Haig Krikorian and Cindy Lalime met while working at the Caravansary Cafe in San Francisco, CA. Haig was a chef fresh out of the California Culinary Academy and Cindy was a waitress.
In 1980 they married, and in 1985, with two kids (ages 1 and 3) started Lalime's Cafe (then on the corner of Solano Ave. and Santa Fe in Albany).
Haig and Cindy Krikorian now oversee five restaurants in the East Bay Area: Lalime's, Fonda, T-Rex, Jimmy Beans and Sea Salt--collectively known as K2 Restaurant Group.
Brian White
Brian's first memory of interest in food started in kindergarten, where he learned to make butter with a baby food jar, 2 lids, heavy whipping cream, salt and a whole lot of shaking. The class then spread their delicious butter on to saltines, and a true love was created for Brian.
He grew up in a traditional Southern family where such foods as chicken fried steak and pasta salads were common. But he especially enjoyed his mother's classic spaghetti sauce recipe that was passed on to her from her Italian father. To this day, one of Brian's favorite dishes is pasta with bolognese sauce. With this background of traditional Southern and Italian recipes Brian began his food career at age 13, where he would help wash dishes and clean the kitchen.
As time went on he moved from positions as a busboy to prep cook. He ran several Southern style kitchens in Texas where big plates and a lot of food is where it is at. But he didn't become serious about his love of food until he read Paul Bartoli's Chez Panisse cookbook. He moved to Chicago in 1999 and worked at the 4-star Ritz Carlton where he learned traditional French techniques that would hone his skills for future endeavors. In 2002 he moved to Berkeley where he could be around his dream of having access to the best products and food in the world.
He had a stint at Farallon under Mark Franz where he discovered the joy of oysters and many other seafood delights. He then began his career with the K2 group, at Fonda Solana with David Rosales, where he furthered his knowledge of traditional interior Mexican cuisine. He spent some time at Sea Salt furthering his knowledge of oysters and seafood with Anthony Paone and even made pastries at the Artisan Bakery. He then moved to Lalime's in 2009 and worked along side Steve Jaramillo and George Morrone. Now Brian is excited to take Lalime's into its next phase of culinary delights!
Brian's style of cooking can be described as ingredient driven with a focus on traditional food. He likes to take ideas that have been worked on over the years by chefs and grandmother's alike and to bring them to a new level. He believes each dish should tell a story. He wants for Lalime's to become reacquainted with its statement of being a superb California restaurant that takes local products and creates food that ranges from memorable and satisfying to exciting and innovative.