120+ recipes for the unfussy dishes—from all-day eggs to 2 a.m. snacks—that the James Beard Award-winning, three-Michelin-starred chef of Manresa cooks at home.

“An instant classic, it defines California cool and wears its sophistication lightly.”—Padma Lakshmi

When David Kinch isn’t working at one of his restaurants, he cooks in his strawberry-colored bungalow—affectionately known as the Pink Palace—where he lives on the Northern California coast. A casual meal might include a rustic pasta made with cans from the pantry, a simple roasted chicken, or too many oysters to count.

In At Home in the Kitchen, you’ll find David’s ready-for-anything Mother-Sauce Mayo, a revelatory Guacamole with Pomegranate, the best make-ahead Grilled Cheese, and everything you want to eat for dinner tonight: Onion & Brioche Soup, Brussels Sprouts with Cider & Goat Cheese, Penne with a Walnut Sauce, Jambalaya New Orleans Style, Oven-Roasted Potatoes with Cod, Whole Roast Cauliflower with Capers & Egg, and much more.

Photographed on location in the coastal town of Santa Cruz, where David surfs, sails, and entertains, this laid-back cookbook is packed with go-to recipes, songs to listen to while cooking, and a few classic cocktails (rhum punch, daiquiris, sangria, margaritas!) to set a cheerful mood. And while each recipe has no more than a few key ingredients, David’s clever techniques, subtle twists, and fresh flavor combinations guarantee delicious—and impressive!—results 
in no time at all.