August-September 2019

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EDIT ORIA L

Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai)

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Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Abhishek Singh Rathore

he Indian food service sector has seen exceptional growth since last decade and expanded at a rapid pace. The Indian food service industry is growing at a CAGR of 9 percent and as per the latest

estimated figures the market size was Rs 4.23 trillion in 2018-19. The organised food service sector is only 35 percent of the total market as per The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) report. The regional cuisine restaurants are gaining space in the changing face of the industry.

There is no homogeneity of flavour and taste between cuisines from the North and South or between East and West. Food from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Kashmir will be the growth indicators in the Indian restaurant market.

Restaurants from the North East, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh will be showcasing foods in fine dine format. The cover story in its second part further explains which are the best regional cuisines and their popularity. Food processing industry is the integral part of the food industry growth and new entrepreneurs are interested to grab share in this growing sector. The business story views the scenario of the food processing industry and the opportunity it offers to new entrepreneurs.

The success of any restaurant depends on the regular innovation in

Production Assistant Jyoti Gupta Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Director Sales Sanjay Anand Mobile: +91 9811136837 Director Operations Rajat Taneja Mobile: +91 9810315463 Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 45093486, 25704103 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093 Ph.: 022-28395833

menu. A new menu is considered an excellent way to get the visibility

Website: www.fbrmag.com

and break the monotony. Feature story discusses how to ensure the

E-mail: info@hammer.co.in

new menu launch is a success. An excellently designed restaurant is one that enhances the delightful experience of enjoying delectable food by creating a comfortable environment that has style and energy and thus provide the perfect setting for memorable experiences. The design story dwells upon the needs to emphasise on various elements of designing a restaurant. In the theme cuisine section the issue talks about Israeli cuisine. Other regular features on Agri, restaurant, chef, profile and hygiene are also covered in the current issue.

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© 2019 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, edited, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 302, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi.

Editorial Policy: Editorial emphasis in Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing institutional food & beverage business. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

Disclaimer: The editor and publisher believes that all information contained in this publication are correct at the time of publishing.

Content published not necessarily are the opinion or view of the editor and publisher. Editor and publisher declines any responsibility for any action taken based on the information contained in this publication, including liability for error or omission.

Annual subscription rate within India is Rs. 600 and for overseas it is US $180, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 100 in India and US $25 for overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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Contents A U G U ST - S E P T E M B E R 2 01 9

Cover Story

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Departments

Regional Cuisine Event 04

Business

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Processed Food Industry: Set for a leap forward

FEATURE

News 12 50

Report 24

How to Ensure The New Menu Is a Success!

agri

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Red, Sweet and Juicy

DESIGN

Appointment 30

Restaurant 66 58

Designing Theme Restaurant

PROFILE 60

Hygiene 69

Chef Voice

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Product Preview

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Cruising Ahead Against All Odds!

theme cuisine 64 Foods of Israel

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India International Hospitality Expo A premiere Hospitality Event

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he second edition of India International Hospitality Expo (IHE), a 4-day hospitality event spread over 25,000 square metres of expo space was held during 7-10 August 2019 at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida Expressway becomes a leading networking forum, witnessing trade discussions, knowledge sessions, gastronomic demonstrations, master classes, awards night and more.

Industry stalwarts, government institutions and state ministries came together at one platform to address the growth of hospitality sector. IHE has become the major hospitality hub where exhibitors, students, audience come from pan India. Also speakers from across the world and MSME company owners from North East showcased their work as part of Make in India initiative.

This year the event has successfully surpassed its maiden event last year by hosting more than 650 exhibitors into the broad categories of: Food & Kitchen Equipment; Food & Beverage; Furniture, Furnishing, Lifestyle & Décor; Technology; and Design & Architecture.

Global brands also launched their latest products as part of IHE platform.

Chef Manjit Gill, President IFCA; Chef Devender Kumar, President, ICF; Sunil Sethi, President, FDCI; Hari Dadoo, Fair President and Hemant Sud, Chairman, Delhi Chapter IIID contributed immensely for making IHE a bigger and successful event by being an integral part of the most expansive hospitality platform stimulating knowledge sessions all four days.

With support from top industry bodies like Indian Angel Network HOTREMAI, ARCHII, PPFI, HPMF, AWSOME, FSAI, AIFPA, GHTP, ICF, IFCA, PHA and FSSAI, the show saw a new culinary height this year.

IHE had a robust conference programme with top hospitality professionals as speakers like Himmat Anand, Founder, Tree of life resorts; Anil Chadha, VP, operation ITC hotels; Priya Paul, Chairperson Park Hotels; Ajay Bakaya,

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MD, Sarovar Hotels and Rattan Keswani, Jt. MD Lemon Tree Hotels and Sunjae Sharma, VP Ops India for Hyatt. It also had. a series of Masterclasses by world-renowned chefs from India and abroad like Asma Khan, Hemant Oberoi, Manjit Gill, Devendra Kumar, Willi Willson, KN Vinod, Ranveer Brar and Gunjan Goela and wine sommelier training by a renowned Italian sommelier Luca Carmignani along with a hospitality-inspired fashion show and an FSSAI conclave on Food Safety - IHE’ 19.

The event also saw a host of competitions in the food arena including Young Chef Culinary Competition being held under the aegis of ICF and IHE Mixology Challenge by ScopeBev and ICF. World recognized CEO’s, GM’s and executive chefs of restaurants and hotel chain owners made for a stellar panelists for knowledge sessions like - How to Set up a Midscale and Budget Hotel, The Art Of Creating A Luxury Hotel to Food Safety, The secret behind a truly successful restaurant, Privacy Assurance and Cyber Safety in Hotels, Reinventing the idea of hospitality disruption in traditional hotels and more stressing on continuously upgrading self with new innovations and how it is really important to invest in the technology aspect of hospitality which not only includes equipment’s but also soft skills.

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IHE’s first hospitality awards was a gala celebration recognizing the contribution of industry maestros giving away awards to 70 awards to hospitality professionals from across India. IHE Leading Light in Hospitality award was given to Ms. Priya Paul, Director Park Hotels, K B Kachru the Executive vice president – South Asia, Carlson Hotels Worldwide Asia Pacific was presented with a Lifetime achievement award.

This year the expo emphasized on Himachal Pradesh being the ‘Focus State’ with a number of events being organised by the Tourism Department of the Government of Himachal Pradesh and Himachal Tourism Development Corporation. Celebrity chef Manjit Gill presented Himachali cuisine along with Chef Nand Lal Sharma of Himachal Tourism during the Expo as part of IHE Awards Dinner, the international Gourmet Safari and culinary master class.

International countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Peru, El Salvador, Ecuador and others supported the expo by displaying an array of products and services from their region. This show played a host to Celebrity Indonesian chefs, Gupta Sitorus, Kevindra Soemantri, Yuda Bustara and Primo Rizky.

Rakesh Kumar (Chairman IEML and Director General EPCH) shared his thoughts on the last day of the event, “IHE 2019 concluded on a very satisfactory note. We had over 22,000 visitors from all parts of the country. We are thrilled to see the response from overseas. IHE 2019 was an impactful platform for all the hospitality stakeholders to come, network and rub shoulders with the very best in the industry. The attraction of this year was organic food from North East along with food items from International countries. A lot of new products like tea, nuts, garlic, spices, organic rice and a lot of gluten free products from the North East regions, hilly states and other remote areas have also been exhibited during IHE 2019. Seeing this success and interest among the visitors, the next edition will take place from 5th-8th Aug 2020."

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Exhibits True Passion In Steel...

VENUS INDUSTRIES Office / Showroom:- 1-Basai Road, Moti Nagar, New Delhi - 110015, India ; Tel: (91-11) 43163300 Manufacturing Unit :- Plot No. 386, Phase -1, Industrial Estate HSIIDC Barhi, Sonepat, Haryana.

Email: v_khurana@venusindustries.in ; Web: www.venus industries.in Aug-Sept ’19

Cutlery

Chafing Dishes

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Tableware

Buffet

Trolleys

Hotelware Products5

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Host 2019

18 - 22 October 2019, at Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy

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he 41st edition of Host Milano will be held at Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy from 18 to 22 October 2019. A total of 1912 exhibitors (+8%), of which 1127 are Italian (+7%) and 785 international (+10%) will be exhibiting at the show. Already 54 countries (with new entries including Albania, Argentina, Colombia, Iran, Latvia and Lebanon) will be represented during the event this year. Several major international trade associations, primarily those of the USA & Canada and from other countries too, with the most authoritative Italian and international trade associations have signed a series of strategic agreements with the Fiera Milano event. As a result, the target markets have responded by signing visibility agreements with the main media and trade associations.

Host is a hub "without borders", an absolute must for the whole hospitality and professional catering world. Host is an event that is all about innovation and the hotbed of trends in the hospitality world, as well as the ideal place to meet the most important companies in the sector, both national and international.

The current edition is all set to welcome an extensive representation of hosted buyers.

The collaboration with ICE Agenzia ensures that over 1500 operators from 80 countries, with 80% turnover, and an increasingly comprehensive typological mix, is coming to Milan. The mix includes mainly from the USA, Canada, Middle East, UAE, China and Russia. To complete Host’s global status, the ‘BeMyHost’ project will welcome twenty foreign ambassadors called upon to "intercept", and share on their social networks, the hospitality trends across the globe.

Catering, pasta, pizza, ice-cream, coffee, the bar, the bakery and décor all are well represented at one unique show. The concepts synonymous with Made in Italy success across the globe will come together “under the same roof” for the 41st edition of Host Milan. As for the exhibitors and their subdivision into macro sectors, it is

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clear that the Professional Catering and Bread/Pizza/Pasta fields remain the best represented (43.94%), followed by Coffee/ Tea/Vending/Ice-cream/Bakery (37%) and Décor/Table (19.1%).

But what visitors and professionals will find over the course of the five-day show is a real global “kitchen”, where a rich menu of exhibiters and cookery demonstrations, samples and tasting pathways, round tables, and cook-offs between bakery maestros, award-winning chefs, baristas and designers will enrich what is the sector’s largest observatory in terms of trends and innovations, investigated in their every glamorous detail.

More than 500 scheduled events A menu of more than 500 events is set across all sectors, from the bar to the bakery, catering, décor, ice-cream parlour and arte bianca. Edition after edition, Host is not just a place to be, rather a meeting point for the most important national and international companies in the HoReCa sector, and also one that anticipates the trends that are set to mould the hospitality culture in the Third Millennium.

The five-day Fiera Milano show is a unique business opportunity to find innovative equipment and solutions. Among the stands and halls, visitors can also enjoy a real multi-sensory experience, from company presentations to cookery demonstrations by award-winning chefs, from creations by bakers and cake designers to exhibitions by the best baristas and bar tenders. There is also room for in-depth analysis and seminars providing the latest updates as to market evolution and the hottest topics of the day, whether be training and apprenticeships for youngsters entering the profession, the challenges facing professionals at international level, sustainability of processes and layouts, communication and sales techniques, or the innovation of formats.

For further information visit www.host. fieramilano.it/en

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Quality shines through at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA 2019 defied difficult circumstances in Hong Kong to deliver a show characterised by high-quality visitors and exceptional business opportunities last week. Attendance was inevitably impacted somewhat by recent unrest in Hong Kong, but visitor numbers exceeded expectations, reaching 90 per cent of 2018 levels. More than 12,000 trade professionals from all over the world made the most of the opportunities to meet and do business with over 800 exhibitors from more than 40 countries at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, which took place on 4-6 September at AsiaWorld-Expo.

Exhibitor presented a wide range of products and services from around the world, and from every step of the supply chain.

The overwhelming majority of registered exhibitors (96 per cent) retained their presence at the show, with exhibition space even recording a small increase.

“After all our intense preparations and hard work, we are delighted to deliver another successful edition in Hong Kong,” said commercial director of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, Wilfried Wollbold. “We are sincerely grateful to all our exhibitors and trade visitors for joining this year’s edition under difficult circumstances. We feel fortunate to be part of such a great and resilient industry.”

More than 85 per cent of trade visitors also reported a ‘positive to excellent’ impression of this year’s edition of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, according to visitor survey results collated after the second day of the trade fair. The results also confirmed the high quality of visitors, with over 90 per cent of visitors holding leading management positions in their company and involved in the purchasing and procurement decisionmaking process.

As the first Partner Country in the 12year history of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, Peru brought its biggest-ever delegation to the show and enjoyed a highly successful participation.

ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA’s business week

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got off on a strong footing at ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS, Asia’s premier fresh produce conference event on 3 September. Held the day before ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA at the same venue, ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS delivered a big picture view of the key changes and developments across production, marketing and trade in Asia’s fast-moving fresh produce markets.

Delegates to ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS received the first copies of the 2019 A S I A F R U I T C O N G R E S S S TAT I S T I C S HANDBOOK. The unique statistical guide to Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business covers 12 different markets, and features Vietnam for the first time this year, as well as a global fruit map displaying the main trade lanes for fresh fruit imports to Asia.

ASIA FRUIT AWARD The winners of the ASIA FRUIT AWARDS we re a l s o a n n o u n ce d at AS I A F R U I T CONGRESS in a ceremony that has become a centrepiece of the event.

Presented by ASIAFRUIT MAGAZINE and ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA to celebrate excellence in Asia’s fresh produce business, the ASIA FRUIT AWARDS recognise Asia’s best companies in produce marketing, importing and retailing respectively, while the ‘Impact Award’ acknowledges significant contribution to developing the fresh fruit and vegetable business in Asia.

Hall Forums provide information hub Information opportunities did not stop at ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS, with visitors to ASIA FRUIT LOGSITICA able to gain valuable takeaways and practical solutions on a range of subjects at a series of free-to-attend Hall Forums.

At Hall Forum 1, ASIAFRUIT BUSINESS FORUM offered sessions on the hour from 11am each day. From the advantages of packhouse automation to the rising marketing power of influencers, these sessions provided visitors with a wide range of practical advice for managing their fresh produce businesses.

Each morning at Hall Forum 2, SMART HORTICULTURE ASIA explored the rising

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influence of digitalisation and disruptive technology in the fresh produce industry. The attention turned to cold chain management and transport systems each afternoon at Hall Forum 2, where COOL LOGISTICS ASIA took centre stage.

The Hall Forums attracted a collective audience of 1,300 attendees over the course of the three days, covering a wide range of subjects, including sustainable packaging, artificial intelligence, and the growing influence of e-commerce on perishable logistics.

In addition to the Hall Forums, two events took place alongside ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA for the first time this year. The 12th International Frutic symposium was held in conjunction with ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, bringing together academic scientists and fresh produce industry professionals for technical discussions covering innovations, new technologies and research required to promote the supply of safe, high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables.

Global Women Fresh, the newly created networking platform for women in the international fresh produce industry, also held its first meeting at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, following the success of the non-profit organisation’s inaugural event at this year’s FRUIT LOGISTICA trade fair in Berlin. Global Produce Events also hosted the 2nd Chinese Business Leaders Breakfast together with Fruitnet Media International on the second day of the show (5 September).

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA 2019 concluded on a positive note, and confirmed its position as the essential annual event for Asia’s fast-growing fresh produce market, which is set to make up over 50 per cent of global consumer spending on fresh fruit and vegetables by 2030. “We welcome you to join us again next year, when ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA takes place in the last week of September (23-25 September),” said Wollbold.

The next edition of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA takes place on 23-25 September 2020 at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong. ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS takes place on 22 September 2020 at the same venue.

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SIAL China 2019 Setting New Records SIAL China 2019, co-hosted by China Commerce Development Centre (CCDC) and COMEXPOSIUM, was successfully held in Shanghai from May 14-16, 2019 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

The leading food marketplace in Asia, SIAL China occupied the full 199,500 square meter exhibition centre to facilitate 4,300 exhibitors from 70 countries and regions, and 117,595 professional visitors.

At the opening ceremony honored guests, government officials, embassy representatives, delegates, VIPs, media, and SIAL Network executive were present. Jim Liu, CEO of SIAL China, took to the stage to officially open Asia’s largest food innovation exhibition and celebrate the show’s 20th edition. Foreign ministers from more than 23 countries and regions participated in the opening ceremony.

SIAL Innovation SIAL Innovation is the crown jewel event of the SIAL Network and celebrates food and beverage innovation. This year, SIAL China received 697 products submission from exhibitors, of which 184 submissions were shortlisted and reviewed by the 2019 SIAL Innovation Jury. The Jury selected 10 Finalists based on the following criteria: health, packaging, and consumer convenience. This year's Finalists come from China, France, Poland, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, and the USA, with each product addressing recent developments in the food and beverage industry.

La Cuisine The 12th edition of La Cuisine made Hall N4 a must-visit for food lovers and casual observers in 2019, as it played host to the 2019 China International Top Chef Invitational Competition co-hosted by SIAL China and the World Association of Chef Societies. Eight National and Regional teams from Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Anhui Province, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, competed in the two-day competition. Mr. Chen Gang, certificated judge by WACs and member of Famous Chefs Committee of the China Cuisine Association oversaw the event which judged the teams’ dishes on their creativity, presentation, uniqueness, and

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taste. In the end, the team from Shenzhen took home the championship.

Wine Innovation Forum The Wine Innovation Forum was a 3-day event that brought top local wine experts and international speakers together to offer world-class seminars. This year, Master of Wine David Forer and Master of Wine Roderick Smith led seminars on day one and two of the forum, while experts from the China National Wine (Cider) Technical Committee and Tetra Pak China discussed Experiential Marketing and Cultural Promotion in the Chinese Wine Market and Innovative Wine Packaging on day three.

Retail & Hospitality Forum The Retail & Hospitality Forum is one of the best places in SIAL China to look deeper into different sectors and trends. This years forum offered a full calendar of talks by industry experts on a range of topics including the Bubble Tea Industry Overview and Beyond by Euromonitor, Succeeding in Chinese E-commerce by Sovereign, Trends in Food Product Innovation by XTC World Innovation, and Food Business Opportunities in the China E-commerce Market by Nint (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Other Activities At SIAL China 2019, the 7th edition of Seafood Fest’ in partnership with China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA) explored the "Right Seafood, Right Wine” theme during a series of cooking demonstrations.

The 8th Chocolate World was kicked off by the official mascot, Mr. Chocolate, and a DIY session was opened to the audience, giving them a hands-on chocolate making experience to remember. Dessert chefs from top 5-star hotels also delivered a wonderful afternoon tea as part of the event.

The SIAL China Match-Making System is an important part of the exhibition’s co m m i t m e nt to i nte r n at i o n a l i ty a n d innovation. In 2019, improved system convenience and affordability, helped 998 exhibitors and 7,197 visitors make 17,251 meeting reservations.

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EVENTS’ CALENDER Fi Asia 2019 11-13 September 2019 BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand www.fiasia-thailand.com Food & Hotel India 2019 18-20 September 2019 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai www.foodandhotelindia.com SIAL India 19-21 September 2019 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.sialindia.com ANUGA 2019 5-9 October 2019 Cologne, Germany www.anuga.com

Fi and Hi India 2019 21-23 October 2019 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai www.figlobal.com/india

International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 7-11 October 2019 Las Vegas convention centre, NEVADA www.ibie2019.com SIAL Middle East 10-12 December 2018 Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, UAE www.sialme.com

Sigep 2019 19-23 January 2019 Rimini Expo Centre, Italy www.en.sigep.it/

SIRHA 2019 26-30 January 2019 Eurexpo, Lyon, France www.sirha.com/en

Gulfood 2019 17-21 February 2019 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Dubai www.gulfood.com

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Dadu's Opens New Outlet in Hyderabad's Kondapur D a d u ' s , k n ow n fo r i ts hand-crafted, traditional Indian sweets and snacks, announced in August the opening of its newest outlet at Kondapur, Hyderabad, m a r k i n g t h e co m p a n y ' s seventh location in the city.

The new outlet will house ‘Masala Republic’ - a fine dining restaurant, a Dadu’s sweet junction, and a separate section for ice creams – D’ CRÈME. The occasion was graced by Tollywood actress Pooja Jhaveri.

