Hospitality News Middle East - Apr/May 2017 (Issue 111)

EDITOR'S VIEW

Editor-in-chief Nouhad Dammous Managing director Joumana Dammous-Salamé Editor Annie Keropian-Dilsizian Publication manager Randa Dammous-Pharaon Features editor Rana Freifer Community manager Lisa Jerejian Publication coordinator Rita Ghantous Sub editor Miriam Dunn

A man to remember and never to forget

Graphic designers Elias Tufunkji Ibrahim Kastoun Contributing writer Miriam Dunn Sales executives Eugene Abella, Michel Ajjoub, Maha Hasbani, Josette Nohra, Elise Salem, Gaelle Rbeize advertise@hospitalityservices.com.lb Subscription coordinators Houayda Haddad-Roumman Mirna Maroun subscribe@hospitalityservices.com.lb Circulation coordinator Karl Hitti News news@hospitalityservices.com.lb Production & printing Arab Printing Press

Hospitality News ME is distributed to trade professionals in the catering and lodging industry in the Middle East.

We welcome views on any subject relevant to the hospitality industry, but request that letters be short and to the point. The editor reserves the right to select and edit letters.

Published by Hospitality Services sarl Lebanon Borghol Building, Dekwaneh P.O.Box 90 155 Jdeidet el Metn 1202 2020 Tel: +961 1 480081 Fax: +961 1 482876 info@hospitalityservices.com.lb hospitalitynewsmag.com Dubai Tel: +971 0 503758001 zeina.chehayeb@ hospitalitynewsmag.com All the information disclosed in the magazine was provided by the parties concerned by each publication and checked to the highest possible extent by the editors. However, the magazine cannot ensure accuracy at all times of all information published and therefore could in no case be held responsible should any information reveal to be false or insufficient.

A tribute to Raja Saab The man who built in the time of destruction

He ignited a flame when he decided to found Summerland Hotel, during the dark days of the Lebanese Civil War. Raja Saab has left us, but this flame has never faded.

The Summerland remained with his brother, Sheik Khaled, his son Sheik Walid, and all those who fought beside him during his battle to build and to sustain.

Raja Saab was indeed the man who built in times of demolition. The man of peace during the cruel times of war, and a symbol of courage and prowess, when many were reluctant and regressing.

He was among the pioneers who worked hard in Saudi Arabia, long before the country’s boom. It is with difficulty that he established his legacy before returning to Lebanon, as a true founder, fighting against misguidance and dark currents that were trying to pull the country down and uproot it.

Raja Saab never perceived the war as a burden curtailing his ambitions.

Instead, he maintained superior standards of quality and service, despite all the accompanying sacrifices. Let us remember him for what he represented relentless idealism.

Nouhad Dammous Editor-in-Chief Docteur Honoris Causa Key facts • Summerland hotel opened in 1978 with 151 rooms and 520 cabins • In 1989, was damaged during the Civil War • Sold in 2014 • Opened with Kempinski Management in 2016 with 583 cabins, 73 apartments and a port for 50 yachts

APR-MAY 2017 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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In this issue

Apr - May 2017

EDITOR’S VIEW

03

A tribute to Raja Saab

NEWS

08 INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 12 HOTELS 22 RESTAURANTS 30 CHEFS 32 SUPPLIERS

22

HORECA NETWORK

34 PREVIEW

Who’s at HORECA 2017 and why?

EVENTS

36

38

WHERE TO BE SEEN Hospitality events on the horizon; GRIF, ATM, AHIC

SEEN & HEARD Recap of Gulfood, Dine Exhibition & Conference and IHTIC

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EDUCATION REPORT 40 44

How they made it to the top Vocational and continuing education

Coming issue June - July 2017

• Special report Industrial catering • Eye on Paris • Market update Iran • Architecture & design Nightclubs • Hotels Loyalty programs • F&B Pop-up concepts • Beverage Beer

HospitalityNewsME

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@Hospitality_Mag

BUSINESS INTERVIEW Simon Casson, 46

46

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

HOTELS 48 Mixed-use model; at the heart of things 50 Looking for a hotel affiliation?

54 58

MARKET UPDATE Erbil What’s next for Iraq?

