Food & Beverage Business Review ( Oct-Nov 2016)

Oct-Nov ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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Feel A Sensation

VENUS INDUSTRIES Mfrs. & exporters of stainless steel cutlery hotelware & lifestyle products WZ-1, Basai Road, Moti Nagar, New Delhi-110015 Tel.: (91-11) 43163300, 45061071 E-mail: v_khurana@venusindustries.in Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review Oct-Nov ’16 Website: www.venusindustries.in

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E d i t o r i a l

Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Associate Editor Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Abhishek Singh Rathore Production Assistant Mamta Sharma 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 Telefax: 022-28388947

Website: www.fbrmag.com E-mail: info@hammer.co.in © 2016 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 302, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Swan Press, B-71, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 028.

It is no news that the consumption of wines in India has been increasing during the recent years. What is more important that the wine market in India has a huge potential to grow in the near future. The impact of globalisation, significant increase in disposable incomes in select but sizeable pockets of urban Indian society since the last decade or so, the growing economic independence and social freedom among middle class and upwardly mobile Indian women are some of the reasons behind this happening trend.

However, with the increased consumption of wines, more awareness among consumers regarding appropriate wine and food pairing is also the need of the hour. In this issue, the Cover Story for FBR extensively deals with wine and food pairings, which our readers can find useful.

The Business Story deals with another relevant topic of our times; the trend of food trucks. The popularity of food trucks reflects the need of our times, where many people want tasty food without spending much time on it, and also in between moving from one place to another. The feature talks about few necessary factors which need to be heeded by the entrepreneurs thinking of venturing into food truck business. If these factors are heeded before embarking on the food truck business, the chances of success for such an enterprise could be much higher.

In the Indian food services industry, there is a pressing need for women-friendly restaurants, not only because they would enable women to eat out alone without any untoward unease, but also because a section of our upwardly mobile urban women (whose numbers are now significant) with high disposable incomes are emerging as an important and independent market force to reckon with.

Restaurants providing food & beverages and presenting entertainment programmes according to their women guests’ preferences and also giving adequate care to their women guests’ safety and security can now earn decent profits by positioning themselves apart from the competition.

Our Feature section explores this issue in some detail.

The growing market of packaged fruit juices and ethnic Indian beverages in the Indian food & beverage industry, a Profile feature on a restaurant serving authentic cuisine of Bihar in posh Delhi, a feature on delectable diversities of Parsi cuisine, the role of uniform in food service business are some of the other relevant topics covered in this issue.

Of course, the insights and perspectives of our articles and features are amply complemented by the facts and figures of our News and Report sections.

I hope our esteemed readers would enjoy reading our editorial endeavour, as we have enjoyed developing it. I hereby sign off while wishing our readers a Happy New Year, where I expect our industry will be able to recover from this huge economic challenge posed by the recent demonetisation.

Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 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.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’16

Contents

Cover Story

38

Departments

Right Wines with Dining

Business

Event

04

News

10

Report

26

Focus

56

Restaurant Review

70

Chef Voice

74

Operations

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Product Preview

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Interview

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48

Meals on Wheels

Feature

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Towards Women-friendly Restaurants?

Profile

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The Authentic Taste of Bihar in Delhi

Agri

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Sweet and Tart; Delicious and Healthy

Beverage

62

Exploring a Juicy Market

Theme Cuisine

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The Delectable Parsi Cuisine

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Catalyst for Global Food Trade From driving innovation in the food industry to boosting business and promoting international trade, the five-day fair turned into a major international event for agribusiness segments (for food innovation, trends and business opportunities) of the food industry, and eventually ends with full order books.

SIAL Paris also played an important role in facing major market challenges and enhancing the dynamism of the food industry on an international level by getting numerous dignitaries, government members, ministers, politicians and scientists (on official visits) to think about the future of food – thus opening the debate around key themes such as the future of the sector in France and in the world.

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ith hundreds of buyers and other stakeholders of the global food industry converging at one place for the 2016 edition of SIAL Paris, which was held during 16th-20th October, the event succeeded in its mission to help face the food challenges of both today and tomorrow by facilitating discussions, showcasing innovation, and above all by helping the visitors meet the right people.

Nearly 7,000 exhibitors — 85 percent international — attracted around 155,000 visitors, 70 percent of whom were from abroad.

The 250 ‘events within the event’, 2,189 candidates for the SIAL Innovation Awards, and 15 prize winners also helped confirm SIAL’s role as a catalyst for global economic trade.

“The profile of our national and international visitors is proof of the quality of our offer.

We are very proud to say that all of SIAL’s participants — both exhibitors and visitors — have once again helped us to turn this fair into the major international event for agribusiness — a highly strategic sector,” said Nicolas Trentesaux, Director of SIAL Network, a leading network of food and drink fairs worldwide.

‘Sustainable Food and Innovation — the 21st-century Challenge’ at the Quai d’Orsay (French Foreign Affairs Ministry). It allowed all the concerned sectors to share practical and inspiring initiatives to address the global food challenges — something that will undoubtedly kick-start a new era.

SIAL also provided an invaluable tool for discerning sustainable consumption patterns.

Under the guidance of its partners Fancy Food Show, XTC world innovation, KANTAR TNS and the 28 World Tour partners, SIAL Innovation undoubtedly reinforced the legitimacy and expertise of SIAL in terms of perspective and foresight.

SIAL is an effective place to perform business. It acts as both a laboratory and an observatory for supply and demand, in all

Driving Innovation, Boosting Business SIAL organised the conference title

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Live Inspiration At the heart of the show, the SIAL TV studio welcomed the movers and shakers of the food world. Hundreds of onlookers watched interviews, roundtables, debates and conferences each day, during the fiveday event.

In the halls, 250 events brought the fair to life, highlighting the challenges of the food industry and attempting to provide the answers. Led by the Michelin-starred Chef Joël Robuchon, La Cuisine celebrated the expertise of international Chefs, who tantalised the taste buds of hundreds of guests. The new drinks hall, 5C, was inaugurated with a pyramid of champagne and cocktail competitions, while barbecues and cooking demonstrations paid tribute to the gastronomic specialities of Latin America, in hall 8.

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event

GastroPan 2017 to Showcase Latest Bakery Innovations The next edition of the exhibition in March 2017 will showcase the latest innovations in the bakery, confectionery, gastronomy and hospitality industry hoping to attract even more visitors to their booths and exceed the objectives met this year.

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he ninth edition of GastroPan exhibition — dedicated to professional solutions and technologies for the bakery, confectionery, gastronomy and hospitality industry — will take place in Sibiu, Romania during 23rd-25th March 2017. The next edition of the exhibition will showcase the latest innovations from hundreds of world class suppliers, who will be reunited with thousands of specialists and entrepreneurs from Romania and abroad.

Competitions and demo shows are complementary attractions for thousands of specialists and managers who decide to visit GastroPan each year. Many of the exhibitors will organise dynamic demonstrations inside their booths, giving visitors the opportunity to meet and learn some great working techniques. At the same time, GastroPan hosts a series of workshops, contests and demonstrations that will bring together the best professionals in the field, and the Bread and Cake of the Year2017 trophies will be awarded during the exhibition.

The advantages brought to the exhibitors

by GastroPan 2016 have been the main reason why more than 85 percent of the exhibiting space for the next edition of the show has already been occupied, according to the organisers.

Suppliers will organise demonstrations, workshops, new product launches, thus

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GastroPan Competitions The greatest specialists in the Romanian bakeries, confectioneries and restaurants are going to enter this competition, which identifies and promotes art and professionalism in this industry.

The GastroPan competitions are divided into three main sections — bakery, confectionery and gastronomy. The best products of the year will be selected by a jury of globally renowned experts, who will hand the winners of The Bread of the

EVENTS’ CALENDER Sigep 2017 21-25 January 2017 Remini Fiera, Italy www.en.sigep.it Sirha 2017 21-25 January 2017 Eurexpo, Lyon, France www.sirha.com Gulfood 2017 26 February - 2 March 2017 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre www.gulfood.com Aahar 2017 7-11 March 2017 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.aaharinternationalfair.com Expo GastroPan 2017 23-25 March 2017 President Expo Center, Targu Mures, Romania www.gastropan.ro/en HOTELEX 2017 28-31 March 2017 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai,China www.hotelex.cn

Year 2017 and The Cake of the Year 2017 trophies.

GastroPan Competitions are known among Romanian specialists as the place where next year’s trends are set. International and Romanian experts make up the jury who will evaluate the best products and artistic pieces made by Romanian specialists.

The organisers have designed the sponsorship packages available for GastroPan 2017. Competitions and companies from around the globe can access them in their quest of making their products and brands known to the Romanian experts.

Potential sponsors can choose one of the four sponsorship packages — Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze — and, in return, could benefit from multiple advantages such as excellent promotion among contestants, jury, visitors, contact databases, and many other services included in these sponsorship packages.

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Food and Hotel Vietnam 25-27 Apr 2017

Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam www.foodnhotelvietnam.com Tuttofood 2017

8-11 May 2017 Fieramilano, Italy www.tuttofood.it HOFEX 2017

8 - 11 May 2017 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hongkong www.hofex.com Thaifex- World of Food Asia 2017

31 May- 4 June 2017 Impact Challenger & Exhibition Center, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com

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event

India to Compete at World’s Pastry Junior Championship in Italy 10 teams of young Pastry Chefs representing India, France, Japan, the Balkans, the Philippines, Singapore, Mexico, Poland, Russia and Italy will participate at the competition, a key event at SIGEP 2017 The Italian Senior and Junior Pastry Championships have also been confirmed on 23rd and 24th January. The Star of Sugar, international sugar art contest will be held during 21st-25th January. Coppa Italia della Pasticceria Artistica — Italian Artistic Pastry Cup, will be dedicated to the world of cartoons.

In the 2017 edition of the show, AB TECH EXPO (the biennial international exhibition of technologies and products for bakery, pastry and confectionery) will be back.

The ‘bakery hall’ will also host an event with a global profile: the finals of Bread in the City, in which the four 2015 finalist nations and the four 2016 finalists will compete for the title.

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onfectionery experts from India, Japan, Singapore, China and the Philippines are among the Asian participants who will compete at the World’s Pastry Junior Championship, to be held at the 38th edition of the SIGEP — the world exhibition of artisan confectionery — at the Rimini Fiera Expo Centre in Italy from 21st-25th January 2017, organisers said.

Three participants from India — Eureka Araujo, Arjun Gupta and Manjot Kalra — will compete with experts from around the world for the title of the prestigious competition that has entered into its fourth edition.

During the competition, spanning from 21st-22nd January 2017, teams of young Pastry Chefs representing India, France, Japan, the Balkans, the Philippines, Singapore, Mexico, Poland, Russia and Italy will compete for the championship.

Their creations will be based on the theme ‘Planet Fantasy, the power of fantasy’ and will be judged according to the quality of the creations, the care taken in the use of the raw materials and the degree

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of perfection of the technical standards.

International contests, technical demos, seminars and conferences are an integral part of what SIGEP has to offer and they are perfect opportunities for communication and exchange between companies, trade members, media and trade associations representing the entire production chains and the sector’s opinion leaders.

On the pastry front, even closer attention is being paid to the markets and demand in the Balkans, Central and South America, as well as in India. This attention results in the participation of buyers, trade members and business delegations in collaboration with ICE, the agency for the foreign promotion and internationalisation of Italian enterprises — as part of the programme for strengthening Italy’s large trade fair events, foreseen by the Italian government’s special plan for the promotion of Italian-made products — which involves 18 ICE offices worldwide.

In this sector, the key event of SIGEP 2017 will be the Junior World Pastry Championship, being held on 21st and 22nd January.

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Gelato The spotlight is on the German Challenge (21st and 22nd January), which is going through a period of great expansion in Germany; the country that now hosts 10 percent of Europe’s artisan gelato parlours.

Coffee At SIGEP, the area dedicated to the coffee production chain has reached important dimensions, combining the participation of companies with great events. La peculiarity is the starting point, i.e. the attention paid to highlighting the crops, to favour knowledge and awareness.

At SIGEP 2017, a new edition of Barista & Farmer will be launched — the first talent show dedicated to the promotion of the culture of excellent coffee.

The event confirms its undisputed international leadership as trade fair for professional operators all over the world in the artisan gelato, pastry and baking sectors, together with that of coffee.

Following the exceptional success of the last edition of the show, that saw the participation of 201,000 trade visitors, including 41,000 from abroad, the upcoming edition of SIGEP aims at increasing the international profile of each of its activity.

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New Delhi Palate Festival Rescheduled Olives from Spain will be the sponsor for the next edition of New Delhi Palate Festival (www.palatefest.com), a grand celebration of fine and trendy variety of food and beverages offered by Indian restaurants, producers, manufacturers, retailers, and importers all around India.

The festival was originally scheduled to be held during 18th20th November at Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi but after the Prime Minister’s announcement on 8th November regarding the demonetisation of the 500 and 1,000 Indian rupees currency notes, the schedule of the festival was shifted to February 2017.

This is an endeavour to make the festival a success and get the expected attendance that makes the event a success every year. The new dates for the third edition of the festival are 10th-12th February 2017. The event is expected to host live cooking shows where surprising and original dishes with Spanish olives as the ingredient are expected to be prepared for the guests.

Here it deserves a mention that Spain is the world leader in table olive production. It exports olives to more than 120 countries, representing 40 percent of the global market. The olives from Spain have gained much greater presence in Indian kitchens during the last two years. In 2015, India imported more than 2000 MT of table olives, almost multiplying by four times the amount imported in 2013.

AOAC International Conference Highlights Food Safety Issues Discussions on various facets of food analysis, food authenticity, global food safety issues and quality control regulations were the highlights of the two-day fourth annual conference of AOAC International — a US-based non-profit — held at The Park Hotel of New Delhi from 11th-12th November.

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Kaushik Banerjee, President, India Section of the AOAC International, inaugurated the conference that attracted around 150 delegates and brought together international educators, scientists, scholars, researchers, industry professionals, laboratory chemists, policy-makers, and graduate students.

Interfacing between the FSSAI and other reputed international agencies can foster the growth of the scientific communities, the FSSAI CEO said.

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Vero Cibo: A New Chic Mediterranean Restaurant Opens in Goa Novotel Goa Resort & Spa by AccorHotels has announced the opening of its restaurant Vero Cibo. Located in North Goa amidst the serene countryside with lush paddy plantations, this 35-seater restaurant & bistro bar serving Mediterranean, western & seafood cuisine is ideal for a relaxing meal with friends and family, while the special cabana seating serves as a romantic hideaway.

With simple and elegant bird cages, yellow lighting, white drapes, candle lit chandeliers and cool breeze, the ambience of the restaurant lends itself to a special Mediterranean vibe.

Executive Sous Chef Siddharth Noronha leads the kitchen that features a diverse menu and modern renditions of classic and stylish food dishes from Italy, France, Turkey and Greece, promising to mesmerise guests with every dish.

“We are delighted to announce the opening of Vero Cibo; a perfect place to unwind and indulge in a blissful and serene environment. We are specially enthused by our focus on music ranging from French, Italian and Latin American tunes,” said Rohan Sable, General Manager, Novotel Goa Resort & Spa. “Creating gastronomy experiences such as those at Vero Cibo, Novotel Goa Resort & Spa focuses on providing a larger than life template. At the heart of our motivation is a philosophy of bringing the finest cuisines with unwavering attention to great taste that true gourmands would value,” Sable added.

Gaylord Restaurant Mumbai Celebrates 60th Anniversary Introducing Mumbai to the delights of fine dining soon after India’s Independence, Gaylord Restaurant Mumbai, founded in 1956 by the Kwality Group, celebrated its 60th anniversary in November. In a ritzy party with sumptuous food offerings and music it was a nostalgic evening for the patrons.

A landmark destination and a culinary pit-stop in the heart of South Mumbai, Gaylord has been serving exquisite North Indian, Mughlai and Continental cuisine to generations of diners.

“Gaylord’s 60th anniversary is an opportunity for us to honour our heritage and commitment to serve best quality food, both of which have made us the beloved brand that we are today,” said Dhruv Lamba, Executive Director, Kwality Group.

“Gaylord Mumbai has had the rare privilege of laying the foundational stone of India’s post-independence food landscape,” A.N Malhotra, CEO, Gaylord Mumbai, added.

“We are proud to look back at the last 60 years and see all that has been accomplished. We are extremely grateful to our patrons for their support over the years,” Malhotra noted.

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Planning to Installation World Class Commercial Kitchen Equipments

US Cranberries an Absolute Delight to Cook With: Chef Sabyasachi Gorai The tangy-sweet taste and unique texture of US cranberries give them the ability to be the star ingredient of many preparations ranging from drinks and appetizers to main course and desserts, celebrated Chef Sabyasachi Gorai said at a recent live US cranberry recipe demonstration event, held in Mumbai.

“US cranberries are an absolute delight to cook with,” Gorai noted at the event organised as part of a seminar on the versatility, availability and utilisation of America’s ‘Original Superfruit’ among industrial ingredient users in India.

Rich in Vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants, these tiny berries have been favourites among the healthy food lovers for some time now.

“As an innovator who is always trying out new ingredients and techniques, US cranberries play a huge role in my experiments as a budding Chef. US cranberries are a versatile fruit that add delicious flavour to a variety of food products, making them the ideal ingredient choice for the Indian consumers,” Gorai pointed out at the event orgainsed by the US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC).

Talking about the US cranberry industry and expansion plans in India, Alyson Segawa, Manager, International Marketing Accounts at Bryant Christie said, “The Indian market offers enormous potential for US cranberries and is being considered one of the most important export markets for the United States. This seminar is our initiative to raise positive awareness of US cranberries among trade.”

“The increase in demand of US cranberries among the Indian consumers is testimony to the super fruit’s growing popularity. Through our multi-pronged awareness drive, we aim to take its unique flavour and health benefits across the nation,” Keith Sunderlal, India Representative, US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC), stated.

The seminar saw participation from over 80 established decision makers from the food and nutrition industry, key opinion makers from the ingredients industry, and culinary experts.

BCIHMCT Awarded Grade ‘A’ by NAAC

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www.kitchenramma.com, www.frostramma.com

In recognition of its efforts to impart quality education, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission, recently awarded Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, with Grade “A”.

“We have every reason to be gratified of the reaffirmation of accreditation.

Accreditation from NAAC reiterates the vision and mission of the Trust Society, which counts education and healthcare amongst its primary functions. This is just a beginning in pursuit for excellence in quality education and we will continue to upgrade ourselves in the years to come,” Bhuwan Mohan, Secretary, Shri Banarsidas Chandiwala Sewa Smarak Trust Society, said on the accreditation.

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News scan

Boosting Food Safety: FSSAI to Set Up Review Panel With an aim to identify gaps in the existing standards for safe and nutritious food against international standards, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently announced its plans to set up a food safety standards review panel.

Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Surakshit Khadya Abhiyan’ — a national mission on safe and nutritious food — initiated by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Food & Agriculture Centre of Excellence (FACE), FSSAI’s CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal said that the food safety regulator will also look at ensuring that these food safety standards are complied by stakeholders in the food business through third party auditing and food inspections.

Inspections will become a norm as far as food safety is concerned, he noted, adding that FSSAI will also strengthen capacity building and training of food safety labs and of master trainers in food safety standards.

Italian Meat Producer Pfitscher Set to Enter Indian Market Top Italian meat producer Pfitscher has entered into a partnership with Eurobrands — an Indo-Italian company specialised in European food and beverage marketing — to introduce its range of Italian salamis, hams, bacon, sausages and other meat

Form left, Lukas Pfitscher (Pfitscher, Italy), Chef Suresh Kumar (ITC Maurya, New Delhi), Balbir Chhatwal, Andreas De Rosi (Directors of Eurobrands India), Chef Massimo Verzini (ITC Maurya).

specialties like South Tyrolean Speck early next year.

Eurobrands will initially introduce the Pfitscher meat products in selected five-star hotels and gourmet shops in New Delhi and Mumbai, starting from January 2017, a company statement said.

To achieve a reliable supply and maintain the high quality of the products, Eurobrands together with the producers is in the process of setting up state-of-the-art cold storage facilities in New Delhi and Mumbai, the statement added.

Eurobrands said it would also introduce a new range of quality cheeses from Italy including Grana Padano, Asiago, Provolone and Piave soon.

International Beverage Introduces 3 Spirits at Delhi Airport International Beverage Holdings Limited (IBHL), a whollyowned subsidiary of Thai Beverage Public Limited Company, has introduced three of its spirits in the duty free stores at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The company said it would offer two of its flagship Highland single malt whiskies — Old Pulteney and Balblair; and a super-premium handcrafted Scottish gin named Caorunn — for consumers travelling through Terminal 3.

“As a company committed to investment in the global travel retail sector, our presence at Indian airports, starting with Delhi, is a fantastic opportunity to seed our brands in the minds of customers travelling to and from India. Through our exclusive range of highly coveted single malts and gin, we offer these travellers a more premium choice to experience a world of fine spirits,” said James Bateman, Travel Retail Director, IBHL. IBHL entered India last year through Dhall Foods, a food and beverage distributions partner with a legacy of over 30 years.

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News scan

The Orchid Mumbai Relaunches Mostly Grills As part of its continuous efforts in promoting enticing grilled culinary experiences, The Orchid Mumbai has re-launched its open air rooftop restaurant ‘Mostly Grills’ with an enriched new menu.

“We are pleased to re-launch Mostly Grills with refreshed menu, which we feel is a better expression of our brand as it highlights our key focus on fresh ingredients and incredible flavour,” said Shubhamoy Banerjee, Food & Beverage Manager, The Orchid Mumbai.

Executive Chef Navid Sayyad leads the kitchen with a menu that features fresh, seasonal ingredients while retaining the restaurants’ signature Indian dishes such as Murgh Dungar Jaipur, JooJe-Limu & Sikandari Raan, etc. With the new menu, diners can explore an exciting new range of starters, main courses and desserts.

4th Edition of SICA Culinary Competition Concludes On the sidelines of the regional edition of AAHAR International Food Fair 2016 in Chennai, the South India Culinary Association (SICA) organised its fourth edition of its SICA Culinary Competition and Exhibition at the Chennai Trade Centre during 15th-17th September.

With a total of 43 medals in different categories, Confluence Banquets and Resorts in Mahabalipuram, Chennai emerged as the overall winner of the competition that drew participants from top culinary institutions from across the country as well as international professionals — a first for the competition and exhibition.

Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay Mamallapuram and The Leela Palace came second and third with 35 and 27 medals respectively.

A live culinary challenge contest for professionals and apprentice chefs was also organised prior to the main event.

Supported by ITPO (India Trade Promotion Organization) and TNTPO (Tamil Nadu Trade Promotion Organization), the primary objective of the event is to establish a professional platform where culinary professionals in the sub-continent region can showcase their individual and collective skills, creative talent, learn and share best practices, and partner and network in a purely collaborative environment.

New Restaurant Brings World’s Street Food to One Place There is a new restaurant that serves the world’s sumptuous street food at the heart of the country’s capital.

Tourist Janpath, a street food bar by Dinesh Arora, was recently launched with a tourist theme, representing the journey of a traveller.

While cuisine at Tourist brings forth the flavours from hidden corners of the world, the interiors are themed around youth hostels, hiking, backpacking, travel library, laidback beach seats in a relaxing sandy setting and some other facets which a traveller generally comes across in his/her journey.

Tourist aims at ensuring that the travel freaks experience a rollercoaster gastronomical journey, while relishing and reliving their wanderlust experiences through the lip smacking dishes from all around the world.

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News scan

Rich Graviss Launches Icing Cream at ‘Gourmet Guide’

Nestlé India Launches Ready-to-Drink NESCAFE

Rich Graviss, a collaboration between US-based Rich Products Corporation and India’s Graviss Food Solutions, launched its premium icing and filling cream, Bettercreme, at Rich’s first ‘Gourmet Guide’ global foods exhibition in New Delhi.

Bettercreme is suitable for bakery preparations for making colourful and robust cake decorations or for making frosting for heavy cakes, fondant cakes, etc.

With live demonstration to showcase global food and trends in savouries, beverages, desserts and cakes, the Gourmet Guide exhibition at Shangrila’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi, on November 14 was dedicated to the world of baking and the art of cake decorating.

At the event, Rich Graviss also introduced its first Andriod Application - Rich’s India; a digital platform to provide its customers with the best in baking experience with a range of exciting bakery products, cake making tutorials, and recipes.

Nestlé India recently launched NESCAFÉ ready-to-drink coffee.

These beverages are available in three exciting flavours customised specifically for the Indian palates — Chilled Latté, Hazelnut and Intense Café.

“NESCAFÉ — the world’s biggest coffee brand — has always been at the forefront of coffee innovation.

We continue our journey as pioneers by customising not just the taste, but also the mode of consumption to deliver ‘Anytime Coffee’ for today’s active lifestyle,” said Arvind Bhandari, General Manager, Dairy, Nestlé India Ltd., in a statement.

Thick, milky, and flavourful, NESCAFÉ Chilled Latté captures the taste of the perfect Indian cold coffee. NESCAFÉ Hazelnut brings the delicious nutty indulgence of hazelnut. For those who love their coffee strong, Intense Café delivers the invigorating kick of cappuccino with every sip, the company said.

Priced at Rs 30 for 180ml Tetra Paks, NESCAFÉ delivers great cold coffee experience in easy to carry packs. All three exciting flavours of NESCAFÉ ready-to-drink coffee are available across the country, both in-store as well as across the e-commerce platforms.

Professional Kitchen Equipment

Future Consumer Launches Oats Brand Kosh

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With the objective of making India adopt oats as the third staple grain after rice and wheat, Future Consumer Ltd. (FCL) — a part of Future Group — launched in October a new oats brand, Kosh.

The product comes in four variants – Kosh Instant Oats, Kosh Broken Oats, Kosh Oats Atta and Kosh Wheat + Oats Atta.

“Oats has always been introduced as a breakfast item.

With Kosh, we strive to change that and make it India’s third grain that can be used in every meal, right from starters to the desserts,” said Kishore Biyani, Group CEO at Future Group.

Grown and sourced from Australia, Kosh is processed at the state-of-the-art processing and packing facility at Sri Lanka.

“At Future Group, we believe in evolving with the changing consumption patterns. The launch of Kosh Oats is such an attempt to set a trend in the food space by introducing it as the third grain of India,” Biyani added.

Kosh will be distributed extensively through various modern retail stores across India. It will also be distributed through general trade in 12 key cities to begin with and go national in the coming months, FCL said.

Here it deserves a mention that Future Consumer has made a significant investment in oats processing plant called ‘Aussie Oats Milling Pvt. Ltd.’ This is a fully automated facility and has minimum human intervention / contact.

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News scan

Culinary Experts Share Views at Chef Summit 2016 At the recently held 13th Annual Chef Awards 2016, Indian Culinary Forum hosted the Chef Summit at The Ashok, New Delhi.

Renowned names from the culinary fraternity came together and shared their views on different topics like how to succeed as an entrepreneur in food and beverage business, how to make Indian cuisine No. 1 in the world, culinary education in India, and future trends in food and beverage business, among others Students who aspire to enter the hospitality sector as Chefs gathered in immense numbers and they were enthralled by the Q & A round.

Chef Devinder Kumar, the President, Indian Culinary Forum, begun by saying, “It is an event to bring the community together, to exchange ideas and share knowledge. Through this event, young Chefs get a chance to meet the masters in the industry.”

While Chef Sanjeev Kapoor spoke on entrepreneurship, Chef Ranveer Brar shared his views on food and beverage trends.

www.tarinihygiene.in

Tarini Hygiene (India)

Future Retail to Acquire Heritage Foods’s Retail Business Future Retail Limited has said its Board of Directors had approved a proposed consolidation of the retail and allied businesses of Heritage Foods Limited.

The retail business of Heritage Foods includes the popular Heritage store chain of 124 stores in the three key southern cities

of Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai, serving over 24 million customers annually.

Commenting on the consolidation, Kishore Biyani, Chairman & Managing Director, Future Retail Limited said, “The consolidation of Heritage small format stores brings us closer to the homes of customers in the three key metros in southern India.”

On closure of the transaction, Heritage Foods Limited will own 3.65 percent of shareholding in Future Retail Limited through fresh issuance of shares by the company.

As part of the scheme of arrangement for the acquisition, Heritage Foods Limited will spin off its retail, bakery, agrisourcing and veterinary care business in a fully owned subsidiary.

Subsequently, all these businesses, except veterinary care, will then be merged with Future Retail Limited. The scheme shall be subject to approvals from relevant regulatory authorities and shareholders of the companies.

Chennai Metro Rail Seeks Bids for Eateries at Stations

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In a bid to attract more passengers, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) has sought bids for setting up of eateries at elevated stations between Little Mount and Airport.

Chennai Metro Rail officials expressed hope that if food stalls with good brand value set up their shops, the ridership for this stretch, which is currently not up to the mark, would go up significantly.

It is also hoped that the shops will provide an extra sense of security to the commuters.

Although eating food is not allowed on board the trains, commuters can take packed food products in bags.

Food stalls are already in operations on the KoyambeduAlandur line.

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News scan

Kenny Rogers Roasters Opens its First Restaurant in India Kenny Rogers Roasters, a chain of chickenbased restaurants, now part of Malaysian conglomerate Berjaya Corporation Berhad, recently opened its first restaurant in India, at Garden Galleria Mall in Noida.

Troika Hospitality India LLP is the master franchisee of Kenny Rogers

Roasters in India that was founded in 1991 by American singer Kenny Rogers and former KFC’s CEO, John Y. Brown, Jr. The casual dining restaurant that serves mainly American cuisines has rotisserieroasted chicken as its main core item. It also serves some vegetarian food products in India.

Amul Dairy Sets Up Mall, Restaurant In its first attempt to experiment with the modern retail format, Amul Dairy recently announced the setting up of Amul Green — a mall — and Amul Foodland — a restaurant — outside its dairy premises in Anand.

The mall will sell 6,500 plus items of food, personal and consumer care apart from groceries of multiple brands.

In the long-term, agriculture produces would be purchased directly from farmers to ensure that they get better prices and consumers too benefit, K Rathnam, Managing Director, Amul Dairy, stated.

R S Sodhi, Managing Director of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) that markets brand Amul, stated that they would extend all support as already had been done with in terms of branding.

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Christmas Celebrations Begin with Cake Mixing Ceremony Marking the beginning of the warmth and cheer of Christmas, premium hotels and restaurants around the country hosted the traditional cake mixing ceremony.

At The Suryaa, New Delhi, this age-old ceremony of cake mixing was hosted at the lobby to usher in good tidings and happiness. The guests were invited to be a part of this traditional celebration and were presented aprons and Chef’s hat as gifts.

Patrons of the hotel and other guests along with members of the staff participated and contributed towards the large mixture.

“The fruits are soaked for about a month, after which they are used to make the traditional plum cake and Christmas pudding. The mix has a variety of dry fruits, liquor, nuts, fruits and spices,” Pankaj Jha, Senior Executive Sous Chef at The Suryaa, explained.

Plaza Premium Lounge too marked the beginning of the X’Mas festive season with the age-old traditional cake mixing ceremony across all its India locations. Chopped dried fruit, nuts and spices were mixed together with a heady combination of wine and drinks. The festivity at the Delhi Airport Lounge was led by Chef Ankit Mangla, Executive Chef for Plaza Premium Lounge India.

“It is a tradition at Plaza Premium Lounge to welcome the holiday season with zeal and fervour. Every year we organise the cake mixing ceremony to mark the beginning of the joyous Christmas season and also to soak the Christmas plum cake mixture which will be served to all our guests with love and care during Christmas,” Mohan Limbu, Country Manager, Plaza Premium Lounge India, said.

100 New Taco Bell Outlets Likely to Come Up in India in Five Years Mexican style fast-food chain Taco Bell, owned by Yum! Brands, is likely to open 100 outlets in India over the next five years, according to media reports.

Along with Yum!, Taco Bell’s franchise partner, Burman Hospitality will play a major role in the expansion of the brand, especially in the eastern and southern parts of the country.

So far Yum! Brands, which has been selling pizzas and burgers under the brands Pizza Hut and KFC, has set up only nine Taco Bell outlets in India. While six of these are owned and operated by Yum! itself, the remaining three are managed by the Burmans.

To emulate its alcohol serving format in the US, Taco Bell recently introduced beer-on-tap and other alcoholic beverages in India too.

Although Mexican food is still a small category in India, it has started picking up in the past few years, offering Yum! Brands a huge opportunity to grow the number of Taco Bell outlets in the country.

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REPORT

Austrian Sekt Day Celebrated A

ustria is a country in Europe, having great scenic beauty and cultural heritage. One of the manifestations of Austria’s rich culture is its delectable and internationally acclaimed wines. Austrian Sekt is an important wine from this wonderfully scenic country, which can be treated as a form of sparkling wine. Every year, on 22nd October, Austrian Sekt Day is celebrated. That is when this high quality domestic wine is given the spotlight through a variety of activities and events held throughout Austria. This year’s edition was no different.

The introduction of the three-tier quality pyramid for Austrian Sekt with Protected Designation of Origin (Sekt g.U.) manifests the effort of Austrian Sekt producers to communicate clear information to consumers purchasing Austrian Sekt g.U., concerning point of origin as well as a style of certified quality to be anticipated.

There are three demarcated qualities of Austrian Sekt, which are Klassik, Reserve & Grosse Reserve. The diversity of high quality Sekt, classified in the three categories, can be, according to taste, served to perfectly match a wide variety of occasions.

While Sekt g.U. Klassik presents itself as aromatic and graceful, faithfully mirroring the primary aromas of grape varieties used in the base wine, Sekts from the categories Reserve or Grosse Reserve – vinified from members of the Pinot family or varieties such as Grüner Veltliner, Riesling or Welschriesling – are impressive for their elegant acidic structure, typical aromas of brioche and the finesse of a long finish. A Sekt g.U. Grosse Reserve is capable of carrying on a very engaging dialogue with the refined dishes of haute cuisine.

A variety of factors are responsible for the style of a Sekt, which include the grape variety of the base wine, its geographic origin, soils and climate, the vinification of the base wine, duration of time on the lees after the second fermentation, and not least the dosage which determines the sweetness of the finished wine. Depending upon the stylistic tone of the Sekt, these wines easily fit more than just the role of aperitif, and also work marvelously as table

companions for the entire menu.

Working with the famous Austrian glassmaker Riedel, the Austrian Sekt Committee has come with a Sektglas Österreich (Sektglass Austria), which is appropriate for the presentation of widely diversified styles of Sekt. Nothing was left to chance – with regard to the thickness of the glass, angle of inclination, and the form of the stem.

This year, one day before the Day of Austrian Sekt, the Austrian Sekt Committee (for the third time and in their typical fashion) provided a tasteful prelude. A great many number of Austrian Sekt producers offered not only more than 100 Sekts for tasting in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier, but also provided visitors with an opportunity to pose questions concerning the mysteries of the cellar, and the chance to talk shop a bit.

Moreover, this year for the first time, a Sekt Ambassador has been named. Dr. Ferdinand Maier, who as the President of the board of trustees of the organisation Kulinarisches Erbe (Culinary Heritage) is in the perfect position to lift his powerful voice for Austrian Sekt g.U. in public, and above all in the Austrian culinary scene.

Good Enough to Retail MM Fisheries has been engaged in the trading of imported and premium quality basa fish, fresh sea food and frozen poultry products in different cuts. Over the years, it has earned considerable reputation in this market segment. The company, which has an impressive fivedecade long track record behind it, has one of its strengths in its comprehensive supply chain across north India. MM Fisheries has a pan-India presence.

Initially the company was catering to the HORECA segment only, but in the recent past that is about a year ago, the company had also made

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its foray in the retail sector. The company’s newly formed retail business is clubbed under the brand Good to go. The retail arm of the company also has a website through which orders can be placed by the customers, online.

Besides the above-mentioned non-vegetarian products, the product portfolio of Good to go also includes Indian and imported grocery products and fresh fruits and vegetables.

After entering the retail sector, according to the Managing Director of MM Fisheries, Angad Singh, the company’s quality of products has been further enhanced.

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REPORT

India Kitchen & Food Service Design Summit Ends on High Note

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ith an aim to share knowledge on food service design and place it in the public domain, Hotelconsult Orient, one of India’s leading facilities planner, hosted the second edition of India Kitchen & Food Service Design Summit 2016 at Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi during 30th September to 1st October.

The event was inaugurated by Narendra Verma, MD, Hospitality Services India Pvt. Ltd. who said that this forum and the quality education available in the country would completely avoid our dependence on the West for gaining knowledge on facilities planning and food service design.

According to Sunil Khanna, principal consultant of Hotelconsult Orient, the design summit received tremendous feedback from all participants though video clips, e-mails & through comments in social media.

He further added that the biggest beneficiaries were the young delegates who immensely benefited from the knowledge shared by seniors and that the third edition of Design Summit will be hosted in September 2018.

During the two day conference, several topics were discussed

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by the panelists on each day, which included designing commercial kitchens for increased fire and life safety; blast chilling, cold rooms & cold chain; ideal design of modular & custom food service equipment; bar designs, beverage equipment and ice solutions; designing of bulk kitchens, banquet kitchens & base kitchens; dishwashing, pot washing, grease separation and waste treatment; designing efficient kitchens for the QSRs and fast casual restaurants.