The outlet, which also marks the opening of the second Masala Republic restaurant, is specially designed to target the young and urban people. The menu at the Masala Republic includes a selection of Asian, Thai, Chinese, Arabic & Egyptian cuisines. The restaurant's promise is reflected in the tagline, #thevegetarian.

“We are confident that the new outlet will be an astounding success as we continue to stay firmly grounded to our Hyderabadi roots. Apart from sweets, now Dadu’s has entered into the hospitality business with the launch of Masala Republic. We are planning to launch few more outlets in the coming months,” said Rajesh Dadu, owner of Dadu’s.

The outlet will have “Live” counters for baklava, kunafa, and hot jalebi, apart from a collection of sweets and dessert.

Demands for Draught Beer Go Up With the demand for draught beer going up in urbanc centrres of the country, several beer makers including United Breweries (UB), Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), Bira91 and Simba are gearing up to tap into the rising preference for the beverage. Draught beer, sold directly to outlets in bulk or wholesale, can be served in a glass or mug, or a pitchers, after dispensing from a pressurised keg.

As they can be purchased in bulk and served without the need for packaging in a can or bottle, they generally offer higher margin. According to reports, draught beers have come to capture a third of the beverage sales in the most popular pubs as the trend of consuming dragught beer in social settings have caught up with more and more beer drinkers.

While UB is planning to launch Kingfisher Ultra beer on tap in September, AB InBev released draught versions of popular bottled beers such as Hoegaarden, Stella Artois, Budweiser Magnum and Beck's Ice in the last two quarters. These draught beers are available in about 1,000 outlets. Similarly, New Delhi-based Bira91 is planning to launch six draught versions of its beers in the next quarter.

'Robot Restaurant' Opens in Bengaluru After opening its robot-themed outlets in Chennai & Coimbatore, “Robot Restaurant” has opened an outlet in Bengaluru where the food service is done by robots.

Located at Indira Nagar's high street 100 Feet Road, the restaurant can accommodate 50 diners who will be served by a team of six robots. For ordering food, the diners will have to place their order from the tablet placed at their table. Once the order is placed and food is prepared, the robots can bring your food to the table.

On special occasions like birthdays, the robots can even wish their customers. For efficient functioning of the robots, the staff at the restaurant have undergone training so that they can address any issues that may arise during the course of their operation.

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Courtyard Pune Chakan's Outdoor Catering Services Whether you are planning an elegant late-night soiree, wedding, or a laid-back brunch gathering, the team of expert caterers at Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan may help you execute your vision. Having handled a crowd of approximately 39,000 people, the team has gained expertise in managing both corporate and social events. The dedicated staff members have been trained to take care all of the details -- from set up, food service to clean-up.

The hotel catering offers a variety of menus. One can start the night with a selection of sophisticated sparkling sips. For the main course, one can treat their guests with a custom made cuisine and warm-intuitive service, and finish the night with handcrafted topshelf cocktails and made-from-scratch wedding cake prepared by the master pastry chef.

The wedding brunch menus feature a variety of juices and plenty of flaky pastries and colourful fruits. Savoury options include scrambled eggs, grits with cheddar cheese and fresh bagels with an array of flavourful spreads.

Foodhall Launches New Wellness Range Arqa Ayurveda Foodhall, a premium lifestyle, food superstore by Future Group, has launched a new wellness range Arqa Ayurveda. Arqa Ayurveda is an extension of Foodhall's spice brand, Arqa.

Arqa’s newest range of Ayurvedic offerings aim to help people detox, de-stress and rejuvenate. With these three targets clearly laid out, Foodhall aims to simplify Ayurveda by offering a goal-oriented approach towards overall well-being.

According to the ancient practice of Ayurveda, there are three doshas or life energies that shape our physical and mental health. Foodhall said its assortment is also curated for balancing these three doshas – Vatta, Pitha and Kapha.

Depending on the dosha one identifies with, Arqa Ayurveda offers a simplified view of what can be incorporated into one’s diet through easy applications. The ingredients housed under this new branch have been carefully selected in conjunction with Ayurvedic consultant, Vasudha Rai.

The Marketplace: Restaurant with 11 Food Stores New Delhi has opened doors to a new restaurant, The Marketplace, which has 11 mini restaurants under one roof to provide an experience of a busy market that has a variety of cuisines from around the world, satisfying all your global food cravings with a fun and lively ambience.

“From the chaat of Delhi 6 to the pasta of Rome’s streets, from the curries of North India to the burgers of the US, from the best of Chinese to Lebanese shawarmas, from the steamy momos in Nepal to chilling cocktails, we have it all and more, with our own twists and twirls,“ said owner of the restaurant Shivam Sehgal.

With vibrant graphics, this place embraces picturesque interiors giving it a busy-looking aura. Located at Kirti Nagar, the restaurant opens to an extravagant arrangement of seats and tables and appealing food stations for a market-like experience. It has a beautiful outdoor section and also a private dining area for special occasions, extending the aesthetics of the restaurant further.

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TM

Natural Green Tea

Hiddenite Beverages Private Limited Aug-Sept ’19

52, Janpath, New Delhi-110001 Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

www.greenfitonline.com | contact@greenfitonline.com | Customer care no.: +91 7303251888

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Radisson Hotel Group to Open Series of Spanish Restaurants Radisson Hotel Group has signed an exclusive master franchise agreement (MFA) with Tapas Club, a popular Singapore-based food and drink (F&D) brand, to roll out a series of stylish Spanish restaurants across its extensive portfolio of hotels in India.

Under the new deal, Radisson Hotel Group will have exclusive use of the Tapas Club name in India, allowing it to introduce premium Spanish cuisine to its guests, who are always on the lookout for new experiences.

These lively restaurants will also attract local residents and non-resident guests to dine at Radisson Hotel Group’s hotels. The company plans to open more than 10 restaurants in the next four years.

“Tapas Club is an excellent strategic fit for our business in India, where F&D trends point to the rising popularity of innovative cuisine. We are excited to introduce a new era of dynamic Spanish dining, tailored to Indian palates, to our hotels across the country. We aim to become flagbearers of Spanish cuisine in India,” said Katerina Giannouka, President, Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group.

Tapas Club was conceived to bring contemporary Spanish cuisine to the Asian market.

Already present in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, its restaurants specialise in authentic dishes that embrace the vibrant colors and flavors of the Iberian Peninsula.

Radisson Hotel Group now operates 94 hotels in India, making it one of the leading international hotel operators in the country. This strategic partnership with Tapas Club is the latest in a series of moves to enhance the group's F&D offerings in India.

Single Malt Soiree at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli recently hosted an elite single malt soiree with renowned beverage connoisseur, Karina Aggarwal. The event witnessed a camaraderie of like-minded people on a journey dotted with nuances of whiskeys and exciting delicacies.

A beverage writer, commentator and curator of several trainings, tastings and workshops across varied brews, Aggarwal also juries at the International Wine and Spirits Awards.

“Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli is proud to host this masterfully curated event with Karina Aggarwal. As a hotel, we are always thrilled to unveil innovations in Hyderabad’s F&B space,” said Vikas Sharma, General Manager at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel Gachibowli.

“Through this opportunity we showcased our suave single malt selection that seamlessly aligns with our restaurants superlative offerings presenting our patrons with elevated dining experiences,” Sharma said.

The guests walked through a tasteful experience with Aggarwal as they imbibed her expertise and indulged over an elaborate four course meal, spread across three distinguished outlets - Sheraton Club Lounge, Zega and a rooftop venue.

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Goa’s Airport Gets Major F&B, Retail Makeover After winning the heavily contested F&B mandate to revamp dining facilities at the Goa International Airport, last year, Travel Food Services (TFS), a leading travel F&B and retail company, has brought a vibrant mix of restaurant concepts and upgraded the entire airport experience.

With the launch of six new outlets in July 2019, the airport today houses 29 assorted mix of F&B formats offering a huge variety of cuisines ranging from regional to international culinary experiences. The Goa Airport today houses leading brands like KFC, Subway, Café Coffee Day and Idli.com to elevate travellers’ culinary experiences.

Recently, the airport also welcomed brands like Wow Momos, Maggie Hotspot and Mario’s Kitchen into the fold.

“Goa is one of the largest tourist hubs in India attracting both national and international

travellers. With this growth in tourism, a wide range of tastes and preferences needed to be catered to at this iconic destination,” said Gaurav Dewan, Chief Operating Officer and Business Head, Travel Food Services.

“We were honoured to have received the opportunity to be a part of this transition and take pride in the outcome of the same. Today, the Goa International Airport houses some of the leading F&B brands giving travellers a holistic travel experience with an assorted range of food options,” Dewan said.

South Africa's Barcelos Debuts New Restaurant Mumbai South African restaurant chain Barcelos introduced its new, premium concept restaurant “Rassasy by Barcelos” in Mumbai in July.

Finding a convenient home at The Orb near the international airport, Rassasy (which means ‘the satisfaction of a great meal’) is an all-day dining grill kitchen and bar that pays homage to the retro-chic of America’s early 50’s and the 60’s.

The menu, inspired by European and American retro times, houses classics from across these regions, along with specially curated signature dishes made from local ingredients.

Some signatures include piri-piri chicken wings and flame grilled whole chicken, grilled chicken drumsticks, espetadas, grilled salmon with pesto sauce, burritos, sizzlers, lasagne de carnevale to name a few.

Besides its “21 sangria collection”, the bar offers a global selection of wines, signature cocktails and classic concoctions.

Rassasy also hosts a separate smoking lounge, where you can light a cigar, donning a retro vintage look and chic seating that oversees the inside dining section.

“At Rassasy by Barcelos we believe in providing people exactly what they love; like great drinks, mouthwatering food amidst a classy ambience. Today the market is price oriented and experience focused, hence we have designed the concept in a manner that it includes both factors,” said Gaaurav Anil Jethmalani, Franchise Owner of Rassasy by Barcelos, at The Orb, Mumbai.

“Our concept is one that is relatable across age groups, where we wish to serve the best of authentic American and European cuisine and create unforgettable memories with every consumer,” Jethmalani said.

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Mumbai Gets One-Stop F&B Hub – THE ORB If you are one of those foodies & party animal, who want to experience the best of international cuisine all under one roof, head to THE ORB, Mumbai’s biggest F&B hub located next to JW Marriott Sahar Andheri East With a sprawling space of 1,29,000 sq ft., THE ORB promises to be the new social hangout place for Mumbaikars. It has a night club, fine dine & casual restaurants, cafes and all sorts of international cuisines by award winning chefs.

It houses a curated mix of brands like Dragonfly Experience promoted by Priyank Sukhija and rapper Badshah, Jumjoji (Parsi diner), Lets Talk Fish (seafood joint), Nasi & Mee (Pan Asian restaurant) Cheaters (American Grill), Starbucks, Love&Latte, South Bombay Café, Rassasy by Barcelos (Mexican & Continental), The Play Lounge, The Kettlery (premium teas), Keventers, Chaayos and MyFroyoland.

Farzi Café, Macita (Authentic Korean), NAAM by Chef Ananda Solomon, Nau se Barah and many more are opening soon.

THE ORB, is conceptualised and developed by Inorbit Malls (India) Pvt Ltd and Chalet Hotels Ltd. under the parent K Raheja Corp group.

Chef Tushar Brings Medal for India Chef Tushar Malkani from Mumbai represented India at the 2019 G20 Osaka Summit Support Programme in Japan. This event involved prominent chefs and food experts representing each country participating in the G20 summit. The support prgramme was held from June 23-26 on Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture.

For the programme, Pasona Group and Easteat Culture Industry Group joined forces to organise the “1st World’s King of Chefs Summit, and the 9th Culinary Artists International Competition”.

This event had three themes: “food”, “health”, and “regional revitalization”.

Chefs and food experts representing the 20 countries participating in the G20 Osaka Summit participated in three parts of the event — the “World’s King of Chefs Cooking Competition”, the “Eatology Forum”, and the “G20 Chef Gala Dinner”.

Amid the “Eatology Forum”, food experts deliberated upon topics such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other discussions related to gastronomy.

Malkani got the G20 Honarary Medal for India. He also received the Yiyin award for the 9th International Culinary Artists Competition and G20 Culinary Masters Competition from the Chinese Culinary Artist Committee.

Malkani cooked Indian dish for the former foreign ministers of China and Japan at the grand gala dinner at Awaji Island.

Starbucks Plans to Add Over 30 Stores to India Portfolio Tata Starbucks, the 50:50 joint venture company between Tata Global Beverages and Starbucks Coffee of the US, is reportedly planning to open more than 30 stores in India this year.

The coffee chain last year added 30 stores to its India portfolio, but seeing a surge in demand for its products, the company now appears to be going aggressive in its expansion spree. While venturing into new cities and adding stores in others, the company will continue to open stores in cities like Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad -- places where it already has a formidable presence.

Besides opening new stores, the coffee chain is also focusing on increasing its product portfolio. And in states like Gujarat, it is planning to add more vegetarian items in the menu.

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HOTREMAI Appoints new Leadership 37th Annual General Body Meeting of The Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers` Association of India (HOTREMAI) was held on August 30, 2019 at the PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry, New Delhi.

Speaking on the new appointments the outgoing President J K Khurana (MD, Venus Industries) said, “We’re proud to be the oldest association catering to the interests of the hotel and restaurant equipment manufacturers and I am sure that under the able leadership of the new team presided by Anil Malhotra, HOTREMAI would further strengthen their relationship with policy makers, buyers as well as the events across the ecosystem.”

The discussion was held on further branding, member engagement and aggressive promotion of the association to increase pan-India membership. One of the key points raised by members during postvoting discussions was about partnerships with hospitality fairs that added genuine value to the industry as well as finding lucrative avenues of getting more visibility.

The newly appointed Secretary, Nitin Kumar (MD, Rans Technocrats) read the report for the year 2019-2019, tabled the audited financials and added, “We’re also working on a plan to allocate funds to promote HOTREMAI and its members across various shows across India and the SAARC Region. One of the first steps in this direction would be hosting meetings across different regions and meeting potential members from the industry.”

Walmart India Launches its 26th Cash & Carry Store Walmart India, the wholly-owned subsidiary of world’s largest retailer Walmart Inc., launched its 26th Cash & Carry store “Best Price Modern Wholesale Store” in India in July. It is the first in the city of Nizamabad, and third in Telangana. The other two Best Price Stores in the state are located in Hyderabad and Karimnagar. Walmart India said it is planning to open the fourth store in the state this year in Warangal.

K r i s h I ye r, P res i d e nt and CEO, Walmart India, inaugurated the store in Nizamabad. Spread over 50,000 sq. ft., the store will significantly contribute to the local and state economy by creating an estimated 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, Walmart India said.

The store will also boost the smallholder farmers and regional supplier eco-system as it will directly source from farmers and locally relevant food, non-food products from local suppliers to fulfill the needs of its members.

“We are excited about opening the first B2B Cash & Carry Store in the city of Nizamabad, making it our 26th Store in India. We continue to expand our footprint in the State of Telangana with this 3rd store within a span of 4 months of opening the 2nd Store in Karimnagar,” said Iyer.

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The members voted for their new leadership as well as the executive committee for 2019-21 followed by concluding remarks from the incoming president Anil Malhotra (CEO, HSMC Asia). He said, “I am thankful to the members of HOTREMAI for choosing me as their President for the term. One of my biggest goals would be to further increase membership of HOTREMAI with relevant members from across the country. Hospitality and F&B are the key drivers of our country’s economic growth and our aim for these 2 years would be to bring the best opportunities for our members to grow their business. This term would mean regular, actionable meetings for all our interests.”

HOTREMAI was established in the year 1982 & was formally registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in the year 1994. Know more at www.hotremai.org

The newly appointed leadership is as follows: President

Anil Malhotra

Hospitality Sales Marketing Company

Sr. Vice President

Swaran Marwha

Swaran Projectech

Secretary

Nitin Kumar

Rans Technocrats India Pvt. Ltd.

Joint Secretary

Arun Mittal

Prestair System LLP

Treasurer

Vinod Kumar

Hotels Equipment Merchant

Tree Plantation Drive by Lite Bite Foods and HPMF SCM Team of Lite Bite Foods and HPMF along with Saurabh of Dead River Project fame conducted a Tree Plantation Drive in a small village named Bhondsi near Gurgaon.

150+ plants of Neem were planted in the morning of 01st September 2019. It was very interesting to see the nearby villagers, kids and local leadership extending full support to the initiative and plants were adopted by the nearby shops and homes. Entire warehouse team of Lite Bite Foods lead by Pankaj, who is the Green Ambassador for us worked hard for last 2-3 months to make this happen today.

LBF along with Dead River and HPMF would take the lead and drive eco-friendly initiatives across the country.

Vatika Sells 'Nukkadwala' Gurugram-based Vatika Group sold their Indian street food startup ‘Nukkadwala’ to a Delhi-based entrepreneur. Nukkadwala was conceived to fill in a huge vacuum to bring street foods of India to each and every corner of the country with authenticity, hygiene, and tastes. The first outlet was opened in 2015 along with cloud kitchen in Gurugram. Today it has seven operational outlets in the National Capital Region. Vatika Group own Westin Hotel, New Delhi and Westin Resort Sohna.

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Happy Thai Opens its First Restaurant in Mumbai

Dineout Acquires Binge Digital Dining out and restaurant technology solutions company Dineout announced the acquisition of Binge Digital, a Delhi-based food tech platform that helps restaurants upsell and increase ticket size with the help of analytics and video menus to their diners.

This acquisition comes as a strategic move which is in line with Dineout’s latest product announcement – Dine-In. Dine-In is a digital menu product which enables variable and dynamic pricing for the restaurant industry utilizing data analytics and artificial intelligence, allowing customers to view digital menus with images directly on their phone and to place an order with just a tap.

Dine-In is one of a kind product which is integrated with the POS (point of sale) system enabling restaurants to identify customers, their ordering patterns and suggest food & drinks recommendations.

Dineout believes that the acquisition of Binge digital will help strengthening it further.

“We are happy to announce the acquisition of Binge Digital which through its cutting edge technology will enable us to bolster our product portfolio, especially the newly launched digital menu product –Dine-In,” said Ankit Mehrotra, CEO & Co-founder, Dineout.

“With a proven record of their services for their partners through their video menus this integration will add an edge to our product.

We will start offering this product eventually across all the cities.” Mehrotra said.

“Our digital video menu showcase has helped our partner brands increase the sales of their lowest selling product by 25 per cent. Our integration with Dine-In will be a revolutionary step in the food industry which will offer a pleasing experience to consumers and will help restaurants up their game,” said Prakhar Agarwal, Co-founder, Binge Digital.

As part of the acquisition, the founding members of Binge Digital - Naman Jain, Prakhar Agarwal and Preksha Singla - have joined the Dineout team.

Binge is currently operational at 90 outlets across New Delhi offering online video content, marketing, and a pre-order system with brands like - Café Delhi Heights, Ek Bar (Olive Bars), Local, Vault Café (Big fish ventures) utilizing their services.

Dineout is present across 17 cities, with plans to expand to 20 by the end of this year, and over 40,000 restaurant partners.

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The team behind the Asian fast-casual dining restaurant chain that offers a slew of Thai and Japanese favourites plans to soon launch Happy Thai Express and Happy Soba, offshoots of the same as delivery outlets offering South Asian cuisine

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ith the aim of becoming the first indigenous authentic Asian fast-casual dining chain in India, Happy Thai recently opened its first restaurant at Atria Mall in Worli, Mumbai.

The new Asian restaurant is the brainchild of the renowned businessman Aditya Kilachand. As promoter, Kilachand has put together an experienced team of successful professionals comprising Samir Chhabria as CEO and celebrated Chef James Biaka as Executive Chef of Happy Thai. The team also includes Chef Run who received training at the Blue Elephant Cooking School & Restaurant Bangkok.

