Catering News ME - October 2016

Connecting F&B professionals with industry knowledge

OCTOBER 2016

THE BIG F&B FORUM Highlights from Catering News’ event of the year

TALKING TURKEY Colin Clague’s latest project Rüya is set to educate the Middle East on Anatolian cuisine

NORTHERN IRELAND A gastronomic tour of Europe’s best kept foodie secret

The legendary chef on why fine dining is not dead

First course,

main course,

final course,

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Served by more than 750 top-rated chefs. www.buynespresso.com

Contents

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8 WHAT’S COOKING? DWTC’s niche food events to grow by 10% in 2016; Catering company Chez Charles to launch brasserie; Host Milan partners with Restaurants Canada 20 THE BIG F&B FORUM Highlights from the event, which attracted 250 F&B professionals 26 LEADERS IN F&B AWARDS As nominations are shortlisted Catering News showcases the sponsors 30 COVER STORY: GARY RHODES The legendary chef, author and restaurateur explains why fine dining is still relevant 36 OUT TO LUNCH Colin Clague executive chef, Rüya Dubai

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40 SPECIAL REPORT: NORTHERN IRELAND A gastronomic tour of Europe’s best kept foodie secret

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Catering NEWS ME October 2016

48 ROUNDTABLE Top chefs debate the evolution of traceability in meat and poultry 54 PRODUCTS The glassware products adding a sparkle to bars and restaurants

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Editor's Letter

Events, events… and more events

E

vent season is in full swing at Catering News Middle East. Our Big F&B Forum, which took place on 20 September was a huge success, welcoming more than 250 F&B professionals for a morning of debates and presentations on the most pertinent topics impacting the region’s F&B industry this year. For those that were there – and those that missed out – we have a full event review on p20 of the magazine.

We received excellent feedback following the forum, with many attendees and speakers commenting that the debates were thoughtprovoking, the networking sessions fruitful, and there were big complements to the chef – our cover man, Gary Rhodes OBE – who rounded off The Big F&B Forum with a delightfully engaging on-stage interview, during which he candidly revealed the biggest challenges he faces operating two restaurants in Dubai in the midst of a huge influx of competition.

Catering News was lucky enough to catch up with Gary after the

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Catering NEWS ME October 2016

event at his Grosvenor House restaurant, Rhodes W1 for our cover story interview, during which the legendary chef revealed his strong views on why fine dining is still relevant, even in an F&B market that seems to be increasingly moving toward more casual trends.

The next big event on our agenda is the Leaders in F&B Awards, to take place on 9 November at Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, with more than 300 chefs, restaurateurs and F&B professionals anticipated to attend. The glittering evening will see 18 gongs awarded to the best and brightest in the industry. Nominations close on 6 October, however sponsorship opportunities will be available until the end of the month, and we look forward to receiving your enquiries. You can find more information in our event preview on p26.

Enjoy the issue, Kind regards Crystal

Follow us on our social media pages @cateringnewsme /cateringnewsme cateringnewsme

Crystal Chesters Editor

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P10: Mori Sushi //P11: Chez Charles // P12: World Chocolate Masters reveals theme for 2017 event //

What's cooking?

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Events

Dubai World Trade Centre’s niche food events to grow by 10% in 2016

T

he Speciality Food Festival, Yummex (formerly Sweets & Snacks Middle East) and SEAFEX, three food industry events powered by Gulfood, are expected to be more than 10% larger than last year’s shows, according to Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

The growth of the shows, taking place on 7-9 November at DWTC, is attributed to regional demand for specialty, Halal, gourmet, organic and other high-end, premium quality food products.

Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, exhibitions and events management, DWTC said: “The popularity of clean, natural, sustainable, artisan and other high quality produce including seafood and confectionery across the region continues to grow year-on-year.

“The trend is evident in consumer buying patterns, as well as bulk buyers and hospitality outlets seeking to capitalise on demand by providing more innovative culinary offerings to diners.”

More than 30 c-level buying delegations from the region’s major retail outlets, hotels and mass catering companies will attend the specialty

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Catering NEWS ME October 2016

events, with the aim of sourcing new products from around the world.

The major buyers include procurement delegations from brands such as Jumeirah Group, Spinneys, Waitrose, Emirates Flight Catering, Rotana Group, Manuel Market, Carrefour, Hyatt Group and Dubai Duty Free.

Mohammed Kapital, vice president supply chain and logistics at Jumeirah Group, said: “We are proud to partner with

the Dubai World Trade Centre and support the Middle East and North Africa’s largest food and beverage trade event.

“The specialty food festival, SEAFEX and Yummex is the principal procurement platform for sourcing specialist food products for use across Jumeriah Group’s extensive UAE network of hotels and restaurants. Our team has received industry awards for its cutting edge procurement and business strategies and we are hon-

oured to support the event.”

Andrew Pert, DWTC’s portfolio exhibitions director of the three specialist food events, added: “Identifying and sourcing superior quality products from trusted food suppliers is now a commercial necessity for F&B entities across the region.

“With the MENA region’s burgeoning tourism and strong hotel occupancy led by Dubai, our three specialist food platforms give retail and hospitality players access to thousands of premium food products, many of which are completely new to the market.”

Features taking place at the events include the Global Date Market, which is already sold out, and The Speciality Coffee Event MENA. This year, Italy has become the first country partner for the Speciality Food Festival, and the the Italian Trade Agency will bring summits, competitions and food experiences to the event.

Another first is the co-located platform Future Food Live, a Dubai Municipality initiative hosted under the Gulfood umbrella to run alongside The Speciality Food Festival, Yummex in partnership with Koelnmesse GmbH and SEAFEX.

What's cooking?

Outlets

Al Ghurair to open 45 Smoothie King stores in GCC

S

moothie King has debuted in the Middle East, with the opening of its first outlet in Dubai’s BurJuman mall in September. The outlet is the first of 45 branches expected to be launched in the GCC over the next five years

by Al Ghurair Retail, part of Al Ghurair, following the signing of a development agreement with the international smoothie brand.

Laurent Cabioch, GM, Al Ghurair Retail said: “People are becoming more health conscious and are proactively seeking out healthier and more active lifestyle options. Smoothie King is the industry’s first and original nutritional fruit and function-based brand offering fresh blended smoothies and we definitely see potential for growth and expansion.”

Smoothie King offers smoothies created to meet nutritional goals including weight loss, weight gain and increased energy. The products can be customised with a selection of enhancers for weight management, energy, fitness and wellness, as well as supplements.

Smoothie King’s owner and CEO, Wan Kim added: “With

our focus shifting to international markets growth, expansion in the Middle East is an important step forward in our ambitious growth plans of opening more than 1,000 new franchises worldwide by the end of 2017. The UAE is the perfect launch pad for a brand such as ours as we draw up plans with Al Ghurair Retail to expand Smoothie King’s presence in the country and launch across the GCC in the coming years.”

Dubai-based Al Ghurair Retail franchises and has brand associations with a number of concepts in the Middle East, including Springfield, Morgan De Toi and THEFACESHOP. The company is in the midst of an expansion programme which will see its regional footprint increase by more than 50%, with the current 60-plus stores in the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait increasing to almost 100.

Smoothie King Franchises, founded in 1973, is a privately held US-based franchise company with 800 units worldwide operating in 33 states, the Caymans, the Republic of Korea and now Dubai.

October 2016 Catering NEWS ME

9

What's cooking?

In a nutshell: Mori Sushi

Osama Heikal, chief executive of United Beverage and Food Company (UBF) and managing partner of Trium and Mustard Seed explains the concept of Mori Sushi, Dubai’s first Japanese-Brazilian sushi restaurant, which opened in May in Downtown Dubai What is the concept of Mori Sushi?

Mori Sushi is a fusion sushi restaurant conceptualised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where the original branch still operates. It was then brought to Egypt where it has been thriving for the past 10 years, and the first Dubai outlet opened in May. Mori Sushi takes authentic Japanese sushi recipes and combines them with Brazilian flair.

What differentiates it from other sushi outlets in Dubai?

We aim to offer our guests unique flavour combinations with both our sushi and grill items. Our Robata grill allows us to serve perfectly cooked steaks, while our sushi is explorative in its flavorful expressions. Our menu ranges from said Robata

items to a wide range of healthy salads, soups, and appetisers and experimental and innovative sushi.

What is the most popular dish on the menu?

We are proud to have signature dishes, which our guests always return for. One is our spicy lemon roll, consisting of tempura battered minced shrimp and salmon with cream cheese, served with our spicy lemon-mayon-

naise dressing. Our foie gras and wagyu beef is another delicious item on the menu, while the toyo roll has grown increasingly popular.

The toyo has a base of Mori’s new style rice with coriander, pine nuts, dill, and spring onion. It is rolled in sliced salmon, topped with cream cheese and garnished with raspberry, blueberry, and kiwi.

What are your plans for menu development?

We will soon be expanding our menu with an exciting new concept, which we are keeping under wraps for now. Our head chefs in Egypt and Dubai are constantly exploring different cuisines and therefore you can always expect innovation and creativity from Mori Sushi.

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What's cooking? competition

Catering

Host Milan partners with Restaurants Canada

Catering company Chez Charles to launch brasserie

H

ost Milan has signed a collaboration agreement with Restaurants Canada with the aim of generating improved trade between Canada and Italy.

The main business association in Canada for the restaurant and foodservices industry, Restaurants Canada has more than 30,000 members made up of restaurants and bars, catering firms, institutions and foodservice suppliers.

Corrado Peraboni, CEO of Fiera Milano commented: “The partnership between Host Milan and Restaurants Canada best exemplifies our internationalisation strategy, which aims to bring Italian excellence to the world and, at the same time, bring the world to Italy.”

It is the latest in a series of targeted partnerships by Host Milan to deepen penetration in North America, an area of focus in the Italian government’s plan for the promotion of “Made in Italy”.

Shanna Munro, president and CEO of Restaurants Canada said: “This new partnership with Host Milan is a very exciting first for Restaurants Canada and the hospitality industry. We’re proud to showcase Canada and our incredible culinary scene on the world stage via Host Milan, which is one of the most innovative and successful hospitality events in the world.”

According to Restaurants Canada, in 2015 the restaurant industry of the country generated 74.9 billion Canadian dollars (CAD) in sales (Euro 51.8 billion), an increase of 4.1% on 2014.

The organisation expects 2016 will mark the 25th year of growth, with sales rising 4.2% to reach CAD 78 billion (Euro 54.6 billion).

As part of the partnership, Host Milan will have an important presence at the Restaurants Canada Show 2017 and at a series of other networking events and conferences.

D

ubai-based catering company Chez Charles will launch a brasserie as part of its current expansion drive.

The new restaurant, to open in Dubai Design District at the end of this year, will be divided into a dining room, terrace and lounge/ bar area and will offer a Mediterranean-inspired menu.

The company’s expansion plans also include the recent launch of its catering services in Abu Dhabi, and the opening of a new online deli this month, with ready-made dishes that can be ordered online for next-day delivery.

The deli menu includes appetisers such as salmon tartar, a box of 100 canapés and mains including roasted chicken, risotto and paellas.

Chez Charles, established in

May 2012, began as an online gourmet shop before launching its catering services with Michelin-starred chefs Sylvain Gohier and Jérémy Degras.

The team then set up a kitchen, which was recognised by Dubai Municipality with an A Grade rating, and a lunch room concept to allow clients to come for food tastings prior to events, or to host small functions.

CEO & founder Charles Boghos comments: “My passion was always about the ingredients – everything that comes out of the soil. I must be one of the few people who can discuss a courgette for hours! All our products are sourced from the country of origin, all handpicked, giving our customers the best quality and taste that they can ever have access to.”

CEO & founder Charles Boghos

October 2016 Catering NEWS ME

11

What's cooking?

UAE restaurant revenues decline as demand grows says new report The KPMG 2016 UAE Food & Beverage Report released last month, revealed that although consumers are eating out and spending more, restaurant operators are seeing a decline in revenues. According to the report, 63% of consumers are spending more than last year, while for 28% of respondents, there has been no change in spend. Just 9% said they were spending less

than last year. However, despite the market growing overall, 64% of operators surveyed indicated that the same store sales over the past 12 months have either been stagnant or have declined.

