HORECA Malta Magazine - Issue 3

DIGITAL ISSUE

April 2020 | Issue No.3

horecamalta.com.mt

Exclusive interview with the new Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection, Julia Farrugia Portelli

Retail & Hospitality magazine

First Michelin Star Awards in Malta

2020 Vision: Hospitality Outlook for the New Decade

Training the Workforce Battling Food Waste

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 8.

16.

24.

26.

40.

44.

News:

Features:

14. The Malta Tourism

32. Training the future

31. Outdoor Cooling

34. The Wine Bulletin

The Hon Julia Farrugia Portelli

A Golden sautĂŠe pan and a symbolic plate

Michelin Stars A reason to Celebrate

2020 Vision: Hospitality Outlook

Authority holds 15th edition of Star Awards

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Gerber Group: An Extraordinary Success Story

made Easy

39. A fresh approach to

quality management and strategy for modern and dynamic buisnesses

Benna A Maltese Icon

A Knack for Logistics

workforce to battle food waste

Always attuned to the evolution of the foodservice industry and eating habits.

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Editor Tonio Schembri editor@horecamalta.com.mt

Publisher Ryan Galea horecamalta.com.mt

Editorial I welcome you to the third edition of Horeca Magazine in truly surreal circumstances – the well documented turn of events in the last few weeks has turned the world we live and work in truly upside down. Entire nations and whole industries have been brought to their knees – with the Horeca Industry being among the worst hit. While the sudden outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis raises doubts and fear in the hotel and restaurant industries, service excellence becomes extremely important under such unexpected circumstances. Hotel directors and restaurants owners are having to explore new business models and opportunities, albeit temporarily. These include new take-away and delivery concepts and modules.

The pandemic is also expected to cast a negative impact in the short term and in the next three to six months. Due to the suppression of customer demand, the industry is expected to face a period of concentrated demand release when the pandemic subsides, based on experiences from SARS seventeen years ago. Due to the uncertainty of the changes in customer needs, hotels and restaurants need to review their existing service offerings to adapt to the changes in customer experience. For example, restaurants may start presenting personal serving cutlery when delivering a shared dish, whilst hotels may start promoting contactless delivery for in-roomdining, whilst possibly designing menus in single portions rather than a sharing size. We hope you enjoy this digital copy of Horeca Magazine, which includes an exclusive interview with the Hon Julia Farrugia Portelli, Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection, who outlines her experience in dealing with the Corona threat.

Stay safe and take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Get Social with us... Q E C @HorecaMalta

Contributors Joe Vella Josef Bonello Joseph Galea Jo Caruana Kristina Cassar Dowling

Administration Sarah Formosa Clara Cachia Jennifer Azzopardi Daniela Sammut

Sales & Marketing

sales@horecamalta.com.mt

Production and Design Reno Cucciardi (switchpg.com)

Photography Jonathan Borg

Distribution & Logistics

Mailbox Door to Door Distribution 39, Kurat Schembri Street, Mosta MST 1176 MALTA info@mailbox.com.mt

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed in Horeca are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. All reasonable care is taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but the editor and publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles, advertising, photographs or illustrations. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome but cannot be returned without a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. The editor is not responsible for material submitted for consideration. While we endeavour to ensure that firms and organisations mentioned are reputable, the publisher or editor can give no guarantee that they will fulfil their obligations under all circumstances. Š 2019

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Interview

The newly appointed Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Julia Farrugia Portelli The Hon Julia Farrugia Portelli had barely settled in her new role as Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection when she was faced with dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. In an exclusive interview with Horeca Magazine, the Hon Minister shares her experience in the first few months in her new role and the challenges the local tourism industry is currently facing. >

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Congratulations on your new appointment as Minister for Tourism, one of the most important portfolios within the Maltese government.

What is your overall assessment of the current situation within the Tourism, Hospitality and Catering industries in view of the ongoing growth in recent years?

I am indeed honoured that the Prime Minister has entrusted me with this important and wideranging portfolio. Tourism is seen as my primary responsibility, but my ministerial responsibilities include also tourism studies, the film industry, the Freeport, national parks, countryside and valley management, urban embellishment, together with competition and consumer affairs, public cleansing and maintenance. All very interesting areas where a lot has been done in recent years but also where there are still several challenges and opportunities to take on and do even more with the ultimate objective being to have a better Maltese Islands for the Maltese residents as well as those visiting us from abroad for holiday, business or to visit friends and relatives. I am very pleased with the combination of state assets in my portfolio as it allows for considerable synergies and fast interventions in various areas.

When I took up this portfolio just over 3 months ago, we were debating the idea of capping tourism numbers, slowing down our rate of growth and targeting more a higher spending visitor to our Islands. In the space of just one month all tourism has vanished and with Covid-19 still spreading strong in our tourism source markets we are now with the unhappy prospect of zero incoming tourism for

the weeks and months ahead. Our world, our strategy has been turned upside down and we are being faced with the task of starting back from scratch. My focus currently is to support the tourism industry, as well as other sectors under my responsibility, in Malta and Gozo, to survive and be even better prepared when the time comes to bounce back and rebuild quickly and strongly.

It has truly been a baptism of fire, but I truly believe we’ll be back stronger than before as soon as the health crisis is over and the world economy starts to slowly recover.

The COVID-19 High Level Working Group, set up by the Ministry for Tourism and Consumer Protection has issued a set of Operational Guidelines for operators in the Travel and Tourism Sectors.

What is the scope of this document in relation to the COVID-19 situation and how are interested partners gearing up in this unwanted scenario?

The COVID-19 High Level Working Group was an initiative in anticipation of the huge challenges that I saw coming our way. With hindsight I can say that this has functioned extremely well and the working group has helped us with having very strong direct lines of communication, important dialogue and quick hard decisions taken with full industry support. The work of this group is ongoing but in the past weeks we have switched to online communication and meetings.

This efficient set up has made it possible for us to set up and offer the services of a helpline

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centre for the industry, tourists that were in Malta as well as the Maltese public. Thousands of calls have been taken and hundreds of emails answered with a solution of advice.

This working group has also been very active in the consultations with the Prime Minister as well as other Ministries and state agencies to draw up the generous industry support measures that have been announced as well as others that we are still working on.

Looking ahead, what are the long-term goals and challenges facing Tourism in Malta. Are the plans for “Strategy 2025” still on track? What initiatives are being planned to improve Malta’s tourism product.

The 2020 -2025 strategy that I was ready to launch in February is naturally now shelved as we are in a new reality. The revised strategy that we are working on will have to target building up tourism once again from zero but keeping in mind the experience and teachings of the past.

It is my objective to balance the necessity of building up numbers early on, to oil and give fuel to our tourism industry, but at the same time keeping in mind that Malta and Gozo must aim to position themselves as a destination of choice for a fulfilling travel experience and seek to keep The Maltese Islands out of the price war that mass tourism destinations will be embroiled in.

Every cloud, or I better say this perfect storm, can have a silver lining. It is an opportunity to re-design our future towards a more profitable, sustainable and eco-friendly tourism industry.

In order to achieve a higher level of quality and deliver a memorable tourism experience we must now more than ever capitalise on this down time to invest in the industry’s HR, facilities as well as the infrastructure of the

destination for the benefit of both the local residents and the tourists that will be visiting us again.

The local population will be the first clients of Malta & Gozo’s tourism industry once the current social distancing regulations can be relaxed and then withdrawn.

Malta’s culinary culture has been recognised with the first ever Michelin Star awards. Can you share your thoughts on this prestigious achievement?

I am really happy with these awards as the level of excellence that several of Malta’s and Gozo’s restaurants have attained is now officially recognised by the Michelin brand, one of the foremost global authorities in the culinary arts scene.

I also take much pride in the fact that all 3 chefs that have been awarded the Michelin star are past students of Malta’s Institute of Tourism Studies. This is a very important acknowledgment of the standards at ITS. ITS shall be playing a key role in the new future of Malta’s tourism industry, not only in culinary arts but also in all others area of industry like service, events organisation, tour guiding and general management to mention a few.

Unfortunately, the announcement of these awards has been obscured by the Covid-19 emergency but one of the first activities on my agenda once we can organise social events again is the formal presentation of the Michelin Star plaques to the awarded restaurants.