TECHNOLOGY Robotics in hospitality 60 STRATEGY 62 Successful succession TRENDS 68 Food tourism in depth ENTREPRENEURSHIP Chef-preneurs: Athanasios Kargatzidis, 72

Hussein Hadid, Alexis Couquelet, Faisal Al Nashmi

76

Theater kitchens

106

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

RESTAURANTS F&B clusters – how to avoid the bubble 80

84

EYE ON Beirut

SERVICE 92 Mastering hospitality

SOLUTIONS

96

HUMAN RESOURCES Extreme vetting

F&B

98

Three ways to cut costs

MARKETING

100

The power of imagery

PRODUCT ZONE

102

NEW PRODUCTS On the market

FOOD 106 Flour power EQUIPMENT 112 Bread making – tools of the trade BEVERAGE 116 The fizz – trends in sparkling drinks CHOCOMANIA 120 Broken walls of chocolate

WE WERE THERE

122

Out and about with Hospitality News ME

HospitalityNewsME

COVER PHOTO BY IBRAHIM KASTOUN

NEWS

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

WHAT DO ARAB TOURISTS WANT? 2. Have you noticed any standout travel trends?

Vinay Malhotra, COO, Middle East & South Asia, VFS Global, global outsourcing and technology services specialists for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, draws the profile of the Arab tourist.

1. What are the top five destinations for MENA residents traveling for tourism?

The Middle East enjoys the position of true hub, thanks to its geographical and socioeconomic importance. Since the region is home to multiple nationalities, who travel often for leisure or work, there is ample potential for both tourism and business travel. Countries like the UK, Canada, Australia along with many of the Schengen countries, are preferred destinations and continue to be popular with travelers.

The travel and tourism sector has been experiencing rapid growth and that trend is reflected in the visa services industry in the Middle East as well. While the top destinations for outbound travel have more or less stayed the same, they continue to witness strong demand in terms of visa applications, as they offer a healthy mix of travel options for visitors, be it for leisure, higher education or corporate travel. Another interesting trend is the growing preference for destinations in Asia, Europe and some of the Nordic countries, which is a sign that the global traveler’s tastes are maturing.

Tourists are now quite willing to try out offbeat destinations.

3. Are there any trends when it comes to duration of trips and frequency?

For this market, the peak travel season is usually March onwards, with the months of July and August the most popular, due to school holidays and summer breaks. There is also a spike in travel during the Eid break as well, post Ramadan. vfsglobal.com

USD 104 BILLION GLOBAL SPA MARKET TO RUB OFF ON THE UAE The global wellness industry grew by nearly 11 percent to become a USD 4 trillion market in 2015, with the spa market a key driver, according to new research from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI).

According to research from Colliers Experiential Travel Series: Wellness, Spa and Medical Travel 2017, the UAE spa industry is estimated to be valued at USD 463 million, accounting for 14 percent of

the MENA spa market, and expected to surpass USD 503 million by 2020. A number of wellness and travel trends are expected in 2017, including a move towards healthy holidays, such as detox breaks and getfit boot camps. According to Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Dubai attracted 630,800 medical tourists during 2015, out of which 298,300 (47 percent) were international. arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com

FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DAILY NEWS FROM AROUND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GO TO

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

TRENDING ON

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM 50 upcoming hotel projects in Riyadh

Riyadh is Saudi Arabia’s busiest city for hotel construction with almost 50 hotel projects underway, revealed TOPHOTELPROJECTS 2017 Saudi Arabia Hotel Construction Overview report, prepared exclusively for The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia 2017.

A total of 170 hotels are under construction in the country, with over 60,000 rooms. Hilton is noted as one of the top hotel operators with three properties to open in Riyadh this year and 29 openings in the pipeline. Following the announcement of Saudi Vision 2030, international brands are expanding their footprint across the country, including Rocco Forte and Nobu Hospitality debuting in the Kingdom.

Origin and source are key to food marketing

A surge in consumer demand for knowledge of food origin and source is now a key factor for successful sales and marketing in the global food industry, according to the latest research by Opinion Matters.

Food’s ‘origin’ is now second on a consumer’s list, behind only sell-by dates, when it comes to purchasing, and leading international supermarket chains are addressing the issue through transparent ‘sourcing’ advertising.

Americana, Almarai and Patchi fare well against megaglobal brands in the UAE

A report published by MBLM, the Brand Intimacy Agency focused on strategy, design, creativity and technology, revealed that local and regional brands, including Kuwaiti Americana, three GCC dairy farms and Lebanese chocolatier, Patchi, make up half of the Top 10 Most Intimate Consumer Goods Brands in the UAE. One of the key findings was that Americana and Almarai have above-industry averages for consumers willing to pay 20 percent more for their products – slightly ahead of industry giants Kraft and Nestlé.