Some of the speakers at the event were Sanjay Batra, Barry Wormald, Chef Olivier Vincenot, Ignatius John, Chef Sandeep Ahluwalia, Chef Tirath Singh, Sunil Khanna (DIL), Chef Kunal Kumar, Chef Y. B. Mathur, Satish Dudeja, G. Vickraman, Paul Mecallif, Arne Kranunburg, Ar Mohit Kumar, Jestin Anthony & S. Srikant.

The event was supported by nine international and domestic industry leaders namely, MKN - Germany, SSS & Vianen Bangalore, Meiko – Germany, Manitowoc Food Service India, Blue Star, Joesph Holler Buffet Solutions – Germany, Buzil Rossari India, Tyco Corporation – USA and Supershine Laundry Systems.

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REPORT

AMBIENCE GURUGRAM H OT E L & R E S I D E N C E S

Getting in to the Festive Mood The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences is ready for the upcoming Christmas festivities.

To mark the joyous occasion of Christmas, the lobby of The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences is adorning traditional festive decorations in all its splendour and classic hues.

The highlight of the festive season will be the Colossal Gingerbread House in the hotel’s Grand lobby, which is created using 7000 tiles, 900 kg of ginger bread and 600 kg of royal icing. It took 15 days to build the house, which is 640 cm high and 590 cm wide and this house will be unveiled on 30th November 2016.

Along with this, the hotel also has a ‘Monumental Christmas Tree’ in all its splendour, which is 700 cm high, completely decorated with traditional Christmas ornaments.

Inside this house there will be an attractive and comprehensive display of homemade Christmas goodies starting from chocolate Santa’s, Christmas trees, miniature of ginger bread houses, Christmas stollen, cakes, and

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assorted cookies. Along with this, the hotel will have a complete range of Christmas hampers, which are wonderful gifts for this festival.

The sumptuous gift hampers offered by the hotel for Christmas include Magical Macaroons Box, Perfect Pralines Box, Terrific Truffles Box, Christmas Cakes & Logs, Christmas Chocolate Santa Claus, Christmas Chocolate Tree among others.

Moreover, in this season, like in every season, the hotel will take a small initiative for the underprivileged children of Sunshine project, in partnership with Roca, through a donation box for the guests to make a

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donation for the kids. As a result of making this donation, the guests can have the potential to win amazing prizes from The Leela Ambience Gurugram or they can exclusively win a bathroom makeover from Roca worth Rs. 800,000.

The hotel has arranged exclusive festive parties and feasts in all its restaurants for its guests, for the entire month of December, which will facilitate the guests to celebrate Christmas with joyous fervour with their loved ones. Guests can enjoy festive parties for an entire month or they can go for a Christmas eve dinner or Christmas day brunch or lunch in the hotel’s restaurants.

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APPOINTMENTS

Chef Francisco Canzano

Chef Gaurav Malhotra

Chef Qiguo Su

Anuj Soin

Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa recently appointed Chef Francisco Domingo Canzano as the Executive Chef. Chef Francisco brings more than 14 years of expertise in the hospitality industry. His previous assignment was with Grand Hyatt Doha where he held the position of Executive Sous Chef.

Chef Francisco holds a diploma in Culinary from Gato Duma’s School, Argentina. He began his career with Restaurant Katrine in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and joined the Hyatt family in 2003 at Park Hyatt Paris Vendome. Over the years, he has also worked with Park Hyatt Milan, Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau Buenos Aires.

Sharing his joy on his new assignment, the Chef said, “I am very happy to be part of this wonderful property and look forward to working with my new culinary team, together to reach the highest possible level with motivation, hard work and respect.”

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) has announced the appointment of Gaurav Malhotra as their new Executive Chef. Responsible for overlooking the entire gastronomic vertical of Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & HICC, Chef Gaurav has over 15 years of experience. His culinary vision will guide the joint property’s food and beverage segments.

Chef Gaurav mastered in culinary art from Sophia Polytechnic College, Mumbai by undergoing a Diploma in Hotel Management.

He has travelled far and wide for his love for food and experience, before attaining his new position as an Executive Chef at the joint property.

Having spent the last decade in Mumbai, England and China, Chef Gaurav played a key role with the pre-opening teams of flagship properties like Holiday Inn Mumbai and Sofitel Mumbai BKC.

In his first assignment in India, Chef Qiguo Su, a native of Jianyang in Sichuan, China has joined Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru as the Executive Chef for its restaurant, Shang Palace.

Chef Qiguo brings with him seventeen years of rich culinary experience gained at five-star hotels and luxury hotel pre-openings in the capital city of Chengdu. Chef Qiguo specialises in Sichuan cuisine, one of China’s eight regional culinary traditions known for its hot and spicy delicacies resulting from the liberal use of spicy ingredients.

In his new role, Chef Qiguo will lead the Chinese restaurant’s kitchen and ensure that guests relish an authentic and consistently highquality culinary experience.

Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon recently announced the appointment of Anuj Soin as the Food & Beverage Manager.

In his new role, Soin will be responsible for overseeing the management and development of food & beverage and catering services of the hotel.

Soin joined the Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon team about two- and-half years ago as Events Manager – Food & Beverage from The Leela Ambience, Gurgaon where he was the Restaurant Manager of Spectra and was part of the pre-opening team.

Soin had earlier worked at The Taj Rambagh Palace, Jaipur and Eros Hotel, New Delhi.

Rajat Kalia Rajat Kalia is the new Food & Beverage Manager at The Leela Palace, New Delhi. In his new role, Kalia will oversee the F&B operations of the restaurants, bar, banquets and butler operations for The Leela Palace New Delhi’s 254 rooms and suites.

Kalia began his career with The Leela Palace Bengaluru in 2006 as Assistant Restaurant Manager of Citrus, where he was involved in the day to day operations of the restaurant along with monthly training of the service team.

In a short span of just 10 years of experience under his belt, Rajat has worked across leading hospitality brands in India and Maldives. His previous stints include Taj Vivanta, Surajkund, JW Marriott Aerocity, New Delhi, One and Only Reethi Rah, Maldives besides being part of the opening team of iconic Japanese restaurants like MEGU, the first Asian outpost of the legendary brand from New York at The Leela Palace New Delhi.

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Chef Thayanithy Signature Club Resort, the newly launched lifestyle club at Devanahalli, recently announced the appointment of Thayanithy as Sous Chef.

Devanahalli is located 40 km northeast of Bangalore.

With close to 14 years experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Thayanithy joins Signature Club Resort with expertise in working on many different culinary roles and settings, and of cooking wholesome, healthy and wellexhibited delicacies.

Chef Thayanithy has been associated with some of the leading hotels and has also executed some very challenging roles in his distinguished career. While he has worked for some luxurious brands such Orange County Resort and Black Thunder Resort; he has also the experience of serving the US troops in the Middle-East. Afghani and Middle Eastern cuisines are his forte.

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Prithipal Singh Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity, New Delhi recently appointed Prithipal Singh as Food & Beverage Manager. A diploma holder in hotel management from Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata, Singh began his career as an Assistant Steward at a prestigious property. Over the years, Singh has risen through the ranks to hold important management positions in some of the most coveted brands in the hospitality industry.

Before joining the Pride Plaza, Prithipal Singh also worked with The LaLiT, Jaipur in the same capacity.

Singh strives towards achieving consistent quality in accordance with international standards with the purpose of achieving total guest satisfaction, and organisational profitability. He also strives to ensure an atmosphere of high team morale & motivation in a fast moving environment.

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ONLY OLIVES FROM SPAIN ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT The world table olive market continues to grow in 2016. Spain, the leading producer and exporter of this cured fruit, has set its sights on the warm reception olives have received in India, which has quadrupled the volume of olive imports in three years.

Photo Courtesy: Olives from Spain

TABLE OLIVES Table olives are the cured fruit of the olive tree. Native to the Mediterranean basin, olives play a crucial role in the nutrition and lifestyle that characterize the Mediterranean diet. In 2010, it was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, highlighting olives and olive oil as its key ingredients. Although they have a common source, table olives are distinct from olives used for oil production. Only the varieties with the lowest fat content, highest flesh to pit ratio, excellent appearance, and delicate flavour are destined to become table olives. These olives are picked and selected by hand to avoid marks or blemishes. Their exact level of ripeness is carefully considered in order to create green (unripe) or black (ripened) olives.

Added to this distinction is the variety of curing and later marination processes, which combine to create hundreds of regional varieties and more than 80 different kinds of stuffed olives. Stuffed with almonds, cheese, pimiento, marinated with garlic, pickles, aromatic herbs and spices, or served whole, pitted, or sliced… olives adapt to the needs of the food industry, end consumer, and haute cuisine.

SPAIN AT THE HELM Spain is the world’s leading producer of table olives, far above other European countries. The warm, dry climate of the western Mediterranean is the key factor. Added to it are the wide swathes of fertile lands found in Andalusia and Extremadura, which offer the ideal conditions for olive cultivation and represent 98% of Spain’s national production. According to data from the International Olive Council (IOC), Spain produced more than half a million tonnes of olives in the last year, with the Manzanilla, Cacereña, Hojiblanca, and Gordal varieties representing the largest share. However, Spain is not just the production leader; it is also the leading exporter, exporting 201,720 metric tonnes and representing more than 40% of the market according to IOC data.

The United States, Italy, Russia, and France are the main consumers of Spanish olives, which now reach more than 120 countries.

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THE ONLY OLIVES FROM SPAIN CAMPAIGN The penetration of table olives in the Indian market has been sustained over recent years, with enormous growth between 2013 and 2015.

During this period the value of imports increased by 109%. According to data from the Indian government’s Ministry of Commerce, the volume of table olive imports reached 2,072 tonnes in 2015. Spain stands out as the principal source of olive imports, representing a 97% market share. This growth coincides with the inauguration of the ONLY OLIVES FROM SPAIN campaign that Interaceituna began in 2013 to introduce this cured fruit to various actors in the distribution chain and to the final consumer. The campaign has had a very positive effect on increased olive consumption, which has been buoyed by the general tendency of Indian consumers toward gourmet products and international cuisine. In light of this, Olives from Spain, in conjunction with chef Sabyasachi Gorai, named best chef in India in 2010, has created a culinary collection that includes olives in the most popular Indian recipes as well as more contemporary fusion dishes aimed at upscale cuisine. The prospects for the olive market in the Asian giant has extraordinary potential.

Learn more about Olives from Spain campaign in India at www.olivesfromspain.in or follow us in Facebook and Instagram (@olivesfromspainindia) for updates.

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Sumac Rubbed Pollo A la Plancha Recipe- 1 portion, Serve 2

Ingredients Spanish black olives

10 pcs

Chicken thighs, boneless

5 pcs (each pc 40 gms)

Olive oil

¼ cup

Whole roasted garlic cloves

5 pcs

Cherry tomatoes

5 pcs

Star anise

5 pcs

Whole dry red chilies

5 pcs

Sumac powder

1 tbspn

Rosemary

few sprigs

Basil, broken with hand

5 to 6 leaves

Red wine vinegar

1 tbspn

Parsley

few sprigs

Coarse sea salt

to taste

Method • Marinate the chicken with Sumac, Olive oil and Sea Salt. Refrigerate in the fridge for an hour.

• In a Cast Iron pan heat oil, add rosemary sprigs, seer the Chicken thighs on both sides. Add star anise, baby onions, cherry tomatoes, black

olives, whole roasted garlic cloves, whole red chilies, torn basil and cook for a minute. Season with sea salt and pepper.

• Add a dash of red wine vinegar to the pan to deglaze all the flavors from the pan.

• Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and serve in the cast iron pan itself.

Pimento Stuffed Green Olive Balchao - Goan Style Recipe- 1 portion, Serve 2

Ingredients Spanish pimento stuffed green olives

40 pcs

Shrimp, cleaned and deveined (small to medium sized)

1 ½ cups

Olive oil

2 Tbspn

Onion, finely chopped

1 large

Tomatoes, finely chopped

2 large

Garlic, minced

1 Tbspn

Fresh ginger, minced

½ Tbspn

Dried red chilies

6 pcs

1 tablespoon cumin seed

½ Tbspn

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ Tbspn

Cinnamon sticks

1 (2 inch)

Cloves

5 pcs

Sugar

1 Tbspn

Coconut toddy vinegar/White wine vinegar

¼ cup

Coarse sea salt

to taste

Method • Put the shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkle salt on them. Set aside.

• Roast the dry red chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cloves and cinnamon till they begin to release their aroma. Take off the fire and cool.

• Grind or blend the ginger, garlic and roasted spices into a smooth paste using the vinegar.

• Heat the oil on a medium heat in a wok style pan or frying pan. Add the shrimp and stir fry till opaque (1-2 min). Remove from the pan and

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set aside.

• In the same pan, fry the onions till light brown (8-10 min). Add the tomato and fry till soft.

• Add the spice-vinegar paste, sugar and salt to taste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala.

• Add the shrimp to this masala, mix well and cook for 3 minutes.

• Stir in the Spanish pimento stuffed green olives and serve as a cocktail snack or tapas.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

The surge of wine’s popularity in India is a direct result of the significant quantities of affordable ripe-fruited wines flooding into the market and the advent of a number of branded wines in India. By 2017, wine consumption in India will have increased to 2.1 million cases, up 73 percent from the 1.10 million cases consumed in 2013.

According to the Vinexpo survey, Indians are likely to drink 1.15 million cases of red wine, 0.63 million cases of white wine and 0.10 million cases of rosé by 2017. But wine and food have to be paired with great care.

Ashok Malkani, in this second and final episode of his feature on wines in India, takes a look at the growing consumption of wines in the country and how wines can be paired with food — even with veggies — to bring out the best possible succulent taste of both, the food and the wine.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

W

ine is becoming the preferred alcoholic beverage in an increasing number of countries in the world. Even in Russia, a country that has traditionally been a nation of vodka drinkers, wine today accounts for 30 percent of the spending on alcoholic beverages, up from a meager 3 percent in 1989.

In India too, wine is proving to be popular not only among the men but also among the women. As Indians have started sipping wine more frequently and in more numbers, the number of wine producers in the country has also risen steadily. The result is that there are several brands of wines now available in India.

An Impressive Market for Wines “India is a big country. We have a population of more than 1.28 billion.

In India, we have approximately 77 wineries which produce 17.3 million litres of wines annually. India’s annual wine consumption is 14.2 million litres and annual per capita consumption of wines is 0.01 litres as compared to 1.12 litres of China. It shows you the

(I) Arup Panda’s Suggested Food and Wine Pairings Chardonnay: For fatty fish or fish in rich sauce.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Is fabulous with juicy red meat.

Sauvignon Blanc: Goes with tart dressing and sauces.

Dry Rose: For rich and cheesy dessert.

Pinot Grigio: Pairs with light fish dishes.

Malbec: Won’t be overshadowed by sweet-spicy barbeque sauce.

Malbec, Shiraz and Côtes-du-Rhône can be had with heavily spiced barbecue sauces.

Zinfandel: For pate mousse and terrene.

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potential and scope for growth of wine industry in India. Moreover, India has got a favourable surface to produce domestic wines and market it. Thus more people are investing into wine making,” explained Dr. Rajesh Patil, the Chairman & Managing Director, Pause Wines.

“I feel that Indian wine consumption has a huge potential. Indian wine market is getting enthusiastic response from Indian population including women and youth” he opined. “As Indian middle & upper class is growing economically, the demand for wines is increasing year on year. There will be great demand in future for good wines in India,” Dr. Rajesh Patil articulated.

“In our country we have many wine brands including ours. To name a few of them, there are Pause Wines, Sula, Four Seasons, Grover Zampa and Fratelli. I think Indian wine industry has great potential and will continue to grow with the growing economy. The rising awareness and growing income of peoples is resulting in 15 percent increasing demand for wines in India every year. To fulfill this demand you need good brands to offer quality wines to consumers,” pointed out Sumedh Singh Mandla, CEO, Grover Zampa Vineyards.

“More than 50 wineries are there

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in both Maharashtra and Karnataka combined, among which 20 are considered as active. Each of these active wineries has several wine brands. For instance, at Grover Zampa Vineyards, we have more than 10 premium award winning wine brands,” affirmed Mandla.

“The Indian market is segmented into two types; first you have 10 to 12 brands of quality, rest are local, and there is market for both,” declared Pradeep Pachpatil, Chairman and Managing Director, Soma Vine Village.

“With improvements in living standards and changing social norms the demand for wines in India is only set to soar from here on,” he pointed out further.

“New brands are entering the market frequently. India has become spoilt for choices as far as wine is considered, which is great,” disclosed Cecilia Oldne, Global Brand Ambassador at Sula Vineyards.

“It is good to see young wine makers from India studying outside and coming back to India. There is a broad selection of wine brands available in India now but taxation & regulation differences across the country can make it difficult for wine brands to enter the market and trade across all regions,” stated Chester Osborn, Chief Winemaker, D’Arenberg Wines, South Australia.

“More and more people are

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C OV E R S TO R Y

Chester Osborn

Dr. Rajesh Patil

Nishendra Kashyap

venturing into wine making which is leading to different wine brands with good marketing. Brands available in Indian wine market are Moët Hennessy India, Mercury Wines, LUCA de Indi Nirvana Biosys, Alpine Wineries, Nine Hills (Pernod Ricard India), Grover Zampa Vineyards, York Winery, Sula Vineyards, Chateau d’Ori, Vallonné Vineyards, Big Banyan Vineyards, Fratelli Wines & Rivelo,” iterated Parvez Sheikh, F&B Manager, Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai.

“The demand for wines has increased rapidly over the years, especially in India. More people are venturing into wine-making due to which people have more choices of wines available,” affirmed Chef Matteo, Specialty Chef at Mezzo Mezzo, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu.

“Greater exposure to western culture, where drinking wine is part of the lifestyle, is also fostering wine sales in

India,” articulated Anuj Soin, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, Courtyard

by Marriott Gurgaon.

“The total number of labels for Indian wines is 83. With the number of travellers increasing, the demand for wines in the country has also increased and it gives us an opportunity to showcase our wines,” added Nishendra Kashyap, Director, Food and Beverage, Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore.

“There has been a lot of demand for wines in India during the recent years and it is constantly increasing. I guess the market for wines will continue to grow,” aired Maynard D Costa, Bar Manager, Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa.

throughout the year as compared to most of the wine producing countries in the west. It enhances the fruity characteristics of wine grapes. So, comparatively, Indian wines are fruitier than the imported ones. Imported wines are more on the dryer side. We Indians love fruitier taste, which gives us upper hand against good quality imported wines. Indian wines are growing in their quality and popularity as compared to imported wines. Wine makers worldwide are eager to tap into the Indian wine market. Indian wines will soon make an impressive presence on the global map,” elaborated Dr. Rajesh Patil.

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The Indian Wines Come of Age Indian wines, which is set for record production levels of some 18 million litres in 2016, has been gaining popularity over the last 20 years. The number of wine producers in the country has also increased manifold over the years. But how do Indian wines compare with the international brands? And, with so many wine producers in the country, what is the competition like?

