It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Bernardo Coelho at his Bridgewater home on June 7, 2025. Bernardo ascended his “Stairway to Heaven” and he is now enjoying some 70s and 80s rock and cooking heavenly food for his previously departed friends and family and all of his new eternal friends.
Executive Chef Bernardo had a rich culinary background that was deeply influenced by his Brazilian, Italian and Lebanese heritage. He was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil and earned his culinary degree there in 1997. The following year he emigrated to the U.S. and worked his way up the culinary ladder from cook, sous chef, chef and eventually executive chef with positions in Miami, Montreal, Boston and New York City. The executive chef positions with Restaurant Associates took him to Los Angeles and Boston under the tutelage of Wolfgang Puck and eventually to run the food service for the U.S. House of Representatives and then the U.S. Senate. Bernardo loved to recount that at the biennial House welcome dinners for new representatives, the Democrats would specify the number of vegetarian, gluten-free, and other special dinner requests whereas the Republicans were all fine with meat and potatoes. He also said that he and the staff always appreciated that Sen. Bernie Sanders never made them exit the elevator as others did when they wanted to get on. Bernardo also loved that Bernie was on his way to his Ford Focus instead of the fleet of Suburbans like other senators.
Bernardo and Lizzie met on a blind date in Old Town Alexandria, Va. for their favorite Thai food. A beautiful wedding, well catered by Bernardo, took place in Annapolis, Md. in June 2012. They lived in Annapolis and the L.A. and Boston areas and grew to a family of six with four wonderful children now aged 4 to 11 years. After Nana and Popi moved to Bridgewater in 2020, the Coelho family followed in 2021. Bernardo fell in love with Vermont and traded his corporate dreams for this most beautiful part of the world. He often said that we lived in paradise. Bernardo secured executive chef positions at Simon Pearce and The Prince & the Pauper before moving back under a corporate umbrella at Mt. Ascutney Hospital. Wednesday’s Chef’s Table became a big hit at the hospital with even the locals trekking to the hospital for lunch.
Lizzie and the rest of the family are so fortunate to have such a supportive and generous group of friends in the Woodstock area. The outpouring of love and prayers during this very difficult time has been overwhelming and so appreciated. Bernardo leaves his spouse Elizabeth, daughters Eloisa, Marina and Nora, son Jack, Lizzie’s parents Donald Jones and Annie Smith-Jones (“Mom and Dad” to B), brothers-in-law Alex, Andrew and Austin and lots of other in-laws, as well as family in Brazil. A memorial celebration is being planned for Friday June 20 at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of the Snows Church in Woodstock. Following the celebration, all are invited to a gathering on the lawn at the family home on 403 North Bridgewater Road. A GoFundMe has been set up by friends for Lizzie and their children at gofund.me/42bdb2c3.
An online guestbook can be found at cabotfh.com.