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to traditional methods within the context of a modern and buzzing restaurant scene.

Reaching for the Stars...

The recent announcement of the first Malta Michelin Guide together with the award of the first Michelin stars highlights the islands’ outstanding restaurants, breadth of cuisine styles and culinary skills that are available across Malta, Gozo and Comino. Established in the late 19th century, Michelin has maintained its benchmark of international food for more than 120 years, recognising some of the greatest cuisines in the world.

Our islands have made considerable strides in this regard, especially in recent years. Ideally positioned at the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta is slowly establishing itself as a gastronomic destination which serves up a wide range of dishes influenced by the many civilisations that made these islands their home.

In a bid to embrace the long standing and diverse culinary history of these islands, the Malta Tourism Authority has been championing local, sustainable gastronomy that tips its hat

The MTA welcomes this first edition of the Malta Michelin Guide which signifies a coming of age of our quality restaurants. Eating out is a major component of any holiday experience, and with the growing interest in all things related to food, it is becoming increasingly important for Malta to maintain a high standard in its gastronomic offer. Having a first Michelin star establishment on the island is definitely a step in the right direction. Whilst congratulating the winners – De Mondion, Noni and Under Grain – and their respective chefs, we encourage others to raise the bar for themselves, and aim ever higher in their respective area of operation. Not everyone will get a Michelin star. But no matter what type of establishment, cuisine, or category one is operating in, one can always aim to raise standards and perform better for themselves, their employers and, most importantly, their clients.

Speaking of raising standards and making that extra bit of effort, I would like to mention MTA’s own STAR Awards scheme which has been running for fifteen years and which is a way of recognising outstanding individuals who work in the tourism industry and offer exceptional service and hospitality to tourists. Thousands of nominations are received every year from visitors acclaiming the positive experiences and complimenting the service and hospitality they received during their stay in Malta. During a presentation event held at the end of February, just a handful of these nominees were declared winners of this year’s Special Thanks And Recognition STAR Awards. But for us, all those who go out of their way to make a tourist’s stay more enjoyable are all stars.

Dr Gavin Gulia Executive Chairman Malta Tourism Authority

more to explore MTA Full page Advert 1

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THE MALTA TOURISM AUTHORITY HOLDS 15TH EDITION OF STAR AWARD This year’s edition of the Special Thanks And Recognition (STAR) Awards presentation ceremony took place on Thursday 27th February at the Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s. Organised for the fifteenth consecutive year by the Malta Tourism Authority, this annual event recognises exceptional service and hospitality by the people who work in the tourism industry.

Nominees for the STAR awards require a minimum number of nominations to be shortlisted as finalists. The nominee with the highest number of nominations in any given category is declared winner. This year, the STAR Service Awards Categories included Most Nominated Restaurant Employee, Most Nominated Visitor Attraction Employee, Most Nominated Accommodation Employee, Tourist Guide and Host Family. On the other hand, the Hotel Worker of the Year award is for personnel working within a hotel, irrespective of whether that person has direct contact with the tourist.

Nominations for this award are submitted by hotel management. This year’s winners of STAR Awards in the various categories are: Mr Mark Caruana from Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Mr Jorge Vicioso - tourist guide, Ms

Ruby Amiana Bartolini - Ocean Basket, Ms Marilyn Credo - BB DeRohan, and Ms Marie Girlando winner in the host family category.

The STAR awards also recognised the Esplora Interactive Science Centre as the most nominated visitor attraction, the Salini Resort as the most nominated accommodation, BB De Rohan as the most nominated small accommodation, and Ocean Basket as the most nominated restaurant.

The Hotel Worker of the Year award for 2019 was won by Ms Melissa Samburgo, a Guest Relations Manager at the Grand Hotel Excelsior.

During the ceremony, a special recognition award was given to Mr William Hatherly for his contribution to the tourism sector. Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Julia Farrugia Portelli congratulated all nominees and winners of the STAR Awards. Farrugia Portelli recognized the importance of high-quality service and tourism product in the hospitality industry which contributes to the country’s economic progress and well-being.

For more information on the STAR Awards or to nominate a person working in the tourism industry, visit: www.starawardsmalta.com

qualityassuredmalta.com Your trusted source for Malta and Gozo's quality restaurants, visitor attractions and destination management companies

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Michelin Stars A Reason to Celebrate Although things in Malta’s restaurant scene have not been particularly rosy since, it is only a few weeks since the island received its highest culinary honour yet – three Michelin stars. Here Jo Caruana speaks to the chefs behind these trailblazing restaurants.

There is no professional chef in the world that hasn’t heard of the Michelin Guide or dreamt about being part of it.

Considered the pinnacle of gastronomic achievement, the Michelin Guide team travels the world to highlight the best gourmet establishments around the world to its readers and to quote its International Director Gwendal Poullennec: “The Maltese culinary scene has talents that are worthy of discovery by foodies from around the world.” We knew it!

So Malta proudly joined the 32 countries already in the Guide earlier this year, and 26 local restaurants received official recognition, 20 were awarded a Michelin ‘Plate’, and three (Commando, Rubino and Terrone) were awarded a Bib Gourmand. Topping the list, though, were Noni and Under Grain in Valletta and de Mondion in Mdina, which each received their very own Michelin star. These are their chefs’ memories of that very special moment and their thoughts on what is to come.

Michelin Stars / 17

De Mondion

De Mondion, within the Xara Palace, is one of our island’s most established brands in culinary excellence. Chef de Cuisine Kevin Bonello has been striving for a Michelin star for years, and stopped at nothing to elevate his team to the standards needed to achieve it.

“For as long as I can remember I have wanted the Michelin guide to come to Malta to evaluate our gastronomic offering – it’s been a dream of mine,” says Kevin. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy but, finally, after a lot of work by a lot of people, we convinced them to come – and of course we are thrilled with the results.

“We actually knew that Malta was going to be evaluated in the middle of last year and then, in November, we learnt that the announcements

would be made on 26 February 2020. I will never forget that day, or the moment I received the call from the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) to tell us we had got the star. Yes I had always believe we were good enough to make it, but until you hear it from Michelin themselves you can’t be sure.”

Kevin certainly has experience of Michelin standards, having spent three years working in different Michelin starred restaurants 18 years ago. He has also travelled extensively since, never resting on his laurels and always experiencing the very latest and best culinary trends.

“As a Relais & Châteaux property we are also exposed to an incredible network of chefs, >

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Sharing his advice about what it takes to achieve that coveted star, Kevin says it comes down to honesty with yourself, persistence, and your ability to listen. “I took on board all the advice given to me and never stopped trying to improve what we do. We also listen carefully to any feedback from our clients, even on social media. We listen and adjust; feedback is very important.”

Now that de Mondion’s star is in hand, I ask what is next? “We need to keep it!” Kevin smiles.

“Our dream is to get our second star within quite a short period, so now it is all about consolidating what we have and pushing for what we know we can still achieve.”

and we regularly share our ideas or get invited to experience their properties. Then, three years ago, we held our first Four Hands dinner, with Michelin-starred chefs joining us for an incredible evening of great food and service. It was all part of our journey towards gaining our very own star.”

Today, Kevin says that de Mondion has crafted its menu around using local produce – and that is something that diners truly love. “International guests come here because they want to experience something they cannot get in their own countries. So we have evolved some of our local dishes to ensure we give them that in an elevated way, such as snails cooked in broth with veal sweetbreads, egg yolk and cauliflower (a variation on a dish my mother used to make).

You’ll also always find local rabbit and pork on our menu. We do something special with them, of course, but they will always be there.”

Michelin Stars / 19

Under Grain

Having only been open five months when it secured its star, Undergrain was one of the biggest surprises from the Michelin announcements. Winning was an incredible honour, says chef Victor Borg.

“I read that Malta had been chosen to be part of the Michelin guide last year and there was a huge buzz around that. Then, on 26 February, I received the call from the MTA telling us we had won – it was absolutely incredible.

“Because there really is nothing better than a Michelin star for a restaurant; it’s the ultimate and every professional chef’s dream – the Academy Awards of cooking. It places you in that elite club that everyone wants to be part of.”