Dr. Rajesh Patil iterates that Indian wines have an edge over global brands because “we feature a world of global inspirations with a local touch that makes it worthwhile.” “I may state that most of the foreign grape varietals grow well in India. As compared to European as well as American countries, Indian land is relatively unexplored for wine grapes. Their vineyards are centuries old and have lost considerable nutrient content. On the other hand, our land is more fertile and offers more nutrient value to wine grapes,” explained Dr. Rajesh Patil.

“Apart from this we get more sunlight

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

The Role of Marketing With so many wine brands available in the Indian market, surely the competition will increase, and with increase in competition, marketing will become more and more crucial. Wine tourism can play a crucial role in the marketing of wines.

“Today there is sufficient demand for marketing of wines in the country, as different wine producers are bringing along different types and varieties of wines, categories as well as price range, catering to different taste palates and target audience,” asserted Mandla.

“I believe definitely there is — or will be — sufficient demand for marketing of wines in the country with so many brands competing in the market,” offered Soin.

“As the wine market in India is growing, the wine quality is getting better and there are new customers.

The marketing of wines will play a very important role at this stage,” expressed Chef Matteo.

Wine and Food Pairing The wines need to be paired with food.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

Arup Panda

Anuj Soin

Cecilia Oldne

And since several Indians are veggies how would wine be paired with food is a question that is often posed in the food services industry. “Wine and food pairing is usually based on colours.

That is, you should pair white meat and fish with white wine, red meat with red wine, vegetarian food mostly with white wine, food in white sauce with white wine, food in red colour sauce with red wine. For instance, Grover Zampa Vineyards recently launched a new concept on wine-food pairing: La Réserve Barbeques. In fact, on the occasion of our emblematic cuvée’s new label launch, the La Réserve’s new avatar, we inaugurated a new concept that is to pair this particular Cabernet SauvignonShiraz wine, aged 6 months in French oak barrel, with barbecue delicacies,” elaborated Mandla.

“As far as pairing wines with vegetarian food is concerned, there are many vegetarian dishes that can be paired with wine. Try having a flute of the sparkling wine ZampaSoirée

brut rosé with paneer dishes. A grilled vegetable platter is excellent with a Sauvignon Blanc. A vegetarian kebab would be delicious to pair with a Viognier. Have pasta with any white wine. Pair dal chawal with Chenin Blanc. Finally, for red wine amateurs, a red gravy subzi as well as a vegetarian biryani rice would go very well with a Shiraz like our Grover Art Collection Shiraz. There is a place for vegetarians in wine consumption, as vegetarian food and wine pairing can be as successful as non-vegetarian food and wine pairing.

Apart from the ones mentioned, there are many international vegetarian dishes that pair well with wines,” he added further.

“The main concept behind wine and food pairings is that elements like texture and flavour in both food and wine interact with each other, thus finding the right combination of these elements will make the entire dining experience more enjoyable,” averred Maynard D Costa.

“Combining flavourful food with different types of wines can be tricky, but if you can get it right, the pairing results are better than consuming the wine and food by itself.​ Pair protein with tannic wines, creamy sauces with a wine with a higher acidity, spicy food with sweeter wines as that soothes the palates,” claimed Cecilia.

“For Indian food, a fresh white wine with a higher residual sugar is a perfect match with a more spicy, Indian vegetarian dishes,” she observed.

“One favourite vegetarian dish which I eat often is our very own ‘Rocket Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Homemade Goat Cheese’. This dish goes really well with Sula Vineyards’ crisp Sauvignon Blanc. The freshness of the wine cuts through the richness of cheese and contributes to the freshness of the salad too. The acidity in the cheese and the acidity in the wine is a wonderful pairing trick,” Cecilia elaborated.

“Wine goes well with all kinds of food and with mostly all meals.

However, it is important to know which wine has to be paired with which kind of food. Simply selecting any kind of red wine and drinking it with chicken or fish is not the right way to go,” affirmed Dr. Rajesh.

Dr. Rajesh went on to provide guideline for wine food pairing, which according to him can help one enjoy the full flavour of wine as well as complete enticing experience of food with wine, which is given in the Box Item II. “The options for food and wine pairings depending on the regional cuisine are very exciting. At d’Arenberg we have a number of Grenache based wines including our d’Arrys Original Shiraz Grenache that can pair very well with this style of food and one of our more popular white wines, the Hermit

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C OV E R S TO R Y

Parvez Sheikh

Crab Viognier Marssanne or our Dry Dam Riesling,” stated Chester Osborn.

Pachpatil also pairs the wines from Soma Vine Village with food. Some of which are given here. According to him, “Sauvignon Blanc Gold compliments well with sea food, salads and Gujarati cuisine. The wine’s serving temperature varies from 8 to 10 degree centigrade.

Sauvignon Blanc Silver pairs well with Indian spices and north Indian cuisine, its serving temperature ranging from 8 to 10 degree centigrade. Chenin Blanc Silver compliments well with richcreamy food, salads and sandwiches, its serving temperature ranging between 8 to 10 degree centigrade,” Pachpatil explained.

“Chenin Blanc Gold pairs well with dairy products, chicken and seafood preparations, its serving temperature ranging between 8 to 10 degree centigrade; Rose Gold, which is perfect on its own, also compliments Indian spicy curries and tandoori preparations with its serving temperature ranging between 10 to 14 degree centigrade; Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with barbeque dishes, lamb chops and red gravies and it should be served between 16-18 degree centigrade,” he elaborated further.

“However, no one has experimented thoroughly on pairing wines and Indian cuisine. Some follow the old world rules and some follow the new world,” Pachpatil maintained while adding, “Vegetarian food can be paired with a wide variety of wines depending on the palate; for sweet food there are spicy wines and for spicy food we have sweet wines.”

“There are a few elements that make both red wine and white wine pairings work, and they are derived from distinctiveness of the food and how they

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blend with those of the wine. These are fat, acid, salt, sweetness, bitterness and texture,” informed Sheikh.

He went on to give some of his expertise on wine and food pairings.

“Always pair desserts and sweet food with even sweeter wines. The sweetness of the food will diminish the apparent sweetness of the wine, making it taste more tart and tannic. Sour food will enhance the sweetness of a wine, so it is a great match for crisp whites, whereas salty food increases the fruity, sweet character of wine and pairs especially well with sparkling wines, acidic whites, and robust reds. Bitter food will increase the bitterness of a wine, so it is best to pair it with something less complex.” observed Sheikh.

“The ground rule for a wine appreciator is white meat-white wine & red meat-red wine,” Sheikh stated. The writer asked Sheikh about appropriate wines for vegetable-based menu. “For a vegetable-based menu wines should be a bit more mature; ones that have more finesse and elegance and a bit less tannin. Fat, acidity, body, sweetness, tartness, and flavour all play crucial roles in pairing vegetarian food with wine. The key component to the perfect pairing is simply matching the food’s qualities with the wine’s characteristics and relying on what tastes good to you,” Sheikh explained.

“It can be challenging to find specific vegetables that match specific wines; therefore pairing vegetarian meals with wine according to the herbs, spices, oils/fats, and sauces used in a dish is an intelligent way of arriving at a delicious dining experience,” Sheikh suggested.

“I am personally very fond of pairing my food with wine. Each dish I propose to my guests can have a different type

Sumedh Singh Mandla

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Chef Matteo

of wine to pair with it, depending upon the taste and the palates of the guests.

For example, raw marinated sea food goes well with Mineral Wines which are very little acidic, and cooked lobsters, prawns, pasta, shellfish, risotto, etc. go well with full bodied white wine.

I prepare food around the taste of the wine during our wine dinners,” asserted Chef Matteo.

“It can be slightly difficult to pair vegetarian food with full bodied red wine,” agreed Matteo. However, he also stated that “Vegetarian dishes can be best paired with white wine and medium bodied red wine. For example, preparations with more amount of cheese go really well with full bodied complex white wine or middle bodied red wine.”

“Pairing of wines with food is more art than science. Paring a peculiar dish with a certain wine brings out the full flavour of the wine, thus enhancing the dining experience. Experimenting with pairings leads to eureka!” declared Arup Panda — Outlet Manager, Studio-The Pan-Asian Galerie (Wines), Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences.

“Pinot Noir is wonderful for dishes endowed with earthy flavours. Recipes made with ingredients like mushrooms and truffles taste great with reds like Pinot Noir and Dolcetto, which are light-bodied but full of savory depth,” stated Panda. He also suggested some appropriate food and wine pairings which are given in Box Item I. “Wine has had a long history of being consumed at the dinner table. Wine is paired with food depending upon the characteristic of food or the ingredients that go in a particular dish. For instance, fish goes well with most of the white wines, and red wine is paired with certain variety of meats. The right pairing

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C OV E R S TO R Y develops a unique taste that comes from the combination of a particular wine and the food that is consumed. The correct food and wine pairing also helps in digestion of the food consumed. The popularity and interest in food and wine pairings has increased and taken on new connotations,” articulated Soin.

“Wines can also be paired with vegetarian dishes as there are several flavour profiles within a given wine varietal. Matching the flavours of the wine with the flavours of the dish is the ideal way of conducting an appropriate wine and food pairing. Great vegetarian food lets the flavour of vegetables emanate through. Dry roses made from traditional red wine grapes, such as Pinot Noir and Syrah, are an easy choice because they go well with a variety of vegetarian dishes and don’t overpower the fresh flavour,” Soin elaborated further.

Anuj Soin suggested a few dishes that can be perfectly paired with a particular wine: • Pork Chops with Oregon Pinot Noir • Wild Rice Salad with Mushrooms with Cabernet Franc.

Pradeep Pachpatil

• Duck Breast with Caramelized Apples with Red Burgundy.

• Grilled Salmon with Olive Butter and Orzo with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

• Roasted Asparagus with Aceto Balsamico with Chianti Classico.

• Avocado, Tomato and Spinach Crepes with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

• Chicken Burgers with Australian Chardonnay.

• Wild Mushroom Soup with California Sauvignon Blanc.

Kashyap talked about the challenge of pairing wine with Indian food. “It should be taken into consideration that the taste of wine is not affected by the wide range of spices as well as chilies,” averred

Kashyap. Spices and chilies are hallmark of Indian food. “Concerning vegetarian food, light dry wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Albarino go very well with green veggies and roasted veggies,” Kashyap pointed out.

“Dry white wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are appropriate with vegetables, roasted vegetables and fish; sweet white wines like Gewürztraminer and Riesling are right with sweets and desserts; sparkling wines like Champagne and Prosecco go well with fish, vegetables and during aperitif,” observed Kashyap Now that you are well equipped about appropriate wine and food pairing, you can suggest your guests the same so that their enjoyment of dining increases and they tend to visit your restaurant more often.

However, despite all these expert advice it should be good to remember that taste is after all very subjective, and what can be perfect wine and food pairing for one person, may not be so for another. So these are basically guidelines, which you can suggest to your guest, and it is most likely they would appreciate your advice. n

(II) Dr. Rajesh Patil’s Guidelines on Wine Food Pairing Food Lamb/ Red Meat: It is a heavy kind of meat for the palates. It goes well with heavy red wine such as Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Poultry: For chicken dishes, the lighter yet refreshing wines are best suited to enhance the flavour of the food. Chardonnay is the recommended wine to pair with all kinds of poultry food.

Fish: Fish has a strong taste of its own and is full of flavour when mixed with rich sauces and curries. For such fish dishes, a strong wine is needed so that it cleanses the taste of the fish in the mouth and keeps us craving for more.

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are the recommended wines for fish dishes with strong or light sauces.

Caviar: Caviar is a classy dish and only champagne suits this classy food.

Crustaceans: Crustaceans like crabs, shrimps, lobsters, oysters are light-flavoured and easy going on the palates. For such food types, light and simple wines are best. Sparkling wines

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are also recommended for such food types and dishes. Rich tasting food like lobsters, however, need rich wines like Chardonnay. Champagnes are also best suited for food under this category.

Pastas: Pastas being Italian and basically bland tasting, the wines which go with it are to enhance the flavour of the dish. Depending on the pasta type and what has been put in the pasta, the wine should be decided. For example, pasta with lamb in it should have a strong and flavourful wine to go with it. Tomato sauce forms the basis of most pasta dishes, and since tomatoes are acidic, the wines to go with it should also be acidic. Zinfandel is the recommended wine to accompany pastas.

Cheese: Cheese and wine are like husband and wife. Wine cannot be left without cheese and vice versa. Hence, the kind of cheese we are going to eat differs with the type of wine. Like every man has a soul mate woman, similarly every cheese has a soul mate wine. Blue

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cheese goes well with dessert wines and hard cheeses which have strong flavour go well with strong tannin-filled wines.

Soft cheeses go well with softer wines like Pinot Noir.

Wines Chardonnay: Pairs well with potatoes, winter squash, legumes, risotto, goat cheese.

Sauvignon Blanc: Pairs well with veggie burgers, pesto, lemon, cilantro and feta.

Merlot: Pairs well with wine-infused red sauces, grilled vegetables, black olives, sweet potatoes, and curry.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Pairs well with grilled or roasted vegetables, barbecue sauce, chimichurri, garlic and onion, and aged cheddar.

Zinfandel: Goes well with Mexican, Indian food, butter and cream sauces.

Shiraz: This wine can be paired with olives, barbecue, grilled or roasted vegetables with bold sauces, and parmesan cheese.

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RAFAEL NADAL , S PA N I S H T E N N I S P L AY E R .

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BUSINESS

Meals on Wheels Over the years, the food & beverage business has become more evolved and sophisticated. One of the manifestations of the evolution of the food service business is the emergence of food trucks. It seems that food trucks can have huge market potential in the Indian food services industry.

They have the benefit of being able to move from place to place, giving them the advantage of participating in roadside fairs and food exhibitions, which are quite popular not only in India but also in the US and Canada.

Ashok Malkani takes a look at the current food truck scenario in India and how one can go about to become a participant in the profitable food truck venture.

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I

t is afternoon time and the offices at Nariman Point – a business hub in Mumbai – have their lunch hour. The roadside food stalls and the food trucks are the centre of attraction for the office goers who cluster around them to sate their appetites, without spending much time. Food trucks have become a trend not only in busy business and commercial centres of Mumbai but also in Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad and even in small cities like Pune.

The food truck trend has been popular around the world for some time now.

However, in India, the trend has been introduced in the country only during the recent times. This comes as a surprise, as India is renowned for its diversity in cuisine.

However, it is better late than never. The trend is expected to grow around the country fast. The concept of food truck can gain quick popularity in India, if the entrepreneurs engaged in this business take into account of some important factors.

Food truck is large vehicle customised to cook and sell food. The food on offer in such a vehicle can range from ice-cream, burgers, fries, sandwiches, and other street food. The main strength of a food truck is handy, affordable and tasty food.

This encourages people to have food from these food trucks between office breaks or college breaks or just to hangout with friends.

To make the food truck business profitable, one should identify a crowded spot and park the vehicle there for quite some time. In fact, since Mumbai and its suburbs cover a large area, there are a number of food trucks here which are area specific. This is a convenient option for consumers of today’s times who have less time on their hands. With food trucks, they can now more easily have

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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BUSINESS tasty food, while on the go.

Encouraging Scenario Currently, there are about 25 trucks functioning from various pockets in Mumbai. “The food truck scene has been buzzing across the country for the last one year, with food entrepreneurs looking at it as the first step towards setting up a successful restaurant. We get more than 15 enquiries on a day-to-day basis from people who are interested in starting their own food truck,” informed Mumbaibased Subham Chaudhuri, the President of The Food Truck Association, India.

“We need to give Mumbai’s food truck culture the impetus it deserves.

Food tourism is touted to be the next big league for India and is rapidly ascending as the newest, most promising value proposition for the Indian hospitality industry, across the country,” pointed out Chaudhuri.

Food truck business is a fast growing business in India that several entrepreneurs are keen to enter. With a comprehensive food truck business plan, in India you can acquire impressive returns on investment quickly. Almost

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every country over the world is following the trend of mobile food business. In fact, many famous restaurants around the world have started this mobile food business so that they can make their business grow in every part of the city.

In countries like the United States, China, Australia, the UK there are a large number of food trucks. In India also there is a clutch of entrepreneurs doing good business by rustling up wholesome dishes in vehicles.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

The Success Story Today food trucks are doing roaring business in the US. A 2015 statistic claims that the annual food truck revenue was 1.2 billion USD in USA alone. There are more than 4,000 food trucks in USA; average revenue of one food truck is over 290,000 USD. The population of USA is about 318 million. If they have over 4000 food trucks imagine how many food trucks can be successful in India, which has a population of over 1.2 billion!

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BUSINESS At present, in India. food trucks can be found all over the country. Serial F&B entrepreneur Ashish Sajnani, the owner of Mumbai-based restaurant Eat Thai, Le Café, PDT Bar, and Hotel Jewel of Chembur said, “I saw a food truck for the first time when I was studying in Europe.

After I moved to the US, I would eat from food trucks and always wondered why can’t we have them back home. I was thinking of starting a food truck for quite some time. The fact that Mumbai didn’t have a food truck was a huge inspiration and, yes, the movie ‘Chef’ was inspiring too, towards my endeavour. But after coming to India, I got busy with my restaurants and in running a hotel.

However, the idea of food truck was always at the back of my mind and I realised that launching one would make me happy.”

“Operating a food truck is very exciting and inspiring and different from running a regular F&B outlet. To begin with, the investment for a food truck is much smaller than that of a standalone restaurant or a restaurant chain.

Moreover, the food truck business is quicker, faster and more challenging.

In food truck business, you need to innovate fast to cater to the demands of customers as the food preferences change from location to location! Also, the service has to be swift and peppy, as that is what patrons expect from us,” elaborated Sajnani.

History of Food Trucks Food truck culture originated in the US. The Texas chuckwagon of the early 1800s is a precursor to the American food truck. Lunchwagon was later conceived by food vendor Walter Scott in 1872. He cut windows in a small covered wagon, parked it in front of a newspaper office, and sold sandwiches, pies and coffee to pressmen.

By the 1880s, former lunchcounter boy, Thomas H. Buckley was manufacturing lunch wagons.

He introduced various models, like the Owl and the White House Cafe, with features that included sinks, refrigerators and cooking stoves, also coloured windows and other ornamentation. Later versions of the food truck were mobile canteens, which were created in the late 1950s.

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Getting Started Most of the food truck owners are of the opinion that business potential in this line is brisk and the investment is comparatively low. You can set up a food truck business in around Rs. 5-10 lakh in India.

But before you rush off to buy a food truck to become an owner of a profitable venture there are a few things which you must consider. Some of them are given below.

Intensive Research — Before starting a mobile food truck business it is important to have intensive research of the locality and food culture of the place you want to cater. You need to study the food culture of your target consumers.

What types of food they generally like?

What are the menus of the other food trucks which are running well in the area? What pricing of the food they are offering? You need to find correct answers to these questions before embarking on your food truck business. As mobile food truck business is a capital-intensive business, you need to be more careful about its proper approach and operating procedures.

