El Faro de Cádiz: where Pierce Brosnan left escorted by the owner

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For the family behind El Faro de Cádiz restaurant, the best recommendation guide is word of mouth.

With this method they have not done badly

in a city full of it.

"The restaurant was born after my grandfather, Gonzalo Córdoba, and my grandmother, Pepi Serrano, decided in 1964 to open a small tavern where they sold fried fish. My grandfather worked and my grandmother supported the family, supporting six children was not easy When things go a little better, the tavern expands, they buy the surroundings of the premises and now

says Mario Jiménez (31), the executive chef of El Faro and the third generation of the family that founded the famous restaurant.

Three of Gonzalo Córdoba's six children decided to continue with the business founded by their father: Mayte, Fernando and José Manuel.

"At the end of the 1980s, the Faro del Puerto,

, was opened . It was converted into a restaurant by the hand of my uncle Fernando. It continues to this day. And the other is Ventorrillo El Chato, which It was a Postas house, on the road between Cádiz and San Fernando. It is more than 200 years old. It was a place where people stopped to go to Cádiz. There is another of my uncles, José Manuel and his two sons. In Cádiz they Mayte Córdoba remains, my mother. She is in charge of the management and the accounting part, she is the soul of this place.

Mario details.

Its history is that of a family dedicated and completely dedicated to the hospitality industry.

Although Mario studied International Relations in Madrid, he always had his home as his horizon.

After graduating, he studied hospitality in Seville

Despite this, he admits that he continues to apply the diplomacy that he was taught in his career at El Faro.

"The pandemic has exacerbated the desire to want everything instantly, now. Here, especially in high season, we are full every day and sometimes customers do not understand that workers have to leave and rest.

he comments.

Among the specialties of El Faro that diners like the most are the shrimp tortillas.

. My grandfather learned how to make them from Venta de Vargas. Another dish is fish stew cooked roteña style and a dessert that has always remained the same is Pedro Ximénez raisin ice cream. We make all our ice creams and it is still one of the restaurant's star desserts."

James Bond

Pierce Brosnan as James Bond E.M.

Who was also dazzled by the shrimp tortillas was Pierce Brosnan.

While shooting the 007 saga film

(2002), he also took time to visit El Faro.

He himself asked Mayte Córdoba, the owner, what he was eating.

"I told him almost shouting: shrimp omelette. As if saying it loudly would understand me," confesses Mayte herself with a laugh.

That's how she got her

and also became fond of this dish.

The people of Cadiz were fascinated by his presence and by that of Halle Berry as well, so one day when they knew that Pierce was at El Faro, they waited for him.

The security that he was wearing could not believe it and they were paralyzed before the fans.

"I grabbed her arm and said, 'Let's go.' And I was the one who took him out of the restaurant and took him to the van with all the people watching. We were on TV, of course."

Paco de Lucía with Mayte CórdobaOn loan

Mayte, Mario's mother, has a thousand anecdotes to tell.

She is very fond of Carlos Cano, who was a client of the house, and also of Juan Tamariz, who continues to go.

in her restaurant.

"The driver who was driving him didn't know how to drive the car well because it was automatic and he still didn't control it. Paco had to give a conference and he had to stay in El Faro. But he had a great time".

Mario

and assures that together they form a great team.

"Our recipe is constantly evolving. Change everything so that nothing changes. When you see the restaurant full of people one day, another day, etc. it is because we do things well", he ditches.

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