By WASITA ROYAL
Felomino “Papa” Solis, now 80, stood quietly in the Conference Room during his farewell dinner with his eyes shining, as laughter, tears, and decades of stories from the staff and the business community of Rabaul was told around him. After 34 years, the Chief of Chefs of the iconic Rabaul Hotel had finally retired, marking the end of a life spent not just cooking meals, but feeding the community.
His departure has closed a living chapter for the “Grande Dame of ENB,” where the hotel owner Ms Susie McGrade calls “a living, breathing part of the community’s story.” Papa Solis was a foundational support for a family-run hotel that had never closed its doors, even during the 1994 volcanic eruptions.
For Susie, Solis was the bedrock. “He was my right-hand man. Always consistent and constant,” she says, noting his rare absences. His professionalism was matched by his role as a mentor. “He was also our friend… And a great trainer. He trained hundreds of staff over the years.”
This mentorship had a uniquely close bond. Janet Sasere, a staff member, reflects this legacy: “He was very close to us, and we are so thankful for all those years of training; his patience for the kitchen staff and the time he took with them in the kitchen has made them hold a very unique skill.”
This has made Papa Solis’ personal motto became the hotel’s creed: “The customer always comes first, no matter what life throws at you.” A promise he had kept 365 days a year, serving thousands without fail for 34 years.
This commitment came at a devastating cost for he had endured the loss of a son and, two years ago, his wife. “He never made it to say goodbye… she died before he arrived home,” Susie recounts, the pain of travel delays still fresh. And amidst that hardship, a cherished memory endures: Solis at Lakunai airport, greeting Susie and her newborn daughter Rosie. “These were the golden years for us all,” Susie says, a joyful moment suspended before the volcano erupted 18 months later, strengthening an indestructible familial bond in ash and hardship.
Now,Susie confronts his absence. “As you get older, change is hard to adapt to… It sometimes affects your business not having super-skilled, experienced staff like the old, long-serving ones.”
Yet, the enduring spirit they built together remains. “But we also believe no one is impossible to replace… Who knows what new opportunities it may bring?”
As Felomino Solis took his final walk from the kitchen. He leaves behind a team equipped with his unique craft and the indomitable heart of the Grande Dame.
For 34 years,to be cared for at the Rabaul Hotel was to be cared for by Papa Solis. They were, and always will be, one and the same.