Abu Dhabi records over 4.4 million arrivals in 2016

According to figures gathered by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), this marked an eight percent growth year-on-year (y-o-y).

Statistics for guest nights, average length of stay and revenues also recorded strong results, with over 12 million recorded.

UAE launches first Food Bank

A new initiative, the UAE Food Bank is a non-profit charitable organization committed to distributing food to those in need, while eliminating food waste. The concept also aims to position Dubai as the first city in the region to achieve zero food waste. The UAE Food Bank will partner with food producers to store and package excess fresh food effectively. It will also work with volunteers and partners to distribute the wellpackaged food within and outside of the UAE. New Rahlat.com app

Rahlat.com unveiled its mobile applications which operate under the Android and iOS systems. Its aim is to serve Arab travelers by comparing hotel and flight ticket prices through a single outlet in Arabic and English. Over 60,000 users have downloaded it so far.

YOUR KEY TO BEIRUT

A FOUR-STAR DELUXE APARTHOTEL OFFERING THE HOSPITALITY AND CHARM OF A BOUTIQUE HOTEL WITH THE WELL-BEING AND COMFORT OF HOME. Strategically located in the museum district of Beirut, THE KEY ApartHotel caters to a variety of exclusive lifestyles and contemporary needs, offering a unique standard of accommodation.

Need a few items for an imprompt dinner for friends? In the mood for quick treat before bed? Do not fret, The KEY’s onsite “Neighbourhoud” convenience store provides daily basics and necessities.

The ambiance offers a relaxing environment that creates a dialogue within the lively environment.

The fitness centre is fully equipped with the latest in cardio and resistance machines and features a complete line of free weights.

THE KEY was designed to cater for short and extended travel for both family and We provide a complimentary car service corporate guests all year round. to and from designated areas within Beirut. Guests can also enjoy gratis Our 87 spacious and stylish apartments are bicycles around the clock. Secure mindfully designed to provide our guests underground parking is available for with the intimacy and luxury necessary for a guests with personal transportation. memorable and pleasurable stay.

The ultimate goal is for guests to feel connected to the city while also feeling In addition, our in-house event coordiserene in their immediate surroundings. nator is available to plan, organize and direct corporate events and conferences.

Our restaurant caters to a variety of tastes and plates, offering delectable op- Our staff is reachable 24/7 by phone and tions for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The e-mail. Do not hesitate to contact us with contemporary dining area extends onto a additional questions or inquiries. private urban terrace, open year-round.

Palais de Justice District, Corniche du Fleuve P.O.Box: 16-7058 Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon

Phone: +961 1 42 42 47 E-mail: info@thekeybeirut.com

thekeybeirut.com

NEWS

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

ISO SET FOR ACCESSIBLE TOURISM FOR ALL The Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), held the first working meeting for the development of an 'International Standard on Accessible Tourism for All'.

The Technical Committee TC 228, responsible for tourism and related services within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), will develop a global and transversal international standard that will include, initially, a systematic inventory of existing standards, technical criteria, recommendations

and requirements in the field of accessible tourism. In addition, recommendations and requirements will be suggested for those segments of the value chain and related activities whose international standardization in terms of accessibility is still pending.

The future standards will be called ‘ISO 21902 Tourism and related services—Tourism for all—Requirements and Recommendations’. It is expected to be approved in 2018 after reaching consensus at the ISO level. unwto.org

PRINCE CLAUS FUND AWARDS KAMAL MOUZAWAK

Kamal Mouzawak, entrepreneur and food activist, has been recognized for his achievements by the Prince Claus Fund.

Mouzawak, who is also the founder of Tawlet, Souk elTayeb and the ‘Beit’ guesthouse

network, was given an award for ‘inspiring reconciliation and respect between disparate communities, bridging ethnic, religious, political and social divisions through the shared human need and enjoyment of food’. In keeping with the Prince Claus Fund’s guiding principle that 'culture is a basic need', the awards highlight significant contributions in regions where resources or opportunities for cultural expression, creative production and preservation of cultural heritage are limited. princeclausfund.org

JOUMANA DAMMOUS SALAMÉ OF HOSPITALITY SERVICES AWARDED

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization together with the Lebanese Ministry of Industry, organized a workshop on ‘#ResilientWomen’ under the framework

