The Jerez Diaries y Cadiz, from the Joly Publishing GroupThey recently published a report on Alfonso Cateringwhere they compiled our professional trajectory of the last 50 years
In a friendly tone, the chronicle, signed by Juan Pedro Simo, makes a metaphor of our history by dividing the stages of work in the form of a menu.
Starting with the:
Starters. This whole incredible story began many, many years ago in Seville. You see, Grandpa Antonio ran two hotels in Curro's hometown; everything was going smoothly until things took a turn for the worse. Shortly after, his son Alfonso, a tall and handsome man, followed in his father's footsteps. He knew he would dedicate his life to the demanding world of hospitality. And just when it seemed that life had reserved a job as a waiter for him, someone whispered to him that there was a closed inn in Jerez, that this was his chance, that it was on the southern outskirts of town, next to a gas station…
Without consulting God or the devil, Alfonso took his wife Pepa, the saintly Pepa, and his sons Alfonso and Antonio, threw caution to the wind, left Triana and olé, and appeared in Jerez. When the Rodríguez family arrived in Jerez, the city was floating on the fortunes of the bodegasThey were incredibly lucrative. They were in the right place at the right time. Alfonso and Pepa reopened the Cuatro Caminos inn. The business survived: They educated their children, then enrolled in the Jerez School of Commerce, a true institution and source of pride for the city, where the most prestigious families had studied, and shortly after, they both went their separate ways.
First course. Alfonso, nicknamed Tacatito, showed himself to be a great entrepreneur from a very young age. He worked and washed dishes from the age of 18 in hotels in Tangier, France, England, and Germany. Later, he traveled the world. But it was in Mallorca where he discovered that his fortune in the restaurant industry might lie elsewhere. It was there, while working for a company at the Mallorcan airport, that he first heard a word that would change the lives of the two brothers: 'catering,' an English term not very well known in those years; every day, food was prepared, transported to the plane, and eaten miles away.
We were in the midst of all this when Alfonso received a call from his brother Antonio in Jerez. He asked him to come back to the family, explaining that the inn business was failing and that their father needed the help of his two sons. Antonio and Alfonso reunited in Jerez and from that moment on, they would fight together for a better future.
The truth is that the two brothers complemented each other perfectly. Alfonso had a special talent for human relations, spoke fluent English and French, had accumulated enormous experience abroad, and possessed a natural ease in art and decoration that he would later bring to his work. Antonio was very different: although his refined people skills were undeniable, he was a more reserved person, and his management abilities were exemplary.
They both agreed that the catering formula could save them from that predicament. With great foresight and skill, they convinced the bodega Bobadilla's project: Eating at home bodegaSomething never seen before. The first catering service that left the old inn for the Cristal Street complex aboard an old Isocarro was for five people. This catering was followed in Bobadilla by a wedding for 300 guests where Alfonso already implemented a daring decoration, a "great sin" at the time, which was met with resounding success. Just like when the new bodegas Bobadilla, with actor Roger Moore as a guest, and served 'the biggest seafood feast ever held in Jerez'.
Alfonso and Antonio had established a service that few in Jerez knew about. Fifty years ago, they founded the company 'Alfonso Catering' in honor of their father. Everything happened very quickly. Years passed, and work never slowed down. The old Isocarros gave way to white vans bearing the company name that traveled the streets of Jerez. Many thought it might be one of the family surnames. The Cuatro Caminos market was revitalized, and that pioneering initiative that Alfonso had brought with him from Mallorca became a resounding success. It was the beginning of a meteoric rise.
Alfonso is a man with a remarkable memory. His mind holds countless stories, so many that it would be difficult to capture them all in these pages. Originally from Seville but a Jerez native by choice, he is a sensitive man, a forward-thinking businessman, and a fun-loving, very fun-loving individual, passionate about bullfighting, art, and his work. He adapted perfectly to Jerez, especially after marrying Purificación Blanco, known as Pura, a Jerez native, who bore him three children: Alfonso, Sara, and César. Pura was also a key figure in the early days of the company. Although she worked behind the scenes, her daughter Sara remembers her spending hours embroidering the first tablecloths and silk fabrics from Flanders and Barcelona. His brother Antonio, another workaholic, also married a Jerez native, María Teresa Macías, who gave birth to his children David, Eva, Jaime, and Rocío. His contributions have been widely recognized. He played an active role in the creation of Hostelsur and the Horeca employers' association, and it is said that his voice carried weight at meetings of the Jerez Chamber of Commerce.