The challenges for F&B operators highlighted in the report include increased rental costs, a race for space, topline growth, rising food costs and increased attrition of trained staff.

Nespresso marks 20 years of professional hospitality solutions Having launched professional solutions for the hospitality industry in 1996, Nespresso this year celebrates 20 years of business-to-business operations, and continues to enhance its offer for new and existing partners. Today the team provides the latest technological innovations, coffee products and industry-leading service to professional customers in 62 countries worldwide, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Each of the 13 Nes-

World Chocolate Masters reveals “Futropolis” theme for 2017 competition presso Grands Crus varieties has its own distinct aroma, taste and level of intensity, with ristrettos, espressos, lungos, decaffeinated and pure origin varieties in its ever-growing range, in addition to a range of machines for intensive, high-volume usage.

Nominations open for World Halal Tourism Awards The second edition of World Halal Tourism Awards will recognise excellence in the halal and family-friendly travel and tourism industry. The nominations are open until 14 October across 16 award categories, including Best Halal Tour Operator, Best Family Friendly Hotel and World's Best Non OIC Emerging Halal Destination. Voting will then take place from 17 October - 25 November and the winners and runners-up of the 2016 World Halal Tourism Awards will be announced at an 12

Catering NEWS ME October 2016

awards ceremony on 7 December.

The awards ceremony forms a key aspect of the World Halal Travel Summit, which is the largest gathering of global executives operating in the halal and family friendly travel sector.

W

orld Chocolate Masters, a global competition sponsored

by Barry Cacao, the French gourmet chocolate brand of Barry Callebaut Group, has revealed that its theme for the 2017/18 edition of the competition is ‘Futropolis’. Taking a deep dive into the future of chocolate, contestants will be invited to give shape to their ideas and visions on the evolution of chocolate gastronomy.

Commenting on next year’s theme, Joost Lindeman, global brand manager, Cacao Barry said: “We’re really looking forward to seeing the new take on chocolate by young, millennial chefs and their ideas of flavour creation, even combining it with savoury elements, plants and locally grown ingredients.”

The competition takes place every three years at Salon du Chocolat Paris to recognise the best chocolatiers and pastry

chefs in the world. The World Chocolate Masters will kick off with national selections in 20 countries globally between January 2017 and January 2018.

The contestants will have one day to create a chocolate showpiece called ‘Citizens of Futropolis’, a hybrid pastry reflecting ‘the flavours of Futropolis’ and a chocolate snack to go. In each of the assignments, the contestants have to integrate the theme in the shape, design, presentation and ingredients.

Their creations will be evaluated by a professional jury of independent chefs and chocolate experts. Only one contestant per national selection will be proclaimed ‘National Chocolate Master’. He or she will be representing his or her country during the World Chocolate Masters final in October 2018 where an international jury will choose the new World Chocolate Master.

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Hit the Top

New places

Nathan Outlaw At Al Mahara

The fact

s

Date o pened : 24 Se ptembe r 2016 Head chef: P ete Big gs Resta urant Sharon manager: McArth ur

British Michelin-starred chef, Nathan Outlaw unveils his new seafood restaurant at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab Please describe the concept of the venue in your words?

My style of cooking is one of simplicity, with complex flavour combinations, using top quality, seasonal and responsibly sourced ingredients. The aim is to deliver simple, yet superb seafood, and let the natural flavours of the ingredients deliver the impact. Additionally, as part of the relaunch, Al Mahara is getting an interior and exterior revamp. It will keep the iconic floor-to-ceiling aquarium, but the new look will heighten the senses even further, making it a truly unforgettable dining experience.

What are the signature items on the menu?

The lobster risotto, which has been with me since I introduced it to my first restaurant in 2003, is a special dish. This dish is prepared with zesty oranges, fresh basil and spring onions to let the flavours really develop and deliver that Outlaw impact.

The cooked crispy oysters and caviar will surprise Middle Eastern palates. Using fresh Cornish oysters, served with a topping of caviar and sides of cucumber and oyster sauce, these beauties are cooked with a deliciously crisp outside and a soft, flavoursome inside to truly delight

Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara

Tribes

Tortilla

Kyo

Tribes Carnivore, an all-you-can-eat casual dining concept has opened at Dubai Mall. The restaurant, with dark wood and earthy-toned interiors, serves a meatfocused menu, plays tribal music and employs staff from African tribes to set the tone of the venue. The venue has indoor and outdoor seating, accommodating up to 138 guests in total, with 96 inside and 42 on the terrace overlooking The Dubai Fountains and Burj Khalifa.

Tortilla, a London-founded restaurant chain specialising in California-style Mexican food has opened its first Middle East outlet at Festival City Mall in collaboration with Tortilla’s regional franchise partners, Eathos, the group behind F&B brands such as Sushi Art, Rita’s and Kababji. Tortilla’s menu pays homage to Mexican street food with a selection of burritos, tacos and quesadillas. The concept first opened in London in 2007 and today has 30 restaurants in 14 UK cities.

LOCATION: Dubai Mall OPENING DATE: 31 August

LOCATION: Dubai Festival City Mall OPENING DATE: 31 August

Japanese concept, Kyo Restaurant and Lounge, has opened on Palm Jumeirah’s Golden Mile. Launched by Dubai-based Dar Al Dhiyafa, Kyo means both ‘today’ and ‘entertainment’ in Japanese. Starters include foie gras, shiitake gyoza, and pumpkin tofu, while some of the main courses are crispy marinated black cod and braised veal short ribs. There is a temperature-controlled outdoor terrace, featuring teppanyaki stations and shisha with Japanese-inspired flavours, and the venue serves a range of mocktails.

LOCATION: Golden Mile, Palm Jumeirah OPENING DATE: August

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Catering NEWS ME October 2016

New places the tastebuds. My sticky toffee pudding is another signature dish; it’s actually my daughter’s recipe, so I’m very proud to have it on the menu.

Outlaw's signature lobster risotto

Who designed the interiors and how do they reflect the concept?

Maria Asseily, a very talented interior designer who has completed projects around the world, from Milan to Beirut. Without giving too much away yet, we will have special glow-in-the-dark pebbles on the terrace powered by energy from the sun. The Juna Bar will be adorned with an acrylic surface that is beautifully textured and backlit, and the dining chairs will be decorated with an elegant gold vinyl fabric. The intention is to create an environment where the flavours of the dishes can create an impact in a vibrant and buzzing atmosphere.

Nathan Outlaw

I think customers will enjoy our unique no-fuss dining style alongside premium quality service. Casual dining is on the rise in Dubai, but people still want to be

looked after and valued. Customers want value for their money but don’t want to compromise on service, and casual dining can get a bit relaxed on service standards.

For me, classic good cooking, looking after your customers, and great hospitality will never go out of fashion, and that’s the aim with Al Mahara.

CREPE DELICIOUS

FISH BEACH TAVERNA

BOUTIQUE LE CHOCOLAT

Crepe Delicious, a Canadian mall-based creperie brand has opened its first location in the UAE in Abu Dhabi’s Dalma Mall. The menu includes sweet and savoury options, such as the Brownie Bites, brownie pieces, topped with Belgian chocolate and served with strawberries. Other options include the Lotus Crepe with lotus spread, crunched lotus biscuits and chocolate and The Cordon Bleu, a savoury crepe with smoked turkey, diced chicken breast, rocca leaves, tomato and mozzarella cheese.

LOCATION: Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi OPENING DATE: September

Fish Beach Taverna Dubai is an Aegeaninspired eatery that uses quality ingredients and serves only wild cold-water fish from the Aegean Sea, the Black Sea and Marmara Sea, caught by dedicated fishermen in Turkey.

The menu includes mezze platters, breads and traditional Aegean dishes, with freshly caught fish simply seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil and grilled on a barbeque. With a team of Turkish staff, the restaurant is located on the beach and has sea views.

Dubai-based holding company, Meraas has opened Boutique Le Chocolat, its newest homegrown concept in City Walk dedicated to multi-brand premium chocolates. Offering bespoke and personalised blends alongside readymade hand-crafted chocolates, the 13,000 ft2 boutique features more than 28 international luxury chocolate brands, and has plans to introduce 60 more. The store also features Boutique Le Chocolat Café where visitors can enjoy hot beverages, and Cocoa Kitchen, a restaurant where each dish has an accent of cocoa.

LOCATION: City Walk Dubai OPENING DATE: September

How will the venue compete on the Dubai market?

LOCATION: Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, Dubai OPENING DATE: September

October 2016 Catering NEWS ME

15

Talent

Plain sailing

Eka Mochamad, chef de cuisine, Bateaux Dubai, who was a runner up in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2016 regional challenge this summer reveals his career ambitions How did it feel to be named as a runner up in the S. Pellegrino Young Chef regional finals?

I was really happy with the overall experience and it was an honour to be among the top three. It certainly was an unforgettable moment, and it was a pleasure to meet all the great chefs that represented the Middle East and Africa. The way I see it, they all deserved to win!

Describe your first ever role in the F&B industry?

To this day I still remember my first role very well. I had the chance to join a great team at Atlantis The Palm. Working with that group of amazing chefs helped me grow my passion for the culinary field and I’m thankful to everyone along the way who I had the opportunity to learn from.

Who has inspired you most in your career?

It’s been a great journey for me so far. I’ve enjoyed working with various chefs and have adopted their methods into my own dishes. Some of them include: Patrik Havlicek, Shane O’neill, Alex Pernetta, Cyril Calmet and chef Eric Briffard. They have each had a hand in teaching me the basics, without which it’s impossible to learn.

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Catering NEWS ME October 2016

How do you view the F&B scene in the region?

The F&B offer in Dubai is extremely attractive. Dubai offers multicultural cuisines, all of which have their own unique taste, ambience and experience. I am confident this makes the UAE the most attractive country for food lovers.

What is the biggest challenge of your role?

Guests have a big imagination when it comes to food; they expect to be treated with the unexpected and that is one of my main challenges. It’s important to understand your guests’ needs and expectations in order to provide them with the desired dish that will make them come back for more.

What are your plans for Bateaux Dubai this year?

Bateaux Dubai is a unique concept and an established experience that provides guests with unforgettable memories, while they celebrate and enjoy a dinner experience on Dubai Creek. I’m keen to keep this exceptional tradition going by incorporating new cuisine elements, such as seasonal dishes and new menus that enhance the overall experience. We have just created

Work Experie nce

January 2016 - present: Ch ef de cuisine, Bateaux Duba i March 2013 December 2015 : Chef, Jumeira Messilah Beac h h Hotel, Kuwai t August 2011 February 2013 : Chef, Shangr and Traders i-La Qaryat Alberi , Abu Dhabi

a refreshing new menu, which combines Middle Eastern, Asian and Mediterranean gastronomy and provides a unique experience for guests.

If you could work in any restaurant in the world which would it be?

Le Cinq at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris.

What tip would you share with new staff starting out in the F&B industry in the region?

The culinary field is a playground and one with no barriers, so I say dream big. I would advise budding chefs to aim to achieve their goals, no matter what. We make mistakes and that is part of being human, but in the end you have to learn from your mistakes and show how creative and passionate you are with the dishes you present.

Talent F&B director appointed for Steigenberger Hotels upcoming Dukes appoints director of Carl Chapman has culinary innovation been appointed food and beverage director of the upcoming Dukes Dubai Hotel and Residences, Palm Jumeirah. A UK national, Chapman has worked for London hospitality brands such as The Savoy, Claridge’s and Simpsons in the Strand and most recently the InterContinental London – The O2, Greenwich, where he was a member of the opening team for the luxury flagship property.

Chapman will oversee the launch of six dining and lounge venues and the food and beverage offer for Dukes Dubai’s 279room hotel and 227-key apartment complex, scheduled to open this quarter.

Urban Denk has been appointed as director culinary innovation and development for Steigenberger Hotel Group.

Denk will oversee the F&B operations of the German group’s 54 business and resort hotels globally. His remit includes the recently opened Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay Dubai, the first property for the company in the Middle East.

Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Steigenberger Hotels AG commented: “Urban Denk’s innovative project approach will establish Steigenberger at the forefront of the culinary landscape.”

Antique Bazaar promotes chef Hoshiyar Chauhan Antique Bazaar at Four Points Sheraton Bur Dubai has promoted chef Hoshiyar Chauhan from sous chef to the role of chef de cuisine. Chef Chauhan brings more than 16 years of culinary experience in Indian cuisine. He commented: "I'm looking forward to this challenge and to lead the team at Antique Bazaar.

I'm excited with the opportunity to continue offering Antique Bazaar’s customers the same great taste and dishes as well as introducing some new ones." Antique Bazaar is an award winning restaurant serving authentic Indian cuisine.

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October 2016 Catering NEWS ME

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Opinion

The key to export success Tony Habre, founder & CEO Addmind, which operates nightlife venues in Beirut and the UAE, reveals his tips for successfully exporting an F&B concept abroad You never really know if a concept is going to work in more than one country, until you give it a try. In an ideal world, any concept has the potential to be exported, but the F&B business is a learning process, and something we initially thought would work, may not, and vice versa.

When it comes to expanding a concept across borders, I definitely go with my gut feeling, but I have always had the research to back up my convictions. Business is like going into battle: although it’s risky, you would never enter the battlefield unprepared, and research is the most essential part of this.

Once you have decided to open a branch in another country, you must understand the market you’re entering. You should scout out the competition and other venues in the market to see who you are up against, and how and what they’re doing. Addmind has been operating in the UAE for eight years, so my team and I already have sound knowledge of the country’s demographics, past and current trends, former successes and failures, and the tastes and preferences of its residents.

The next step is to work out how your concept must adapt to a new environment while staying true to its identity. Adaptation is necessary for survival, and we often have to change an element of a concept in order for it to flourish in a new market, however we must not lose sight of the brand’s identity and in that respect, consistency is also key.

Our venues in Lebanon and the UAE operate in different environments, so naturally we adapt our outlets to suit the markets we are in. Lebanon and the UAE have different economies and mentalities. The UAE, given its international landscape, is more of a melting pot: it’s fast-paced and the competition is fierce. Lebanon, however, is where all our main brands originated – such as White and Iris – and so it is the heart of Addmind.

Opening in a new market is not easy: it requires a lot of passion and energy. Hours 18

Catering NEWS ME October 2016

Indie DIFC

About the author Tony Habre is founder and CEO of hospitality company Addmind, which conceptualises, develops and manages restaurant and nightlife facilities in Beirut, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with a portfolio including White Dubai, Iris in Dubai and Yas Island, and Indie DIFC. are long and decisions are tough, so your dedication and drive, and that of your team, is crucial to your success. Some of the ideologies I instill in my team are innovation, love and dedication – and not to forget to have as much fun as we can!

You have to surround yourself with bril-

liant people who are good at things that you may not be good at. The creativity of young talent is vital for the future of the brand itself, since innovation is not an end-game. I would advise entrepreneurs in the F&B industry to strive to be good leaders by seeking to bring out the best in people: listen to them, trust them, believe in them, respect them and above all, let them have a go. Your success depends on the people you employ; if they believe in your vision as much as you do, anything is possible.

Another key element for operating successfully in more than one market, is communication. I work very closely with both my teams in Dubai and Lebanon to ensure that communication lines are always clear. We analyse, assess and make decisions together and most importantly, we trust and respect each other.

However, as much as I believe in my team, I still maintain a very hands-on approach, getting involved in the smallest of details, and constantly travelling between Dubai and Beirut to check in with my team and on the outlets. Staying on top of everything has proven to be quite a challenge for me, but luckily I like living outside of my comfort zone, and I will continue to adapt, question, innovate and expand Addmind’s horizons in the process.

Event review

The

t g es i B B of The

Food & Beverage forum

The second edition of The Big Food & Beverage Forum, hosted by Catering News Middle East, attracted more than 250 F&B professionals from across the region on 20 September to discuss and debate the key topics, trends and challenges impacting the industry in 2016 and beyond.

Here we present the key highlights

Keynote address The value of F&B to Dubai’s tourism offer Aida Al Busaidy, Senior Manager, Communications – Dubai Tourism

Dubai Tourism’s senior communications manager Aida Al Busaidy launched The Big F&B Forum with a keynote address highlighting the importance of the F&B industry to Dubai’s tourism offer. She stated that the emirate must continue to strive toward becoming a global foodie hub, with an ever-more diversified culinary offering.

Al Busaidy commented: “Dubai has become one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, and in having such a cosmopolitan city, we are able to offer a wide variety of cuisines and culinary delights back to the world. At the start of 2016 Dubai reported around 12,000 restaurants and cafes in the emirate and 500 different types of restaurants were reported to have opened in Dubai in the first five months of 2016, proving that the region is a key contender as a culinary capital on a global scale.”

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Catering NEWS ME October 2016

Event review

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Panel discussion one: Creating a more sophisticated F&B landscape

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The first panel session of The Big F&B Forum, “Creating a more sophisticated F&B landscape” explored the impact oversaturation has had on the food and beverage market in the UAE, and how homegrown, neighbourhood F&B concepts and new community developments are helping to create a more mature ecosystem.

Highlighting the current imbalance between supply and demand, Daniel During, principal & managing director, Thomas Klein International commented: “With all of the tourist population eating out every day and all of the population that can afford to eat out eating out three times a week, we can’t even fill half of the seats available today.”

Naim Maadad, CEO, Gates Hospitality shared During’s concerns, commenting: “In Dubai we’re growing at a much faster rate and sadly F&B seems to be more of a fashion than a business and we see a lot of closures; we see a lot of businesses that aren’t sustainable. A lot of restaurants close before opening let alone trading and failing to perform,” he said.

On the other hand, Andrew Morrow, GM – F&B development and operations, Ròya International pointed out that regular closures are a positive signal that Dubai is becoming a more mature restaurant market.

“The market needs to mature and I would say in the last 18 – 24 months we’ve seen that maturation and we’re referencing Dubai being similar to London, New York, Sydney; the big international cities. Part of that spectrum is restaurant closures.

“Dubai hasn’t really started to see that yet but in 24 months you will start to see a significant amount of failures in the industry, and that’s not saying Dubai is a failure but it’s just one of the world players – you have openings and for every opening you’ll have a closure because there are only so many mouths to feed.”

Also speaking on the panel were Akshay Dosaj, managing director, Purple Honey Group, and Ursula Winzel, CEO, Balcony8.

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Event review In conversation with: Gary Rhodes OBE

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ience yed th n aud y enjo held a “I reall it l points t e a n iven th als. The pa and larly g ion cause rofess t often I feel a t. th true p n s e d topic argum e y r r ars e a v n co for ye a culi a tone many t om e te o s r a e e lp cr ill he ing th ll w fi r , a lly e e r this y I'm su hopefu s and , each r e e – b m o !” m to c st all ter nu mong n grea ersy a v in eve o tr E n co OB quality hodes Gary R

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ritish chef, restaurateur and author Gary Rhodes OBE took to the stage at The Big F&B Forum to discuss his views on the Middle East’s F&B landscape and his plans for the future in the region.

The Michelin-starred chef, who operates Rhodes W1 and Rhodes Twenty10 in Dubai claimed that while fine dining is no longer the most fashionable segment of the UAE’s restaurant scene, it still holds a relevant place on the market.

Speaking during a live interview on stage, Rhodes commented: “Everyone thinks fine dining is dead but I disagree; I totally disagree. At this moment it’s just not the most fashionable thing in Dubai.

“Fashions have changed and today we have quite a lot of sharing concepts. I thoroughly enjoy it but do we all have to do it?

Do we all have to be exactly the same? For me we don’t. I don’t want to keep going to restaurants where it’s all thrown in the middle of the table – I like to come back to a bit of fancy service and I like to be looked after and with that, learn something.”

Rhodes first opened fine dining restaurant Rhodes Mezzanine in Dubai nine years

Dr.Basem Abdul Moneim, Public Health Specialist, National Tobacco Control Programme, United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health & Prevention

ago, which was later refurbished to become Rhodes W1 in line with more casual market trends. However, Rhodes admits that he misses the original restaurant.

He said: “I miss the days of Mezzanine, which was far more fine dining; it gave me that difference. You could go to Rhodes Twenty10 and eat some steak and simple food and sharing starters, or you could come to Rhodes Mezzanine and be looked after like royalty – what’s wrong with that?

“We changed because of what’s going on in town and I’ve never done that before in my career, ever. I’ve always stood on what I believe in but I was persuaded; I was told, look ‘the numbers aren’t as great as they were yesterday, let’s close it, let’s refurb and let’s do what everyone else is doing with lighter and easier food’.

“I don’t like copying, so now I’m saying no, we’re going to do what we set out to do in the first place, and that’s offering something toward that fine dining edge. I want the food to speak a lot louder about what the ingredients are, and how we show them off at their best; how we can create that nice balance of simple flavours without overdoing things.”

“Everyone thinks fine dining is dead but I disagree; I totally disagree. At this moment it's just not the most fashionable thing in Dubai”

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Catering NEWS ME October 2016

Expert session: What would a smoking ban mean for the UAE’s bars and restaurants?

The proposed blanket smoking ban in all public places in the UAE was a key subject of debate at The Big F&B Forum. Dr. Basem took to the stage to discuss what the UAE’s impending smoking ban would mean for the F&B industry.

He explained that should a smoking ban come in, F&B outlets will have to create designated smoking areas on outside terraces and balconies, while indoor smoking rooms will not be allowed. He commented: “Up until now, the laws for tobacco control allow smoke-free designation of smoking rooms so we are struggling now to make changes in the by-law article to prevent this.

“There are no guarantees that the smoke will not be shifted from the smoking area to the non-smoking. The only guarantee to protect the health of the people is 100% smoke free without exceptions inside the building.”

Smoking has been a pertinent topic on the agenda for the F&B industry this year following an announcement in May by the National Tobacco Control Committee of the UAE, that it will soon propose an amendment to the law to make all public areas, including bars, restaurants and nightlife venues in the UAE, 100% smoke free.

Event review Panel discussion two: A rising talent pool: but at what cost?

A debate titled “A rising talent pool: but at what cost” revealed that HR is becoming more strategically important in the F&B industry as competition for talent ramps up. Highlighting that HR has traditionally been undervalued in the UAE F&B industry, Lynne Bellinger, managing director, Purple Hospitality commented: “The role of HR is very undervalued in this part of the world.

“They don’t pay the right salaries for HR because they don’t see the importance of that role so they hire an administrator to recruit all of the important people and to organise the right processes and procedures within the organisation.”

Nicholas Couvaras, managing director, Kroma pointed out that HR is becoming increasingly important in the hospitality industry as companies compete for the best staff. He said: “I think HR itself in big organisations is becoming a very important strategic position. If you’re sitting on the board you should insist on allocating a certain percentage to this. Organisations should hire companies to get their employees to engage and be part of the family.”

Solutions Leisure has recently recruited a group HR director, and Sacha Daniel, operations director explained why this has benefited the company. “Recently we’ve

invested in an HR director for the group.

It’s not just about the stats, it’s not just about operation of the venue; you’ve got to have the right culture and philosophy for your group. It’s important to spend time with your staff, do a proper induction, train them, look after them, care for them.”

Also sitting on the panel were Assia Riccio-Smith MIH, founder, Evolvin’ Women and Markus Thesleff, co-founder of Whissle Group. The debate explored how operators can best balance increasing payroll costs with consumer demand for value for money, while retaining their best talent and minimising staff poaching.

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Consumer behaviour trends and dining decisions Ali Sinaei, managing partner, Roundmenu

Ali Sinaei, managing partner, Roundmenu, conducted an expert session on consumer behaviour trends and dining decisions. Sinaei revealed that diners searching online heavily rely on social media and food photos before deciding where to eat. He commented: “In terms of content consumption, restaurants need to make their mark online. Our studies reveal that 47% of diners looking online require search related guidance and 30% of those searchers look for food related photography from the restaurant or from other customers.”