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of ‘Promoting Women Empowerment for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in the MENA Region’ project. Four women who inspired or helped in shaping the path for others were recognized with awards including Joumana Dammous Salamé, managing director of Hospitality Services, the event management company behind the regional tradeshow HORECA and three publications: Hospitality News ME, Taste & Flavors, and Lebanon Traveler. hospitalityservices.me

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

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IN BRIEF Demand for edible oil in the MENA region to outstrip global average

Strong demand for edible oils is rising across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, putting the sector on track to record a five percent compound annual growth rate by 2021, outstripping the expected four percent global average, according to Euromonitor International. This soaring demand, particularly in the UAE and KSA, is the result of an influx of Arab and Southern European expatriates and an increase in the number of health-conscious consumers. Oils from vegetables, nuts and fish are also in high demand, along with ‘low-impacting processing’ oils, such as virgin olive oil, raw coconut oil and cold pressed walnut oil.

Jordan tourism revenues stable at USD 4 billion in 2016

Jordan's tourism sector has proved resilient, with revenues stable at USD 4 billion in 2016, despite several militant attacks, the Ministry of Tourism revealed. The data shows that Jordan hosted 3.8 million foreign visitors last year, with arrivals spending at least one night in the country, up 2.6 percent on volumes recorded for 2015. The ministry said it had worked to offset any potential fallout by encouraging more tourists with an interest in Christianity to visit biblical sites and promoting the country as a regional hub for medical tourism. visitjordan.com Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi theme park on track for 2018 opening

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, an indoor theme park spanning 1.65 million square feet, will be home to 29 rides, entertainment shows and interactive attractions. The park will include various retail outlets, inspired by Warner Bros. as well as many dining options. It is set to open in 2018 along with CLYMB. Miral’s Yas Island destination portfolio of themed parks also includes Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, and the recently announced SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. wbworld.ae Smart food startups to benefit from USD 20 million Lebanese Seed Fund

Flat6Labs Beirut, a partnership between Flat6Labs and ArabNet, has launched the Lebanon Seed Fund (LSF), a USD 20 million early stage fund which aims to support 100 Lebanese startups working in innovation-based and knowledge-driven industries over the next five years. Approved by Banque du Liban under Circular 331, the fund targets growing seed and early-stage funding for Lebanese startups.

Startups will receive an investment ticket size of USD 30,000 - 50,000 in return for 10 percent equity. Early stage startups will receive USD 100,000 - 500,000, as well as access to Flat6Labs Beirut’s resources and operational guidance. Flat6Labs Beirut has partnered with BLOM Invest Bank for the fund placement and Kobessi & Frangie law office as legal counsel. flat6labsbeirut.com

NEWS

HOTELS

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4 QUESTIONS TO ABDULLAH BAKARMAN OF DUR HOSPITALITY 1. What is the added value of this chain?

Makarem has enriched the Saudi hospitality sector with innovative services, for which we were granted three awards during the Transform MENA Awards. They included the KARAM club loyalty program and the religious concierge service, as well as the seven languages website that caters to visitors from all over the world. This year, we are launching more exclusive services during the Arabian Travel Market. Makarem also values the importance of doing business in a responsible manner. Thus, we adopted several CSR initiatives, supporting the less fortunate of our society.

Homegrown Saudi hotel concept, Makarem Hotels, created by Dur Hospitality, is developing its foothold in KSA. Abdullah Bakarman, corporate marketing manager - Dur Hotel Operations Division unveils more details about the chain.

2. How can you compete with international chains in the market?

Understanding the increasing demands of local and international visitors, whether they come for Umrah, Ramadan, Hajj, family or business, is our mission at Makarem. The combination of international standards, local spirit and expertise, in addition to our long-track record, allows us to continuously deliver innovative services, which have given us a considerable market share.

SMARTOTELS LAUNCHES ITS FLAGSHIP BRAND FORM Hotel, the upscale hotel brand in Smartotels Hospitality International’s portfolio, has been officially launched, offering business and leisure travelers accessible premium and customizable hotel fundamentals. Facilities will include an all-day dining lifestyle restaurant, a rooftop infinity pool, a fully-equipped rooftop gym, a specialized design boutique and a technology-focused boardroom.

FORM Hotel’s 143-key Dubai-based

property will be developed by Dubai Contracting Company (DCC). The hotel is expected to open in Q1 2018.