Having only been open for five months, Victor admits he had no way of knowing whether his team had done enough to make a big enough impression in such a short time. “Knowing that we did is wonderful, and achieving it so quickly is something of a record; it is very rare in Michelin Guide history that a restaurant achieves its first star in under a year from opening.

“Still, we know they came to visit us on numerous occasions because a star is all about consistency, with different inspectors judging each visit to test the food, service, and overall experience. It’s great to know that they like what they saw – and tasted!” >

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Now Victor says the team will keep doing what they’re doing. “It’s great to know that we are on the right track – and we have celebrated that – but we will continue to keep our heads down and push ourselves everyday. There are always ways to do things better, that’s what this profession is all about: hard work, long hours, and learning form the best people. It’s a huge learning curve and you cannot just become a chef overnight – it generally takes around 10 years to get to a level you can be really proud of. There are lots of sacrifices but it is worth it.

And who knows? Maybe we will now get that second star!”

Victor believes that it is a resolute attention to detail that has set Undergrain apart. “That’s definitely the secret,” he says. “Along with our menu, which is small – with just six starters, six main dishes, and four desserts – our service strives to be exceptional.”

I asked Victor to pick his favourites from his menu. “That’s impossible!” he laughs. “But I would highlight our tartare of seabass with oyster chantilly, pickled white radish and dill oil to start with, our BBQ rump of milk-fed veal with pickled clams, courgette purée, bagna cauda and vin jaune for mains, and our VB baked and glazed white chocolate cheesecake with passion fruit sorbet for dessert – it’s my signature and I have been making it for over 20 years.”

Michelin Stars / 21

Noni

Representing dishes from Malta and the Mediterranean with a touch of French cuisine, Noni was the third restaurant to secure its first Michelin star. Chef Jonathan Brincat has certainly trail-blazed his way to that achievement.

“This is the holy grail for us,” Jonathan says with a wide smile.

“We knew that the Guide would be coming to Malta for the first time as we received an email from them highlighting that fact – but of course we had no idea when they would turn up or who would attend. It was exciting, and overwhelming to receive that call on 26 February to tell us we had been successful.

What a dream.”

Jonathan has worked in numerous Michelinstarred restaurants over the years, so he had an understanding of what the Guide would expect.

As a result, the Noni menu focuses on strong flavours and uses local whenever possible. “We love what we do, and I certainly think that has given us the upper hand.”

Among the restaurant’s unique dishes on the menu, Jonathan highlights the slow-cooked octopus tagine with Israel cous cous, kalamata olives, and marjoram oil. “It is a dish that I came up with over five years ago and we constantly fine tune it to make it as perfect as can be.

Like all our dishes, it is inspired by international elements and then given our local touch. That’s also true of our ‘Te fit-Tazza’ dessert, which is an elevated version of the Kazin classic.” >

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home – just with an added touch of luxury.

“We’re not super formal. We want our guests to feel comfortable while having a wonderful experience. That’s what success looks like for us.”

And next? “Well, we keep that star of course!” the chef says. “We will be tested constantly as a Michelin-starred restaurant now, and that’s great. We will be 100 per cent consistent every single day.”

For Jonathan, the journey to winning Noni’s star has been a 24-hour-a-day commitment. “Our life is all about cooking,” he says. “You have to put your heart, mind and everything into it. You cannot do it for the money or the fame – it’s 100 per cent love.”

Jonathan says he and the team crafted the Noni experience to feel like dinner in a Maltese

Jo Caruana is a journalist, editor, business owner, and actress. She runs WriteMeAnything.com – a full service content agency that puts together the words for books, magazines, website, blogs and more, as well as Finesse Consulta – a business etiquette, customer care and protocol training company. Jo is also editor of Style on Sunday and Malta CEOs, and is a founding member of the Comedy Knights comedy troupe and the all-female theatre collective the Shrinking Violets.

THIS SHALL PASS TOO #StayHome

horecamalta.com.mt

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Interview

KPH Group Benna A Maltese Icon

At this moment, more than ever, key local brands are standing out as stalwarts of our daily lives – and Benna is one of them. Here, Jo Caruana discovers the latest news from Debbie Eacott, Chief Business Development Officer for the KPH Group, and discovers how this giant of the dairy industry has found success thanks to its commitment to quality and continuous improvement.

Benna is one of Malta’s most iconic household names, but there is a lot about the brand that you probably don’t know. To start with, the brand belongs to Malta Dairy Products Ltd – a subsidiary of Koperattiva Produtturi talHalib Ltd. KPH Group, a leading cooperative

committed to the development of the local milk sector, beef processing and distribution, animal feeds and farm support services and supplies, making it another pillar of the local economy and food sector.

The cooperative has been established since 1958, but the history of how dairy has evolved in Malta dates back far longer. For instance, May 1938 saw the official inauguration and opening of the Milk Centre in Hamrun, which went on to become the Milk Marketing Undertaking (MMU) in 1943. It was around that time that the sale and distribution of pasteurised goat milk started in Valletta, Floriana, Sliema, and Hamrun, all in special electrically driven vans. Then, after the Second World War, cow’s milk started to be pasteurised and sold too, just like goats’ milk was – just with different caps. This led us towards another important milestone in 1957,

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when the whole of Malta was closed for the sale of raw milk. Then, after fast-forwarding to the mid-80s, 1986 was the historical year when the decision was taken to became owned by local farmers.

The MMU transferred its obligations and responsibilities to the newly-formed private company Malta Dairy Products Ltd and, two years later, the brand name Benna was introduced on the products – just as we know it now.

Today, Benna processes, packs and distributes fresh liquid milk and milk products that have originated solely from cows across the Maltese islands. To achieve this, fresh milk is delivered daily from around 63 farms in Malta and 33 in Gozo. The milk is not sterilised but pasteurised, thus retaining its fresh taste and quality. No matter what the brand has trailblazed its path and now stands as the number one choice for fresh ingredients – both across the catering industry and for direct consumers.

Faced with today’s challenges, it is sad to

see the normally-buzzing island so quiet and empty. MDP has had to adapt fast to ensure that the people continue to be served fresh Benna products daily, and the company has kept its daily distribution going to supermarkets, and has even started a home delivery service for those who cannot get out in these challenging times.

From the farm to the table, no matter the circumstances, MDP’s ability to adapt and react to customers’ needs ensures that, come what may, there will always be fresh milk delivered daily wherever you are in Malta.

And finally, like so many companies across our islands, Benna is doing what it can to support the community in the face of the Coronavirus crisis. This includes gladly donating its fresh products to those on the frontline of keeping Malta safe, including Feeding Heroes, the Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Directorate, the National Blood Transfusion Unit, and the Ministry of Health.

Jo Caruana is a journalist, editor, business owner, and actress. She runs WriteMeAnything.com – a full service content agency that puts together the words for books, magazines, website, blogs and more, as well as Finesse Consulta – a business etiquette, customer care and protocol training company. Jo is also editor of Style on Sunday and Malta CEOs, and is a founding member of the Comedy Knights comedy troupe and the all-female theatre collective the Shrinking Violets.

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Interview

A golden sautĂŠe pan and a symbolic plate

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Excellent food is not all it takes to give diners their magical restaurant experience. It takes a lot more. Most of us who dine in restaurants set an expectation they hope will be achieved from the moment they set their reservation to the moment they walk out of the restaurant’s doors - there needs to be a standard.

Sitting at a Root81 table, whether with family or friends, is an experience from start to finish.

There’s a feeling that you’re being taken care of in the establishment and it’s one instilled by Patron Chef Robert Cassar.

This past season has been a proud and rewarding time for Chef Robert - he walked out of 2019 with a golden sautée pan noting him as the Chef of the Year, as acclaimed by The Definitive(ly) Good Food Guide to Restaurants in Malta and Gozo. The Food Guide celebrated its 20th Anniversary this year and held an evening banquet late in 2019 to award all chefs and restaurants with not only a fully thought out menu, but also an award ceremony to recognise this season’s most hard working chefs and established restaurants.

Robert’s title of Chef of the Year was just the beginning of his, and Root81’s triumphs. Once the coveted Michelin Guide set its eyes on Malta, the Rabat restaurant found itself with a well-deserving Michelin Guide Plate. The Michelin Plate is a recognised symbol that awards restaurateurs, a nod in approval for the ‘very good food’ that the restaurant and its team are serving.

