Graciela "Chela" de Holman (1930/1931 – 19 March 2021) was a Salvadoran businesswoman and restaurateur. She co-founded the International Gastronomic Festival of El Salvador to promote Salvadoran cuisine at a gourmet standard.
Career edit
Holman began working in the restaurant business at a young age.[1] She started her first restaurant around 1970 with 1000 colónes,[2] and went on to open several gourmet restaurants in the country: Le Mar, Siete Mares, La Tablita, Chalet Suizo, and Chela's. During the Salvadoran Civil War, some of the restaurants were targeted in bombings, forcing her to rebuild.[3] She eventually expanded to Guatemala and opened a U.S. location of Chela's in Miami.[1]
In 1994, Holman was a founding member of the Tourism Committee for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador.[2] To promote Salvadoran cuisine, which was not well known abroad, she co-organized the first International Gastronomic Festival of El Salvador in that year. This festival became an annual event, and helped grow domestic restaurant offerings.[4][5] Holman continued as a member of the organizing committee for later offerings of the festival.[6] She also served as President of the Tourism Committee.[7]
Over the course of her career, Holman won 27 professional awards.[3] She also received the "Golden Palm" Award, the highest award from the Chamber of Commerce, in 1997.[2] She remained a member of the Advisory Committee for the Chamber in later years,[8] and advised the Ministry of Tourism as late as March 2021.[3]
Personal life edit
Holman had eight children, twenty-one grandchildren, and twenty-eight great-grandchildren.[3] She died on 19 March 2021 at the age of 90.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c Guzmán, Jessica (19 March 2021). "Doña Chelita de Holman fue una mujer, madre y profesional ejemplar". El Diario de Hoy - elsalvador.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ a b c "Doña Chelita de Holman, la fortaleza hecha vida". Cámara de Comercio e Industria de El Salvador (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d Menjívar, Beatriz (20 March 2021). "Fallece doña Graciela de Holman". La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ Orellana, Liset (26 September 2016). "Doña Graciela de Holman: "Hemos logrado romper barreras"". El Metropolitano Digital (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "Excelente amigo y gran restaurateur". archivo.elsalvador.com. 13 February 2003. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ Colocho, Iliana. "Sonaron las cacerolas : 4 de octubre de 2006 .::. El Diario de Hoy .::. elsalvador.com ". archivo.elsalvador.com. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ Ventas, Leyre. "La inseguridad: Entre cifras disparadas y la cultura del miedo : 12 de septiembre 2005 .::. El Diario de Hoy .::. elsalvador.com .::". archivo.elsalvador.com. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "Organización y gobierno gremial". Cámara de Comercio e Industria de El Salvador (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2022.