Rene Reyes

    Rene was born in the quiet village of Benque Viejo del Carmen in the Cayo District on April 8th, 1969, the middle child of Gustavo and Miguelina Reyes. Shortly after his youngest brother's birth, the family moved to his mother's birthplace, Yo Creek. Rene, along with his four siblings, attended Yo Creek Primary School and later enrolled in secondary school. Unfortunately, Rene had to drop out of high school to help his parents with the household expenses. He stayed in Yo Creek for some time but at his brother's insistence, moved to San Pedro to "try his luck."

    Rene arrived on the island in 1989, prepared to make it his new home. For the first eight years, Rene was employed at Elvi's Kitchen as a waiter. During his time there, Rene completed a course in customer relations sponsored by the Belize Tourism Board, which he put to good use at the restaurant. Through the Internet, Rene discovered another fantastic program being conducted in Miami, Florida. Eventually, he saved enough money and traveled to the United States to pursue a higher standard of education at the West Gale Professional Training School, specializing in Food and Beverage Management. Rene worked as a waiter during the day and studied at night. For two years he struggled to get an education, before deciding to travel to Cancun, Mexico to attend yet another two-year customer relations course at the Secretaria de Turismo (Tourism Board). There, he studied Hotel Administration and Tourism Development.

    Upon his return to Ambergris Caye, Rene went to work as the general manager for Exotic Caye Beach Resort (formerly known as The Playador Hotel). Rene also met a young woman, Ana Patricia Ventura, whom he later married on September 23rd, 1994. Together, they are the proud parents of two wonderful boys: Rene Reyes Jr. (11) and Jonathan Alexander (8). After working at Exotic Caye for the next two years, Rene realized this was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He had a vision in his mind which he wanted to follow, so he reflected on everything he had learned and began to put things in perspective.

    In October 2002, Rene opened the doors to his dream, Cocina Caramba Restaurant. Its unique buffet-style dining received tremendous response right from the beginning from both tourists and the local community. "I offer a package deal," Rene says. "The service is great, the ambience is fantastic, the portions are large, the taste is superb, and the price is right." This wonderful combination backed by the skills he has acquired over the years have helped him provide his customers with the best service possible. "My wife takes care of the inventory and purchases all the items needed. She also takes care of the register and is an excellent wife and mother," Rene related.

    During his free time Rene and his family enjoy going to the beach. "My family and I love to read and we do that a lot," he said. Rene also donates his time and energy to assist the Alcoholics Anonymous Rehabilitation program. "It's a way to give back to the community for all it has given to me. Only by helping each other will we get ahead as a community. What I have learned may help others; in the same way, what others have learned may help me."

    Rene understands the hard work and determination it takes to pursue a goal. "You can not simply sit there and expect things to fall into your lap, you have to work for it. Anybody can do it," he professed. Rene serves wonderful meals at his establishment and knows the importance of customer service. Through his hard work and dedication Rene made his dream a reality. A devoted family man and dedicated business owner, Rene Reyes deserves kudos for setting a fine example (and a fine table) for others in "Our Community."