Location — You have to be careful about selecting the right location for the food truck. It has to have a high density of people who want to eat out regularly, at prices that do not make a hole in their pocket.

Menu Selection —One of the essentials of making a success in this business is proper menu selection. Your menu will have to be planned according to the food habits of the people of the locality where you are operating the business. You will also need to create menu of dishes that can be cooked with a simple process but deliver different attractive tastes.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Business Plan — You need to have a detailed business plan, which will help you to calculate and understand properly the required start-up budget for the food truck business. Actually it will help you to gauge whether you are having the requisite fund or you need to go for securing investment from outside.

Moreover, investors and financial institutions need to see a business plan before they are going to invest on your project.

Your business plan can describe whether your ideas are financially viable in order to get the requisite funding.

Furthermore, a business plan serves as an effective tool to monitor your day-to-day business operations. It will help to show you whether you are on the right track or there is something you need to rethink about from a different angle.

Besides, by having a comprehensive business plan you will be able to create an effective marketing strategy. Moreover, through a business plan you will be able to research, analyse and understand the market competition properly. A business plan will help you to create an organisational structure and HR manual, which are immensely effective for manpower planning.

However, simply having a business plan is not enough. By updating your business plan regularly you will be able to take into account of the fluctuating economic climate of the food service industry more methodically.

Investment in Food Truck Vehicle — A mobile food truck vehicle should have different interior from a regular vehicle that we see on roads in India.

You need to contact a food truck manufacturer in your city from where you can have it built, according to your requirement. Installing a mobile

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BUSINESS kitchen in vehicle will not cost you much. The main thing, according to food truck operators, is that one has to go in for a bigger vehicle like Traveller Bus which is generally used as office cab service.

Installation of Mobile Kitchen in Truck — You can get the kitchen installed with the help of local manufacturers or you can buy fully readymade food truck vehicle. The food truck operators say that installation of a kitchen by the individual vendor is cheaper.

Licenses for Food Truck Business in India — In order to start the food truck business you first need to have proper license for it. These are some of the licences you would need: • Food Business Operating License from FSSAI (Food Safety & Standards Authority of India).

• Eating House License provided by the Licensing Police Commissioner in your city.

• License from Fire Department in your city to ensure the compliance of all fire safety guidelines.

• Commercial Vehicle License from

RTO in your city.

• Delivery Boys/Vehicle License from FSSAI. Besides these, you also need to insure the vehicle and the mobile kitchen equipments.

It may also be necessary to get some additional licences applicable to your city or state. Every city has its own policies, so contact your local government to get the facts.

Pricing Rightly Pricing has to be right. Your menu prices should be based heavily on the cost that goes into preparing each item. For this you would need to know the cost of ingredients and the sources from where you can get all your raw materials at a reasonable price.

However, your menu pricing of items would depend not only on the cost of the ingredients but also on the sales volume of the dish.

While estimating potential sales volume scenarios, it should be taken into account that some food products will attract better sales than others and some food products will garner a greater profit

margin than others.

You also need to keep your overall expenses in mind before you start setting prices. You would be investing a lot of money in starting a food truck, and if you procure that investment through loans, the rate of interest would add to your cost of production. It is essential to keep many hidden costs in mind as you figure out what you are going to charge for your food products.

Succinctly, be sure to factor in every cost that goes into running your food truck, including • The cost of the truck • Maintenance and repairs • Fuel and insurance • Business licenses • Kitchen equipment • Paper goods and cleaning supplies • Payment of the workers These costs are known as your overhead, and you would need to add a margin to each menu item to cover them.

When you have created an effective pricing plan for your food truck menu, you are one step closer to making it a successful enterprise. n

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f e a ture

Towards

Women-friendly Restaurants?

By Swarnendu Biswas

W

ith the changing dynamics of our socioeconomic and sociocultural scenario, the trend of eating out among women in urban India has considerably increased during the last decade. However, even today in many cities of urban India, the practice of women eating out alone still invites frown or disapproving glances, or even lewd stares and comments from people quite often. Like many of the reflections of our deep-rooted patriarchal and feudalistic mindsets, this unhealthy attitude also needs a quick change.

Unease in Eating Alone What is more, by making women eating out alone feel more comfortable and welcome, the restaurants can tap a latent market segment, whose potential is not yet explored, as there are a great many women in India who may prefer to dine out alone once in a while due to some reason or other, but are reluctant to enter the restaurant alone because of the societal disapproval and worse, because of lewd stares and comments.

Take the case of my friend Jyoti, who happens to be a middle level corporate executive in Delhi. She went to eat out alone in an apparently classy restaurant near her office during lunch hour, and she didn’t feel welcome by the staff. The sleazy stares of many of the other male guests made her uneasy and prevented her from enjoying the food. Undeterred, she did this experiment two more times in two other restaurants, in order to have a bite to eat in between meetings, and her experience was not much dissimilar.

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She even went to a not so high-end pub alone, and invited lewd comments and hungry stares from a group of drunk men.

Soon she decided against eating out alone, though many a time she would have preferred to eat out alone for the sake of convenience. This amounts to a lost customer for the restaurant business, and there are many thousands of upwardly mobile ladies across urban India like her, who would have preferred to eat or drink alone once in a while but decides against the practice, because of the prevalent societal attitude towards women in our country. And of course, this is not a scenario specific to Delhi, but almost a pan-India social phenomenon.

Exclusive Zones The Indian food service industry can earn more revenues by making their restaurants more women-friendly as women guests are increasing in numbers. In fact, it

The women guests will be encouraged to wine, dine and enjoy the entertainment programmes offered at the women-friendly restaurants till wee hours of night, and thereby contribute more to these restaurants’ revenues if they are sure that they wouldn’t face any problem in commuting from the restaurant to their home.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

would be still better if some enterprising restaurateurs come with restaurants which give primary focus on women guests.

This would eventually make our industry more sensitive to women and give these restaurants a unique market positioning, thereby enabling them to stand apart from the crowd.

These restaurants can have a small zone, which would be demarcated solely for women guests who would come alone to eat. At the same time, they can have a separate zone for groups of partying women. Both these women’s zones should ideally have their décor made in pink or red colour.

The third zone can be for both men and women. It would be still better if these restaurants offer women guests who are not accompanied by men a healthy 10-20 percent concession in food and beverages.

This initiative would encourage women to dine out in restaurants alone or in groups of other women, without the baggage of accompanying men, and such a market is very much latent in our urban Indian society, wanting to be explored. I am sure the decrease in profit margin through this measure can be more than compensated by volumes, as droves of women would be attracted to dine at these types of womenfriendly restaurants.

All these initiatives are not only directed towards a more progressive society, but could facilitate the growing market segment of women restaurant guests to gain more momentum in the Indian food services industry.

More Women Personnel Of course, the waiters and other

Oct-Nov ’16

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nd

Edition

Business Opportunities, at Savour the Vibrancy of Indian Food & Hospitality Industry

2017

AAHAR The International Food & Hospitality Fair

March 7-11, 2017 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

Hall No. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 14, 18L,18U and Hangars 23, 24 and 27.

Par ticipate

Timing : • 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 7th to 11th March, 2017 • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 11th March, 2017 (Exclusively for Business Visitors) • 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. 11th March, 2017 (for General Public)

HIGHLIGHTS • Culinary Show • Seminars

INDIA INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION FOR FOOD, PROCESSING HOTEL & RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

ARCHII is well recognized platform to discuss the possible arrangements, contracts, dealings between member’s interest to regulate and standardize as far as ethical business practice in the hospitality trade. ARCHII arranges, sponsors and support various conferences, exhibitions.

ARCHII promotes goods/equipments by arranging meeting and having one to one discussions with various high profile visitors and guests, invited specifically in their periodical meetings.

ARCHII has been actively involved with ITPO to organise Culinary Show & Seminars at Aahar 2017 ARCHII Invites Membership to avail year long benefits - Aahar Early Bird Discount / Invitation to Seminars / Networking Meets / Listing in Directory Entrance Fees - Rs. 1000 - Annual Subscription Rs. 2000 (April to March)

For Space Bookings & Good Location, Contact : Ms. Bharti (Executive Secretary)-91-8800103131

Association of Resource Companies For the Hospitality Industry of India Oct-Nov ’16

B-40, Manu Apartments, Mayur Vihar, Phase-1 New Delhi-110091 Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review www.archii.org E-mail: archii.association@gmail.com Website:

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f e a ture restaurant personnel of the womenfriendly restaurants should be comprehensively sensitised to treat all women guests who dine out at their restaurants with utmost respect, but it would be still better if in keeping with their women-friendly market positioning, these outlets prefer to hire female waitresses, female bartenders, female DJs, female F&B Managers, female Chefs and other female personnel in their restaurants over their male counterparts, and carry out with this practice wherever it is feasible. For example, if the male and female candidate is similarly qualified for the job, these restaurants should ideally prefer the women candidate, which in turn would sharpen their market positioning.

The presence of women staff serving them can give a greater sense of comfort among many women guests. Moreover, if a single women guest or a group of women guests prefer to be served by women only, then such an option could be exercised easily, if the food service outlet concerned has a sizeable number of women waitresses or a women bartender on its rolls.

Customised F&B, Appealing Entertainment The concept of women-friendly restaurants can be easily extended or strengthened in this digital age, by regularly taking the feedback of the women guests about their culinary and entertainment preferences, storing them in computer, and then studying and analysing them. These would help the restaurants to customise their food & beverage options according to their female guests’ preference/s. At the same time, this exercise would facilitate such a restaurant to introduce those entertainment programmes which will appeal to the restaurant’s female guests.

Here it deserves a mention that such restaurants should not only have an array of entertainment options to offer but should lend considerable emphasis on them, in order to garner maximum possible numbers of women crowd.

It is because in this age, the role of restaurants is fast evolving beyond mere dining and drinking destinations.

The entertainment programmes at the women-friendly restaurants should not only be ideally tailored according to the preferences of their respective women

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The concept of womenfriendly restaurants can be easily extended or strengthened in this digital age, by regularly taking the feedback of the women guests about their culinary and entertainment preferences, storing them in computer, and then studying and analysing them. guests, but can include wide ranging options so that a host of women crowd of varying interests can be catered to.

Safety and Security At the same time, these restaurants should place considerable importance to the safety and security of their women guests. Of course, bouncers should be there to throw away those male guests who would make a woman guest feel uncomfortable in any way, but that is not all.

The women guests will be encouraged to wine, dine and enjoy the entertainment programmes offered at the women-friendly restaurants till wee hours of night, and thereby contribute more to these restaurants’ revenues if they are sure that they wouldn’t face any problem in commuting from the restaurant to their home.

This can be easily arranged if these women-friendly restaurants have a fleet of cars, preferably with women chauffer behind the wheels, with the provision to drive their women guests to their respective home at night. At the same time, these restaurants can tie up with transportation network companies like Ola and Uber to provide cabs with women chauffer to them at their asking, so that any women guest who wants to leave the restaurants at wee hours of night after wild partying wouldn’t feel intimidated in any way.

Beyond Entertainment These restaurants could also garner more interest among their women guests by hosting self defence classes for women, or informal sessions on some serious issues concerning women’s

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

welfare (such as Women’s Reservation Bill or sexual harassment at workplaces, or rehabilitation of rape victims, etc.)

The restaurants can invite the nationally renowned intellectuals and pressure groups to have informal sessions by engaging the guests, at minimal cost. The guests can participate in the informal discussion with noted intellectuals of the country, while partaking food & beverage of their choices. Similarly, while partaking food & beverage, they can learn self defence tips from a martial arts expert.

For these above-mentioned exercises, the women-friendly restaurants of course need to have a huge stage and as well as a small meeting room or an auditorium within its infrastructure.

Ideally, these brainstorming sessions should be held at noon or in evening, which would draw the serious crowd.

The serious crowd in the noon and evenings can often be complimented by the fun loving crowd in the twilight and night, and there would be a huge section of guests who would belong to both the segments, for there are many fascinating ladies who can think with great depth and let their hair down too with nonchalant flamboyance.

In Conclusion Of course, as the readers may have guessed, to carry the idea of womenfriendly restaurants into actualisation honestly, and that too on a grand scale, substantial investment on infrastructure and entertainment is needed, but if the idea catches the fancy of a section of women from upper middle and upper echelons of our society, who are having decent disposable incomes and some degree of freedom of choice at their disposal, the sales and profits of such women-friendly restaurants can soar within a short period of time.

For there is a sizeable section of ladies in the post-modern urban Indian society who are having the money and the power to make choices, but they are keen on having an outlet where they can be themselves, without the baggage of pretensions imposed by our hypocritical Indian society. It is about time a niche section of Indian restaurant business explores this huge but underutilised wave of market force more intelligently and unconventionally at the same time. n

Oct-Nov ’16

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FOCUS

Uniform Roles

By Jyotismita Sharma as those not associated with the F&B business tend to assume.

“Mark Twain once wrote that ‘clothes make the man’, but it could also be argued that they make the restaurant and the dining experience,” believes Ramesh Kumar, Food & Beverage Manager, Mercure Hyderabad KCP. “Besides helping the staff stand out and making them easily recognisable, employee uniforms are also a great representation of the hotel’s and restaurant’s brand,” Kumar added.

Facilitating Consumer Confidence

E

verybody knows that uniforms of restaurant personnel help customers identify the staff in a crowded bar or a busy restaurant, but that is not the only utility of uniforms in the food services industry. The uniforms can help an eatery stand out in the highly competitive food service market by seamlessly blending with the restaurant brand or adding aesthetic value to it.

It may appear far-fetched to many, but the uniform of the staff can play an important role in promoting a restaurant brand or the values that the restaurant stands for. It is especially true in the context of the increasing popularity of the theme restaurants, which strive to provide customers a holistic theme-based experience alongside dining.

The same can be said of the restaurants housed in the heritage properties. And even for other fine dining or casual dining restaurants, uniforms can help make a statement on their own. So choosing the uniform of the restaurants’ staff is not simply a matter of convenience, comfort and cost

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Uniforms come handy for restaurants in myriad ways. They can be as much useful for the customers as for the staff themselves, as well as for the management concerned. If it helps the customer to spot the right guy he/she is looking for to place an order, it also helps the staff appear more united and motivated to serve the customers.

When the employees are wearing a smart yet pleasant uniform, the customers tend to approach them more confidently.

According to Dhananjay Kumar, General Manager, The Suryaa New Delhi, the uniform also represents a united front of working towards the comfort and service of customers. “Impressive appearance tends to instill confidence among customers towards the kind of services to expect,” he added.

For Ambience and Hygiene Uniform can also add to the overall ambience and the dining experience of the restaurants. Uniforms of restaurant staff can also reflect on the professional standards and the level of service offered at the restaurant concerned.

“It is advisable for hotels to have a different uniform for each of their restaurants, depending on the theme, décor and overall image that the hotel wishes to project. For example, it may not be a good idea to have the staff wear a

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Ramesh Kumar

tuxedo while working in a casual dining restaurant. Similarly, it may also not be aesthetically appealing to have the staff dressed in western attire in a primarily Indian cuisine restaurant,” Kumar explained.

“Whether we talk about waiter or Chef, the functionality and style of uniform are of great importance. The uniform must match the restaurant’s theme and its concept,” said Sarath Gali, Executive Chef at Smaaash Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. that recently launched Mighty Small — a carnival themed café & bar in Hyderabad.

That is not all. Uniforms could go a long way towards facilitating not only hygiene but also safety for the restaurant staff. “The uniform can also be helpful for the restaurant staff’s protection from liquid spills, grease, hot oil, cooking steam, etc.,” Sarath Gali added.

Succinctly, we can see that uniform in restaurants can not only greatly facilitate the guests to identify the staff, but it can also be a reflection of brand and service standards of the restaurants concerned. It can also

Oct-Nov ’16

contribute towards the aesthetic appeal of the restaurants concerned, and can play a crucial role in the overall ambience of the restaurants.

Sarath Gali Uniform can also facilitate hygiene and safety of the restaurant personnel.

Making the Right Choice Selecting the right uniform for restaurants can be a huge challenge at times. It involves an array of details to be taken care of. While designing uniform for restaurants, one needs to find the right look which is practical, easily identifiable and yet helps endorsing or strengthening or facilitating the restaurant brand. Of course, this can be a challenging task. However, while taking care of the lofty marketing objectives, the basic requirements from uniform should also be adhered to at the same time. “The uniform of restaurant personnel should be comfortable and easy to maintain,” Sarath Gali added.

Once the look of the uniform has been decided upon, other factors to be considered can range from the ease of finding the right materials, longevity of the fabric of the uniform, colour fastness of the uniform and its upkeep.

So what are the factors that F&B Managers need to consider while selecting uniforms for the restaurant staff?

“Colour, fabric, style, safety, function & comfort, cost, job profile of the staff and most importantly, how the uniform aesthetically adds value to the overall theme and ambience of the restaurant are some of the factors one should keep in mind while selecting the right uniform for restaurants. The uniform should look sharp while being practical for busy service,” Ramesh Kumar said.

“Wearability and comfort is an important factor that we need to get just right to ensure that the staff feels confident and offer services expected of our hotel. At The Suryaa, the uniforms represent the proud heritage the hotel stands for,” affirmed Dhananjay Kumar.

Sarath Gali suggests that ideally, “the colour of the uniform should match with the interior and logo of your restaurant.”

“Clean white uniforms are an indicator of good hygiene and cleanliness in your restaurant,” Sarath Gali added further.

Of course, having the uniforms presentable to the eye is always a marketing advantage.

“We at Smaaash pay extra attention to the uniforms and dressing of the staff and ensure they are nice and presentable,” Sarath Gali Dhananjay Kumar n said.

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PROFILE

The Authentic Taste of Bihar in Delhi T

he richness and the culinary diversity of regional cuisines of India deserves global recognition.

However, though there has been a proliferation of restaurants focusing on exotic cuisines across the metropolitan India during the recent past, but this writer has found very few restaurants across urban India during the recent years, which are specialising on a specific type of Indian regional cuisine in an authentic manner.

In fact, I am sure in Delhi’s otherwise cosmopolitan culinary culture it is extremely rare to find a restaurant focusing on authentic cuisine of Bihar.

Therefore I was extremely interested to meet Puja Sahu, one of the dynamic

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By Swarnendu Biswas entrepreneurs behind The Potbelly Rooftop Café, which is the capital’s first restaurant focusing on authentic cuisine from the state of Bihar. It was started in 2011, by Puja Sahu and her partner Vivita Relan.

Presently there are two restaurants under the brand of The Potbelly; one is located in Shahpur Jat and the other is housed in Bihar Niwas,Chanakyapuri.

For those not in the know, both of these above-mentioned posh locations are in Delhi. The former has a seating capacity of 60, while the latter can seat 80 people at a time.

