San Francisco chef Ryan Scott, with Valley roots, creates crab sandwich for McDonald’s

San Francisco chef, restaurateur and television personality Ryan Scott has partnered with McDonald’s to create a new menu item, a crab sandwich.

Scott, who was raised in the San Joaquin Valley, created the sandwich for select Bay Area McDonald’s restaurants. The sandwich features crab meat mixed with diced celery and seasoned mayonnaise dressing, served on a bed of romaine lettuce and tomato slices on a toasted sourdough bun, brushed with herb butter.

The special sandwich is being tested at four restaurants in San Jose. If it’s a hit, it will be available at nearly 250 McDonald’s restaurants across the San Francisco Bay Area later this year.

McDonald’s officials say the crab sandwich is part of a continuing trend to experiment with regional flavors and local Bay Area tastes.

“After the overwhelming success of our local favorite, McDonald’s Gilroy Garlic Fries, we wanted to test our own take on the beloved crab sandwich,” says Nick Vergis, McDonald’s co-op president, San Francisco Bay Area. “We’re excited for our customers to try it and share their feedback.”

Scott’s deal with McDonald’s is yet another accomplishment for the former Valley boy. In November, he was in Fresno to sign copies of his first cookbook: “One to Five.” The book is an entertaining guide on how to cook tasty dishes by using everyday staples in your freezer, pantry or fridge.

A frequent guest on the “Today” show, Scott is owner and operator of Finn Town Tavern at 2251 Market St. in San Francisco.

He got his start the restaurant world as a junior high student doing kitchen prep at a Chubby’s Diner in Los Banos. His parents, who had no restaurant background, bought a Chubby’s franchise and ran it for a few years. Scott also worked in the kitchens of other well-known Los Banos eateries, including Foster’s Freeze and Country Waffles, before heading out and starting his own career.

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 1:00 PM with the headline "San Francisco chef Ryan Scott, with Valley roots, creates crab sandwich for McDonald’s."