Restaurants generally enter the Guide with a Plate, move on to a Bib Gourmand and throughout their years of excellence hold the >

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level. This robust dish deserves a wine that can keep up with it, the Meridianna Bel Syrah makes for an excellent companion.

treasured Michelin Star, with 3 Stars as the pinnacle record of success. Three stars denote ‘exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey’ and Root81 will get there.

Root81’s journey starts off with a philosophy claiming ‘as nature teaches us, good food starts from its root’, a mantra Chef Robert takes to heart and carries with him in every dish he creates. His use of fresh, seasonal and local ingredients keeps the colour, composition and ultimately taste at an all-time high; but more importantly, Robert’s passion for his art is what makes his food stand tall among the rest.

The Root81 menu is composed of Mediterranean classics, transformed with a modern twist to create innovative and crowdpleasing dishes to fit any palette. Some of the classics on the new menu include the beef carpaccio with a three-pepper crust, a raisin purée, dried cherry tomatoes and fresh rucola - the contemporary plating and elegant garnish of parmigiano chips takes it to a whole new

While other opening courses set the right tone for the meal to follow, the octopus terrine featuring gherkins, capers, olives and a sweet orange dressing is a starting dish that’s hard to beat. However Chef Robert has landed on a goldmine with the Grilled Asparagus dish, featuring portobello and oyster mushrooms lightly covered in a bernaise sauce, doused with pine nuts and crowned with a beautifully poached egg. This combination of texture, freshness, richness and simplicity gives this starter item a leaping head start. These pristine dishes can be ordered off the new menu, one that as Chef Robert describes “delight your appetite”.

“As the seasons turn, so does our menu. At Root 81, we believe that our dishes should be made from only the freshest ingredients our local land has to offer, from which we create wholesome, hearty meals to delight your appetite,” Robert explains.

The seasonality and strive for fresh, quality ingredients does not stop at the list of exquisite starters. Other delectable options include fresh pasta, local mains and a grill section featuring two cuts of meat in four different varieties, a sirloin served as a steak or tagliata as well as a ribeye cut served as a steak as well as a

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Tomahawk presentation. Each charcoal grilled to the diner’s liking and served with roasted vegetables, potatoes and an added touch of elegance with every served dish. There’s never enough jazz for Chef Robert.

“I like to think of myself as Chef for the people,” he says. “When I set my mind on something I’m going to make it happen - if I promise something… I’ll deliver. That’s the message I give out to the world and it’s exactly what I get back from my team at Root81. We work together to achieve what we do, and we’ll only get better if we work as one.”

be proud of it,” he says. Chef Robert is a culinary vision whose concepts are fair, passionate and truly genuine to his ethos. A Chef Patron whose humility and determination takes him out of the kitchen and onto the restaurant floors to mingle with his clientele, recommend wines and take feedback on the meals he carefully prepared for each of them. The culinary world needs more chefs to follow his philosophies.

Robert’s ethos for the catering industry is pretty simple when it comes to his kitchen - if you’ve got an idea, let’s hear it, make it better and make it happen. Chef is a clear believer that the success he’s seen in his line of work is due to the dedication and commitment that he pours into his craft. “If you’re doing something good -

Kristina Cassar Dowling is a journalist, blogger and writer who focuses on food culture, the arts and sustainable lifestyles - her biggest passions in life. Kristina is a freelance writer who also focuses on human stories, business and other niches.

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OUTDOOR COOLING MADE EASY Evaporative cooling is the ‘cooling’ effect or the ‘chill’ you feel when a breeze strikes your skin.

The air evaporates the water on your skin, with your body heat providing the energy. By forcing water by means of a high-pressure pump through specially designed misting nozzles, we create a fog of ultrafine water droplets with an average size of less than 10 microns (µ).

for chillers and refrigeration units / HVAC systems for airports, hotels, hospitals and more. Systems can also be used to effectively keep away unwelcome guests like mosquitoes, flies, birds and rodents, whilst also suppressing dust, pollen and odours. It is also possible to locate the cooling effect where needed, without necessarily covering very large areas,

These tiny water droplets quickly absorb the energy (heat) present in the environment and evaporate, becoming water vapour (gas). The energy (heat) used to exchange the water to gas is eliminated from the environment, hence the surrounding air is cooled. These misting systems can be installed as fixed or as mobile systems, depending on your preference and premises size and layout and can be installed in areas such as gardens, restaurants, swimming pools, bars, beaches, walkways, sports stadiums, any outdoor events, factories, food storage warehouses, wine cellars, supermarkets (fruit, vegetable, meat and fish displays), cheese farms, greenhouses, dairy farms, poultry farms, pig farms, tobacco industry, textile industry, paper mills and wood working, pre-cooling

saving on installation costs. The estimated cost for installation is less than 50% that of refrigerated air conditioning and the estimated cost of operation is 25% that of refrigerated air and power consumption is limited to the fan and water pump vs compressors, pumps and blowers of traditional air conditioning. Options to buy outright or rent the mobile fans available.

This cooling effect is a simple, inexpensive and appealing way to lower the surrounding air temperature by between 10 - 12°C outdoors without wetting anything. Nothing gets wet and it has no adverse effects on ladies’ hairstyles either! Misting systems from Mistec helps you treat your guests and yourself to a refreshing oasis, like a cool breeze on a hot day!

Call MISTEC Malta – Peter (99365999 / 27322729) or email malta@mistec-inc.com or visit our website www.mistec-inc.com

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Training the future workforce to battle food waste The Institute of Tourism Studies is one of the partners in the EU funded Life Foster project, aimed at reducing food waste in the restaurant industry.

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Co-financed by the EU Commission LIFE Programme and led by the Italian network for VET, ENAIP NET, the LIFE FOSTER project aims at reducing waste in the restaurant industry.

Food waste has become a key priority on the European agenda, in the context of a drive towards reducing waste production more generally.

This has been reflected in the European Commission’s 2015 Circular Economy Action Plan which lists food waste as one of its priority areas. Globally, 30% of food is wasted. (1) The project will be implemented in France, Italy, Spain and Malta.

The Institute of Tourism Studies, together with the Malta Business Bureau are the Maltese partners within the project.

LIFE FOSTER consists entirely of direct and indirect actions aimed at raising awareness about the problem of food waste and optimal food storage. The project will implement a bottom-up approach involving the education of trainee chefs, kitchen staff and front-of-house restaurant personnel.

This will be coupled with promotion of the project’s findings through seminars and workshops targeting restaurant staff and owners, networking with other LIFE projects dealing with food

waste, and through the engagement of policy stakeholders. The Institute of Tourism Studies has identified lecturers who have been trained on methods of food waste management and reduction in restaurant environments.

Throughout the course of the project, they will train other ITS lecturers, and in turn the lecturers will train the students.

The latter will use these techniques immediately, during work placements locally and abroad, resulting in these methods being adopted by restaurants in the short term through placements, and in the long term through employment.

By the end of the project, in 2021, the project aims at having 70 training VET centres involved, 500 trainers trained, 7,000 students trained, 3,600 companies and 10,000 professionals involved.

ENAIP NET (Italy) is the LIFE FOSTER project’s lead partner, with the Malta Business Bureau (MBB - Malta), Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS – Malta), Federazione Italiana Cuochi (FIC – Italy), University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG – Italy), Confederación Española de Centros de Enseñanza (CECE – Spain) and Agence nationele pour la Formation Professionelle des Adultes (AFPA – France) making up the rest of the consortium.

(1) LIFE FOSTER project (LIFE17 GIE/IT/000579) has been co-funded with the support of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Union. This press release reflects only the author’s view. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

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The Wine Bulletin CHANGES IN THE VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO, AMARONE AND RECIOTO PRODUCTION REGULATIONS

Reported by Civilta’ del Bere: http://www.italianwinechronicle.com/

Important changes to the Valpolicella Ripasso, Amarone and Recioto production regulations, from the 2019 vintage, have been announced by the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella in order to safeguard the quality of an appellation undergoing a strong phase of development.

The percentage of Corvinone in the DOC blend (formerly a maximum of 50%, now between 45 and 95%): the variety, which is more resistant to water stress and esca, can now completely replace Corvina. Residual sugar allowed for Amarone has also been reduced from 12g/litre to 9g/litre. The Valpolicella DOC will be able to resort to screw caps for bottles up to 1.5 litres, for better integration on international markets.

