ENCINITAS, Calif. — A new restaurant and bar is coming to North County and it’s backed by some serious local star power.

Chef Andrew Bachelier and pro skateboarder Tony Hawk are teaming up to open Chick & Hawk in the coastal community of Encinitas next spring. Bachelier, of Campfire and Jeune et Jolie fame, says the new venture inspired by 1990s skate and surf culture will offer high quality California fare at a good price.

“More than that, it is a community hub. A place for neighbors, friends and family to meet, share in ideas and in conversation, and share in good and memorable experiences,” Bachelier told FOX 5.

The idea for Chick & Hawk stemmed from conversations during the pandemic between Bachelier and Hawk, a regular patron of Bachelier’s restaurants for the past 10 years.

“During the pandemic, when Jeune et Jolie stopped our takeout, he reached out directly for in-home meals,” Bachelier said. “Tony and I bonded over travels, food (hot chicken), skate and drink, which inspired us initially to do our own take on hot fried chicken here in San Diego.”

They landed a space, the former Fulano’s Mexican Cafe at 145 Leucadia Boulevard, that Bachelier said was a “very desired spot here in the hood” for its parking and full liquor license. That inspired the pair to expand the Chick & Hawk concept to a full service bar and dining experience.

Lunch will feature a smaller menu focused on takeout and counter service with sandwiches, sides and salads, Bachelier said, while dinner will feature a “lively, playful menu” offering local seafood, poultry and vegetables.

Bachelier said he’s looking forward to utilizing local farms, purveyors and relationships he’s built over the last 20-plus years in the industry.

“This is an opportunity for the first time for me to focus on having fun, and be playful with my menu,” Bachelier said. “My community has really supported me throughout the years, and I wouldn’t be here without them. I want to provide an authentic experience they don’t already have here.”

As for drinks, the bar program is built on a foundation of classic American cocktails and organic wines. The restaurant name is a play on words derived from The Looney Tunes character “Henery Hawk,” a chicken hawk described by Bachelier as “all he wants to do is eat chicken and mess with Foghorn Leghorn.”

Chick & Hawk is Bachelier’s first solo project after earning several awards, including a Michelin Guide California 2019 Bib Gourmand, at Campfire and working toward a Michelin star at Jeune et Jolie. The Carlsbad eatery received the honor last week.