If you ask anyone in Savaneta who Mrs. Lucia Rasmijn is, the first thing they’ll say is, "Of course, Lucia from Brisas del Mar, Joe's wife." That’s how most people know my grandmother. But to me, Mama Lucia is more than just the face of a family restaurant; she is my queen, the Queen of Savaneta.
Every afternoon, around 4 o'clock, the scent of her signature spray would remind me that the queen herself was getting ready to welcome everyone to the restaurant with elegance. Today, I am sharing the story of a strong woman who didn’t just create Brisas del Mar but lived for it alongside her husband. A story of passion and sacrifice.
Since I can remember, Mama Lucia was always in the kitchen at home, making delicious pan bati for my grandfather (may he rest in peace), who would eat it with his freshly caught fish, or she was at Brisas, preparing to check the evening’s reservations and ensure everything was in order. As her only granddaughter, I practically grew up in the restaurant environment and witnessed all the sacrifices and challenges that came with it. My grandmother lived for her restaurant and her flag, and you could see the fruits of her labor every day.
Every afternoon, around 4 o'clock, I would smell her spray in the hallway because my grandmother always dressed like a queen to welcome everyone to the restaurant, with perfect makeup on her face, glamour, and elegance above all. To this day, she is an elegant lady.She loved serving everyone who came to Brisas and made them feel like they were part of our family. Mama Lucia wasn’t just the face of the restaurant alongside my grandfather for 31 long years, but she was the “all-around” person in the restaurant. If they were short-staffed in the kitchen, she would jump behind the stove or peel vegetables, because “the show must go on.”
My grandmother and grandfather took over the restaurant from my great-grandfather, Mr. Jacinto Rasmijn (may he rest in peace), with the intention of bringing locals and tourists together to enjoy unique seafood dishes that only my grandmother could bring to the table. Together with their children (Evelyn, Lilith, Joseph, Margitta, and Pierre), they created a unique and family-oriented restaurant in Savaneta.
To this day, many people still remember the dishes at Brisas, including the Aruban dish (keri keri), Brisas Special, and Commandeur Special. My favorite dish to this day is her salmon in homemade béchamel sauce. I crave that dish, or her curry chicken. Her curry chicken in coconut sauce—ufff, bless her hands! Her tempura fish during the Easter season is a classic, and Mama Lucia knows it has to be on the table. I could eat all day with the delicious dishes she prepares, and for dessert, a good upside-down cake... absolutely delicious. My grandmother spoiled us with the best meals her hands could create.
At 86 years old, Mama Lucia remembers every recipe from Brisas perfectly, her memory sharp and her energy endless. She knows all her recipes and doesn’t need to measure; she just tastes every dish and knows exactly what’s missing. There are times she intimidates me in the kitchen because I know she’ll tell me, just by the smell, whether I’ve added the right seasoning or if something is missing. Perfection at its finest, but I learn from the best when she lets me step behind the stove. If there’s one thing about my grandmother, it’s that her food must come out excellent.
Mama Lucia loves helping wherever she can. Sometimes we try to encourage her to slow down because she’s getting older, and it would be better for her to take it easy. But with someone who still has so much energy and a desire to conquer the world like my grandmother, you can’t tell her “Mama Lucia, don’t do it” because she’ll do it anyway. It’s her passion; we can’t dim the light that shines from within her.
Mama Lucia is truly an inspiration, a pillar of our family. Mama Lucia is truly an inspiration, admired by everyone, and the pillar of our family. She’s the one who always ensures that every Sunday, we all come together to sit around her for family meals. Through the good times and the bad, my grandmother has always been there for her family, even today, and I thank God for giving me a grandmother like her—a strong woman with a big heart.
My Queen!
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