The food menu offers a compilation of Thai and Japanese favourites that are prepared while preserving the authentic flavours.

It includes signature dishes from creamy spicy rock shrimp, Miso Nasushiglyaki to the ultimate gyozas. The green papaya salad, yummy yellow tail, and freshwater tuna & jalapenos from the curated menu vouches for its premium ingredients.

The menu expands to Asian classics with a twist like stir-fried chicken plus basil with interesting add-ons of misu marinated black cod, lotus root and mushroom and agedashi tofu. No Asian restaurant is complete without the flavoursome assemblage of curries like Japanese ninja katsu curry, aromatic sweet green curry and spicy jungle massaman curry. The new-age dining experience also features sushi and ramen for a wholesome

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Asian experience.

Happy Thai celebrates authentic Thai and Japanese cuisine and promises to deliver an exceptional cultural experience with its vibrant, welcoming interiors that are aesthetically designed and curated by Sarah Sham, Founder and principal designer at Essajees Atelier.

The 85-seater, 2650 sq. ft restaurant features rich design and craft from the prevailing colours and pieces of Thailand and has a dash of South Asia’s essence into its interiors. The brand’s vision was a place that not only captures the visual and tangible elements of Thailand but also the vibe, the royalty, and the festive experience that forms a big part of Thailand's culture.

The team has integrated cane and wood into the space, a lot of plants, and the 'Happy Thai' colours of black and red, along with a lot of gold accents into the space that pays homage to the royal roots of the elephant.

“With Happy Thai, we believe to nourish with soul food. We aim to be the first indigenous authentic Asian fast-casual dining chain in India, and it is our endeavour to offer quality cuisine across demographics to the diverse Indian Palate,” Kilachand said on the launch of his new venture.

And while Happy Thai embarks on its journey as a restaurant, the team plans to soon launch Happy Thai Express and Happy Soba, offshoots of the same as delivery outlets offering South Asian cuisine.

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Inside the Luxurious GVK Lounge in Mumbai With beautiful interiors, ample seating options, large food spread, and plety of options to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul, this GVK Lounge is certainly one of the best lounge you could visit

Biryani Most Searched Indian Dish Online: Study North Indian food beat South Indian dishes in its search numbers on Internet during the period starting from January 2018 to March 2019

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or the travel weary and for those who have an early morning flight, like this writer had, there is solace in the form of GVK Lounge at Mumbai International Airport’s Terminal 2. Unlike at other airports, all airlines share this luxurious lounge in Mumbai. And this could be attributed to the fact that this is one of the most lavish and comfortable lounges worldwide.

It is the first luxury lounge to open at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, in February 2014. The two-storey lounge can accommodate over 600 passengers. It has different zones offering you privacy. There are two wings of the lounge – the east wing and the west wing. While the east wing has only business class section, west wing also includes a separate section for first class passengers.

The area is extremely large and has a variety of seating ranging from lounge area of different designs to the buffet and bar area. You could find high stools overlooking tarmac, and lounge chairs of different designs.

Normally you can enter an airline’s lounge only if you are travelling business or first class but at Terminal 2 you can access the GVK lounge even if you have an American Express credit card or a Visa or Master Card or a Priority Pass.

Equipped with the luxury that one can experience in a 5-star hotel, the lounge is elegant in ambience and amenities. There is a relaxation area with recliner chairs where people can rest their tired muscles.

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There is also a spa which offers you foot massage, which makes you want to travel an extra mile!

You also have a shower area to refresh and energise and rejuvenate your tired body.

There is a buffet service as well as a roped off area which offers a la carte menu.

Both offer you a variety of Asian (Indian, Thai, Chinese, etc) and Western cuisines.

There is also an area where one can witness the chef creating appetizing dishes. Food served here is above par. The attendant who guided me through the entire lounge demonstrated highest degree of courtesy and politeness.

The bar offers you a selection of wine and other alcoholic drinks. There is also a business area with desks for those who want to utilise their time in continuing their busy work schedules. Wi-Fi is available – and it is pretty fast.

The facilities offered to the visitors include concierge, high speed Wi-Fi, LCD TV, buffet, bar, two work stations each with a printer and Apple desktop, library, recliners, a good selection of newspapers and magazines, etc.

On one side of the lounge, on both levels, is a large French window that overlooks the airfield. It’s a cosy nook to curl up with a book, hot tea, and a blanket.

With beautiful interiors, ample seating options, large food spread, this GVK Lounge is certainly one of the best lounge you could visit not just in India, but across the world.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

espite the rising popularity of the so called healthy foods, biryani still seems to rule the hearts of Indians as a new study has shown that this dish was the most searched food item in the Internet during January 2018 to march 2019. During this period, biryani generated over two lakh searches on the Internet from users in India, showed the study by SEMrush, the online visibility management, and content marketing software as a service (SaaS) platform.

The results also showed that North Indian food items were searched more on the Internet than South Indian dishes during the study period. The top three North Indian

dishes searched by foodies during a period from January 2018 to March 2019 include samosa, tandoori chicken and butter chicken.

Samosa generated 199,600 searches, tandoori chicken 66,967 searches and butter chicken by 65,267 searches.

“Biryani is one food that binds Indians well.

The food is loved by people from different regions including South, North, and East. West India too has its liking for biryani and people's appetite for the food is increasing in Mumbai and Pune,” said Fernando Angulo, Head of International Partnership, SEMrush.

The study also revealed that the top three South Indian dishes are idli, masala dosa, and vada. Idli was searched for 50,500 times followed by masala dosa (44,313.33 times) and vada (35,753.33 times). Interestingly, Indian dishes are mostly preferred during summer. The study also recognizes tandoori chicken as the most expensive food as per the search numbers. The SEMrush study also revealed that people consider tandoori chicken and idli as the healthiest food items.

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Restaurants Spar with Food Aggregators over Deep Discounts

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he restaurants industry came together in August to raise concerns about various issues due to the behaviour of food service aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy. Chief among these issues was the practice of deep discounting, which led to the creation of a bargain hunters and started hurting the bottom lines of the restaurants.

It has actually been sometime since food aggregators started offering their customers heavy discounts. Restaurants have protested such practice by food aggregators form time to time. But they did not raise the concerns in one voice until Zomato introduced “infinity dining” for its Gold members in late July. The programme allows Zomato Gold members to order anything and everything they want from the entire menu of a restaurant partner with unlimited servings of the member's favourite dishes for the same price that he/she would spend on a typical two-course meal.

This finally gave way to the #logout movement led by the NationalRestaurant Association of India (NRAI). “Dineout, EasyDiner,Magicpin, NearBuy, Zomato, etc. are resorting to unjust practices andhurting our business. We have no option but to #logout as a mark of our protest,” NRAI said, while calling for #NoCoupons, #NoGold,#NoPassport, #NoPin and #NoPrime.

The call for logout led to nearly 2,000 restaurants pulling themselves out of the dine-in services of the food service aggregators. Responding to the #logout campaign, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal said, “The logout campaign as it seems now, is driven by Rahul Singh (President, NRAI), along with participation of a few large restaurant owners, to use the NRAI platform to sabotage aggregators and benefit themselves.” The NRAI President alleged that the food service aggregators were spreading the “epidemic” of deep discounting and that the customers were needed to to be “deaddicted” from discounts.

The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) also wrote to the food service aggregators, while pointing out their unethical business practices and urging them to review some of their schemes. Among other issues that the restaurant industry raised included erratic commission charges, forced fleet services, differential terms and services for onboarding eateries, forced fleets ervices, private labels run by aggregators and data masking of customers.

Finally, the restaurant industry and the food aggregators decided to talk out their differences. On August 29, after a meeting with NRAI representatives, the executives from Zomato and Swiggy reportedly agreed to makesome changes to their programmes.

"NRAI deliberated eight critical issues pertaining to the online delivery space with two key aggregators, Swiggy and Zomato.

Both of them deduced issues of deep discounting, high and uneven commission charges, data masking and mandatory bundling of services which are crippling the restaurant industry. There is an inprinciple agreement to resolve these issues within a specific timeline," Anurag Katriar, Head of NRAI Mumbai Chapter, said in a statement.

In the meeting, the two parties charted the roadmap to solve the contentious issues. NRAI is likely to hold further discussion with the two majoraggregators in the second half of September.

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India's Non-Alcoholic Malt-Based Beverage Market Heats Up

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ith increased health consciousness among Indian consumers, beverage makers are looking to tap into the demand for nonalcoholic malt-based beverages in the country. Seeing opportunity for growth, global beverage giants such as Coca-Cola, United Breweries and AnheuserBusch InBev (AB InBev) have launched products in this category.

Coca-Cola is currently testing the market with launch of its global brand Barbican under a pilot project six months ago. The product, which has far lesser calorie content than a typical soft drink, targets the youth and the health conscious. Barbican comes with zero per cent alcohol but promises authentic taste of malt. The launch of Barbican followed Coca-Cola's 50 per cent stake acquisition in Saudi Arabia-based Aujan Industries' beverages division.

However, Coca-Cola is not the only beverage giant that appears optimistic about the growth of non-alcoholic malt-based beverage market in India. United Breweries already has two similar products in the Indian market -- Heineken 0.0 and Kingfisher Radler.

Heineken 0.0 tastes like beer, but has no alcohol. It also contains much less calorie than soft drink. Compared to 45-50 calorie per 100 ml of soft drink, Heineken 0.0 contains less than half that number per 100 ml. The product targets those who want the taste of beer, but also wants to avoid alcohol consumption. Radler is a soft drink with zero per cent alcohol and 30 per cent less sugar. The drink is available in three flavours – ginger lime, lemon and mint lime.

AB InBev announced its entry into the non-alcoholic drink market in July. The beer maker said that it would launch a non-alcoholic version of its popular beer Budweiser. The new version, Budweiser 0.0 is brewed with the same recipe which is used for brewing the alcoholic version so that in terms of taste, people cannot feel the difference. The difference is only in the alcohol content.

The launch of Budweiser 0.0 is in line with the company's Global Smart Drinking Goals — a set of programmes and initiatives focused on shifting social norms, consumer behaviours, and our own business practices — in order to make a tangible contribution to the reduction of harmful use of alcohol globally.

The goals include reducing the harmful use of alcohol by at least 10 per cent in six cities by the end of 2020 and implement the best practices globally by the end of 2025.

AB InBev also committed to investing at least $1 billion across its markets in dedicated social marketing campaigns and programmes to influence social norms and individual behaviours to reduce harmful use of alcohol.

One of its Global Smart Drinking Goals is to ensure that low- or no-alcohol beer products make up at least 20 per cent of its global beer volume by 2025.

The non-alcoholic beverage market is still at a nascent stage in India, but going by the expansion of product portfolios, beverage makers appear to be seeing huge potential for growth of this market in India.

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A PP O I N T M E N T S

Ajay Khanna Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park has appointed Ajay Khanna as Executive Chef. He has been a part of the industry for over 17 years. He worked with ITC Mughal Sheraton, Agra; Jaypee Place, Agra; Le Meridien, Jaipur; Soy, Dubai; The Westin, Sohna-Gurgaon, Resort & Spa; Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Sahibabad; Park Plaza, Chandigarh; Ramada Gurgaon Central, Gurgaon; Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Bhiwadi; Le Meridien, Kochi and Courtyard Marriott, Kochi before joining Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park.

Aniket Das Aniket Das has been appointed as the Executive Sous Chef at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. A seasoned culinary professional with 13 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Das will be responsible for developing menus, overseeing daily operations, supervising and training the team.

Prior to joining The Westin Mumbai Garden City, he worked as the Executive Chef at Aloft Bengaluru and was previously the Head Chef at Fairfield

by Marriott, Rajajinagar in Bengaluru.

Dinesh Mhatre Hilton Mumbai International Airport has announced the appointment of Dinesh Mhatre as their new Executive Chef who comes with over 23 years of culinary experience.

In his new role, Chef Mhatre will assist in the multiple functioning and processes of the hotel such as setting the menu, ensuring the customers are served well, mentoring the culinary team and sourcing the right candidates for food and beverage.

Amit Kumar Thapliyal Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway has appointed Amit Kumar Thapliyal as Executive Chef. With over 17 years of culinary experience, he worked for 5-star hotels such as the Radisson Blu Hotel Ludhiana as the Executive Chef, Intercontinental Hotel New Delhi, Radisson Blu Noida, Park Hyatt Dubai, Taj Palace Dubai, Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi and Grand Hyatt Goa, among others.

Chef Thapliyal loves to marry authentic and traditional foods with millennial taste sensibilities.

Dev Bose Dev Bose has been appointed as Executive Chef at Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre.

In his career spanning over 18 years, Bose has worked with premier hospitality brands including - Indus Club Mumbai, Wyndham Bangalore, Hyatt Regency Kolkata, Taj Blue Diamond Pune and many other renowned properties.

Tulshi Naik Novotel Hyderabad Airport has promoted Tulshi Naik from F&B Manager to Director of F&B. In his new role, Naik will be responsible for managing the overall operations of the food and beverage department and delivering excellent guest experiences.

He joined the Accor group in 2011 at Novotel Hyderabad Airport as Assistant F&B Manager and was subsequently promoted as F&B Manager in 2017. Naik brings with him more than 15 years of expertise in the hospitality industry.

Simran Singh Thapar

Dharmen Makawana  The Leela Palace New Delhi has announced the appointment of Dharmen Makawana as the new Executive Chef.

With more than three decades of professional experience in global luxury brands like Nikko, The Four Seasons, The Oberoi and The Leela; across Australia, Middle East, South East Asia and India, Makawana has developed a commendable repertoire.

His strength lies in his curiosity, willingness to experiment and an extensive knowledge of international culinary trends.

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Simran Singh Thapar has been appointed as the Executive Chef at JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa. Chef Thapar started his career in the Merchant Navy as a Navigation Officer, and soon discovered that being a sailor was not his true calling. He then decided to follow the footsteps of his uncle who was a Chef. Starting off as an Assistant Kitchen Management to achieving the position of Executive Chef at The Oberoi Motor Vessel Vrinda, Kerala, Chef Thapar has come a long way.

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Aug-Sept ’19

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Regional Cuisine (Part- II)

India is a country with diversity of cuisine that is difficult to find in any other country. Indian cuisine from different regions is considered to be one of the tastiest and subtlest. There is no homogeneity of flavour and taste between cuisines from the North and South or between East and West. One can say that the diversity is one of India’s treasures and that is probably the reason why this cuisine is more popular than international cuisine. Ashok Malkani, in the first part of the story on regional cuisine, discussed about the different regional cuisines of India. Here he talks about which are the best regional cuisines and their popularity, as compared to international cuisines.

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T

ravelling across the country one finds that there is a variety of Indian cuisine. Each region has its own specific cuisine. The popularity of Goan food, Gujarat or western region cuisine, Bengal, Ladakh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, et al have their own specialities that are delectable and delicious to savour. Even Indians are not aware of all the dishes that are doled out by different regions from the country. A layman would like to know which are the most popular food regions and their popular dishes, as well as the info whether they are available in other regions. He is also curious to know about the different regional food available in the F&B outlets.

Popular Food Regions Neeraj Rawoot, Executive Chef, Sofitel Mumbai BKC declares, “It would be tough to select the best food regions, as each region possess its own characteristics when it comes to food. However, there are certain regional cuisines such as Mughlai, Hyderabadi, North-Indian, Bengali, Gujarati, Malvani and Goan cuisines that are popular and attract food connoisseurs from all over the world.

Regional cuisine of India is not only appealing and delicious in taste but also reflects the culture of the region they emerge from. Sofitel Mumbai BKC has 2 decadent restaurants presenting authentic vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian cuisine.

Jyran – offers an epicurean experience featuring the cuisine of the poets and warriors from the north-west frontiers of India. The contemporary diner offers exquisite Mughalai cuisine to be relished amidst a medieval art, al fresco setting.

Tuskers – Vegetarian Dining Bar, is the only restaurant in a 5-star setting, which has a separate vegetarian kitchen for its guests, serving typical Indian dishes from the regions of Gujarat, Marwar, Rajasthan, South India and many more for lunch and dinner and a wholesome Thali for lunch on weekdays. The elegant restaurant

Aug-Sept ’19

has recently announced the launch of its new Thali, comprising a combination of delicacies from each region of India.”

Saurabh Singh, Executive Chef, Four Points by Sheraton, Kochi believes, “The regional Malabar cuisine of Kerala is one of the best regional cuisine to experience. The cuisine of Malabar is distinctive due to the deep influence of various cultures that have blended into the very fabric of this region.”

He adds, “Regional cuisines are popular in their own region and also in other regions.

Some of the dishes which are popular in other regions are: Punjabi (Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Chole Bhature and Dal Makhani), Kashmiri (Mutton Rogan Josh, Modur Pulav, Yakhni Mutton Curry and Dum Aloo), Gujarati (Thepla, Dhokla, Khandvi, Fafda and Kachori), Bengali (Machher Jhol, Sandesh, Aloo Potol Posto, and Mishti Doi).”

Vilas Dhankute, Sous Chef, Grand Mercure Bangalore also believes that several regional dishes from different regions are popular in other parts of the country. Some of the popular dishes he lists are: Dal Bati Churma, Laal Mass, Pindi Chole, Mutton Rogan Josh, Allepey Fish Curry, Manglorean Fish Curry , Donne Biryani etc. “I personally love the Marathi food,” he Adds.

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Anil Chabukswar, Executive Chef, Grand Mercure Mysuru confesses, “I cannot particularly pinpoint on a region having the best food as each region has its own recipes and their culture of cooking is also different, making them unique in their own way.”

He lists some of the dishes popular across the country as: Hyderabadi Biryani and Kebabs, Kerala Chettinad and Appam, Kas h m i r i M u tto n Ro g a n a n d Ya k k n i , Maharashtrian Vada Pav, Missal and Padre Rassa, also Bengali Machar Jhol to Bengali Sweets and Punjabi Butter Chicken to Dal Makhni.

Avinash Kumar, Executive Chef, Novotel Imagica Khopoli states, “Although selecting the best food regions in the country is impossible as each state in India is brimming with exquisite food. Regional cuisine such as Goan, Gujarati, Hyderabadi, Bengali, Malvani and South Indian are considered to be best because of their distinct flavours.

The traditional food of India has been widely appreciated for its use of herbs and spices. Indian cuisine is known for its large assortment of dishes. The fame of Indian food has reached even foreign shores and there is galloping demand for it from all quarters. Talking about regional cuisine in

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Amit Dash

Vilas Dhankute

Vikas Singh

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India, their popularity is not only in their own regions but also across other regions in India due to its exceptional flavours. Dishes like Murgh Makhhani, Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, Rogan Josh, Malai Kofta, Palak Paneer, Rajma Chawal etc are the few popular ones. Novotel Imagica Khopoli has its all day dining restaurant, The Square, which serves regional dishes. Amongst them, there are few popular dishes such as Prawns Vapudu, Goan Fish Curry, Missal Pao, Kumbh ki Glauti, Dungaar Mass and so on.”

Neelabh Sahay, Executive Chef, Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences, avers, “Every regional cuisine of India is the best in its own right due to its specialities, delicacies and cooking techniques. But if I have to name one among them, Bengal and its food is by far one of the best food regions in India due to its varied climatic condition.

As per my study and experience in the culinary field, I can say that all regional cuisines are not popular in other regions but there are definitely some dishes which are popular throughout India as well as other countries of the world. Some of those dishes are Tandoori Chicken, Dal Makhni, Idli, Dosa, Samber, Kadhai Paneer, Kadhi, Rajmah, Dhokla and many more.

At our hotel we take pride to serve our Kosha Mangsho (Braised Mutton in Onion and Tomato Gravy), Macher Jhol (Bengali Fish Curry with Vegetables), Sorshe Ilish (Hilsa Fish cooked in Mustard Gravy) and Some vegetarian delights of Bengal such as Aloo Posto, Chorchori, Sona Moonger Dal, Cholar Dal, Dhokar Dalna, Mochar Ghonto, Channar Dalna etc.”

