Food & Beverage Business Review (Feb-Mar 2015)

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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 Narender Kumar Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Business Co-ordinator Pooja Anand Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription Sales Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 91-11-25854105 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: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net © 2015 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 Age of Enlightenment Publications, Green Fields Colony, Faridabad, Haryana.

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Despite the fact that the Indian economy is going through a not so encouraging phase, fine dining in India is gaining ground in the Indian food service industry. This is good news for the Indian food service industry and this consumer shift towards fine dining may be because of the sustained increase in disposable incomes of a small segment of the urban Indian society(whose numbers are not insignificant as a market force in a highly populated country like India) over a period of two decades, and also because of the continual exposure to global food & beverage trends.

The exposure to the global food & beverage trends in India is now more pronounced than ever before as now more numbers of people from India travel overseas than they did a decade before, and also because of the ever growing influence of Internet and television in urban India, which has compressed the world within a box for many middle class Indians.

However, the people are not only expecting great food and good service at a fine dining outlet. They are seeking a complete experience, that they would treasure in their future memories. Today if a fine dining restaurant has a unique décor, a captivating theme and soul uplifting music, it has a significant chance of getting a market edge over its competitors.

The fine dining segment of the Indian food service industry should be consistently savvy to capitalise on this trend by providing unique dining experiences to its discerning guests. Only then this trend towards fine dining is expected to be an enduring one in the Indian food service industry. In our Cover Story, we have discussed the trend of fine dining across Indian restaurants in detail with inputs from industry experts.

The growth in consumption of alcoholic beverages in India over the years has created a lucrative market for the entrepreneurs working or thinking of venturing into the Indian alcoholic beverages industry.

However, the high taxation on liquors, which again varies from state to state, and other restrictive policies of the state, can impede the potential market growth of alcoholic beverages in India. It is lamentable that liquor prices are higher in India than most of the countries in the world. We have discussed the alcoholic beverages market in India, in our Business Story.

Besides these, a feature on a praiseworthy and comprehensive online exercise to facilitate food safety, a story on infusion of innovation in conventional Indian cuisines, an article on wine etiquettes and another interesting feature on having food styling as a career, are some of the other interesting facets of this issue. The recently concluded Aahar 2015, which garnered impressive participation, has also been covered.

We hope our usual combination of enriching perspectives and opinions, complemented by useful industry related information would give an interesting time for our readers.

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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Contents

Cover Story

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Departments

The Fine Trend of Fine Dining

Business

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The Heady Business: Prospects and Challenges

Feature

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Event

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News

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Report

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Wine

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Restaurant Review

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Chef Voice

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Profile

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Product Preview

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Interview

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Facilitating Food Safety

Trend

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Food Styling as a Career

Agri

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Healthy Fruit, Healthy Oil

Bar

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Raising the Bar

Theme Cuisine Infusing Innovation in Indian Tastes

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Aahar 2015 Garnered Impressive Participation

ahar International Food & Hospitality Fair 2015 was held at its regular venue of Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, during 10th-14th March 2015. This was the 30th edition of Aahar. Aahar is regarded as the largest fair in the food & hospitality sector in India, in terms of visitors’ participation.

The timings of the 30th edition of Aahar was from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm.

The event was meant exclusively for the business visitors during 10.00 am -2.00 pm on all the five days, and was open for the general public during 2.00 pm- 6.00 pm, on all of its five days. The event was spread across halls 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 14, 15 & 18.

Aahar 2015 covered two separate but concurrent exhibitions. ‘Hospitality India’ covered hotel & restaurant equipment and supplies and ‘Food India’ covered

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food, processed food & beverage products. The organiser of the event was India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The event was supported by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India (MOFPI). The associates were Association of Resource Companies for the Hospitality Industry of India (ARCHII), All India Food Processors Association, Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers’ Association of

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India (HOTREMAI), Food and Hospitality Support Association of India (FHSAI), Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

Aahar 2015, like its earlier editions, did have an exhaustive list of products on display. It included fruits and vegetables, dairy products, bakery and confectionery products, meat and poultry products, alcoholic beverages, nonalcoholic beverages, food ingredients, food preservatives, chocolates, a variety of food & beverage equipments, a comprehensive range of housekeeping solutions among others.

In her inaugural address to the 30th edition of AAHAR, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Minister of Food Processing Industries, asked the India

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Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and its associates to host the ‘Aahar’ editions in different states for regional empowerment of the industry and overall socio-economic progress of the country.

Stressing the need to save post harvest losses through value added processing, Harsimrat Kaur Badal pointed out that Indian food processing industry has a great significance in terms of employment generation, poverty alleviation, improving agricultural productivity, price control of basic commodities, export promotion and foreign exchange earnings. She said that the future of the Indian farmers depended on the success of the food processing industry, as India’s prosperity

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is linked to the growth of incomes in the agrarian sector of the economy. Speaking on the occasion, Harsimrat Kaur Badal complimented the ITPO for organising Aahar with an enhanced scale and stature in terms of participation and area booked.

Present on the inauguration were Marek Sawicki, Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Government of Poland, Ranglal Jamuda, Secretary, Minister of Food Processing Industries, V. Kumar, General Manager, ITPO and Vikram Sehgal, General Manager, ITPO among others. Marek Sawicki expressed his happiness over considerable participation of his country at Aahar 2015. He indicated that this participation would be meaningful in terms of trade promotion and in strengthening bilateral trade between India and Poland.

The event attracted a total of 23,586 visitors and 800 exhibitors. Exhibitors from 23 countries (including India) participated at the show. The mega event served as an effective platform for importers, overseas trade delegations and Indian players in the food & beverage and hospitality space, policy makers and

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media personnel to exchange knowledge and information.

Besides facilitating business, Aahar as a platform that provides great opportunity for the food & beverage and hospitality industry to disseminate/gather relevant information and gauge future trends, that can greatly benefit many participants.

Especially, in the backdrop of the present healthy growth scenario of Indian food processing and Indian food service industry, and with the need of innovation in the Indian hospitality becoming paramount to the success of hotels, the relevance of a mega event like Aahar is perhaps more needed in the food &beverage and hospitality industry of the country, than was ever before.

According to Rajat Pandhi, President, ARCHII, “The show provided us with

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an opportunity to meet old and new buyers, and showcase new products and also explain their benefits.”

According to Nirmal Khandelwal, President of HOTREMAI, the fair has grown immensely with each passing year. He informed that for this year’s edition approximately 24,000 sq.mt. of exhibition space had been booked.

Every year HOTREMAI adds to facilities, both for exhibitors and visitors. In the years to come, Khandelwal informed that HOTREMAI had plans to work on various avenues to further improve the amenities and quality of Aahar International Fair.

This year 25 cars were deployed for transportation inside the fair grounds and 2 high-end toilet vans were positioned with top of the line facilities.

ARCHII provided 25 Innova cars to bring visitors to Pragati Maidan.

According to the President of ARCHII, “ARCHII provided different useful services to participants and visitors.

For the first time two loo vans were provided which were having state-ofthe-art rest room services for males and females.”

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Honouring Culinary Excellence

EVENTS’ CALENDER Hotelex 2015 30 March -2 April 2015 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai,China www.hotelex.cn/ India International Dairy Expo 2015 23-25 April 2015 Hall No. 5, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. www.iideindia.com/

delighted to have such a platform that brings in Chefs and food lovers from all over India. All the competitions of the five-day event have been carefully judged to celebrate the success and hard work of wining Chefs. CAI also gives young Chefs an opportunity to come up with new and innovative ideas.”

Gold Winning Chefs by Category

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ahar 2015 also hosted the Culinary Art India 2015. The five-day gastronomic trail, Culinary Art India 2015, bid adieu with a gala award ceremony on March 14, 2015 at Pragati Maidan. The competition saw 300 Chefs participating and showcasing the best of their culinary skills and talent. The award ceremony was graced by the Chief Guest, J S Deepak, CMD, ITPO and known faces from the culinary world.

Organised by the Indian Culinary Forum in association with Hospitality First & ITPO, the event was specially created to recognise the excellence of culinary skills in India. With an objective to establish a professional platform where culinary professionals could display their individual and combined skills, creative talent, learn, share experiences, partner and network in a purely business like and competitive environment, the event saw the presence of many who’s who from the culinary fraternity.

The five-day trail included competition in 16 categories, which was judged by WACS (World Association of Chefs’ Societies) certified Chefs and renowned food critics. Out of the many prestigious awards, Radisson Blu Hotel Noida bagged 26 medals which included 5 Gold, 9 Silver and 12 Bronze while Mohd Asif, Corporate Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel Noida was awarded with the Most Outstanding Pastry Chef.

Talking about the success of the ceremony, Chef Vivek Saggar, Organizing Secretary, Culinary Art India, 2015 said, “We are

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Artistic Pastry Show Piece Shambhu Prasad, Corporate Executive Chef, Radisson Blu, MBD Hotel Nitin Sinharia, Ex. Sous Chef, Hotel Le Meridien Mohd. Asif, Corporate Ex. Chef, Radisson Blu, MBD Hotel Afzal, Corporate Ex.Chef, Radisson Blu, MBD Hotel Fruit & Vegetable Carving Mukesh Kumar, DCDP, The Imperial Hotel Plated Appetizers Dalvir Singh, DCDP, The Imperial Hotel Petit Fours & Pralines Anoop Singh, Ex. Sous Chef, Hotel Le Meridien Mahender, Sous Chef, Olive Bar & Kitchen Ravinder, ITC Three Course Set Dinner Menu Bhanu Singharia, Ex. Sous Chef, Hotel Le Meridien Mukul Singh, Ex. Sous Chef, Hotel Le Meridien Mohd. Asif, Corporate Ex. Chef, Radisson Blu, MBD Hotel Authentic India Regional Cuisine Chef Rajan, Ex. Chef, Radisson Blu Live Cooking Jeevan, Sous Chef, Olive Bar & Kitchen Vinay Sehgal, Dramz Whisky Bar Chef Rajesh Kumar, DCDP, The Imperial Hotel Dress the Cake Live Surbhy Rauniyar, The Hampsted Cake Studio Mocktails Sumit Saha, Captain Radisson Blu, MBD Hotel

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SIAL China 2015 6-8 May 2015 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, China www.sialchina.com Travel Catering Expo 2015 10-12 May 2015 DICEC, Dubai www.travelcateringexpo.com/ ANUFOOD Eurasia 2015 14-16 May 2015 Tuyap Exhibition Centre, Istanbul, Turkey www.anufoodeurasia.com/ NRA 2015 16-19 May 2015 McCormick Place, Chicago, US www.show.restaurant.org/ Thaifex- World of Food Asia 2015 20-24 May 2015 Impact Exhibition and Convention Center, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com TRAFS 2015 16-19 July 2015 BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand www.thailandhoreca.com/ HOSFAIR Guangdong 2015 10-12 September 2015 China Imports & Exports Fair complex, Guangzhou www.hosfair.com Annapoorna World of foods India- 2015 14-16 September 2015 Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.worldoffoodindia.com Horeca India 2015 16-18 September 2015 Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore Email: info@horecaindia.in

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THAIFEX - World of Food Asia 20 to 24 May 2015 IMPACT Exhibiton and Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand

The Comprehensive F&B Exhibition for Serious Industry Players

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he finishing touches are being made to THAIFEX – World of Food Asia, returning in May 2015 with a more comprehensive, more focused programme for the F&B industry.

Bigger THAIFEX – World of Food Asia 2015 has increased the exhibition area by 15%, now covering 70,000 sqm over four halls.

Building on the success of previous editions, international and local participation is expected to grow by more than 10%. More than 35,000 visitors will be making their way to THAIFEX – World of Food Asia to see what 1,500 exhibitors, representing 35 countries, are bringing to Southeast Asia. With a showcase of over 34 country and regional pavilions, and THAIFEX – World of Food Asia’s collaboration with the 3rd Partner Country – Turkey, visitors will undoubtedly find the right partners to grow their business.

Under the umbrella of THAIFEX – World of Food Asia, the organizers will also be hosting approximately 300 exhibitors for World of Coffee & Tea, World of FoodService and for World of Seafood. THAIFEX – World of Food Asia remains committed to inviting the best of the best to be part of this annual industry gathering.

New country groups – Germany, Mexico and Turkey – bring their finest to Asia. Germany, represented

by Ministry of Agriculture, will be bringing agricultural produce unique to the German culture, while Mexico, led by Mexico’s Commission of the Ministry of Agriculture will be focusing on processed food. Turkey, being the 3rd Partner Country, will showcase both fine food and seafood products. Its rich aquaculture will feature companies with seafood products of Mediterranean species and freshwater farming varieties, and the fine food companies will be focusing on confectionery, flour, pasta, beef products amongst others. Focused The F&B industry covers varied areas and sectors.

A strong line-up of supporting programmes provides a focused approach amidst the diverse segments of the F&B industry.

Global Chefs Challenge: THAIFEX – World of Food Asia will be hosting the culinary world’s most prestigious competition – The Worldchefs Global Chef Challenges. Visitors

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can expect a remarkable display of expertise as chefs compete in three categories – the Global Chefs, the Global Pastry Chefs and the Hans Bueschkens Young Chefs Challenge.

Expect nothing but the best as chefs vie for the opportunity to represent their countries at the Worldchefs Congress 2016 in Athens.

Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge: Held in the new wing of THAIFEX – World of Food Asia, this annual competition is a favourite with visitors. Employing an open kitchen concept, all challenges are held in full view of spectators, and is bound to enhance the sensory experience and encourage creativity.

Asian Food Franchising Forum: With an illustrious panel of speakers, this forum brings franchisors, franchisees, licensees, and entrepreneurs together for an intensive session on the latest developments and opportunities

in the food franchise industry.

Boncafe Training Sessions: Coffee professionals can look forward to training sessions with trainers from the Academy, who will be holding training sessions during THAIFEX – World of Food Asia. Celebrity Coffee Bar: Visitors are in for a treat as the most talented and creative baristas from around Asia gather at the Celebrity Coffee Bar. Be part of the fun and laughter while being inspired by the creative techniques and fragrant brews.

Out of the Box by La Marzocco: A special one-day event, visitors can enjoy live music, international key-note speakers, fragrant brews and more. This popular event has already been held in Stockholm, Athens,

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Berkeley, Milan and now, Bangkok!

SCAE Certified Coffee Trainings: Food safety and high preparation standards inspire consumer confidence. SCAE trainers will be holding training sessions to educate participants on the SCAE standards, and share how they contribute to and maintain coffee excellence around the world.

Improved THAIFEX – World of Food Asia is proud to introduce THAIFEX, the official exhibition app. THAIFEX is designed to be the savvy visitor’s exhibition assistant. It is fully loaded with the complete exhibition directory, along with convenient categories that only include relevant exhibitors. The “Favourite” function also makes it easier for visitors to narrow down the exhibitors they want to visit.

“The lateral growth in the number of exhibitors and hall space, and the vertical growth in the depth of our supporting programs is a testament to the incredible level of the confidence the industry has in this show as an important trade event. THAIFEXWorld of Food Asia has successfully created an optimal business platform for opportunities within Thailand, as well as the international market. We are certain that the diversity in programmes will allow both exhibitors and visitors to find countless opportunities to network and build new partnerships.” says Michael Dreyer, Vice President Asia Pacific, Koelnmesse Pte Ltd. Koelnmesse is the leading trade fair organizer in the food industry and related sectors. Trade fairs such as the Anuga, the International Sweets & Biscuits Fair (ISM) and Anuga Food Tec are established world leaders.

Koelnmesse not only organizes food trade fairs in Cologne, Germany, but also in further growth markets around the globe in Brazil, China, India, Japan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. These global activities enable us to offer our customers a network of events, which in turn grant access to different markets and thus create a basis for sustainable and stable international business.

