Saul Gropman, owner of Café La Haye, announced this week the appointment of Jeffrey Lloyd, most recently of Nectar Wine Lounge in Burlingame and Michael Mina in San Francisco, as his new Executive Chef. Gropman is ecstatic about his new partnership, “Michael understands ingredients and flavors and we look forward to having him take us to a new level.”
Lloyd and his fiancé Gia have been intent on moving to Sonoma for several years. With their 3-year-old daughter Thalia, they were visiting for a picnic on Mother’s Day and decided to do some house hunting. Finding the perfect place, they fell in love, and having a good feeling, they bought it. “It was a risky move that felt right,” said Lloyd. His instincts have proven to be accurate as the synchronicity of meeting Saul and joining Café La Haye is evident.
With raves from Zagat Survey, the San Francisco Chronicle and The New York Times, Café La Haye, which just celebrated its 13th anniversary, is known for its local, seasonal and organic menu. Providing value and high quality products at a reasonable price is part of the vision of the restaurant. “Four out of six of our main courses are under $20,” says Gropman. “Bringing Jeffrey on board will extend our range with new presentations, yet we will still be recognizable to our customers.”
Lloyd’s vision for the menu is to continue that tradition and work with the vendors who have long been associated with the restaurant, “I’m looking forward to visiting the farmers and purveyors that have been part of the tradition of Café La Haye and excited to get in to work with the staff.”
A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Lloyd is a Two Star trained Michelin Executive Chef who spent time at Olives in the Bellagio, Las Vegas as Executive Chef and developed the menu at Nob Hill in Las Vegas, as well as working with Michael Mina for ten years to develop the signature dishes at his restaurant in Union Square.
Lloyd utilizes simple, seasonal flavors that are aesthetically clean and developed through a variety of cooking methods. Lloyd loves the Café La Haye concept and desires to maintain what has worked all these years while imposing his own twist and personality into the menu.
“It’s an incredible area,” Lloyd says of Sonoma, “and around the board I love everything about the community. I came from a small town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania that is also rich in agriculture and feel as if I’m returning home.”
