New Thriving, Georgetown’s newest and most elaborate Chinese restaurant, is still celebrating the first anniversary of their ‘return’ to Main Street. On 1st June a month-long promotion was launched, with a pair of diamond-encrusted earrings and matching pendant and chain as prizes. A similar set was given away in May at the ritzy New Thriving Company’s first anniversary Reception and Dinner held on the premises in splendid red and gold ambience. on Main Street.
Why diamonds? … real diamonds To the owners of the posh dining establishment,, Ziao Guang Zhao and Che Jian Ping, this was a fitting acknowledgement of the support of their patrons who have contributed significantly to their local successes and international recognition.
Diamond jewellery by lottery, imaginative cocktails, the meeting of long time acquaintances, and fashionable and authentic Chinese clothing combined to create the ambience that lit up Main Street for a night. Hundreds of guests…….politicians, diplomats, businessmen and other prominent persons joined the management of the restaurant to celebrate the anniversary of their triumphant return to business. President Bharrat Jagdeo was there too……as guest of honour.
An entertaining cultural mélange spiced up the festivities offering a steel pan/saxophone/keyboard musical mix from Roots and Culture while Calypso King 2010, Young Bill Rogers, delivered a ‘suped up’ version of the weed song, the composition that had brought his father national recognition more than four decades earlier. The young Nrityageet Dancers added an eastern flavour to the cultural proceedings. President Jagdeo, as he is wont to do these days, talked about environmental awareness and Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Mr Jungao hailed New Thriving as the best Chinese restaurant in this part of the world, encouraging other Chinese to seek to emulate the accomplishments of the Zhaos.
The programme was ‘engineered’ by one-time radio personality Vic Insanally who reflected humorously on the humble beginnings of the establishment on Regent Street, close to Bourda Market.
REMINISCENCES FROM YESTERDAY
It seems like only yesterday that the New Thriving edifice was shrouded in protective coverings inside and out in preparation for the grand opening that took place in March last year. The finishing touches were being applied to what has turned out to be the grandest restaurant in Guyana.. It is, says the Chinese Ambassador, the best in the Caribbean and Central America.
Last year the family/owners of New Thriving were preparing to present a culinary showpiece for Guyanese. Expectations were rife. No one imagined, however, that the now abandoned New Thriving Restaurant at the corners of Camp street and Brickdam could have been outdone. The management says, however, that the Camp street premises were casual, catering mostly for fast food and business lunches. The Barr street Kitty branch was the place of exceptional culinary creations.
Last year’s opening of the Main street eating house was resplendent with glamour and a feast befitting royalty. Even that, however, was outdone by the anniversary affair that included a twenty-dish menu of Beijing roast duck, secret Chinese sauces and culinary hybrid creations with a distinct Guyanese kick.. Sumptuous!
KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER
New Thriving remains a studious integration of Chinese décor, Cantonese, Japanese and Sichuan cuisine laced with a more than subtle hint of Guyanese flavour. The marriage between Guyana and China is very evident in its creations. The kitchen crew includes more than twenty professional chefs all cordon bleu exponents of the trade. They came to Guyana over a period of many years and teamed up with Ziao Guang Zhao, himself a licensed chef. The restaurant’s General Manager and official interpreter, Zhang Qiyuan, says that they were all required to first learn both English and Guyanese dialects and to acquaint themselves with local cuisine and cultures, before they were allowed into the kitchen. Only then, he says, were they considered able to prepare dishes for locals and foreigners alike, for sensitive palates and for world renowned connoisseurs of haute cuisine.
Zhang is suitably proud of the company’s accomplishments. He said that the glue holding everything together has several components including a cadre of loyal, well trained and skilful Guyanese staff who have learnt the Chinese language as fast as the owners and managers learnt English thereby breaking down the language barrier, sustained professional supervision and frequent consultation to explore new ideas and discuss ways of further pleasing customers. Zhang speak of entertaining foreign visitors to Guyana who have developed a ‘love affair’ with New Thriving. He relates occurrences involving visitors who would request that particular dishes be frozen for export.
“So what is all this insistence on ‘Guyanizing’ the restaurant,” a patron asked. Mr. Zhao, Mrs. Ping and their family were recently granted their naturalization certificates and they proudly announce their statuses as naturalized Guyanese citizens. They worked tirelessly to achieve it. The doors to their first tiny restaurant were opened on Regent Street two decades ago, but it was not long before they decided to remain here rather than move to yet another country. The ambition to grow led to the opening of a second restaurant in the erstwhile Park Hotel which was razed to the ground in 2001. This was to have been their real ‘jump off’ point, but fate would not let it be. The restaurant was gaining momentum and a good reputation but it went up in flames taking with it the old heritage structure that housed the Park Hotel. The Zhaos took the tragedy in their stride. They established the Brickdam and Camp street restaurant. Still, the biggest dream remained unrealized. They were intent on returning to Main Street..
INTERNATIONAL ACCOLADES
Along the way, New Thriving attracted the attention of several international organizations. In 2003 the restaurant was honoured with The New Millenium Award, reserved for the hotel, tourism and catering industry. A second international award, THE DIAMOND EYE, was presented in Italy in 2009 by the Association of Otherways Management and Planning (OMAC) headquartered in France. The awards by themselves are basic marketing tools, but to New Thriving, the world-class recognition and the high international rating are advertisement enough.
It has been a year since the new restaurant has been dominating the Main Street landscape. In this building, all that is intrinsically New Thriving comes together – three floors of Cantonese, Japanese and Sichuan cuisine, plus the specialty – the Beijing Roasted Duck. Under that one roof one could find dishes with a Guyanese influence, Chinese pastries the likes of which have never before been seen here, and of course, Dim Sum.
DIM SUM
Dim Sum originates from the centuries-old tradition of Chinese social tea time in the mornings and afternoons. The dish has evolved over several centuries from the Yum Cha (tea drinking) tradition that had its roots in ancient sellers of silk who stopped at roadside tea houses to relax. It’s now a unique culinary art that has now steeped itself in Asian culture, even in Hong Kong as a staple for dining.In the truest sense, Dim Sum is a variety of light snack foods prepared with vegetables, fruits, meats and seafood. It literally means Dot-hearts, Heart warmers, Touch the heart, Order to heart’s content, and Heart’s delight. New Thriving introduced Dim Sum commercially to Guyana in 2009.
This modern, new-fashioned restaurant is a dream come to life for the Zhaos and they are sure that it is not yet culminated. They succeeded in merging all their ventures into one manageable whole including the Barr St. Kitty restaurant that used to be the dining hall in the city, and the Camp Street lunch-time haven. Now there are conference facilities on the upscale top floor and large salons for private dining … or lunching.