How Alab Started
Through years of cooking in Asia, Europe and the United States, I realized that
“We become, what we eat.”
Working in the restaurant industry, food is always ever-changing. Usually, people who work in a restaurant, don’t eat what they serve. Instead, they eat what they have available, a surplus of what they have which oftentimes, not the healthiest option. The culture of going out drinking after work (beer, aka carbs in a bottle) and eating a burger (aka processed meat and cheese in a bun) to fight that hangover. This kind of lifestyle happened to me for a couple of years and the effects on my body totally surfaced. I was dragging myself to get out of bed, gained unnecessary weight, bloated feeling, fatigue, easily distracted…. just tired of life, and many more not to mention.
“Turning lemons to lemonade.”
During the pandemic, I have been cooking clean, delicious, natural, organic, food. I had switched from using processed products to natural ones from oils, sugars, vinegars and many more. I read books about nutrition and watched documentaries about food and health. Talked to experts about the value of nutrition. I had gone to weekend markets to know how they grow and source their produce. I had set time to exercise and designed a supplement program for myself.
Several weeks passed, I saw the changes in my body and mood. I was very active, and developed a hobby: Swimming! I lost a couple of pounds, more focused, and just having that positivity in everything I do. And when I saw that happening, I told myself that I should share this gift of change in me to other people through my craft: FOOD!
Thus Alab SF was born. —Mikki
ALAB SF —BURNING DESIRE & PASSION.
Our “ALAB” is to improve people’s lives one meal at a time, through delicious, healthy, wholesome foods.
We are in full speed on incorporating our "Restorative" approach style of cooking, treating food as medicine with the use of whole foods, organic, local and sustainable foods and practices. We take you on a journey with a wide variety of cuisines each week, re-creating dishes with cleaner versions, taking out dairy, gluten, and refined sugar/oils.
Food plays a vital role in our health as well as physical fitness, mental and social well-being. Thus, we have the commitment for a lifelong mission for health.
MEET OUR CHEF
Mikki Bunag started his culinary journey in Enderun Colleges, Alain Ducasse Institute Philippines. He had the privilege to work in a two Michelin star restaurant, Oustau de Baumaniere and a one Michelin star restaurant, La Cabro d’Or, and soon after graduation moved to New York City.
In NYC, He worked his way up the kitchen ranks for 6 years, starting as a line cook, in Benoit Bistro with Chef Philippe Bertineau to Sous Chef at Il Buco Alimentari with Chef Josh Dechellis, then Executive Sous Chef at The Bowery Hotel with Chef Carlo Bigi to Executive Chef at The Park in Chelsea.
He then became Sous Chef at Uncle Boon's in New York, which is a one star Michelin restaurant focusing on Thai cuisine and had the chance to help open Thai Diner with Chefs Ann and Matt Danzer.
Right at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, he moved to the Bay Area, had the chance to work at The Cupboard as Head Chef.
In July 2021, he decided to funnel his years of experience and passion for food into beautiful, delicious and healthy dishes for you and your family to enjoy at Alab SF.