New rules for Valpolicella Ripasso A crackdown on Valpolicella Ripasso, which grew by 128% between 2008 and 2018: from this vintage it will have to include 10-15% of wine destined to Amarone and/or Recioto left on pomace after racking. The Ripasso technique will take place in one go (without double or triple Ripasso operations), and both wine and pomace will have to belong to the same producer.

The Wine Bulletin / 35

THE BEST WAYS TO PRESERVE WINE AFTER OPENING BY WSET GLOBAL Lockdown is the perfect time to work on improving your tasting skills. If you are opening more than one bottle at a time, how can you preserve your wine’s freshness for as long as possible?

Practising wine tasting without a study group is always challenging. It’s also more expensive, as you cannot split the cost between you and then you’re left with wine you understandably wouldn’t want to waste.

From the moment you open the bottle, the clock is ticking, and your wine is beginning to lose its aromas and flavour characteristics.

We’ve put together the best wine preservation tips to help you keep your wine at its best for a little bit longer. Why does wine go off in the first place? Wine has quite a few enemies - light and heat amongst them. But exposure to oxygen is the greatest threat it faces.

Oxygen turns wine into vinegar. So when considering how to preserve wine, it’s key to make sure that your wine is protected from exposure to the air as much as possible. A good start is remembering to close the bottle after each pour, but this doesn’t really go far enough.

Tips to preserve your Wine

1.

Store opened wine bottles in an upright position Once

opened all wine bottles (whether screwcap or cork) should be stored in an upright position to reduce the surface area exposed to oxygen.

2.

Keep your wine in the fridge Because they’re

usually best enjoyed chilled, putting opened white wines in the fridge feels instinctive. When it comes to red wine, because its characteristics are better expressed in warmer temperatures, any form of chilling might seem like a faux pas. But you shouldn’t be afraid of storing opened red wine in the fridge.

Cooler temperatures slow down chemical processes, including oxidation. A re-closed bottle of red or white wine in the fridge can stay relatively fresh for up to five days.

Some light-bodied reds can actually be very enjoyable while served slightly chilled

3.

Use a wine preservation system If you don’t mind paying,

a professional wine preserver can help you keep your wine fresh for even longer. Although there are many gadgets and devices available, two wine preservation systems seem to be the most popular and effective Vacuum pumps suck the air out of an opened bottle so it can be re-sealed hermetically without the oxygen affecting the wine. This is an affordable option commonly used in restaurants and bars.

Vacu Vin is the best-known brand – this company invented the vacuum pump wine preservation system.

They promise up to two weeks extra life for an opened bottle of wine.

Inert wine gas preservation >

36 / The Wine Bulletin

systems can keep your opened wine fresh for even longer, but this is usually more of an enthusiast option since they can be quite expensive. This system is based on inserting an inert gas – usually argon - into the bottle.

This gas, being lighter than oxygen, creates a protective layer on the surface of the wine.

The best-known brand is Coravin. This brand offers a device with a needle which punctures a hole in the cork to extract wine without pulling the cork out thus avoiding any contact with oxygen. The wine is then replaced with argon gas and the cork naturally re-seals as if the bottle had never been opened.

There is also an option for screwcap wines that, according to Coravin, can keep wine fresh for up three months.

A more affordable solution is a gas canister system, such as Private Preserve. This works in a similar way to Coravin.

You insert a mixture of gas into the bottle to protect the wine from oxygen. With this system, you have to uncork the bottle and use the gas when re-sealing it, so there will be some exposure to oxygen.

Private Preserve promises that the wine will last “for months and even years”.

4.

Take advantage of smaller bottles Wine bottles come in at

least twelve different sizes (Read our Definitive guide to wine bottle shapes and sizes). If you don’t want to invest in an expensive wine preservation system, you

could consider decanting your left-over wines into smaller bottles and keep them in the fridge under screwcap. There’s less room for air in small bottles so less exposure to oxygen.

Alternatively, you can simply buy your wine in smaller sizes. Although half bottles or splits are less frequently available in supermarkets, you can easily buy them online.

How to store Champagne, Prosecco and other sparkling wines after opening Direct light is dangerous for all wines and they should always be stored in the dark.

Strong light can damage a wine’s flavours and aromas and lead to discolouration. Sparkling wines are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of light.

That’s why you’ll find Champagnes or Cavas nearly always sold in dark bottles.

Wine preservation systems, unfortunately, do not work for sparkling wines. Inert gas-based systems are only suitable for still wines, while the vacuum pumps will suck out the bubbles, leaving the wine flat.

5.

Use a sparkling wine stopper

If you want to keep a sparkling wine fresh, your best bet is a Champagne stopper. They are inexpensive and can keep your bubbles going for up to five days. Traditional method sparkling wines like Champagne and Cava will last longer than tank method wines like Prosecco. Don’t be tempted to put a teaspoon in the neck of your bottle this is proven to be ineffective.

The Wine Bulletin / 37

AN ALTERED SENSE OF SMELL: EVERY WINE PROFESSIONAL’S BIGGEST FEAR For a while I was scared. While I was ill, I noticed that something strange was happening with my palate. I could taste food OK, although maybe there was a slight loss of smell (remember, what we think of as ‘taste’ is usually smell and taste combined). But wine started tasting very strange. And not very nice. >

38 / The Wine Bulletin

Both whites and reds tasted a bit simple, and also slightly stewed and oxidised at the same time. It was as if some sensations were missing, while others were either made up by my brain, or in some strange way I was becoming hypersensitive to particular aromas that ended up masking the others.

So I stopped opening wine. This lasted for around two weeks. It was worrying: being able to discriminate among wines – to understand them, enjoy them, say sensible things about them, and to judge them – is a large part of how I make my living. I’m not ready to stop doing what I love. And I’d find it difficult to start a new career right now, even though I’m not stupid and I have transferrable skills. For a while though, that’s what I was looking at.

When my palate returned to normal (this happened over the course of a couple of days) I was very happy.

We age and our sensory capabilities change. While taste (the five basic tastes, perceived in the mouth, largely by the tongue) seems to remain quite stable, smell drops off with age. Half of people between the aged of 65 and 80 have decreased olfactory function, and three-quarters of those over 80 suffer from

this. A reasonable number of wine professionals carry on tasting wine past what was previously retirement age (65). Are they still tasting well? At what point does the benefit of experience become outweighed by failing olfactory abilities?

This brush with a dodgy sense of olfaction made me think about this. I knew I wasn’t tasting very well, and if it gets to the point that I think I’m not tasting well because of age at some point in the future, then I don’t want to bluff it.

So I’m going to work out a plan B, so I can carry on with my work, but it doesn’t involve tasting wines professionally, just in case.

For now, though, I think I’m tasting really well. But I don’t take it for granted.

We’ve had three weeks of lockdown now. I was sick for the first two. Now I’m feeling great. I go for my permitted exercise walk every day (there are some nice fields and woods here that you can walk through), and I have two book projects to work on. I can’t wait for this to be over, but at the same time I think the world will be quite different, post COVID-19.

(I’ve also been busy adding content to the main wineanorak site.)

By Jamiegoode www.wineanorak.com/wineblog

Joséf Bonello Anointed by the god Bacchus himself as one of his most loyal prophets, Joséf was entrusted with the sacred mission of bringing wine to people very early on in his adult life. Spreading his mantra that age improves with wine, he has now been delivering the good news for almost three decades, saving many a poor soul from being lost to meagre pleasures of other earthly potions by helping them see the light eternal, as seen through a gleaming goblet of wine of the finest.

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Here’s where THREESIXO comes in. THREESIXO is a young, dynamic, energetic and vibrant consultancy firm, established in 2014. Consultants at THREESIXO work alongside the management team of the business in order to build and implement a strategy and improve quality throughout all business areas by adopting and implementing good management practices, standards and processes. Services, solutions and training programs are all tailor-made depending on

the unique requirements of a company whilst following national and international regulations and practices. THREESIXO also offer Digital Solutions to the HORECA & Medical industries with their paperless HACCP solution, FoodCheck and their real time temperature monitoring system, CoolCheck. More information on these digital solutions can be found on www. threesixo.com.mt/ digital-solutions THREESIXO assists and advises a wide portfolio of clients, including some market leaders in the food, hospitality, production and services industries and together with their team of international consultants will help businesses grow and achieve their full potential in respect to Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Profitability.

