Father’s Day: Manuel Monteiro sees with “pride” his children continuing the Cancela Velha project

Manuel Monteiro carried out a “dream” with the opening of the Cancela Velha restaurant, located in the center of Marco de Canaveses. A project started with his wife, Fernanda, and children, Miguel and Ana, which sees, “with proud”continue this dream.

He is born in Santa Leocádia, in the municipality of Baião, and talks about his mother with “lots of love and affection”having dedicated his “youth” to the mother. “My mother was a mother and a father, she was a hero”he said, moved, adding that he inherited it from his mother “humility and education, which is what my mother always passed on to me”.

Passionate about the hotel industry for as long as he can remember, Manuel Monteiro worked in several establishments in Marco de Canaveses, until opening Cancela Velha. “It’s a house that has always enchanted me and I achieved what I wanted. I never imagined it would be so successful. My clients are my family, if they are not with me, I cannot have what I have, nor be what I am”, he stated. Manuel Monteiro states, on the other hand, that working in the hotel industry is “a life of sacrifice” What a “it is worth it. I still haven’t figured out why I like this so much.”. To make this possible, it has a team “which is the best in the world. Without them, I wouldn’t be the happy man I am, because they are also part of my life.”he said.

One of the fundamental pieces in his daily life is his wife, Fernandinha, as she is affectionately called by everyone. “Without her I couldn’t live, without her I was nobody. I was fortunate to have a woman who is the most beautiful thing God gave me, from being my friend to being an incredible mother. She is a lady, an accomplished cook. In my life, I will never be able to repay God for the woman he gave me. When there are problems, she can solve them and overcome barriers.”he highlighted.

And the children? For them, Manuel Monteiro doesn’t have enough words. “I am, to my children, the father I never had. It is to them that I dedicate the rest of my life. Working as a family is not always easy, but love forgives everything. If I get angry with one of them and, the next day, I don’t give him a kiss or a hug, I already feel sad. I’m proud of the children I have.”praised.

And it is these children who continue the Cancela Velha project, which leaves Manuel Monteiro “with a full heart. The greatest joy I can have is seeing my children continue this project, perhaps even better than me, and that is my greatest joy, knowing that all the sacrifice we made, everything we achieved, stays with the our children”.

Another of the “great loves” of Manuel Monteiro’s life are his three grandchildren. “Being a grandfather means being a father twice, but in my case I think it’s being a father three times. They are the most beautiful things the world gives us, but ours are always the best in the world.” And to make it possible to spend time with your grandchildren, Cancela Velha is closed on Sunday nights. “It’s a way for us to all be together. Money is part of life, but it is not part of happiness and being with them gives us years of life, without a doubt, this love and affection is worth more than the money itself”, he described.

Manuel Monteiro dedicates himself, “with his heart and soul” to all Cancela Velha customers, to whom he insists on providing “everything they need. We make people feel at home and that’s good, we don’t make distinctions between customers, everyone is important to us and everyone deserves the best attention.” For these customers, this man leaves a message: “I’m very grateful, because they are an example for the Cancela Velha restaurant, without them I wouldn’t be the man I am, I wasn’t happy as I am, even those who left I miss, so much. I sometimes remember them. I thank God for having these wonderful clients, not only here, but spread across the four corners of the world. I feel proud for all my clients,” he concluded.