SOME 18 restaurants in Georgetown have signed on to ‘Restaurant Week’, a signature event within the Tourism Awareness Month of activities, and an initiative by the Tourism Ministry and Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), in collaboration with the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG).The Restaurant Week which began in New York as a lunch-only promotional event in 1992 is considered the first “Restaurant Week”. New York Restaurant Week is now an event held twice a year, and participating restaurants in New York City offer prix fixe lunches and dinners. At the finest restaurants, this can translate into a fraction of the usual prices.

The event is held in early winter (January/February) and summer (June/July). Since inception, Restaurant Week has seen an increase in appreciation, followers and footfalls to the extent that it has inspired people to create their own version of the event in various cities across the globe.

The restaurants in Georgetown that will be participating in the Restaurant Week are TumaSala; The Bottle Restaurant at Cara Lodge; Herdmanston Lodge; The Italian Grill and Subs and Salad; Aromas Café; Ridley’s Restaurant; Aracari Resort; Oasis Café; Jerries Snackette; Antonio’s Grill; The Garage; Waterchris Restaurant; Grand Coastal Inn; Buddy’s Mei Tung Restaurant; Kanuku Suites; Carnegie School of Home Economics; Silhouette Restaurant, and Coffee Bean. These restaurants will cater for a two-course lunch meal at a cost of $1000 or $2000, and a three-course dinner meal at either $4000 or $5000, all taxes included.

Speaking at the official launch of Restaurant Week, held at the Tourism Ministry’s Boardroom, GTA’s Director, Indranauth Haralsingh said the event would give Guyanese an opportunity to fine dine at places they would not have gone to because of pricing. He urged persons to come out and support the event.

THAG’s President, Shaun McGrath, noted that the event was designed to make many people who think that this sort of dining was not for them “come and experience what these restaurants have to offer.”
He also noted that it benefits the hoteliers and restaurateurs as well, as it increases a lot of additional foot traffic into their businesses.

“It introduces you to markets that you didn’t have before,” he said.
“It also helps in the marketing of your product. I know that the meal you are providing either you make nothing on it or very little, but if a person likes your service and the product, they will return and pay your regular price because of the experience they would have had,” he elaborated.

McGrath noted that since the pricing is quite affordable, persons might expect substandard service and food, but he assures patrons that this is not the case.

“Don’t feel that you are going into a restaurant and, because of the affordable pricing, you will get a cheap meal. We have spoken to all the restaurants who are participating and (have) explained to them that they need to put their best product forward,” he explained.

Anticipating the public’s response to this event, the THAG President said, “We at THAG certainly hope that this is a big success, and the plan would be to actual look at doing a second week earlier in the year.”

(Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)