For more information contact THREESIXO Consultancy on info@threesixo.com.mt or visit their website www.threesixo.com.mt

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2020 Vision:

Hospitality Outlook for the New Decade

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One factor which, we can all be confident, the new decade will certainly bring, is change. And if the last decade is anything to go by, change will be fast as the momentum of change seems to accelerate with each decade. Change will occur, irrespective of whether we like it or not, and we need to be prepared to not only anticipate change and embrace it, but also become active drivers of change in order to exert some degree of control over what the future may bring.

Future development in demand for hotels, and for travel in general, will continue to see dramatic changes in the new decade. Moreover, most of this change will likely be in anticipation or in reaction to changing consumer behaviours. This will have a significant impact on management and marketing activities of hotels as well as, equally, on other suppliers in the hospitality industry.

There are new trends, new expectations, new concerns and new technologies which in combination will drive developments over the next ten years. Central to all of this is our “guest�: a sophisticated consumer who is more capricious and less loyal, has less time but is as well more conscientious. Our new-age guest is not easily satisfied by a mere hotel stay but seeks new experiences within everything he or she does.

Customer engagement and consumer satisfaction will become increasingly important.

The use of digital technology is now an integral component of a seamless customer experience, but the hotel industry is in many cases not moving fast enough to ensure that the journey is as smooth and as personalised as it should be.

Here, the hospitality industry has a lot to learn from airlines and aviation. Intense competition and the difficulties of product differentiation

particularly in short haul travel have led airlines to focus more on customer engagement and on providing a seamless customer journey in a constant effort to stand above the competition.

Successful airlines have been shifting their focus away from a simple customer service approach focused on transactions and in meeting basic support requests, to emphasizing the full customer experience at each touch point. This has been made possible through the availability of Big Data and new technologies that provide airlines with clear and comprehensive information on their customers. This should serve as a lesson and a potential wakeup call for the broader hospitality industry. The customer journey must be mapped out and hotels need to engage with the guest at each stage of the travel experience.

Customer engagement starts at the pre-booking stage and continues through to the arrival and the actual stay, but it does not end at check-out nor does it end at departure.

The post-stay phase is of particular importance as this is when one tries to convert the guest into a repeat guest or possibly even transform that guest into your promoter. The active application of tools such as Net Promoter Score will help gauge the probability of guests becoming promoters.

Engaging with guests makes you more sensitive towards anticipating needs and this helps you meet guest expectations. One trend that will certainly intensify in the new decade is the drive towards sustainability. The hospitality industry has always had a dramatic environmental impact through significant energy and water consumption during the construction phase, but also throughout the operations cycle, plus as well through the use of consumables, and waste creation. The hospitality industry needs to embrace sustainability as it strives to meet >

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customer needs that are expected to become more pronounced in this area in the next years. Flight shaming will not only continue to effect airlines but in the end, it will affect hotels too. Addressing guest sensitiveness through introducing measures in favour of sustainability will help a hotel retain and possibly win over even more guests. While many of the measures towards sustainability are initially designed to meet new consumer needs and expectations, several of the practices will ultimately lead as well to a better control of costs for the hotel: as an example, simply a more conscientious use of energy and water can have a significantly positive impact on the hotel’s bottom line.

Whilst discussing the matter of cost management, controlling expenses will become an even more important measure as hotel owners and operators try to drive enhanced profitability from their asset. Simply driving top-line revenue may no longer be enough, and with intensified competition margins will continue to come under pressure. The next decade will certainly continue to boost a drive to better track operating costs and to ultimately

achieve improved visibility over costs as part of a strategy which focuses on improving your bottom-line profitability. The use of technology, with a clear understanding of what it can achieve, will certainly drive the hospitality industry throughout the next decade. How the industry will comprehend and use technology will become even more important as it will even define the nature of the guests that the industry will host. We will likely see a lot more Millennials and Post-millennials, guests born when the internet was already an established way of life.

These will continue to grow their disposable income and thereby become our core clientele.

This is the “wired generation”: a generation of travellers who are online all the time, they are constantly researching, reviewing, comparing and purchasing. They know where to find the right information and how to get the best deals.

Lastly, the next decade will also likely continue to see a drive towards Smart Solutions.

Technology will help hospitality executives meet guest expectations and, in the process, achieve their own targets. Growth in the next ten years will be inextricably tied to the continued growth of technology. The hospitality industry has in many cases only taken small steps in its drive towards the better use of technology. The continued success of the industry in the next decade however needs innovators that can use technology as the way to improve occupancy through better customer engagement, in driving improved and more effective marketing, and ultimately to use technological solutions in a better use of resources to help optimise revenue… and let us not forget, to deliver a better customer experience.

Joseph Galea has over 30 years’ experience in Destination Marketing, representing Malta in many of the markets in Europe and beyond. He also occupied the position of Director of International Marketing with MTA where he spearheaded a revolution in the way the islands were marketed and promoted, leading to a yet uninterrupted cycle of sustained and continued growth in the industry in Malta. In 2014 Joe moved into aviation where he took over the CEO position in an acting capacity at the islands’ flag carrier Air Malta, in 2016. During his tenure the airline registered its first operational profit in nearly twenty years. Joseph branched into private consultancy in International Tourism and Aviation in 2018. His clients include airlines, destination management companies, international meetings and conference events, convention centre, and hotels. You can reach Joseph on joe@jgtourismsolutions.com

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Interview

A KNACK FOR LOGISTICS A visit to Unistores Ltd. facility led Kristina Cassar Dowling to discuss the ins and outs of logistic services in Malta. Tonio Ciantar shares his account of the company’s recipe for success. Unistores (Services) Ltd. is a logistics service company that forms part of FG & Co Group and which also focuses on retailing, food services and construction materials in Malta.

Tonio Ciantar, the Group’s Strategy Director, explains: “Our priority is to provide our customers with a vast range of options, products and services, across all the divisions, backed up by a genuine customer service which thrives to always exceed our customers’ expectations.” As a result of the specific

efforts of the group’s purchasing unit we have managed to move forward and to develop our centralized depot significantly. Such improvements have allowed the group to start offering food logistics options to third parties.

“Unistores (Services) Ltd. aims to have a global network of operations dedicated to manage

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the supply chain of foods with an emphasis on temperature sensitive goods for the Maltese Islands,” explains Tonio. “We employ industry experts who monitor every step of our clients’ food supply chain. We are also working closely with our clients in order to create a glasshouse supply chain which enables our clients to monitor our performance and the quality of their merchandise in real time.”

Initially operating from a 400m2 storage facility, Unistores (Services) Ltd is now operating from two centrally located temperature controlled depots with a storage area exceeding 3500m2. Both depots fully meet the EU Food Establishment Regulations and are HACCP

certified. Internal audits ensure that high standards are retained at all times. Unistores follows an ecosystem approach that allows for high end products to find their way to Maltese shores. Once quality products are imported on behalf of third parties including business owners, the restaurant and hotel industry, Unistores stores all the products and delivers their goods to the allocated venues. Third party catering services that make use of Unistores are eliminating intermediaries and thus reducing costs. All goods are stored secure, wellequipped, state of the art depots. Improvements are continuously being promoted, applying personalized tools to boost client commodity with synchronized decisions. “At Unistores (Services) Ltd excellent quality is a must at all

times, across the board and in all locations both locally and abroad. Global technological systems have been implemented in order to ensure continuous traceability and reporting.

Our client’s peace of mind is a priority for us,” states Tonio.

During 2015, Transporter Ltd, a subsidiary of Unistores (Services) Ltd. was founded. This setup allowed the company to enhance its local services through the introduction of both assembly and delivery services. “We don’t only store goods on behalf of third parties but we also deliver their products to their customers,” explained Tonio. “This means that we are not only holding goods for our customers, but we

are also delivering their goods to the stores, factories or restaurants of their choice. This service is not limited by quantity or time.”

Such services are being delivered using thermoregulated vehicles with a storage temperature that can range from -40 to + 15°C - depending on the type of food product being transported.