Vikas Singh, Executive Sous Chef, Four Seasons Hotel, Mumbai, is of the opinion that every region has its own flavours that plays to its strength and “certain classics from various cuisines are popular all over the country. At Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai we serve authentic regional food at our multi-cuisine Asian restaurant – San:Qi. We offer a diverse selection of preparations from the Northern frontier and Hyderabadi delicacies that are curated by our specialty Indian chef – Majid Shaikh,” he adds.

Mayur Ramachandran, Executive Chef, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Bengaluru Racecourse declares, “Each state/region has a lot of unique fare to offer. Though, regions of Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu are more popularly spoken about due to the variety and varied use of Spice.

Due to the availability of raw materials across the regions, regional cuisines have evolved and spread to various regions of

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the country. Don’t be surprised to find Assamese wild rice, Kashmiri Morels, Rajasthani Mathaniya Chillies or the freshly milled mustard oil from the fields of Punjab at your favorite neighborhood store. Trade has resulted in a lot of movement, of these once difficult to find ingredients.”

Gaurav Anand, Executive Chef, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway states, “The best food regions of the country are, Lucknowi, Hyderabadi, Maharashtrian, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Bengali, South Indian etc.

These comprise of comfort food. I may add they are easily available all over the country mainly due to the fact that that there is ample movement of culinary people from one state to other. In our F&B outlets we serve food from different region as most of our guests are cosmopolitan and they travel a lot. Even our team members are from different part of state.”

Ashvini Kumar, Executive Chef, Four Points by Sheraton, Navi Mumbai, Vashi, declares that all regions have their own c u i s i n es co m p r i s i n g of s o m e u n i q u e dishes. “In hotels several regional dishes are popular. We do lot of local food promotions and some of the dishes that are very popular are Chepalapulusu, Mutton Rogan Josh , Malvani Macchi, Goan Fish Curry, Guntur Vankayakura, Subz Kholapuri, Kori Gassi, Meen Moilee, Malabari Prawns, Mutton Vindaloo, Dosakaya Pappu, Gonguramamsam, Ulavacharu, Pindi Chole, Undhiyu, Sev Tamata, Pulihora, Kersangria, Gatte ki Sabzi, Dal Bati, Dal Pakwan etc.”

Sanjay T Sutare, Chef de Cuisine of Neel - Tote on the Turf, a division of “deGustibus Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., is of the opinion that there is no ‘best region’ that can be singled out. He adds, “Neel carves its niche in the Indian Cuisine sector with a menu that boasts traditional flavours from across the country including Rajasthan, Amritsar, Lucknow, Malwan& Kerala. The cuisine takes a contemporary approach to classic flavour profiles, creating signature dishes that emphasise purity, simplicity, and seasonal flavours.”

Kuldeep, Executive Sous Chef, Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway, affirms, “The best regions for delicious cuisine are, according to me, as follows: Awadhi – Lucknow - Famous for its Dum cooking process and rich food. The usage of ittar and blend of spices in the food makes it taste distinctive and out of the world.

Hyderabadi- Andhra - Famous for its Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and the method of

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C OV E R S TO R Y

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cooking they use during the preparations.

The slow cooking is the key to their delicious recipes.

Pu n j a b i - Fa m o u s fo r i ts r i c h n ess of ingredients used in almost all food preparations.

Kerala - Famous for its seafood and beef preparations and the blend of authentic, fresh home grown spices.

I would add that regional cuisines have been found to be more popular in other regions then their own regions because it becomes a common cuisine in its own region, consumed by people on a daily basis.”

Dev Bose, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre says, “Best food regions is a matter of one’s perception and preference.

For me the Southern part of India can be considered as the best food region in the country.

“Since People are travelling & migrating to other regions due to the expansion of the global economy the regional cuisine is no longer confined only to any particular region.”

Amit Dash, Executive Chef, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park avers, “According to me the best food regions in the country are Punjab, Lucknow and Hyderabad.

I would say that regional cuisines are popular not only in their own regions but also in other regions. Punjabi, Lucknowi and Hyderabadi cuisines are, in fact, popular all over the globe. The Westin Pune Koregaon Park’s specialty restaurant, Kangan, presents gourmet Indian cuisine with traditional regional flavours which is popular not only among the local community but also expats.”

Ashish Choudhury, Chef de Cuisine, Hyatt Regency Pune also lists Bengali, Awadhi,

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Punjabi and South Indian cuisines being popular. “ Re g i o n a l c u i s i n e s h av e g a i n e d popularity in other regions due to the new fresh and distinctive flavour they have to offer. In fact our new brunch is based on regional cuisines like Bohri, Kerala, Sikkim, etc.” he adds Anand Kumar, Executive Chef, Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks, remarks, “It is difficult to pick which is best as each region has its highlights, but within them, some of the standouts are East Indian and North Indian food. In our F&B outlets we serve, among others, dishes like Kundankaliya, Lucknow and Hyderabad Dum Biryani, Ghee roast Boti, etc. For our buffet we do regional cuisine theme dinner where we serve authentic Indian regional food.”

Ilandhirai Vadivel , Executive Chef at Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi, affirms “I would say Malabar is famous for its cuisine.

It is not only very familiar in India but also in countries like UAE and other Arab countries, some of whom eat Malabari Paratha and Chai for their breakfast.”

Nitin Gupta, Director Food & Beverage, Novotel Pune Viman Nagar declares, “Although Indian cuisine is highly regionally specific, there are certain common threads that unite the different culinary practices.

Indian cuisine throughout the nation is highly dependent on curries, which are gravy-like sauce or stew-like dishes with meat, vegetables, or cheese, although the particular spice mixtures, degree of liquidity, and ingredients are determined by regional preference.

Some of the best food regions in the country are Maharashtra, Bengal, and Goa. Among one of the favourite Indian

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specialties in the world, one, of course, finds the famous “Tandoori”, originating from Punjab.”

Regional v/s International Cuisines With so many Indian regional cuisines, do customers visiting F&B outlets in India prefer these cuisines or do they like to order international cuisines like Thai, Vietnamese, etc?

Neeraj disclosed that as vegetarianism had become a lifestyle in Mumbai and people have become more appreciative of the nutritional value and health quotients, they prefer regional cuisine over international dishes. He adds, “Most regions in India have not been explored and we at Sofitel Mumbai BKC have introduced the home chef series in which housewife’s from different regions are invited to the hotel to curate authentic delicacies from their region which not only adds to women empowerment, but showcases the legacy of their family and region as well.”

Nitin declares, “It is said you can eat more varieties of cuisines in India than the rest of the world together! We call India a multi-faceted country because of the variety of colours symbolising cultural differences, food, festivals, languages, outfits and so on .Some factors that have an influence on a region's cuisine include the area's climate, the trade among different countries, religiousness or sumptuary laws and culinary culture exchange.

Avinash avers, “Whether one wants to dine on regional cuisine or international one depends on individual taste and preference.

At Novotel Imagica Khopoli, we have almost equal proportion of popularity for both international and regional cuisine.”

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Saurabh asserts “Regional cuisines are more popular with our diners at Four Points

by Sheraton Kochi as we are situated at the IT Hub and we have multi-cultural people living here who have migrated from all over India.”

Anand Kumar too is of the view that regional dishes are more popular. He adds, “Though many of our diners have travelled extensively and eaten cuisines from all parts of the globe, they often choose Indian dishes from our menu as Indian food is flavourful with the perfect balance of tempered spices.”

Vikas states, “At Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai it is our continued endeavour to bring forth the finest best-in-class culinary experiences to our guest through the various food and beverage offerings we serve. Catering to the discerning Four Seasons guest’s discerning palate; we offer both regional Indian and international cuisines that our guests can choose from.

Both regional and international cuisines like Chinese, Thai and Japanese are equally popular with our diners.”

Vilas disclosed that though most of the clientele at Grand Mercure Bangalore comprised of Europeans, it was found that several of them wanted to experience local cuisine. Thus there was an equal demand for international as well as Indian cuisine.

Anil affirms, “While international cuisine is today accessible and available everywhere, regional cuisine still has a stronger impact and hold in the hotelier competition. We have seen that diners prefer regional cuisine over international cuisine on various occasions because of which we, at Grand Mercure Mysuru, emphasise more on food festivals based around regional cuisines.”

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Mayur maintains “Indian Food is rated highly and equally loved by travelers to our country. Explorers have realised we are a vast country and have plenty to offer beyond a few dishes that international cuisine has to offer.”

Ashvini Kumar disclosed that at Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai, Vashi they did a lot of food promotion activities for regional cuisine which was not only patronised by the house guests but also by walk-in guests. “Recently, we have done Thai food promotion and also ‘Around Asia in 7 days’. I find that regional as well as international cuisines are popular.”

Kuldeep concurs and adds, “This is because the usage of Spices and cooking method used in Indian cuisines make the food more distinct in flavours and the Indian food is not just Food for guests now a days but it’s more of an Experience and we, at Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway, are giving them the best of Experience at our Hotel.”

Dev too feels that regional cuisine wins over international one. He adds, “Even international travelers prefer Indian regional cuisine because they travel to India & want to taste the flavour and aroma of various Indian dishes. Regional cuisine always remains a hidden treasure for all travelers.

Amit concurs and says, “Our guests want to try the local ingredients and want to taste the authenticity of the regional dishes of India as well as explore more varieties of authentic & traditional delicacies in the country.”

Ashish is of a similar view. “Local produce is the new way ahead and the trend of regional cuisine will gain popularity even more in the coming years. These cuisines are still new and very refreshing for the new palate. Guests these days understand the value of local produce and its importance in terms of both taste and health,” he says.

Ilandhirai is also of the view that homely food is more preferred as compared to international cuisine.

Neelabh says “As Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences is one of the largest business hotels in Eastern India we get different groups of clients; some come for the conference, some for leisure and some long stayers. I must confess here that our regional cuisine is most popular within the leisure group and the long stayers. The main reason behind this is that leisure group comes to explore the region and they generally want to satisfy their palate with local varieties of delicacies.”

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Recipes SevKhamni Ingredients Chana dal ......................................1 Kg Oil..................................................25 ml Eno.................................................10 Gms Cooking soda.................................0.5 gms Asafetida ......................................0.5 gms Mustard seeds...............................10 Gms Anardana.......................................30 gms Green chilly....................................10 Gms Ginger chopped .............................10 Gms Coriander leaf.................................10 Gms Sugar.............................................10 Gms Lemon ...........................................2 pcs Sev................................................as required Method 1. Soak chana dal for up to 6 to 7 hours, make a rough paste, add eno, oil and salt in it , and leave it to steam for round about 30 to 35 minutes.

2. Then cool it down and grate it, keep it aside, take oil in pan, add mustard seeds, asafetida, green chilly paste, and ginger paste.

3. Saute it well and add above grated khaman, add sugar lemon juice, and on top add sev, anardana and chopped coriander leaf.

Chef Maharaj Jankidas Vaishnav, Tuskers Vegetarian Dining & Bar, Sofitel Mumbai BKC

Malvani Fish Curry Ingredients Fish................................................500gms Oil .................................................2tbsp Mustard Seeds..............................1 tsp Onion.............................................1 [large] Malvani masala .............................2 tsp Coconut Milk..................................1/2 Cup Salt ...............................................To Taste Fish marination Red Chilli Powder ..........................1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder............................1 tsp Salt................................................1 tsp Lemon Juice..................................1/2 tbsp To Grind Grated Coconut..............................5 tbsp Ginger garlic paste.........................2 tsp Dry Red Chilli.................................6 Poppy Seeds..................................1/2 tbsp Kokum............................................4 Petals

Sorshe Ilish Ingredients Hilsa Fish.......................................1000 gm Green chilli.....................................20 gm Salt................................................20 gm Mustard oil ....................................100 ml Mustard Paste...............................500 gm Panch Phoran.................................10 gm Coconut Milk .................................400 ml Instructions • Cut, wash and pat dry the fish • Slit the green chili.

• Soak the mustard in water for 30 min and then grind into fine paste.

Method 1. Wash and marinate fish with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp

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turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Rinse 3-4 times and marinate with remaining ingredients until fish required to use or for 15 more minutes.

2. Soak kokum in 1/2 cup hot water for 10 minutes.

3.

Grind all the ingredients 'to grind' into fine paste, use kokum soaked water to grind.

4. Finely chop onion and keep aside.

5. In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter.

Add onion and sauté until soft.

6. Add masala paste and sauté until oil floats on top around 10 minutes in medium to slow flame.

7. While masala gets cooked, in a pan (or tawa) grizzle 1 tsp oil and fry fish pieces both sides until light brown around 5 minutes each side on slow to medium flame.

8. Once oil starts to floats on top, add 2 cups of water in masala, salt and bring it to good boil.

9. Now add fish pieces, malvani masala and simmer for 10 minutes 10. Add coconut milk, adjust salt if required and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until oil floats on top. Serve warm with steamed rice and enjoy this spicy fish curry.

Vikas Singh, Executive Sous Chef, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai.

Method 1. Heat mustard oil in a pan add panch phoran masala wait till it crackles.

Add mustard paste and cook for a while then add turmeric green chilli, salt and fish.

2. Cover and simmer it till the fish is cooked. Finish with coconut milk.

3. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Neelabh Sahay, Executive Chef, Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences

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Kumbh ki Galauti Ingredients Button Mushroom..........................100 Gms Amul Cheese .................................20 Gms Roasted Chana Powder..................10 Gms Ginger............................................3 Gms Garlic.............................................3 Gms Garam Masala Powder...................1 Gms Potato............................................10 Gms Ghee..............................................10 Gms Chop Green Chilly...........................2 Gms Salt................................................to taste Tempura Flour................................10 Gms Method 1. Heat oil in pan add whole pan add ginger garlic and mushroom and sauté for some time and cook until soft and mince it 2. Add roasted channa powder and potato whole Garam masala and chop chilli 3. Make patty with it and sauté it on hot griddle it with ghee 4. For mushroom tempura make a tempura batter with tempura flour and water and add slice mushroom and deep fry.

Avinash Kumar, Executive Chef, Novotel Imagica Khopoli

Dal Makhani Ingredients Soaked overnight red kidney beans....2 tablespoon Red chilli powder................................1 teaspoon Butter..................................................4 tablespoon Chopped onion....................................1 large Tomato puree......................................½ cup Fresh cream........................................½ cup Ginger paste.......................................½ teaspoon Salt.....................................................1 pinch Chopped ginger...................................2 inch Vegetable oil.......................................1 tablespoon Sliced & slit green chilli.......................2 medium Garam masala powder........................1 teaspoon Soaked overnight urad dal...................½ cup Garlic paste.........................................½ teaspoon Method 1. Soak sabut urad and rajma overnight in three cups of water. Drain it and pressure cook in 4 cups of water with a pinch of salt. This makes the rajma and dal soft.

2. Take a kadhai on medium flame, then heat the oil and add some cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds crackle you can add half ginger-garlic paste and stir for some time. Then you can add some onions, chopped green chillies and tomato puree, fry until the mix turns golden. You can

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C OV E R S TO R Y accentuate the taste of this recipe by adding one tablespoon almond paste, which you can prepare with soaked almond. This will make the recipe more creamy. If you are someone who loves the authentic style of Dal Makhani, then we suggest you to use ghee instead of using sunflower oil.

3. Once the bhuna masala is ready you can add the pressure cooked Rajma and dal, and bring to boil. If you want your Dal Makhani to be smooth, you can grind the masala first and then add the dal and Rajma.

4. Then add some garam masala and salt as per your taste. Stir well and bring to boil, if you think that the paste is too thick you can add some water. Then add some fresh cream to this recipe and stir well.

This will make your Dal Makhani creamy and delicious. Garnish this recipe with fresh cream and freshly chopped coriander leaves. You can serve this indulgent recipe with naan, jeera rice and tandoori butter roti.

Do not forget to add a dollop of butter in the bowl. This desi recipe will surely win you accolades for culinary skills.

Anand Kumar, Executive Chef, Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks

Bibinca Ingredients Nutmeg grated...............................1/2 tsp Cardamom powder........................2 tsp Ghee..............................................1 cup Egg yolks.......................................20 eggs Coconut milk..................................3 cup Refined flour...................................10 gms Castor sugar..................................1 kg

Nali Nihari

Method 1. Preheat the oven.

2. Mix in the castor sugar to the coconut milk and stir till dissolved.

3. Cream egg yolks till creamy and mix in to the coconut milk and mix thoroughly.

4. Mix in the flour to this mixture, stirring constantly so that no lumps remain.

5. Mix in the grated nutmeg and cardamom powder and mix.

6. Take a deep pot about 6` in diameter and heat up a tblsp of ghee in it.

7. When it is hot pour out a cup of batter and bake till brown.

8. Mix in another tblsp of ghee and over it pour out another cup of batter and bake till brown.

9. Continue in this manner till all the batter is used up.

10. Decorate the last layer with a few slivers of toasted almonds and bake.

11. When done turn it upside down and cool.

Pu r a n Po l i Ingredients Chana Dal ............................................ 450 gms Sugar (Cheeni) or Jaggery (Gud) ......... 500 gms Wheat Flour (GehunKa Atta) ............... 250 gms Flour .................................................... 50 gms Oil ....................................................... 5 tsp grated Nutmeg (Jaiphal) ..................... 1/2 powdered Cardamom (Elaichi) ............ 50 gms Pure ghee for serving

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Method 1. Wash the chana daal and cook with a little or just enough water.

2. Drain out the extra water.

3. Add sugar or jaggery to the cooked daal and cook on low heat until the mixture becomes thick.

4. Remove from heat and pass it through a sieve while still hot.

5. Add grated nutmeg and cardamom powder.

6. Stir well and remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

7. Mix the wheat flour, flour, oil and enough water knead into a smooth dough.

8. Keep it aside for an hour or two.

9. Divide the gram daal mixture into ping pong sized balls and the flour dough into slightly smaller balls and roll them out a little.

10. Place the gram daal ball in the centre of the rolled flour dough and close it to cover the filling completely.

11. Roll out into a chapati and bake on a non stick tawa till done on both sides, adding a little ghee around.

12. Fry till done.

13. Serve hot with pure ghee.

Nitin Gupta, Director Food & Beverage, Novotel Pune Viman Nagar

Ingredients Lamb Shank ..................................300gm Lamb Stock....................................200ml Powder garam masala..................10gm Brown onion .................................100gm Coriander powder.......................... 5gm Coriander Green.............................5gm Herb Mint.......................................10ml Salt................................................5gm Ghee..............................................5ml Mustard oil ....................................10gm Powder Degi Mirch........................50ml Powder Turmeric............................15gm Ginger............................................50gm Garlic.............................................50gm Method 1. Heat ghee in a deep pan, add mutton pieces and sauté on high heat till well browned. Add nihari masala and continue to sauté for two minutes.

2. Add half the fried onions and mix. Add two cups of water and salt and bring it to a boil. Cover and cook till the mutton is completely cooked.

3. Mix whole wheat flour in half a cup of water well so that there are no lumps. Add the remaining fried onions to the mutton mixture.

Add the wheat flour mixture and mix well.

4. Cook till the gravy thickens. Add ginger strips and cook till the mutton begins to leave the bones. Serve hot.

Amit Dash, Executive Chef, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park

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BUSINESS

Processed Food Industry: Set for a leap forward Food is essential for all living beings and livelihood of many. Food is no longer related only to agriculture and farmers. Today, processed food industry is offering opportunity to various entrepreneurs to enter this field. There is a silent revolution going on in the country. Besides the expanding middle class there is a growing aspirational class. The farm to kitchen chain, with increased agricultural production and better storage facilities will boost food processing sector. Ashok Malkani views the scenario of the food processing industry and the opportunity it offers to new entrepreneurs

A

griculture is the most important section of Indian economy. It is the primary source of livelihood for about 58 per cent of India’s population.