The first of the two outlets of the enterprise is The Potbelly Rooftop Café, which is located at the rooftop of a not

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

so attractive building at Shahpur Jat. The second outlet of this entrepreneur duo, which is named The Potbelly, is housed in Bihar Niwas, Chanakyapuri. It was launched in March 2015. Puja told that she was approached by the Bihar Resident Commissioner in Delhi to start the restaurant within Bihar Niwas, and they converted an unused hall into the restaurant.

The Birth of a Restaurateur “I was a fashion designer for twelve years, who was designing and retailing from my own boutique. But soon boredom hit me hard, and I was spurred to explore a different profession to redirect my latent creative energies,” affirmed Puja. Her creative energies induced her to open a restaurant focusing on the rich culinary legacy of Bihar, though according to her, neither she nor Vivita had any prior experience of opening or running a restaurant.

“When we began The Potbelly Rooftop Café, my only expertise in the restaurant business was my ability to appreciate good food. But despite that we took the leap of starting this unconventional food service enterprise, that of serving authentic Bihari food in the highly urban setting of Delhi. We started with a very small budget; my real asset was my mother’s repertoire of wonderful recipes, which were reflected in our initial menu,” expressed Puja. The

Oct-Nov ’16

PROFILE furniture of the restaurant was made from recycled materials.

There was no advertising or PR support. And of course, there were teething troubles. “At the initial stage, our service to the guests needed more professionalism, which was lacking among our then largely untrained staff.

There were cases when one customer was getting another customer’s order on the table, leading to irritation and confusion,” recollected Puja with a gentle laugh.

Slowly with sustained and patient training, the hiccups in service were sorted out. Within one-and- a-half year the restaurant at Shahpur Jat attained break-even point. “However, our food was a winner from the first day itself, and it was appreciated by our guests, though the overall traffic during the initial days of The Potbelly Rooftop Café was less,” Puja proferred.

“Initially, our uncommon endeavour in the Indian food service business received mixed reviews,” admitted Puja.

She however, told that she improved as a restaurateur more by learning from her criticisms than by enjoying the praise.

Litti Choka and More…

Both the restaurants run by Puja and her business partner serve the same menu.

Each of the two outlets employs one Chef and one Sous Chef. “Initially, The Potbelly Rooftop Café was serving only my mother’s recipes, and subsequently, we added more items in the menu, with my mother’s guidance,” the dynamic entrepreneur elaborated.

“Litti Choka served with aubergine mash and potato mash, with a pinch of raw mustard oil is one of our authentic dishes,” informed Puja. She explained

offerings of our restaurants,” pointed out the dynamic lady. Ghoogni Chura is another of the many wonderful dishes served at these outlets, which can easily tempt the guests.

“Sattu Cooler is our staple drink, which comes in both sweet and spicy variants,” informed the enterprising lady, as I sipped through the beverage. I chose the sweet version and it tasted refreshing. Here it deserves a mention that roasted gram flour is known as sattu in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Sattu is endowed with high fibre content, which makes it good for intestines. A sattu drink can be extremely rejuvenating on a hot tiring summer day.

Summing Up

Puja Sahu

that litti choka is a traditional dish of Bihar; comprising whole wheat flour balls stuffed with spiced roasted gram flour. I visited the Shahpur Jat outlet and found the Litti Mutton quite delightful, which is one of the high points of the two restaurants. Kali Mirchi Chicken, and Fish Chokha Marua Roti are some of the other specialties of the two restaurants. Here it deserves a mention that ragi is commonly known as marua in northern Bihar.

“Khada Masala Mutton, which is mutton cooked in whole spices, Keema Goli, and Dana Jhamarua, which comprises rice flour rotis stuffed with spiced poppy seeds, served with potatoes and aubergine in mustard gravy, are some of the other sumptuous

Presently, both the restaurants are garnering brisk crowd, which reflects that Bihar’s cuisine has a bright future in Delhi’s fast evolving food services industry. But more intelligent promotional measures like inviting noted folk singers from Bihar to perform at the outlet on a regular basis can enhance footfalls and hence revenues at both the outlets. It was heartening to see that Puja displayed no intention of resting on her laurels, and also the desire to expand.

I found no touch of Bihar’s cultural legacy in the décor of the Shahpur Jat

outlet. For example, the presence of Madhubani paintings or the depiction of Buddha statues in different meditative poses could have heightened the aesthetic appeal of the restaurant. But nevertheless, the scenic view of greenery and the presence of abundant natural light in the outlet can cheer up the mood of the guests. “Our second outlet housed in Bihar Niwas has a slightly rustic touch with earthy colours, with view of greenery and presence of abundant natural light being common to both the outlets,” n pointed out Puja.

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AGRI

Sweet and Tart; Delicious and Healthy

By Swarnendu Biswas

P

ineapple is a tropical plant bearing edible fruits comprising coalesced berries, which are also named pineapple. It is a plant of the Bromeliaceae family. The tree’s height generally ranges from 3.3 to 4.9ft, though they can be taller too.

Origin and Spread The origins of pineapple plant can be traced to South America, specifically from the area between southern Brazil and Paraguay. The natives of southern Brazil and Paraguay were instrumental in spreading the taste of pineapple fruit across South America, and from this continent, the popularity of pineapple spread to Caribbean islands, Central America and Mexico. Pineapple’s introduction in Europe can be credited to the exploration of Columbus to America. The famous explorer brought pineapple to Spain in the late 15th century. According to Wikipedia, Columbus got introduced to pineapple on the Leeward Island of Guadeloupe, in 1493.

The Portuguese introduced the fruit in India, in the mid 16th century, after Portuguese colonisers got acquainted with this fruit in Brazil. In the northern Europe, the fruit was introduced by the Dutch colonialists, who in turn brought it from Surinam, which was their colony. The first pineapple to be grown in Europe was not before the mid 17th century. One can say that Spanish and Portuguese explorers were mainly responsible for spreading the fame of pineapple across the world. Today, pineapples with their intermingling of sweet and tart taste are liked by people across the planet.

In 2013, Costa Rica was the largest producer of pineapples in the world,

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followed by Brazil and the Philippines respectively. In Costa Rica, pineapple production is very much industrialised and about three quarters of the total pineapples sold in Europe are accounted by pineapples grown in Costa Rica.

In India, the commercial production of pineapples began only four decades ago. In our country, pineapples are largely grown in the North-East region, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, Goa and Maharashtra.

Climate and Soil Temperate climate, with high relative humidity is ideal for the cultivation of pineapples. According to FAO, for good growth, pineapple fruit requires mean daily temperatures ranging between 22 to 26 degree centigrade with an optimum of 23 to 24 degree centigrade.

“Mean daily maximum and minimum temperatures of 30 degree centigrade and 20 degree centigrade respectively for the whole growing period are considered optimum,” noted FAO. According to FAO, temperatures below or above this range affect fruit quality or the acid and

sugar content.

Though a wide range of soils are suitable for pineapple cultivation, but well-aerated soil with sandy loam texture is most suitable for this plant’s harvest.

For pineapple fruit production, ideally the soil’s PH should range between 4.5-6.0. It would be better if the soil is slightly acidic.

Areas with heavy rainfall are suitable for pineapple fruit’s growth. For non irrigated production of pineapples, the pineapple plant should be exposed to a rainfall of 750 mm per year. Furthermore, the rainfall should also be well distributed throughout the year.

Selecting Rightly While selecting pineapples, one should choose those pineapples which are without soft spots, and darkened eyes. Presence of these attributes indicates the pineapple has gone beyond its prime.

Here it deserves a mention that once the pineapple is picked, it doesn’t get subjected to any more ripening. A ripe pineapple should emanate a sweet scent.

At the same time, do not select those pineapples for consumption which smell sour and/or fermented. Ripe pineapple becomes unfit for consumption soon if left at room temperature.

Culinary Applications Pineapple fruit has several culinary applications. It is commonly known that the fruit can be eaten in raw or as a juice.

In India, pineapples sprinkled with masala can be construed as a popular roadside snack. In India, pineapple is also used in fruit chaat; a very Indian snack.

Pineapples are used in fruit salad, and are also used as pizza toppings and

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’16

AGRI as grilled ring in hamburgers. In fact, in the bakery & confectionery industry, pineapple has widespread applications.

Pineapple jam and jelly are common items in breakfast tables and the use of pineapple in ice-cream and yoghurt is also not that uncommon.

Pineapple bread can also be a delicacy at the breakfast tables, and it is about time more bakeries in the country place it on their shelves. Pineapple cake is however, quite rampant in its usage across bakeries.

Pineapple can also play its role in raita.

Pineapple casserole can be a delectable but relatively uncommon hot dessert option, which our food service industry can more proactively explore.

Pineapple shake can also be had as a beverage on a hot summer day. This writer found that one fruit juice stall in Connaught Place, Delhi was serving pineapple shake. There is a high likelihood that there are many more such stalls in the capital. In Bengali cuisine, pineapple is used to make delicious chutney. In some chicken dishes, pineapple can be used. In Polynesian chicken, the role of pineapple can be very crucial. What is more, pineapple is also used as an ingredient in

Oct-Nov ’16

cocktails and mocktails.

Pineapple is not only used in culinary applications but also in food decoration.

The role of pineapple turtle in food decoration is well-known.

Spruced with Health Pineapple is endowed with several health benefits. Raw pineapple is an excellent source of manganese and Vitamin C. It is also rich in copper and potassium.

Potassium facilitates controlling heart rate and blood pressure, whereas copper helps in red blood cell synthesis. According to the University of Maryland’s Medical Center, “Manganese helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese is also necessary for normal brain and nerve function.” What is more, pineapple is also endowed with healthy dosages of B-complex group of vitamins like folates, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin.

Pineapple is also spruced with impressive content of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber like pectin.

The pineapple fruit has a mixture of proteolytic enzyme named bromelain that facilitates in digestion of food by breaking down protein. The bromelain content of raw pineapple gives a sore mouth like feeling which is often experienced while eating the fruit. Bromelain is also characterised by anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that intake of pineapple on regular basis also helps to tackle indigestion and arthritis.

It is about time, our restaurants make more creative usage of this healthy and delicious fruit in its myriad food preparations, wherever feasible, which in these health conscious times can give a fillip to the business of these outlets. n

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bEVERAGE

Exploring a Juicy Market

By Swarnendu Biswas

W

ith the growing wave of health consciousness spreading across the middle and upper end spectrum of the postmodern urban Indian society, it is natural that the market for fruit juices would receive a fillip. The significant growth in disposable incomes in pockets of urban India during the last decade has also given an impetus to this healthy trend. According to a market research report, the Indian juice industry was 3.5 billion USD in 2012 and it is estimated to grow to 21.14 billion USD by 2018.

Besides the growing health consciousness in the urban Indian society, the fact that the per capita consumption of fruit juice-based beverages is extremely less in India as compared to that of many developed countries (it is 20 ml in India as compared to 45 litres in Germany and 39 litres in the US), also gives lots of unexplored potential for the growth of the Indian juice market in the years to come, if taken in the backdrop of the growing health consciousness in

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the urban Indian society. The growth of juice bars and juice cafes in our urban landscape during the recent years bears testimony to this trend.

Packaged with Edge Some years back a Technopak’s report stated that within the Indian beverages market, the fruit-based beverages category was one of the fastest growing categories.

According to Ken Research, although the India’s fruit-based beverage market has traditionally been dominated by the unpackaged segment but the recent past has seen an enormous growth potential in the packaged category.

According to the same research body, the packaged fruitbased beverage market can be classified into three segments – fruit drinks, nectars and 100 percent juices. This classification varies according to the pulp content. According to Technopak, the packaged fruit juices market can be divided

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

into three subcategories, viz. fruit drinks, juices, and nectar drinks.

Dabur, PepsiCo, CocoCola, Parle Agro are some of the major players in India’s packaged fruit-based beverages market whereas Maaza, Slice, and Frooti are the major brands within the fruit drinks segment of the packaged fruit-based beverages market. Fruit drinks segment has the least fruit content among the three segments of fruit-based beverages.

Most of the consumers of packaged fruit-based beverages in the country are from the middle and upper class segment of the population. “Packaged fruit-based beverages are largely consumed by the urban population, particularly by the middle class and upper class segment of the Indian population. The increasing disposable income and rising occurrences of diseases resulting from unhealthy lifestyles have greatly impacted the growth curve of this market over the years,” observed Ken Research.

Netscribes’ report titled Juice Market in India 2014 stated that non-packaged fruit juices were already popular in India but recently

Oct-Nov ’16

bEVERAGE packaged juice market had witnessed a huge growth in the country. The report noted that Indians had started preferring juices over carbonated drinks.

We are witnessing that the consumption of packaged fruit juices has graduated to become habitual purchases in many pockets of middle income urban households of India.

During festivities, packaged fruit juices are now gaining currency as gift items like chocolates and sweets.

What is more, the growing popularity of packaged juices is no longer a big city market phenomenon in India. The packaged juices are also increasing in popularity in smaller cities of the country, and also in rural India. Yes, tier-II and tier-III cities of India and some relatively affluent pockets of rural Indian market also now offer great potential to enhance the packaged fruit juice business for huge conglomerates. By March 2013, the Indian packaged juices market was valued at Rs.1100 crore, and it was projected to grow at a CAGR of 15 percent over the next three years.

Dabur India is the undisputed market leader in the packaged juices segment in India.

Giants and Niche Players Overall, in the realm of Indian beverages industry, we are seeing a consumption shift towards the non carbonated beverages from carbonated beverages, though the market for carbonated beverages in the country is still much larger than the market of non carbonated beverages.

It is not only due to the increase in

disposable incomes and a movement towards a healthy lifestyle in urban India, but also perhaps due to the presence of a number of non carbonated drink brands in the market, which in turn is flooding their potential consumers with lots of choices. It is noteworthy, that even two mega giants in the carbonated drinks segment of the country— PepsiCo India and Coca-Cola India — have non carbonated drinks brand within their ambit. If PepsiCo India has its Tropicana and Slice, Coca-Cola India

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bEVERAGE

has its Maaza and Minute Maid.

In July 2013, PepsiCo expanded its Tropicana fruit juice portfolio in India with the introduction of coconut water blended variants.

The growing popularity of non carbonated beverages in India has perhaps induced the cola drinks and snack food giant PepsiCo to introduce 7UP Nimbooz Masala Soda in the summer of 2015, following testing of the product in select Indian markets since 2012.

Paper Boat by Hector Beverages is a recent entrant but a significant player in the non carbonated drinks segment of the country. It has given an impetus to the ethnic Indian drinks market.

Hector Beverages already has twelve refreshing beverages on offer, which include uncommon taste profiles in the organised Indian beverages industry like Serbet-e-Khaas, Rose Tamarind, Chilli Gauva, Kokum, Jamun Kala Khatta, Aamras among others.

Dabur has also recently strengthened its portfolio with the launch of Hajmola Yoodley in six variants. The six variants of Hajmola Yoodley are Ajooba Aam Panna, Nimboora Shikanji, Guava No. 1, Jazbaati Jaljeera, Golmaal Golgappa & Kabhi Kala Kabhi Khatta. Like the creations of Hector Beverages, Hajmola Yoodley also seems to be an endeavour to tap the promising ethnic Indian drinks segment.

Among the other important players in the fast expanding Indian fruit-based beverages

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market is Patanjali, which with its array of ready-to-drink fruit juices can pose a threat to the market size of established players in the Indian packaged juice market. Patanjaliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amla Aloevera Juice with litchi flavour is claimed to be useful for tackling anemia, skin diseases, urinary problem and constipation. It also increases body immunity. However, there is a caution attached that this juice should not be consumed by diabetic patients.

Innovative Options Going by the trend towards healthy food & beverage preferences of a significant section of population across urban India, one can safely say that varied range of fruit juices with no or very less sugar content and no added preservatives can have attractive market in the present and as well as in the near future. More and more uncommon fruit combinations in the juice, say a juice of dates and raisins, or blackberry juice, cranberry juice, jackfruit juice, etc. can also interest the increasingly experimental consumers of urban India.

The packaged fruit milkshake can also be an option for packaged juice players to expand their market share. In this context, here it deserves a mention that in the recent past, Dabur India Ltd. did enter the packaged fruit milkshake

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

segment with its Real Shakes Mango.

Succinctly, one can say that with growing health consciousness and lifestyle changes, coupled with increase in disposable incomes in select but sizeable pockets of our society, the demand for fruit juices and traditional Indian ethnic drinks are only expected to increase in the country, in the years to come.

It is the opportune time for more corporates to enter the traditional Indian drinks market in the country, which include lassi, chach, thandai, etc. However, to explore this market further, the players should bring in more innovative flavours, and should also come up with more economical rates and packaging solutions for their products, especially in order to tap the hitherto less explored rural markets.

Tapping the Rural India Coming to the issue of tapping the rural Indian markets, which are also showing inclination towards packaged juices during the recent years, the companies need to bring in more variety in packaging options in terms of size of packaging.

Smaller pack sizes than are already rampant in the market should be introduced, displaying modest prices varying between Rs.2-5 per pouch/packet/bottle with increasing frequency. It can be a market-friendly option for packaged juice players to aggressively tap the rural Indian market. Though the rural Indian market is extremely pricesensitive but it has huge potential to increase the volume of sales and make the various packaged juice brands, and ethnic Indian drink brands assume a pan-Indian character in real sense.

For the Industry While observing this trend of growing market for fruit-based beverages, the Indian food services industry can also have more fruity beverages of innovative and healthy concoctions in their menu, than they are having at present. The realisation of this step can augur well for the business of many food service outlets in India, in these health conscious times. n

Oct-Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

Hall No. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 14, 18L, 18U and Hangars 23, 24 and 27.

Oct-Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

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t h e m e cuisine

The Delectable

Parsi Cuisine

By Sharmila Chand

P

arsi cuisine is the traditional cuisine of Parsis living in India.

Parsis have a long association with India’s pluralistic cultural cosmos.

Parsis migrated from Persia to India during 8th -10th century AD to avoid Arab’s persecution of Zorastrians. Here it deserves a mention that Parsis are followers of Zorastrianism religion.

When the Parsis came to India they brought along with them their unique recipes and culinary skills. Initially, these people settled on the coast of Gujarat and Sindh. Over a period of time, their food, recipes and style of cooking got influenced by India’s pluralistic culinary legacy. One finds considerable influences of Maharashtra and Goa cuisines in Parsi cuisine.

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The Culinary Character Parsi food is primarily non-vegetarian though there are certain important vegetarian dishes in Parsi cuisine as well.

Their curries have specific spices, and unique flavour of dry fruits like apricot, pistachio, walnut and cashew are infused in them.

Parsi food is not very spicy but has

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bold flavours of dry fruits and spices like ginger, garlic and onion. Dry fruits and saffron are often used to enhance the flavour of many Parsi recipes.