Smartotels Hospitality International is currently focused on the UAE and plans to grow its portfolio of lodging brands to 25 properties by 2026, through a combination of management contracts, franchise agreements, property leases and hybrid contracts. smartotels.com

LE CORDON BLEU OPENS FIVE-STAR PROPERTY IN TABARJA Le Cordon Bleu, one of the leading global networks of culinary arts and hospitality management institutes, has opened BURJ on BAY, its first hotel in Lebanon. The property is located in Tabarja, overlooking Jounieh Bay, near the Casino du Liban. The hotel has 16 floors, making it the tallest building in the area. Two of the hotel floors will be dedicated to Le Cordon Bleu institute. The remaining floors will house 129 rooms and suites, three conference rooms, a wedding venue, a pool, a gym and various terraces. The hotel will also include five F&B outlets. burjonbay.com

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3. Which markets are you targeting?

The Saudi market is one of the biggest markets in the region and we are focused on developing our portfolio and expanding our reach in the Kingdom. As a Saudi brand, we have the know-how, with years of expertise in the local market, especially in Makkah and Medina, which are expected to witness exponential growth in visitor numbers, in light of current development plans.

4. What does your development pipeline involve?

Makarem is committed to expanding its current portfolio, especially in the western region, and boosting its brand's position in the holy cities. We have recently signed an agreement with Saudi Real Estate Development Company (Dar Al-Hijrah), to operate a 614-room hotel in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah city. We have also signed an agreement with Riyadh Palace hotel, making it fully managed by Makarem hotels. Additional projects are underway. makarem.sa

IN BRIEF Millennium & Copthorne debuts M in the UAE

The Radisson Blu Downtown, located on Al Asayel Street, Business Bay, is no longer managed by The Carslon Rezidor Group. Instead, Millennium & Copthorne, Middle East and Africa, has rebranded it as M Hotel Downtown by Millennium, marking the debut of the first M Hotel Brand in Dubai. millenniumhotels.com St. Regis Hotels & Resorts' first private island resort

Marriott’s St. Regis Hotels & Resorts announced the debut of The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, the first private island resort. It offers 77 island and overwater villas as accommodation, a spa, beachfront restaurants, jungle houses and a recreational center among other amenities. stregis.com/maldives Al Bustan Palace to be restored

Renowned as The Jewel of the Sultanate, Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, will start an extensive restoration this spring, to be completed by early 2018. Works include a complete refurbishment of the 200 rooms and 50 suites, as well as the resort’s main guest arrival area, meetings and events spaces, lobby lounge, grand ballroom and all-day dining restaurant. ritzcarlton.com SLH debuts in Armenia

Grand Hotel Yerevan is Small Luxury Hotels of the World's (SLH) first boutique hotel in Armenia. It has 104 rooms and suites, a modern spa and an onsite Italian restaurant - Ristorante Rossini. slh.com/yerevan

NEWS

HOTELS

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FOURTEENTH BRAND FOR HILTON The Tapestry Collection by Hilton marks the chain’s 14th portfolio brand and second collection brand for Hilton. Positioned in the upscale segment, it ranks just below Curio A Collection by Hilton. Seven hotels have signed letters of intent with

the collection in several US cities, including Chicago and Hampton.

An additional 35 deals are in the pipeline, with the first property expected to convert to Tapestry Collection by Q3 2017. hilton.com

LHW SHOWCASE THEIR BEST OFFERINGS AT LE ROYAL BEIRUT

From left to right: Hatem Chater - Regional Director of Leading Hotels of the World, Sir Nadhmi Auchi - Chairman, Nather Auchi - VP, Le Royal Hotels & Resorts-Beirut

Le Royal, the first member of the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) in Lebanon, hosted LHW’s yearly roadshow, which attracts the finest LHW hotels around the world, top travel agencies and key players in the field. The event explored new synergies in the tourism industry, bringing together representatives from

luxury international LHW hotels in Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland and the US. The properties showcased their offerings and provided hosted travel agencies and travel industry experts with opportunities to build new partnerships. leroyal.com

IHG HONORS LOYALTY

Nassib Talih

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Nassib Talih from Phoenicia Hotel Beirut was recognized during Celebrate Service Week for his loyalty and contribution to the business, having clocked up 54 years of service, making him the longest serving colleague across AMEA. ihg.com