According to IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation), food grain production during 2017-18 was 284.83 million tonnes and the Indian government’s target during 201819 is 285.2 million tonnes. Production of horticulture crops is estimated to be 314.7 million tonnes in 2018-19. This has enabled the food processing sector to experience

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a tremendous boom over the last several years.

Food processing, incidentally is the transformation of food or from one form to another; that is, from agriculture produce to ready to eat or heat and eat product.

The process can vary from simple drying and freezing to complex formulation of a frozen meal with rightly balanced ingredients and nutrients. There are three stages of processing – Primary, Secondary and Tertiary.

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Primary processing is the conversion of raw materials to food commodities. Milling is an example of primary processing.

S e co n d a ry p ro cess i n g i nvo l ves conversion of ingredients to edible products, like baking bread.

Tertiary process is the conversion of raw materials to convenience food like canned soup, frozen dinners, etc.

Benefits of Food Processing Th e re a re s eve ra l b e n ef i ts of fo o d

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processing. Some of them are toxin removal; preservation, which eases marketing and distribution tasks; increasing food consistency. It also enables availability of all kinds of food throughout the year, transportation of delicate perishable goods across long distances and making the food safe for consumption by de-activating spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms.

Processed foods are usually less susceptible to early spoilage than fresh foods and are better suited for long-distance transportation from the source to the consumer.

Processing can also reduce the incidence of food-borne disease. Fresh materials, such as fresh produce and raw meats, are more likely to harbour pathogenic micro-organisms (e.g.

Salmonella) capable of causing serious illnesses.

Scope for Entrepreneurs An entrepreneur could enter food processing industry at any of the stages. There is immense scope for enterprising people.

Today India is the sixth largest food processor in the world. By 2030, Indian annual household consumption is expected to treble, making India the 5th largest consumer. Rising household incomes, urbanisation and the growth of organised retail are currently some of the major drivers of this market, besides increasing demand in the international market.

Food & Grocery retail market in India constitutes almost 65 per cent of the total retail market in India. Currently, according to IBEF, India consumes processed food items worth $ 370 billion and this is expected to increase over the years.

According to a report by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority (APEDA), “Food processing industry accounts for 32 per cent of the country’s total food market”. The Indian food processing market was worth Rs. 24,665 Billion in 2018. Looking forward, the market is projected to

Aug-Sept ’19

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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BUSINESS

reach Rs. 50,571 Billion by 2024, exhibiting a CAGR of 12.4 per cent during 2019-2024.

It may be mentioned that most of these food processing units are Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Over 450 million tonnes of raw materials from agriculture, dairy, etc. are refined and transformed, by processing, into edible products.

The rate of agricultural export growth over the past decade is the highest in comparison to other countries. According to the data collected by the APEDA, export of processed food products in India, rose to $ 197 million from $ 190 million last year.

The government, through the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is taking steps to boost investment in the food processing sector. In this connection, it has sanctioned, under the Mega Food Park Scheme, setting up of 42 Mega Food Parks (MFPs). 23 of them are expected to become operational by 2020.

Incidentally Mega Food Park, undertaken

by MoFPI, aims to establish “direct linkage from farm to processing and then to consumer markets”. The government provides grants up to Rs 50 crores for each food park to a consortium of companies, whose collective investment is expected to be at least Rs 250 crores.

Food processing has an important role to

play in linking Indian farmers to consumers in the domestic and international markets.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is making all efforts to encourage investments across the value chain.

This has encouraged, over the last about a decade, investment from foreigners.

The Department of Industrial Policies and Promotion (DIPP) discloses that India received about $ 7.54 billion FDI from April 2000 to March 2017. The CII has anticipated that the food processing sector can possibly pull in around $ 33 billion FDI in the following ten years.

As per the 2016-2017 Annual Survey of Industries, there are 37,175 registered food processing units in the country.

According to an Assocham Grant Thorton study, the Indian food processing sector has the potential to attract $33 billion in investment.

The Government’s “Make in India” campaign launched in 2014 has also acted as an incentive for inviting investment in the food processing industry.

Factors influencing growth in Food Processing Industry There are several factors which have contributed to an increased demand of processed food. Some of them are: D e m o g r a p h i c c h a n g e s : Th e u r b a n

population accounts for 35 per cent of the total populace, which is believed to be about 1.37 billion currently. And about 61 per cent is under the age of 35.

Growth in urban population and increase in employment are egging the consumer to live a fast-paced life. Also, women are joining the work force, not only in cities but also in small towns and villages. This means they have to compromise on household chores such as cooking. Both these factors (fast paced life of the youth and the increasing number of women joining the work force) have made it necessary for them to opt for ready to eat food.

Changing lifestyle & women in workplace: Urbanisation and the increasing number of working women have also pushed consumers to look for packaged products – including food stuffs. Increasing health consciousness has also encouraged the trend of choosing packaged products.

Rising disposable income: Growth in economy directly results in the growth of income. According to the government the per capita income is estimated to have risen by 10 per cent to Rs. 10,534 a month during the financial year ended March 2019. Income growth has increased consumer appetites and discretionary spending.

Increasing retail and e-retail: India’s food & grocery (F&G) retail market, according to private estimates, is considered to be the third largest in the world with over $ 500 billion sales. The share by modern formats like hypermarkets is likely to grow from the present 2 per cent to 4 per cent by 2020.

This is mainly due to the evolving lifestyles and purchasing habits of an increasing number of consumers who are choosing to shop at modern retail stores (hypermarkets and supermarkets) on a weekly or monthly basis, instead of shopping at traditional grocers on a daily basis.

The increasing demand for processed food has witnessed noteworthy developments in the retail and e-retail space in India. 7-Eleven, the world’s largest

Grocery Retail outlets by channel

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Modern Grocery Retailers

5,852

5,902

6,152

6,545

6,670

7,162

Traditional Grocery Retailers

12,426,472

12,488,703

12,555,234

12,623,561

12,695,235

12,770,413

Total

12,432,324

12,494,605

12,561,386

12,630,106

12,701,905

12,777,575

Source: Euromonitor

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’19

BUSINESS convenience store chain, has announced its intention to set up its first stores in India.

While online grocery retailing is the smallest retail channel (representing 19 per cent of total retail grocery sales), it is the fastest growing retail segment and the one with the highest potential.

Emerging Casual Dining Restaurant (CDR) and Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Segments: There has been a sizeable increase in CDRs and QSRs and most of them use preformed or ready to heat products in order to help them serve their customers quickly.

Incentives like Foreign Direct Investment and other measures by GOI: According to official data, FDI in food processing sector rose to 24 per cent in 2017-18. In 2017 the government had approved American e-commerce major Amazon’s proposed $ 500 million investment in retailing of food products. At present, 100 per cent FDI in food processing sector is allowed through automatic route. Additionally, the government has reduced excise duties on food processing and packaging machinery from 10 percent to 6 per cent, allowed food processing units a 100 per cent income tax exemption on profits for the first five years

Aug-Sept ’19

of operation, and a 25 per cent income tax exemption on profits for years six to ten of operation and provided other incentives.

Food Processing & Handling Equipment Another segment that offers scope for investors is the Food Processing & Handling (FPH) equipment manufacturing segment.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Valued at $ 129.2 billion in 2018, it is projected to reach $ 196.6 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.2 per cent from 2019.

Generally, equipment used in food processing applications serves one of the following purposes: measurement, transportation, storage, processing, or thermal treatment.

According to RnR Market Research the

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BUSINESS Attractive Opportunities in Food Processing & Handling equipment market

With the growing preference for healthy food and functional foods, manufacturers are expected to adopt new equipment to fulfill the demand for healthy functional foods & beverages. In this connection, it may be mentioned that, according to a new research report by Global Market Insights Inc., Hygienic Easy to Clean Food Processing Equipment market is expected to exceed $ 55 billion by 2025. Rising demand for food safety along with growing need for new and efficient processing equipment is expected to drive the demand.

Bakery & Confectionery

Source: Marketsandmarkets Analysis

Food Processing & Handling equipment market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2 per cent. The report states, “The rising disposable incomes, growing population, busy lifestyles, and shift in the focus toward convenience foods and instantly processed foods are some of the key trends that are driving the demand for food processing equipment, which is, in turn, influencing the growth of the food processing & handling equipment market. Companies across food processing, food retail and foodservice value chains have various opportunities to access or increase their penetration of equipment products, either organically or through acquisition.”

Amid demographic changes, innovation, and evolving customer needs, the outlook for the sector is positive, and growth is expected to accelerate in the years ahead (5 per cent CAGR from 2016–21, compared with 4 per cent from 2011–16).

A report by McKinsey & Company states that the future of the industry will depend on four powerful trends which will accelerate its growth. Besides urbanisation and rising living standards, which are causing dietary shift to higher-value-added product, fueling demand for processed and packaged foods and leading to higher equipment sales, there is also the changing consumer preference for organic and healthier food resulting in menu expansion.

With the need for higher standards, there will likely be requirements for a new range of equipment for food production, for higher machine standards, and a need for specialised systems (for example, radiofrequency-identification labeling) to ensure traceability and minimise spoilage.

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Customers are demanding machines that improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and increase uptimes, leading to new requirements for automation, energy eff i c i e n cy, a n d i nte g rate d s o l u t i o n s .

This will also provide opportunity for entrepreneurs who would like to invest in this segment.

There is ample scope for entrepreneurs as Marketsandmarket.com reports that global market for food processing and handling equipment of $ 137.2 billion in 2019 will grow at a CAGR of 6.2 per cent to reach $ 196.6 billion by 2025.

Advancements in the food processing i n d u s t r y, i n n o v a t i o n i n p ro c e s s i n g technology, and continuous growth in the demand for processed food are some factors that are expected to support the growth of the food & beverage processing equipment market.

B a ke ry a n d co n fe ct i o n e ry p ro d u cts segment is believed to form the largest segment of processed food segment.

Global confectionery ingredients market is expected to grow to $ 97.38 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of about 6.1 per cent between 2019 and 2025 according to Zion Market Research.

Increased investment by industry players on innovation and research development is expected to have a positive impact on the confectionery ingredients market.

The report claims that there will be a rise in consumer awareness in the health benefits of chocolate and demand for natural ingredients following a change in eating habits.

Confectionery products can also be produced with whey ingredients like whey powder and lactose, which has various benefits. Whey powder reduces contents of sugar.

With increasing demand for processed confectionery and bakery products the demand for bakery equipment is also bound to rise. The increase in awareness

Growing retail in bakery & confectionery industry to drive market growth

Source: Marketandmarkets Analysis

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BUSINESS

among consumers regarding healthy food consumption has led to higher demand for healthier functional foods, leading to reduction in the consumption of sugar and products that contain sugar such as candies, sweet spreads, and bakery products. This trend is witnessed in all the regions, and is expected to restrain the growth of the confectionery products market, which would subsequently impact the confectionery processing equipment market.

Technological advancements in the food industry such as 3D food printers used by manufacturers of gummies and jellies to give different sizes and shapes to the products will also provide entrepreneurs for further scope.

Globalisation and increase in incomes can be attributed to the growth of the premium chocolate market, giving investment opportunities for the manufacturers of chocolate processing equipment.

Marketsandmarkets projects global confectionery processing equipment (machinery used for the production of confectionery products such as hard candies, chewing gums, gummies & jellies, and soft confectionery) to touch $ 6.55 billion by 2023.

Packaging of Processed Food Another area, which offers scope for new entrepreneurs, is packaging of processed food. The middle class, with increasing spending power, is now exploring the packaged processed foods in the ready to make and easy to eat category. Almost 65 per cent of the Indian population lives in rural region. But they are attracted to food products of urban cities thus rural India provides a great opportunity for packaged food and beverage industry. Packaged chocolates, biscuits, chips, cakes etc. are eagerly lapped up by them.

As the Indian food and beverage industry is growing rapidly, creating awareness among consumers of the packaged products is likely to increase the growth of this market.

Conclusion With increased focus on food safety and regulations, companies need to keep track throughout the value chain.

The food manufacturers will have to rely on food processing and packaging equipment companies. With increasing focus on health, the food processing industry – including bakery and dairy products – is set for a quantum leap and a bright future for enterprising entrepreneurs who are keen to enter this segment. n

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FEATURE

How to Ensure The New Menu Is a Success!

By Sharmila Chand

A

new menu is considered an excellent way to get the visibility and break the monotony. No wonder, chefs are always thinking about introducing new dishes in their menu several times throughout the year. Whether it's introducing seasonal produce or replacing dishes that are not taken so well by the diners or improvising with trendier options, changing and rotating the menu keeps diners excited and coming back for more. A good menu is at the heart of every restaurant. But, executing a new menu launch is no easy feat.

We ask experts on how to ensure the new menu launch is a success. From their experience in the industry operations, they are the best think tank to give significant guidelines.

Crucial ways to see the new Menu Buzzing Sudip Sinha, Food & Beverage Manager,Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield Th e g o l d e n r u l es we a p p l y fo r a successfully engineered menu that makes us certain that our new menu launch will be a success are: Planning - Planning plays the most crucial role in making a new menu’s launch

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successful. At Bengaluru Marriott Whitefield, we recently launched a new menu for Alto Vino, the Italian fine dining restaurant at the property. With an intensified focus on

“One must always curate an interactive and relatable menu avoiding over experimenting; the diners prefer simple yet relatable menu for precise understanding” Sagar S Bajaj, Corporate Chef First Fiddle

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understanding the taste and preferences of the guests and incorporating it in chef’s culinary repertoire, it required a planning and research of around eight months or so.

It boasts of an experiment that our expat chef has been doing with his guests to push boundaries and get the flavours and textures right to meet the taste of our audience.

Training and Testing - Effective Training and Testing is one of the necessities when it comes to making a new menu launch successful. Talking about training, the servers and host / hostess should be well aware of the changes that have been incorporated in the new menu. From potentially fatal allergies to food sensitivities to price points and trends, knowing how a dish is prepared and what’s inside it makes all the difference for customers. Customers always spend if they enjoy what they’re getting in return. When it comes to Testing, it is very important to gain feedbacks from guests who order new features. Asking them open-ended questions helps us to understand how well the menu will perform when it actually launches.

Soft Launch - A soft menu launch is a great way to execute the full menu and gather customer feedback in a controlled

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FEATURE is not available anywhere else. This unique offering will help bring guests to the outlet.

fashion. Inviting some customers and a few special guests to sample the menu alongside wine, beer or cocktails is always a nice idea to make the hard launch a successful one.

Effective Marketing - Engaging with local bloggers, key influencers and media outlets and encouraging them to act as advocates for the new menu is important to create a buzz in the market. Proper advertising and tying up with third party aggregators is required to let people know that something new is coming up that shouldn’t be missed.

Competitive Analysis - Analyzing the competitor’s menu is important while coming up with the menu for our hotel.

Factors like menu size, menu style, delivered portions, ingredient quality, and price points needs to be looked into when we plan menu for our hotel.

Jatinder Pal Singh, Executive Chef, Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center Firstly, one should invest in good photography. Attractive images will help in engaging the audience’s attention on the traditional and digital advertising platforms.

Secondly, generate awareness about the new menu via social media and PR activities.

Sometimes one must go the extra mile and include a must-have dish on the menu that

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“It is important to give the reason as to why new menu is being launched, the guests should be intrigued by the menu, and that should make them want to try it” Jatinder Pal Singh, Executive Chef, Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Center

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Simran Singh Thapar, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa Launching a new menu involves a careful insight about the preferences and likes of the targeted customers. At JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa, we identified our uniqueness, why guests prefer us over other restaurants and also recognised the strengths of our competitors.

Know your Diners - One must be aware of the age group of diners, profile, average time spent on the table to understand what would work.

Keep Updated – It is important to be always updated with the trends on social media. Hit the wave exactly while it is at its peak, it will benefit and source a promotion for the restaurant without actually spending a penny on marketing.

Awareness - A launch should be followed by a media shout out. Spread out the message regarding the upgrade in all forms of media creating a buzz about the new menu, as to create anticipation.

Signature Dish - Every restaurant has a signature dish that caters to a population of faithful diners, never eliminate them from

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FEATURE

“New menu launch gives an opportunity for the team to work together and contribute with their suggestions and opinions. The discussions may lead to a brilliant game changing idea! Recognise the importance of the regular customers. Make them feel special and significant by offering them a sneak preview, inviting them for a pre menu launch dinner and asking them for advice or feedback. The loyal customers spread a good word in their social circle” Simran Singh Thapar, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa

“Find out the top flavours trending in the market and curate an exquisite menu accordingly plus incorporate local delicacies to the new menu is very important as this helps develop a strong local connect” Chef Rajiv Kumar, Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Resort and Spa, Karjat

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the menu as they will always be in demand and continue to be a classic.

Sumit Sinha, Director of Food & Beverage, Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla Menu Engineering - Menu Engineering is the foundation of the entire launch. Retain the top selling and high profitable items from the previous menu and remove the low selling dishes. Menu should be a mix of global trending items as well as the local favourites.

Interestingly, there are lot of guests who prefer vegan, sugar free and gluten free options in the menu. These factors should also be kept in the mind. It is a wise idea to do food trials and seek feedback before officially launching the menu.

As far as seasonal promotions are concerned, innovation in terms of concept, presentation and taste is a must as the guests look for novelty. Another important point is the menu design which needs to be thematic, yet simple and easy to read.

Anticipation followed by Participation Creating curiosity about the new menu or even better, making your customers a part of the entire revamp process is a great idea to attract eye balls. This could be done both online and offline. For example, crowd sourcing the menu by letting your guests choose the final dishes or sending customised invites to the bloggers for social media shout outs.

Social media content strategy needs to be on point by creating great teaser videos, utilizing various interactive features such as Polls, Opinions, Quizzes and GIFs to create a buzz.

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Sell a story, not a Product - Your social media page should not look like a series of classified ads about the food or the menu.

It needs to be more narrative, interactive and relatable which can direct connect with the audiences. Attention span of a person scrolling your feed is not even 2 seconds.

How do you capture his interest depends totally on your story telling.

This year, when we curated a Dilli 6 special menu for our food festival, we recommended the signature dishes basis the Zodiac Signs of people (relating to the common characteristics).This series witnessed maximum reach and response that particular month.

Feedback - Guest feedback is very important for continuous improvement.

Also, it is also important to encourage guests to leave their feedback on online review platforms to spread a positive word of mouth. Here I have an interesting observation to share. The millennials love to post about what they eat on Instagram. So the presentation and drama behind a dish can actually help us gaining millions of eye balls with zero investment.

Essential Do’s to make it a Success Sudip Sinha, Food & Beverage Manager, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield Learn from the past experience and get rid of those dishes that aren’t working well helps a lot to understand liking and preference of the audience.

Secondly, training the staff efficiently on the new menu and their enthusiasm

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towards it makes it more appealing to the customers.

Apart from that, experimenting the new menu with bloggers and influencers helps to get an honest opinion for the discussion of its success.

L a s t l y, m a r k e t i n g i n v o l v i n g collaborations and tie-ups and keeping in mind the target audience while planning the new menu will hit the sweet spot and entice patrons to come in and dine with us.

Simran Singh Thapar, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa People visit Mussoorie to relish a life closer to nature. Inspired from Ayurveda, we follow the mantra of selecting seasonal, fresh and healthy ingredients. The contemporary travelers love to explore the local cuisine of Uttarakhand, hence we make sure to place the local delicacies as part of the menu.

Prepare a concept note talking about inspiration, cause and purpose of the change.

Re t a i n yo u r u n i q u e n e s s a n d exclusivity. Indulge in a conversation with the guest and get their feedback.

Learn what features make the outlet special for the visitors and why they would love to pick you over other competitors.

Involve the culinary and marketing team of the hotel in frequent insightful workshops and activities. The staff should be aware about the ingredients and nutritional details of all delicacies in the menu to engage in a conversation with the guests. Arranging talks and

discussion wherein the team gets the opportunity to talk about the modification and get familiar.

