Chef dads describe their dream meals for Father's Day

Father’s Day prompts chefs to imagine meals that reflect both their craft and their values, and three prominent dad-chefs share distinct visions. Tom Colicchio, who runs Crafted Hospitality in New York, would assemble smoked short ribs, bone-in and low and slow, on Long Island's North Fork, with family nearby to supervise. Cesar Zapata of Phuc Yea in Miami hopes to fish for snapper or grouper in Florida and roast a whole fish over the grill, prepared simply with a Vietnamese-style salsa verde. Roy Yamaguchi, founder of Roy’s Restaurants, would welcome loved ones home for shabu shabu or chankonabe, to emphasize togetherness.

All three agree that being together matters more than culinary showmanship. Colicchio imagines an outdoor Father’s Day on the North Fork with teenagers cooking under supervision; Zapata envisions a fishing-and-grill day in Florida; and Yamaguchi values dishes that bring relatives into the kitchen. The core theme is warmth, presence, and memory-making around food, rather than star turns or elaborate menus. The chefs’ reflections reveal how leaders in professional kitchens translate their craft into intimate family rituals, choosing simplicity and connection over spectacle when the day is meant to honor fathers.