🎉 Small Bites, Big Flavor 🐺

With Father’s Day around the corner, we’re thinking about all the ways dads show up — and snack time definitely counts. Happy Wolf makes soft, fridge-fresh organic bars that are kid-approved, allergy-friendly, and honestly... pretty great for grown-ups too.

👉Grab a box for your favorite snackers

Before Chef Nelson German opened three standout Bay Area restaurants and became known for his bold, heritage-rich cooking—including a run on Top Chef: Portland (Season 18)—he was a kid quietly watching his mom cook, soaking in the joy of bachata, sizzling oil, and family gossip swirling through their Washington Heights kitchen. That kitchen, he tells us, is where his sense of flavor and family first began.

Now based in Oakland and raising a baby boy of his own, Chef Nelson is building something bigger than a food empire. As the Executive Chef and Owner of the award-winning alaMar Kitchen & Bar, Sobre Mesa, and most recently, Meski, Nelson has made it his mission to celebrate Afro-Dominican roots, tell stories of the African and Caribbean diasporas, and invite real community into his spaces. At home, he’s doing the same—just with smaller plates and softer spoons.

We caught up with Nelson the week leading up to Father’s Day, just as his six-month-old son Mason was starting solid foods. Between spoon-feeding purées and running kitchens, he shared how becoming a dad is reshaping his relationship to food, health, and the kind of legacy he wants to pass down—from his grandma’s pollo guisado to the plantains he hopes will be Mason’s first favorite bite.

From tips on feeding a baby while running restaurants to reclaiming cultural dishes in wellness spaces, Nelson speaks with heart and intention. Whether you're a new dad, seasoned parent, or simply someone who knows the power of a good family meal, this one’s for you.

Happy Father’s Day to all the One Potato dads, stepdads, father figures, and food-loving families out there—we see you, and we’re cheering you on. 💛

A special message from our friends Happy Wolf:

Snack Time, Solved (Especially for the Littlest Wolves)

We love discovering mom-founded brands that just get it — and Happy Wolf Snacks is one of our new favorite finds. When Jana couldn’t find snacks that were both school-safe, allergy-friendly and made with real, nourishing ingredients for her own kids, she decided to create them herself.

Happy Wolf fridge-fresh snack bars are made with organic seed butters, oats, dates, & fruit - these ingredients are so clean & simple you could make the bars yourself, but you know what? They did it for you. Because who has the time?

Perfect for busy mornings, play-dates, or diaper bag snack emergencies, these bars are made with clean ingredients you can feel great about — no gluten, dairy, soy, or artificial junk. Just real food for real families. And they taste great, too- approved by even the pickiest of palates!

👉 Try Happy Wolf snacks here, or find them in the fridge at Whole Foods, and get something you’ll feel good about handing your kid — or sneaking a bite of yourself.

One Potato’s Order Up! Interview: Chef Nelson German on fatherhood, heritage, and feeding his family roots-first.

Introduce Yourself:

I’m Chef Nelson German. I was born and raised in Washington Heights in New York City, but now I’m based in the Bay Area, repping Oakland all the way. I’ve been married to my incredible wife, May, for 14 years, and we just had our first baby—our beautiful six-month-old son, Mason.

Having him has been the biggest blessing. It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had, but also the most meaningful. Watching him smile back at us—it’s surreal. It’s changed the way I think about everything, not just as a chef, but as a dad and as a family man.