For more information please visit, www.worldoffoodasia.com

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NRA Show 2015 16-19 May, McCormick Place, Chicago, USA Connect with industry leaders, learn about new technologies, products and solutions, get inspired and do business on a global scale.

Each year, more than 60,000 professionals and 2,000 exhibitors gather in Chicago for four days that will shape the foodservice industry for an entire year. Produced by the National Restaurant Association, NRA Show is the biggest, broadest, most exciting foodservice show in the United States - and the world. The Show, which will be held from 16-19 May, is a great opportunity to explore the newest products and trends, network, learn from leading experts, and benefit from exclusive events geared toward the global restaurant community.

Among the Show highlights, international attendees will be able to find top professionals, progressive companies, curious buyers and inspired innovators at specialty pavilions. In pavilions such as ConServe, Alternative BiteStyle, Franchise, Technology and Organic and Natural, attendees and exhibitors will meet, learn, share experiences, network and do business on a global scale. Success at the Show means a better industry everywhere.

Because NRA Show is a global marketplace, professionals from more than 100 countries are able to discover over 900 product categories from 2,000+ suppliers, including food, beverage, equipment, supplies, lodging and more. Only here can exhibitors and attendees find these many solutions at a single event.

Throughout the four days of whirlwind energy, NRA Show will also be host to several celebrity chefs at this year’s World Culinary Showcase.

Guests of the show will be able to experience the drive of these famous chefs live on-stage, working culinary magic around some of today’s hot topics and trends.

Aside from the World Culinary demonstrations, for big thoughts and big actions NRA Show features three important awards that celebrate innovators. The Kitchen Innovations, FABI and Operator Innovations Awards review the year’s best foodservice advances. These are the progressive products and solutions that will shape the foodservice future—and attendees get to see them on the Show floor.

More than 80 FREE education sessions will also be available in 2015. Industry leaders know that this is the only event that offers FREE knowledge about topics such as marketing, profitability, staffing and technology.

In addition, networking takes place after the Show floor closes at the International Reception and every night at other social events. This gives international participants the opportunity to meet with trade executives, exhibitors and other foodservice professionals from around the world who are interested in expanding their operations.

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Wafflebay by Yogurtbay in Stores Yogurtbay, which has entered the Indian desserts market with its healthy, delicious line of gourmet, eggless frozen desserts and smoothies three years ago, has now, with Pittie Group’s strong backing and financial thrust, not only expanded to newer cities but also introduced Wafflebay to the Indian dessert lovers. Wafflebay

by Yogurtbay is a new line of a waffle sticks, that can enhance the dessert enjoying experience.

Worldwide, waffle sticks are a rage as they bring together the goodness of a waffle with the convenience of having it on-the-go.

The Wafflebay waffles come in an array of flavours and toppings.

Robin Chatterjee, the Founder of Yogurtbay, said, “Wafflebay is an organic extension of Yogurtbay into hot desserts. Wafflebay is India’s first indigenous waffle brand that brings to the country this worldwide trend. Waffles are a global hit and we bring the best ones to our patrons! Crispy, handy and delicious, with complete flexibility in customisation, Wafflebay will surely change how Indians indulge their sweet tooth!”

Here it deserves a mention that Yogurtbay has recently extended its operations to Pune.

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HOSFAIR Guangdong 2015 10th to 12th, Sept. 2015 in China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangdong As the hotel industry for imported hotel supplies products continues to expand, Xinji Group, the largest hotel supplies commercial operator and the president unit of China Hotel Supplies Association, together with Guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Co. Ltd. to establish Guangdong Xinji Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd. and will organize The 13th China (Guangdong) International Hospitality Supplies Fair. Through making the respective advantages complementary to each other and cooperation, inviting hotel supplies producers, agents and distributors from home and abroad to visit and purchase during the fair, it can offer a solid foundation to every hotel supplies industry in China for achieving globalization trade.

The 13th China (Guangdong) International Hospitality Supplies Fair will be held during 10th to 12th, Sept. 2015 in China Import and Export Fair Complex.

There are 10 series of exhibits covers an area of 600 thousand sq.m (100 thousand sq.m for Pazhou Venue, 500 thousand sq.m for Xinji Shaxi Hospitality Supplies Expo Center) with eight wonderful activities. There are 4000 exhibitors displaying the professional technology and newest products of hotel supplies stage, so that to create the most effective business stage and biggest hotel supplies fair.

The show will feature Kitchen Equipments, Refrigeration & Freezers, Interior products, Furniture, Textiles, Tableware, IT products, Laundry & Cleaning products, Lighting Systems and Food & Beverage products.

Guided by the spirit of innovation, cooperation and internationalization, HOSFAIR Guangzhou makes every effort to build a brand fair in hospitality industry. Aim to honing it the most effective media for hotel supplies, manufacturers and traders to introduce their brands into home and international market.

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Sula Vineyards to Participate at ProWein Sula Vineyards will be participating in ProWein during 15th-17th March2015. ProWein, to be held at Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, is the biggest alcobev show in Europe. It is also considered as one of the world’s most important wine and spirits fair.

Sula Vineyards will have a stall at the fair to build on ProWein’s excellent marketing and networking opportunity.

Sula Vineyards’ premium range of wines, including the Dindori Reserve Shiraz — ranked 25th in the ‘Top 100 Wines of the Year’ list by Wine Enthusiast magazine, and India’s first and only Riesling will be showcased.

Cecilia Oldne, Sula Vineyards’ Head of International Business said, “Sula is at the forefront of the Indian wine revolution and it is an exciting time for us as a wine producer and leader to have come this far after only 15 years of existence. We have a presence in 30 countries around the world and our export is growing by the day. Importers and wine enthusiasts from all over are approaching us as the world has now opened up their eyes to Indian wines.”

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Cutty Sark Arrives in India On 27th February, the iconic Scottish whisky brand, Cutty Sark made its highly anticipated Indian debut at The LaLiT New Delhi.

This is the first time since 1923, that Cutty Sark has been bottled outside Scotland.

At the launch event, Nitin Bal Chauhan, who is known to create quirky and edgy costume designs, showcased his interpretation of the Cutty Sark philosophy and its theme of ‘Raise your bar’ through a limited-edition fashion collection. The Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin was the show-stopper for the evening. Kristeen Campbell, one of the youngest and renowned master blender of Cutty Sark, also marked her presence at the event. Presently, the Cutty Sark brand is available in over 50 markets around the world.

Speaking on the launch, Siddharth Banerji, Managing Director, Kyndal Group, said, “We are privileged to bring the iconic brand Cutty Sark to India. The brand has a great history and story behind it. Continuing with our commitment to innovation and focus on providing premium spirits to our customers in India, Cutty Sark creates a completely new and differentiated category of premium Scotch whisky.” Here it deserves a mention that Cutty Sark will be imported in bulk from Scotland& bottled at the Kyndal facility in Goa. Priced at Rs. 1860 for 1 litre, Rs. 1400 for 750ml, Rs. 700 for 375ml and Rs. 350 for 180ml, Cutty Sark will be available soon in Delhi.

Kyndal Group is an independent alcobev company that manufactures, markets and distributes premium brands in the Indian sub-continent, far east and the Middle- East. Kyndal is engaged in manufacturing, marketing and distributing Cutty Sark, BOLS brandy, Bootz Brandy, Bols Premier XO Excellence brandy.

David Pattinson, Area Director, India for Edrington said, “The market for Scotch whisky is growing internationally and we feel that the lovers of the drink in India are clearly ready to enjoy this fine brand of Scotch.

We believe that Edrington’s expertise in premium spirits, combined with Kyndal’s strong distribution, creates a great opportunity to make Cutty Sark more accessible to premium consumers in the dynamic and growing Indian market. Edrington owns some of the leading Scotch whisky and spirit brands in the world, including Cutty Sark, The Macallan, Brugal, The Famous Grouse, Highland Park and Snow Leopard vodka.

“Cutty Sark blend will be imported in bulk from Scotland and Kyndal will use its best-in-class bottling facility at Gemini Distilleries in Goa to bottle, pack and market Cutty Sark. This will ensure that the Indian consumers get access to the original Cutty Sark, in an exciting award winning pack,” added Banerji.

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Here Comes R Chef @ Home Frozone.in to Deliver Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel has launched the ‘R Chef @ Home’, a unique and exclusive concept. This initiative is the brainchild of the Director of Operations, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, Nasir Sheikh and the hotel’s Executive Chef, Sandeep Pande.

The concept of R Chef @ Home has been designed and customised exclusively to meet the lifestyles of the guests who like to enjoy the luxury of a five-star setting in the comforts of their home. The concept involves the hotel’s Executive Chef going to the homes of élite guests, along with his team, to set up a marvelous décor and cook up an exquisite meal paired with rare whiskeys for them, which has been designed keeping in mind the preferences of the guests.

On the occasion of the launch, Nasir Shaikh, Director of Operations, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel said, “Private, élite and tailor-made service is the precise definition of ‘R Chef@ Home’.

The concept will surely change the way people organise, get-together and celebrate important occasions. R Chef @ Home is a complete experience with exotic food, great ambience, comfort of home and good conversations with friends and family. We have already received enquiries for the R Chef @ Home and will soon start the service for beau monde guests of Renaissance Mumbai.”

Executive Chef Sandeep Pande, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Center Hotel said, “A huge segment of our guests are people who have reached a desired position in life, are status conscious and want the best that life has to offer for them. This induced Nasir and team to conceptualise the thought of Renaissance Mumbai team going to the houses of our élite guests and cook an exclusive meal for them.”

With over 12 years of rich experience in the food & beverage industry, Chef Sandeep Pande has had the opportunity to interact and familiarise himself with the lifestyles of many guests. The Chef recognised a huge potential for this new concept ‘R Chef @ Home’ for a section of his guests who would like to take luxury to a different level.

Frozen Momos to Homes in Mumbai Mumbaites can now place orders for frozen momos on Frozone.in, the one-stop online portal for all frozen food products, for home delivery. Frozone.in has confirmed an exclusive tie-up with Yum!Yum!Dimsum to deliver mouthwatering flavours of frozen momos.

Yum!Yum!Dimsum, the dimsum factory, offers momos for vegetarian and non-vegetarian foodies in flavours such as Spicy M u s h r o o m C o r n , Ve g Supreme, Chicken Kothe and Hot Chicken Garlic.

Shivam Gupta, Director, WestCoast Group said, “ We a r e d e l i g h t e d t o add frozen momos by Yum!Yum!Dimsum on our site today, and to be able to deliver yet another healthy and high quality frozen food product to people, at their homes. Our refrigerated delivery trucks ensure that frozen food products are delivered to your doorstep in a most suitable form -frozen to maintain the quality of every product.”

Frozone.in is a branch of the WestCoast Group.

Puja Mahajan, Managing Director, Yum!Yum!Dimsum added, “We are very pleased with our association with Frozone.in to ensure the right type of delivery of our momos in the best frozen condition possible. We look forward to satisfying and reaching out to our customers across Mumbai, through this unique e-shopping site.”

Here it deserves a mention that Yum!Yum!Dimsum is a brand under Unitas Foods Pvt. Ltd. It is India’s largest dimsum manufacturing facility.

Healthy Heart Foods Gets a Coveted Recognition Consumer Voice, the magazine that is regarded as the voice of the consumers, works in close coordination with the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, and is a part of the incredibly powerful movement, ‘Jaago Grahak Jago’, has recognised Healthy Heart as the purest amongst all the Indian cooking oil brands. Consumer Voice tests the products used by Indian consumers in NABL accredited laboratories.

In this regard, Santosh Lohiya, CMD, Healthy Heart Foods, said, “We have decades of expertise in oil production. When it came to setting up my own plant, we zeroed in on the world’s best oil technology De-Smet — the leaders in cooking oil technology from Belgium. Our stringent quality measures ensure that the edible oil we produce is the lightest, has a great taste and is healthy for cardiac fitness.

This recognition will spur us on to continue to maintain the quality and keep the consumers’ health as our top priority.” The study by

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Consumer Voice looked at the topmost names in edible oil in India like Dhara, Fortune and many others before coming to this decision.

Healthy Heart has emerged winner with Consumer Voice adjudging it the top performer in the test programme and Consumer Voice recommending its usage. What is more, Healthy Heart also topped in delivering value for money. The test was stringent and looked at 14 physio-chemical parameters including iodine value, colour and flash point.

Additionally, it looked at five sensory attributes including colour, flavour and taste. Healthy Heart was a winner in virtually every parameter to make it to the top of the charts.

The Consumer Voice magazine recommended that it is beneficial to consume a mix of oils to maintain a balance between the three fatty acids. Healthy Heart manufactures Healthy Heart Rice Bran Oil and Healthy Heart Sunflower Oil.

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News scan

Sakae Sushi at Palate Mini Food Festival 2015 Recently, the food lovers from Delhi got to taste Japanese and other oriental delicacies at the ‘Sakae Sushi’ outlet, during the capital’s highly anticipated

culinary fete – Palate Mini Food Festival 2015. The event, which took place in the leafy, centrally located Nehru Park, attracted serious connoisseurs of food from all over the city. The event was held during 13th-15th March 2015. At the recently held food festival, Sakae Sushi’s famous vegetarian and nonvegetarian Sushi combo-meals were on offer, at very special rates. The delicacies included California Roll, Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon, Chicken Gyoza, Avocado Cheese, Miso Shiru Tofu Soup and Sakai special Japanese burger. In keeping with the Singaporebased restaurant chain’s theme, service too was in authentic Japanese style!

Here it deserves a mention that Sakae Sushi is a trendy, quick service kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi concept that was started in Singapore, in 1997.

Currently, Sakae Sushi outlets can be found in Singapore, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Vietnam and the United States, totalling over 200 outlets worldwide.

Chandrima Agarwal, CEO, TCI Apex Pal Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. said, “We wanted to bring the authentic sushi experience, and Japanese palate, to India.

Sakae Sushi India serves a variety of genuine Japanese and pan-Asian cuisine that is also very affordable. We have a range of vegetarian and nonvegetarian sushi combo-meals with miso shiru, gyozas and many other favourites at our stall.” Here it deserves a mention that Sakae Sushi India is a new venture by the promoters of TCI. With a belief in providing customers value for money, the group plans to open more Sakae Sushi outlets across pan India, in the near future.

The Palate Mini Food Festival 2015 featured over 15 leading cafés as well as Delhi’s upcoming eateries that are taking the city’s already vibrant food scene by storm.

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BIRA 91 – White, Blonde and Very Indian Recently Cerana Beverages, India’s leading craft beer company, launched its new brand of craft beer named Bira 91. In the recent past, at a sparkling ceremony attended by the capital’s glitterati and movers and shakers, two new beers were unveiled by the Ambassador of Belgium, Jan Luykx.

The first product– Bira 91 White is a wheat beer with low bitterness and a hint of spicy citrus with a soft finish. It is a refreshing all day craft beer brewed with all natural ingredients.

The second product introduced at the ceremony is Bira 91 Blonde – an extra hoppy craft lager with floral aromas and a sturdy, malty flavour. The beer is positioned as a refreshing alternative to mass market beers, with craftsmanship in recipe and high quality ingredients.

Both beers were introduced in draft (tap) and bottle format in Delhi-NCR. The products are priced at Rs. 150 in retail shops and between Rs. 250 to 300 in most bars.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch Ambassador Luykx said, “Belgium is known for its global leadership in beer making. We are home to the largest variety of beer makers, the most passionate brewers and the most innovative beers in the world. Bira 91, positioned by Cerana as a youthful and trendy brand, draws on Belgian beer making expertise and traditions. It is a product that is full of flavour and is delicious. The fact that it has been done by an Indian start-up is all the more exciting, because it signals that there are exciting collaborations now being done between independent businesses in India and Belgium!”

