While deciding whether to open a restaurant here, Guyanese-American Winnick Paton received a lot of discouragement.
“…A lot of persons tried to dissuade us. But at the back of my mind I kept hearing my mother saying, ‘follow your gut’. We have a restaurant in the US also and had we listened to people, it would not be up and running today,” Paton told Sunday Stabroek in an interview as he continued to prepare for the opening of the Heliconia Restaurant and Lounge.
The restaurant and lounge, named after his mother’s favourite flower, is slated to open its doors on July 31. It is located on the ground floor of the Emerge Building at Camp and Robb streets, Georgetown, where Paton hopes to win over patrons from all walks of life with both local and international cuisine and drinks.
“This is in the heart of really the business capital and you cannot find a restaurant where shoppers can go and unwind or businesspersons can relax and have meetings while dining on impeccable foods,” Paton said.
Apart from the restaurant’s offerings, however, Paton is also betting on a “comfy environment with customer service second to none” to ensure his success, which he hopes would see the establishment of chains in the other two counties.
“I want persons to feel that you don’t have to be rich to be pampered and given the best of customer service. You come here and you buy a sandwich and you would be treated with the same exemplary level of customer service as the person buying the lobster or seafood platter and fine steak. A Guyanese will be given the same service as a foreigner doing business in Guyana,” he added.
Paton, who has roots in Mahaica, East Coast of Demerara, has a similar establishment in New York and he said that he was inspired to plunge into the investment here by his late mother, to whom he has dedicated the restaurant.
“My mother passed away but she loved cooking. She told me if it is something I wanted to do, I should go ahead because as long as I keep it positive and do what I do best, the business will thrive. My mother taught me to cook and I love being in the kitchen and I love serving. I am a people’s person and believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience excellent customer service. It is why I did this,” he said.
But he admitted that since he started setting up in January, there were times he was frustrated by the red tape that he encountered in seeking to do business here, so much so that he felt like giving up. It was his mother’s motivating voice that kept him going.
“The system can frustrate a startup business owner. You have to go here for this, and there for that permit, then come back here for this, and they tell you wait two weeks and that turns out to be two-three months. The building contractors and banks are another story,” he lamented. “You really have to have patience to be able to deal with what happens here and everything seems to be paperwork. Nothing much is digitized so the agony is a lot to deal with,” he added.
But he is satisfied with the outcome of his perseverance as he looks at the transformation of the area he is renting.
The restaurant will have the seating capacity for 60 person, taking into account current COVID-19 guidelines. It also has a private business boardroom with the seating capacity for 30.
Paton and his wife, Amanda, explained that they had the help of their New York staff to assist with both their décor and the menu. While the menu is not yet completed, he gave insight into what patrons could expect. “We will focus heavily on seafood. We have all sorts readily available. I am talking lobster tails, jumbo shrimp or as we say prawns, calamari, oysters, crab… and the long list of fish that Guyana has along with fresh salmon,” he related, while noting that due consideration would also be paid to catering for persons with allergies and those who do not eat certain dishes for religious and other reasons. “We will bring all the ribs, steaks, chicken and other dishes and the usual Caribbean flair,” he added.
He said that the restaurant would employ 15 persons, all of whom will be Guyanese, although he does have plans to fly in international chefs periodically to train them and thus have transfer of culinary knowledge.
“We received over 100 applications but only can use 15 persons right now,” Paton said.
“We will, however, bring in international chefs, periodically, to train our chefs because there are some specialist meals and they will have that transfer of knowledge. It also exposes them to other foods, spices and flavours. I want to be an example for aspiring business owners to have that boldness and go for it. I don’t see failure as an option, so this has to work; it must work,” he added.
