that when people come to the restaurant they get proper food

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By Desilon DanielsEight months ago, Malcolm Robertson had a bold dream: one day he wanted to open a Jamaican restaurant here in Guyana.But the road to that dream was a difficult one; on one hand, there was support from friends and family who told him to go right ahead. On the other, there were persons who preached negativity and told him that his plan was not a feasible one.However, Robertson was determined to pursue his dream and that “one day” has apparently arrived; come Wednesday, Robertson will open his restaurant, Rocko’s Jamaican Cuisine on South Road between Cummings and Light Streets.In an interview with Kaieteur News Robertson explained that the past eight months had been quite an experience.“I did a lot of sitting down and gathering of information from people here and there,” he relayed. “Some have been negative, some have been positive, but I combined both of them and came out with more positive things than negative things which gave me the courage to embark on this thing.”Owner, Malcolm RobertsonHe added that it had also been a bit stressful for him due to the negative feedback he received.“Sometimes you approach people and you tell them about your ideas, but because of the people’s own bad experiences in the food industry, you would hear certain things. Sometimes it deflates you, but you still go into conversations hoping to get some positive things.”SOMETHING DIFFERENTBut now that Robertson’s day has come, he stressed that it was time for him to bring something different in Guyana. This difference, he opined, was much needed here.“When you look around Guyana you see more of a Chinese cuisine and the local thing and outside of that, it’s fast food – chicken, fried chicken, all kinds of fried chicken. People have tried this before, but I want to bring some more authenticity to the cuisine,” the businessman said.He said too that the restaurant comes at the perfect time, when the country is opening itself up more to tourism.“I see a need for something more authentically Caribbean, so people can come here and feel at home. I’m trying to make here like home away from home, so that when people come, and they have grown to love Jamaican food wherever they reside, I want to hit home to them and give them a warm welcome. Like they’re here and we’re catering to their every need,” he said.Robertson went on to say that, to make his restaurant as authentic as possible, he has hired a Jamaican chef to prepare the best of the Caribbean island’s delicacies. But, aside from the chef, Robertson admitted that he too had some experience with things Jamaican.“Me myself, I have been around Jamaicans for quite some time. I have some kids with a Jamaican woman and we lived together for several years, so I’m quite familiar with their cuisine,” he said. He continued, “I know there are some similarities in the way they cook and the way we cook, so that makes the transition an easy crossover, but still something different for Guyanese. We can now say we’re going to try some oxtail or something different.”CONSISTENCY IN TASTEFurthermore, Robertson emphasised that providing consistently good food would be one of the main aims of his new restaurant. He believes “people have the propensity to eat with their eyes” and added that when you deliver the taste with the appealing look, things will work out.Rocko’s Jamaican CuisineA sneak peek in Rocko’s“And that is my intention; that when people come to the restaurant they get proper food, it tastes well, and they come back and the same taste is there again. I want to have a consistency in taste so that no matter when you come in it tastes the same amazing way. We want to continue to do that, but also try to do better all the time.”Of course, he said, the views of patrons are important.“We’ll be looking forward to people giving their views on the food and the experience they got when they go to Rocko’s. Our suggestion box will always be open and we’re looking for that kind of friendly, open environment where we can meet the people and give them what they want.”A NICE, WARMING ENVIRONMENTSo, what can the Guyanese public expect come Wednesday?For one, Robertson has promised “customer friendly prices” and even friendlier staff. He said too that the atmosphere would be comfortable, with just about a dozen seats to keep things nice and cozy.“It’s a nice, warming environment. We would have all our foods advertised, the servers would be able to enlighten you on what’s available, and of course there will be seating available. So, you can come in, sit down and relax, or just come in and get your food and leave,” he said.Wednesday’s opening will be particularly special for patrons; parents with children will be treated to little packages of food for the younger ones, while samples will be available to give Guyanese an idea of what to expect.Rocko’s will open at 11:00am just in time for lunch and will be closing around 10:00pm, Robertson said. He said too that while the meals will currently be aimed primarily at lunch and dinner, he has not ruled out the possibility of including a breakfast menu.“We want to gauge the response from the people before we embark on that though,” he said.But Robertson believes in always going bigger and hopes to one day expand beyond just one central location. Saying he is optimistic that he will have a good response, he said that one day he wants to reach out to the rest of the country – to areas such as Linden, Berbice and Bartica, “so people would hear about this restaurant and hear about the good food, and not worry that they have to go to all the way to Georgetown to have a taste of this good food. One day I’ll try to get to them.”