Urban’s own Chef David shares his Thanksgiving favorites and reflects on what the holiday means to him.

“Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because families [and] friends can get together and be with each other and… break bread and hang out and eat food,” said Chef David. Reflecting on his own memories of Thanksgiving as a child, he said, “We kind of grew up hippie, feral kids in West Marin, seriously, and [we had a] great upbringing, but my mom was a single mom. So [at] our house for Thanksgiving we always hosted [all] the wayward people. Not people but friends. And it was really a good memory.”

Stuffing is one of Chef David’s favorite sides. “I think stuffing is kind of key. I do a traditional stuffing [with] onions, celery, fresh thyme, based with good daily bread. I like a stuffing free bird. It cooks faster, and it cooks more evenly.”

Chef David’s Classic Bread Stuffing

1 lb. day-old bread, cubed
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 tbsp fresh thyme
½ cup butter
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (turkey stock works great as well)
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Saute onions and celery with half the butter until soft
3. Add fresh thyme and season generously with salt and pepper
4. Add stock to the onion and celery mix and pour over the cubed bread in a mixing bowl
5. Place in a buttered baking pan
6. Cook for 30 min or until golden brown
7. Enjoy!

Another one of Chef David’s favorite recipes is sweet potato casserole. “Sweet potatoes, yams, red garnet yams with, some roasted pecans and some…actual marshmallows melted on them,” said Chef David.

Mom’s Candied Yams:

5 medium yams
8 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg
1 tbsp ginger
1 cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Peel and chop yams half an inch thick and place yams in 9×13 baking dish
3. Melt butter in a saucepan, then add all other ingredients, pour over yams, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes
4. Uncover toss with liquid and bake for another 30 min
5. Enjoy!