Every year I ask him what he wants for Father’s Day. And every year the answer is the same.
Not a restaurant. Not a booking. Not a plan that requires leaving the house. He wants to be home. He wants a long, unhurried day that starts around midday and barely finishes before evening. He wants food that comes out slowly — something to graze on first, then the barbecue firing up, then more food, then more sitting, then one final thing at the very end that has become its own ritual.
He wants a whole day of it. And honestly, I think that is the best possible answer.
Father’s Day was never a huge cultural celebration growing up in our Lebanese family — we acknowledged it, we were together, but it was never a grand occasion. What it always was, though, was a day to be together without rushing. And that is exactly what we do now.
Here is what our Father’s Day table looks like. It starts with grazing and ends with something from the barbecue that I will tell you about at the end.
🧀 It starts with grazing — the cheese board, the dips and the table
Nothing goes on the barbecue until the cheese board has been out for at least an hour. That is the rule. This is the part of the day where everyone settles in, pours something cold and picks at things without any pressure.
The table at this point looks like a Lebanese table always does — abundant and a little chaotic. Olives, always both black and green. Fresh vegetables, always there — cucumber, tomato, radish, spring onion — simply cut and placed out without ceremony. Halloumi sliced and ready to go on the grill when the moment feels right. Labneh in a bowl with olive oil. And the baba ganouj, which is not made ahead but made as the day goes on.
The eggplants go directly onto the barbecue coals while everything else is cooking. Whole, unpeeled, turning occasionally until the skin is completely charred and the inside is soft and smoky. Then I peel them and make the baba ganouj right there — mixed with tahini, lemon and garlic while the lamb is still on the grill. This is not a make-ahead dip. This is a dip that happens while you are already cooking. And that is exactly what makes it special.
Sourdough on the board. Good olive oil. The cheese board is not a recipe — it is a mood.
Cheese Board
→ How to Create the Perfect Cheese Board
The guide to building a cheese board that works for grazing — what to include, how to style it and how to make it feel generous without overcomplicating it. This is the foundation of our Father’s Day afternoon.
Labneh – Strained Yogurt
Thick, creamy labneh drizzled with olive oil and a pinch of dried mint. Make it the night before so it is set and ready. On the cheese board it is always one of the first things to disappear.
Baba Ganouj – Eggplant Dip
The recipe here shows you the full method — but on Father’s Day, the eggplants go straight onto the barbecue coals rather than an open flame indoors. The result is the same smokiness, made right alongside everything else. This is the dip that happens while you are already cooking — and that is exactly the point.
🔥 The barbecue — slow, generous, nothing rushed
The barbecue does not all come out at once. Things go on as the afternoon moves and people keep coming back. Nothing is timed. Everything is watched. This is his Father’s Day and this is exactly how he wants it.
Kafta — Lebanese Grilled Kebabs
→ Kafta — Lebanese Grilled Kebabs
Spiced lamb and beef mince shaped onto skewers and grilled over charcoal until charred on the outside and juicy inside. This is the dish that goes on first, eaten while still standing around the barbecue before anyone has sat down properly. Serve with flatbread and a spoonful of labneh alongside.
Lamb Cutlets with Herb Salsa
→ Lamb Cutlets with Herb Salsa
The recipe here is the indoor pan version — but on Father’s Day these go straight onto the barbecue. Same marinade, same herb salsa, just over charcoal instead. The cutlets pick up a smoky char that makes them even better. These are the ones you pick up with your hands and eat standing up. Nobody uses a knife and fork for these.
Herb Chargrilled Lamb Backstrap
→ Herb Chargrilled Lamb Backstrap
Again, the recipe shows the indoor pan method — but on this day it goes on the barbecue. The herb marinade is the same, the resting time is the same. Just take it outside and let the coals do what an indoor pan cannot. Sliced and served at a slower moment in the afternoon when the pace has settled and everyone is properly comfortable.
Pan Fried Garlic Quail — his favourite
He loves quail. Above everything else on this table, this is his dish. Small, intensely flavoured, eaten entirely with your hands. The recipe is pan-fried but on Father’s Day these go on the barbecue grill — golden, garlicky and smoky at the edges. When these come out, everyone knows we are properly into the afternoon now.
Juicy Grilled Chicken Tenderloins
→ Juicy Grilled Chicken Tenderloins
Marinated chicken tenderloins grilled until juicy and lightly charred. These cover everyone at the table — the dish that works for every appetite alongside everything else. Kept on the side of the barbecue, always ready when someone wants more.
Barbecue Lemon Cauliflower — always, without fail
This one is non-negotiable. Religiously, without fail, every single time we barbecue — the cauliflower goes on. Charred at the edges, lemony, deeply savoury. It goes on alongside the meat and becomes one of those things that disappears faster than expected. Even the people who came for the lamb find themselves reaching for the cauliflower. Do not skip this one.
🥗 The salads — one or the other, sometimes both
There is always a salad. Usually he asks for fattoush. Sometimes he asks for tabouli. On a good day, both appear.
Crisp greens, toasted bread, radish, cucumber and a tangy pomegranate dressing. Dress it fresh right before it goes on the table so the bread stays crunchy. This is the salad that belongs next to grilled meat and nobody ever argues with it.
Sometimes he asks for tabouli instead — or as well. → Tabouli Salad
🍫 Something sweet — if you want it
He is not big on desserts. He will not ask for one and will not notice if there isn’t one. But if I make his chocolate cheesecake the day before and it appears on the table, he will absolutely eat it. Slowly. With a coffee. And he will be quietly, completely happy.
Rich, deeply chocolatey cheesecake made the day before and set in the fridge overnight. If you are going to make one dessert for Father’s Day, this is the one.
🫓 The finale — the thing we always end with
Everyone is full. Nobody can move. The barbecue has been going for hours and the afternoon has turned into early evening. And then he does this.
Arabic flatbread, opened up flat. Loaded with fresh oregano leaves and torn bocconcini cheese. Brushed generously with olive oil on both sides. Closed back up, pressed together, brushed again with olive oil and a good pinch of salt. And that goes onto the barbecue.
The bread crisps and chars at the edges. The cheese melts inside. The oregano becomes fragrant and slightly wilted. It comes off the grill and everyone who said they could not eat another thing reaches for a piece.
If fresh oregano is not available, the simpler version: Arabic flatbread opened flat, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, folded and pressed onto the barbecue until golden and crunchy. That version is also perfect. Both versions are the best possible ending to a long afternoon.
This is not a recipe. This is a ritual. And it happens every single time.
To the dads who just want to be home
Father’s Day does not need to be a grand occasion to be a good one. Sometimes the best version of it is a long afternoon, a barbecue going at its own pace, olives on the table from the start and flatbread on the coals at the end.
That is what we do. That is what he loves. And every year it is exactly right.
What does Father’s Day look like in your home? Tell me in the comments or tag me on Instagram @roubasfoodjourney.
