Chinese food for New Year’s

Ringing in the New Year means some serious business for restaurants! New Year’s Eve is the busiest night of the year for Chinese take out and one Hamilton business turns work into a playful family celebration while making money!

Business is sweet at the South Sea Restaurant on New Year’s Eve. Hundreds of phone calls. Dozens of people walking in to order or diners coming in for a chinese meal.

Miranda Johnings loves Chinese food: “It’s very good and there’s different flavours that I don’t get to taste.”

Maria Johnings: “Who wants to be cooking when you’re supposed to be out having fun.”

Kenny Szeto is the South Sea Manager: “New Year’s Eve and New Year’s day are the busiest weekends.”

It takes Kenny Szeto and his staff weeks to prepare for this day. Pounds of vegetables and 10 bins of chicken balls.

Kenny says about four hundred orders are placed New Year’s Eve: “A weeks long worth of business is all trunked in a sixhour window from lunchtime to the dinner hours.”

South Sea Restaurant usually has about 10 staff members working each day, but because it’s so busy on New Year’s Eve they call about 20 family and friends to come in and offer helping hands.

Kenny said: “So it becomes a really big family and that’s something that we do very much enjoy because it becomes the way we celebrate our new year and it’s a privilege were able to serve our customers like that.”

Customers like Erin Shacklette who come every New Years Eve: “It’s been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember.”

Kenny says: “Gung hay fa choy.”

And a happy new year to you too Kenny!