Vehicle temperatures are monitored in situ, in order to ensure that all food items are delivered safely to the customers.

Blue Box, set up during 2018, is today a leading food repackaging company with a variety of customized capabilities. Food repackaging is one of the most important elements for keeping consumers loyal to their brands and takes >

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into consideration the needs of the customer without sacrificing the safety or the quality of the product. We ensure that the integrity of the product is maintained whilst delivering topquality repackaging work each time.

Our high end competence meets the various needs of our clients and our customized food repackaging services allows us the flexibility to provide the different companies with the tailor-made repackaging to meet the needs of their customers. We are always available along the way to provide guidance about our quality food repackaging, the various options we have available, and how Blue Box can be

a valuable business partner to you. From our experience we know what works, what sells and what keeps customers coming back for more – starting from a standard pouch in a carton to more complex master shipper designs. We are in a position to offer either piecemeal or else even complete solutions including repackaging, storage facilities and delivery to the end consumer.

Tonio tells us that the company has now embarked on an extensive campaign to identify the appropriate Electric Vehicles for the local

market in order to be in pole position to deliver the requested products in all localities at all times without any restrictions.Further products will be introduced locally by Unistores. “We have already identified quality products on the international market that can enhance our portfolio. In fact, we have already teamed up with A-Safe and we are proud to announce that we will be launching the first project in the coming weeks’.

A-Safe are advanced industrial safety barriers, bollards and facility protection of an international standard which can be installed in all work depots and parking facilities. “At

Unistores (Services) Ltd. we devote our time to think and strategize in order to ensure that our workers are working in a safe environment at all times,” shared Tonio as our conversation came to a close. Unistores (Services) Ltd have a mission - to provide logistic solutions which involve people, locations, distribution and technology - working synergistically in order to provide an integrated and fully fledged supply chain. Our business philosophy is simple.

“Our success depends entirely on people: the people who work with us and the people who shop from us,” concluded Tonio.

Kristina Cassar Dowling is a journalist, blogger and writer who focuses on food culture, the arts and sustainable lifestyles - her biggest passions in life. Kristina is a freelance writer who also focuses on human stories, business and other niches.

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Feature

Gerber Group: An Extraordinary Success Story

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As the owner-operator of innovative cocktail bars and restaurants in New York, Washington DC, and Atlanta in the US, Gerber Group is a true global hospitality industry leader. Here, its Principal and CEO Scott Gerber – who has also featured on the hit show Undercover Boss – shares his unique insight into the sector, as well as his advice for what to do in the current situation.

Mr Gerber, could you talk us through your earliest memories of the company?

I was in the real estate industry at the time and at a meeting with (entrepreneur, hotelier) Ian Schrager when the origins of Gerber Group first became a reality. To my surprise Ian asked my brother and I to open a new bar at one of his hotel projects, which became our first venue – The Whiskey at the Paramount Hotel in New York. The space was designed by Philippe Starck and David Rockwell, and it brought a lot of buzz to a then-unpopular neighbourhood. I remember lines of people trying to get in on a nightly basis. Before this, no one sought out hotel bars as a place to go, which is why our first property is really credited with starting the boutique hotel bar category.

How would you describe Gerber Group today and what are you most proud of? Gerber Group

is a hospitality industry leader that continues to redefine the industry with creative bars and restaurants – often in partnership with hotels –featuring renowned beverage programmes accompanied by culinary talents. We are most proud of the longevity of our properties and the team we’ve grown – many of our team members have been with us since the very beginning (that’s almost 30 years!). That’s also inclusive of our hotel partners; in an industry that can be trendy and fickle, our hotel partners have remained loyal to us, understanding that our properties have a proven track record of increasing occupancy rates and adding to the destination draw of a property.

What have been your own landmark moments? I consider every new property opening a landmark moment.

When guests come through those doors and express their appreciation or say how impressed they are, that’s a win. Our team and the service we provide is a priority for us, so every time we get a compliment about a team member, that’s also a proud moment. Finally, when we make mistakes, we acknowledge them, fix them, and become better – learning moments are always landmark moments to us.

You took part in Undercover Boss – what did this highlight for you, both about Gerber Group, and yourself? It was a very eye-opening experience. For me, I knew how important my father Jordan’s relationship was with our staff, and the hole he left when he passed away 10 >

52 /

years ago. It provided the opportunity to learn so much about my employees – the work they do every day, along with their impactful life stories. We consider our company to be our family, and our company considers us family.

This experience also furthered my passion to support our team, both in and outside of the workplace.

What drives Gerber Group, and what makes it unique? Gerber Group is driven by the wonderful people we get to work with every day; they are what makes us unique.

Additionally, the new project opportunities we are presented with, and bringing them to fruition, brings unique and rewarding challenges to our whole team.

What are the current establishments run by the Group, and what defines them in the busy F&B landscape? We have impressive and stylish spaces, great music, an amazing cocktail program, but most of all, we have a fun and friendly staff that holds hospitality to an extremely high standard. They are The Campbell (Grand Central Terminal), Mr. Purple (Hotel Indigo LES), Irvington (W Union Square), The Crown (Hotel 50 Bowery), The Sunken Lounge (TWA Hotel), The Pool Bar & Observation, Deck (TWA Hotel), Connie (TWA Hotel), Kingside (LaGuardia Airport), 12 Stories

(InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf), Whiskey Blue (W Atlanta – Buckhead).

What do guests like most about the Gerber product? I believe it’s a number of components packaged into an extremely desirable venue experience. Stylish space, fun music, delicious cocktails and elevated service; they are key for bringing back customers again and again.

What drives you to keep growing and innovating?

New opportunities are always exciting for the team – they encourage everyone to contribute creatively, provide different perspectives and allow skills to be highlighted. In the end, when all of that hard work comes to fruition and our guests are happy, that’s a driver for the next one.

Sustainability has become a vital part of the sector today – what is Gerber Group doing about that side of things? Everything we can! We avoid using plastic wherever possible and work with brands that are bringing new non-plastic product options to the market. Gerber Group has always focused on local sourcing whenever possible, so our guests know exactly what is on our menus, where it’s coming from, and, in turn, supports local farms and businesses. This has always been a big part of our DNA.

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Where do you see Gerber Group in the next 5-10 years? We will continue to do what we do best – grow and develop the best team that continues to open differentiated F&B venues for our guests. For me that means continuing to enjoy every day I get to come to work, and maybe one day some of my children will want to join the Gerber Group work family as well!

How do you see the F&B sector evolving in the next decade? What are the trends we should be watching out for? It’s difficult to say what will have an impact on business five to 10 years from now, but I believe we’ll continue to see the evolution of a few key trends – cannabis, organic/sustainably produced goods, and less meat.

What is the Gerber Group doing to soften the effects of the Covid-19 crisis? Among the things we have done, we have set up a ‘Pantry’ at Irvington, that will provide free food for the Gerber Group staff for the foreseeable future.

All food surplus from the closed venues has been provided to staff, and Gerber Group is continuing to place food orders with their

small local vendors to ensure the pantry stays replenished (while continuing to provide business to these companies). Gerber Group is offering a delivery service to any staff that are unable to make it to the food pantry at Irvington. Beyond that, we have set up a GoFundMe page, with 100 per cent of proceeds going towards supporting the food pantry and/or providing financial assistance to team members who are no longer able to earn a living during this time.

What is your advice to other businesses in the sector at the moment? How can they conserve cash? I recommend suspending any nonessential contracts, negotiating with large vendors on credit and payment schedules, and prioritising paying smaller vendors who need your cash to stay afloat. Beyond that, of course you should help where you can and stay inside.

What do you hope to be your legacy of your time at the helm? I hope for my eventual legacy to show that I was a fair and good partner to our team, that we developed lasting properties, and that we had fun doing it!

Jo Caruana is a journalist, editor, business owner, and actress. She runs WriteMeAnything.com – a full service content agency that puts together the words for books, magazines, website, blogs and more, as well as Finesse Consulta – a business etiquette, customer care and protocol training company. Jo is also editor of Style on Sunday and Malta CEOs, and is a founding member of the Comedy Knights comedy troupe and the all-female theatre collective the Shrinking Violets.