Consumer Dining Trends

• 61% of bookings come from promotions • 71% of tourist traffic to Roundmenu comes from the UAE • The most popular cuisine choices are pizza (17%), burgers (15%) and Arabic (11%) • Top delivery locations included Sheikh Zayed Road, DIFC, Downtown and Dubai Marina • 74% of orders are made over the phone as opposed to 26% made online • Average spend per order is AED 81

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Panel discussion three: The trends shaping the UAE’s F&B landscape

Damien Rizzi, Colliers MENA senior asset managerhospitality

Damien Rizzi, Colliers MENA senior asset manager – hospitality, unveiled an exclusive new report on maximising profitability in hotel restaurants. One of the key points Rizzi highlighted in his report was that hotel restaurants need to adopt strategies of standalone restaurants to succeed.

Colliers MENA: Tips for Hotel Restaurants

• Hotels need to increase autonomy for restaurant managers, including direct involvement and control over support functions • Seek accountability from the restaurant team to ensure the outlet’s performance is meeting profitability requirements • Hotel restaurants would benefit from being viewed as separate business units, similar to standalone restaurants • Maintain separate outlet P&L statements and allocate undistributed expenses, fees and rent as an internal practice • Calculate the outlet’s break-even point for better cost-control and to increase visibility of the outlet’s performance 24

Catering NEWS ME October 2016

The final panel debate of The Big F&B Forum delved into the cuisine trends impacting the Middle East’s F&B industry and how chefs are responding to increasing consumer awareness of provenance, sustainability and nutrition.

Panellists revealed that mid-market restaurants are the key drivers of innovation in the UAE, and that local chef talent is needed in order to push these forward.

Highlighting the increasing popularity and prevalence of mid-market restaurants, Mark Patten, senior vice president, food & beverage, Atlantis The Palm commented: “We’re seeing a switch into a lower price bracket so it’s the mid-market that seem to be flourishing because they’re offering that value-added experience.”

Colin Clague, executive chef Rüya Dubai agreed, adding that he believes fine dining restaurants are no longer sustainable in Dubai. “I can talk on this because I had Jean Georges and the market is not there for that gourmet experience anymore other than for

a birthday or a special occasion – it’s not economically sound.”

The panellists agreed that the mid-market sector is also the one driving innovation in the F&B industry in Dubai and globally.

Tomas Reger, personal chef and food consultant, Food for Thought restaurant consultancy said: “Mid-market are doing best – they are driving more change as well.”

According to Patten, giving locally-grown talent the opportunity to be creative will help Dubai’s mid-market sector to prosper, and allow the emirate to become a global trendsetter in F&B. “Having the talent in Dubai is important for driving that mid-market set. In the Middle East it’s taking the homegrown talent and giving them a platform to be able to create a really interesting, honest approach to the food at a really top level.”

The other panelists were Gabrielle Kurz, executive wellbeing chef, Talise Nutrition, Jumeirah Group and Scott Price, chef patron, Nick & Scott F&B Design & Development.

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“I really enjoyed the forum, particularly given that it held an audience of true professionals. The panel points covered topics that often cause and create many a culinary argument. I feel this year will help set a tone for years to come, each I'm sure, filling the room in even greater numbers and hopefully quality controversy amongst all!” – Gary Rhodes OBE “It was a very successful event for us and we would definitely consider supporting at another similar occasion” – Quooker, sponsor of The Big F&B Forum “Excellent Forum and organised in a timely manner; it was an absolute pleasure to attend and get great insights from great speakers. Gary Rhodes OBE impressed at interview; he went way above and beyond and his interview was perfectly on brief and eloquently delivered” - Kezia Da Rocha, director of marketing & quality assurance, Holiday Inn Al Barsha “The Big F&B Forum was very interesting with a great selection of guests, attendees and suppliers. I thoroughly enjoyed my panel and the crowd was really receptive.

All the speakers were spot on and their points were very interesting” – Sacha Daniel, operations director, Solutions Leisure “It was a great event and better than the usual ones I felt as it was quick, fluid and on point” – Markus Thesleff, co-founder Whissle Group Strategic Partner

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Event preview

The Sponsors The inaugural Leaders in Food & Beverage Awards will take place at the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi on 9 November, celebrating excellence and innovation in the Middle East's restaurant and catering industry. As nominations are shortlisted Catering News reveals the sponsors supporting the event

T

he Middle East’s Food and beverage industry has grown meteorically in recent years and today the region boasts an impressive array of world-class imported brands and homegrown concepts.

The Leaders in Food & Beverage Awards has been designed to celebrate excellence and innovation in food and beverage,

Sponsoring the event are some of the most prominent suppliers on the market: Exclusive Water Sponsor Horeca Trade, distributor of San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna; Ronai LLC; Pulsar Foodstuff Trading, MKN, and Cream of Europe. Here our sponsors explain why they have decided to support the Leaders in F&B Awards and what they hope to get out of the event.

EVENT DETAILS

RESTAURANTS:

PEOPLE:

NOMINATION DEADLINE:

• Sustainable Restaurant Award

• Leading F&B Director

• Healthy Restaurant Award

• Chef of the Year

Thursday 6 October EVENT DATE & TIME: Wednesday 9 November 2016, 7pm – late VENUE: The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina SPONSORSHIP / TABLE BOOKINGS: Contact dom@ bncpublishing.net / nick@ bncpublishing.net NOMINATION ENQUIRIES: Contact catering@bncpublishing.net

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highlighting the people and places shaping the region’s culinary landscape. Set to take place at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi on Wednesday 9 November, the Leaders in F&B Awards will celebrate 18 categories, divided into nine restaurant awards and nine individual awards, each recognising examples of outstanding achievements in their field.

Catering NEWS ME October 2016

Categories

• Leading Homegrown Restaurant Brand • Pastry Chef of the Year • Disruptor of the Year

• Leading F&B Investor

• Best Newcomer

• Young F&B Leader

• Best Interior

• F&B Heavyweight

• Leading Casual Dining Restaurant

• Leading Restaurateur

• Leading Fine Dining Restaurant

• Bartender of the Year

• Leading Nightlife Venue

• Best Service Team

Event preview

#FnBLeaders @cateringnewsme

Horeca Trade

Jad Asaad, marketing manager of Exclusive Water Sponsor Horeca Trade, distributor of San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna Why have you chosen to support BNC Publishing’s Leaders in F&B Awards?

We strongly believe that participating in BNC Publishing’s Leaders in F&B Awards will give us a great platform to showcase our brands and products and will help us build our network.

What is your opinion of the Middle East’s F&B landscape?

The Middle East’s F&B sector is growing and constantly changing due to new emerging trends on social media and online review platforms. It is very important to have good connections with customers so that they are updated on what is new in the market. Their changing needs in terms of tastes, cost and availability is what drives the F&B sector. We must foresee the upcoming international trends and upgrade our services accordingly to give our consumers the best experience possible.

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Pulsar Foodstuff Trading / The Gourmet Olive Market

Stephen Bennet, general manager, Pulsar Foodstuff Trading Why have you chosen to support BNC Publishing’s Leaders in F&B Awards?

It is important that the people in our industry are recognised and rewarded for their efforts and this offers great humility to the winners and pushes others forward in the pursuit of excellence. By supporting BNC Publishing’s Leaders in F&B Awards we believe we are contributing to that pursuit of excellence.

What is your opinion of the Middle East’s F&B landscape?

F&B outlets are very creative with their offerings, and are not afraid to think outside the box with new ideas and attractions. The industry as a whole is able to offer every conceivable dish within the Middle East, which grants customers an endless choice and a new destination every week. It is amazing to see how this area of the world can be as cosmopolitan as established cities such as New York, London or Paris.

What new products are you launching this year?

Pulsar Foodstuff is proud to have just opened our first retail unit in Mercato Mall. The Gourmet Olive Market will be selling a huge variety of the best olives the world has to offer. We will also have a selection of the world’s finest olive oils and balsamic vinegars, gift hampers and some delightful olive wood trinkets. The majority of these items are available to the hotel industry, and we look forward to welcoming all hoteliers to our market.

What are your company’s predictions for the next 12 months?

We have introduced new lines of products, which will contribute to our personal growth. As we move closer to 2020, the momentum is gradually increasing; businesses are investing more and taking more chances, which sparks more interest and positivity in the region.

What new products are you launching this year?

We are very proud to be the exclusive partners of Vito in the UAE, one of the leading brands in oil filtering systems from Germany. We have officially launched Vito in the market and we are confident that our collaboration will be a great success, as demand is already high.

What are your company’s plans for the next 12 months?

This year, we are focusing on excellent customer service by ensuring we meet all customers’ expectations in terms of demand, delivery timings and communication. In addition, we will continue to strengthen our market presence by adding more top brands to our portfolio.

October 2016 Catering NEWS ME

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Event preview A. Ronai LLC

Gavin Dodd, managing director, A. Ronai LLC Why have you chosen to support BNC Publishing’s Leaders in F&B Awards?

As a loyal ambassador to BNC events, Ronai is extremely happy to support the Leaders in Food & Beverage Awards. We very much believe in supporting the great industry we are a part of and events as professional as this are a great way of achieving our aim.

What is your opinion of the Middle East’s F&B landscape?

The most discerning chefs and restaurateurs are aware of new trends and add their own twist of creativity to developments in the global market. As suppliers, we need to stay ahead of the curve and anticipate requirements by working with our international partners on new and innovative products that ensure the Middle East continues to have a presence on the world stage.

What new products are you launching this year?

We are conscious of market trends across the region so our Uniforms

by Ronai catalogue continues to develop with updates and improvements on designs and fabrics. Our chefs wear and F&B ranges continue to prove extremely popular and we are looking to expand our apron selection, providing an increased level of individuality for the developing market.

MKN

Elias Rached, export department regional director sales, Middle East and Africa Why have you chosen to support BNC Publishing’s Leaders in F&B Awards?

After two years of experience with BNC Publishing, we have reached a level of trust with them. We trust their vision and we are keen to work with them to let our message reach each and every reader.

What new products are you launching this year?

We have just launched our new combi steamer, FlexiCombi Team, a single appliance equipped with two cooking chambers. With the FlexiCombi Team, the user can work in an extremely flexible way with two cooking modes simultaneously.

What are your company’s plans for the next 12 months?

In the past 10 years MKN has more than tripled in size and we want to stay on that road to success. Over the past five years, we have been running a project to increase the productivity and efficiency of our operation by investing in a new production hall and state-of-the-art stainless steel processing centre. We have started many projects to change the fabrication process completely and our plan is to continue that process and improve our products.

What are your company’s plans for the next 12 months?

With continued development across the UAE and beyond we anticipate growth in mid-market hotels and theme parks and attractions, encouraging more and more visitors to the region. It is our intention to expand our range to accommodate these requirements and look towards new projects across the Middle East.

CREAM OF EUROPE

Laurent Damien, communications director, CNIEL (the French Dairy Interbranch Organisation) Why have you chosen to support BNC Publishing’s Leaders in F&B Awards?

Celebrating excellence and innovation in the region, the Leaders in F&B Awards is an industry event not to be missed this year. It is important for us to be present for the inaugural edition and more particularly as the Pastry Chef of the Year sponsor, a category where cream is such an essential ingredient.

What is your opinion of the Middle East’s F&B landscape?

The Middle East is a promising market thanks to its maturity, and there is already a wide variety of French and European dairy products on offer. Despite the slowdown that some businesses have experienced, the outlook for the market is very positive and we will continue working on dairy product awareness.

What are your company’s plans for the next 12 months?

The Cream of Europe programme will continue to support and promote the French and European dairy cream industries so they can further develop their activities in the Middle East market. We will be organising various events in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, such as pastry trainings in cooking schools for young chefs, and workshops for professionals and the media.