Ankur Jain, CEO, Cerana Beverages, said, “We are excited to make beers that are delicious, and at the same time have a very Indian identity. Gauging by the response today, we feel that the young, Indian consumers finally have a beer that they can call their own – a brand that is close to their hearts but also globally respected. Our target is to reach the young, urban, Indian consumers – perhaps the most exciting, experimental and fun demographic category globally.”

Bira 91 calls itself ‘Imagined in India.’ Speaking on the idea, Jain elaborated, “Bira 91 is unapologetically Indian! Our recipe is Indian. Our packaging, bottles, labels, merchandise all carry the slogan ‘Imagined in India’. With Bira 91 we aim to create the first global, premium brand of beer with a trendy, fun, Indian identity.”

Here it deserves a mention that Bira 91 Blonde and Bira 91 White were both named among the Top 20 Beers in the February issue of GQ Magazine.

Vikram Achanta, Co-founder and CEO, Tulleeho, India’s leading drinks training and consulting firm, who also attended the launch said, “I have been involved closely with the Indian alcobev industry and a number of alcoholic beverage product launches over the last 15 years and I feel that Bira 91 is one of the most exciting products to hit the Indian market. The beer is an excellent brew, competing with the best in the world – something that would sit very well in a bar even in a New York, as much as it does in Mumbai. I feel that Bira 91 has the potential to be the first global brand with an Indian identity in the beer space.”

Eminent beverage consultant Shatbhi Basu, proffered, “These are truly delicious beers – the wheat beer is fresh and creamy, and the lager is crisp and aromatic. This is the right time in India for Bira 91. We are excited to bring these products to our patrons, and are especially impressed with the innovation that Cerana has done to ensure all round year availability of the products in draft and bottles. We expect these products to really hit it off with the young Indian consumers – both males and females.”

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Barbeque Nation Comes with Kulfi Nation Customers visiting Barbeque Nation are sure in for a tasty treat with an astounding 800 options of kulfi and toppings at the restaurant chain’s latest concept – Kulfi Nation. Barbeque Nation, an important casual dining restaurant chain in India, has embarked on a new journey with its patrons by introducing a special Kulfi Nation experience zone within its outlets. Here guests can gorge on all the kulfis they like at no additional cost.

Guests can drool over a range of kulfis with plentiful options on dip sauces, toppings, sprinkles, flavourings and crushes. PaanKulfi with Gulkand and Cardamom powder and Fig Kulfi with Caramel and Praline toppings teamed with Nutmeg powder are only two examples of the delightful dessert options on offer at Kufi Nation.

Uday Menon, Chief Business Officer, Barbeque Nation, affirmed, “We are pleased to launch Kulfi Nation as an essential extension of the Barbeque Nation experience. The KulfiNation ‘concept within a concept’ will further define the experience at Barbeque Nation

and delight the entire family. We are proud to launch a full range of the Kulfi Nation experience in Mumbai. For kulfi lovers, we promise an unmatched spread of tastes and flavours, which our Chefs have

carefully researched and created with passion. We intend Kulfi Nation to be as big a reason as the barbeques to come to Barbeque Nation.”

While Kulfi Nation will keep staple flavours like kesar pista and malai, customers will also have on offer unconventional options like paan and

fig. These can be glazed decadently with thick dip sauces of caramel, white and dark chocolate and teamed with just the right sprinkle of choco chips, praline, silver balls and dry fruits. The kulfis can be generously topped with rabdi, gulkand, falooda, fig compote and strawberry compote. The flavourings feature nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon powder. Other toppings include crushes such as roohafza, honey, mango and kiwi.

Chef Vijay Bakshi, Head – Culinary Operations, Barbeque Nation, pointed out, “At Barbeque Nation, we believe that constantly innovating on the platform helps us set a benchmark for ourselves. Through Kulfi Nation, we have made a concerted effort to preserve the original taste of kulfi and simultaneously innovate with contemporary toppings, syrups and crushes. These fantastic frozen treats are bound to delight clients and find a mass appeal.”

Academy of Pastry Arts Forays in India Academy of Pastry Arts, the school for pastry making from Malaysia, hosted an international event on pastry delights on 25th March 2015, at Gurgaon. The event was hosted at the recently launched Gurgaon centre and witnessed the presence of various national and international Chefs. The Gurgaon centre marks the first foray of Academy of Pastry Arts in India.

Here it deserves a mention that Academy of Pastry Arts is a global brand in pastry making, which specialises in curating artistic baking and pastry skills in its students. The academy is well-known for its course curriculum

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in pastry making, which provides global standardised training to pastry enthusiasts and interested students.

The event administered a walk through the academy and discussed about the future prospects of the pastry industry in the context of the Indian market. Classy pastries and Chefs’s exotic sugar displays were exhibited at the event. Some of the renowned Pastry Chefs shared their recipes at the event and interacted with pastry lovers and entrepreneurs. The event also provided spotlights on plans, investments and ventures of the academy.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

The launch of its latest part time and full time courses were also announced.

On this occasion, Niklesh Sharma, Director, Academy of Pastry Arts said, “The academy which has its strong foothold in Malaysia is all set to explore the promising Indian market. We are hopeful that our initiative will redefine interest levels in the domain of pastry and baking arts. Being experienced campaigners in this segment, we are hopeful that our academy will receive huge response from all the foodpreneurs, Chefs, foodies, etc.”

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A P P O I NT M ENT

Mohammed Khan Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway has announced the appointment of Mohammed Khan as the Director of Food & Beverage. Khan has been associated with the food & beverage industry for over 12 years. Starting in 2002, he has served in various hospitality positions pan-India. Khan has also been a pre-opening champion, serving in various capacities at Marriott Chennai and Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Convention Centre, etc. His passion and expertise is clearly noticed in the food & beverage sector.

the kitchens of star hotels, leading restaurants and cruise liners with an expertise in making food at budgeted cost without compromising on quality and taste.

He had previously served at Mövenpick Hotel & Spa, Bangalore and Intercontinental Goa (now the Lalit Golf & Spa Resort Goa) as the Executive Chef.

He has a functional experience in qualitybased multi-cultural and multi-national milieus, with adaptability to different work cultures. He has also been associated with The Leela and the Taj group and with the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. During his tenure with The Leela Kempinski Kovalam he was declared The Most Outstanding Chef.

Chef Joseph’s expertise extends to local as well as European cuisine which includes steaks, pastas, risottos, and to a great extent to the fusion food.

His forte also includes researching and experimenting on spa cuisine.

Saroj Muduli

Shubhendu Kadam

Thomas Joseph Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences, Accor’s flagship property in eastern India, has appointed Thomas Joseph as the Executive Chef. Joseph has about 18 years of experience of working in

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At Alila Diwa Goa, in the capacity of Executive Chef, Kadam will spearhead the kitchen operations across the various food and beverage venues of the property.

Kadam’s area of expertise lies in Teppanyaki, western banquet fare, fine dining and seafood specialties along with a core competency in refurbishing food and beverage and specialty menus.

Alila Diwa Goa has a new face at the helm of its kitchen operations. Recently appointed as the Executive Chef of the hotel, Shubhendu Kadam brings with him a wealth of knowledge. With over 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Kadam has worked with various hospitality brands in different market segments such as city hotels, resorts, casino operations, cruise ships and hospital catering, in India and internationally.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon has appointed Saroj Muduli as the Executive Sous Chef. Muduli comes with vast experience and expertise in all aspects of kitchen operations in an international hotel chain. In this new role, he will support Chef Amit Dash, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon in overseeing the operations, trainings and ensuring excellence in the kitchen department.

Having served in various food and beverage positions, Muduli is a seasoned culinary professional bringing over a decade of experience with him. Prior to joining Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon he was working with Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre where he served as a Junior Sous Chef. He has been associated with the Marriott family for more than five years. Prior to that, he worked with The Taj and The Oberoi Group.

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R e por t

A Tryst with Pause Wines

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ause Wines celebrated its first ever wine fest with ‘A Tryst with Pause Wines’ at Pause Vineyards in Dindori. Renowned wine enthusiasts, wine correspondents and influencers came together to experience the making of authentic wines while sipping the drink with a serene view overlooking the vineyards. The premium wine maker organised a fun filled evening, which entailed a session of wine trail, wine tasting and grape stomping accompanied with music. As a part of the fest, the company also announced its future plans of spreading out to the national and international markets.

The event of ‘A Tryst with Pause Wines’ commenced with an informed session by the wine connoisseur at Pause Winery who briefed the visitors on the wine making process at Pause Wines, which is setup with imported equipments from Italy. He took them through the step by step procedure of wine testing in the in-house testing lab.

He mentioned that the company used optimum hygiene and clean processes while making wine under controlled

conditions.

While talking about the future plans of the company, Rajesh Patil, Founder and Managing Director, Pause Wines, said, “Pause Wines has successfully set footprints in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa. We now plan to spread across

Rajasthan and Agra by 2015 fiscal and Northern India by 2016 fiscal. The company has recently been approached by a Chinese firm who wishes to market the Pause Wines’s products, taking the brand to the foreign land.”

“The company uses 100 percent wine

varietals without mixing and only the best quality grapes are used for the production, without compromising on quality to adjust costs,” affirmed Patil, while stressing on the importance of quality at Pause Wines.

On the health aspect, Patil highlighted, “Pause Wines is the only Indian wine brand that provides nutritional information on its wines.

This gives our patrons a fair idea on the amount of sugar and fat involved which is especially useful for those on diet or suffering from diabetes.” “If wine is consumed in appropriate quantity, it is certainly healthy, especially for the heart,” he pointed out.

The wine tasting session at the wine festival had nine varietals of authentic wine being served, some of which were custom-made, while keeping in mind the taste of the Indian consumers. The rich portfolio of classic premium wines built painstakingly

by Pause Wines include nine varietals spread across Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin, Chardonnay to Rose wines.

Elanpro Launches Three Products at Aahar 2015 Elanpro (Elan Professional Appliances Pvt. Ltd.), India’s leading commercial refrigeration company, announced the launch of three next generation products at Aahar 2015. The company exhibited its entire range of products catering to the kitchen and retail refrigeration at the 30th edition of Aahar, during 10th -14th March 2015.

At Aahar 2015, Elanpro

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launched Ice Pod — the visually advanced display freezer, EFGV 500 — the first upright glass door freezer in Indian market to work at 43°C and Drink Dispenser — a high performance technologically advanced machine for instant iced teas and refreshing drinks.

Sanjay Jain, Director, Elanpro said, “Indian hospitality sector is growing vibrantly due to the increase in the tourism in India and changing lifestyles of

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

affluent Indians.

Hence, high on performance innovative product line is the latest trend in the industry and Aahar is an ideal platform for us to showcase the latest offerings for the Indian market. We have been constantly developing refrigeration solutions keeping our customers in mind. We have launched Ice Pod, EFGV 500 and Drink Dispenser at Aahar. These next gen products are not only efficient and reliable, but also consume less energy, thereby making them cost-effective too.”

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C OV E R S TO R Y

The Fine Trend of

Fine Dining During the past few years, there has been a substantial growth in the restaurant business in India, largely due to the changing lifestyles, fuelled by the increasing number of nuclear families and a rise in the urbanisation in India.

Additionally, probably due to more global exposure through travel, Internet and television, the guest preferences for cuisines has seen a transition in urban India, especially in upper income segments of urban India. Over the last two decades, many of them have made a transition or extension of their choices from traditional Indian food to different exotic cuisines such as the Chinese, Italian and Mexican cuisines among others.

Due to the growing exposure to the international cultures and lifestyles, the Indian population has started developing their tastes and is reaching out to restaurants which offer different cuisines apart from Indian cuisines, more often than before.

Ashok Malkani finds that this evolution in the taste preferences of the people in India has not only encouraged the growth of more fine dining restaurants in urban India but has also motivated many international and Indian players to expand their reach in the Indian restaurant market. In this feature, some of the industry players express their views on the growth of fine dining culture in the country.

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he restaurant industry in India, whose growth is mainly fostered by the young population aged between 15 to 44 years, has witnessed an impressive growth during the past few years, which has been fueled by the advent of a large number of national as well as international chains in the organised food service market of the country. According to the report titled India Restaurant Market Outlook to 2018 - Quick Service Restaurants to Drive the Future Growth, the overall restaurant market in the country has

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grown at a CAGR of 6.6 percent from FY’2008 to FY’2013.

Today, the Indian restaurant industry is believed to be worth Rs.75,000 crores and is growing at an annual rate of 7 percent. Despite its large base, the Indian restaurant market has experienced robust growth of around 16-17 percent over the past three to five years and currently accounts for a share of approximately 1.6 percent of the total consumer wallet.

The industry is highly fragmented having 1.5 million eating outlets, of which a little more than 3,000 outlets constitute the organised segment.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

However, the organised segment is rapidly growing at an annual rate of 16 percent. Quick service segment is the clear winner in the eating out market with a growth rate of 21 percent.

However, fine dining is slowly but steadily gaining ground in India. While the QSRs are still popular, a segment of the Indian society is now preferring to dine at least once a week at their favourite fine dine haunt. The shifting of dining options has been mainly due to the improved economic conditions.

According to experts, fine dining restaurants will remain popular as long as they continue to offer individuality,

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C OV E R S TO R Y food quality and more casual setting.

Organised players in the Indian restaurant industry command approximately 35 percent of the Indian restaurant market. Many of these players are focusing on affluent segments such as fine dining.

In fine dining, one may add, that while quality of produce in a dish matters, the decor of the restaurant does too. At Ziya, the Indian restaurant at The Oberoi, Mumbai, the jaalis (screens) installed are all in gold. “The display kitchen has gold tiles. The cutlery is gold polished. For an Indian, gold is the most important benchmark of quality,” informed Vineet Bhatia who consults at the restaurant. Of course, the way the customer is served is equally crucial. “Staff members are required to wash their mouths before they go up and speak to customers. The guest never sees this,” confirmed Bhatia.

What exactly describes fine dining restaurants? Fine dining restaurants are full service restaurants with specific dedicated meal courses. Décor of such restaurants features higher-quality materials, with an eye towards the atmospherics desired by their target group. Here the wait staff is also usually highly trained.

Popularity of Fine Dining However, fine dining in India is not a new concept. The culture of fine dining has been transmitting to us since the ancient age. However, in the ancient and medieval ages, fine dining was the preserve of royalties and nobles, now any well-heeled guest can have access to it.

Deepak Ohri

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According to a study done by MindShift Interactive, a digital marketing and research organisation, “Eighty nine percent of the participants from 18-24 years prefer visiting a fine dining restaurant once a month, while those in the age group of 25-35 it is about 80 percent. The budget per person is approximately about Rs. 1,500.”

So is this trend of fine dining on the rise? Well most of the restaurateurs believe it is. Rahul Korgaokar, Director of Food & Beverage, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa said, “Fine dining is growing increasingly popular with time.

Every year, we see a plethora of unique dining restaurants opening in the market with more than an enthusiastic response.

We have seen a growth of between 7 to 12 percent in foot fall in our outlets year on year, since 2011.”

Deepak Ohri, Chief Executive Officer of Lebua Hotels and Resorts, an international hospitality company, is a gastrocrat who understands the

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global luxury market in a way few other executives do. “Five years back, most spending in India was in cash.

It is getting converted into credit.

Moreover, there is a new tribe of consumers who are well paid and are working for multinational companies.

They have disposable income and they are spending. People generally interpret luxury with being expensive.

