Emotional farewell at the Granollers funeral home
Relatives, friends and prominent figures in politics, media and culture gathered this Sunday to say goodbye to chef Fermí Puig at the Granollers funeral home, in Vallès Oriental. Puig, an eminence in traditional Catalan gastronomy, died last Friday at the age of 65 due to complications derived from cancer. This weekend, his wake was held in said funeral home.
The renowned chef had been running a restaurant that bore his name on Balmes Street in Barcelona since 2013. Just a few weeks before his death, he had retired after an extensive career in the kitchen and also in the media, where he shared his culinary knowledge.
Secular ceremony and shared memories
In a brief secular ceremony, family and friends relived anecdotes from the life of Fermí Puig, narrated mainly by the journalist Jordi Basté. ‘He has left us the union of friends,’ said Basté, who spoke on behalf of the chef’s family and friends.
Basté highlighted Puig’s friendly character and strong Catalan commitment, as well as his passion for football and literature. ‘He was so controversial that he managed to change your mind constantly,’ he commented affectionately, causing some smiles among the audience. Basté and Puig maintained a close relationship, both personal and professional, as Puig regularly collaborated on RAC1’s morning show.
emotional anecdote
During the speech, several anecdotes were mentioned, including a reprimand to another chef, Santi Santamaria, for a shrimp that he did not like, and the last WhatsApp messages they exchanged. He also remembered the difficult moments experienced with Barça in the sporting field. Puig’s coffin entered the ceremony to the rhythm of ‘La gent que estimo’ by Oques Grasses, while ‘My way’ by Frank Sinatra marked the coffin’s exit, although heavy rain in Granollers altered the protocol a little.
Personalities present at Puig’s farewell
In addition to family and friends, many figures from different spheres attended the funeral home. Among them, members of the board of directors of Futbol Club Barcelona, led by its president Joan Laporta, and the sporting director of Manchester City, Txiki Begiristain. Also present were personalities from the political sphere such as the general secretary of Junts, Jordi Turull, the former Minister of Economy, Jaume Giró, and the president of the Junts parliamentary group, Albert Batet, accompanied by the journalist and deputy Eduard Pujol.
From the field of communication and culture, the businessman Jaume Roures, the writer Sergi Pàmies and the announcer Toni Clapés attended. Puig’s former colleagues in the kitchen from different periods and his partner, Alfred Romagosa, also accompanied the family in this emotional farewell ceremony.