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HORECA Directory Do you offer a Horeca related service, or sell products related to the Hospitality industry? Add your company name and details for free on the A-Z Horeca Malta Directory Listings and be seen by key decision makers in the business. You can get listed on Horeca Magazine for the best targeted exposure in Malta, by sending an email to editor@horecamalta.com.mt. All listings are included on our Directory pages completely FREE of charge!

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RENOVA CO LTD Factory M 10 Triq ilFurnara Qasam Industrijali, Mriehel , B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 T: 21 448 174 renovamalta.com THE ART COLLECTION 246 Vjal l-Indipendenza, Mosta Malta MST 9022 T: 21 438 530 THE LEATHER HOUSE

BY PINS & NEEDLES 25 Crafts Village Ta’ Dbiegi, Gharb-Gozo Gozo GRB 1143 M: 99 823 638

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CRC GROUP Tilio’s Bldg Triq San Pawl, Naxxar Malta NXR Malta M: 77 419 400

M B F & CO 5b Adonis Triq Dun Karm Psaila, Zebbug Malta ZBG 3527 M: 99 842 236

DE VALIER CO LTD Commercial & Industrial Solutions Triq San Gwakkin Qasam Industrijali, Mriehel, B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 M: 77 419 400

MONTDIAC COMPANY LTD Hostel Jones Triq Sir Adrian Dingli, Sliema Malta M: 99 706 003

directory / 59 MULTIVEND SERVICES LTD Triq in-Naggar, Mosta Malta MST 1761 T: 21 470 153 multivendservices.com PACE PITTSFORM PRODUCTS 96 Triq Sant’ Ubaldeska, Paola Malta PLA 1408 T: 21 662 959 PHILIP PACE & SONS LTD Triq l-Imdina, Attard Malta ATD 9039 M: 99 424 646 shelvingmalta.com PORTELLI WEIGHING SYSTEMS 88, 89 Triq San Pawl, Rabat Malta RBT 1240 T: 21 459 735 ivportelli.com POTTERWARE LTD 160 Crafts Village Ta’ Qali, Attard Malta ATD 4000 T: 21 414 773 PREMIERE CUISINE LOCATION CATERING Triq il-Foss , Paola Malta PLA T: 99 821 754 premierecuisinemalta.com

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INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS 229 Triq il-Kungress Ewkaristiku, Mosta Malta MST 9038 T: 21 423 572 innovative.com.mt

WORLDWIDE CO LTD Worldwide Bldgs Triq il-Belt Valletta, Qormi Malta QRM 3617 T: 21 447 904 worldwide.com.mt

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MENUS

MENU MAKER 17 Portico Mansions, Block E P5 Triq San Pawl, Naxxar Malta NXR 4018 M:99 428 951 fb.com/122190197832804

SUGAR CRAFT 99 Triq Mons Arturo Bonnici Swatar, Msida Malta MSD 2250 M: 99 804 431

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THE CATERING CENTRE 8 Triq il-Mosta, San Pawl Il-Bahar Malta SPB 3111 T: 21 577 305 cateringcentre.com

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PIXEL SERVICES LTD Digital Press Triq Victor Denaro, Msida Malta MSD 1604 T: 21 347 432 pixelmalta.com PRINT RIGHT LTD Triq l-Industrija, Qormi Malta QRM 3000 T: 21 250 994 THE LEATHER HOUSE BY PINS & NEEDLES PRINT RIGHT LTD 25 Crafts Village Ta’ Dbiegi, Gharb Gozo GRB 1143 M: 99 823 638

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directory

INTERIOR DESIGN

BENCINI & ASSOCIATES Design Centre, Level 1 Triq itTorri Swatar, B’Kara Malta BKR 4012 T: 21 255 001

GODWIN ZAMMIT & ASSOCIATES 90 Misrah San Alwigi, B’Kara BKR 1472 T: 21 440 068

BLOW 82 Triq in-Naxxar, San Gwann SGN 9032 T: 22 587 417 studiomodagroup.com

GRETA DESIGN 3 Triq Massimiliano Debono, Lija LJA 1932 T: 21 422 281 greta-design.com

A SCICLUNA INTERIOR DESIGN 115 Triq l-Oratorju, Bormla Malta BML 1509 M: 99 887 856

BUILDING & DESIGN CONSULTANTS Dolores Bldg Triq Nazzjonali Blata L-Bajda, Hamrun HMR 9011 T: 21 246 145 bdc.com.mt

ADRIAN MICALLEF DESIGN (AM DESIGN) Triq Giuseppe Briffa ,San Gwann Malta M: 99 463 557

CAMILLERI BURLO ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS 20 Triq il-Wizna, Swieqi Malta SWQ 2300 M: 79 827 534

ALEXANDER CUTAJAR BE&A(HONS), PG DIP(BLDG CONS TECH) 2A AJ Maison Triq Mile End, Hamrun Malta HMR 1718 M: 99 824 232 ANDRE PIZZUTO BE&A(HONS) MA PLANNING (LONDON) A&CE 5 Design Principle Triq Sir Joseph Carbone, San Giljan Malta STJ 1320 M: 79 603 096 ANDREW AZZOPARDI DESIGN CONSULTANT Vjal il-Wiehed U Ghoxrin Ta’ Settembru, Naxxar Malta NXR 1017 T: 21 420 472 ANTHONY BEZZINA BE&A(HONS) 18 Triq Cikku Portanier, Sta Venera Malta SVR 1732 M: 99 430 012 ANTOINETTE INTERIOR DESIGN A & D Studio Triq il-Pitkali, Attard Malta ATD 2216 T: 21 421 867 antoinetteinteriordesign.com AP VALLETTA 4 Triq l-Inginieri, Valletta Malta VLT 1320 T: 21 243 981 ap.com.mt APTC - ARSENIO PROJECTS Warehouse A.P.T.C Ltd Triq il-Ghajn Mriehel, B’Kara Malta BKR 3000 T: 21 660 850 gypsumworksmalta.com

CARLOS MAGRO INTERIOR DESIGN 22 Sqaq San Vincenz, Zabbar Malta ZBR 1492 M: 99 459 796 DANIEL BORG BE&A (HONS), A&CE, MSC PROJ MNGT(MELIT) Triq il-Barrieri, Mosta Malta M: 79 280 889 DANIEL SCERRI PERITI (DSP) 14 Vjal De La Salle, Gzira Malta GZR 1531 M: 99 822 635 DAPHNE FENECH BE&A (HONS), MSC, CONS.TECH (MELIT), 75 CREAID Triq San Gorg , Naxxar Malta NXR 2549 M: 79 092 883 DAVID CARUANA INTERIOR DESIGN WORKS Sculptura Triq Alfred Gerada, Iklin Malta IKL 1681 M: 99 854 234 DEREK MIFSUD 23 Catang Triq id-Dahla Ta’ San Tumas, M’Skala Malta MSK 4026 M: 79 002 245 DESIGN PRINCIPLE 5 Triq Sir Joseph Carbone, San Giljan Malta STJ 1320 T: 27 041 800 DFAB.STUDIO Capital Business Cen tre, Ent A, Level 2, Triq taz-Zwejt, San Gwann Malta SGN 3000 T: 20 103 322

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ELAINE SANCHEZ MICALLEF 43 Sqaq No 2 Triq Preziosi, Lija Malta LJA 1195 M: 79 064 088

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directory / 61

FLOORING

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240 LTD - PROJEKTE GLOBAL LTD 13 T/G fi triq Valletta, Luqa Malta LQA 6000 T: 23 676 100 projektesports.com A DIFESA SEAMLESS 28 Triq in-Nassab, Qormi Malta QRM 3543 M: 79 452 975 www.facebook.com/ adifesaseamlesssurfaces AGIUS MARBLE WORKS LTD Triq il-Belt Valletta, Mqabba Malta MQB 9019 T: 21 640 202 agius.com.mt ANDREW VASSALLO GENERAL TRADING LTD Triq Hal Tarxien, Gudja Malta GDJ 1905 T: 21 692 917 / 79591338 andrewvassallo.com ANTI SLIP SOLUTIONS 39 Triq Efesu, San Pawl IlBahar Malta M: 99 990 247 antislip.com.mt BATHROOM DESIGN LTD 358 Triq in-Naxxar, B’Kara Malta BKR 9040

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