Market Data 
- Bernard James’ wife, Corlette, died from cancer in 2009.
- He had 6-year-old twins and multiple businesses.
- After her death, he moved across the country for a fresh star
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bernard James, owner of Taste of the Caribbean LA. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I moved to the US from Guyana when I was a teenager and started working for my uncle’s plumbing company in New York City. We did a lot of business with another construction company, and one day my uncle asked me if I’d seen the daughter who worked in the office there. “She’s so beautiful,” he said.
So, I called the company’s office, knowing Corlette would answer the phone. Soon, we were on our first date. I was only 19, and Corlette was five years older than me. She knew exactly what she wanted: to have kids, buy property, and find a church home. She was a Leo, and I could see what a powerful woman she was.
Our twins were 6 when Corlette died
Corlette and I got married when I was 22, and a few years later, she was pregnant with twins. I was making about $1,500 a week working for my uncle, but I knew I could make more on my own. I started my own plumbing company and bought a building in Brooklyn during her pregnancy. I had plans to slowly renovate it and open a restaurant. Corlette was still running her family’s company, too.
Everything was happening at once: babies and businesses. Luckily, Corlette was a strong, strong woman. She lit up a room when she walked into it, but in business, she commanded respect.
We were busy, and it was a surprise when Corlette was diagnosed with cancer in December 2008. Her health quickly went downhill. She died in 2009 when our twins were only 6.
I moved to California for a fresh start
The next few years were not an easy road. I still had the plumbing company and the restaurant to keep afloat, plus business ends to tie up for Corlette’s company. A nanny helped me with the twins, and I also moved my sister in to help.
Still, the stress felt like a monkey on my back. I started thinking about a fresh start. Corlette and I had visited California together, and I had commented on the fact that there was no Caribbean food. I thought it would be a good place to grow my restaurant business.
I moved to California in 2013. Navigating LA traffic to get the kids to school and working late nights at my food truck was difficult.
I hold pageants in Corlette’s honor
Eventually, I grew my California business from a food truck to brick-and-mortar locations. Today, we have restaurants in Long Beach and Hollywood. My twins, who are now 22, grew up in the business, bussing tables and serving people. Now, my son works with me and owns 30% of the business. My daughter chose to open a marketing business because she didn’t want the demanding schedule of running a restaurant.
It’s been 15 years since Corlette died, but I still think about her often. I wonder where my business would be if she were still alive because she was such a powerful businesswoman. The twins and I still raise money for cancer in Corlette’s memory, including through our Miss Caribbean pageants. We want to keep their mother’s name alive, and it’s working.
At the same time, I’m living my life. I have a 3-year-old son who was a pandemic baby. We call him Little Chef. He and his mom live with me and the twins. I haven’t remarried, but I have expanded my family.