IN BRIEF Holiday Inn Muscat Al Seeb GM is IHG GM of the Year for the IMEA

Laura Eggleton, general manager of Action Hotel’s Holiday Inn Muscat Al Seeb, has been awarded the IHG General Manager of the Year Award for the India, Middle East and Africa region. She has 13 years of hospitality experience and eight years with IHG. ihg.com First LEGOLAND Dubai Hotel announced

The ME will be welcoming the first 250-room LEGOLAND Hotel, the seventh property under this label to open worldwide. Located in Dubai Parks and Resorts, it will be the second lodging facility in the project. The development is a joint venture between DXB Entertainments PJSC and Merlin Entertainments Group. legoland.com/dubai Park Rotana Abu Dhabi hosts Weibe Wakker

In line with its sustainability efforts, Park Rotana Abu Dhabi hosted Weibe Wakker of the Plug Me In project. Weibe is traveling from the Netherlands to Australia without any money and using his electric car, relying entirely on people’s help along the way. His project is aimed at raising international awareness on sustainability. rotana.com Emaar to replace Dubai Marina Yacht Club with a new hospitality development

The Dubai Marina Yacht Club will shut down.

A spokesperson from Emaar told Hospitality News ME: “Emaar is developing a new hospitality concept that will also feature a world-class yacht club in the current location of Dubai Marina Yacht Club in Dubai Marina. As part of this new development, Dubai Marina Yacht Club will only provide marina-related services to its berth holders but from a different office in The Address Dubai Marina hotel. Visitors can also enjoy all charter services as usual, with bookings to be made from the new office.” emaar.com

NEWS

HOTELS

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JUST OPENED ALGERIA

CONGO

EGYPT

Marriott expands foothold in Algeria The chain opened its seventh hotel in Algeria, Sheraton Annaba with a portfolio totaling 1,580 rooms and another six hotels under development.

Owner Société d’Investissement Hôtelière Number of rooms 201 marriott.com

Rotana debuts in Central Africa The official opening of the five-star Kin Plaza Arjaan by Rotana in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, signals the first of several properties planned for locations across the continent including, Marrakesh, Luanda, Nouakchott and Lagos.

Number of rooms 101 rotana.com

Deutsche Hospitality opens the Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir in Cairo Marking its 100th hotel in operation, the chain is continuing its path of expansion, having signed 13 contracts for new hotels in three continents over the past year.

Owner HOTAC, chaired by Mervat Hataba Number of rooms 300 steigenberger.com

MOROCCO

QATAR

TURKEY

New IBEROSTAR in Marrakech Spanish hotel chain IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts has opened the IBEROSTAR Club Palmeraie Marrakech, a four-star property, after extensive renovation. The new hotel has 318 fully renovated rooms and offers 'All Inclusive' services and facilities.

Number of rooms 318 iberostar.com

The first Curio in the Middle East AlRayyan Hotel Doha, Curio Collection by Hilton is the brand's first property to open in Qatar. It joins two other Hilton properties in the city and is directly connected to the Mall of Qatar.

Number of rooms 201 curio.com

The first Radisson Blu Residence opens in Turkey The five-star Radisson Blu Residence, Istanbul Batışehir, is part of a mixed-use project named Batışehir. The property brings a variety of F&B options, five meeting rooms, and a 600 square-meter spa.

Number of rooms 171 radissonblu.com/hotel-istanbul-batisehir

UAE Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort launches beachfront chalets The project forms part of the expansion of Danat Hotels and Resorts, the hotel management division of National Corporation for Tourism and Hotels.

Number of chalets 24 danathotels.com

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Somewhere Hotel opens second property in Dubai One of Dubai’s most stylish mid-market hotel brands has opened at the renowned ‘Barsha Heights’, previously known as Tecom. The launch marks the brand's second hotel in Dubai.

Number of rooms 301 somewhere-hotels.com

NEWS

HOTELS

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OPENING SOON KSA

MOROCCO

QATAR

Rezidor brings two new properties to KSA In partnership with Tanami Arabia Limited, Radisson Blu Residence, Dhahran has recently opened with 92 serviced apartments; Radisson Blu Hotel, Dhahran Square, will feature 216 rooms.

Opening Q1 2019 rezidor.com

Hilton expands in Morocco In a management agreement with Group Sadiki, the first Hilton hotel in Casablanca will feature 118 guest rooms with a 550 square-meter ballroom and a Moroccanoriental restaurant.