Sponsorship Opportunities By sponsoring the Leaders in F&B Awards your company will gain valuable exposure in front of more than 300 of the region’s most influential F&B professionals. Various packages are available and these can be tailored to your company’s specific requirements. To find out more, contact Dom@bncpublishing.net or Nick@bncpublishing.net

Category sponsors

La signature France Bon Appétit Une identité forte, cohérente et gourmande

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Cover Story

With six Michelin stars under his belt achieved over a 35-year career, adapting to consumer demand for a more casual dining experience hasn’t been easy on Gary Rhodes. The legendary chef, author and restaurateur tells Crystal Chesters why fine dining is still relevant

W

hen Gary Rhodes talks about food, you can taste it. With detailed, passionate rhetoric he recalls the globe artichoke soup he orders every time he visits his favourite restaurant, the three-Michelinstarred Guy Savoy in Paris. On sampling his first ever mouthful, he put his spoon down and declared to his right-hand man Wayne Tapsfield and wife Jennie, “I can’t eat that – it’s too good!”

“For me, the flavour of that globe artichoke, the richness of it; it’s like silk in texture. It’s cooked to the right temperature so you don’t get any granules and when I got that earthiness of the truffle it kind of exploded, then a bite of parmesan against that flavour; the hot truffle brioche with lashings of truffle butter, tearing it off and dunking it in, and eating it like a little school boy…” says Rhodes, visibly entranced by the memory.

One ambition Rhodes, at the age of 56, still harbours is to train under the creator of his beloved artichoke soup, stating, “the path to success is still under construction”.

“I’d like to take a couple of months off and say, ‘Monsieur Savoy, can I please come and be a commis in your kitchen?’ I just want to watch and work with someone who is a true culinary master. I think I could learn so much and realise what makes him a true great. There are a lot of really good chefs out there, but there aren’t many great chefs.”

It’s a humble admission for Rhodes – who has achieved six Michelin stars of his own throughout his 35-year career – and it

is testament to his deep respect for haute cuisine and its chefs. Rhodes’ first Michelin star was earned at the age of 26 when he was head chef of Castle Hotel, Taunton; then he went on to gain another in 1996 as head chef of the Greenhouse Restaurant in Mayfair, where he revived British classics including faggots, fish cakes, braised oxtail and bread and butter pudding. The following year, in 1997, he opened his first restaurant, City Rhodes, followed by Rhodes in the Square, both of which were awarded Michelin stars. More openings in London, Dorset and Dublin followed, including Rhodes Twenty Four at Tower 42, which retained its Michelin star for 10 years.

In 2007, the same year he opened Rhodes W1 Fine Dining at The Cumberland just off London’s busy Oxford Street, Rhodes ignited his career-changing relationship with the UAE – a country that doesn’t even have a Michelin guide. Rhodes Mezzanine launched in Grosvenor House, marking one of the first fine dining venues in the emirate. “There were very few outlets in this area at the time, but goodness, how that’s changed!” remarks Rhodes.

“We’ve got The Croft over the road at the Marriott, we’ve got Jason Atherton at the InterContinental and there are many other operations coming up, such as Colin Clague downstairs in this hotel [with Rüya, a new Turkish concept]. There are endless numbers of new chefs hitting the scene, but probably only about the same number of customers around.”

The challenges presented by an influx

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Cover Story

of competition and a wavering population have been compounded by changing consumer mindsets and a new generation of diners looking for a more casual experience. “When I first came over, the older expat bracket liked Mezzanine; it’s what they wanted. Now there’s a much younger audience and they don’t quite want the starch. Even the dress-code in restaurants has changed. What happened to the days when you got dressed up to go out? Sometimes I like to go to a restaurant and make an effort.”

Admittedly one of the “older chefs”, Rhodes laments the seeming disregard younger generations have for fine dining, and believes there is still a relevant place for this, if not in Dubai, then globally. “There are certain locations, such as Le Gavroche in London, and you know what you’re going to get there. You’ll get two-Michelin-star quality food, and the service and glories to go with it. That’s become a culinary institution of London because they’ve stood by what they’ve created. I first went to the restaurant 25 years ago and some of those dishes are still on the menu. That’s the message; that’s what they’re trying to tell you and sell you.”

Despite his disenchantment with the widespread dumbing down of fine dining, 32

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“The trouble with Rhodes in the industry is that the name means Michelin-starred restaurants. So after having half a dozen one-Michelin starred restaurants over the years, consumers expect my restaurants to be expensive, starchy, fine dining. I’m trying to make sure we tell a bigger story about what we’re trying to do.”

Rhodes was convinced to overhaul Rhodes Mezzanine to create a more casual environment in line with market trends and in October 2014, the restaurant reopened as Rhodes W1, the design inspired by an English conservatory with light, bright colours and butterfly prints adorning the walls.

“The trouble with Rhodes in the industry is that the name means Michelin-starred restaurants. So after having half a dozen one-Michelin starred restaurants over the years, consumers expect my restaurants to be expensive, starchy, fine dining. I’m try-

Cover Story

Catering News interviewed Gary Rhodes at Rhodes W1

October 2016 Catering NEWS ME

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Cover Story

ing to make sure we tell a bigger story about what we’re trying to do.”

However, Rhodes can’t help but betray a certain regret over the decision to overhaul the restaurant, voicing his nostalgia for Mezzanine. “You’ve got to stick to what you believe in. There was once when I was overinfluenced by other people, and I thought ‘maybe I’m wrong – but I don’t think I was’,” he says. “That’s what you have to do; stick by what you believe in and don’t be over-influenced by others. Don’t move from that, no matter what fashion is in town; stick by it and continue to make your customers happy.”

To restore an element of his fine dining trademark, Rhodes is re-introducing some of his classics from the Mezzanine menu back into W1, ensuring the food has “that edge about it”, despite the more casual surroundings. “There are certain dishes I’ve brought back from the Mezzanine days and I’m just trying to use those dishes to make a statement again,” he says, 34

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“That’s what you have to do; stick by what you believe in and don’t be over-influenced by others. Don’t move from that, no matter what fashion is in town; stick by it and continue to make your customers happy.” citing the lobster omelette thermidor and a chicken liver and foie gras parfait brûlée.

“I’ll stick to a couple of classics I want this restaurant to be known for.”

Although he would like to open another restaurant in Dubai in the future, Rhodes says he must first focus on getting Rhodes W1 “back on track”, while maintaining the success of Rhodes Twenty10 British steakhouse restaurant at Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort, Dubai, in addition to his restaurant at the Cal-

abash Hotel in Grenada, the Caribbean.

With this in mind, Rhodes W1 is introducing live music, a happy hour, a bar snacks menu, and is looking to do a promotion with Theatre by Rhodes, a partnership with Vox Cinemas that started just a year ago in Mall of the Emirates, offering a luxury cinema experience with a full food and beverage menu prepared by Rhodes. With Theatre by Rhodes drawing in the mass audience, Rhodes believes a promotion could be a clever way to attract a younger crowd to Rhodes W1. “For those that think they can’t afford it, I want to get them in to enjoy it. At the cinema you have the best mix of age groups – everyone goes to the cinema.”

“I’d love to do [another restaurant in Dubai] but I wouldn’t want it to impact here; I want to make sure that before we do anything else, we get this back on track and continue to make Twenty10 a success. Then I would perhaps look further afield, but at the moment, I’m in no hurry.”

Out to lunch

Talking Turkey Turkish restaurateur Umut Özkanca and chef Colin Clague introduce Rüya, Dubai’s first contemporary Anatolian restaurant, lounge and bar

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hen most people think of Turkish cuisine, greasy kebabs and garlic mayonnaise spring to mind. However, second generation Turkish restaurateur and entrepreneur Umut Özkanca, and Colin Clague, previous head chef of Jean Georges Dubai, Qbara and Zuma in London and Dubai, are determined to change this with the opening of Rüya in Dubai’s Grosvenor House Hotel. The latest concept from d.ream Group, which is also a partner in Coya, Nusret and Zuma, Rüya is at the forefront of the Turkish culinary trend – the latest to hit the emirate – and already competitors are springing up, with the opening of Besh Turkish Kitchen at Sheraton Mall of the Emir36

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ates and Fish Beach Taverna, an Aegean-inspired eatery located on The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi beach.

Encouraging diners to throw out their preconceptions will be the challenge these pioneers face when introducing the market to real Anatolian cuisine.

“Here you get a donner kebab after a night out, but Turkish food is so not that,” explains Colin Clague, who has been working on the concept for the past four months. “The sheer size of the country, and the fact that there are dishes from more than 3,000 years ago means you can play around with it all day. That’s what attracted me to the concept – it’s about playing and creating. Turkey is the same size as France and Germany; it’s enormous and has influences from everywhere.

It’s a bit of Middle Eastern, and to the North it’s a

Out to lunch Ruya interior

Ruya interior

bit Hungarian then Ottoman.” Özkanca, who operates 10 restaurants in Turkey, first encountered Clague during a visit to one of the chef’s previous places of work, Qbara, which specialised in new-age Arabic cuisine. “I was doing research on contemporary Middle Eastern cuisines but I couldn’t see any that impressed me. Then it was our last day in Dubai and I checked out Qbara, where I tasted the whole menu and thought it was something different, because the beginning of Middle Eastern food was there but the other 90% is totally different.”

Bringing Turkish cuisine to the global stage has been a lifelong dream for Özkanca whose father has been in the restaurant business for almost 50 years, and has spent his life researching Anatolian cuisine. “My father has a huge treasure of recipes, dishes and for the past years I was always thinking about how I could take this food and create it in a contemporary, modern way abroad, because our cuisine is really large.”

One of the key aims of Clague and Özkanca is to elevate Turkish cuisine in Dubai to the same status as that of Western European cuisines, and they aim to

“Turkey is the same size as France and Germany; it’s enormous and has influences from everywhere.

It’s a bit of Middle Eastern, and to the North it’s a bit Hungarian then Ottoman” - Colin Clague do this by recreating age-old Turkish dishes with a modern presentation. However, Clague is keen to steer away from the word ‘fusion’.

“The DNA of Turkish food is fantastic; it really is tasty and it’s just tweak-

ing that a bit with no elements of fusion; just presenting it in a different way, making it a bit lighter and healthier. A lot of Middle Eastern food is heavily spiced and Turkish food has some of that, but you’re relying on the quality of ingredients a lot more with Turkish food,” says the chef.

The menu is being launched with just 50 dishes, and this will evolve as Clague learns more and more about Anatolian cuisine. “I can see myself visiting Turkey every year, twice a year and just learning little bits,” he says.

Mezze, street food, mussels, fish and lamb dishes, and traditional Turkish pide are on the menu, and these will be complemented with traditional cooking techniques and equipment, on show in the restaurant’s open kitchen.

“There will be hot and cold starters and in the centre of the restaurant we’ll have a huge oven; one side is making breads and pides (Turkish pitta), and the other side is for kebabs, which are horizontal, not minced – full lamb or chicken meat marinated and sliced thickly, and we’re going to incorporate that into the pide,” says Clague. The restaurant will bring in whole lambs from Turkey, and a nose-toOctober 2016 Catering NEWS ME

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Out to lunch Mussels - midye dolma

“Anatolia is where civilisation started. We’d like to introduce our cuisine in a contemporary way abroad. London is good, and if we manage to do it there, we will move anywhere” - Umut Özkanca tail approach incorporated with different parts of the animal used for kebabs and stews, meaning butchery skills will be required in the kitchen. As many ingredients as possible will be sourced from Turkey, such as yoghurt, dried fruit, vegetables, fish, spices – and Özkanca’s very own pistachios and quinoa. And while the traditional Turkish claypot cooking technique is not hygienic enough for the UAE, Clague will implement slow cooking techniques for certain dishes. He is also keen to have plenty of healthy options on the menu to help dispel the association of Turkish cuisine with greasy fast food. And crucially, according to Clague, the price must be right to encourage loyalty. “It’s got to be healthy,

Stambal - a Turkish dessert

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Calamari - citir kalamar

homely and affordable; we want it to be high-end but at a realistic price because we want people to come back at least once a week,” he says.

The menu has been developed in one of Özkanca’s test kitchens in Turkey, but sourcing the right elements in Turkey to give the dishes a more refined presentation has been a challenge for Clague.

“You can’t get all the ingredients in Turkey to make the dishes prettier, so I’m telling Umit’s father that if we get the dish we’re 70% happy with in Turkey, we’ll get it back to Dubai and elevate it by another 30%. So far, we haven’t had any disasters.” Özkanca is also keen to educate diners on Turkish grape – another element of Anatolian fare that has been largely overlooked – and asserts that 15% of the collection will be from Turkey. “The quality of grape has increased; you can get really good beverage varieties from small dealers and we’re going to introduce these to

the local market too,” he says.