Sumit Sinha, Director of Food & Beverage, Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla Yo u r s t af f i s t h e re a l b ra n d ambassador - The chefs and the service staff members are the ones who interact with the guests. That is why it is very important that not only do they know about the new menu / offering but should also be able to recommend dishes basis the taste and preferences of the guests. It is very important to create a Marketing team within the restaurant who can contribute in promoting the new menu.

The world is on Internet, where are you - At Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla, we do lot of collaborations with digital media / news media to promote our signature dishes and offerings. This could be by providing experiential to the anchors, shooting recipe videos or brand integrations in the concept based videos. This has helped us in creating collaterals for our own brand and reaching to the followers of these platforms.

That OMG factor - A marketing hook is a very essential element of the complete launch strategy which can become a talk point amongst the target audiences. Our 36 Inch Parantha eating challenge worked wonders for us during our Dilli 6 food festivals as a big reward was on stake. Therefore, from larger than life installations to Guinness Book World of Records, brands go out of the way to create that wow factor.

Mareno ALI Group srl Via Conti Agosti, 231 31010 Mareno di Piave (TV) - Italy +39 0438 4981 mareno@mareno.it www.mareno.it Aug-Sept ’19

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“It is very important to understand the key USP as well as the value proposition that the brand wishes to offer to the guest.

This central messaging need to come out across all the platforms right from press, social media to marketing collaborations or guest interactions.”

Impress the Press and Influence the Influencers - Inviting the food critics, journalists, influencers for the food tasting is very important to create buzz about the new menu. While food remains the star of all such engagements, interesting activities, set ups, experiences add to the enchantment resulting in great press coverage.

Engage with local food communities Creating special events by collaborating with online food communities can be another great way to reach out a large set of customers. Since these are paid events, the restaurants can not only cover the food cost but also reach out to the new set of customers. Not to forget mentioning great amount of online reach and visibility.

Essential Don’ts to make it a Success Sudip Sinha, Food & Beverage Manager, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield While planning new menus we try to stay

Spa Focus on the demands and preferences of the guest, do not provide them with unfamiliar choices to pick from. Haste can lead to failure of great ideas. Give time to your plan. Research about the availability of the ingredients, their sourcing and try on creative food presentations. Prepare for a well-planned marketing campaign and organise a launch event that interests the public.

Arrange for tasting sessions so the guests can experience the dishes that are to be offered in advance. Training the internal team is also an important factor and mustn’t be skipped. People, who make the food, serve the food and market it must know it, believe in it and understand the reasons and the concepts to represent it well. Include ingredients that are locally grown and easily available in the market, don’t include ingredients that are hard to

Sumit Sinha, Director of Food & Beverage, Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla

“The menu itself is a marketing tool, a calling card to the brand.

Thus, designing the menu from modern to the classic, you have to keep in mind the marketing, planning and competitive analysis to make it as unique as possible to stand out” Sudip Sinha, Food & Beverage Manager, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield

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put to any uncalled circumstances. We try to avoid expanding and elaborating the menu in order to please everyone as the problem comes in the execution of such elaborate menus that doesn’t fit the customer expectations. So, we design it in such a way that the culinary team can flawlessly execute every item in the menu.

Secondly, nothing hurts more than expectations being broken. Therefore, never launch the new menu without a soft trial.

Never ignore the designing aspect of the menu. As appealing the dishes can be, if the design is not appealing our guest won’t take much interest in going through the menu. Functions and flow should be a major consideration whenever you are designing a menu.

Simran Singh Thapar, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort &

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arrange. As mentioned above, always retain the old classic dishes in the menu, they are the USP of the restaurant and loved by the guests.

Sumit Sinha, Director of Food & Beverage, Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla Don’t Change your menu too often. This may confuse the regular guests as well the staff.

Blind number game - The personality of your brand should be in synchronization with the personality influencer of blogger you are collaborating with, to promote your new menu. One million followers may not be equal to qualitative content, real followers and high interactivity.

Don’t invite reviewers until you are well prepared - A press or a social media review can make or break the restaurant’s image significantly. It is very important to be well

Aug-Sept ’19

prepared before doing any such activity.

Wrong Pricing - If your guest rate you food too expensive, they will never come back to your restaurant for a meal again.

Value for money is a must.

Don’t compromise on quality of the ingredients used Any compromise will not just cause business loss but also reputational loss. Here, the factor of hygiene should also be considered.

Sagar S Bajaj, Corporate Chef First Fiddle F&B Pvt. Ltd. Avoid overpricing of food and drinks.

One must avoid over-experimenting with the dishes.

Never change the menu completely. The menu must offer a mix of unique dishes and old favourites.

Always welcome the feedback by reviewers and visitors instead of ignoring or defending it.

What works the best in making new menu launch Successful Sudip Sinha, Food & Beverage Manager, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield From my understanding and experience, half of the success of the new menu launch depends on the planning and research while the other half depends on how well it is marketed. We as chefs need to understand the taste and preferences of our guests and should work on a menu which is a hybrid of some bestselling items with some newly introduced culinary repertoire.

Sumit Sinha, Director of Food & Beverage, Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla Like I mentioned earlier, Menu Engineering forms the foundation of the entire process. Understanding the food trends, sales trends, competition analysis and guest profile is a must to curate the menu.

This is followed by an effective sales and marketing strategy.

The formula is simple - understand the issue of the market, decide on the business objective, streamline the target audience and then work on the marketing mix and target media.

Essential Tips

By Sudip Sinha, Food & Beverage Manager, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield Remember a menu is more than just a list of the dishes a restaurant has available; it is an advertising tool capable of communicating a restaurant’s identity and driving profit if it’s well designed. So, its important to understand that more than the dishes what it brings to the dining experience which will buy their loyalty and a positive image for the brand.

By Sandeep Singh, Food & Beverage Manager, The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa Cater to different sections of your guests. For example, we at The Westin Pushkar Resort and Spa have created specialised menus as part of our commitment to personal renewal. For the ardent fitness and health advocates, we offer the dedicated SuperFoods focused menu. Complying with our brand element, Westin Sleep Well Menu promotes rest, recovery and the foods are packed with amino acids, vitamins and minerals; all elements that will help induce deep sleep in our guests. n

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Red, Sweet and Juicy

By Jhuma Biswas

S

trawberry is a red, juicy and luscious fruit, grown on strawberry plant. It has several F&B applications. Though in popular perception strawberry is being thought of as a berry, but it is not a berry in strict botanical sense.

It is stated in Wikipedia (the fact in turn is derived from an academic source) that strawberry technically is an aggregate accessory fruit, where the fleshy part is not derived from the plant’s ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries. Each apparently looking seed on the outside of the fruit is in reality one of the ovaries of the flower. Henceforth, we would refer strawberry only in the context of fruit.

The Rich Legacy Like many other fruits, strawberry too has a rich legacy. The origin of garden strawberry can be traced to 1750s in Britanny, France, but before this wild strawberries were cultivated.

Strawberry fruit was first mentioned in ancient Roman literature, in the context of its medicinal use.

French began to harvest strawberries by taking them from forest to their gardens, during the 14th century. Charles V from France had more than 1000 strawberry plants in his royal garden. By the mid 16th century, strawberry farming became popular in England. Strawberry’s cultivation in Europe gained some momentum by the end of the 16th century.

But modern strawberry as we know today, emerged during the 18th century, through

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crossing of Virginia strawberry from North America, to which Europe was introduced in the 1600s, and Chilean strawberry, to which Europe was introduced in the early 18th century. According to an academic article, all modern strawberry varieties have come from crossing of Virginia and Chilean strawberries.

Cultivation Strawberry plants generally require temperate climate to grow. Tropical and sub-tropical climates are generally not conducive to their growth, though some varieties of strawberries can grow in sub-tropical climates too. Strawberries prefer dry condition, so it is not advisable to overwater these plants. In the off season, strawberries can be grown in greenhouses too. Strawberry is the fruit from a short day plant. It needs exposure of sunshine of about 10 days of 6-or 8 hours each for initiation of flowering. In winter, the strawberry plants growing strawberry remain dormant.

Well-drained, medium loam soil with high organic matter and with a pH ranging between 5.7-6.5 is ideal for the cultivation of strawberries.

The ideal temperature for the growing of strawberries ranges between 60°F to 80°F. Strawberries become ready for harvest after their four to five months of growth.

China is the largest producer of strawberries in the world, followed by

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the US. During 2017, according to FAOSTAT of the United Nations, China grew 3.72 million tonnes of strawberries, whereas the US grew 1.45 million tonnes during the same year. During 2017, the global production of strawberries was 9.22 million tonnes. Mexico, Egypt and Turkey are other prominent producers of strawberries.

In India, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Haryana, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh are some of the strawberry growing states. In India, strawberry is generally cultivated in hilly areas. Mahabaleshwar, a picturesque hill station in Maharashtra, is well-known for the production of strawberries.

F&B Applications This delicious fruit has a wide variety of applications for the food service and food retail industry. Strawberry can of course be enjoyed fresh, as a fruit, but can also be made into jams and preserves. Strawberry jam can b e a delightful addition to the breakfast tables. Strawberry or its flavourings can be used in milk, ice-cream and milk shakes. Strawberry with cream is a popular dessert in England. In I ta l y, s t raw b e r r i es are commonly used as a flavouring for gelato.

S t raw b e r r i e s d i p p e d in chocolate can be an indulgence to savour.

Strawberry cakes with fresh strawberries are one of the items which

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AGRI if well done, can add value to a bakery outlet. Strawberry cookies can also be tasty accompaniments to evening tea. Strawberry shake is a common beverage across our juice and shake outlets but strawberry juice is also no less delightful and healthy drink, especially during sultry summers. And strawberry banana smoothie can give a wonderfully healthy kick-start to your busy day.

Strawberry on almond and brown sugar crumble and strawberry pie can also be slightly uncommon but delectable additions to our breakfast tables and so can be strawberry parfait made with strawberry syrup as one of its ingredients. Strawberry parfait can help you tackle the scorching summers better.

Healthy Benefits Strawberries are not only delightful to taste but are also enriched with health benefits.

More than 90 percent of strawberry is comprised of water. Strawberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C and manganese and they also contain healthy amounts of potassium. Strawberries are also enriched with folate, which is very important for pregnant women. Furthermore, strawberries are low in calories and are spruced with healthy antioxidants.

According to a research done in 2004,

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phenolic compounds in strawberries facilitate in lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases by inhibiting the formation of total and bad cholesterol or LDL. Intake of strawberries in right dosages may improve the health of your heart and may help in lowering blood sugar levels.

Strawberries also help in reducing formation of blood clots that are associated with strokes. What is more, strawberry is spruced with many flavonoids that act as great antioxidants. Together they may act as defense to the invasion of cancer

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or tumor growth. However, more human research is needed to understand the effect of strawberries on cancer conclusively.

Strawberries may also be used to prevent type 2 diabetes.

These are only some of the many healthy benefits of this delectable fruit. So we can see that in this increasingly health conscious age, the role of strawberries in India’s food service and food retail industry demands more importance. Particularly in India’s bakery industry, the role of strawberries needs more creative enhancement. n

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DESIGN

A designer must orchestrate varying needs of people and provide and energetic space and adequate privacy for those who desire it.

Designing Theme Restaurant 58

A

n excellently designed restaurant is one that enhances the delightful experience of enjoying delectable food by creating a comfortable environment that has style and energy and thus provide the perfect setting for memorable experiences.

Located in one of the most upscale neighbouroods of New Delhi Aerocity, is the new venture designed by Sumessh Menon called La Roca that stands as an ode to modern Spanish design in its entire splendor.

Right from vault ceilings to vibrant artwork on walls, the entire restaurant has a high energy, all day vibe permeating through it. The striking flagstone flooring sweeping across the entire expanse is entirely custom-made using a local stone and the oneof-its-kind horseshoe shaped bar with an intricate elliptical motif design becomes the piece de resistance of the space. Even the bar display at the back follows the arched shaped of the ceiling set against a background of bronze mirror finished cladding.

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design The elegant vaulted ceiling design reminiscent of the cathedrals of Spain was sculpted out of an otherwise rigidly square space and was the result of Sumessh’s many travels to the south of Spain.

Effortlessly combining design with technology, the muted finish of La Roca’s ceiling acts as a canvas for video mapping of modern progressive content on the ceiling vaults. A first in the industry, this stunning display transforms the ceiling with visuals varying as per the mood and vibe of the space for the day.

A raised pod seating area is defined by an intricate railing with a stunning backdrop of flamenco dancer artwork splashed across the walls adding that perfect touch of Spanish exuberance to the space.

The walls display striated pinewood finish on one side and on another wall one can see a play of textures and materials including veneer, bronze mirror, exotic stones and metal frames. The colour palette was kept an earthy one with beiges, browns and greys mixed with splashes of burgundy.

Sumessh Menon is the designer and founder of Sumessh Menon Associates,

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Sumessh Menon an interior design firm, conceived more than a decade ago, specialising in high end and bespoke hospitality interiors. He loves being experimental with innovative design concepts as well as with new age materials which has now practically become his forte.

His design philosophy is simply to

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aim for ˆwow˜ and everything else falls into place. When it comes to designing a restaurant, he asserts that it is a constant challenge to balance the practical with the desirable and inevitably design spaces for its intended uses.

His repertoire of restaurants includes high−end dining spaces across the country and around the world, from Mumbai, Delhi and Pune to New York, Dubai and South Africa.

He believes that an effective restaurant d e s i g n i s re a l i s e d b y d eve l o p i n g a functional floor plan that provides for smooth and timely service from the operational side, while delivering an equally enjoyable dining experience for customers. A designer must orchestrate varying needs of people and provide and energetic space and adequate privacy for those who desire it.

He has also received accolades as one of India’s Top 10 Hospitality Designers, listed in India’s Hot 100 list of Designers of 2018, felicitated as one of the "Top 50 Designers" by iGen Awards and most recently awarded the ˆBest Restaurant Best Restaurant Designer of the Year ˘ 2018˜by BBC Good Food India. n

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p rofi l e

Cruising Ahead Against All Odds!

Dishant Pritamani, Owner and Founder at The Daily Bar and Kitchen, Mumbai and Co-Founder at The Daily All Day, Pune

By Sharmila Chand Situated in the bustling heart of Mumbai, The Daily Bar and Kitchen is a cozy, laidback place by day that transforms into a trendy hotspot at night, catering to a vivacious audience with delicious food, unique cocktails and the perfect ambience. Founded by Dishant Pritamani in 2013, The Daily prides itself on its unmatched service and winsome hospitality. Its strong presence on the social circuit and the hospitality market makes this spot a go-to for weekdays and weekends alike.

Founder, Dishant Pritamani charted his journey with a degree in Bachelors of Management Studies from HR College of Commerce and Economics, and followed it up with a Masters in International Business from College in United Kingdom which eventually led him to a six-month job in the USA. The duality of the two worldly views he was exposed to elevate his thought processes, but his journey to find his true calling was a long road. He first started helping his father in Textile business. He also worked as Project Manager at an IT company. His roster of travel and exposure to the European lifestyle, client servicing and management back home drew him to the conclusion that he loved an audience and loved making them feel at ease. Hence, he got back to Mumbai and spent the next six months visiting bars and pubs in Bandra whilst researching every minute detail about what worked and what didn’t. In 2013, he went ahead and founded ‘The Daily Bar and Kitchen’ which now makes for the perfect nook to unwind and rejuvenate amidst the daily hustle of Mumbai city.

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With no formal training or education in the Hospitality Industry, Dishant’s journey was punctuated with its fair share of trials and errors. One could say that his inexperience in itself has turned out to be his biggest strength and provided him the momentum he needed to overcome every hurdle fervently.

“Though there were constant challenges, I was not seeing them as one. I was just seeing them as obstacles that I needed to overcome no matter what, and it was this conviction that helped me tide through,” he reminisces.

After 7 years of gaining experience in the hospitality industry, Dishant Pritamani recalls how imperative it is to have a strong core team. “For a bar like The Daily where everything is customised and something new is always going on, it is essential to retain an efficient and grounded management team. I’ve learned that once you let go and trust people, they make your place shine and I’ve seen that come through with The Daily. We always strive to maintain a family-like organisation that overpowers monetary gains,” he says.

With the hard-earned experience in his pocket and imaginative ideas, Dishant has expanded The Daily to Pune city. With a strong sense of focus and a business- oriented approach, Dishant has incorporated new elements at Daily All Day, Pune, making it a go-to spot for the city dwellers.

With this new venture and future-driven Hotelier and NGO Animal Welfare plan, it is fair to say that Dishant Pritamani’s dreams are only just getting started.

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Tell us the USP of your brand/restaurant?

The Daily was created 7 years ago as a bar that dispenses happiness “daily”. Our bar is based on the concept of “good news”.

In this world full of negativity we wanted to give out at least one good news story each day. Hence, the interiors in both the Mumbai and Pune bars resonate this concept. We have been harping on about the concept of giving out good news, and doing good and seeing good since 7 years. Seeing my staff even at the house-keeping level make this a mantra in their daily lives, and gives me a sense of accomplishment. If there is a family outside the bar begging, our house keeping guys will provide them with some hot food. Our staff stayed back at work during the heavy downpour last year, to serve tea and snacks to people stuck in the rain without me having to ask them even once. Somewhere there is a huge sense of pride in the craziness that we have created as we have moved on from just disseminating good news to having empowered people to do good and be better human beings. The sense of accomplishment that I get from seeing people that come from nothing do so much for people, is the biggest strength and the biggest USP that I have created.

Please spell out some key challenges in opening a new restaurant?

The biggest challenge in opening a restaurant is space constraints and rents. The food and beverage space is crowded. There is a substantial demand from people wanting to start a restaurant but not enough space supply to meet these demands. A single spot available is like a dead carcass that 500 eagles will pounce on. Property prices are really high thanks to the imbalance in the demand. I think what people, who want to start a new restaurant, need to realise is to be smart about the rents that you pay and not be in a rush to start. It is best to wait and first start at smaller rents rather than at higher ones. With every rental increment, your expenditure will start eating out your profit margins making it harder and harder to survive.

Another challenge is that our country is going through this immense explosion in the food and beverage sector. Owing to this, the pace at which skilled staff is growing is not the same as the pace that your restaurant wants to grow. For example, there are only around 30 top level mixologists in the country and around 100 top cocktail bars. This has created a situation where there are way too many consultants for everything, for food menus, for drink menus, that does not last for a long time with you. This is a problem as what the consultants did and what your staff does after them will never be the same. You need more skilled and permanent employees to maintain stability and quality.

What according to you are the trickiest issues to tackle these days in hospitality/food business?

The trickiest in running bars and restaurants is the number of institutions that you have to deal with. Whether it’s the BMC or other licensing authorities, you need your paperwork sorted at all times. There are several occasions when I end up doing a lot of non-restaurant work to ensure that The Daily functions at its best capacity.

Please comment on how the food trend has changed over a period of time?

There is a big wave of eating healthy and locally produced food.

People have started to prefer to eat cleaner and organically produced food. The other parallel is eating more locally produced food. People were earlier fascinated with imported foods and attached a certain

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p rofi l e novelty factor to this. However, people are moving away from this owing to their belief in sustainability and awareness of Indian alternatives, are opting to eat more locally produced food. I also think in terms of a particular cuisine, food from South India is becoming very popular. People have typecasted all the different cuisines from South India as “South Indian”. But there is so much more to it. There is Andhra food, Mangalorean food, etc. and these individual cuisines are going to dominate the future.

I’ve also noticed a shift into vegetarianism and veganism. There was a point in time that we would have a menu that was 50 percent vegetarian and the remaining 50 with meat options. But this ratio is changing. We’ve had to now design our menus with a higher proportion of vegetarian options.

What has helped you the most in image building of your brand?

It has to be how honestly we approach our brand and our jobs, with a very clear understanding that you must pass on all the good that you do. When this quality is passed on to every person in your staff they will in turn pass it on to their customers. We try to make our customers feel like they are at home at The Daily. We always engage with our customers in any capacity that we can, which could even be us just asking them if the problem they were talking about a week ago is now okay. It is the little gestures and genuine care that have given us immense word of mouth and as per me, there is no better brand building than good word of mouth.

