Sisters battle cancer in their 80s, run restaurant in Buenos Aires
A few years ago, Teresita and I both got diagnosed with cancer. She found out first and had to take time off work for chemotherapy. Then it happened. One day, I went about my usual activities. Suddenly, I felt something odd and found a small lump in my breast.
- 2 years ago
October 29, 2022
Maria and Teresita are sisters who run a family restaurant El Pasaje together | Photo courtesy of the sisters' family
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina ꟷ We opened our restaurant El Pasaje on a Saturday forty years ago. On that bright day in February, we decided to cook gnocchi, a classic cuisine in Buenos Aires. The aroma flooded the entire restaurant. Many people came in that day to sit and enjoy the atmosphere.
I heard the clinking of glass amidst laughter and watched customers delight in the food they tasted. Four decades later, my sister Teresita and I continue to cook at El Pasaje. I am 86 years old, and she is 82. We never stopped for a minute.
Woman makes her way from Uruguay to Argentina, finds her passion in the kitchen
My life did not always evolve around the restaurant. At 14 years old, I began working for a transport business in my home country of Uruguay. Not until 1983, at 43 years old, did I make the move to Argentina.
My husband operated a bar back home in Montevideo, so when we immigrated, he sold the business, and we used the money to start our new restaurant. We fell in love with the very first property we looked at in Buenos Aires. From the moment we walked through the doors, we knew it felt right. We returned to Uruguay to finish closing and on February 24, 1983, we settled in Argentina.
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The previous owners of the restaurant introduced us to our clientele, who became our friends over time. Those early days were marked with good luck. It began as a family business and remains that way. My mother cooked until she died, then Teresita took over. I never cooked for anyone but my family, but when my husband passed, I found my place in the restaurant. Today, I never leave the kitchen at El Pasaje. Even when they put a stent in me, I returned to work a few days later!
Teresita and I learned on the fly how to move our business forward. We soon made our way into the complex food industry in Buenos Aires. We special order our raw materials and ingredients like meat and eggs. My son helps with the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables from the Central Market. Every bit of food at El Pasaje remains homemade, as if we cooked for our family.
Sisters work, live, and face cancer together
A few years ago, Teresita and I both got diagnosed with cancer. She found out first and had to take time off work for chemotherapy. Then it happened. One day, I went about my usual activities. Suddenly, I felt something odd and found a small lump in my breast.
I went straight to the doctor who sat across from me and delivered the diagnosis. I recall the next words: “There isn’t much hope.” Though a potential cure existed, the treatment would be long and serious. The doctor said they may have to remove my breast and I could go bald from the treatments.
I never felt afraid of cancer, and when I lost my hair, I accepted it. I believe physical and mental activities cure disease. Going to the doctor and having checkups remains necessary but being active helps recovery. My illness encourages me to fight. When I am on the move and working, I don’t think about ugly things or death. I stay active and only think about moving forward.
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My sister and I live together next to the restaurant. We share all our time together, every day. We stay optimistic and rarely fight. There is hardly a debate over new recipes, and we remain optimistic that we will continue to run the restaurant for many years.
As long as our bodies remain resilient, nothing will take us away from the kitchen.