Clague adds: “When I opened Zuma in Istanbul in 2006, I didn’t know any better and thought Turkish grape was terrible.

The last few trips I’ve done to the vineyards, I’ve found some stunning varieties.

You come to an Anatolian restaurant, and part of it is tasting Anatolian beverages.”

Finding the talent to carry forward the concept has been easier than expected.

While Clague never takes staff from his most recent place of work, he claims he has been inundated with requests from chefs he has worked with before and those he hasn’t – many of them Turkish. Özkanca too has brought some staff from his restaurants in Turkey, specifically those who are experts in pide and kebabs.

“I put a video on Facebook and 180 CVs came in – some I’d worked with before and some not. Quite a lot were from Turkey, which is a no-brainer, and we’re also bringing in some masters from Turkey for example to make the bread, and

Out to lunch

do the kebabs and butchery, so these guys will bring their DNA and we’ll also get their recipes,” says Clague. At full capacity, Rüya will have 24 people working in the kitchen, with the total workforce to number 55 for the 240-seat restaurant.

In line with Özkanca’s original ambition, the team won’t stop at the Dubai opening, and already has plans for its first venture in London, where Turkish food is popular. “We’re looking at London and various other places after this. It has to be Knightsbridge, Mayfair, etc., not Finsbury Park with the rest of them,” says Clague with a grin. Özkanca adds: “Anatolia is where civilisation started. We’d like to introduce our cuisine in a contemporary way abroad.

London is good, and if we manage to do it there, we will move anywhere. The product we have doesn’t have any competitors on the market; you’re not seeing contemporary Lebanese or Egyptian concepts that have made it like Hakkasan, Zuma or Nobu in this market. That’s our advantage; people want to explore new things and eat real food.”

ADV_HOST_CateringNewsMiddleEast_90x242mm_19Sett.indd 1

19/09/16 14:40

Europe's Foodie Secret

As part of the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016, Catering News Middle East was invited by Invest Northern Ireland to explore the country’s vast array of local producers looking to capitalise on the Middle East’s burgeoning foodservice sector

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orthern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink 2016 is aimed at raising the profile of the country’s rich gastronomic heritage among local people, visitors and global export markets. Food and drink is Northern Ireland’s largest manufacturing industry, providing employment for 100,000 people across its extensive supply chain. In 2014, the

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food and drink industry contributed £5 billion (US $6.51 billion) to the economy and generated international sales of £4 billion ($5.21 billion).

Almost 75% of the country’s food and drink is sold outside of Northern Ireland to more than 60 countries including the US, Asia and the Middle East. With 30,000 farms, largely family owned, Northern Ireland provides a

comprehensive range of quality raw materials including grass-fed beef, lamb, poultry, milk, potatoes and vegetables.

Catering News Middle East was invited by Invest Northern Ireland on a gastronomic journey through the country to meet the producers looking to grow their presence in the Middle East, and capitalise on the region’s booming foodservice and hospitality sector.

Special Report The factory of Pritchitts, the foodservice division of Lakeland Dairies

LAKELAND DAIRIES

Lakeland Dairies has a supplier base of over 2,000 family farms in Ireland, handed down from father to son. It collects more than 800 million litres of fresh pasture produced milk every year and this is transformed into a wide variety of quality dairy products for the foodservice industry. Catering News visited the company’s factory just outside Belfast to speak to Dermot Farrell, general manager of the foodservice division.

What products do you offer the foodservice industry?

With modern processing plants in four strategically located factory sites, we offer customised solutions to food manufacturers around the world. Our powders are tailored for functionality and tested for quality in order to get the best out of the natural goodness of Irish milk. Our range of long-life milks, creams and dairy mixes are renowned and our ability to deliver is enhanced by our logistics capacity. The well-known products we manufacture are things like mini-pots, Milk in a Stick, and small butter portions.

What are the most popular products you supply to the Middle East?

The biggest suite of products are our cream products, which we sell to hotels and bakery companies. We use Millac and that’s a range of creams that are 100% dairy based, cream blends and bakery creams that are almost entirely non-dairy. Milk powders is another

business but the Middle East wouldn’t register in our top five markets for those.

Are you launching any new products for the Middle East market?

Milk in a Stick is a relatively new product for the Middle East and we’re rolling it out further in the next 12 months. We’ve also invested on improving some of our creams and have the next generation with improved functionality on the way and we’ll be targeting the Middle East for those.

Who are your main competitors on the Middle East market?

The French cream brands are the highend competitors but I think our creams perform just as well. I think the French companies now compare themselves to us in terms of performance. Ireland won’t have the same reputation as French produce in high-end hotels, but our food is just as good.

Millac Gold, the company’s dairy cream brand

SUKI TEA

Belfast boutique loose leaf tea blender, Suki Tea was launched in 2005 by business partners Anne Irwin and Oscar Woolley with the aim of providing the finest loose leaf teas, herbal infusions and fruit blends from around the world to their customers. Having travelled in Asia, the pair learned a lot about the ethical sourcing of tea, and today this continues to be the linchpin of their business. Winners of more than 37 Great Taste Awards, the company provides black tea, green tea, white and oolong tea, and fruit and herbal infusions from Tanzania and Rwanda, and customers can choose between loose varieties and pyramid shaped bags. Each carefully crafted blend has a quirky, playful name, such as ‘Apple Loves Mint’, ‘Earl Grey Blue Flower’, and ‘Spiced Cocoa Chai’, which has a hint of chocolate. Today the company supplies to retail and is looking to tap into the foodservice industry in the Middle East, through partnerships with artisan coffee and tea houses. Oscar Woolley told Catering News: “Coffee is always served by an expert, whereas tea is enjoyed at home mainly so we thought we would give the customer that experience; we want to bring the ritual of tea serving back.”

Oscar Woolley, Suki Tea

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McCann’s Harvest

P. McCann & Sons packs and processes apples, pears, pure apple juice and cider in Armagh, Northern Ireland, and sources its products from local growers to achieve a high quality product, which is sold to the retail and foodservice industry. Founded in 1968 by Patsy McCann in a small pack house at the back of the McCann family homestead, the company is now listed with all major supermarket chains across Ireland and the UK, and sales continue to grow in the wholesale and catering markets. In addition to its dessert apples, Bramley apples and pears, in 2006, the company began to produce its own pure apple juice and apple county cider, using local and UK apples. Plans are underway for a new state-of-the-art juice and cider processing plant along with increased storage facilities, enabling the company to improve customer service and generate more sales. McCann’s assists growers in meeting the highest accreditation required by the EEC standards and auditing bodies, and has fully automated traceability systems in place.

Oliver McCann, managing director, McCann Apples

Linden Foods development chef Robert cooks up Kettyle burgers, lamb rack, rump and tomahawk

KETTYLE IRISH FOODS

Kettyle Irish foods has been supplying meat to the Middle East market for the past four years, with Jumeirah Group, Nobu Dubai, Dusit International and Marriott International among its regional clients. Proud to call itself the original dry aged company, Kettyle has a focus on sustainability and cave aging, which offers extra control over the quality of meat produced. Catering News sat down with the company’s managing director, Maurice Kettyle to find out more.

What sets Kettyle Irish Foods apart from its competitors?

I think it’s the story behind Kettyle: we have our own farms, our own feed mills; we control all of the medicine used on the farms. Our sustainability story is about looking after the small farmers for the future. Top to tail has always been our strategy from the start in 2004, so we are working with chefs for better utilisation of the whole animal – some of the forgotten cuts are as important to our company as fillets and striploins.

Tell us about your dry aging focus?

We are the original dry aged company and we now have salt chambers, which enhance the meat further. It takes another 5 – 6% of the moisture content out of the meat so that it has a sweeter, rounder flavour. I think it’s nice to tell the

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whole story – chefs should be able to tell customers why they’ve paid a premium for this product, and the whole sustainability story behind the meat. I think a dry aging cabinet in a restaurant is a lovely idea and makes a difference to the end consumer.

How does your background as a vet help you as a meat producer?

Well I’m also a farmer’s son through and through, but understanding the animals and their feeding regimes, the seasonality and what farmers have to do right through to the autonomy of the animal – it’s individual muscles and the muscles within muscles – is important. I understand what’s more tender, more flavourful, what can be used for braising, roasting, for steak or how you can make it into the perfect burger.

Kettyle uses a rounded approach with the agricultural, the veterinary side and working closely with chefs then communicating back to the end consumers.

Who are you targeting in the Middle East?

We are still small within the territory and we think there’s lots of potential – we’ve grown in the UK & Ireland to 700 restaurants on a daily basis with a total of 26 Michelin stars. With the Middle East, we’re always at the mercy of distributors and logistics but our strategy is the same as it is anywhere else. This is our fourth season in Dubai. We’re distributing through Fresh Express for the foodservice industry and Pan Euro Foods for retail.

Special Report

One of Nothern Ireland’s major tourist attractions, Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption

WHITES

White’s was founded in 1841 in Armagh, and supplies traditional porridge oats, instant porridge oats and ready to eat toasted oats and granolas. With an annual turnover of £12 million ($15.59 million), White’s has been part of the Fane Valley Co-Operative Society since 1994, which has a turnover of £555 million ($721.09m). Currently, White’s exports to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Spain, Malta, and the US. The company’s products have also been available in the UAE’s retail market for eight years and can be purchased in Spinneys and Lulu.

For the foodservice industry, White’s is looking to promote its 2kg bags of oats, which can be bought in 25kg bulk packs.

Caroline Wilson, Taste & Tour hosted a stationary Belfast food tour, showcasing Walter Ewing smoked salmon, Barnhill apple juice and Abernethy butter among other products

LINWOODS

The Linwoods brand, built on dairy and bakery, was founded in 1985, and was successfully developed in retail stores across Northern Ireland during the years that followed. The company moved into the health foods sector in 2004 when it began importing organic flaxseed from Canada, which it mills and sells in consumer packs. Canadian flax is noted for its extremely high levels of Omega 3 oils and the customer response was extremely positive from the outset.

On the back of this initial success, Linwoods started to expand the number of products on offer, and today the company’s ‘Healthy Superfood’ range includes an assortment of nutritionally dense mixes comprising flaxseed, chia

seeds, nuts, berries, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and hemp. The packs are currently stocked in all major health food outlets throughout the UK and Ireland and now extend to 20 other countries, including the UAE.

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KESTREL

Kestrel is a family owned and managed high growth business specialising in dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Innovation led, with a focus on taste and quality, the company sources its products globally, packages and processes them locally and distributes 13.7% of its products to more than 30 international markets, including the Middle East.

In the foodservice industry, Kestrel is working with British Airways and Pret A Manger and Costa in the Middle East, and in retail, Kestrel products are available in Spinneys and LuLu. Products include the Premium Fruit Doy Pack, a signature dried fruit range from Forest Feast, using the finest quality traditional and exotic dried fruit for snacking, baking and cooking.

The Chocolate Quad Pack from Forest Feast features dried fruit snacks hand-coated in milk, white and dark Belgian chocolate, while the Savoury Doy Pack from Forest Feast is a range of premium nut and seed products, such as Sweet and Salty Honey Sesame Peanuts and Chilli Lemon Cashew Nuts.

The company’s Street Food range is the newest addition to the Forest Feast family and was first developed for British Airways. Influenced by world flavour trends from the US, Thailand, India, Spain and Asia, the range includes Louisiana Hickory Barbeque and Koh Samui Thai Spice, among others.

Andrew Rooney, commercial director, Rooney Fish is preparing to export his oysters to the Middle East

ROONEY FISH

Rooney Fish is a family run business established in Northern Ireland in 1975 and is now in its second generation. Procuring the finest catch from the Irish Sea, the company specialises in whole prawns, and has diversified its offer to include king scallops, whelks, periwinkles, crab, shrimp, lobster, and is now introducing oysters to its range. Andrew Rooney, commercial director, Rooney Fish discusses his plans for bringing his new oyster range to the Middle East.

