As a child, Keegan Crumpacker longed for a "normal-sized" kitchen instead of the commercial kitchen on N.M. 14 he essentially grew up in while his mother, Amy Fagan, built a baking and catering business.

Today, as the proud owner of a brand new, full-service breakfast and lunch spot in Rancho Viejo that bears his family name (along with a full roster of locally sourced ingredients), he may suspect his own toddler will eventually feel the same way. He'll be the first to suggest that he didn't plan it this way.

"I went to St. Mike's and Santa Fe High, and I couldn't wait to get out into the outside world," he said. For two years he lived in Portland, where the rainy winters often spurred him to drive to the east side of Oregon for some sunshine. "I finally realized that Santa Fe was an amazing place."

He didn't need much encouragement when, in 2002, his parents split up and his mother asked him to come back to Santa Fe and help her run the business. They dismantled the commercial kitchen and rebuilt it in a rented warehouse in a new business park on Bisbee Court, just off his former Turquoise Trail stomping grounds. Crumpacker and Fagan started selling their breakfast concession at the Santa Fe Farmers Market and eventually expanded into a full line of mixed-fruit pies, pastries and preserves, using everything they could find at the market as ingredients. They also continued catering for galleries and private parties.

"The farmers markets have been our bread and butter," Crumpacker said, noting their loyal customer base in both Santa Fe and Los Alamos. Crumpacker and his mother use local flour from the Valencia Flour Mill and buy as much local produce as they can during the growing season for later use. "We freeze tons of it to use throughout the winter. We make pickles, jam conserves, chutneys, jellies. It's a tremendous resource, and in the 10 years I've been working with my mom, we've built a base of local farmers to work with so we have our own little farm-to-table network."

But the sinking economy meant mother-son team — like everyone else — had to maximize its potential. Last February, they cleared out the office corner of the production kitchen and put in a little sandwich shop. "There was definitely a demand for it," Crumpacker said, "and it was successful right off the bat. There's kind of a captive audience in the business park."

Even though the commercial center sits at the end of the populous Rancho Viejo development, several restaurants have come and gone, unable to maintain enough traffic. When the last one closed, Crumpacker said all his neighbors encouraged him to take over the space and expand his operation.

"I had little desire to do a restaurant," Crumpacker admitted, noting that his only formal restaurant training was working as a busboy and waiter at the Zia Diner during high school. "I always preferred the catering business." But he also watched their catering contracts dry up in the poor economy; even though they now have a year-round presence at the farmers market, the winter months are not nearly as prosperous as the summers.

In September, he and Fagan took the leap: They signed the lease and moved the former tenant's pizza ovens into the warehouse kitchen, where they've started baking their own breads. Through contacts at the Zia, they met Erik Carlson, formerly a line cook at Dinner for Two. Carlson, who grew up in Los Alamos, has been working in restaurants since he was 14, and he quickly made Crumpacker's Café his own.

"He's been a tremendous help, everything from designing the menu, designing the line, designing the kitchen ... and he's an amazing cook," Crumpacker said. Now open on weekdays for breakfast all day as well as lunch, the café will soon open on Sundays for an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Crumpacker's fresh pies, pastries and breads also are available.

Two of their business park neighbors — Aroma Coffee of Santa Fe and Santa Fe Tortilla Company — supply the restaurant, as do Flying E Ranch (eggs) and Old Windmill Dairy (whole milk). "Any ingredient we can source locally, we'll use. That way, we support the local economy and also have high-quality food. We have always prided ourselves on our quality."

Crumpacker said he felt like he might have gotten in over his head when he decided to open the restaurant, but with the steadfast support of his mother, he is confident they can make a go of it. "She's my number one advocate as well as my business partner," he said. "And she's been a tremendous guiding force for me."

IF YOU GO

What: Crumpackers Café and Bakeshop

Where: 5 Bisbee Court, No. 108

Info: Visit crumpackers.com or call 471-0226