Journey to ‘De IMPECCABLE’
Godfrey Wray
Godfrey Wray

By Godfrey Wray

THE breeze blew softly on a moonlit Saturday night as a luxury yacht glided effortlessly across the Hudson Bay.It was a special occasion for two of the wealthiest families in New York: A glittering wedding reception that had attracted the cream of society and the media in full.
The serenity on the outside contrasted sharply with the frenzy of culinary activity inside, as guests, well schooled in the art of dining openly, abandoned decorum and literally shoved for ‘seconds’.
It could have been a scene from the ‘Titanic’: A kaleidoscopic backdrop as big as a theatre screen; priceless china; eye-popping haute couture designed only for the rich and famous; supper an unending odyssey that seemed to have no parameters.
The uninitiated would have looked for the team of experts coordinating such a massive exercise, but if only they had keen eyes, they would’ve noticed a consummate professional in long coat, unobtrusively gliding between tables, making mental notes and relaying wireless instructions to his well-schooled staff: house
“Refill champagne bucket on Table 24!”
“Clear Table 13!”
“Another glass of whisky for the officiating priest!”
His eyes missed nothing. It was a flawless operation.
And when the bridegroom spoke, the praise for the Chef De Cuisine was exhaustive. When he was asked to step forward to be acknowledged, it was no other than popular Guyanese “cook-man”, Clyde “Fat-Boy” Sampson, whose legendary “wild meat” and bar-b-que preparations four decades before had made his name a household one in the place of his birth.

ONLY YESTERDAY

It seemed like only yesterday when Sampson’s culinary prowess catapulted him to the top of the gastronomic ladder in New York, where he stayed for years.
But all the while, homeland beckoned. And, inexorably, fate took the wheel and steered its predestined course.
Enter first Shantel’s, and then De IMPECCABLE…
Shantel’s, at 25 Second Street, Alberttown caters for “People with a Passion for Fashion”.
Available are bridal dresses, suits, accessories, floral arrangements and so much more.
De IMPECCABLE… “The Place with a Difference”, at Brickdam and Sandeman Place, can handle banquets and events for up to 200 people. It’s immaculate and yet comfortable, with precision-like service as one of its highlights.
The phone rings. A moment later, Sampson’s voice reverberates, like his Biblical namesake. “Madam, I am sorry I can’t accept your job. That day, I’ll be in Linden catering for 400 persons.
“Yes, I do remember you from the Ambassador’s party. Yes, I did the catering and coordinating of the entire event. “However, if you have your dinner and dance on another date, we can talk.
“Thank you very much.”
I was amazed at the ease with which my friend dealt with the myriad problems during our ‘rap’ and impromptu food-tasting exercise. I had a plethora of questions, and he had his ready answers.
One of my main questions was: “Where do you hope to take De IMPECCABLE?”
Without a pause, the answer came: “Wherever my sons want to go with it.”
As if on cue, his two boys burst through the doorway, a double whirlwind of energy.
They stopped in their tracks when they saw me, then singularly apologised. Their adoring mother, Shantel, followed, working hard to keep a straight face. But she couldn’t be constrained.
And why not?
The youngsters had just reported they had both gotten A’s in their Business classes.
Sampson’s reputation remains intact; he is fully in charge of the local culinary landscape, and his Banquet Hall is truly impeccable.
He really is a Sampson in the wedding and catering business.

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