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

It’s not every day you see a former three-Michelin-star chef slinging burgers and homemade potato chips out of a historic red train car. But at Dad’s Luncheonette, the low-key restaurant tucked off Highway 1 in foggy Half Moon Bay, that’s exactly what you’ll find—if you know where to look.

If you pull up, chances are you’ll find Scott Clark—chef, dad, and now cookbook author—chatting with customers, cracking jokes, and running the pass for their short-and-sweet seasonal menu.

I haven’t been yet, but after reading his debut cookbook Coastal, I got curious. The book, which dropped in March, is a love letter to the California coastline and the meals that happen in between the miles. Aside from learning more about his journey from fine dining to roadside eats, I also wanted to know how he thinks about feeding his own family in the process.

You probably have an image in your head after hearing “Michelin chef turned diner guy.” If I had to guess, you’re wrong (I was too). His Instagram bio reads “father to one, dad to many,” and if you scroll the comments, you’ll find fans lovingly calling him a “tat daddy baddy”—a nickname that circulated after he appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show.

He has the résumé to back it all up: former chef de cuisine at Saison in San Francisco (yes, the one with three Michelin stars). It was during his time there that a friend convinced him to try surfing and that eventually sparked a bigger realization.

That shift—surfing, becoming a dad, and rethinking what food could mean—led to the opening of Dad’s Luncheonette in 2017.

So, what is Dad’s Luncheonette?

It’s casual, cozy, counter-service. The kind of place with a self-described “limited but yummy menu,” which is my personal favorite type of menu. Typically, it’s five or six items—$15ish sandwiches with better ingredients than you’d ever expect from a roadside stop. Think maitake mushrooms, grass-fed beef, red oak lettuce, homemade chips. And Scott’s probably there, handing it to you himself.

“For me, what’s exciting is pulling apart these things that we’re all really familiar with, and that draws almost an emotional reaction, and then playing with them and applying technique,” he explained to me.

What about the Book?

While the menu at Dad’s is tight, the cookbook is sprawling in the best way. Coastal: 130 Recipes from a California Road Trip is filled with stories, recipes, and over 300 photos from California’s Central Coast—shot by fourth-generation Californian Cheyenne Ellis.

The chapters are organized by vibes, not meal types. You’ll find sections like Afternoon At Dad’s, Road Trip Snacks, and Lunch in the Vineyard.

The storytelling is what makes the book feel different. Scott talks about food with a real reverence for place, whether that’s chatting with a forager in the Santa Cruz mountains or tossing together something quick after a long day in the water. And while it’s not a kids’ cookbook, per se, his identity as a father shines throughout. Especially in the final chapter, Back Home with the Kid.

How do you make something both you and your kid will love?

For Scott, it comes down to two main things: quality and fun.

“It’s how I look at feeding the family: how to get everyone’s hands into the pot and deliver something that is beautiful, fresh, and super delicious,” he explained.

It’s not necessarily about hiding veggies or making a “kid meal.” It’s about starting with great ingredients, involving your kid in the process, and keeping things playful. That might look like making your own mayo together or buying better fish for fish sticks.

“You can tap deeper into what we all know, remember, and love about eating when we were kids,” he said. “So it’s fun to make as an adult, but still shareable with your children.”

A few of Scott’s favorite family-friendly recipes:

Some of his top picks to make with your kids, all excerpted from the book.

Date, Sopressata, Arugula, and Smoked Gouda Pizza

This one requires a day of prep in advance, but it’s well worth it. Also a great excuse to get a pizza stone if you don’t have one already. And if you don’t think your kids will eat arugula yet, I highly recommend saving this for the sauce recipe alone. Pro tip: he sweetens it with a little brown sugar which I love.

Roasted Snap Pea Salad with Yakult-Style Dressing

This one’s perfect for a cookout or beach day. Just toss it in a Tupperware or make it over the fire if you’re feeling ambitious. The Yakult-style dressing is the real star here and way more fun than your usual yogurt situation. It’s bright, crunchy, and just sweet enough that everyone will love it.

Pretzel Crispies

For the simplest of the three (in case the first two felt like a lot), these Pretzel Crispies are an easy win. It’s a salty-sweet spin on Rice Krispies that comes together fast—and yes, they’re just as dangerous as they sound.

Where to buy Coastal

You can find Coastal: 130 Recipes from a California Road Trip wherever books are sold—Amazon, Barnes & Noble, indie bookstores. It’s $35, and available now via Chronicle Books.