Who's Who in Albany: Pratap Seelam

Name: Pratap Seelam

Age: 50

Occupation: Pratap Seelam runs EzDineInn.com, a catering business covering the entire East Bay.

What type of catering do you do? We deal with 75 different restaurants. We go all over San Francisco and Marin. Lunchtime on weekdays is our busiest time. For lunch we have a lot of business clients. We deliver most to hospitals. The pharmaceutical reps will order lunch for 40 to 50 people. Dinner is usually residential and local, in the East Bay.

How did you get into the catering business? I used to work as a driver for a company called "Dine-One-One" – you know, like 9-1-1. They would call it "an emergency of the palate." I worked there for five years; I learned the business. They closed, then I started my business in 2001.

Do you live in Albany? No, I live in El Cerrito actually. I used to live in Albany, at Washington and Pierce. We moved to Albany in 2000; in those days the housing prices were crazy. Both the middle school and the high school were new. My kids went to school in Albany. One graduated from U.C., Berkeley; the other is at CSU East Bay.

Why did you move to El Cerrito? My kids have finished school. I like the Arlington hills and seeing the deer. It's beautiful and very quiet; the deer come into my backyard. On Washington I heard the freeway all the time.

Who did you come to Memorial Park with today? I'm here with my nephew's son. It's a nice park. I like Albany; it's very quiet, and there's zero crime.

Did you know that today [August 1] is Friendship Day in India? You can't believe it; you meet your boyhood friends.

Do you ever travel back for Friendship Day? I did last year in August.