What do you enjoy most about being in this business?

My motivator is that the business allows me to do the things that I would not do otherwise. It allows me to make my team understand that you can always move forward. Having the power to empower people to grow and not be stagnant just because they come from a certain strata in life and the power to help people build their lives gives me immense joy and happiness.

It gives me a sense of pride to be able to identify people who want to turn their lives around.

Along with this, the fact that you can imbibe not just a strong work ethic but also a great human ethic is something that I enjoy and motivates me to work harder each day.

What do you dislike the most?

Th e b u re au c ra cy i n t h e fo o d a n d

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beverage industry is something that I dislike the most. The industry is looked d ow n u p o n by a l ot of p e o p l e w h o live in the vicinity of restaurants and thought of as evil. However what we wish people understood is the fact that the industry is one of the largest generator of employment, a huge contributor to taxes and an overall necessity to boost travel and tourism. The way the industry is looked upon and treated just gives you a bad aftertaste.

How important is it to have good interiors in the restaurant?

I believe every restaurant owner should have a strong vision of what they want their space to look like and have great designers to execute what you envisioned. You do not need to spend a lot to make your interiors look great, but you should be able to give your patrons an experience when they walk into the space. I always preach that I don’t just sell food and drinks, I sell a mood.

Interiors play a very important part in conveying my story and I would equate it to be as important as the food and the drinks that you serve.

Is it getting difficult to hire good trained manpower these days?

Getting good trained manpower is a big problem in the industry. Manpower needs to have two major qualities, skill and experience.

It is very hard to find people who hone a lot of skills as well as experience. I prefer to work with skilled people who might not have as much experience and help them grow. I believe a brand can only grow if their employees grow. I also strongly believe in looking for people to fill positions from within the company. You will always find people who want to do a lot more. You must mould and train staff to make sure they evolve. The Daily has a trainer who hosts one-on-one sessions so that our staff can open their minds to and speak about their career aspirations. This enables us to make sure we are listening to our employees and enabling their growth.

Can you suggest any tips or insights to strengthen your team?

As mentioned previously, regular training sessions and empowering your team is a great way to start.

What are the top 3 traits or skills you look for in your Head - Food & Beverage Manager?

The first trait that I look for is for the

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person to be highly curious. Someone who has the drive to learn more, research more and to ask the right questions to be able to successfully innovate. Technical skills are the second most important thing that I look for.

The third would be leadership skills. It also matters how humbly the recruit is able to treat his subordinates as equals and with respect.

What kind of pressures have you encountered at work?

There have been many times that I have felt excessive pressure. In 2015, 8 new bars opened up in the vicinity and 60 percent of the crowd at The Daily was gone for over a month. The industry is really heavy on expenditure and I was losing money. Despite all the pressure, the experience was really humbling and taught me the need to innovate more and create bigger value for my patrons.

Not having the right team at the right time also makes you realise the actual pressure of not being able to have the situation in control even thought that you did.

There is also a lot of pressure from people asking you to grow faster and increase your pace. But I have come to realise that you must go at your own pace, live life and do what makes you happy. You must not succumb to the pressure of people asking you to better or do things faster.

There is also the physical pressure that everyone needs to know how to deal with. It is important to disconnect and let your body and mind recuperate.

What are your future plans to expand your brand?

We have few projects lined up in the near future. We want to venture out of the city, but we will definitely do another project in Mumbai before we decide to start in any other city.

What would you like to say on the current restaurant business scenario in Delhi, Mumbai & Bangalore?

Bangalore is really fantastic and sensible market. People understand the culture of going out and they are growing at a massive rate. You will definitely see us in Bangalore soon.

Mumbai is growing at a great pace; people and businesses are making more refined menus and are investing more time to give their audience an experience. Its a great time to be in the industry as on the whole it is in its growth phase and we will see good times ahead.

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THEME CUISINE

L

Foods of Israel

ocated in the Middle East and on the Mediterranean, Israel has multiple climates that are home to variety of plants and animals. The country’s diverse terroir spans from the coastal Mediterranean in Tel Aviv and Haifa to the lush greenery of Galilee and arid, rocky deserts of the Negev.

Together, Israeli cuisine is more of a mixed bag

Jerusalem Bagel

than most might realise. Mild temperatures along the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River allow citrus trees to grow fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. Other areas grow figs, pomegranates, and olives.

Geography has a large influence on the Israel cuisine. Thus regional foods like olives and olive oil, wheat, chickpeas, yogurt are major constituents of Israeli cuisine. Many food establishments in Israel adhere to kosher dietary laws, including the separation of milk and meat and the aversion to foods such as pork and shellfish. However, food in Israel is not always subjected to these laws.

Israel's diverse population also makes its cuisine unique. Israeli food is made up of cuisine brought to the country by Jewish immigration from all around the world as well as custom Middle Eastern cuisine. After moving around

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the world, Jews brought back various foods and recipes to their ancient land. These foods complimented other Jewish recipes, Jewish dietary laws, and the native ingredients to create a superb cuisine. Israelis further continued to evolve and develop delicious cuisines.

Thus Israeli cuisine is interplay of historical, sociological, agricultural influences. Therefore,

Shakshuka

many foods that are typically considered “Israeli” originated from the wider cuisine of the Middle East–including the popular Falafel (deepfried chickpea balls in pita) and the famous “Israeli salad” of cucumbers and tomatoes in distinctively small pieces. In addition, Jewish traditions of Eastern Europe play an integral role in Israeli cuisine, with ingredients such as sour cream and dishes such as borscht (a cold soup made from beets).

Typical foods of the region are flat bread, lentils, fresh fruit and nuts, raw vegetables, lamb, beef, and dairy products, including goat cheese and many types of yogurt.

Few dishes feature grilled meats and fish, stuffed vegetables, and traditional spicy Mediterranean salads and spreads. Typical dishes are stews, schnitzel, cheese-filled crepes (blintzes), matzo balls, and latkes.

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Israel was called the "land of milk and honey" in the Bible. Sweets, such as candy made from honey and sesame seeds, are favorites among children.

Israeli food is generally classified as Askenazi (European) food - traditional European Jewish meals from Hungary and Poland or Sephardic (Eastern) - foods rich in spices and flavours,

Halva

reflecting origin of countries for these recipes..

Each has contributed greatly to the evolution of Israeli food. The Arab population of Israel has also contributed to the Israeli food with its North African and Middle Eastern foods like Humus and Falafel.

Falafel is the most favorite fast-food in Israel, and Hummus (chickpea paste) is a staple in every home. Eggs are the important source of protein. Fresh fruits and vegetables are cooked and served in multiple ways. In Israel, vegetables are even eaten for breakfast.

The cosmopolitan structure of Israel offers variety of flavours and choices of Israeli food.

Israel is today the culinary capital, having several high end restaurants in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and more, which serve a fusion of typical Israeli food and flavours from around the world

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THEME CUISINE

11 Tastes of Israel!

Israel is every Epicurean’s dream destination and a wide variety of cafés serve everything from Arabic, European to Asian fare. But no matter what one picks, the food in the Jewish heartland will always be infused with the warmth of the Mediterranean sun, the goodness of fresh dairy products and meats, garnished with garden crisp fruits, nuts and vegetables. Here’s a low down on dishes you must indulge in whether you’re in a market, street or at a restaurant in Israel Challah - A special Jewish ceremonial bread, braided and brushed with egg white that is baked to perfection Sabich – A pita pocket stuffed with crispy fried eggplant, hardboiled egg, creamy hummus and tahini, along with Israeli salad and pickles. The sandwich created by Israel’s Iraqi Jewish community is an absolute street food favourite among locals. If you’re in Tel Aviv, try sabich from Sabich Frishman Jerusalem Bagel - Unlike the typical bagels, the Jerusalem Bagel is elongated, soft, slightly sweet and similar to regular bread.

Vendors sell freshly baked Jerusalem Bagels all over the streets of the Old City, usually accompanied with some za’atar Bourekas – Similar to the Indian samosa, bourekas are with potato, cheese or spinach stuffed triangles of filo-dough, topped with toasted sesame seeds. Head over to Leon and Sons in Jaffa for a taste of this flaky treat Khachapuri – Try this traditional Georgian dish in Mahane Yehuda Market made with eggs and cheese combined in an eye shaped dough. Once baked, dip the outer crust in the rich and oozing centre of egg and cheese

Bourekas

Challah

Khachapuri

Rugelach – This Jewish pastry is made with chocolate, cinnamon, raisins, walnuts or fruits. Head to Marzipan Bakery in Jerusalem to dig into this oozing chocolate filled delight Sambusak – Similar to bourekas, sambusak is made with mashed chickpeas, onions and spices wrapped in a triangular dough pocket.

For an Indian style sambusak, visit Tandoor in Tel Aviv Shakshuka – Shakshuka is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, sweet and spicy peppers and is often spiced with cumin and topped off with freshly cut herbs. Head to Dr. Shakshuka and swipe your bread across the pan to pick up the runny egg drenched sauce Halva – Israel is known for its incredible variety of Halva made with sesame and easy to find in almost all the markets around the country Ash Tanur – A sourdough flatbread, made without yeast and sugar and best eaten with some fresh local herbs and spices Fresh juices – From the juicy pomegranates to citrusy oranges, Israel prides itself on serving the most fresh and flavourful juices.

Tamara in Tel Aviv is one of the many popular juice stands in the city.

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R estaurant

La Loca Maria Mumbai Solely Chef-driven Restaurant

By Sharmila Chand ‘La Loca Maria’ was born, with ‘la loca’ translating to ‘the crazy’. Few crazy sessions and the co-owners, Chef Manuel Olveira Seller and Mickee Tuljapurkar realised that they wanted to add a strong positive feminine energy to the space. Chef Manuel decided to go back to his roots with his real inspiration — Maria, his mother.

The living embodiment of all things bold, unconventional and confident, she was the first woman in her town to start her own restaurant. She did not choose to abide by societal norms — it was quite rare for a woman to walk into a bar and get herself a drink back in the day. Her inimitable zest for life and self-confidence means that she is an eternal muse for Chef Manuel, and the interiors of the restaurant have been modeled after this pulsating energy that his mother radiates. The final result is a creative collaboration with local street artists, with Za Works bringing the murals of the eponymous Maria to life on the walls. Leaving ladylike conventions by the wayside, you’ll find her sitting with her legs uncrossed, sipping on sangria in between bites of a wholesome burger.

The founders wish for every visitor that walks into La Loca Maria to resonate with Maria’s confident persona and her

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independent identity. The founders have also left their personal stamp on the place by inculcating a painting of their pet dog, Max on the walls. This spirit of simplicity is celebrated in full force in the kitchen that occupies half the size of the restaurant, so people can see the food on their plates being made before their eyes. The dim lights spotlights and candles on the table at night ensures that the restaurant radiates a cozy and intimate vibe, and this is further elevated by the soothing instrumental music with Spanish and American country tunes that play in the background.

Mickee Tuljapurkar

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Food Being the brainchild of esteemed Chef Manuel Olveira Seller, this warm and vivacious 24-seater restaurant, tucked in Bandra, Mumbai, offers a touch of the alluring Spanish culture — manifested through the delicious burgers and tapas it offers its patrons. Instead of opting for a stereotypical Spanish name, the founders cast their sights on a creative iteration of the much-touted cuisine. Having decided that the name of the restaurant had to symbolise Manuel’s passion for food and his cultural heritage, they decided to throw in a punchline for maximum effect.

Spanish classics are thoughtfully reimagined to tease and tempt the palates of the city’s foodie folk. The local produce finds a champion in Chef Manuel, with Spanish-influenced cuisine crafted from locally grown vegetables. Chef Manuel’s imaginative exploration of comfort foods means that the main courses extend beyond classic Spanish staples to house a joyous mix of his personal recipes and Mediterranean food.

Veg Signature Dishes: Mushroom Croquette – Crispy from outside and tender from inside, it melts in your mouth with garlic aioli. It's an absolute

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“

I strongly believe that the USP of La Loca Maria is the fact that it is a chefdriven restaurant solely.

The versatility of the place allows me the freedom to experiment with my imaginative capabilities and creative sensibilities to create unique amalgamations of textures and flavours and offer these to my patrons

”

Chef Manuel Olveira Seller, Coowner La Loca Maria

treat for everyone.

Beetroot Hummus – A vibrant and colorful red gold hummus with parsley and smoked paprika that complete to bring out the flavours, served with crispy pita bread as a combination.

Pesto Linguine - Fresh handmade pasta covered with fresh basil pesto flavour by using pest pine nuts. It’s a light and soothing dish with a portion that’s just about right for a light meal.

Veg Classic Mushroom Burger - A packed patty of mushroom flavoured in soft bread brioche with a blend of spicy eggless mayo, parmesan chilli fries, tomato, lettuce and caramelized onion with no added sugar which makes it a delightful meal.

Warm Chevre Salad – An alluring mixture of soft and subtle goat cheese which is caramelized on the top with a touch of honey and thyme. Adding just the right amount of Lollo Rosso and rocket leaves with iceberg to get a tinge of crunchiness appealingly dressed with mustard honey vinaigrette.

Non-Veg Signature Dishes: BFF Carpaccio - A soft texture and finely sliced tenderloin prepared with marinated truffle vinaigrette and then finely garnished with green leaves, rocket leaves, parmesan and croutons.

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Charred Octopus – It is home food for Chef Manuel - specifically famous in the North of Spain. A very tender meat in a crispy skin/coat aligned with potatoes, spicy mayo and tomatoes that relish the smoky flavour by dint of the Spanish smoked paprika.

Pork Belly – An extremely slow and patient process that takes upto 5 hours to be cooked. It is to be marinated 12 hours prior to being cooked in the oil to get a tangy sweet chilli Asian flavour to the dish. In order to balance out the flavours, it is garnished with a sweet potato puree, jalapenos, scallions, chilli oil, fried crispy onions and grated parmesan.

Lobster Ravioli in Lobster Bisque and Roasted Apple Puree – A homemade ravioli cooked in a whole lobster. The meat of the lobster is used for the filling which is used in the shell for the bisque.

It takes a total of 3 hours cooking time.

This recipe has been mastered for 10 years and hence the unique flavour of the lobster is the key. It is then cooked with roasted apple puree with cherry vinegar as this is perfect seafood combination to opt for. Additionally it is garnished with crispy basil leaves and basil oil. The bisque is finally finished off with lime juice which elucidates the Peruvian element of the dish and gives a sour punch.

Gambas Al Ajillo - Beautifully cooked prawns with rich flavours of smoky garlic, and mildly spicy chillies. The Gambas is authentic too it’s flavours and simply melts in your mouth.

Signature Desserts The signature dessert at the restaurant is the “La Loca Tiramisu” as it instantly wins over a lot of hearts and smiles. Even though Chef Manuel uses the standard ingredients of a tiramisu, he chooses to extend his creativity to add a twist to the dessert. He does this, by making it extremely light and airy, and also adds a scoop of coffee ice cream to it to make it innovatively flavourful! Adding the coffee meringue and ice cream allows the patron to experience a range of diverse textures while eating the tiramisu.

Signature Drink The “Spicy Watermelon” mocktail is a unique yet classic drink, because it brings together two contrasting flavours altogether. The watermelon juice brings to the table a healthy sweet flavour, however soda and jalapeno are added to throw in a refreshing spicy punch that help clean one’s palette.

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R estaurant

Know the Chef Chef Manuel Olveira Seller

Born in the UNESCO heritage town of Toledo in Spain, Chef Manuel’s earliest childhood memories stem from his mother ’s restaurant where he got his first glimpse of the various techniques of cooking. His passion for the craft inspired him to start cooking at the age of merely fourteen, and he helped out at the family restaurant on weekends, where he often served Spanish home-cooked food.

He furthered his passion by enrolling at a culinary school in Toledo where he received hands-on knowledge of Spanish cuisine as well as unique techniques of making cheese, sauces and breads. Upon graduating with a certificate of diploma, he was recruited at a Michelin-star restaurant and ever since then, over the course of his career, he has worked as Chef De Cuisine at several illustrious hotels around the world, including 55&5th The Grill at the St. Regis, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi and as Chef De Cuisine at Le Cirque and Café Belge at The Ritz-Carlton in Dubai. In Mumbai, he started off as Chef De Cuisine at Arola Bar & Restaurant, JW Marriott, Mumbai, and has now finally achieved his lifelong dream of opening up his own restaurant - La Loca Maria.

By exploring classic flavours, and adapting to the diverse cultures and energies of the world around him, Chef Manuel has established his signature style of cooking. He chooses to focus predominantly on the rich textures of the produce in his dishes which is rare to see. Having worked in some of the most revered kitchens at an international level, his precision and attention to detail have been further honed with a consistency in the flavours of each dish that is plated.

He credits India, and its nuanced culture, as playing a significant role in opening up his palette as it was here where he learned to play around with and infuse different flavours, textures and spices into his own passion foods.

La Loca Maria provides Chef Manuel with a unique platform. As a chef-driven restaurant, the versatility of the place presents him with the freedom to play around with his own imagination and serve comfort foods that are exceptionally plated and presented. From the preparation of ingredients to the style of cooking, the restaurant is a living testimony to his Spanish heritage and his own personal creativity. As time passes, he hopes to delight patrons with delicious amalgamations of Mediterranean cuisine with Spanish influences.

A brief talk with Chef:

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Your philosophy on food?

My philosophy on food finds its basis on an extremely crucial factor - the freshness of the produce. For me, respecting and staying true to the original, clean flavours of every element of the dish is of utmost significance.

Creating amalgamations of textures, spices and flavours is good; however one must always retain a part, no matter how small, of the original flavours to ensure its authenticity.

Your favorite cuisine?

Apart from the Spanish cuisine, my favourite cuisines are Japanese and Peruvian, for the sole reason being the authenticity of the clean flavours that are infused into the food dishes.

Your role model?

My mother has played a significant role.

Your favorite spice?

My all time favourite spice is black pepper. It is an essential in almost every dish that I make. It effortlessly enhances the flavours of my dishes.

Your hot selling dish?

The 2 hottest selling dishes at La Loca Maria are the BFF Carpaccio and Gambas Al Ajillo.

Lessons learnt in the kitchen?

Rather than lessons, I would say I have learnt a lot of principles and values in the kitchen. Working in the kitchen has made me understand and learn the value of patience and discipline as attributes and qualities. More importantly I have learnt how to take on and further delegate responsibilities to my team members. Efficient communication, taking inputs from others basis their perspectives, and experimenting are some of the other key learnings that I have taken away from spending time in the kitchen.

What are you passionate about?

Other than the food I cook, I am extremely passionate about bikes. I am a complete bike enthusiast, and have had a diverse collection of bikes back in the day.

If it was your last meal on earth, what would you choose?

Being one of the most difficult questions I have ever had to answer, I would say my last meal on earth would be my mother’s home cooked Cocido. It is essentially a Spanish stew that is made of chickpeas, chicken, beef, pork and green vegetables. I love it for its authenticity and clean flavours!

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’19

hygiene

'Meaty' Issues of Hygiene

By Jyotismita Sharma

M

eat is not just a food item in India. While a large section of the population just loves to devour them every time they get a chance, many others are very touchy about it. It is not that they just do not want to eat meat, some may even prefer not to have any contact with meat-based items. So handling and serving meat is a very sensitive issue, especially in the northern parts of the country.

But apart from the reservations of a section of the people about meat consumption, those who love to eat meat or meat-based products need to be served these items with care in order to maintain their hygiene level.

And consumers in some parts of the world have become so conscious that for many of them an ideal hygiene regime for meatbased products starts much before they are slaughtered with the purpose of making them available for restaurants, hotels, or kitchens of someone's house.

So consumers have now started asking questions like how the animals were fed or were they given antibiotic injections. There has been a growing preference for antibioticfree poultry. And in fact, some major fast food chains have started offering antibiotic-free chicken in their restaurants in countries like the US. Demands for serving antibioticfree chicken is also growing in India due to increased consciousness about dangers of antibiotic resistance.