It is actually about experience. People are going for more experiences. They are travelling and they have started demanding. Our research shows that if you change the price and improve quality, the consumer is willing to pay.

We see exactly the same thing in China and Indonesia. This will drive tourism in the world,” he elaborated.

“The rising disposable incomes, a sizeable young population, growing number of DINKS (double income, no kids) and the exposure to new culture and cuisines is giving rise to the number of people eating out. Stand-alone fine

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C OV E R S TO R Y

Kamaljit Singh

dining restaurants are doing well in Bangalore, especially because of the migration in workforce from across the country,” averred Gaurav Mehra, General Manager, High Ultra Lounge, located atop the World Trade Centre, Bangalore.

“High Ultra Lounge has witnessed substantial growth of more than 20 percent in the number of diners, between April 2014 – December 2014. One of the main reasons for the popularity in this restaurant’s business is the ambience, as the restaurant is primarily outdoors and is the highest point for food & beverage in South India. The world class cuisine and beverages are another high-point for the venue as the Chef comes from the internationally renowned Zuma chain and the mixologist from Dubai,” he added further.

“Fine dining has lately become really popular, with hotels in the country coming up with at least one fine dining outlet in their choice of restaurants offered to their guests,” observed Vishal Gaikwad, Restaurant Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pune – Chinchwad.

“At DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pune – Chinchwad we have a Japanese fine dining restaurant named Miyuki, which is popular with food enthusiasts and Japanese expats, ” Gaikwad claimed while stating that more and more people were now open to trying new cuisines and exploring fine dining restaurants.

“The fine dining trend has seen an increase. Nowadays travellers are balancing casual and fine dining, based on the occasion and celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, etc.).

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3 to 5 course menus are more popular nowadays,” stated Kamaljit Singh, Executive Assistant Manager — F&B, Alila Diwa Goa. The need for great service, ambience and food in a fine dining restaurant is well-known, but with the changing times, the music and seating preferences are also playing an important role in the popularity of a fine dining restaurant.

Restaurateurs now often talk of ‘staging an experience’ and ‘shaping the atmosphere’ at their food service outlets.

These are becoming crucial elements in their bid to woo the new-age Indian gastrocrat, who has been growing more and more sophisticated with the years.

More Indians are travelling overseas than ever before and some of them have access to the best of the global dishes.

Thus their expectations from their eating out experiences have also undergone an evolution.

Food Preferences Considering the high expectations of their discerning guests, the fine dining restaurants, especially the fine dining restaurants across big cities of India, are now having a range of exotic F&B products from caviar to rare mushrooms to expensive wines. Of course, these products are not targeted at every guest at the restaurants, but to the increasing numbers of consumers with sizeable discretionary spending capacity.

There has been a change in food preferences among guests at fine dining restaurants across India. “Guests have been partial towards western and Mediterranean cuisine; however contemporary Indian cuisine is also quite popular,” Singh declared. Mehra states that High Ultra Lounge serves pan-Asian cuisine, where the diners mostly prefer

Vineet Bhatia

their main courses to be Chinese or Thai.

“However, when it comes to starters, our guests like their grills and the Japanese offerings such as sushi, maki and tempura. There are some people who opt for Korean cuisine BBQ as well ,” stated Mehra.

“Today’s diners in India are very experimental and are open to trying cuisines from all over the world including new-age fusion between traditional western and occidental styles, as well as a marriage of cuisines from within the plethora of tastes available in India,” affirmed Korgaokar.

There is also the demand for experimental food in Indian restaurant business. India’s prominent two-star Michelin Chef Vineet Bhatia says new twists in local tastes can help break the monotony in everyday food. Bhatia, who runs his Rasoi restaurant in London and Geneva, claims that he has made Tea Roast Chicken. “The Darjeeling tea leaves are so old and world famous, but one would have hardly thought the wonderful taste and aroma it can bring to roasted chicken. There is so much inspiration in India and constant opportunity for re-learning that can happen on the food front,” proffered Bhatia.

Who Sets the Trend?

Vishal Gaikwad

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

The question who is setting the fine dining trend in the country could be very important for entrepreneurs thinking of venturing into fine dining restaurant business in India . The restaurateurs are of the opinion that the age group which mostly visits the fine dine restaurants in India ranges between 20-45 years.

“As far as our hotel is concerned, the

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C OV E R S TO R Y

Tips on Restaurant Etiquettes

Rahul Korgaokar

customers are mainly in the 25-45 age bracket and more specifically speaking, between 21- 35 years. On Friday & Saturday nights, which are considered as weekend nights, as most of the IT offices have Saturday off, there is a party mood from 11:00pm – 12:30am,” informed Mehra.

Gaikwad stated that DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pune – Chinchwad “being a business hotel mostly has executives in the age group of 30 and above though the younger 20 plus, who are adventurous and want to explore new cuisines, are our regulars at our F&B outlets. Awareness through portals like Zomato and Facebook has helped us reach the more knowledgeable bunch of guests at our F&B outlets.”

However, not every fine dining restaurant is harping on the younger segment. “Our restaurants mostly get people between the age groups of 35 and 40,” averred Singh.

Shine Johnson, Asst. F& B Manager, TGB Banquets & Hotels Ltd. on the other hand claims that their food service business has guests of all ages. “Our guests comprise mostly of

Gaurav Mehra

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If a reserved table is not ready when guests arrive and they have to wait any longer than 15 minutes, apologise and offer a complimentary cocktail or a glass of wine.

When asking about water preferences, be as clear as possible. Also, don’t make the customer feel bad if they want tap water. For example, asking “Bottled water or just tap?” creates this feeling.

Never make wild assumptions about someone’s wine knowledge. Ask a few questions to gauge her/his experience. Just because one is young and female, doesn’t mean that she is a novice in the matters of wines.

Good waitstaff should always be available for patrons who might be seeking attention.

A customer should not have to flail her/his arms to get somebody’s attention.

Do not ask if someone is finished when others are still eating that course. It makes those eating feel guilty and rushed.

Please do not clear plates until everyone is finished.

Please do not bring the bill until someone requests it. families,” he articulated.

Maintaining Regularity of the Guests There is also the question of regularity of the guests. For fine dining F&B outlets to thrive, there has to be a regularity of visitors. This regularity is generated by developing enduring relationships and loyalty with the guests.

Korgaokar is of the opinion that regularity of guest visits is very important to the restaurant. “We have a strong loyal guest base who visit our outlets at least twice or thrice every month. Our dining loyalty program Club Marriott also ensures this by offering attractive rates and benefits which facilitates the retention of this customer base,” he pointed out.

For maintaining the regularity of the guests the restaurateurs operating in the realm of fine dining restaurant business not only need to exceed the guests’ expectations, but also need to make them feel at home.

“When guests come to your restaurant, you should treat them as if they are friends visiting your home.

Treating your guests with care and providing an exceptional place for them to enjoy a meal is part of the reason why they will come back to your restaurant again,” pointed out Singh.

Of course, the basics like quality of food need not be forgotten for maintaining regularity in guests. “When customers come through your doors, they expect quality in every aspect of the restaurant. They expect value in the things they see, taste and touch. So we

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Shine Johnson

have to provide them with exceptional food quality which will leave a good taste in their mouths,” averred Mehra.

Gaikwad believes that the quality of service is very important for the restaurants to survive. In fact, the quality of service assumes even more importance in the case of fine dining restaurants. “Today perhaps service provided to the consumers, from the time of their entrance at the restaurant to their walking out of the restaurant, is even more important than food quality.

Although restaurants thrive because of sales, the sales should never be put before the customer’s needs,” Gaikwad reasoned.

“With people travelling for business and leisure, fine dining in India will see more increase in APCs and covers in the coming years,” Gaikwad opined when discussing about the future of fine dining in the country. All things considered, the restaurateurs agree, fine dining will progress in the country. n

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B u s i n ess

The Heady Business: Prospects and Challenges There has been a steady increase in the consumption of alcoholic beverages in India which has encouraged more and more people into this business. Be it distribution, sales or even manufacture of alcoholic beverages, there is an opportunity for everyone in India. Ashok Malkani takes a look at this business in India, which is growing at a rapid pace. Large international brands have ventured into India.

In almost every nook and corner of the country you can find liquour shops.

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lcohol consumption has been increasing over the years. India’s alcoholic beverages market comprising beer, wine and spirits is expected to reach over Rs 1.4 lakh crore mark in 2015, says an industry specific analysis of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

According to a WHO study, entitled ‘Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2014’, “The amount of drinking around the world is going up, especially in India and China, where incomes are rising and alcohol marketing is active.” Thus the market for alcohol is growing. In fact, the Indian alcohol industry is among the fastest growing industries in the world and occupies the 3rd position in comparison to the same industry in other parts of the world.

Thus for the entrepreneurs in India thinking of entering the alcohol business, the prospects are promising. It may be mentioned that the alcohol industry in India comprises of manufacture, distribution and sales. Thus an entrepreneur

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wanting to enter in this business can do it in any of the three branches.

Shifting Consumption Pattern Over the decades, this industry has seen a major shift from indigenous country liquor to Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) because of the rising per capita of the Indian people and a change in their lifestyle. According to an ASSOCHAM study, we are likely to witness accelerated levels of growth in sales of liquor in tier II and tier III cities, as companies are focusing on retail channels like bars, restaurants and pub joints across these towns, apart from huge investments in infrastructure, supply chain, bottling facilities, etc.

According to a Technavia report, the alcohol market can be segmented into four major categories: IMFL (Indian manufactured foreign liquor), CL (country liquor), beer and imported liquor. The incomes from IMFL and CL segments are considerably higher in India than that generated by beer. However beer is the fastest growing segment of alcoholic beverages in India by consumption and revenue share. There is another segment – wine – which is also growing at a steady pace in India.

The market drivers for the growth in alcohol consumption in India are increasing disposable incomes in select but sizeable pockets of urban Indian society, increasing youth population and changing lifestyles as a result of the influence of globalistion.

Sizeable middle class population with rising spending power and a sound economy are certain significant reasons behind increase in the alcohol

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consumption in India, according to the ASSOCHAM’s study titled ‘Latest Trends in Domestic Liquor Market’.

However, the inherent Indian predilection towards value for money purchase and their price sensitivity extends to liquor too and there is a marked tendency to choose drinks which provide the maximum possible `kick’ for the buck. The result is that sales of country liquor and Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) almost match that of beer sales in India – the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage. Among desi beer drinkers, the preference is for `strong’ beer with higher alcohol content. The Indian preference for more alcohol in drinks is brought out by data collated by the All India Brewers Association. Beer sales account for only 50 percent of liquor sales in India – much lower than in China, Brazil, US and UK. Wine accounts for only 1 percent of liquor sales in the country.

According to a study by Technavia, the beer sales in India was valued at 4.13 billion USD in 2013 and it is expected to reach 9.03 billion USD by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 16.94 percent. In India, the total beer sales by volume works out to be 2248.53 million litres in 2013 and are expected to increase to 4,438.47 million litres by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 14.57 percent .

Changing Trends Despite the general tendency of Indian consumers to get maximum ‘kick from the buck,’ there is simultaneously, also a trend towards premiumisation in India, as far as consumption of alcoholic beverages are concerned. Companies are expanding their product portfolio by adding premium

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B u s i n ess brands so that they can charge a higher price.

For example, Allied Blenders & Distillers Pvt. Ltd. launched Officer’s Choice Blue, a premium version of its flagship brand Officer’s Choice. Similarly, other companies like United Spirits Ltd. have launched premium versions, such as Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve and Black Dog Black Reserve. In beer, Carlsberg India Pvt. Ltd. launched a French super premium beer named Kronenbourg.

The trend, according to the ASSOCHAM study named ‘India’s Emerging Imported Spirits Market,’ seems to be that there would be a spurt in demand for imported spirits.

Growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 25 percent, the imported spirits market in India is currently estimated at about 280 lakh litres and about 3.1 million cases. The surge in demand is mainly attributed to young Indian professionals and entrepreneurs migrating from local brands to international brands.

DS Rawat, the Secretary General of ASSOCHAM, said, “With more number of Indians travelling abroad for

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Market for Imported Liquor

DS Rawat

studying and other professional reasons, their fondness for imported liquor is also rising which is certainly leading to growth in the business as they acquire taste for imported liquor and can afford to buy the expensive spirits from duty-free shops abroad. Besides, growth in the sector has also been fueled by rising income levels, increasing young population, growing number of working women, increasing media penetration and expanding exposure to western lifestyle amid people in the upper-middle income group in India for whom serving expensive liquor reflects their lifestyle and status symbol.”

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Market for imported liquor has huge scope for growth in India and we can witness a dramatic increase in foreign brands if the stiff regulatory environment together with state levies and high import tariff on imported spirits sold through retail stores and bars across states in India is relaxed to some extent, highlights the ASSOCHAM study.

According to a report by Euromonitor International, three BRIC countries will be the runner-ups after the US in terms of absolute value growth in luxury alcohol, and India and China are predicted the highest CAGRs over 2012-2017.

Citing India as one the most significant growth drivers, various multinational liquor companies are likely to invest hugely in marketing and brand innovations, and are expected to expand to new markets within India.

So the question for many managers marketing luxury alcohol brands in markets like India will then be: How to adopt my marketing strategies to capture this rapidly growing market? m According to Paurav Shukla, Professor of Luxury Brand Marketing at Glasgow

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B u s i n ess Caledonian University, Brighton, United Kingdom, “Indian consumers largely consume luxury alcohol brands with an aim to show off. I believe this is due to the collectivist nature of the society wherein the consumers focus on others self-concept (how consumer thinks others see him/her) and using this ostentatious signals through alcoholic drinks the consumers may signal status subtly (or in some cases not so subtly). To engage Indian consumers, managers should position their brand on ostentation. The marketing strategy should also focus on situation specificity. If managers can develop a brand message around occasions and ostentatious behaviour, they will have a higher chance of success in the Indian market. Furthermore, branding efforts will not yield as effective a response in the Indian market because of low awareness of many global brands. Therefore, managers will have to use ingenious ways to engage the Indian customers. For example, major international players in the alcoholic beverage market such as Diageo and United Breweries are focusing on the upwardly mobile population in the metros and mini metros of India by opening lounges, while Absolut and Brown-Forman are associating with art and music scene.”

Restrictive Policies However, everything is not hunky dory with the Indian alcoholic beverages industry. Though India is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, for alcoholic drinks, the Indian liquor market faces several challenges like the restrictive policies of states with regard to movement, production, pricing, etc, increase in raw material prices (like ENA, glass, molasses, etc) and impositions applied on advertising.

Restrictive policies at the federal and state levels are often carried out under the concern that alcoholic beverages should be heavily regulated to prevent public health and safety issues related to drinking.

Experts, however, are of the opinion that these policies have often proven to be counterproductive. Restrictions in alcohol sales have paved the way for the market for spurious liquors to thrive.

For example, the current system of taxation on imported spirits including BIO (Bottled in Origin) and BII (Bottled in India) dates back to2001. Imported spirits are taxed at both the federal and

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Paurav Shukla

the state levels. As a result of a case against Indian’s liquor policies at WTO filed by the European Union, the country has removed some of its barriers to liquor imports. However, it later introduced new restrictive measures.

Moreover, India is often referred to as 29 separate markets, all of which have their own tax systems and chose to issue their own regulation upon liquor industry.

Take the case of Maharashtra where a skewed excise duty structure entails tax per volume of alcohol is higher on softer liquors. Beer on an average has an alcohol content of 8 percent against 42.5 percent for IMFL, which means the tax on the alcohol content works out to Rs 75 for 100 ml beer and Rs 52.57 for 100ml of IMFL. In other words, alcohol in beer is taxed 43 percent more than the alcohol in IMFL, in this industrialized state.

