NA’s first-ever food festival kicks off

…as entrepreneurs seek to expand clientele

The New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) first-ever Food Festival opened on Friday at the Esplanade Park.
The event, organised by the New Amsterdam Town Council, concludes tonight, Sunday.

Though poorly publicised, the Food Festival is a vibrant celebration of Guyana’s rich culinary heritage and brings together local chefs, food vendors, and artisans to showcase a diverse array of traditional and contemporary Guyanese dishes, from pepper-pot and cook-up rice to roti, curry, and an assortment of tropical fruit-based desserts and beverages. Beyond food, the festival also features live music and processed food exhibitions, making it a dynamic blend of gastronomy and heritage.
It not only promotes local cuisine and tourism but also strengthens community pride and supports small businesses throughout the region. The event offered entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their businesses, and many of them were happy for the opportunity. Amrisa Bahadur is the owner of Gemini Cocktails, which is a mobile bartending and catering service enterprise.
“We also have Gemini Contractors. The three are one, you know; we can give you a package deal on your decor, on your bartending, and on the clean-up after your party. So, that is the reason why we decided to get into the bartending, the cocktail bartending,” she explained after her first night at the event.

The business takes care of social events, leaving organisers with almost nothing to do. “It’s easy to call and order, because we’re not open to the market.” Gemini Cocktails is a premium package of cocktails, which are already premixed and ready to use.
“We are located in Georgetown, but we also do delivery of premium packages for our package cocktails. So, more of a mobile bartending service, that is for events. It could be corporate, social, you know, any type of event.” Badahur said she and her partner had already established a business offering decor services, and many of their clients were persons hosting social events, so they decided to incorporate bartending services.
Meanwhile, Chandrawattie “Asha” Rampersaud, who operates Asha’s Kitchen, which offers local cuisine, is delighted at the experience of being able to showcase her business, which she started one month ago. She said she was using the event as a stepping stone for New Amsterdam Town Day, which is expected to be held at the end of October. Many of the businesses on display focused on food, with many of them being run by makers. Romaine and Benjamin’s Catering Centre, which is being run by Marvin Benjamin, is one such business. The business has been in operation for almost a decade. According to the owner, he is looking to expand.
“But we need a lot of support from the Government and other entities. At least we find it very challenging, and we are very successful in it.”

Benjamin said that he loves to eat, and his wife is a good cook. She would cook food and take it to the market and sell it. However, in early 2020, there was the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed down those operations and forced them to meet the challenges by operating differently. Those were the changes that resulted in the expansion of the business, which now has grown to where dozens depend on it daily.
The Small Business Bureau (SBB) also took the opportunity to allow some of its clients to showcase their products. Wanwan Mohammed of Country Side Flavours of Blairmont, of West Bank Berbice (WBB), Region Five. She says the SBB has been very kind to them.

Through the facilities provided by the SBB, they are producing nicely packaged pepper sauce and virgin coconut oil, among other products. The SBB offers a wide range of services aimed at helping micro and small enterprises grow, become more sustainable, and participate more fully in the national economy. It also offers incubator centres that provide early-stage support to start-ups. Additionally, it provides Small Business Development Grants to eligible small businesses. It also facilitates access to loan guarantees, helping entrepreneurs obtain loans with favourable terms.