From the press release:

Nestled on Stanley Park’s Ferguson Point for 30 years, The Teahouse is going back to the tradition that made them famous, and they’re looking for your memories. On May 14^th, at a gala event in the park to celebrate their 30^th anniversary, The Teahouse will officially drop “Sequoia Grill” from its title and revert back to its original name. […] To help re-launch one of Stanley Park’s main attractions, Vancouverites are invited to share their memories of the Teahouse for a chance to join in the May 14^th festivities and to win one of three exciting vacations […] Janet McGuire, new Teahouse Manager and past owner of the Beachside Café says, “We’re going back to the tradition that set the Teahouse apart from the rest. The Teahouse has become such a landmark in this city because of the people who have experienced so many wonderful occasions here. Countless engagements, anniversary celebrations – you name it, it has probably happened here.” General Manager, Mona Trivedi agrees, “We want to recognize the people who have allowed us to be a part of the big moments in their lives.”

This is a strange move, made stranger still by the fact that as of this morning they still haven’t changed their website to reflect the shift. To me, at first read it basically says that they aren’t interested in capturing any new business, but are rather keen on recapturing the trade of old that they may have lost somewhere along the way. I’d expect that wouldn’t be an easy thing to do, but I wish them all the luck with it. It’s a beautiful spot, and one of the few wholly competent waterfront restaurants in Vancouver (I received a text yesterday that read: “At Watermark…You can’t screw up brunch I thought…So very, very wrong…”).

Staffing Sidenote: McGuire, who left the business two years ago to sell BMWs, is back together with chef Carol Chow. The pair worked together from 1989 to 2000, way back at the The Beachside Café in West Vancouver (now Wayne Martin’s Crave Beachside). Carol, once upon a time the chef at Bishop’s (1988), was most recently working the pans at Gusto di Quattro after a six year stint at Hart House (2000-2006).

—————————————————————–

—————————————————————-