No wonder, in Maharashtra, the sell of country liquors is higher than that of beer.

Regulatory barriers is another thorn in the flesh for Indian liquor business.

Intricate provisions and a lack of transparency in custom procedures have also seriously disrupted the market.

In fact, the regulatory barriers to liquor industry are highly complex. The value chain of India‘s liquor industry involves a number of stakeholders and has an extensive economic and social impact.

In June 2014, over 60 shipments of Scotch whiskey bottles were stopped at the customs for not listing malted grain, water and yeast as ingredients. This sudden action of authorities has resulted in loss of millions to foreign manufacturers and created a blockage of supply to the Indian liquor market. An individual private retailer claimed to have lost Rs 3 crore (488,400 USD) given that eight of his containers were stopped at customs.

Since India‘s liquor industry serves as

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a hub for importers from neighbouring countries including Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the influence has also spilled to these neighbouring countries, leading to further shortages and price hikes.

The myopic government policies pertaining to liquor have led to increase in cost of alcoholic beverages for the consumers. The cost to consumers mainly comes from three critical aspects: • Heavy customs duties and taxes • Shortage of supply due to ban and immediate policy changes • Shadow market To put it simply, the existing liquor policies in India are harmful to consumers.

On the one hand, tariffs on liquor have made foreign liquor unaffordable to the majority of Indian consumers. On the other hand, heavy taxes and nonuniformity of policies at federal and statelevel have turned liquor businesses into a lucrative cash cow for state exchequers.

Favourable Factors However, in spite of the government’s restrictive policies, the alcoholic beverages industry in India is poised for a steady growth. With the rising disposable income levels and greater acceptance of alcoholic beverages in social circles, the outlook for the Indian alcoholic beverages market continues to remain positive.

The social taboo associated with alcohol consumption in India, though not absent yet, is continually weakening with the maturation of globalization in India.

Moreover, the fact that India is a young country, with more than 60 percent of Indians falling in the 15-45 years’ age group is expected to give a fillip to its alcohol consumption. This is the cohort the industry targets as potential customers.

About 485 million Indians are currently of drinking age and another 150 million will be added to this group in the next five years.

Now a great variety of alcohol brands are available in the market, which gives the alcoholic beverages consumers in India more choices and in turn is expected to increase their alcohol consumption.

The alcoholic beverages industry, as they say, is recession-proof. Also, rapid urbanization in metros and tier-II cities of the country is contributing further to the growth of the alcoholic beverages industry in India.

So let us raise a toast to the future prospect of the industry and say “Cheers”. n

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CITIE

Guangdong·China 2015

The Largest Hospitality Exhibition in the World

The 13th China (Guangdong) International Hospitality Supplies Fair 10-12 September, 2015 China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou

600,000+ sq.m 70+ countries and regions 4,000+ exhibitors 61,088+ professionals gathered

Official Website

Contact us: Guangdong Xinji Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd. Tel：+86-20-85645910 E-mail：hosfair@hosfair.com Web：www.hosfair.com/en Organizers: People's Government of Guangdong Province China Hotel Supplies Association Kitchen Utensils Chamber of Commerce of

Feb-Mar ’15

All-China of Industr y and Commerce

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www.worldoffoodindia.com

www.foodservice-india.com

Most international exhibition duo for food & beverage trade and catering & retail technology

September 14-16, 2015 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India Powered by

Contacts: India & International: Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd. Sandeep Kumar Tel: +91-40-65707722 s.kumar@koelnmesse-india.com

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Europe: Koelnmesse GmbH Christina Solbach Tel: +49-221-821-3619 c.solbach@koelnmesse.de

Feb-Mar ’15

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f e a t u re

Facilitating Food Safety

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

he crucial role of food safety and hygiene in the food & beverage industry cannot be overstated.

Besides being of great importance in ethical terms, today food safety is an extremely pragmatic consideration for the restaurant business to adhere to.

Especially, with the habit of eating out gaining momentum in urban India and with growing health awareness in the urban Indian society in the backdrop of a strong and ever vigilant social media, the adherence to exacting food safety standards has perhaps assumed more importance in the Indian food service industry than it was ever before.

An Urgent Need “About two decades back if a group of five-six people was taken ill as a result of having food in a restaurant in India, whose food service was possibly marred by neglect towards hygienic considerations, the bad reputation of the said restaurant would most likely to have been limited to 100 odd persons.

But now thanks to the growing potency and spread of social media platforms, such a disturbing news can easily go viral across online, influencing thousands and thousands of restaurant goers in the process, which in turn can seriously impair the sales of that given restaurant in the short-run and as well as in the longrun,” elaborated Dr. Saurabh Arora, the Managing Director of Auriga Research Ltd. Here it deserves a mention that Auriga Research Ltd. has three testing

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laboratories under its ambit.

Besides the growing apprehension of loss of sales and profits if food safety standards are not being met, the mandatory legal compliance towards various food safety considerations, which have been stated in the Food Safety and Standards Act, has made it necessary for a plethora of food service and catering businesses across India to give great emphasis towards kitchen hygiene and food safety. This is an encouraging trend. However, a lot many food service establishments in the predominantly unorganised food service industry in India are not aware about the laws as well as the nuances pertaining to food safety.

In this regard, Saurabh Arora has come up with an innovative venture.

Some of the Questions in the Food Safety Mobile App. for Facilitating Self Inspection • Is the food license displayed in a prominent place?

• Are you getting your food items tested every six months for chemical and /or microbiological contamination through your own or NABL accredited/FSSAI notified lab?

• Are you taking special care while dealing with cut fruits/salads, fresh juices and beverages?

• Is food reheated to 70°C or more before being served for consumption?

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The Online Endeavour Here it deserves a mention that Saurabh has been instrumental in establishing a portal named www.foodsafetyhelpline. com, which is projected to be a one-stop solution for the people in the Indian food & beverage industry to understand and implement the requirements of the Food Safety and Standards Act and of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The huge gamut of relevant content for our food & beverage industry is presented in the website in a userfriendly manner.

Besides providing addresses of all FSSAI offices and addresses of all FSSAI approved food testing laboratories, the www.foodsafetyhelpline.com helps the people to get aware of the intricacies of the Food Safety and Standards Act, which according to the dynamic young entrepreneur, “is explained in the website in simple and easily understandable language.” At the same time, the act is also presented in the website in its original formal and legal language, which gives more choices to the people to have access to the Act. Already the subscriber list to the website include names of renowned corporates like Nestle, Glaxo SmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Johnson &Johnson, Zydus Cadila, DS Group ,Tasty Bite among others.

The innovative website, which came into being in January 2013, also addresses various queries of the people, pertaining to divergent facets of food safety. “Till now approximately 1300 queries were

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f e a t u re addressed by our team, and we have hosted 160 forum discussions,” informed Saurabh. Besides that four webinars were being hosted at the portal till now.

However, accessing two of these webinars required registration with the site, which is free of cost. The four webinars pertained to the crucial issues of licensing registration, food labeling and product approval.

e-Information for Food Business “We also have e-books, which presently include books on labeling, and licensing & registration. Besides that our website have short articles on labeling, product approval, licensing & registration, hygiene requirements, testing requirements, etc.,” the entrepreneur with his heart and mind on food safety pointed out further.

And for people who do not have the time to go through the free e-books in detail, there are free e-courses being offered at the portal. The two free e-courses are titled “Food Labeling Requirements” in compliance to Food Safety and Standards Act, and Food Licensing & Registration of Restaurants.

Saurabh informed me that the e-courses

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were presented in the user-friendly format, comprising everyday capsule of small dosage of information modules, which can be accessed through mobile or through e-mail by the users. For accessing both e-books and e-courses, registration with the website is needed.

Checklist on the Move Saurabh has also come with a food safety mobile app. Food safety mobile app. is

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an application which is being introduced for the convenience of the food business operators in India. It helps to understand, learn & implement the requirements in compliance to Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. Here besides all the content provided at the website there is also the provision of three stage self inspection for players engaged in the food & beverage industry. “The self inspection is carried out in the form of a questionnaire that is

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f e a t u re

Dr. Saurabh Arora

in turn presented as a checklist,” asserted Saurabh while adding, “Our checklist for self inspection is exclusively prepared considering all the relevant and important points which are meant for the successful running of a food business.”

According to him, FSSAI’s checklist which is drawn for the catering & food service establishments was taken into consideration while preparing this checklist, and here various points were elaborated and explained for the easy understanding of the food & beverage business operators. Here it deserves a mention that Food Safety Mobile App. has an entire separate section for the high risk food products, whereas according to Saurabh, “only one pointer is available for taking care of high risk food in the FSSAI’s checklist.”

The access of this questionnaire cum checklist in the food safety mobile app. can enable the operators to answer the queries while on the move, and while simultaneously inspecting the state of food safety and food hygiene at his/her

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establishment or at the business where he/ she is engaged in as an employee. “One can literally walk through the kitchen while completing this checklist, and thereby do a self checking of the state of food safety and food hygiene at his/her establishment simultaneously,” proffered the man with savvy business vision together with innate pragmatism.

This way the mobile app. operator can ascertain first-hand what are the conditions pertaining to food safety and food hygiene being satisfied as per the checklist, at his/her business establishment or at the business where he/she is engaged in as an employee. This would make the answers more accurate and also induce greater scope of improvement of food safety conditions across food & beverage businesses in the country.

Training and Other Measures While talking about his other ongoing and future plans, Saurabh informed that they were coming up with training videos for food handlers, in both Hindi and English. Some of these videos are already being uploaded and according to Saurabh, this uploading would be an ongoing process. “The training videos will be followed/are being followed by a quiz, which the food handlers are supposed to take. Passing the quiz will get the food handler a certificate,” explained Saurabh.

Moreover, to make the web content of www.foodsafetyhelpline.com user-friendly for food service operators who are not that familiar with English, the process of translating it in Hindi has already began.

Also he is planning to have training sessions covering 5-10 restaurants at a time, in lieu of payment.

Through this innovative website and mobile app. Saurabh envisages to cater

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Auriga and Arbro Besides being the Managing Director of Auriga Research Ltd. Saurabh also happens to be the Executive Director of Arbro Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a company which has more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing and exporting of pharmaceutical formulations. In the words of Saurabh, “Arbro Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is dedicated to provide best quality products for the pharmaceutical, bio-technology & healthcare industry.”

Arbro too has a food testing laboratory to its credit. Saurabh has been heading the testing laboratory and research business at Arbro and Auriga for close to 10 years. Both Arbro Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Auriga Research Ltd. are based in Delhi. These four testing laboratories, which according to Saurabh are largely focused on testing of the food products , are located in Delhi, in Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, and in Bangalore. to not only the companies engaged in the food & beverage business across the country but also the households. “We are in the process of including general consumer awareness regarding food safety as part of our continually expanded content of the portal,” stated a confident Saurabh.

The Revenue Model The registration at the website and as well as with the mobile app. is free of charge.

However, if a person or a company asks for an assisted audit of his/her/their food business or wants to get food sample testing done, or wants to have personal consultation with the experts associated with the website and the mobile app. then those services are chargeable.

On the question of the general consciousness towards food safety and hygiene in the Indian restaurant and catering business, Saurabh lamented that still the level of consciousness and awareness was at a nascent stage, but in the same breath he also maintained that the awareness regarding food safety and hygiene was growing appreciably in India. He also thanked the social media platforms like TripAdvisor and Zomato for facilitating the process of inducing awareness in India’s food service business. n

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tre n d

Food Styling as a Career

By Michael Swamy

F

ood styling is an art form and a specialised field for a career. It relies greatly on the knowledge of food and also on the design sense and designing expertise. Associated with style and glamour, the job requires ample skill, creativity, meticulous craftsmanship and patience.

It also involves great communication skills as the food stylist should ideally facilitate the aroma, texture and taste of the food to reach the onlooker through a photograph. It is the job of the stylist to make the food look appealing, natural and not too complicated.

Maturation of Food Styling When I started out as a food stylist in India, just over a decade ago, there were very few of us in the field. Even today, there are very few food stylists in the country who pursue the career after

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learning the craft professionally. In my case too, it was only after a couple of years of working in the food & beverage industry that I decided to try my hand at specialising in something different that would also give me a chance to improve on my hobby of photography. It was at the Le Cordon Bleu in London when I stumbled across the exciting field of food styling and on a copy of a book on the same topic. On my return to Mumbai, I decided to make a break into food styling.

When I started out in the career of food styling, I would mostly get offers for styling for images that went onto masala packets, pasta packets and tiny print ads wherein the picture of the food I styled was often of the same size as that of a postal stamp.

But today, my scope of work encompasses cookery books, packaging, recipe booklets, newspaper articles,

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images for the Internet, television ad films, YouTube videos, food-based shows and movies. Styling Indian food is tough, but my experience with French cuisine and pre-plated ideas, using classical items and fabrics as props, has gone a long way into shooting interesting photographs pertaining to Indian food.

What it Takes?

Great or even good food styling requires having in-depth knowledge of food and also knowledge of culture, of latest trends in art and design, of different types of printing techniques and of play of shadow and light. In order to put together a great image, the efforts of the food stylist could be in co-ordination with a good photographer and sometimes with a prop stylist or an Art Director.

However, mostly, the food stylists and their assistants themselves handle the job

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tre n d of propping and creating the feel of the frame.

I also like to keep abreast of what is new in the field, particularly through books by veteran stylists like Dolores Custer — who also teaches the subject, John Carafoli and Steve Bavister. The other great boon is the Internet, which gives easy access to what is happening in the world at large and helps one keep to keep in touch with other food stylists.

For becoming a good food stylist, besides understanding and learning the art of styling food, one has to learn a lot about various forms of printing and packaging, especially by way of design and layout. Being a photographer myself, I have an insight about lighting, colours, filters, lenses, camera angles and back lighting. These aspects are as important to the food stylist as understanding food and how it reacts in the presence of strong strobe lights and extreme weather conditions.

It is also essential for the food stylist to know about props, cutlery, plates and backgrounds. In fact, this body of knowledge is intrinsic to the job.

Meeting with designers and producers of crockery and cutlery and shopping or browsing through markets help keep the food stylist in touch with the needs of customers and clients. The abundance of Italian crockery and cutlery has increased the resources available to a food stylist, by way of props.

Challenges in Food Styling Till a few years ago, much of the styling in India was done using fake materials such as shaving creams, make-up, toothpastes, etc. However, since the

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beginning of the past decade, speciality food stuffs are available in a greater range and variety, in the country.

Coloured peppers, several types of lettuce, broccoli, grains like quinoa and a wide range of proprietary sauces and cheeses can be found more readily now, in the country. The upmarket hospitality trade has encouraged this interesting change in the colours, garnishes and styling of food.

The challenge of using natural food products in styling can be overcome if one is lucky to have a good photographer who also knows about food and with some support from products like fake ice, readymade oil sprays, smoke chips, gels and specialised props, the job becomes easier. Although I maintain that some of these abovementioned products are difficult to come by. I often make purchases for props on my travels abroad, or ask friends to buy them and send to me.

As far as creating frames for Indian regional food goes, it is a bit more challenging as Indian colours tend to clash with the already colourful varieties of different forms of Indian cuisines. I like to use modern style pottery against a backdrop of antiques, blending rich Indian fabrics with plated food. Once Indian food was typically presented in dishes using relatively little imagination, but gradually the scene is changing as agencies and Art Directors are respecting the food stylist’s creativity and space.

Though our job is creative there is no denying the fact that food stylists, by and large, are a pressured lot. Food prepared for styling remains at its optimum best for only brief periods, sometimes lasting for mere minutes. This is where skill and decisiveness come in. The relationship between stylist and photographer must be very close as most photographers often do not understand the chemistry of food.

