Henry Krebs

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Henry Krebs (July 18, 1936 – April 23, 2015) was a German-Canadian restaurateur, entrepreneur, and philanthropist best known as the founder of the Ali Baba Steak House restaurant chain. Over a career spanning five decades, he built a hospitality network that included 22 restaurants, two hotels, and a food-processing plant, employing more than 5,000 people across Ontario. Recognized for his innovation, mentorship, and community engagement, Krebs became a pioneer in Canada’s modern hospitality industry.

Early life and immigration

Krebs was born in Haltingen, Germany, where he trained as a chef before immigrating to Canada in 1954 at the age of 18 to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Henry emigrated from Germany to North America in the post–World War II period. He grew up in Germany during the war and lost both his father and older brother as a result of the conflict. Seeking to leave behind the personal and economic hardships of postwar Germany, he pursued opportunities abroad.

With financial assistance from his sister, who saved money to fund his travel, he obtained a visitor visa to the United States and traveled by ship to New York City. From New York, he relocated to Skaneateles, New York, where distant relatives had previously settled. However, his relatives were unable to provide long-term support or employment opportunities.

He subsequently moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Despite not speaking English or French upon arrival, he secured employment as a night cook at a downtown Toronto diner. This position marked the beginning of his working life in Canada. Drawing on his European training, he began working in restaurant kitchens and soon developed a vision for creating high-quality yet accessible dining experiences for Canadians.

Career

Krebs opened his first restaurant in 1964, marking the beginning of an entrepreneurial career that would expand across southern Ontario. His flagship enterprise, Ali Baba Steak House, became a well-known regional chain recognized for its welcoming atmosphere and consistent quality.

From 1964 to 1972, the Ali Baba Steak House also featured an exclusive upstairs restaurant and live-music venue known as the Golden Earring Supper Club. The club offered fine dining and weekend performances by the Carlssons, a musical duo who recorded and released an album of original material that was played during their sets, establishing the venue as both a culinary and cultural landmark in the Kitchener–Waterloo area.

By the early 1980s, Krebs rebranded his Ali Baba locations under the name Krebs Restaurants to appeal to a more family-friendly and casual dining audience. The move reflected changing consumer trends while maintaining the high-quality standards for which his establishments were known.

In addition to the Ali Baba and Krebs Restaurant chains, he developed and operated several other successful establishments, including:

  • Olde English Parlour (locations in Stratford and Waterloo). The Waterloo restaurant later became the Kingsbridge Crossing Pub, a well-known British Isles-style pub at the corner of King and Bridgeport in Waterloo.
  • Charlie’s Italian Restaurant in Kitchener, offering traditional Italian cuisine in a casual setting.
  • The Wine Press and Charlie’s Backyard Bistro, both known for upscale menus and distinctive atmospheres.
  • September’s in London.
  • Three Bridges Lodge in St. Jacobs, noted for its rural charm and fine dining.

Krebs also established a food-processing plant originally known as Swissco Foods, which supplied his restaurants and later became DC Foods, a division of Sunwest Foods. Through this enterprise, he developed and distributed proprietary recipes and products under the NordLand brand.

He was an early advocate for sustainable and locally sourced food production. Krebs worked closely with Indigenous communities engaged in commercial fishing to bring northern species such as Arctic char to southern markets, and incorporated native-grown plants, including fiddleheads, into fine-dining dishes such as Chicken Miramichi, a culinary homage to Miramichi, New Brunswick.

Krebs also operated two Steak Factory Outlet locations—among the first retail meat shops of their kind in Canada—which predated and inspired later national concepts such as M&M Food Markets. Upon his retirement, he closed these outlets as part of winding down his business operations.

At the height of his career, Krebs’s restaurants and hospitality ventures employed over 5,000 people. His businesses served as entry-level training grounds for countless students from the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, George Brown College, and Western University, among others. His restaurant locations spanned London, Stratford, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Guelph, Brampton, and Whitby, Ontario.

He also served as Vice President of HoReCa International, representing professionals in the hotel, restaurant, and catering sectors. HoReCa

Community involvement and recognition

Krebs was deeply engaged in civic life and philanthropy. A recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary International, he was recognized for his humanitarian work and community leadership. He also played a significant role in fundraising initiatives for Grand River Hospital and contributed to a wide range of local charities, cultural events, and social causes.

Personal life

Krebs was married for fifty years to Marlene Krebs (née Dietrich). The couple had two children, Terry Krebs of Sudbury, Ontario, and Lorri Krebs of Boston, Massachusetts. He passed away on April 23, 2015, in Waterloo, Ontario, after a long illness, surrounded by family.

Legacy

Krebs’s impact on the Canadian hospitality industry continues through the many employees, students, and community members he mentored and inspired. His emphasis on local sourcing, partnerships with Indigenous producers, and dedication to community service helped set early standards for socially responsible hospitality practices in Canada. He is remembered as both a visionary entrepreneur and a generous community builder.

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