Eggs are a must in Parsi dishes; for breakfast as well as for preparing many other Parsi dishes. Rice in Parsi homes is mostly accompanied with lentils and curries. Peeled cucumber and onions are

Oct-Nov ’16

Parsi Food Festival at Made in India Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida recently hosted the much-awaited Parsi Food Festival at its fine dining Indian specialty restaurant named Made In India.

The menu for the ten day long culinary festival was specially curated by Chef Kaizad Patel, with some of the most authentic and traditional signature dishes from the Parsi kitchen, including a great mix of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights, like Bhujeli Kaleji, Kid Gosht and Chapat, amongst many other mouth-watering delicacies.

Commenting on the Parsi cuisine and the special menu for the Parsi Food Festival, Kaizad Patel said, “Parsi cuisine is a mélange of different flavours and has an eclectic mix of hot and sweet, sour and spice. This delectable cuisine is deeply influenced by culinary legacy of various parts of the country that the community has travelled to and its soul lies in the ingredients used to make the mouth-watering delicacies. We are delighted to present the traditional Parsi recipes and recreate the authentic Parsi flavours at the Parsi Food Festival at the Made In India, in Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida.”

“The soul of Parsi food is the flavour which is based on the right balance of sweet, spicy and sour. To bring the authentic taste, one has to be well-versed with the Parsi food and with the ingredients used in making Parsi food,” he further pointed out. often seen in Parsi dishes. Pomegranate and dates are also used in many Parsi recipes.

Traditional Parsi Dishes Patra ni macchi — It is a popular fish dish in which the fish is coated with green coconut and coriander chutney and then wrapped and steamed in a banana leaf. This dish is often served at wedding ceremonies.

Dhansak — It is a special preparation of lentils with meat and spinach.

Dhansak is an integral part of Parsi cuisine. Dhansak is a well-known dish but is not feast or wedding food. It is a pureed mash made from three different types of lentils, meats and all the vegetables that are available in the kitchen at a time! At the festival, dhansak is served with basmati rice browned gently with onions, and with a dash of caramelised sugar, served with lemon drizzled kachumbur of onion and tomato.

Akuri —The Indianised masala scrambled egg, it is served atop hard bun or pav and is one of the most popular entrees in Parsi cuisine.

Tarapori Patio — This is a sweet and sour seafood dish made with Bombay Duck. Bombay Duck is a type of fish and is also called Boomla. The fish is dried and preserved and used in this recipe.

An egg and vinegar based white fish curry known as Saas ni Macchi is another specialty of Parsi cuisine.

Seafood, in general is seen often in Parsi dishes.

Oct-Nov ’16

Recipe Patra Nu Paneer Serves 6-8 Persons Recipe by Chef Kaizad Patel Ingredients Qty. Paneer 250 gm Banana Leaves 3 numbers For Green Chutney Grated Coconut Green Chili Fresh Cumin Seed Garlic Cloves Coriander Leaves Mint Leaves Turmeric Powder Sugar Sugarcane Vinegar Curry Leaves

¼ number 4 numbers ½ tsp 3 numbers 1 tbsp 2 gm 2 tbsp 2 tbsp 2 tbsp 6 numbers

Method • Apply salt to the paneer.

• Remove the centre thick vein of banana leaf and cut 08 pieces of leaves of approximately 8” x 8”. Heat the pieces on gas so that they become limp and hence will be easy to handle.

• Apply chutney quite liberally all over the pieces of paneer. Wrap each piece of paneer in a piece of banana leaf; folding the sides in and tie firmly with a piece of string.

• In a heavy bottom pan, fill it half with water. Place coriander on top filled with wrapped paneer. Cover with a lid, making sure the steam does not escape.

Cook for 10-15 minutes till paneer is cooked. Re-heat in the same way.

• Serve hot with chapattis.

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t h e m e cuisine Chutney Patties is another Parsi delicacy which comprises crumb fried aloo tikki sandwiches with sweetsour mint-coriander chutney.

The Parsi food is also known for dishes with shoe-string shaped potatoes, known as salli. They are fried and served more as an accompaniment and not as a garnish.

The Parsi stew is different from a conventional stew. It is dry and tangy and is served traditionally at Parsi weddings.

Many Parsi dishes use the unique balance of acid and sweetness by using vinegar and sugar, and they happily call it khattu mithu. A popular Parsi tomatobased curry is the patio; made using this method.

Parsi cuisine has some very distinctive dried seafood pickles like sukha boomla achar, which are made using seafood in khattu mithu flavour.

Desserts The common delicious Parsi desserts include vasanu, which literally means sweet dish. It comprises sev

(vermicelli), and ravo (semolina). The other popular Parsi desserts are faluda and kulfi, both of which are adoptions from the cuisines of the Irani and Urdu speaking communities. But a bread butter pudding or caramel custard is a staple dessert at a regular Parsi meal.

The lagan nu custard is another famous dessert of the Parsis, which is an essential feature of Parsi weddings. It is also partaken as Sunday treats at many Parsi homes. The doodhi halwa, too, is another common sweet dish of the Parsis. n

Menu Planning By Chef Kaizad Patel at Made In India Centre Table – Lagan Nu Achar, Saariya Appetisers Vegetraian Channa Dal Na Bhajiya, Amli Ni Chutney Kera Na Cutless, Tamota Ni Chutney Makai Ne Cheese Na Pattise, Parsi Sambhar Mayonnaise Paneer Ni Akoori, Kothmir Naan Oomberiyu Tarkari Na Cutless, Khati Mithi Chutney (Assorted root vegetables cooked in green masala; smoked) Non-vegetarian Kolmi Na Kavab Baby Chicken Farcha, Tamota Chutney Soti Boti (Skewered chunks of meat, batter fried) Bheja Na Farcha Gosht Na Kavab Saliya Per Bhujeli Kaleji – Chicken liver, barbequed Main Course Fish Patra Ni Machchi Saas Ni Machchi

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Machchi Ni Curry Tarapori Prawn Patiyo

Murghi (Chicken) Jardaloo Sali Murghi Badaam Ne Nariyal Ma Pisele Murghi Antheli Murghi Murghi Ni Curry Gosht (Mutton) Jaradaloo Sali Boti Kid Gosht Gosht Ni Curry Kaju Kesar Gosht Bhaji Dana Nu Gosht Eeda (Eggs) Parsi Masala Akoori Wafer ‘Per Eedu’ Chicken Mai Walla Masalo Kheema, Vatana Ne Bafela Eeda Jhinga Ni Bharuchi Akoori

Bhida Sambhariiya Rai No Masala Papeto Lagan Nu Stew Patra Nu Paneer Vengna Ni Booriani (Roasted eggplant & dahi masala) Vengna Ravaiya ‘Tarapori Masala’ Chawal Ni Wani (Rice) Mori Dal Ne Safed Chawal Pulao Ne Masala Dal (Machchi/ Murghi/ Gosht/ Tarkari) Mutton Dhansak with Kebab

Rotli Chokha Ni Rotli

Desserts Lagan Nu Custard Chokha Ni Kheer Sev Ne Mitthu Dahi Koru No Murrabbo, Malai Kulfi Chapat Ne Parsi Peg Ice Cream (Old Monk Ice Cream)

Tarkari (Vegetables) Dahi Ma Kadak Bhida

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’16

March 28 - 31,2017 Shanghai New International Expo Center

Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supply Expo 2017

(No.2345 LongYang Road,Pudong District Shanghai) www.hotelex.cn｜www.jdgle.com

116,688 Professional Visitors

116 Countries’ Buyers

2,207 Exhibitors

250,000 m2 Exhibition Space

Only takes 30 seconds to finish the online booth reservation!

Follow us: Organizer: UBM Sinoexpo Limited

Hotelex

HotelexShanghai

Tel: 86 21 3339 2242 Mr.Alex Ni

Hotelex

HOTELEX Shanghai

E-mail: Alex.Ni@ubmsinoexpo.com

www.hotelex.cn www.jdgle.com

Guangzhou

Guangzhou

December 12 -14 , 2016 Guangzhou Poly World Trade Center Hall 1-4

HOTELEX GUANGZHOU 2016 Expo Hospitality Equipment & Supply Guangzhou 2016

(No.1000 Xingang Road,Guangzhou,China)

116,688 Professional Visitors

116 Countries’ Buyers

2,207 Exhibitors

250,000 m2 Exhibition Space

Only takes 30 seconds to finish the online booth reservation!

Follow us:

Oct-Nov ’16

Organizer: UBM Sinoexpo Limited

Hotelex

HotelexShanghai

Tel: 86 21 3339 2242 Mr.Alex Ni

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Hotelex

HOTELEX Shanghai

E-mail: Alex.Ni@ubmsinoexpo.com

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R est a ur a nt

Authentic Parsi Cuisine at Rustom’s

By Sharmila Chand

R

ustom’s, whose full formal name is Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu, is located in the heart of south Delhi; in Adchini. It is a traditional Parsi restaurant, offering authentic home-cooked food. Here dishes are prepared with recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation.

The restaurant is designed to reflect the atmosphere of old Parsi homes, which exuded so much love and warmth. The interiors of the 450 sq. ft. space will make you comfortable as you step in. It is complemented by friendly service and delicious food.

The décor features wooden accents punctuated with Parsi memorabilia and distinct touches like vintage grandfather clocks, antique crockery cupboards and photographs depicting Parsis and their culture from celebrated photographer

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’16

R est a ur a nt

Running the Show

Sooni Taraporevala’s book titled Parsis: The Zoroastrians of India.

The atmosphere is tailored to reflect the refined tastes of the community, with the perfect background music; resonating with renditions from The Beatles, ABBA, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, etc.

Rich Culinary Fare It is safe to say that Rustom’s is the firstof-its-kind dining experience in Delhi that showcases rich culinary diversity of Parsi cuisine holistically; a cuisine whose delectable offerings go much beyond Dhansak and Salli Boti.

The food here is truly authentic.

“Revisiting old favourites and forgotten recipes and introducing diners to some

Oct-Nov ’16

Kainaz Contractor began her career as a Management Trainee with the Taj Group of Hotels, in Mumbai. Within a year-and-a-half, she took on the role of Restaurant Manager at Pure, Mumbai’s first organic restaurant at the Taj Lands End in Bandra, Mumbai. Driven by the desire to expand and apply her food knowledge, she then switched tracks to food writing at Time Out Mumbai, one of the country’s most distinguished culture magazines.

Her next big break came in the role of a Junior Food Editor with the launch of BBC Good Food. She was part of the team that launched the magazine in India, and within a year, took over as Assistant Food Editor. Her first menu developed specially for the magazine, was aimed at educating readers about the classic Parsi specialties, which are rare to find on conventional restaurant menus in India. This is the kind of food that she now serves at Rustom’s.

Rahul Dua began his career as a Management Trainee with the Taj Group of Hotels in Mumbai. Within a year-and-a-half, he took on the role of Restaurant Manager at Souk, the Middle-Eastern specialty restaurant at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai.

Whilst working with the Taj, Rahul also completed his Advanced Certification in Wines and Spirits from WEST, London.

Driven by the desire to work more closely with wines, he moved to Verre by Gordon Ramsay at Hilton, Dubai as Head Sommelier. After a two year stint there, he moved to Bahrain to join Gulf Brands International, as the Wine Manager.

Rahul returned to New Delhi in 2013 to pursue his desire of starting his own restaurant. In October 2013, he began his journey as the Chef and Partner at Café Lota, the much lauded regional Indian restaurant at the National Crafts Museum in Pragati Maidan.

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R est a ur a nt

Flavours from Parsi Homes While at the restaurant, I had an interesting conversation with Kainaz Contractor and Rahul Dua, the owners of the place, which revealed details about the restaurant’s operations. The excerpts of the interview with them follow:

How challenging it is to run a Parsi restaurant? What were the teething problems in such an enterprise? of the lesser-known Parsi delights is what the menu is all about,” stated Kainaz Contractor and Rahul Dua, the owners of the restaurant.

“While meat lovers will enjoy the Parsi community’s affinity towards meat and egg-based dishes, we have ensured that vegetarians are not alienated with our focused and researched approach to meat-free dishes,” they added further.

Rustom’s Specials While every dish at Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu is a specialty on its own, but some deserve special mention. They include Chicken Vindaloo (chicken in a spicy Parsi vindaloo gravy); Jardaloo Marghi Ma Salli (chicken cooked with dried apricots in a sweet and sour tomato gravy, topped with crisp potato straws); Parsi dal (Parsi yellow dal with garlic and fried onion); and Bheeda ma dahi (masala okra in a spiced yoghurt gravy).

Round up your meal here with Rustom’s bakery favourites, which include mawa cake, or dark chocolate and espresso coffee cake or Parsi Dairy Kulfi. Just do not miss Rustom’s hot chocolate or hot apple toddy or Parsi Chai.

If you are short of time, then opt for Rustom’s Combo Meals. n

Rahul: Obstacles are aplenty when you are opening a restaurant in India.

Right from the red tapism in procuring licenses to setting up the space, staff hiring and their retention to making the final look come together, there were challenges galore.

Getting the restaurant interiors and the kitchen layouts designed and procuring the requisite equipment and getting vendors too proved to be a challenge for the first time restaurateurs like us.

Training of our cooks was equally important and challenging since they had to perfect the blend of sweet, sour and spicy, which is the hallmark of our cuisine.

How the idea behind Rustom’s came into being?

Kainaz: Between the two of us, we grew up eating hearty Parsi meals at home or in friend’s homes, with family recipes being passed on through generations.

We soon realised that it is almost impossible to get Parsi home cooked food in Delhi, unless someone opens the door to their house for you.

Succinctly, we realised that there was a gap in the Delhi market for home style Parsi food and Rustom’s is an endeavour to fill this gap.

What are the essential characteristics of your restaurant?

Rahul: We decided that Rustom’s would be a restaurant serving homestyle Parsi food that goes beyond salli boti and mutton dhansak. We wanted Rustom’s to be a cosy, intimate dining place where people would get the feeling of eating in a Parsi home. The decision to serve food at Rustom’s exactly how it is prepared in Kainaz’s home is part of our cooking philosophy of serving honest food.

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The success of Parsi food lies in the perfect blend of spices and we don’t compromise in this regard. So we get our homemade spice blends all the way from Kainaz’s aunt in Nagpur, so that diners can get a taste of authentic Parsi food.

Rustom’s forte lies in the fact that we source the most authentic ingredients for our dishes like vinegar from E.F. Kolah in Navsari and Pallonji’s Sodas from Mumbai. This attention to ingredients has enabled us to give our customers the taste of authentic, homecooked Parsi food.

Are you happy with the customers’ response?

Rahul: Delhi has been very welcoming of our food and concept and our accolades and repeat clientele are proof of that. Seeing people having a lovely meal at your restaurant; celebrating important personal milestones whilst having your food and enjoying your hospitality is an incomparable feeling.

How has been your expansion and what are your future plans?

Kainaz: Within one year of opening Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu, we opened the Rustom’s Cafe and Bakery inside the Khoj International Artists Association in Saket. It is Irani café meets English tea room meets your favourite neighborhood bakery. This charming space is filled with vintage memorabilia and nostalgia-invoking treats.

The menu at the café has an emphasis on showcasing and reinventing traditional treats found at local Mumbai bakeries along with a smattering of street eats, Parsi snacks and club food.

We also run the kitchen for Blue Tokai Cafe & Roasterie in Saket, showcasing global cuisines inspired from the global third-wave coffee shop revolution. Our focus now is on expanding the outdoor catering wing of our business as well as other conceptdriven restaurant projects.

Oct-Nov ’16

Oct-Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

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c h e f voice

Passionate and Persevering

By Sharmila Chand

Dipayan Chanda, the Executive Chef, Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Mysore has the distinction of working and training under celebrity Chefs, Chef Gary Rodes and Chef Marco Pierre White respectively.

He has 22 years of experience in the industry as a Chef. He began his career with Taj Bengal Kolkata and has worked with ITC Sonar, Kolkata, P &O Cruises UK, Hyatt Regency Delhi and other important hospitality brands during the course of his career.

Talking about his inspiration, he said, “As a child I used to see my mother cooking with a handful of simple ingredients. End result was always magical. I used to think she had some magic in her hands and I wanted to have the same magic. Hence, I started dreaming of becoming a cook. That time I didn’t realise I would become a professional Chef, and be having greater responsibilities than just cooking.”

Chef Chanda has carefully nurtured his expertise to keep his dishes simple with the best of ingredients. He loves and enjoys to make well-known dishes of various regions.

His strength lies in his perseverance and honesty towards his work. “Perseverance allows me to be calm and balanced,” he asserted. The excerpts of the interview follow:

How do you describe yourself?

I describe myself as an artist in the kitchen who loves to create new innovations to make my guests happy and see smile on their faces.

If you had to define yourself in one word, what would it be?

I think the word passionate defines me rightly.

What is your philosophy of cooking?

Cook from the heart and never compromise on the quality. Never promise a dish to the guest if right ingredients and right knowledge are not there.

Consistency in quality and perfection of the dishes will make my guests come again.

What is your source of inspiration?

The smile and happiness of my guests after they savour my preparations is my source of inspiration.

What has been the most rewarding moment in your career?

It was in the year 2008 when I made food for the Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh, for the

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inaugural ceremony of MV Ventura in Southampton UK.

What skills or attitudes prepared you the most for your career?

They are hard work, honesty, and passion for cooking.

What is your definition of professional success?

If you are able to keep your guests happy and team motivated, that itself is a success.

Furthermore, consistency in doing quality work generates satisfaction and that leads to success.

What would you consider as your professional strengths?

watching food channels on television.

How do you rate yourself as a Chef?

I think I am still learning.

What is your favourite cuisine?

I like Italian cuisine, Indian cuisine, and of course within Indian cuisine, I like Bengali cuisine in particular.

What are your favourite spices?

They are mustard and black pepper.

With these two spices magic can be created in terms of taste.

What is/are your favourite dish or dishes?

I consider my capacity for hard work and dedication towards my job as my major professional strengths.

They are slow braised lamb shank, Bollingere potatoes, wilted spinach and rosemary infused jus/ nihari ghost.

And what would you consider as your weakness?

What is/are your favourite equipment/s?

I think sometimes I get too emotional.

What is your favourite holiday destination?

It is Goa.

How do you de-stress yourself?

By reading culinary books and

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

They are thick bottom sauce pan and sauce pot.

What is your favourite restaurant/food joint?

It is a road side dhaba in my hometown, Kolkata, by the name of Sher e Punjab.

Oct-Nov ’16

Who is your favourite diner?

Whoever like and loves my prepared dishes is my favourite diner.

What are your hot selling items?

I have to name quite a few. They are Dhaniya Murgh, Mutton Ghee Roast, Hydrabadi Ghost Dum Biryani, Kozhi Vartha Curry (chicken) , Urlai Roast ( potato), Tanjavur Vegetable Korma, Dal e Shan, Subzi Sangam Bahar, Baked Rasgulla and Lasagne Bolognese, Polo ala Parmaziana , Lamb Osso Bocco, Polo Olivitini, and Baked Vegetable Florentine.

