a family dream come true

At just 21 years old, Bernardo arrived in Barcelona from the Philippines accompanied by his mother and older brother. They got there with nothing. “I had only studied up to the fourth grade of ESO, there was no money at home to study more. We came to find a better life,” he remembers. The first work experience was in a hotel in Girona, where he worked for two months cleaning rooms. “It was a job only for five days, but the head of the hotel was happy and renewed us.” Later, he worked cleaning and ironing in a house, a job with which, according to him, his rings did not fit. “In the Philippines I had not worked at all,” he adds. Bernardo’s life changed when he started working in the kitchen of a Galician restaurant in Barcelona, ​​where he stayed for eleven years. “My supervisor always told me: ‘You can fly alone!’ His culinary skills and dedication did not go unnoticed and this led him to the Gelida restaurant, where he worked for eleven more years. Finally, Bernardo Dalisay decided to follow the advice of his former boss and fly alone. Analisa de la Cruz, they opened the Bo de Bernat restaurant just two years ago. “We decided to pursue this dream. If it goes well, fine, and if it doesn’t go well, then also, no complaints.” The name of the restaurant has little history: a friend suggested that naming it “El Racó de…” was too worn: ” Put your best foot forward and in Catalan.” El Bo de Bernat has achieved remarkable success in Barcelona, ​​offering a menu that mixes traditional Gelida dishes. El Bernat is the chef. while Analisa manages the room, and their daughter, Elisa, lends a hand. Together they have created a place that is full almost every day, which fills them with customers who are regulars every day, like Diego and his wife, who sit at the table next to us, are in love with Bernat’s cuisine and praise all the dishes Unbeatable quality and price!”

Encouraged by the marriage’s explanations, we decided to celebrate the cholesterol feast by ordering dishes to share, such as the mig and mig (capipota and tripa), Bernat’s snails; grilled sardines; fried eggs with cheese and garnish; a tinned cod with beans that melts in your mouth, and the half-kilo average, which serves as an extraordinary final rosin. We share dessert, a half-burnt cream. During the entire lunch we demonstrated our prowess by drinking the house wine (a Priorat) with a corkscrew. Bernat is a man of few words, but with a powerful story. Sharing two glasses of muscatel at one of the empty tables in his restaurant, after the bustle of midday, he reflects on his life and, in short, is happy with it. “I lead more life here than in my homeland. Looking back, everything I’ve done is worth it and I always wonder why I didn’t do it earlier.” Although ten years have passed since his last visit to the Philippines, Bernardo does not forget his roots. He plans to go back, but only on vacation, because he still has family there. Meanwhile, he feels fulfilled with his restaurant job, despite the responsibilities that come with it. “It’s hard for us to stop because we love it and besides, there are ten salaries to pay.” This is the story of Bernat’s bo.