The logistics of the job in hand should be sorted out well before the shoot and this may help to keep ingredients at hand in plenty.

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Need for More Recognition Moreover, food styling is still not being given its due respect and importance in India. A food stylist is often the last person who is contacted for a food shoot and the budget for the food stylist (and ingredients he or she will use) is many-atime a shoestring one. Though shocking, this is true, in many cases.

Added to this can be the frustration of having saddled with a fresh-out-of-college Art Director whose idea of creativity entails copying the design, layout and plating of some other product. However, as one gains more and more experience and thereby seniority in the field, the scenario becomes easier to handle for the food stylist.

Mumbai has always been a forerunner by way of promoting art & culture, and also in experimenting with new products and services. This makes it relatively easier for a food stylist to pursue his/her dreams in this city.

Overall, one can say that despite the various challenges involved in the job of food styling, I am happy to note that food styling has become one such career which many people are seeming to aspire. The only advice I have for these people is be patient and make sure you are thorough with your knowledge.

After that, the sky can be the limit.

The author is a renowned Chef

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AGRI

Healthy Fruit, Healthy Oil

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

he role of olive in today’s food service industry of India, which is passing through a growing health conscious wave, shouldn’t be discounted. Olive, which is spruced with several health benefits, is a product of a tree known as Olea europaea. This amazing tree has a longevity spanning hundreds of years. The height of the tree bearing olive fruit generally ranges between 8-15 m. The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia and from there the spread of olive tree across nearby countries took place. Centuries after, olive trees began to appear in distant shores from its native land.

The cultivation of olive as an edible product has a long history, which dates back from five to six millennia. The evidence of olive cultivation during the ancient times have been found in Syria, Palestine, and Crete. Olives were commercially grown in Crete (which is located in modern day Greece) as far back as 3000 BC. The ‘New World’ of Americas got introduced to olives through the Spanish colonialists.

Soon after, olive’s cultivation began prospering in Peru and Chile, during the latter half of the 16th century. USA

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got introduced to olive tree through Spanish missionaries, in the early 18th century.

Today, the olive fruit is largely found in parts of Africa, in the Mediterranean basin, in the Arabian peninsula, China, Mauritius and Canary Islands. The olive fruit is a small drupe. Most of all harvested olives in the world are

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converted into oil, and only a small proportion of them are used as table olives.

For the Table Table olives are classified by the International Olive Council (IOC) into 3 groups according to the degree of ripeness achieved before harvesting.

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AGRI

They are Green Olives, Semi-ripe or Turning Colour Olives and Black Olives or Ripe Olives. In its ripe form olives are found in various shades of either purple or brown or black.

Before the beginning of their ripening cycle but after they have obtained the full size, the olives are found in hues varying from green to yellow.

However, there are exceptions to this rule too. There are some olives which remain green even when fully ripe, whereas some olives start off as black before they experience ripening process, and they remain black in colour.

Olive is considered an important food crop in Italy, Spain, Greece and other countries around the Mediterranean.

According to International Olive Council, olive fruit has a bitter component (oleuropein), a low sugar content compared with other drupes, and a high oil content (12-30 percent) depending on the time of year and variety. “These characteristics make it a fruit that cannot be consumed directly from the tree and it has to undergo a series of processes that differ considerably from region to region, and which also depend on variety,� noted IOC. Raw or fresh olives are generally bitter in taste. In order to make them appeal to tastes, they need to be cured and fermented,

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AGRI of polyphenols. This antioxidant can safeguard the cells from damage.

For Indian Food Service

thereby removing oleuropein.

However, according to IOC, some olives are an exception to this general rule. They sweeten while they ripen, right on the tree. The reason for this exception in most cases is fermentation.

The Healthy Ingredient Olive has a rich history of its health benefits. The health benefits of olive oil, which plays an important role in Mediterranean diet, are well-known.

This oil is devoid of cholesterol, salt, sugar, gluten and trans fats. Olive oil can reduce the risk of having type II diabetes, and can prevent heart disease.

Olive oil can lower the levels of blood cholesterol, which often plays an important role in heart diseases. Olives are spruced with high monounsaturated fat content, and the main type of fat in olive oil is the monounsaturated fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of heart disease.

Moreover, monounsaturated fats in extra virgin olive oil display resistance to high heat, which make them ideal usage for cooking. According to a website, “Extra virgin olive oil is made simply by crushing olives and extracting the juice. It is the only cooking oil that is made without the use of chemicals and industrial refining.” Extra virgin olive oil is the best form of olive oil, according to various classifications of olive oil known to humankind.

Here it deserves a mention that olive oil lowers the levels of total blood cholesterol, the bad cholesterol and triglycerides, without altering the levels of good cholesterol. This prevents the formation of fatty patches.

Furthermore, studies have shown that regular intake of olive oil can help you to lower the blood pressure. There

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have been studies showing that people consuming olive oil have a much lower risk of developing stroke. Olive oil is high in calories, but despite that there has been no evidence that consuming large amounts of olive oil can increase the chances of weight gain. It may even be facilitating in reducing obesity levels. But it is best to consume olive oil in moderation, though it should be consumed regularly.

Besides these, oleocanthal, the phytonutrient in olive oil, can reduce the risk of breast cancer. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E, which is believed to lower the risk of cancer. The antioxidants in olive oil can lower the oxidative damage from free radicals, which is believed to be one of the leading causes of cancer.

What is more, olive oil can reduce inflammation. Olive is enriched with many phytonutrients which are endowed with anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, the antiinflammatory benefits of olives are very much relevant to cardiovascular health.

Moreover, olive oil has a rich content

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

So it is about time our food service industry makes a conscious decision to use olives and olive oil in preparation of their dishes. Yes, olive is a relatively costly product in India and so is olive oil. Therefore the restaurants which decide to switch to dishes made exclusively with olive oil may have to increase the prices of their plates. However, this price rise of food products can be minimised by the food service operators by curtailing wastage and other unproductive costs that frequently crop in the restaurant operations. And I don’t think the increasing numbers of health conscious consumers would mind paying a little bit extra in exchange of healthy eating out options.

Many people may think that olive oil is not suited for Indian food, but that conception is erroneous. Some years back, the renowned Chef Sanjeev Kapoor told to a website named Spicezee.com that “Olive oil doesn’t have any distinct flavour of its own, so it serves well as a cooking medium for all kinds of Indian foods.” Especially, extra virgin olive oil is very apt for Indian dishes, which generally require high temperature.

Even if restaurants in India do not find it feasible to switch to olive oilbased cooking in a big way, they can encourage the guests to opt for having food cooked in olive oil, by highlighting the healthy attributes of olive oil in a booklet placed at the tables where food & beverages are served for the guests. n

Feb-Mar ’15

Feb-Mar ’15

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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wine

The

Wine Etiquettes

By Deep Malhotra

W

ine is not just a celebrated drink but it holds a seasoned place in the history of alcoholic beverages. Like almost everything in human life has certain code of rules or etiquettes, wine also has one. I think one should really know about wine etiquettes before feeling its flawless experience. Knowing and adhering to the nuances of wine etiquettes can help us to better enjoy wines. There is indeed a comprehensive list of conventions which together comprises wine etiquettes, which includes choosing the best possible pick, ordering, temperature, uncorking, aeration, pouring, serving, holding style, storage, etc. Here we would discuss some

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of them.

Being a manufacturer of wines and a keen lover of these beverages, I believe that wine tastes best if taken with courtesy. The wine selection of course, wholly differs from person to person.

Some are nuts over Cabernet Sauvignon while others might go for radiant red Pinot Noir from the Burgundy region or a perfect white Riesling from Germany.

When it comes to ordering wine in some restaurant I feel it wise to ask the sommelier(provided the said restaurant has one) of that eatery. A sommelier is a particularly trained, clued-up wine expert. The restaurant’s wine list is generally shaped by him/her. One should never hesitate in consulting the

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

sommelier for assistance regarding wine selections. They can help you to make better selections based on your food Chart Depicting the Relevance of Temperature for Different Wines Type of Wine Sparkling Rose White Sherry (Light) Red Fortified (Port) Sherry (Dark)

Fahrenheit 42 to 54 48 to 54 48 to 58 48 to 58 57 to 68 57 to 68 57 to 68

Celsius 6 to 10 9 to 12 9 to 14 9 to 14 13 to 20 13 to 20 13 to 20

Sources: Web

Feb-Mar ’15

wine

choices, preferences and cost.

But one should also be prepared for some answers before asking the sommelier for assistance. For example, one should be able to answer what kind of wine he/she prefers, what cuisine and food he/she will be ordering with it, whether one would like to try new wines or how much one wants to drink and what is one’s budget. The clarity of answers of the guest is expected to help the sommelier in giving an awesome wine experience to him/her.

Thirdly, you should have a clear goblet with long stem, thin rim and obviously good capacity to let the wine swirl around to give a fabulous look.

Furthermore, you must have a visual inspection of the bottle and look at the label to ensure it is the same wine and vintage that you had ordered. If it is not, feel free to tell the server to change it.

After you have ensured that exactly the wine that you had ordered is before you, tell the server to remove the cork and put it on the table in front of you. Pick it up, examine it and squeeze it to determine if it is dry and crumbly or completely wet – both of these clues say that air may have reached and spoiled the wine.

Feb-Mar ’15

If none of these undesirable conditions are there, request the server to pour a small amount of wine into your glass. Look at it against a white background. Swirl it, put your nose in the glass, and take a deep breath. Take a sip and roll it around in your mouth before you swallow. If you don’t detect any flaws, nod to the server. That is what it takes to have an enormously delighting adventure with wines.

What is important to the beginners is to detect that if the wine smells like wet cardboard, tastes like vinegar, or is otherwise flawed. If the wine is flawed you should give it back. Even if you are the only one that notices a flaw, the server should and is expected to replace the bottle. The restaurant in turn can send the bottle back to the distributor for a free replacement.

Storing of wines is no less crucial than their serving. During the course of my journey with wines, I have learnt that temperature plays a vital role in wine storing. Wine has a multipart chemistry that changes with temperature and environment. For that rationale and to enjoy the real spirit of the wines, it is essential to store them appropriately.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Although right temperature is important in wines, equally crucial is the uncorking of wines. Some basic rules state that for red wines, you should remove the cork about an hour before you drink them. The oxidation course will shape the bouquet of the wine and help you detect the tang of the vintage.

The phrase ‘let it breathe’ indeed fits in, in the case of red wines. However, white wines tend to fade in if you keep the bottle open at room temperature for long. Therefore uncork white wines just before you serve them to the guests.

There is more insight on wines. If your wine sparkles, pour it down the side of the glass to guard the prized bubbles.

If your wine is still, decant it in the middle of the glass to let the bouquet pervade the vessel and hover up. In case of wine drinking, you should never fill a glass more than two-thirds, or even halfway in some cases. If you plan to try several wines during the course of a feast, get served even less than that in each glass.

So, folks! The world of wine is fascinating and the wine etiquette codes can help you to explore this fascinating world in a better way. Rules may be broken but in case of wines, it is worth following the trusted wine etiquettes to have a great and luscious wine experience. Cheers!

The Author is the Chairman & Managing Director, The Oasis Group

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bar

Raising the Bar

By Sharmila Chand

A

signature bar & lounge in the hotel can be a good profit garnering opportunity. It can also negatively affect your balance sheet, even seriously. While some hoteliers perceive food and beverage as merely a necessary amenity, passionate hotel owners and operators view their F&B as an opportunity to increase the bottom line impressively and engage the local community.

Across the nation, hotel bars & lounges are making their marks. Take the case of the pub, Geoffrey’s at Hotel Royal Orchid, Bengaluru, which has been instrumental in influencing a lot of travellers to make Hotel Royal Orchid their preferred hotel to stay in Bangalore. ”The popularity of the pub instantly gives the hotel a tag of a happening

56

place,” stated Chetan Tewari, the hotel’s Manager.

The pub offers an attractive option to unwind at the hotel, without having to step out in to the din of traffic & crowd. “With a strong image and high recall value, there is no surprise that more than often our pub becomes the talking point for attracting room revenues. It is a hot spot of action; it hosts regular events like celebrity DJ nites, jazz nights, ladies’ nights, etc. which keep both the local community and the in-house guests engaged,” he added further.

There are many trendy lounge bars and pubs at the hotels across urban India, which are attracting brisk crowd. Aura Bar & Lounge at The Claridges, New Delhi has been a meeting hub for many years. Recently it has been renovated and

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

reopened with a new look and introduced an extensive F&B menu.

“We have opened doors of our bar lounge with a new fresh look, with an extensive F&B menu for guests to Tips to Run a Profitable Bar

By Chetan Tewari — Hotel Manager, Hotel Royal Orchid, Bengaluru

• Make the liquor companies your best buddies. Give exclusivity to those who have a diversified portfolio and get the best deal from them.

• Do not always try to control cost but try to manage cost effectively.

• Do not block your money by over stocking.

• Create a ‘die for’ signature drink for your bar.

Feb-Mar ’15

Atul Lall

savour the diverse food selection paired with the beverages of their choice,” stated Atul Lall, VP Operations and General Manager of the hotel.

“A significant change includes the introduction of a unique east European and Russian flavours infused menu, with Russian delicacies such as pelmeni, pierogies, caviar as well as other favourites like smoked salmon, cheese and

cured meats,” observed Lall.

“Guests now get a chance to savour the diverse food selection, paired with the vodka or cocktail of their choice.

This has been further complemented by enhancement of the bar’s ambience with rich champagne gold interiors, teamed with soothing European lounge music. These together provide an ideal setting for evening drinks and hors d’oeuvres for our patrons,” pointed out Lall.

However, according to Rahul Singh, Food & Beverage Manager, Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre, for hotels bars have always been more than a necessity. “Indeed operating a bar capitalises a great business opportunity and the bar can turn out to be a great revenue generator for the hotel,” he expressed.

“People prefer to come at our bars as couples for a chat or in groups to enjoy evenings. We offer them a choice of two bars in our hotel – Ten Kings Bar, and Road House Bar and Grill, with both the bars having different concepts,” informed Singh.

“Ten Kings Bar is a 19-cover quiet bar with slow soothing music where you can be yourself while reading books or can have discussion with office colleagues, while Road House Bar and Grill is a 110-cover American style bar & grill which is ideal for chilling out. Both bars can play a different role to the same client, depending on his/her different mood,” elaborated Singh.

Recipe for Success

Chetan Tewari

Feb-Mar ’15

However, the questions remain that how to ensure the bar lounge is packed, the reviews great and the revenues strong?

You need to have a passionate team with the requisite expertise, and this should be supplemented with a clearly defined concept.

Your budget and financial expectations

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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bar

from the bar lounge should be pragmatic and based on research. Translate your budget and financial expectations into a marketing and business plan.

“Consistency in the food & beverage, offering of great service, innovative events, engaging our patrons in activities like ‘make your cocktail’, good music & celebrity visits are some of the things that we focus on for a top of the mind recall for our pub,” asserted Tewari. “And needless to say, it has helped us a lot in accelerating our business,” he added.

The location of the bar and lounge should guide its attractions. “Being a City Centre Hotel, we are in the vicinity of a huge number of corporate houses. We have started happy hours from 11am to 7 pm during Mondays–Fridays, which is a drawing factor for people who prefer to come over for a drink with friends or office colleagues before reaching their homes,” Singh reasoned.

“Besides, we do Saturday Nights at Road House Bar and Grill. The rustic ambience turns to flashing laser lights where the guests groove on to the music till late nights,” Singh stated further.