Why have you decided to start producing oysters?

Three years ago we diversified into oysters and started an oyster farm. We’re putting in a 14-tonne depuration system at the minute and having it approved by the Food Safety Authority (FSA). It will be able to do one tonne of oysters in 42 hours. For the first time, we entered the Great Taste Awards and we got three gold stars and were listed in the top 50 foods. We’re delighted because there were seven other farms from around the world, including one farm in the Republic of Ireland that’s been there for years and we beat them!

Where do you export to?

Rooney Fish has offices in Spain, France and Italy so that looks after Europe and we’ve been selling there for years. The whelks mainly go to Korea and and China buys the brown crab. We began exporting to Asia last year. We’ve done Gulfood and SEAFEX with the brown crab and langoustine, but we don’t have enough langoustine to support the Middle East region in addition to Europe. I’m now pushing the oyster for the Middle East.

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When will you begin supplying oysters to the Middle East?

Whenever the farm is up and running. It’s just my first year, but I should be doing 340 tonnes per year depending on sizes and what you’re looking for. At the minute I’m sitting with about 80% over 16% yield which are specials (above 16% meat yield). We bought half grown oysters from Gillardeau and the company bought everything and said they were the best oysters they’d had – 80% of them were specials, but the company we bought them from could only produce 20% specials.

How do you achieve such a high meat yield from your oysters?

It depends how you manage the farm.

Conventional bags are flat, but we’ve gone for a bigger bag; there’s plenty of room, and if you put fewer in, nicer oysters come out. You need to keep the right shape and get the depth, which is the meat. It also depends on how many times you go out and check, and how many times you turn the bag. An oyster starts the size of your nail and then it grows. The first year you’re building the shell up and then you’re building the meat up so you have to move them to different areas of the farm depending on what stage they are at. I know when I shake one if it’s full of meat or if it needs more time.

Do you have a supplier in the Middle East for your products?

I’ve got a good relationship with Fresh Express, but it just depends who will do the right job supplying them – I’m all about quality service. The oysters are ready now!

Special Report BFREE

BFree Foods was founded in Northern Ireland in 2011 to bring tasty, gluten- and wheat-free breads to the market. All of the company’s products are free from the most common allergens such as gluten, wheat, dairy, soy, eggs and nuts and the range is also suitable for vegans and has no added sugar. The company produces a wide range of healthy bakery products including breads, rolls, pittas, wraps and bagels. The products are low in fat, and high in fibre and retain an authentic taste.

Currently BFREE products are stocked in Lulu, Spinneys and Park n’ Shop and the company has recently entered a partnership with Emirates Golf Club, and is looking to work with more foodservice companies in the Middle East region.

HEAVENLY

Heavenly Organic Superfoods, which produces healthy, organic products for children, is the brainchild of Shauna Blair, a mum of three children and a lover of all things organic and nutritious.

Shauna first came up with the idea for Heavenly when she realised there were limited choices of baby food products in Northern Ireland for children with allergies. Shauna began creating a guilt-free range of organic baby weaning meals and now Heavenly has moved into snacks, such as Halo Bites, Coconut Squishies, Crispy Veggie Waffles, and Mini Italian Breadsticks with no added salt or sugar. Heavenly products are available in Spinneys in Dubai and LuLu in Abu Dhabi.

The company partnered with The Change Initiative, and is looking to expand its products further into the foodservice industry in the Middle East.

RULE OF CRUMB

Rule of Crumb offers a range of gluten-free items, with its range spanning breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Currently the company is present in LuLu and Carrefour in the Middle East, and has this month initiated a partnership with 4 Corners to drive up its sales in the region. Rule of Crumb does gluten-free individual portion packs of cornflakes and choco balls, garlic bread and freshly baked bread rolls, chicken goujons or kiev, fillet and breaded breast, all of which are made with halal chicken, and fish fillet or fish fingers, created using unprocessed cod. Sweet options include profiteroles and chocolate chip or blueberry muffins. The products are ideal for hotels, airlines and restaurants looking to serve a wide range of great tasting gluten-free products without the risk of cross-contamination.

The art of great cooking

MKN Middle East & Africa Phone: +97 150 5 58 74 77 E-Mail: rac@mkn-middle-east.com

The german specialist in professional cooking technology

www.mkn.eu

October 2016 Catering NEWS ME

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ROUNDTABLE

(Front for L-R) Jay Williams, executive chef, Westin Mina Seyahi; Sascha Triemer, vice president culinary, Atlantis The Palm; Matthew Dahlkemper, executive chef, Firebird, Four Seasons DIFC (Centre L-R) Daniel Ferreira, head chef, J&G's Steakhouse, St. Regis Habtoor City; Elizna Botha, head chef, 1762 (Back L-R) Alex Ferriss, group executive chef, Jones The Grocer; Brian Voelzing, head chef, The Hide, Jumeirah Group; Alessandro Miceli, head chef, Roberto's DIFC

FARM TO FORK

Catering News in association with New Zealand poultry supplier Tegel, gathered a group of the UAE’s top chefs to discuss the evolution of traceability in meat and poultry products 48

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Roundtable vironment the animals are brought up in.

In terms of products coming through the Middle East, I think it’s very difficult; it’s a huge challenge and has a big impact on the industry. People are becoming more aware, but it’s a long way off if you compare it to Europe or the States where you can go down to the farm and hand-pick your products as opposed to it being done miles away.

Alex Ferriss: In other parts of the world you can go and hand-pick your poultry and be a lot more hands-on. In the UK, everything was from a 10 -20mile radius, but here that’s not going to happen, so there’s a reliance on the suppliers to assist you with some of that information. Obviously we want to be involved and research and seek out that information too.

Do you use local poultry?

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atering News Middle East in collaboration with New Zealand poultry brand Tegel gathered a group of Dubai’s top chefs for a roundtable discussion at Hunters Room & Grill, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi on the growth of traceability in the Middle East’s meat and poultry industry. The discussion explored the increasing importance of traceability for chefs and consumers and the specific challenges this region faces

What does traceability mean to you as a chef?

Sascha Triemer: It’s very important to have traceability in place, especially in this environment. When it comes from suppliers to distributors in the UAE, traceability is pretty much established.

But it’s also important to have traceability in place once the produce reaches the hotel. At Atlantis we have 23 restaurants, and once produce is distributed to all the restaurants, you need to have your traceability and monitoring forms in place so

that staff can make sure that when a cut goes to a certain restaurant it is written down and can be traced back to the the supplier and the batch.

Jay Williams: We are HACCP accredited probably like everyone here, so we can only use HACCP-accredited suppliers and this is mainly from a food hygiene perspective. I guess the other side of traceability is if you know the story of the product it’s a good selling point.

How familiar are you with the farmers that supply the meat for your restaurants?

Daniel Ferreira: I think it’s more of a challenge to know the farmers; you can find out but it depends how far you want to take it as a chef or as a business. Are you willing to learn, so you can tell the story to the customer? People want to hear the stories, and they are becoming more educated. I know that we’ve got a meat farmer in Australia and they’ve been audited, and we’ve gone there and seen them – the product, the farm and the en-

Matthew Dahlkemper: The local things in the UAE are not quite as good in terms of quality as produce from other places. For me coming from the States, I was working a 15-minute drive from where the ingredients were being harvested and now you don’t have that and I think the consumer here might be slightly more forgiving to the restaurants because they know how little can come from this area.

Sascha: There is some local produce here, but there is a limited time in which you can use it; only six to seven months of the year. Another challenge is the quantities required by hotels; the local producers can’t create those quantities. There are local vegetables and local chickens, but I’m very careful when it’s branded organic because all the restrictions are not in place yet for the UAE. I think they are trying really hard, and it’s good to see more local produce, but we find that you get samples in and then once you try and roll it out there are limitations in the supply chain so we can only use it in one or two restaurants max. The key is to work closely with distributors here in Dubai and then with the suppliers back wherever you get your products from. Dubai is still one of the biggest importers when it comes to food and it will stay like this for a while because you can’t really grow any good quality meat here.

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NEW ZEALAND TEGEL CHICKEN New Zealand’s premium poultry producer is now available to chefs across the UAE through Country Hill International.

Tegel Chicken is a premium quality chicken, which provides a unique flavour and succulent, tender texture every time. All Tegel chickens are: • Free from growth hormones • Naturally healthy with no injections • Free of antibiotics Depending on what you’re after, Tegel can offer barn-raised or corn-fed free range products.

Tegel’s range of products includes whole chickens, portions and further processed products, such as shredded chicken, chicken tenders, chicken bacon and more.

For a full product list, more information and samples, please contact Jake: E: jake@southerncrossme.com T: +971 55 631 4108 W: www.tegel.co.nz

Alessandro Miceli: Some of the very nice products that come in from Italy, the suppliers don’t have any documentation to be in this country and that’s very difficult for me. They don’t even speak English and trying to convince them to deal directly with my restaurant is very difficult.

How important is it to do site visits so you can see where you’re getting your meat from?

Brian Voelzing: I’m going to Ireland next week and we get beef from Spain and they sent one of our chefs there to see the farm, so I think suppliers are good at sending chefs to their farms. You get to see the factory, the farm and how well suppliers take care of the products.

Matt: When I was in Florida I went to a lot of farms and about an hour and a half away there was an alligator supplier. I visited his farm and his processing is immaculate. He’s got it down to a tee, you could eat off the floor the alligators are processed on.

You get an idea of how people are working then you see it firsthand and it makes you trust more.

Daniel: And then when you’ve seen it, you can talk about it more genuinely to customers and staff.

Alex: I think it’s important to be able to send junior chefs because they get more of an appreciation and understanding for the product. The guys you have working with you maybe haven’t seen chickens growing in an environment that’s good. Then they can start to see good product and understand how it works.

Sascha: I agree; if there’s already an established relationship with a supplier, to keep that relationship it’s good to send the junior chefs in so they can see. We’re all able to travel around and do things because of where we come from, but there are a lot of people that don’t have the chance, so it’s good for them to travel, and it’s a good thing for staff retention.

Daniel: A lot of chefs that go through the Middle East have no respect for products, because they’re not exposed to the knowledge and the base of it, and I think it’s important they see that.

How important is traceability for food hygiene and food safety?

Matt: It’s extremely important: the municipality will get you

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Jay: Even from a legal point of view, if you don’t have that traceability you’re leaving yourself wide open. If something was to happen in the hotel and you can’t prove that every single process was done right, or there’s a gap in the process somewhere, then you’re done!

Does anyone else use any interesting technology to track traceability?

Alessandro: We are connected directly to all of the appliances in the kitchen through the internet, so the temperature of the fridge goes directly to the municipality. You do the documentation online and they check it before they come. I would spend an hour and a half just to show them all the documentation so it helps with transparent information that they can check daily, even without you.

Elizna Botha: I’m using that as well

and I get an alert if the fridges are offtemperature and the municipality can access it. We supply to a lot of retail as well, so all our clients can access it and see if our fridges are at the right temperature at all times.

How do you communicate the traceability story to customers?

Daniel: It’s a huge responsibility. We have to educate our customers, especially in this region. We do it through our chefs and service staff. People can relate to it,

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and as soon as you can relate to a product you feel more comfortable. It’s the whole change of the culinary industry and it’s a big thanks to Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay for educating the general public. People are becoming more aware; they want to know where their products come from, how they’re cooked and the story behind them.

Jay: It creates loyalty with your customers when you’re telling a story about something you already know and are passionate about, and they’ll probably go and tell their friends. I find people are more conscious now.

There’s a price involved, but people are definitely asking questions about where it comes from and what we’re doing to ensure the best quality, the best service and the best product.

Alex: It’s a big thing with Jones.

We do cooking classes weekly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and that’s a massive selling point and opportunity for us to educate, and that’s where we try and bring in new ingredients. It might be one month educating them on how to cook something very simple at home and then maybe the next month it’s something more elaborate, but it’s a huge part of our operation.

