Why a Pinoy chef at Michelin-starred restaurants decided to start his own healthy food delivery company
Chef Jose Mari Martin Buñag, Chef Mikki, had a “starry” career in the culinary world ever since he graduated from Enderun Colleges. His internships were at the world-renowned La Cabro d’Or and Oustau de Baumanière, both Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants in Provence, France. After visiting colleagues in Benoit Bistro, he met France’s master chef Philippe Bertineau, and that was how he immediately landed a job.
His rise to the top has been impressive. He moved on to work as a sous chef at Il BucoAlimentari&Vineria in New York. “This could be one of the best places in New York to learn Italian cuisine,” he says of the experience. After that, he worked on several large events as executive sous chef at The Bowery Hotel alongside Sleepy Hollow executive chef Chef Carlo Bigi. He was promoted to be the executive chef at The Park, serving new American cuisine. He also worked as sous chef at Uncle Boons, a one-Michelin star Thai restaurant known for serving the best Thai food in New York City. He’s had stints at Thai Diner and Uncle Boons Sister as well.
And then the pandemic struck. Like many in the hospitality industry, Chef Mikki lost his job. Unemployed, the chef, who as a young International Hospitality Management student in Enderun volunteered in the butchery department of Restaurant 101, the school’s application restaurant, tried to remember his roots and what he loved most about what he did. Alab SF was born.
“I’ve always had a big dream and was willing to put in a great work habit, develop skills, and have a student’s heart to learn,” he says. When one of his high school teachers asked him, “What would you like to do for the rest of your life?’ Chef Mikki says he remembered replying, “I wanted to do better and impact other people’s lives through food.”
Good food, he says, enhances overall health and wellbeing, supports sustainable agriculture, and lessens the negative environmental effects of industrial farming.
Alab SF is a subscription-based organic meal delivery service that serves family-style, nutritious, sustainable, and delicious meals in the East Bay, Marin, Peninsula, San Francisco, and South Bay areas in the US.
With his food business on the horizon, he took steps to improve his own overall health and wellbeing by cooking clean, natural, and organic food, switching to natural products and learning about the sources of every ingredient. He also made time for exercise and developed a supplement program for himself. It was an excellent way for him to care for himself during a difficult time.
“Several weeks passed, and I saw the changes in my body and mood. I was very active and developed a hobby. I lost a couple of pounds, became more focused, and had 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 with other people through my craft—food,” he recalls.
Alab SF is all about this lifestyle. Chef Mikki says he now understands the value of offering healthy and environmentally friendly meal options and wants to impart this realization to his community. Good food, he says, enhances overall health and wellbeing, supports sustainable agriculture, and lessens the negative environmental effects of industrial farming.
“Chef Cyril Ermita, Enderun’s pastry chef instructor, kept my attitude in check and, to this day, the things I was taught have become a constant reminder of humility,” Chef Mikki explains. “Moving to San Francisco, helping communities, impacting lives through food and sustainability, and building my empire are among the many things I am so excited about and proud of!”