Tony Hawk Partners With Former Jeune et Jolie Chef on New San Diego Restaurant Chick N’ Hawk

A new project coming to coastal Encinitas will be the first solo restaurant for Andrew Bachelier, formerly of Jeune et Jolie. Called Chick N’ Hawk, it started as a chicken sandwich spot but has since evolved into a full-fledged restaurant with an expanded menu. Slated to open by spring 2022, it will be a collaboration with pro skate icon Tony Hawk, a North County resident and investor in local establishments like Animae, Herb & Sea, Market Del Mar, and Steel Mill Coffee in Oceanside.

Jeune et Jolie opened in 2018 and quickly rose to acclaim under Bachelier’s watch, earning Eater’s restaurant of the year award in 2019. But when the first pandemic-induced shutdown hit in March 2020, the Carlsbad restaurant was forced to seriously switch gears. As the restaurant turned to takeout, Bachelier says he finally had the time to reflect on the direction of his 21-year career and came to the realization that chasing a Michelin star was no longer his chosen path. By May 2020, Bachelier made the decision to step away from the restaurant to spend more time with his young family.

Chick N’ Hawk

Soon after, he connected with Hawk, who had been a longtime fan of Bachelier’s cooking. Before the Nashville hot chicken trend fully landed San Diego, Bachelier contemplated launching a food truck with his own version and says he and Hawk took several scouting trips to try the country’s most famous fried chicken sandwiches.

But when the chef scored a space he’d long been coveting, the decades-old Fulano’s near N. Coast Highway 101, the menu grew beyond hot chicken and will now center on poultry as well as as seafood, from raw bar dishes to shrimp cocktail and fish ceviche, and seasonal produce; Bachelier says he plans to continue to support the North County farms and purveyors that he worked with at Jeune et Jolie.

Hawk, whose nickname is “Birdman,” named the restaurant in homage to the Looney Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn. Chick N’ Hawk will offer full-service dining along with a more casual ordering system. The 1,500-square-foot, free-standing restaurant is being fully remodeled with expanded patios and a full cocktail bar into what the business partners hope will become a community hub for the neighborhood.

Hawk, who says he and Bachelier bonded over skateboarding and food, told Eater that in addition to being the chief tastetester, he’ll also be helping to curate the artwork and design of the restaurant, which will celebrate 90s skate and surf culture.