Alessandro: I think it’s a bit of a challenge; it’s not only the floor, it’s teaching staff as well. It’s trying to invest in them and after, the training should be daily for the staff. Everyone, even the receptionist should know what kind of meat is being used and where it comes from. The issue is some staff don’t want to be waitresses or chefs, they are working just for a salary and this is where it is a big challenge for us. Training, training, training, this is the best way to get the right message to the customer.

Are consumers willing to pay for better quality meat if they know the story behind it?

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chicken from a certain region then you obviously have to charge more and the consumers here in Dubai are price-sensitive so they’ll say, ‘why do I have to pay for chicken for x amount when I can get it for much less?’. So that’s a big challenge.

Alex: I think that’s where poultry is a bit behind because there isn’t that knowledge. There’s chicken that’s x price and then there’s organic chicken, which is 10 times more expensive, so consumers are a bit behind and don’t understand the price point so just take the cheaper one. Trying to use the more ethical or better quality chicken in a restaurant then takes the price up again, and it’s a bit confusing for consumers. Education on poultry is in the early stages, whereas with beef and lamb it’s a bit further along.

Is organic an attractive word to consumers and do people understand what it is?

Matt: I don’t think people do understand what it is, but I think they like hearing it. ‘Organic’ resonates more than ‘natural’ or ‘free-range’ or any of those other descriptors even though your client doesn’t know exactly what it is. Quite frankly, a lot of them don’t care, but they think they are doing something better.

Sascha: I think for the retail industry, probably more, because it’s a bit like a fashion statement. I sometimes see myself buying organic and it’s double the price.

Liz: We have organic eggs and chicken. The taste is similar, not that different but we get more people buying the organic items.

For our organic sandwiches, consumers buy double the amount.

Umm Ramoul, Next to Emirates NBD Tel : +971 4 284 3322 / 04 284 3966 Email: info@falconkitchen.com www.gelatotek.com

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Products

Raise A Glass

Catering News unearths the glassware products adding a sparkle

RCR CRISTALLERIA ITALIANA SPA RCR Cristalleria Italiana Spa, represented

by Blue Ribbon LLC in the Middle East, stocks the Melodia range, its bestseller in the tableware and hospitality segments.

Giving its glassware products a differentiating factor against competitor brands, the company developed Luxion, a brilliant crystal glass, which is transparent, dishwasher resistant and is used on all of the company’s products. Luxion enhances the sensorial profile of beverages it contains, without altering taste or flavour or impacting colour. Its lightness and strength make it suitable for the professional catering industry, which demands versatile, durable products that can withstand multiple dishwasher cycles. Staying ahead of the trends is key to the company, which sees heavy, deep-cut luxury glassware making a resurgence in the hospitality industry, in addition to retro styling set against traditional shapes.

T. +971 4 257 3131 E. info@blueribbonme.com W: www.blueribbonme.com

Krosno glassware

HOTELITY Hotelity’s glassware range, Krosno is distinguished in the industry for eternal designs and excellence in quality. This year, Hotelity has launched Fusion from the Sensei collection and Elegance from the handmade range. Since 2015, Crystalline has been used in most of the automatically formed glassware production. This type of glassware production allows for higher durability and better transparency and has improved the parameters of Krosno glassware in terms of clouding by offering it more resistance during dishwasher cycles. Krosno has been a renowned global glass manufacturer for over 90 years and can be distinguished by its varied range, which consists of collections of tableware, glass for grape tasting and other beverages, and decorated glassware. Krosno handcrafted glass stands out against massproduced products, by offering a touch of uniqueness. The range features crystal clear transparent glass products without heavy metal content, guaranteeing design and execution of the highest quality. Hotelity keeps stocks in Dubai allowing it to offer competitive pricing. The company’s clients range from high-end restaurants to standalone cafes. The next step for the company will be collaborating with bar consultancies to develop a range of barware to keep up to date with the latest developments in that field.

T: +9714 2247373 E: anna@hotelity.net W: www.hotelity.net

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A. RONAI LLC Ronai has a number of glassware lines in its portfolio, suitable for fine dining to café style restaurants. The company also supplies unique and on-trend pieces, including mason jars and coupe-style glassware.

Often determined on the style of a particular outlet, glassware can enhance the look of the table or provide a more novelty piece for a specialty drink, and Ronai has a host of ranges available in a variety of capacities to suit all requirements. In the case of its Italian and Austrian brands, the glassware is available in stock at very competitive pricing, providing customers with a high level of service and delivery. Having just completed a series of trade shows and exhibitions Ronai will now be focusing on enquiries from across the Middle East.

With the continued growth and coming attractions for the region, the company anticipates a busy end of the year.

T: +971 4 3414409 E: enquiries@ronai.ae W: www.ronai.ae

Products BAHRAJA Sugahara (SGHR) is a new collection of handmade Japanese glassware, available from Bahraja in the Middle East. One of the best-selling products in the range is the Ange glass plate, which has a raised circular section shaped like an angel’s halo. Each of Sugahara’s glass blowers – one of whom has been with the company for 50 years – has signature expertise in making each of the pieces.

They undergo almost 10 years’ training to perfect their techniques in order to create unique finishes and shapes. According to Bahraja, hotels and high-end restaurants are increasingly looking to make their table settings and presentations unique, and in order to do so they need products that are not mass produced. As sales of SGHR (Sugahara) glassware in Japan increase year on year, the company is looking to drive business in overseas markets, and strengthen its association with Bahraja General Trading LLC, the company’s representative in the Middle East.

T +9714 2672353 E: bahraja@eim.ae W: www.sugahara.com

VILLEROY & BOCH In 2016 Villeroy & Boch launched a new, simple drinking glass concept for the demanding hotel and gastronomy industries, with the belief that where efficiency matters most, complex assortments and difficult to comprehend concepts have no place. The concept includes the collections La Divina, Maxima, Purismo and Entrée and offers the right glass for every use in all price segments. Villeroy & Boch’s glassware presents an uncomplicated assortment for the glass purists of the world; designed and manufactured in Europe to the highest degree of quality, it comes with years of experience and knowledge. It is a comprehensive glassware selection meeting perfectly with beverages for every occasion.

1765 GEMINI For fine dining outlets, 1765 Gemini’s Experience and Quatrophil ranges are highly successful. They stand out with their wine performance and their elegant design. However, for everyday dining and banqueting, Exquisit and Weinland are the best selling items.

These ranges convince with their optimal functionality and excellent price to quality ratio. According to 1765 Gemini, functionality is still the most important feature in the foodservice industry for glassware products, combined with a great design and value to the market. The company also sees the trend of colours coming back to the table and bar environment, and has created a range of glassware in earthy and metallic tones.

The tumbler ranges, Elements and Twister are available in olive, amber and smoky grey, while the latest arrival Olympic is available in gold, silver and bronze.

T: +49 (0) 68 64 81 13 44 E: rauch.jessika@villeroy-boch.com W: www.villeroy-boch.asia/en/

T: +971 43884773 E: sophie@1765gemini.com W: www.1765gemini.com

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Products RENARTE The Perfect Serve Collection by Stephen Hinz, created by Bavarian glass producer, Spiegelau, is Renarte’s best-selling glassware range.

Developed in collaboration with industry experts, The Perfect Serve Collection contains 10 products designed to cater to the modern bar, with each glass sized to accommodate every beverage, whether classic, inventive or whimsical. With specially cut decoration, the glasses have a unique refraction and brilliance, showing the composition of beverages with a simplistic design. The glasses have brilliant optics, and are balanced in size and weight. They fit well into off-the-shelf coolers for pre-cooling and are scratch and break resistance and dishwasher safe.

BORMIOLI LUIGI SPA The latest glassware range from Italian glassmaker, Bormioli Luigi, supplied in the Middle East by Schonwald, is Lock-Eat, a preserving and serving jar line of glassware featuring retro design and an innovative closure function. Each jar and carafe comes with a glass cover, stainless steel wire closure and a natural rubber gasket for airtight closure. The stainless steel wire closure is a Bormioli Luigi's patent, completely detachable glass lid for easy, stylish serving on the table. The range is suitable for serving individual food preparations in preserving jars, which is a trend in the foodservice industry.

T: +971 4 435 6994 E: renarte@eim.ae W: www.renartellc.com

T: +971504800937 E: allen@bormioliluigi.it W: www.bormioliluigi.com

BAR EQUIPMENT What is unique about your wine dispensing unit?

By the Glass is very user friendly. Installation, calibration and operation of the machine can be handled by a bartender or an in-house wine sommelier. The machine is completely customised to order and can be designed to fit the available space, décor and ambience of the restaurant or bar. At the press of a button, By the Glass dispenses a precise, temperature-controlled glass of wine within less than 10 seconds.

What is the most important feature of the perfect bar equipment?

The most important feature of bar equipment is preservation, along with temperature control and precise portion control.

By the Glass connects to a nitrogen or argon cylinder, which displaces the wine poured from the bottle into a glass. The inert gas prevents the wine from coming into direct contact with air, helping extend the shelf life of the product. An open 56

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Muddle Me sales executive Suraj Anthraper presents the company’s best-selling bar equipment product, the By the Glass modular wine dispenser bottle of wine in a refrigerator has a shelf life of four to five days, while By the Glass will keep an open bottle of wine fresh for up to 18-20 days.

What are the latest trends in bar equipment?

The Middle East bar fraternity is on par with some of the best bars in the Western world. Bars use techniques from molecular gastronomy, like under vacuum cooking, to make infusions using sous vide thermal circulators; clarification of juices using centrifuge machines; and aromatised bitters using Rotary Vacuum Evaporators. Muddle Me is always on the hunt for new equipment in the industry in order to increase awareness among the UAE bar professionals and provide the best equipment to elevate the bar standards to an international level.

T: +971 4 517 8111 E: info@muddle-me.com W: www.muddle-me.com

Spill the beans

1,000 sushi

rolls s old pe r month

Spill the beans

Chef Shigeki Limura, worldwide corporate Japanese chef of Buddha Bar Group visited the UAE last month on a Nikkei tour to promote the restaurant’s JapanesePeruvian fusion flavours nities to explore for restaurateurs. If one is passionate about food, it won’t be difficult to see the missing gaps.

Please describe the concept of Barfly Abu Dhabi?

Barfly by Buddha Bar is the only neo-baroque mystic lounge concept in Abu Dhabi, offering guests the luxury and comfort of an intimate restaurant. The atmosphere of Barfly is multi-dimensional depending on the time of day; be it a relaxing afternoon lounge offering shisha, an intimate bar setting for late afternoon or pre-dinner drinks and the dining experience in the evening with the energy in the room ever-increasing as the night progresses.

Please tell us about the Nikkei tour you are in town promoting?

The focus of my visit is to promote and educate gourmands of the UAE to a whole new cuisine. There aren’t many restaurants that offer Japanese-Peruvian dishes; we want to be the trendsetters at Barfly and introduce a brand new taste and flavour through the Nikkei tour.

Please describe the menu of Barfly Abu Dhabi?

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What challenges do you face operating Barfly Abu Dhabi?

Eastern cuisine with Western tastes and influences; pushing culinary boundaries with Chinese, Japanese, Thai and other Eastern flavours stylishly entwined to spearhead a new wave of Pacific Rim cuisine.

What is your best-seller on the menu?

Our best-sellers on the menu are sushi, miso cod, dim sum, chargrilled beef and wok.

What is your opinion of the Abu Dhabi restaurant scene?

Through my years of experience, I believe Abu Dhabi’s culinary scene is developing at a steady pace and there are a lot of opportu-

My challenge as worldwide executive chef is to study each of my restaurants and see what works best and to give it the boost it requires.

My vision for Barfly Abu Dhabi is to make it a popular destination for niche flavours, to enjoy with great music and atmosphere.

What are your plans for the next 12 – 18 months of Barfly?

The main menu will get a lift, as we want to offer more of an international food variety and introduce our diners to extraordinary flavours from around the world and build an exciting culinary scene at Barfly.

What are your global plans for the brand?

My global mission for the brand is the same as for Barfly in Abu Dhabi – getting diners acquainted with the fusion flavours and diverse range of international food on our menu.

TEL +971 (0) 4 409 6890 - INFO@WATERFALLSBRANDS.COM - WWW.WATERFALLSBRANDS.COM