Marketing a bar & lounge requires constant attention to remain trendy and viable. Bars and lounges should use social media in a big way to reach their target audience. For Tewari, “Online and offline awareness, through campaigns and word of mouth helps.”

“Marketing plan for bars and lounges should focus on targeted events and promotions, which appeal to international as well as local guests,” opined Singh. “Our marketing and promotional strategies for future business of bars would be derived through international DJs/artists, expat mixologists and molecular cocktails,” he informed.

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Ambience, Décor and Music Decor and ambience matter, especially for a bar & lounge. Try to create a unique identity for your bar and lounge and consider having a creative graphic designer to create a unique logo for your bar & lounge. If budget has room for it, bring in an interior designer to create a fresh look for your bar & lounge that is distinct from the hotel’s design.

Pay attention to the bar’s entrance.

The guests usually prefer to walk-in from the main street. If you can’t make this happen, you can still create a special

arrival experience, maybe with the use of curtains, lighting, signage or even a door to further create a separation from the hotel.

Take some time to choose the right kind of music. The music you choose should ideally be different for different times of the day and night. For example, the early hours should have softer vibes and the decibels can go up later.

Create your own atmosphere by playing music specifically geared towards your bar’s concept. For example, if you are serving Mediterranean cuisine, introduce your guests to a new wave of Mediterranean music. Music provides an easy way to get creative and to play around with a variety of different experiences, which can grab the attention of your guests.

Bar Menu Planning

“

Controlling over pouring, spills, other forms of wastages, mistakes and going for competitive pricing structures contribute to a profitable bar. No matter the cause, the only way for keeping these costs under control is to have proven systems in place for inventory control, training, strict service and settlement controls, cash monitoring procedures and financial reporting tools that alert you when costs spike high.

Rahul Singh, Food & Beverage Manager, Holiday Inn Jaipur City Centre

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

“

The menu plays a big role in creating the right buzz. Consider hiring a Consulting Chef to help develop the right menu to introduce that wow factor in your bar & lounge. Also consider hiring a Mixologist to create a unique cocktail menu for the bar.

This menu should reflect the concept of the bar and lounge and add to the vibe of the outlet. More recently, there is a strong wave of hiring a good Wine Sommelier who knows how to create a decent wine selection in the menu and the specialised ways of offering it besides organising wine tasting sessions.

“Items which are great for sharing and small plates are becoming more popular, as are any food item that promotes socialising, camaraderie and fun.

Design your bar menu to focus on food and beverage pairings as well,” Singh concluded. n

Feb-Mar ’15

Feb-Mar ’15

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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theme cuisine

Infusing Innovation in

Indian Tastes

O

ne of the hottest new trends these days in the Indian food service industry is to present Indian cuisines in a novel manner. The interesting bit comes either from a twist in the recipe or through a real stylish presentation.

Gol gappas filled with vodka is a perfect example. Samosas are also hugely popular in the realm of Indian fusion

By Sharmila Chand food with a variety of fillings and spices.

Of course, naan is a staple in traditional Indian dishes but this tasty bread has taken a modern avatar by becoming crust for pizza!

Chefs in India are getting inspired by cooking techniques from other culinary cultures to create dishes that are unique and yet familiar at the same time.

A prime example of this is IndoChinese cuisine. Some of the most

popular items in this culinary realm are Gobhi Manchurian, Chili Chicken, and Hakka Noodles. Indeed, fusion cuisine has arrived in urban India’s food service industry in a big way.

Many experts are of the opinion that while there are many regional cuisines across geographies which lend themselves well to the fusion movement, none do as well as the Indian cuisines.

The reason being the varied forms of Indian cuisines manage to absorb and assimilate a huge number of influences and still maintain their unique flavours.

The key to making good Indian fusion food is keeping the flavours of India intact. The foreign influence should complement the Indian flavours rather than inhibiting or distorting them.

Pairing of traditional and nontraditional flavours is the key to understanding fusion cuisine; for example, at Desi Roots, Chef Rajiv Sinha prepares daal baati choorma served with chilly salsa. Palak shorba soup which he serves in kullad, also endorses the fusion food concept well.

“The trend is to present Indian food in a cool way, but without compromising on the core desi flavours

“The trend is to present Indian food in a cool way so that youngsters can also relate to our regional cuisines without compromising on the core desi flavours.”

Amandeep Singh, the Promoter of Desi Roots, New Delhi

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Feb-Mar ’15

theme cuisine

“Indian food has a strong foundation. But I am giving it a few tweaks so as to create innovative dishes and add some excitement.”

Chef Manu Chandra, Partner, Monkey Bar & The Fatty Bao, and Executive Chef, Olive Beach Bangalore

Feb-Mar ’15

so that our youngsters can also relate to our regional cuisines,” proffered Amandeep Singh, the promoter of Desi Roots.

Likewise, Ajay Chaudhary, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal, loves to experiment with traditional Indian food. “Bringing twist to the traditional Indian cuisines is the next big thing in the Indian food service industry.

Today, there are more numbers of Indians than a decade before who have travelled the world and tried different cuisines, and hence the fusion of Indian cuisine is a welcome change for these foodies,” he asserted.

The prevailing trend of fusion cuisine is also one of the reasons why Chefs and restaurateurs are focusing more on food plating and food techniques.

“At the Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal, our restaurant Bay Leaf serves not only traditional Indian cuisine but progressive varieties of Indian cuisines.

Some of the most popular dishes at Bay Leaf are Potato Cheese and Chilly Galette, Indian spiced ‘Scottish’ salmon for appetisers and Chickpea Ravioli (stuffed with beans, coconut and

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

“The key to making Indian fusion food is keeping the flavours of India intact with a slight twist in its preparation and presentation.”

Rajiv Sinha, Head Chef, Desi Roots, New Delhi olive, moilee cream), Masala Crusted Chicken to name a few. Moreover, our signature Mootichoor Cheese Cake is a must try for desserts,” pointed out Chaudhary.

Chef Manu Chandra has also successfully been reinventing the classic recipes. At Monkey Bar in Delhi and Bangalore, he says he has brought about an exclusive ‘Monkey’ twist to traditional dishes, which he presents in a completely new avatar. As the Executive Chef and Partner, his endeavour is on giving people a place they can come back to repeatedly as well as allow them the freedom to dwell into old favourites or try something new.

Monkey Bar offers the essence of a pub, backed by excellent food and

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theme cuisine

Recipes Gud ke Malpua with Gulab Mascarpone Rabri

By Rajiv Sinha, Head Chef, Desi Roots

“Bringing twist to the traditional Indian cuisines is the next big thing. Fusion of Indian cuisine is a welcome change for foodies. This is also one of the reasons why Chefs and restaurateurs are focusing more on food plating, food techniques and more creative cuisines.”

Executive Chef, Ajay Chaudhary, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal

service, at accessible prices. Monkey Bar has set a benchmark for its innovative food and often irreverent take on the concept of traditional cuisines. It provides food that has a familiar palate and yet adds a twist to the menu.

“My focus is on contemporarising Indian food but that doesn’t mean simply mixing western ingredients with Indian dishes. I like to use what we have as our own native produce and re-create it in a contemporary style, otherwise we might lose the message before it translates,” Chef Chandra elaborated. For example, his Bathua Ravioli dish in the menu of Olive Beach Bangalore has been much talk of the town and a great example of his quest.

Now the market in the Indian food service industry demands that instead of serving traditional Indian food, why not add some spices with a new take on the varieties of Indian cuisines? It isn’t boring and it is certainly not what guests would expect. This element of unpredictability can add to the guest experience. n

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Ingredients Milk – 500 ml Refined Flour — 50 gm Fennel Seeds – 2 gm Molasses — 100 gm Water — 100 ml Desi Ghee — 80 ml Rabri — 100 gm Cardamom Powder — 2 gm Mascarpone Cheese — 35 gm Gulab Powder — 2 gm Preparation Take a heavy bottom sauce pan, boil the milk. Simmer the milk for 10 minutes so that it gets reduced to approximately 300 ml.

Keep it aside and bring it to room temperature.

Whisk the milk with refined flour and fennel seeds to make a smooth batter.

Take another sauce pan and add organic molasses with water. Let it boil to make molasses syrup (chashni). Tip: If one can source out date molasses it will do wonders.

In a fry pan, pour desi ghee and add small amount of prepared batter to make malpuas. Fry them till they become golden and soak them in molasses syrup.

Mix rabri with cardamom powder, Mascarpone cheese, dry gulab powder and few drops of gulab water.

Place this mixture in prepared malpuas and roll it.

Serve hot with a glass of traditional thandai.

Ravioli of Bathua and Ricotta with Brown Butter Sauce and Toasted Almonds

By Chef Manu Chandra Size — 4 Portions Ingredients Basic Pasta Dough 500 gm Fresh Bathua Leaves 300 gm (washed and picked) Sliced Garlic 2 tbsp Minced Onion ½ cup Nutmeg ½ tsp Black Pepper ½ tsp Ricotta Cheese 150 gm Grated Parmesan 50 gm Olive Oil 3 tbsp Butter 3 tbsp Slivered Toasted Almonds ¼ cup Chopped Fresh Parsley 2 tbsp Method After thoroughly washing and picking the bathua leaves, dry them well and chop them coarsely. Place a pot of water to boil and season with salt. When it comes to a rolling boil, dunk the bathua in it and blanch for about a minute. Remove them from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and transfer to ice water to stop the cooking process. When cool, squeeze out as much water from it as you can and keep aside.

In a sauté pan heat the olive oil and add the sliced garlic and minced onions and sauté until translucent. Add to this the bathua and stir well. Sprinkle the nutmeg,

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

chopped parsley and continue to mix well; season with salt and remove from heat. Once the mixture has come to room temperature, fold in the two cheeses and incorporate thoroughly. Keep aside until needed.

Roll out the pasta dough into 2 mm sheets and cut them into 2” diameter circles.

Keep them covered with a damp cloth.

Spoon a small walnut sized piece of the bathua mixture into the centre of one disc and brush the edges lightly with water. Place another disc on top and gently seal the edges together by pressing with your thumb. Be careful not to let any air get trapped inside.

Continue this till all the discs or stuffing have been used.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and gently put the ravioli in it. Boil them for about a minute or till they float to the top.

Meanwhile heat the butter in a non stick pan until it starts to turn brown, add a few spoons of stock to it. As soon as the ravioli gets cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them into the pan. Toss gently to coat them in the brown butter sauce and transfer to a plate.

Garnish with some freshly chopped parsley and some chili oil before serving.

You can sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top too.

Feb-Mar ’15

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R est a u r a n t

Desi

in Taste, Modern in Presentation

D

esi Roots comes across as a delightful place. It can be construed as an Indian interpretation of an all day modern cafe & bar. Located at Ras Villas Mall at Saket, New Delhi, Desi Roots manages to capture the grandeur and essence of desi/colloquial customs and the long-lost tradition of the many regional kitchens whose aroma used to waft across the length and breadth of our nation. Here the amalgamation of great food and decor creates a unique culinary experience for the guests to savour.

Desi Roots can successfully whet the palates of food connoisseurs who prefer conventional Indian fare as well as those who prefer to go beyond that. The parent company, Lemon Seeds Hospitality envisages to open 12-14 Desi Roots Café and Bar in the ensuing 3-4 years.

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By Sharmila Chand

Presenting an Entire Experience Desi Roots aspires to highlight the wonderful culinary diversity of our country through a gamut of regional recipes and ingredients, innovative presentations, a melange of flavours, carefully balanced spices, all of which are complemented by modern culinary practices.

Led and conceptualised by a hospitality veteran named Amandeep Singh who has worked with brands like The Oberoi Group, Hard Rock Cafe, YO Sushi, etc., Desi Roots has embarked on a journey to bring out not only the perennial flavour and tastes of the Indian cuisines but also to exhibit a contemporary flair in presentation.

In the words of Amandeep Singh, “Desi Roots germinated from an idea to create a dining experience, which is not limited just by the food it serves but becomes a

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

space where cultures, languages, ideas and passions and various other sensibilities of youth come together. It is a place where both mind and palates have a chance to rejoice and experience the true Indian spirit, in ways never imagined before.”

Décor and Ambience The decor of the place is truly fascinating!

Whether it is films, music, truck signs or motherly rants, Desi Roots showcases these elements as props across the space to weave an aura of nostalgic charm around you.

From the Royal Enfield lights in the shape of suspended lamps; from the iconic retro canvas and offbeat fabric/canvas prints on its walls, depicting the good old chitrakaari of your mohalla’s ‘Ramesh Painter,’ Desi Roots induces you into a world that many of us may be familiar with.

Feb-Mar ’15

R est a u r a n t One of the highlighting features of the restaurant is the ‘Lock and Key’ ritual.

Every guest at the restaurant gets a lock and a key, which she/he is supposed to put around a jaali and leave messages on it. This facilitates a bonding between the guests and the restaurant to evolve with each successive visit at the restaurant by the guest concerned.

Eating In The cuisine on offer at Desi Roots is a perfect amalgam of tradition (both in terms of taste and technique) and modernity (in terms of presentation and ambience), thereby showing the research that has been put in by the team.

The menu is diverse and authentic in character. Here cuisines from west, east and north India are represented in authentic manner. The menu has innovative beverages, and the options include both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

“Our menu has been developed with lots of careful consideration in order to make a connection with all age groups. We give you a journey experience of past to present; however, with a twist,” explained Rajiv Sinha, Head Chef at Desi Roots.

“

Desi Roots is a singular modern café and bar with its central thought of creating an eating out format that endows a cool tag to Indian eatery.

”

Amandeep Singh, Director, Lemon Seeds Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.

Feb-Mar ’15

Rajiv Sinha

“The main course dishes with their traditional, authentic flavours take you near your roots while the starters from the menu showcases taste sensibilities and choices of an ‘evolved’ desi,“ Sinha proffered. Talking about the restaurant’s special creations, he asserted that “The magical blend of exotic spices from Awadh sets apart our Nehari a la Oudh from the dish prepared in the kitchens of others.”

Kasundi Fish Tinkkas with ‘babloo’ sauce and Masala Focaccia melt with Achari Tuna; the Hindustani Cappuccino and Desi Khurchan Tacos are some of the fascinating items offered at the restaurant, which can give you an uncommon gastronomic trip. The piping hot palak shorba soup can come across as a gift in the cold season.

Warm samosa deconstruct with aam papad chutney, Deviled Prawn Pinchoes and Cucumber with Roasted Tomato Salsa are some of the other attractive delicacies on offer to satiate the discerning palates. Try the chicken tikkas marinated in chipotle to get the best of two culinary worlds.

Daal baati choorma served with chilly salsa can give Rajasthani food lovers great delight. Ambala Cantt Mutton Curry with Tikone Parathe and Kumquat Achaar, which is served on a wooden truck in a desi mug, can also give you tears of nostalgia.

Shahi Tukda Tiramisu and Jamaluddin ki Kheer are much more than desserts; they are desserts with a difference.

Overall, one can say that this creative endeavour to present authentic Indian cuisines in a ‘cool’ way can enable the upwardly mobile section of our western influenced gen next to relate to the rich heritage of our regional cuisines in a much more better manner. n

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c h e f vo i ce

Fun Loving

Culinary Artist

By Sharmila Chand

A fun loving, self-motivated, ever smiling, and highly talented Chef, Kumaran B joined Zone By The Park — Coimbatore in June 2014. He is presently the Executive Sous Chef of the hotel.

Prior to his present tenure, he has worked with various well-known hospitality brands including The Oberoi, Trident and The Claridges.

Amongst several key responsibilities of his present position, he is responsible for controlling all expenses to achieve food cost budget of the hotel throughout the year, and is responsible for planning and implementing menu design.

