Tattoo-clad dad will make lunch for your kids (2024)

Michael Young, 43, of Wanamassa is definitely one of a kind.

He resembles a biker, with sleeves of tattoos and a beard. Young looks rough and tough — but that's nothing compared to his skills in the kitchen.

Raised in the Colonia section of Woodbridge, he always had a passion for cooking. Out of high school, he went to culinary school but dropped out because of the expense.

"My friend was working in a butcher shop in Union," Young tells me. "He was moving to Florida and introduced me to the owners. They hired me and we wound up turning it into a catering business. I did that for 15 years, and we opened a second location in Clark. That's where I met my wife, Jennifer."

Tattoo-clad dad will make lunch for your kids (1)

Young had since moved down the Shore to Spring Lake Heights, but it was love at first sight. The couple got married and wound up buying a house in Freehold, in the Colts Pride development.

"I was the executive chef at Nordstrom (in Freehold) for a few years, and then I met Doug. We started working together on catering, and that's where the dream took off."

Young is talking about Doug Walsh, owner of the renowned Jersey Shore BBQ in Belmar.

By this time, the Youngs had started a family. They have two children — Millana, 9, and E.J., 7.

About two years ago, he was putting his daughter to sleep one summer night. They were talking, and she said, "Daddy, you make really great food. You should make lunches for me and my friends."

He says the idea really stuck with him.

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"After she went to bed, I said to my wife, 'This isn't a bad idea.' We stayed up all night and put together a menu. We crunched numbers, and my wife, on a whim, put the idea on Facebook. We got more than 100 responses from people saying that if we started making lunches for kids, they would buy them."

So they gave it a shot.

The Domesticated Dad was born.

First course

Walsh let Young use the kitchen at Jersey Shore BBQ to produce lunches after hours. His wife created an extensive online ordering system on their Facebook page, allowing people to choose from a variety of options.

Checking out the page, I'm quite impressed. Customers can order brown bag breakfast, brown bag lunch (basic and deluxe), goodies & fun stuff and daily deliciousness specials.

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Within each category, there are several selections available.

I create a sample lunch:

First, I select a main dish: chicken salad. Then, I choose my size: brown bag basic ($4.95). Next, I pick my bread, followed by toppings snack and beverage. Finally, I put my name in the "request box" because lunches are served in personalized brown-paper bags, "just like your parents make it," Young explains.

How did they get the word out about their business?

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"Social media was everything," he says. "We were on the Wanamassa parents page. I worked as a playground aide part-time at the kids' school. We knew a lot of people, we had good connections."

Once they had a following, the Youngs started the Angel Delivery Program, which provided anonymous lunches for students.

"It was a way for us to appreciate all we have and give back to the community," he says. "We built a reputation, gained contacts, and it made us want to do the lunches more."

Second serving

The Youngs have been thinking about getting a storefront for a while. They spotted a location about a year-and-a-half ago but were late getting in.

Last November, they noticed a "for rent" sign in the window, and they went all in.

Tattoo-clad dad will make lunch for your kids (2)

"Let's take a shot," Young tell me. "That's what we said. We didn't have the opportunity to fail at this."

The Domesticated Dad is located at 66 Monmouth Road, in the Oakhurst section of Ocean. The storefront allows them to cater to more customers while offering the option of take-out as well. They were planning to put tables out front for the summer.

Here's how it operates:

Young's wife picks up all orders early in the morning and delivers to homes from 4:30 to 6 a.m. The doors open at 7 a.m., and breakfast and lunch are served until 3 p.m.

She delivers to residences, businesses and even to the teachers at schools

What kind of food is on the menu?

Breakfast can be anything from pork roll (Young calls it Taylor ham), egg and cheese to wraps. Lunch includes turkey BLTs, salads and even Nutella and banana sandwiches.

RELATED:10 of the Shore's top spots for pork roll

"Everything is homemade," he tells me. "We make our own turkey, and a big seller is the homemade chips."

Prices are extremely reasonable — a full brown-bag lunch can cost less than $4.

Young says delivery is currently within the Ocean, West Long Branch and Eatontown area. Take-out customers, however, come from all over the place, and the Domesticated Dad plans to expand its reach.

"We just want to keep it growing," Young says.

How do they juggle a husband-and-wife business and two kids?

Tattoo-clad dad will make lunch for your kids (3)

"The key to this is we open at 7 a.m. and close at 3 p.m.," he explains. "It gives us the opportunity to have a life with our kids. We didn't want to miss them growing up. My wife does deliveries, gets home, I walk out the door to open the place, she gets them on bus, we close the doors together and then get them off the bus. We can be a family."

The store is open Saturdays, and it's likely that you'll see the kids there, "working" alongside mom and dad.

So what does the family do when they're not in the kitchen?

"We love the beach," Young says. "Loch Arbor, the boardwalks."

I must ask this foodie where he goes for a good meal.

"I haven't been out in a long time but my favorite place is Luigi's in Ocean, fantastic pizza. Carducci's, too, in Wanamassa (and Belmar), and 10th Ave. Burrito in Belmar. And of course, Jersey Shore BBQ. Now that I am not around it, I love popping in for a nice meal."

Dessert?

"(Strollo's) Lighthouse in Long Branch, the kids love it! Beach Plum in Bradley Beach, Hoffman's — we hit them all."

I can't end the conversation without asking about the name. Where did the Domesticated Dad come from?

"That's what I called him when we got married," Jennifer tells me. "It's funny, he has all these tattoos, but he's very domesticated. He folds laundry better than me, cooks better than me — I jokingly said the name, and it stuck."

For more information, call 732-222-4074 or check them out on Facebook by searching "Domesticated Dad."

Tattoo-clad dad will make lunch for your kids (2024)

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