But as there is currently no law barring meat from animals that were given antibiotic injections, few major players have come forward to serve such meat in the country, probably because the price of antibiotic-free meat seems to be a tad higher than their much commoner counterpart.

But even if we leave the issue of antibioticfree chicken aside, there are several issues of hygiene surrounding the production, processing, distribution and cooking of meat.

This is because meat can get much more easily contaminated than other dry items or vegetables. Moreover, if not properly handled, spillage of blood or other biological matter from meat may contaminate other foods in the kitchen. Therefore, those handling meat at any stage of their production or distribution should be extra-careful in order

Aug-Sept ’19

to ensure that the end customer gets to eat safe food.

Safer Slaughter House A lot of the meat that goes into the kitchens of hundreds and thousands of restaurants in the country may come from the unorganised meat sector, even today. That may increase the risk of unsafe meat consumption because traditionally, animals are slaughtered in the the open in many parts of the country which increases the risk of attracting dirt, dust or other pathogens. It is generally seen that meat sellers who do not have proper licence, or not registered, often find the dirtiest of the corners of the neighbourhood to set up their shops, often near a garbage dump. But that does not mean they would not supply their products to some restaurants or hotels.

With far cheaper rates, they may ink pacts with some hotels or restaurants for supply of their products.

In fact, according to an estimate, the unorganised meat market constitutes close to 90 percent of the Rs 180,000 crore fresh meat industry. Therefore, it becomes important for restaurants to check and physically verify the location of the meat suppliers in order to ensure that they get their products from those who follow all the best hygiene practices.

Food handlers should also remember that meat is a perishable commodity and therefore the risk of spoilage and contamination is higher for this product which is nutritionally quite rich. Other hazards associated with meat include chemical or physical contaminants coming into contact with meat.

Safety Audit of Meat In order to develop an ecosystem that will enable the availability of clean and safe meat as well as other meat-based products to consumers, India's food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched the “Clean and safe meat” initiative. FSSAI noted that the the growing population and rising incomes has led to tremendous growth in the demand for animal proteins, not only in India but globally as well.

The majority of consumers now in India are eating fish, beef (buffalo meat), mutton, goat,

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

pig and poultry.

The challenge for this nutritional transition to animal protein-based diets is linked with the use of antimicrobials in the feed and compromised hygiene practices at slaughter houses and retail markets. The result is the lack of trust in consumers on the quality and safety of meat and meat products available to them.

To bring back that trust and surety among consumers, FSSAI decided to conduct food safety audit of meat units/ municipal slaughter houses in 40 cities expanded by third party auditing agency, besides training the food business operators in this segment so that they can maintain the required hygiene standards. The food regulator also decided to conduct a mandatory food safety audit of the supply chain for e-commerce retail entities involved in retail of meat or meat products.

Tackling Contamination As mentioned earlier, contamination can occur at any stage of the production chain.

For example, use of contaminated water for cleaning meat can help the contamination spread. In the distribution stage too, contamination can occur through various means. For example, if a truck is loaded with fresh produce without carrying out the necessary sanitisation process, especially if it was previously used for transporting animal products, the chances of the fresh produce getting contaminated cannot be denied.

In the preparation stage, the lack of personal hygiene on the part of a worker can also lead to contamination of food served on the dining table. For instance, if a sick employee shows up at work or handles food without washing hands after using toilet, the risk of the worker spreading germs to the food increases.

Therefore, it is only prudent that the checks and balances at every stage of the food production chain is strictly followed by the food handlers and managers.

The food and beverage managers of eateries must also institute a system for regular inspection of the quality of the supplied foods, besides ensuring that the storage system and the preparation stage do not contribute to the contamination of food. n

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chef voice

Diligent, Hardworking and Methodical!

Chef Anuj Kapoor, Executive Chef, The Grand, New Delhi How do you define yourself?

I like to view myself as an artist in food production with a scientific bent of mind.

What is your philosophy of cooking?

Food has to be honest and non-pretentious.

Had you not been doing this then what?

I’m a Science and tech enthusiast. I would’ve loved to be a computer engineer or probably an engineer designing speakers and AV equipment!

What is your source of inspiration?

For flavours and textures, I draw inspiration from regional and home style cooking, both locally and internationally.

For the visual aesthetics of my food I derive inspiration from nature and even other art forms like painting.

What has been the most rewarding moment in your career?

Nothing is more rewarding for me than to witness sense of satisfaction and happiness on someone’s face after eating my food. And I’m lucky to be in a profession that such moments keep coming everyday!

Chef Anuj Kapoor, Executive Chef, The Grand, New Delhi graduated from Hotel Management School, Lucknow in 1996.

He has a rich experience of over two decades and has worked with various establishments ranging from Five Star Hotels, Fine Dining restaurants, Hospitals, Bistros and Casual Diners. He worked with many well renowned Chefs like Greg Malouf, Massimo di Luca, Manu Feildel, Catherine Claringbold, Antonio Carluccio among others. Over the years he has learnt the nuances of authentic Spanish, Mediterranean, Italian & the Middle Eastern cuisines. In the past, he has been the Corporate Chef for Compass Group PLC and Four Points by Sheraton in India.

He was also associated with Olive Bar & Kitchen, Olive Beach, Setz (Zest), Manré, Café Amor, Cha Shi, Café E, Kebab Khan, Zazen and Kink. In an exclusive conversation with Sharmila Chand, he talks more about himself and his work:

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How has the journey been so far? Any major challenges you faced?

In my opinion the biggest challenge of being a truly versatile professional Chef is that the learning curve is very steep – much like medical sciences or other similar fields. I have worked internationally and in India, also in different food production industries like hotels, restaurants, hospitals, industrial catering.

All these have very different demands and one has to learn many different skill sets to apply themselves successfully in all these different settings. It is challenging yet very exciting at the same time.

What skills are necessary to be a good chef?

Creativity, Perseverance, Lots of hard work – mentally as well as physically.

What prepared you the most for your career?

Cooking with Mom

Your Strength?

Eye for Detail

Your Weakness?

Not one but three: Trying to get as close to ‘Perfection’ as feasible and it can delay work sometimes.

Also, I get bored if I have to do the same thing over and over. That’s the biggest reason I chose to be a Chef – now no two days are ever alike.

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I can be temperamental at times.

Constantly think about how you can improve a process or a dish.

How do you de-stress yourself?

Music

Last meal on earth: What would you choose?

If you had to describe yourself in one word?

Thai Curry with Brown Rice

Sedulous or two words – Passionately Sedulous

10 years from now?

How do you rate yourself as a Chef?

I genuinely feel even after professionally cooking for 23 years, I’m not ready to be rated yet. I feel I haven’t learnt even a fraction of all that is there to learn about food on this planet. I’m a still a scholar.

Fav Cuisine?

Professionally - Mediterranean At home – Simple home-style Indian

Fav Spice?

Cinnamon

Still a Chef and hopefully continuing to cook & create actively.

What are your future plans?

To acquire more and more food knowledge and skills. Basically, continuing treading the same path.

What is the position of Chefs today in India?

We have come a long way in the last two decades that I witnessed in the Kitchen.

Chefs are respected and no more restricted to the back of the house. The profession has gained immense respect as compared to when I entered the industry when everyone close to me advised against it.

Fav Dish?

Arhar ki Daal

What are the problems and challenges faced by chefs?

Fav Equipment?

Lack of Quality manpower – Though there are some good professional institutes doing great work, but they are very few and far between. Majority of institutes are churning out candidates that have hardly any knowledge or employable skills.

Lack of Quality Ingredients – Serous dearth of quality produce and even variety of ingredients.

Combi Oven

Fav Restaurant / Food Joint?

Olive Delhi

Your Fav Diner?

True Experimental Foodie (not to be mistaken for social media foodies)

Your ‘Hot’ selling item?

Bacon wrapped Chicken

The best compliment you have received?

The compliment came from His Highness the Prince of Spain – This Paella (Spanish rice preparation) reminds me of my grandmother who used to make exactly like this (I had cooked the Paella)

Your philosophy of work?

There’s in fact a formal Motto that I’ve developed in my Kitchens, and I’ve been training my team of Chefs on it - Eye for Detail | Quality | Consistency

Lessons learnt in the kitchen?

There are no short cuts to good quality output.

Do it once and Do it Right.

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What is the best career advice you have received?

When I started out, I wanted to enter Bakery/Confectionery and my Chef of the time virtually pushed me into hot kitchens.

That was against my desire, but when I look back it was the single biggest building block of my career as I soon realised that the array of cuisines I got to learn and vast variety of Kitchens I got to work in played a big role in my knowledge of food. That would have been impossible if had I got the area of choice.

What would you recommend to someone interested in working in your field?

Enter the kitchen if you love food, not for any other reason. It will be hard work indeed, but a very satisfying experience only if you really love what you do.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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PRODUCT PREVIEW

Advancing Technology

Transportation and Holding Solutions ScanBox supplies ‘hot and cold transportation and holding solutions’ for a variety of commercial kitchens including a star-rated Michelin restaurant, hotel establishments, catering companies, hospitals or even airline catering companies around the world.

ScanBox Banqueting and Catering carts have been manufactured in Sweden for the last 25 years.

The company adheres to the highest standards using the latest Scandinavian technology for the production of holding a n d t ra n s p o rtat i o n carts. The units are built around the needs of the busy chef whose m a i n a i m i s to b e efficient in the kitchen and most important of all, is to deliver quality food at the right temperature every time. The focus on ergonomics, safety, heavy duty operations and ease of operation is unrivaled.

ScanBox is the perfect robust and yet lightweight unit for transporting food products, whether hot, cold or ambient. The product is designed around a flexible and modular concept. This allows for a wide product line, beyond what is found in the market present. The units are up to 50% lighter in weight than any other commercial hot-box in the industry which are generally made of heavy steel material.

The design is aimed at producing a versatile and lightweight product range using two strong components – anodized aluminum on the inside and plastic laminate reinforced by excellent impact-resistance fiberglass material on the outside. ScanBox units are therefore easy to transport and maneuver in any indoor or outdoor situation.

The units work on a ‘single-phase’ electrical connection, which means the units can be used in remote areas with ease. In addition, the 30mm insulation holds the temperature, without the need for electricity, for up to 5 hours.

ScanBox have paid attention to the exterior aesthetic of their product which comes in various colour options.

Logos and special designs can be added.

ScanBox paul.micallef@scanbox.se

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Pride equipment is one of the leading suppliers of commercial food service equipments for hospitality Industry in India. Its objective is to provide the best product and service to satisfy the needs of its clients. The company has been dealing in both imported and fabricated kitchen equipments and a wide range of F&B service items.

The professional team of the company has vast experience and In-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry. It believes that advanced technological resources and a clear client-based focus are essential to meet the future demand of hospitality service professionals.

Its partners have an average experience of 22 years in the industry.

The company's mission is to distribute and manufacture top quality equipment & accessories for the food service industry, based on its experience, know-how, specialised manufacturing potential and market research.

Pride Equipment info@prideequipment.in

Bakery Equipments by Jendah Based in Taiwan and founded in the mid 1970’s as a bakery oven factory, JENDAH has engaged in design, manufacture, and sale of bakery, commercial foodservice and food processing equipment for more than 40+ years.

Developed from a local factory to an international company, JENDAH has partnered with a number of leading food equipment providers to sell and support its products primarily in UK, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Middle East.

Today, JENDAH is renowned for high quality products and provide a wide selection of quality solutions manufacturing a variety of cooking, baking, and thermal solutions such as deck ovens, rotary rack oven, pizza ovens, commercial waffle makers, proofer / prover, rotisseries and countertop baking machines for the bakery, foodservice operations, restaurant, pizza shop, and hypermarket worldwide.

The range of ovens cooks and bakes faster, producing consistent results without compromising quality. In India they are patronised by Oberoi, Trident, The Lalit, Pullman, Sheraton, Hyatt and Pizza Hut to name a few. The products are made available in India by Mod Kitchen.

The products are manufactured focusing on providing low cost components and equipment while securing product functionality and quality. Detailed thermal analysis and validation services are powered to design the most precise and suitable products.

Mod Kitchen Equipment Pvt. Ltd. modequipment@yahoo.co.uk

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’19

PRODUCT PREVIEW

Commercial Kitchen & Service Solutions

Child Nutrition Product

Dristi Kitchen Solutions manufactures food service equipment, serving hotels, foodservice industry and institutions. The company provides one stop solution for projects from planning of the kitchen to manufacturing and installation of equipment. The products are manufactures under strict quality control offering reliability and innovation with service assured round the clock. Dristi offers complete range of Indian & Imported food service equipment catering to the tailor made needs of the customer.

The complete range includes Cooking Range, Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Cold room, Baking Oven & Combi Oven, Coffee machine, Hoods Bain Maire, Bulk Cooking System, Bar Items and Pantry Item. In the recent year, the company introduced modern and sophisticated kitchen equipment for bulk and quick food preparation of wide variety. The reason for the sound functioning and impeccable reputation of the group is due to the perseverance of its management and its dedication to the correct service and attention to Quality. The company is ISO 9001: 2008 registered. Dristi has separate fully dedicated team for Installation, Testing and Commissioning. They are supplying equipment to Foods Chain, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Hospitals Industrial Canteen.

Dristi Kitchen Solutions info@dristiindia.com

Veeba Foods has forayed into child nutrition segment with its new brand, V-Nourish, a scientifically designed wholesome nutrition supplement for kids above 5 years.

Launched in 4 variants- Choco-Cookie flavour, Strawberry flavour, Badam flavor and Kesar Pista flavor, V-Nourish is available in modern trade and general trade stores

across top 100 cities in the country. All around, even online V-Nourish has received many positive responses.

Kids loved the Choco-cookie flavour, the most. V-Nourish is an essential home food product that is so easy to use, & affordable.

Innovated by a team of Veeba research scientists, V-Nourish has over 40 Nutri-Boosters including high protein, micronutrients, prebiotics & probiotics to support growth & development of children to help them stay healthy and active. V-Nourish promises a unique product experience with the presence of real fruit chunks and nuts with every sip and is free of any artificial flavours, synthetic colours and added preservatives.

Veeba Food Services Pvt. Ltd.

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

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Advertiser’s Inde x Company

Page No.

AKASA International

59

Allied Metal Works

41

Cremica Food Industries Ltd. fic d k g sales pvt. ltd.

31

Dristi Kitchen Solutions

61

electromech 25 fha food & beverage 2020

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FNS International Pvt. Ltd

17

GPA Capital Foods Pvt. Ltd.

11

hiddenite beverages pvt. ltd.

15

Hospitality Appliances Pvt. Ltd.

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IFB Industries Ltd.

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ITW India Pvt. Ltd.

21

Kanhaiyalal Tandoor Pvt. Ltd.

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King Metal Works

07

kitchen solutions

18

KPL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

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Krome Dispense Pvt. Ltd.

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Loomcrafts Furniture India Pvt. Ltd.

27

Mastech Services

12, 45, 53

metinox india

13

Mod Kitchen Equipments Pvt. Ltd.

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Munnilal Tandoors Pvt. Ltd.

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Nestle India Ltd.

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Perennial Foods

14

Pride Equipment

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T&S Brass

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Rans Technocrats India Pvt. Ltd.

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Remington Steel Arts

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seela infratech pvt. ltd.

09

Shamsons Food

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Sky Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.

16, 20

Solutionz Consulting PVT. LTD.

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Stec Hotelware LLP

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Sterling Agro Industries Ltd. bic Sterling Solutions

06

The New India Electric & Trading Co.

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Vanya Industrial Equipments

29

Veeba Foods bc Venus Industries

05

Whirlpool of India Limited

01

Winterhalter India Pvt. Ltd.

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* F I C - F RONT I NSI DE COVER * B I C - B A CK I NSI DE COVER * B C - B ACK CO V E R

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INTERVIEW

Truly Versatile!

Sudip Sinha, Food and Beverage Manager, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield

By Sharmila Chand Sudip is a highly result oriented, incisive and versatile hospitality professional and a dynamic manager with decisive leadership, management and guidance skills. He has a proven ability to effectively manage operations in intensely competitive environments and believes in the synergy of his team operations to enhance employee performance and achieve organisational effectiveness. As an F&B leader, Sudip reviews and introduces new menus, upholds menu standards, ensures superlative services, conceptualizes and improvises, increases food & beverage profitability and manages labor and food costs.

With an experience of over 15 years, Sudip has gained extensive knowledge during his time at some of the most prominent hotels in India. He commenced his remarkable professional journey in 2004 as an Associate and Supervisor at Habitat World New Delhi. Making his way up the ranks as Manager, Banquets at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre & Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, He has subsequently worked with esteemed hotels like Sheraton Grand at Brigade Gateway, JW Marriott Mumbai, Novotel Pune and The Lalit Hotels, Palaces and Resorts before taking on his current role at Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield. Sudip is an alumnus of IHM, Kolkata with Bachelors in Hotel Management degree.

Honing in on his vast experiences, Sudip’s expertise lies in handling a diverse range of functions entailing everything from pre- opening projects, start up’s, F&B operations to training and budgeting. In his leisure time, Sudip enjoys reading and listening to old melodies.

As F&B Manager, Sudip Sinha brings his wealth of experience and innate skills to manage the restaurant & event operations with impeccable leadership and detail. Commentating on his new appointment, Sudip says ‘I am incredibly excited to assume my role at Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield, an establishment that is supremely successful and upholds a very notable reputation in the region.”

What do you enjoy most about being a Food & Beverage Head?

H o s p i ta l i ty i s a n i n d u s t ry t h at i s constantly changing. Being a Food and Beverage Manager at Bengaluru Marriott Whitefield, continuously innovating and adapting to the latest F&B trends in the market is what I enjoy the most at my job. Even with the increasing reliance on technology, it is still very much a ‘people-oriented’ business and it is this unique service that we can offer to the guests that keeps me motivated.

Th e d y n a m i s m i nvo l ve d i n eve ryd ay activities and offering such experiences that are a blend of emotional touch with personalised service is the best part of this role.

What do you dislike the most?

I don’t appreciate misusing social media platforms for sharing irrational thoughts.

Is your job challenging?

Successfully handling five outlets at the property doesn’t come easy. It involves its own set of challenges, assumptions, risks and each requires research and continuous innovation to sustain in the market. Listing down five such challenges:

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Lack of Trained Manpower Price Sensitive market Deep Discounting approach of online aggregators S h o rt s i g h te d a g g re s s i ve m a r ket approach by standalone restaurants Short shelf life of innovative Food & Beverage concepts

If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?

The Food and Beverage Industry is crippled with deep discounts and aggressive pricing policy. One thing that I would like to alter is having value- based pricing rather than reinforcing the consumers’ addiction to discounts schemes with one scheme getting replaced by another throughout the year.

What kind of pressures have you encountered at work?

D e l i ve r i n g q u a l i ty p ro d u ct i n a d i s co u nte d m a r ket w i t h u nt ra i n e d manpower are the major pressures we are encountering these days at work.

Can you suggest any tips or insights to strengthen your team?

I would personally recommend more

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

collaborative management.

How is your experience at your present job?

So far, the experience at this hotel has been like a roller coaster ride. On one hand, Flavour being an ever-evolving art, ripe with opportunities for interpretation, innovation, and creativity which has in turn made my job quite interesting. But on the other hand, there are challenges too.

Balancing pricing strategies along with providing valuable customer experience one of them. This industry might look like a vibrant and thriving scene, but it is also famously fickle and highly competitive.

Considering, Bengaluru is home to a range of bustling shops, restaurants, parks, world heritage sites and IT companies, Marriott Whitefield’s strategic locational advantage makes it very convenient for business travelers and luxury aficionados to enjoy the vicinity. It is this that makes it quite different from other luxury hotels in the country.

What is the USP of your F&B outlets?

Innovation with personalised and nonintrusive service.

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