Above all, he is engaged in ensuring guest satisfaction with the smooth and effective running of the day-to-day operations.

The excerpts of the interview follow: What is your philosophy of cooking?

My philosophy of cooking involves fresh ingredients and a passion for cooking.

Had you not been doing this then what would you have been?

I might well be getting bored by working as an engineer.

Who is your source of inspiration?

My dad and all my senior Chefs throughout my culinary journey so far have been my sources of inspiration.

Any awards received?

I got the Times Food Awards while working with the Trident, Chennai and The Claridges, New Delhi. And every satisfied customer is like winning an award for me.

What is your definition of success?

Happy team, happy surroundings, and a

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happy life are constituents of success for me.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate for anything I love.

What is/are your professional strength/s?

They are my team and my cool nature.

What would you describe as your weakness?

I think too much for all possible reasons.

What is your greatest desire?

It is a happy family with my loved one.

How do you de-stress yourself?

The combination of music, friends and beer is a perfect combination for destressing for me.

If you had to describe yourself in

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

one word what would it be?

Naughty.

How do you rate yourself as a Chef?

I am a successful and a great Chef if I see customers smiling after having my food. So rating is not a measure for me.

Still I am learning as culinary art is a huge sea to explore.

What is your favourite cuisine?

Thai cuisine is my favourite. I really love the freshness of this cuisine.

And what is your favourite spice?

Star anise is my favourite spice. It enhances the flavour of meat and it is widely used in Asian cuisine.

What is your favourite dish?

My favourite dish is red curry tenderloin

Feb-Mar ’15

with jasmine rice.

What is your favourite equipment?

Thermomix is my favourite equipment. Having a Thermomix in the kitchen is just like having a Sous Chef.

It is an extra pair of hands that chops, purées, kneads, cooks and stirs, while you are off doing other things in the kitchen.

What would you consider as your favourite gadget?

Electronic wrist watch and my wireless headset are my favourite gadgets.

Whom would you consider as your favourite diner that is the kind of guest you would like most to feed?

All of them who can eat using all their senses, which we normally don’t do.

What is/are your hotselling item/s in your present job?

They include all my signature dishes in the menu like Zone 65; The Zone Soup with Murukku; and Filipino Grilled Chicken.

What is the best compliment you have ever received?

The best compliment for a Chef is the customer should come back to the hotel/ restaurant only for him/her. And this is the best compliment I get from my loyal customers.

What is your philosophy at work?

Don’t work hard, work smart.

What are the major lessons, which you have learnt over the years in the kitchen?

The lessons I learnt through my professional tenures are that guest is always right, if you plan it, you rock it, equipments are the best friends in the kitchen, and that cooking is an art and we the Chefs are the artists.

If you were having the last meal on the earth what would you choose?

Crispy dosa with lamb trotters (paya ).

Where would we likely to see you 10 years from now?

You may see me owning a dream restaurant with my wife, and leading a happy family.

What is the position of Chefs today, in India?

In India, Chefs are still not recognised as artists or magicians who create and invent food to suit the palates. He is perceived just as a labour who sweats in the kitchen.

What are the problems and challenges faced by Chefs in the Indian food service industry?

The Chefs tend to have less time for their friends and family. For us 24 hours are sometimes not enough. As far as challenges in our profession go, maintaining high quality culinary standards, by consistently getting the right ingredients is one of the biggest challenges of our profession.

Feb-Mar ’15

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P R O FI L E

Maintaining Consistency in Excellence

By Sharmila Chand

A successful entrepreneur with rich experience of tapping opportunities in green field ventures, Rohit Aggarwal, Director, Lite Bite Foods Pvt. Ltd., has joined hands with Amit Burman to further their vision for creating a distinctive food and beverage industry model, which resulted in starting Lite Bite Foods in 2001.

Aggarwal is in charge of operations. An ardent foodie, he shares and complements his business partner Amit Burman’s vision for Lite Bite Foods and his close attention to detail.

He enjoys devising innovative solutions of managing the challenges pertaining to creating operational efficiencies without compromising on the creative aspect of the restaurant business, the vision of the Chefs and experimentation with new product offerings.

Aggarwal comes from a trader family where the trade included raw materials and commodities. He expanded his family business and started the import of oil, textile, stainless steel, plastic, lubricants, raw wool and cotton. As the business grew, Aggarwal went on to became representative for many international firms in India for trading.

During his business travels, Aggarwal got familiarised with different kinds of food and cuisines from around the world and the entrepreneur in him converted his passion for gourmand world into a formal foray into the industry.

His mantra is no short cut but only hard work and constant endeavour are needed for mastery of the craft. The excerpts of the interview follow: 68

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P R O FI L E

What are the key challenges involved in opening a new restaurant?

The challenge that most restaurant owners’ face is finding the apt location to run the operations. Also it is imperative to position your brand correctly in this highly competitive market.

Timely project completion and recruiting skilled manpower are other challenges in the Indian restaurant business.

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

One of the trickiest areas to tackle these days in the Indian hospitality/ food service business is social media. It becomes really difficult to control what people are writing about you on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Apart from that, getting trained and efficient manpower is another area that can create challenge for a restaurant owner.

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

The current restaurant business scenario in major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore provides ample opportunity for new players, as the market is open to innovation with new formats such as food on the go, personalised plating, etc.

The Chefs nowadays are experimenting to offer interesting culinary treats to the guests, and are incorporating various high quality ingredients.

As a veteran in the F&B industry, comment on how the food trend has changed over a period of time, in India

The Indian F &B industry has become very youth-oriented these days. It has become absolutely necessary to understand what the biggest chunk of the customers want as they contribute a lot in building the reputation of a restaurant. The industry is constantly evolving. The eating out trend in India has evolved for good during the past few years.

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

Consistent food and service quality has been a key to the image building of our restaurants.

What do you enjoy the most about being in this business?

It is undoubtedly the food. It is a passion-driven business.

I enjoy everything to do with food and this keeps me and my team going.

What do you dislike in the food service business the most?

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Nothing much really, except for the fact that I don’t like an unhappy customer leaving my restaurant.

How important is it to have good interiors in the restaurant? How much significance you give to the décor and ambience of the restaurant as compared to its food & beverage offerings?

I believe that food is the most important aspect of any restaurant. However, a well done architecture in a restaurant adds a lot to it. After all, it is about the complete experience that a customer usually looks for whenever she/he is dining at a restaurant.

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

I would look for someone who can effectively handle the business, is presentable and has the quality of inspiring her/ his team down the line.

Is it getting difficult to hire good trained manpower in the Indian restaurant business these days?

Yes, it is getting very difficult to hire efficient manpower in the Indian restaurant business these days. More importantly, the most challenging facet is to retain the good manpower. LBF has been fortunate enough to have a motivated and happy team.

Can you suggest some tips or insights to the F&B Managers or restaurant owners to strengthen their team?

Keep them happy, let them experiment, and understand them. A motivated staff is the key to a successfully run restaurant.

What are your future plans to expand your brands?

We have an aggressive expansion plan in place and we are looking forward to come with a number of restaurants across multiple formats.

We are planning to increase the number of outlets of our signature brands — Punjab Grill, Street Foods by Punjab Grill and Baker Street — in the domestic market, and also spread our reach in the international market, in the next few years.

We are planning to launch a premium dining brand named ‘American Tandoor’, which will serve Indian cuisine with an American twist. The first outlet of American Tandoor will be a 250 seater, spread across 5,500 square feet. It will be located in one of the biggest malls in Washington DC — Tysons Corner Centre.

Anything else you would like to say about Lite Bite Foods?

We aim at becoming a Rs.1000 crore company in the next five years.

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pro d u ct prev i e w

Seafood Delicacies

Innovative and Dynamic

The foundation of MM Fisheries dates back to 1964 when the then pioneer and now leader of the fishery industry marked a niche for itself. They take pride in unveiling themselves as a leader of the seafood market that has paved way for their success. The interesting and

Helios Hotelwares represents the perfect choice for the discerning consumer seeking an innovative and dynamic range of products tailor made for the hotelwares industry. With over 25 years of experience in the stainless steel industry, is one of the foremost manufacturer and supplier of high quality SS products like storage containers, tea dispensers, dustbins, SS buckets etc in INDIA. Company is recognised for quality products at exceptional price, time bound delivery, innovative & evolving, customer Delight & Customer First.

Helios Hotelwares has a state of the art plant and machinery and specializes in providing custom made products and designs as per client specifications.

Helios Hotelwares is an ISO-9001:2008 Certified Company, thus known for its high quality standards and exceptional service. They pledge to achieve Customer “Delight” by continuous innovation in our processes and aiming at excellence in quality with “Customer Care Concept” Helios Hotelwares info@helioshotelwares.com

gripping history of MM Fisheries was initiated by being associated with the Oberoi Hotel in 1964. Inviting more business by being true to the business and services they render, got a chance to proudly associate their company with Hotel Taj Mahal since its inception in 1977. Later, with best-proven services, they entered a permanent contract with Hotel Taj Mahal for the next seven years which continued until the late 80’s. Expansion of business is necessary to the company as blood is to the body. The firm belief in this statement has led to the repercussion of expansion of its operations and services in consideration to the sky-rocketing demand of fish and seafood in India. To complement this, company imports best quality of Norwegian Salmon Fish and its portions in addition to various other varieties of Fish and seafood.

The company added another feather to their cap by also dealing in import of Basa Fillet (Pangasius Fillet) from one of the renowned company of Vietnam. To facilitate its customers to enjoy the delicacy of fish and other seafood, they have inaugurated its wholesale outlet and six retail outlets to deliver the extra-ordinary quality of products they deal in high quality fresh, frozen and ready to eat sea food.

MM Fisheries Pvt. Ltd. mmfisheries@hotmail.com

Developing new Businesses Mish Horeca Services, based in New Delhi is a business developing company established to create the Indian market share for the global manufacturers of Food Service Equipment’s through marketing, service support, distributor network, product demonstrations and consultations to the end user. At Present company works for the Global Brands like INOXTREND, AFINOX, Besser Vacuum. The priority and commitment of the company is to offer customers the right solution for their kitchen requirements.

Mish Horeca Services mishhoreca@gmail.com

Comprehensive Solution for Gourmet Foods Dabon offers wide range of imported products constituting premier products from premium brands worldwide.

Grandma Singleton – Family cheese makers from 1934. Situated in Lancashire, and traditional creamy Lancashire cheese is the heart and soul of Grandma Singletons.

Making cheese “Grandma’s Way” has been the founding principle over all these generations, and it has led to a continuous stream of top awards through the years, not only for the products made at Grandma Singletons, but also for the innovation and service provided.

The range of cheese made has expanded, to over 30 different types; incorporating many flavours that Grandma would not have been familiar with in her days – Wensleydale with Cranberry, Cheddar with Jalapeno and Garlic ... and even Apple Pie Cheese!

Dabon Intl. Pvt. Ltd. gauravtandon@epicure.in

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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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

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A d v e r t is e r ’ s Company

Page No.

I n d e x

Company

Page No.

adani wilmar ltd.

11

mm fisheries pvt. ltd.

09

akasa international

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mod kitchen equipments pvt. ltd.

21

allied metal works

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neena enterprises

16

annapoorna 2015

42

pacific merchants

61

anoushka gourmet pvt. ltd.

45

p lal & sons

25

anupam industries

23

rans technocrats (india) pvt. ltd.

35

apple bakery machinery pvt. ltd.

14

remington steel arts

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archii 37

rodaaji company

19

BMS ENTERPRISES

shamsons foods

57

cremica food industries ltd. fic

SIAL CHINA 2015

71

dabon international pvt. ltd.

solutionz consulting PVT. LTD.

72

ds spiceco pvt. ltd. bc

STEC STAINLESS STEEL PVT. LTD.

51

edward food research and analysis centre limited

47

The new india electric & trading co.

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gennext logistics pvt. ltd.

18

the scs agribusiness consultants pvt. ltd.

29

hosfair guangdong 2015

41

trafs 2015

59

hotelex shanghai 2015

43

travel catering expo 2015

63

ifb industries ltd.

27

tropilite foods pvt. ltd.

39

india international dairy expo 2015

74

veldeman structure solutions

13

king metal works

05

venus industries

01

kitch’n solutions

65

PRODUCT PREVIEW

70

business opportunity

72

loom crafts furniture (india) pvt. ltd.

MANISHA INTERNATIONAl

15 07, 17, 53

30, 31 BIC

* FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER

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* BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

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* BC - BACK COVER

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i n terv i e w

Self-motivated and Passionate on Hospitality

By Sharmila Chand

A self-motivated, passionate and tenacious individual, Ashutosh Ranjan Thakur, Food & Beverage Manager, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet, Mumbai —Marriott Executive Apartments, has 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

With a degree in hotel management, he began work as a waiter. Today he is proud to be associated with the Marriott group as the F&B Manager at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet, Mumbai —Marriot Executive Apartments.

During his illustrious tenure, he has had experience of working with renowned hotel chains like Hyatt, Accor and Starwood among others. He also has experience of working in the Middle-East. The excerpts of the interview follow: What do you enjoy the most about being a Food & Beverage Manager?

brand in itself.

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

I love to feed people and being an F&B Manager allows me to do so. I love talking to guests and taking their feedback.

This helps me to do my job better and work towards giving guests memorable experiences in the restaurants.

What do you dislike the most in your job?

There is nothing I dislike about my job. I love my job to the point where the dislikes are so negligible that it seems petty to mention them.

Kindly describe some challenges in your job While there are challenges in every industry we also have a few basic operational challenges which can be solved through good team work. At our property, it becomes a challenge when all our banquets are full, all the restaurants are occupied and we have to cater to more than 2500 people at a time.

If you could change one thing about your career in hospitality, what would it be?

I wouldn’t change a thing, because all those experiences added up to make me what I am today. Good team can solve any problem arising in the workplace. This is the reason why as a Food & Beverage Manager I make it a point to have the best possible human resource. As one of my former bosses told me, “surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.”

What kind of pressures have you encountered at work?

Pressures with regards to operations

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are negligible. The only pressure we face is with the policies and procedures for licensing, etc. However, when our guests leave satisfied, it gives me immense pleasure and the pressure is more than compensated.

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

One needs to get to know one’s team members, provide them with basic trainings, and should professionally develop them.

At the same time, the Manager should recognise their good work; encourage them to build a customer-focused team.

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?

Working with the Marriott group is a great experience and Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel is an exciting

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel has a variety of F&B outlets, serving cuisines from different regions and cities. The USP of our restaurants are our Chefs. For example, Chef Vincenzo Zizza (popularly known as Chef Tony) specialises in Italian cuisine and heads the kitchen of Fratelli Fresh Restaurant, which is known for its Italian food. Similarly, Chef Yunus Khan and Chef Joo Kiang Ng head Nawab Saheb and Emperor’s Court (the later serves pan-Asian specialty cuisine), respectively.

They bring authentic flavours to the dishes and hence our F&B brands are extremely popular.

My F&B team, including Executive Chef Sandeep Pande, is enormously passionate about what we do, and hence we came up with this unique fine-dining concept named ‘R Chef at Home’. The concept involves our Executive Chef going to the homes of élite guests along with his team to set up a marvelous décor and cook up an exquisite meal paired with rare whiskeys for them, which has been tailored keeping in mind the preferences of the guests.

What is your take on the hospitality business in India, in general?

India has a lot of opportunities in the hospitality sector. The booming Indian hospitality sector needs talented professionals. I would also like to point out that the industry rewards the hard working and dedicated professionals with lucrative opportunities, and career progression is often faster here than in many other industries.

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