2007年VOA标准英语-New York's 'Queen of Soul Food' Still Reigns

By Carolyn Weaver¹
New York City
22 August 2007
 

Sylvia's Restaurant has been an institution in the black neighborhood of Harlem in New York City for 45 years this month. VOA's Carolyn Weaver recently visited the restaurant, and talked to the founder² and other family members about the business of serving up the African-American cuisine³ known as soul food to locals and tourists alike.

Sylvia's Restaurant and associated businesses take up most of the block on an avenue in Harlem, the historically African-American neighborhood in New York. Founder Sylvia Woods and her late husband Herbert moved here from the U.S. south in the 1940s. They never intended to open a restaurant.

She recalls, "So, passing this little luncheonette going to work, I stopped in there and asked for a job as waitress. I got that job in '55."

She was able to buy the café in 1962.  At 81, Woods has long been officially retired⁴ -- but she still spends most days at the restaurant, now operated by her children.  "In the South, when you come to visit, when you're talking, somebody's in the kitchen, cooking. And that's the way it is with me. I enjoy cooking, I enjoy people eating and enjoying what we have to serve."

Kenneth Woods

Her son, Kenneth, introduces himself. "My name is Kenneth Woods. I'm president and CEO of Sylvia Woods, Inc., and I am number three of the children. We basically started out a very small restaurant that had maybe 14 stools and a couple of booths. If we served 50 people a day, that was a great day, where now we can serve upward of a couple of thousand. Most of the recipes are Southern: fried chicken, smothered⁵ chicken, collard greens, candied yams -- the things that we raised, the things that we grew."

Today there are three dining rooms in addition to the original counter. Packed tables and walls lined with photographs of well-fed celebrities⁶ testify to the restaurant's success. And there are side businesses, led by eldest⁷ son Van Woods, including beauty products and packaged foods. "The food product is a multi-million dollar piece [of the business], and we're in supermarkets all around the country," he said.

Van Woods

Van Woods says minority-owned businesses, like his family's, should look for ways to grow and diversify⁸. "I'm a true believer in that -- that we cannot be afraid to dream. But we can't just dream idly. You have to be pro-active while you're dreaming. Everyday you do something towards your dream. And you'd be surprised: you wake up one morning, and your dream has come true."

The Woods realized one of their dreams when they bought the building that houses Sylvia's Restaurant. Family members say they anticipate many more years of serving diners in the same spot in Harlem where they began 45 years ago.

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 smothered   

（使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制

参考例句：

• He smothered the baby with a pillow. 他用枕头把婴儿闷死了。
• The fire is smothered by ashes. 火被灰闷熄了。

6 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

7 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

8 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。