It is said that in New York City – the capital of the world – not only can one hear all the world’s languages spoken, but one can sample its gastronomy as well. Ecuador’s delectable cuisine is no exception. We had the pleasure of visiting and getting acquainted with El Tesoro Ecuatoriano (The Ecuadorian Treasure), a restaurant located at 40-15, Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn (718.972.3756).
El Tesoro Ecuatoriano owes its warm and pleasant atmosphere to its proprietors, Hernán and Olga Cuzco, and their two young children, Kevin and Kathryn. Despite their young age, little by little the couple has realized its own American dream.
Olguita, how long have you lived around here?
My father, Jesus, sent for me in 1993; he and my brother, Angel, were already here waiting for me. Later my mother, Carmen, came over and my sister Nancy. All of us come from a beautiful town called Deleg, in the province of Azuay. I was still just a girl when I got here (smiles).
You arrived single and without any commitments?
Exactly. It was here that I met my boyfriend, and afterwards, we got married. And now we’re a happy couple with two beautiful children.
How did you get started in the culinary arts?
Well, this wasn’t the first type of work I did. I went through what every immigrant goes through in this country. As a result of not knowing how to speak English, we had to put up with racism – just for being foreigners. But I set a goal for myself, and with God’s grace, I hope I’ll be able to achieve it.
Later, behind my father’s back, I went to work in a factory with a very rigorous schedule, which really took its toll on me, because I had never worked in my life. But I wanted to contribute to the household finances, especially because my father worked too much. But they found out. One day I was really weak from physical exhaustion and my employers took me to the hospital; they had to let my family know, including my father. Shortly afterwards, he said, “I brought you here to study.” And since then, I’ve been studying, right up until this very day.
You mean that you’re currently studying?
Yes, thanks to the grace of God, I take classes at Kingsborough College. I hope to graduate soon in business administration, with my family’s help; without them, I wouldn’t be able to study and work at the same time.
But tell me how you ended up with this business?
Well, my husband was a waiter and after that a cabdriver, and he had a little money saved up. I sold Mark Kay products and also had some savings. One day, I was walking down a street near here and I noticed a small Guatemalan restaurant at the corner of Eight Avenue and 42nd Street was up for sale. I liked it so I mentioned it to my husband. He told me that it would be crazy to purchase it since we didn’t know a thing about restaurants. But, I was so insistent he decided to give me his savings as a gift.
That’s how I bought the place and it worked out really well. I named it the Rincón Ecuatoriano (Ecuadorian Corner), because my precious country burns deep in my heart.
Afterwards, the same thing happened with this one, El Tesoro Ecuatoriano. I saw it and it was love at first sight.
Tell me about a typical day in your “Tesoro”?
I feel great inside when I see customers leave here satisfied with the service they’ve received and having eaten one of the best Ecuadorian and international meals in the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn. I feel so pleased and am filled with pride that I have something to do with their happy smiles. My day at “Tesoro” begins at 5:00 a.m., when we go out to buy the ingredients for the daily lunches; our daytime customers are more numerous everyday. Afterwards, we open our doors to our chef, our wait staff and the rest of our employees.
How many people does El Tesoro employ?
We employ around 18 people men and women. This is my own little branch of the Organization of American States. We have workers of every nationality here and each one follows the same motto: Offer the best service possible and with a friendly smile, which is a part of our uniform.
What is El Tesoro’s house specialty?
Seafood. Always 100 percent Ecuadorian seafood, because it is imported directly from Ecuador. Our specialty is shrimp and fish ceviche, mixed ceviches, fish casseroles, crayfish salads, as well as meats cooked in every style. But we also cook the regional cuisine of Ecuador’s beautiful mountains. A fabulous specialty is the “Tesoro Ecuatoriano,” which is a mixture of seafood in a house sauce.
I forgot to mention that Monday to Friday we serve delicious lunches. We also rent out the restaurant for all types of social events. On the weekend we have performances with national and international singers, and we also have dances with the best girls in New York. You can dance rumba with them all night long and they won’t charge you a cent.
Olguita, it’s been a true pleasure speaking with you. Can you leave us with some parting words?
First, I’d like to thank you on behalf of my family and myself for this interview, and I would also like to thank your esteemed newspaper for giving us the opportunity to express ourselves and to help us spread the word about our business to the Ecuadorian community and to the whole world. I do know that Ecuador News is read by people of all nationalities, because they all stop by week after week to pick up the newspaper. I also want to tell our Ecuadorian brothers and sisters that together we will triumph, and that we need to let go of our hatred and envy for those who are successful. Work hard and you will achieve your goals. God bless us. Long live Deleg! Long live Ecuador!
