About those Pancakes…

Every good recipe has a story. Fortunately for you, that's the part we're happy to share.

As for the recipe, well... that's another story. We've all seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If you're hoping there's a Golden Ticket to Chef Van's recipe, we're afraid there isn't. We also have a strict no-Slugworth policy around here.

Now, here's how these pancakes became a Good House favorite.

The Pancake Origin Story

Chef Van's pancakes didn't begin as a menu item. They began as a friendly challenge.

One morning, Chef Van and a fellow cook who also happened to be a mom decided to settle a simple question: who made the better pancake?

Call it Chef vs. Mom: The Ultimate Pancake Showdown.

Chef Van won. (Obviously!)

Most people would have left it there. Instead, he kept tinkering with the recipe. He wanted a pancake that was light, fluffy, buttery and just crisp enough around the edges. Batch after batch, he made small adjustments until it was exactly what he had in mind.

What started as a little competition turned into something much better.

Today, it's the pancake our guests ask about, order again the next morning and occasionally try to convince Chef Van to hand over the recipe. (He won't.)

Some recipes are made to fill a spot on a menu. This one earned its place in Desert Hot Springs history.

The Real Secret Ingredient

Guests ask all the time what makes them so good. Is it the flour. The technique. The proportions. The honest answer is love and care.

Love shows up in food when someone actually cares. When something is made thoughtfully, cooked patiently, and served with pride. You cannot fake that, and you cannot write it into a recipe.

That's exactly how Chef Van approaches breakfast every morning. He knows he's not just making pancakes. He's carrying on a tradition that has welcomed guests to this property for decades.

Guests have called them the best pancakes they've ever had. Some say they're the best in the desert. Others say the best anywhere. A few people go completely silent after the first bite, which we consider the highest compliment.

A Good House Tradition

Long before the property became The Good House, it was known as Hacienda Hot Springs, where owner Bill Dailey lovingly cultivated the desert oasis guests still enjoy today.

Believing mornings were meant to be shared, he installed a circa-1940 Wolf Range with a giant griddle on the veranda so guests could gather for pancakes after a soak in the mineral springs.

Before long, the pancakes became part of the property's identity. Guests lingered over coffee, shared stories and eased into the day together. It wasn't just breakfast. It was a tradition.

Today, that same Wolf stove still stands in its original location at The Good House. While Chef Van now carries the tradition forward from our kitchen, the spirit remains the same. Every morning, another stack of pancakes brings people together, just as it has for generations.

More Than Breakfast

Some guests order Chef Van's pancakes because they read about them online. Others spot them on a nearby table and change their order at the last minute. Either way, they usually understand what all the fuss is about after the first bite.

Maybe it's the recipe. Maybe it's the history. Maybe it's the fact that breakfast has always been about more than pancakes at The Good House.

Whatever the reason, we're always happy to make you another stack.

Because some things are better experienced than explained.

Chef Van's signature pancakes at The Good House in Desert Hot Springs.