 1 | pound [455 g] skinny salted pretzels |
| 1 | cup [226 g] unsalted butter |
| 12 | ounces [340 g] marshmallows |
| Pinch of kosher salt |
The place to purchase Coastal
You will discover Coastal: 130 Recipes from a California Street Journey wherever books are bought—Amazon, Barnes & Noble, indie bookstores. It’s $35, and out there now by way of Chronicle Books.