When the shop became too small, the Rodríguez brothers obtained the municipal concession to use the 'El Bosque' restaurant in the gardens of the old Hontoria Park, where the Alfonso brand and signature are still present today. The seventies were a booming decade: Alfonso Catering provided services wherever they were needed, and weddings were piling up. This was a major boost. Even today, the daughters of daughters from aristocratic families celebrate their weddings with Alfonso Catering. It's not just about the food, Alfonso repeatedly advised his three children: "The act of feeding people well isn't the only thing; it should become a pleasant memory, something unforgettable."
Second course. Everything was going smoothly. The Alfonso brothers catered to the Royal Family, heads of state, prime ministers, and the cream of the crop of the time. We know that Pérez Rubalcaba is a man who barely eats, that Aznar himself scorned the strawberry gazpacho, and that Thatcher was quite the glutton. Then came a multitude of complicated events, which the brothers handled flawlessly: They fed more than 40.000 people at the Ryder Cup, provided catering for the Equestrian Games, organized the inauguration of the speed circuit, and the private dinner that preceded Infanta Elena's wedding in Seville. Alfonso even managed to hold a wedding in Santander under an old tree, was a pioneer in offering a dinner at the Maestranza bullring, and, speaking of catering, even provided a dinner for Telefónica executives on the border between Morocco and Algeria—on 9/11 itself! 'Alfonso Catering' had become a leading name in Andalusian cuisine, and its work at banquets and conferences was repeatedly praised. But amidst all this joy, a hint of sadness always appears.
Sunday, October 16, 2005, was a sad day in Jerez. Antonio passed away at the age of 67 after a short but serious illness. His funeral was attended by a huge crowd, and Father Fuego delivered this deeply moving eulogy: "You, who were a Wise Man, today you will be with the King of Kings, helping him prepare the great banquet." Perhaps Antonio's greatest sorrow was leaving without knowing that, nine years later, the palacio Ifeca would bear his name, like the businessman who revolutionized catering. Or the tribute that the tourism world paid to the company's founders.
But Alfonso continued with his work. And there are anecdotes everywhere. When the catering company had to take over the Gallo Azul building, owned by Domecq, Alfonso pulled out all the stops. Alfonso always harbored the dream of having one bodega of vinegar. In that obsession, he registered the name 'Blue Rooster', curiously forgetting to include the 'Fundador's' signature. He then cited his manager Ángel Lebrero and the remembered public relations representative of the bodegaJosé Manuel Álvarez. They had lunch at 'El Bosque' and in a single meal managed to reach an agreement. Alfonso would never seek financial compensation in court. On the contrary. He did the math and explained to the diners: "My favorite sherry is the oloroso 'Río Viejo'. I've always been loyal to the brand and a regular customer. I usually drink two or three glasses a day, and since I expect to live to be a hundred—because, as you know, my family is long-lived—I've calculated that five hundred cases would satisfy my craving until my death. I'll give you the name in exchange for wine."
Ángel and José Manuel were speechless. That was Alfonso for you. The agreement was signed before a notary, and the next day, a trailer from the company pulled up to the restaurant. bodega to las quinientas boxes of twelve bottles of 'Río Viejo'.
…and dessert. Antonio's absence left the company incomplete. From then on, significant changes took place in the business. This is where Alfonso's eldest son enters the picture. Alfonso Rodríguez Blanco has inherited his father's qualities. His father sent him to study in the United States, at Boston University, where he pursued studies in business administration and finance. He is, therefore, a well-educated man, the fourth generation of a family linked to the hospitality industry. He acquired his relatives' shares, in addition to the portion belonging to his father and brothers, and took full ownership of the business. César is his brother and a fantastic collaborator and chef. It's about continuity.
For years, Alfonso Jr. has carried the weight of the business on his shoulders. He has made his debut on numerous occasions, although for everyone, his recent work will remain in the past, including his direction of the European Summit luncheon in Seville and the luncheon with which King Juan Carlos entertained the heads of government during the last Ibero-American Summit in Cádiz. But Alfonso's distinctive mark and style will always endure. Like the one he imprinted on the Bullfighting Museum on Pozo Olivar Street, where he locked himself away with construction workers and didn't emerge until the floors, walls, and ceilings were marked with his unique style.
They say the hard work in the hospitality industry wears you down, but I swear on my father I've never seen this man with a single ailment after a lifetime on his feet. Just in case, relax and enjoy what you've got. Rest up now, 'Mr. Catering'! After all, we're only here for a couple of days…
http://www.diariodecadiz.es/article/provincia/1775200/anos/mister/catering.html