What is the best compliment you have received till date?

In 2008, then my five-year-old son told me that my fish curry was better than his grandmother’s. That was my best compliment as I regard my mother’s cooking in high esteem and she has been my inspiration.

What is your philosophy of work?

It is to cook from your heart.

Do you want to discuss any valuable lesson/s learnt in the kitchen?

I have learnt that in busy times it is good to keep your head cool and concentrate on the preparation.

What would you choose as your last meal on earth?

Steamed hilsa.

Where do we expect to see you 10 years from now?

You are expected to see me still cooking and teaching my associates to become good Chefs.

What are your future plans?

To teach junior Chefs in a way so that they can take on any type of culinary challenge.

What is the position of Chefs these days, in India?

Nowadays guests’ footfall in restaurants can increase or decrease because of the food and the Chef.

What are the problems and challenges faced by Chefs in India?

It is the challenge to get the right quality of ingredients on right time, and getting and maintaining quality staff.

What is the best career advice you have received?

Consider your guest the most important person and be honest in your work.

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

Be passionate about cooking. Never think negative.

Whatever you are doing, do it from your heart and never give up hope.

Oct-Nov ’16

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OPERATIONS

Preventing Occupational

Hazards for Bakers

Working in a bakery poses several potential health challenges, but disseminating the information about the dangers and putting in place the right infrastructure and precautionary measures can help eliminate many of them

C

onvenient it might be to overlook for some, but the crunchy cookies and other delightful delicacies that bakeries bring out for our breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the occasional bites in between, are the results of some sweet imaginations, and some not-sosweet hard work, which sometimes can even foray into the danger zone.

In the absence of proper infrastructure and training, longterm work in bakeries may lead to an increased risk of some diseases, including asthma and allergies. And for furnishing your morning pieces of fresh bread and sumptuous rolls, some employees in the bakeries also work at odd hours that may cause over exertion and fatigue. Moreover, bakers work with hot equipments and sharp tools, which may make them prone to such accidents as burns, cuts, etc. So the employees in

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By Jyotismita Sharma bakeries should be aware of the dangers associated with their occupation and be given the right training to avoid the hazards. Of course, the effective training and awareness building exercises among workers in bakeries must be bolstered with adequate infrastructural support.

Health Challenges for Bakers To better understand the health challenges that the workers in a bakery may face, it could be important to revisit what the job per se entails. In an everyday situation, a worker in a bakery has to mix flour, salt, yeasts, spices, sugar, and other ingredients to prepare dough, batter, fillings, etc., which are then baked in ovens to turn them into bread, cakes, rolls, etc.

A simplistic and incomplete description like this does not make the job of a baker look that demanding

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

apparently. But what is apparent is often not true. The real situation for those who have to work every day in the production unit of a bakery could be challenging, and if proper precautions are not taken, the workers can also be susceptible to health hazards.

This is true especially in the light of the fact that scientists have found exposure to flour as one of the most important causes of occupational asthma and other respiratory problems, and also of skin diseases. Dry flour also presents a perennial hazard of fire and dust explosion. Experts point out that cigarette lighting in such an environment may be extremely dangerous.

The risk of fire may also arise from other sources such as fuels. Moreover, the high temperatures and the high levels of relative humidity in which

Oct-Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

OPERATIONS workers in a bakery generally have to operate may cause fatigue and thermal exhaustion. The risk of meeting with accidents such as cuts as a result of handling sharp tools or that of falls due to the slippery floors or the risk of having back pain as a result of carrying heavy loads can also hardly be over emphasised.

As bakery workers are unlikely to avoid working with boiling water, hot oil, and hot ingredients, here it deserves a mention that accidental spilling of such ingredients can cause scalding on body parts.

Bakery workers are also exposed to many spices and this is hardly good for their health as such exposure may lead to chronic conjunctivitis and chronic rhinitis (persistent stuffy nose). Prolonged exposure to them may result in respiratory infections, particularly chronic bronchitis, and sometimes even bronchial asthma may develop through their prolonged exposure. Allergic skin diseases due to exposure to spices are also not uncommon.

Use of defective equipment in a bakery may also pose serious health risks, especially in the long-run. Defective microwave ovens may lead to radiation leakage. Prolonged exposure to infrared radiation may also increase the risk of developing cataracts.

According to the International Labour Organisation’s ‘International Hazard Datasheets on Occupation’, some of the health burden of working in a bakery may include: • Mechanical and electrical injuries during work with conveyors, mechanised equipments used for mixing ingredients to make dough, and baking processes; • The risk of electric shock as a result of defective electrical equipment and installations, especially hand-held tools; • The risk of dental caries as a result of exposure to sugar dust; • Exposure to carbon dioxide: In mechanised bakeries, dough which is in an active state of fermentation may give off dangerous amounts of carbon dioxide; • Exposure to carbon monoxide, combustion products and fuel vapours: Firing equipment which is badly adjusted or has insufficient draw, or defective chimneys may lead to the accumulation of unburned fuel vapours or gases or of combustion products, including carbon monoxide, which may cause intoxication or asphyxia; • Exposure to fungi and yeast: Hypersensitivity reactions and skin infections may be caused due to fungal antigens inhaled with dusts during the work time — these usually involve pneumonitis with asthmatic symptoms; • Exposure to parasites: Vanilla flour and coconut flour may be infested with cereal parasites, which cause lesions and ‘grain itch;’ • Exposure to molds: Bakers may suffer from allergic skin conditions caused by molds such as Aspergillus glaucus and Penicillium glaucum, which develop in stored flour; • Presence of rodents and insects may result in bites and infectious diseases; • Continuous repetitive movements, awkward postures (e.g., sitting or standing for long hours), and excessive efforts (especially during lifting and moving of sacks and heavy loads) may result in cumulative trauma disorders; • Handling of heavy loads may cause acute disorders, especially back pain and lesions of intervertebral discs.

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OPERATIONS

Preventive Measures Although the health risks associated with working in a bakery are many, proper infrastructure and a little precaution can go a long way in minimising those health challenges. For example, regular vacuum cleaning of floors and other surfaces may help prevent falls at the workplace due to slippery floors. Ensuring proper ventilation through installation of the required equipment can result in good indoor air quality that can again help in preventing air contamination and

T

heat stress among the workers. Exhaust ventilation can prevent formation of dust (dry flour) clouds.

As defective equipment could be sources of health hazards, not using them or replacing them with new ones could put an end to hazards linked to such defective equipments. So it is very important to check microwave ovens for radiation leakage and repair or replace it/ them if needed. Bakery workers could also wear a respirator to avoid inhalation of dust or aerosols. Pest-control measures at

Exposure to Talc May Cause Lung Inflammation

alc, a substance commonly used in a number of manufacturing processes, including the food processing industry, is a health hazard and exposure to it should be closely monitored, say researchers.

There is insufficient awareness of the risks to health caused by the inhalation of talc, said Dr. Jos Rooijackers, a pulmonologist from the Netherlands Expertise Centre for Occupational Respiratory Diseases (NECORD), who presented his findings to the European Respiratory Society’s (ERS) International Congress, last September.

The researchers studied workers in a chocolate products factory where talc (hydrated magnesium silicate) was used regularly in the manufacturing process, and in which at least one worker had already been diagnosed with the pulmonary disease named talcosis, where the inhalation of talc causes inflammation in the lungs. Damage is progressive with ongoing exposure and may lead to lung fibrosis and respiratory failure.

“Although talcosis is a well-known health affect of talc inhalation in such industries as mining, the risk was not recognised by the company, since talc is considered to be a harmless food additive and as safe overall,” Rooijackers said.

“As soon as an employee was diagnosed with talcosis caused by occupational exposure, the company became concerned about the health risks to its employees posed by talc use,” Rooijackers observed.

The researchers analysed individual exposure among all those

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workplace and its surroundings can also help alleviate some of the problems that bakers in our country face on a daily basis.

However, all these measures may go in vain if workers are not properly trained to handle the bakery equipments and if precautions that one should observe to avoid the risks of fire or other emergency situations are not put in place. For example, careless exposure to hot trays, grills and ovens or touching their hot surfaces without adequate protection can cause burn among the bakery workers.

It is, therefore, necessary for the bakery workers to handle hot trays and pots with heat resistant gloves. Learning and using safe lifting and moving techniques for heavy loads can easily help avert bodily pains. It is also important for bakery workers to maintain high levels of personal hygiene.

A lot of the responsibility to ensure safety of the workers falls on the employers, and this is not only because of the fact that healthy and well-trained employees can cut absenteeism and increase profitability, but also because the entrepreneurs have ‘a duty of care’ to make sure the safety and welfare of their workers do not get compromised while at work. n

workers who were in regular contact with talcum dust. The 111 workers who had the highest exposure were asked to complete a questionnaire on their occupational history and respiratory symptoms. Based on their estimated cumulative exposure, 18 workers were referred for a high resolution CT scan of the thorax.

At least one, and possibly two workers out of the 18, was/were found to have talcosis. Following the researchers’ work, the company implemented effective control measures aimed at limiting their workers’ exposure to talc.

But the fact remains that many industries use talc in the manufacturing process. In food, it is minerally inert and passes through the body without being digested. It is therefore used for a carrier for food colouring and as a separating agent in, for example, sweet goods, bakery, rice, powdered dried food, seasonings, cheese, sausage skins, and table salt.

In addition to talc, the researchers said, inhalation of other food additives as well as flavours and enzymes may be an as yet unidentified respiratory hazard in the food industry, and it is important that this should be studied and quantified.

“The health effects of occupational exposure to dust, gases and vapours are not well recognised by health professionals and neglected by public authorities and employers, reinforced by a conflict of interest; leading to missed diagnoses and a high burden of disease, thus putting employees in danger,” Rooijackers analysed.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’16

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pro d uct previe w ICE MAKERS FROM THE HOUSE OF CARYSIL - ART THAT WORKS Acrysil Limited is a pioneer in composite quartz technology & is one of the largest manufacturers of granite sinks in the world. These sinks are well-known for their awe-inspiring looks, innovative designs & German technology.

After creating a benchmark in composite granite sink, Acrysil ventured into the world of stainless steel kitchen sinks, faucets, food waste disposers & also offers a wide range of domestic kitchen appliances such as microwaves, wine chillers, dish washers, cooking ranges, ice makers among others.

Acrysil Limited exports to more than 40 countries across the globe with major exports to USA, the UK, China, Canada, Germany, France, the oriental & Gulf countries.

Acrysil Limited has also entered the hospitality industry. Keeping in mind the needs of the Indian hospitality market, specifically of the end users, and with emphasis on eco-friendly, energy saving and multifunctional technology, the company has introduced its range of commercial kitchen equipments under the brand name CARYSIL. The just launched CARYSIL–ICE MAKER has application in restaurants, bars, hotels & even in private residences.

They are functional both indoor & outdoor. The Ice Maker

by CARYSIL is made of full stainless steel body, which provides durability to the product. It is low on maintenance and is easy to clean.

CARYSIL–ICE MAKER has an ambient temperature ranging between 10°-43°C. These extremely reliable & versatile ice makers produce 45kg & 12kg of ice per day, having an ice storage capacity of 15kg (for 45kg model). The rated power consumption of the ice maker is 400 W and it maintains an ambient humidity at ≤ 90%. CARYSIL's commercial ice maker is a state-of-the-art technology with front hinged door that can be placed undercounter & be placed free standing or can be used in built in applications.

These ice makers hugely compliment the company’s– wine chillers, which are class apart & can easily be utilised in domestic & commercial environments. CARYSIL is here to present international technology & quality at affordable prices. CARYSIL's products are backed by 24x7 after sales service & spare parts that can maintain the equipments in mint condition endlessly.

Acrysil Limited manisha@carysil.com

Crafting Impeccable F&B Equipments Kumar Equipment (India) Pvt. Ltd. is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial kitchen, refrigeration and bakery equipments in India. Its product range includes hot and cold equipments, bakery equipments, bar equipments, beverage equipments, dish washing equipments, cake pastry and icecream displays, salad display, racks, storage equipments among others. Kumar Equipment (India) is a certified ISO 9001: 2008 and a ‘Trust Passed’ accredited company.

KEI specialises in providing consultancy, designing, layout plans with complete technical details of F&B equipments for commercial kitchens, canteens, bakeries & messes, etc. on turnkey basis as well as on individual product basis. The company’s services also extend to designing, layout and installation of exhaust and fresh air systems as well as LPG pipeline, for facilitating the safety and economy of the projects.

KEI has been associated with kitchen equipment industry for well over two decades, and has been successfully providing its expertise to hospitality industry, residential schools, learning institutes, hospitals, messes of Armed Forces, industrial canteens, clubs, cafeterias, etc. Its operations not only spans across India but is also extended abroad. KEI has two manufacturing units in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan well equipped with latest state-of-the-art plant and machinery.

Robust infrastructure, highly skilled and dedicated workforce, and sound R&D are the company’s strengths.

Kumar Equipment (India) Pvt. Ltd. info@kumarquipment.net, kumar_equipments@yahoo.co.in

Cooking Advantages with Vacook Thanks to Vacook™, cooking sous vide food at low temperatures has never been easier! This thermo-circulator allows to prepare delicious sous vide recipes in just few steps and can save both time and money. In this way the food remains very soft and keeps unchanged its organoleptic and nutritional properties, which are usually scattered with the traditional cooking. In addition, this type of cooking allows you to avoid adding extra oils and fats and enables to propose lighter recipes without renouncing the tastes.

Among the other advantages of vacuum cooking there is a considerable reduction in the weight drop of food, which goes from 30 percent in the normal cooking, to 7 percent in the vacuum. Moreover, there is significant time savings in the kitchen management in sous vide cooking, because this type of cooking does not require the intervention of the Chef during its various stages, thus enabling him to devote himself to other operations.

Mish Horeca Services mayank@mishhoreca.com

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

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A d v e r t i s e r ’ s Company

Page No.

I n d e x

Company

Page No.

acrysil limited

13

mkn india

51

akasa international

75

mm fisheries pvt. ltd.

05

allied metal works

49

mod kitchen equipments pvt. ltd.

27

apple bakery machinery pvt. ltd.

10

munnilal tandoors pvt. ltd.

18

archii 53

nagpal brothers (regd)

45

BMS ENTERPRISES

29

neena enterprises

16

bunge india pvt. ltd.

21

pl & sons

55

cremica food industries ltd. fic

Rajkiran Kitchen Equipment

14

danfross Industries pvt. ltd.

25

rans technocrats (india) pvt. ltd.

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ds spiceco pvt. ltd.

23

RELIABLE EQUIPMENT

57

EXCEL HOUSEWARE PVT. LTD.

33

remington steel arts

83

expo gastro pan

73

shamsons foods

63

FOOD SOLUTION INDIA LIMITED

07

solutionz consulting PVT. LTD.

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fortune gourmet specialities pvt. ltd.

11

STEC hotelware

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hindustan refrigeration Stores

71

suresh kumar & co. impex pvt. ltd.

15

HOSPITALITY APPLIANCES PVT. LTD.

67

TARINI HYGIENE

22

hotelex shanghai 2017

69

thaifex 2017

79

hotremai 65

The new india electric & trading co.

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ifb industries ltd.

the scs agribusiness consultants pvt. ltd.

43

tropilite foods pvt. ltd.

61

19

images multimedia pvt. ltd.

36, 37

inquve business development

47

unitas foods pvt. ltd.

12

king metal works

09

venus industries

01

kpl international ltd.

31

winterhalter india pvt. ltd.

17

MANISHA INTERNATIONAl

BIC

PRODUCT PREVIEW

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metinox india

41

business opportunity

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mish horeca

20

* F I C - F RONT I NSI DE COVE R

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* BIC - BACK INSID E CO VE R * BC - BACK CO VE R

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intervie w

Enthused by Innovation

By Sharmila Chand

Pradhyumna Rathode, F&B Director, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel & Lakeside Chalet, Mumbai — Marriott Executive Apartments, has been in the hospitality industry since the past twelve years and over the years, he has worked with some of the most prestigious hotels such as Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, The Leela Palace New Delhi, The Leela Palace Udaipur, The Leela Mumbai, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, Trident, Jaipur, and Le Meriden Jaipur.

His expertise lies in F&B, outdoor catering, banqueting, conferencing services, guest feedback management, and he has sound knowledge of the relevant softwares. The excerpts of the interview follow: What do you enjoy the most about being a Food & Beverage Director?

The F&B industry is constantly evolving and it is the challenge of creating something new and innovative along with the team in order to keep the customers interested is what I enjoy the most about my job. I also enjoy seeing the consumers satisfied with their experience. It is a pure joy for me!

I am extremely passionate about this industry and there is something new to learn with every aspect of my job. The motto of love what you do and you won’t have to work a single day is something I always like to pass on to the juniors in the industry.

Kindly elaborate on the challenges involved in the job Every job does have its own set of challenges. F&B is challenging as it involves long working hours for the entire team. We are also expected to deliver exceptionally well to diverse set of clients keeping in account of their personal tastes and expectations from the restaurant concerned.

If you want to change one thing about the Indian food services industry, what would it be?

It would be great to see more young women taking up leadership roles in the Indian F&B industry.

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What kind of pressures have you encountered at work?

The greatest pressure at my work is to ensure that every customer walks out with a smile of satisfaction at the end of her/his meal; of creating happy customers everyday.

Can you suggest any tips or insights to F&B Managers to strengthen their team?

The best way to strengthen your team would be to recognise the team members’ respective strengths and weaknesses.

Appreciate their strengths and work closely with them to help them overcome their weaknesses. Appreciating the team members’ performance facilitates to make the team motivated. A highly motivated team is likely to perform brilliantly as the team members know their performance will be appreciated.

Finally, how is your experience at the present job? What are the challenges of working here? How is it different from other places? What excites you the most here?

As mentioned earlier, every job comes with its own set of challenges and maintaining the F&B standards is the biggest challenge in my job. The most exciting part of working here are the variations in offerings I can achieve here. Currently, I handle two brands i.e.

Lakeside Chalet, Mumbai — Marriott

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Executive Apartments, and Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel where I am creating innovative cuisines for weddings, conventions, restaurants and for expats from various parts of the world.

What is the USP of your F&B outlets / brands?

Each of our F&B outlet in Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel focuses on different types of cuisines. Fratelli Fresh Restaurant is an authentic Italian restaurant; Nawab Saheb offers food inspired from the royal kitchens of India while the Emperor’s Court offers oriental delicacies.

The A Bar is the lounge at the property, which offers an array of exotic cocktails and Lake View Café is an all day dining restaurant offering a mix of cuisines. Mumbai Express, the deli and pastry shop, offers quick bites, coffees and teas.

What is your take on the Indian hospitality business in general?

Over the years, I have seen the industry grow and newer opportunities opening up for individuals interested in this industry.

The last ten years saw huge changes and transitions in the Indian hospitality industry, whether it be from the travel perspective or the employment perspective.

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