Amidst the surfeit of ‘eating places’ that continue to emerge across coastal Guyana, a circumstance arising out of the oil-driven affluence seemingly triggered by enhanced disposable incomes, an upsurge in the numbers of local ‘foodies’ continues to be one of the more visible manifestations of contemporary urban behaviour. These days, local eating houses are inclined – through their culinary offerings – to ‘capture’ their own clientele. This, it would appear, is the case with the Petit Four establishment, situated at 160 Waterloo Street and owned and operated by a seemingly fiercely determined Proprietrix who seeks not just to make the facility the place in the capital to eat and to return to as much for its environment as for the range of its culinary offerings.
The Petit Four ‘ship’ is captained by self-confessed workaholic Samara Murphy who often appears preoccupied with culinary undertakings that make a persuasive case for repeat visits. Across the counter, eager to please, Murphy, an Honours Graduate of the Culinary Institute of the United States, aggressively ‘talks up’ the facility’s ‘Café fare,’ mostly coffees, teas and light baked goods. Beyond those the Petit Four offers soups, sandwiches and salads, the establishment’s ‘eats’ assuming an international flavour that embraces Cheddar Corn Biscuits to Corn Chowder, Cheese Cakes and Quinoa.
The Petit Four, Samara believes, offers a different perspective on the culinary fare that can be had in Guyana. “The point (of the Petit Four) has always been to appeal to somebody who wants something different from local food.” she relates. What makes the establishment stand out, she says, is its own particular approach to customer service and to the consistency in the quality of its signature offerings. Consistency in the quality of culinary offerings attended by consistent customers are critical to the image of Cafes and Restaurants and – by extension to the levels of patronage from which they benefit.
A Vincentian by birth, Samara concedes that growing accustomed to the business environment in Guyana has taken some doing. Her experience – and she has hardly been singular – has been that “to get anything done in Guyana it is beneficial to know someone”. Contextually, she concedes that she is enormously comforted by the support that she continues to receive from her Guyanese-born husband, Attorney-at-Law Ronald Burch-Smith) whose guidance, she says, has been invaluable in support of creating a small business venture here. Still, she concedes that there had been ‘bumps’ along the way in the process of becoming familiar with aspects of the Guyanese entrepreneurial culture. Particularly, she had initially spent a considerable period making retail purchases on account of the difficulties she faced in making suitable wholesale ‘connections.’
There have been, Samara says, gender challenges too. One of those, she says, derives from the fact that there appears to be an assumption that her Attorney-at-Law spouse, and not her, is the real owner. She concedes that she finds this to be a gender affront. “I think we have a strong marital partnership, so it doesn’t affect me,” though she has had experiences of men walking into her establishment, looking her in the eye and asking to see “the boss,” she told the Stabroek Business, conceding again that it took her “years” to figure out there were “inequalities between men and women in the business world.” Much of her accomplishment in Guyana, Samara says, derives from leveraging her years of experience in the kitchens of the Young Island Resort in her home country, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
In 2006, she secured entry into the Culinary Institute of America [CIA]. Beyond classes at the CIA, Samara worked in the resident Apple Pie Bakery and Café. After three years, she would graduate with an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts and Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts Management. In 2008 she was awarded the National Restaurant Association Student Honour Award. This was followed by a Distinguished Service Award from her colleague students at the institute.
Samara believes that her most memorable experience was her internship at the Aquavit Restaurant in New York City under the distinguished chef, Marcus Samuelsson. This same restaurant would go on to be Michelin – a starred A citation that is close to the highest honour that can be secured by a restaurant in the culinary world. Prior to establishing her own business establishment, Samara who ‘tied nuptials’ in 2011, secured employment in a managerial position at the Georgetown Club. She then undertook a consultancy job at the Grand Coastal Hotel and tutored at the Carnegie School of Home Economics.
