Michelin-Worthy Meals Even Your Children Will Love from Chef Scott Clark

It’s not day-after-day you see a former three-Michelin-star chef slinging burgers and do-it-yourself potato chips out of a historic pink 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 you realize the place to look.

In the event you pull up, chances are high you’ll discover Scott Clark—chef, dad, and now cookbook writer—chatting with clients, cracking jokes, and working the go for his or her short-and-sweet seasonal menu.

I haven’t been but, however after studying his debut cookbook Coastal, I acquired curious. The guide, which dropped in March, is a love letter to the California shoreline and the meals that occur in between the miles. Apart from studying extra about his journey from nice eating to roadside eats, I additionally needed to understand how he thinks about feeding his family 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 mistaken (I used to be too). His Instagram bio reads “father to 1, dad to many,” and in the event 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.

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 ultimately sparked an even 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 type 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 substances than you’d ever count on from a roadside cease. Assume maitake mushrooms, grass-fed beef, pink oak lettuce, do-it-yourself chips. And Scott’s most likely there, handing it to you himself.

“For me, what’s thrilling is pulling aside these items that we’re all actually acquainted with, and that attracts virtually an emotional response, after which taking part in with them and making use of approach,” he defined to me.

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 stuffed with tales, recipes, and over 300 photographs 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 guide 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 children’ cookbook, per se, his id as a father shines all through. Particularly within the last chapter, Again Residence with the Child.

How do you make one thing each you and your child will love?

For Scott, it comes down to 2 essential issues: high quality and enjoyable.

“It’s how I take a look at feeding the household: the way to get everybody’s palms into the pot and ship one thing that’s stunning, contemporary, and tremendous scrumptious,” he defined.

It’s not essentially about hiding veggies or making a “child meal.” It’s about beginning with nice substances, involving your child within the course of, and retaining issues playful. That may seem like making your individual mayo collectively or shopping for higher fish for fish sticks.

“You may faucet deeper into what everyone knows, keep in mind, and love about consuming after we have been children,” he stated. “So it’s enjoyable to make as an grownup, however nonetheless shareable along with your youngsters.”

Just a few of Scott’s favourite family-friendly recipes:

A few of his prime picks to make along with your children, all excerpted from the guide.

Date, Sopressata, Arugula, and Smoked Gouda Pizza

This one requires a day of prep upfront, but it surely’s properly value it. Additionally a fantastic excuse to get a pizza stone in the event you don’t have one already. And in the event you don’t suppose your children will eat arugula but, I extremely advocate saving this for the sauce recipe alone. Professional tip: he sweetens it with a bit of brown sugar which I really like.

Roasted Snap Pea Salad with Yakult-Fashion Dressing

This one’s good for a cookout or seaside day. Simply toss it in a Tupperware or make it over the hearth in the event you’re feeling bold. The Yakult-style dressing is the true star right here and far more enjoyable than your common yogurt state of affairs. It’s brilliant, crunchy, and simply candy sufficient that everybody will adore it.

Pretzel Crispies

For the best of the three (in case the primary two felt like rather a lot), 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.

The place to purchase Coastal

You could find Coastal: 130 Recipes from a California Street Journey wherever books are offered—Amazon, Barnes & Noble, indie bookstores. It’s $35, and obtainable now through Chronicle Books.