Costa Blanca Magazin

Café con leche with Axel Berger - Between sea & man

Zwischen Meer, Menschen und mediterraner Lebensart

Ex-soldier, diver, restaurateur: Axel Berger talks about passion, environmental protection and Mediterranean joie de vivre in Dénia.

Ex-soldier, diving instructor, civil defence worker, restaurateur - Axel Berger is not someone who does things by halves. He has lived in Spain for almost three decades, works underwater, helps on land in emergencies and has created a new project close to his heart with Da Marc in Dénia. As part of our Café con leche series, Ben Weidner spoke to him about vocation, responsibility and Italian joie de vivre.

Axel, you left Germany behind almost 30 years ago and went to Spain - what made you decide to take this step back then?
After my studies and twelve years in the German Armed Forces, I was often deployed abroad - just like my wife Cora. We saw a lot, but Spain just grabbed us: the mentality, the language, the attitude to life. I was able to set up my own diving business here through ProTec - Professional Technical Diving. Today I am a course inspector for the training and examination of diving instructors throughout Spain.

So you've turned your hobby into a profession - and yet today you also teach motor boating. How did that come about?
Diving remains my main profession, no question about it. But I also train people with disabilities - that's particularly important to me. I only do the boat courses occasionally, simply because I enjoy teaching. And because I can convey respect for the sea - that's important to me.

Speaking of the sea - you're very committed to protecting it, aren't you?
Yes, absolutely. I have been a member of Sea Shepherd for many years and founded „Guardian del Mar“ about ten years ago. There we teach children and young people about environmental protection - the little ones collect rubbish on the beach and the older ones help to remove waste from the sea. That's responsibility in action and it makes me proud to see how seriously the kids take it.

However, you are not only active in the water, but also on land - at the Protección Civil. How did you get involved?
During the pandemic, I didn't want to be idle and trained as a Vigilante de Seguridad, later also taking exams in firefighting, medical services and civil protection. I believe that anyone who lives here should integrate - and give something back.

You were one of the first people to help with the flood disaster in Valencia - that must have been incredible.
Yes, that was an extreme experience. The alarm went off at 8.13 p.m. and we were in action an hour later - even before the military. Entire neighbourhoods were under water, over 100,000 vehicles were washed away. We searched for people and animals, pumped out cellars and worked until we were exhausted. Later, we took part in the „Operación Moncada“ and were awarded the Gold Cross of Honour with a red ribbon. A moment full of humility - and pride in my team.
After such missions, gastronomy is almost like an antithesis.

How did it come about that you opened a restaurant with a friend?
(Axel smiles). A friend of mine had the idea and I contributed my gastronomic experience. This is how „Da Marc“ in Les Marines came about - an Italian restaurant with an open kitchen and a great team from Sicily. Everything is freshly prepared, no convenience products: over 40 types of pizza, homemade pasta, fresh fish, meat from Galicia and Argentina as well as desserts such as tiramisu or focaccia with garlic and tomatoes.

That sounds like a real passion for good food.
It is. We serve Italian and Spanish wines, Budvar, Peroni and the rare Lupia beer on tap. And our 3-course lunch menu costs 16 euros - good food should be affordable for everyone.

With all this commitment - how do you actually switch off?
We love travelling and I love adventure. I have travelled the Camino Levante by horse and cart and paddled 400 miles down the Yukon in a canoe. Today I enjoy quieter moments - with our three dogs and of course with my wife Cora. Without her, many things would not be possible. I married her again on Tenerife for our silver wedding anniversary - better safe than sorry! (laughs)