Opening 2021 hilton.com

Mondrian to debut in the ME in Doha sbe, a lifestyle hospitality company, will debut in the Middle East with the opening of the 27-room Mondrian Doha, Qatar, featuring eight bars and restaurants, and an indoor/outdoor rooftop pool bar Opening Q3 2017 sbe.com

USD 136 million beachfront resort slated for Dubai’s Deira Islands Nakheel and Centara Hotels and Resorts have signed a joint venture agreement to create a 550-room, USD 136 million beachfront resort with waterpark at Deira Islands in Dubai featuring a waterpark, dining facilities, business center and a spa.

Opening Soft-opening set for 2019 nakheel.com

Two TIME properties to open in Ajman TIME Hotels has added a fourth TIME Residence to its expanding UAE portfolio of serviced apartments, by launching the first of two properties in Ajman - Palm 1 TIME Residence with 16 apartments. Palm 2 TIME Residence will follow, featuring 20 longhaul apartments.

Opening Launching in March 2017 timehotels.ae

UAE

Next phase of Atlantis kicks off Kerzner International, in collaboration with Knight Frank, has launched The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences in Dubai, with 231 residences and 795 new guestrooms and suites, comprising a selection of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, sky courts, penthouses and garden suites.

Opening 2019 theroyalatlantisresidences.com

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NEWS

HOTELS

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE AccorHotels has promoted Olivier Granet to managing director and COO for the Middle East and Africa. Based in Dubai, Granet has overseen the Middle East region as managing director and COO. In his new role, he will be responsible for AccorHotels’ portfolio of over 178 operational hotels across 28 countries and 160 properties under development. An 18-year veteran of the hospitality industry, Granet first joined AccorHotels in 1999 as CFO for Central Europe, and was later handed the roles of VP corporate finance and senior VP strategy.

Sami Aawar is the new GM of Mövenpick Hotel Doha.

His career with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts dates back to 2002, when he was appointed front office duty manager in Beirut.

The Millennium Plaza Dubai has appointed Nemo Acimovic as its new GM. With over 27 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Acimovic was most recently, GM of the Millennium Corniche Abu Dhabi.

Sysco International Food Group has appointed Mustafa Almasri as director of regional sales and business development for Middle East and Asia Pacific. He brings over 22 years of industry experience to the role.

Minor Hotels has appointed Alejandro Bernabé, former CEO of Kempinski, as group director, AVANI Hotels & Resorts. He began his career in F&B working in Switzerland, before joining Kempinski in 1998.

Richard Bleakley is the new GM of Marriott’s second hotel in Abu Dhabi, Marriott Hotel Al Forsan.

Prior to his new role, he was GM of Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi.

Minor Hotels appointed Ramzy Fenianos as VP development, for Europe, Middle East and Africa. He brings over 10 years of experience in hospitality and real estate to the role.

Grand Hyatt Dubai has promoted David Harb from executive assistant manager to hotel manager. Harb began his career with Hyatt in 2002, joining Hyatt Regency New Orleans.

Jumeirah Group has appointed Alejandro Helbling as VP group services. He joins Jumeirah Group from the Capella Singapore hotel, where he was GM.

Andrew Henning is the GM of St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club. He will oversee the operations of the first polo and equestrian-inspired St. Regis hotel globally.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has promoted Ahmed Issa from resident manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, to general manager of Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.

Hospitality Management Holding has appointed Ferghal Purcell as COO. Purcell was the former complex general manager for The Ajman Palace Hotel and The Coral Beach Resort Sharjah.

Richard Raab is the new GM of Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay. He has been acting general manager at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeriah Beach.

Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates in Dubai has promoted Slim Zaiane to GM. Zaiane was previously hotel manager at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates.

Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, has welcomed Dimitrios Zarikos as its new regional VP and GM, in charge of the company’s area properties.

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

DEDICATED TO CREATING EXPERIENCES THAT RESONATE

LEAVE YOUR EXPECTATIONS BEHIND

T. +961 1 44 75 89

E. info@moodlab.com

NEWS

RESTAURANTS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

IN BRIEF Katara Hospitality to open STK Doha

THE MIDDLE EAST: AN EMERGING F&B REGION The global commercial foodservice is valued at almost USD 3 trillion, according to a presentation by Winsight Events' Global Restaurant Leadership Conference (GRLC).

The Middle East has one of the lowest shares of restaurant units (three percent) and highest ratios of consumers per unit (172,000). This data highlights the opportunities that the market presents to F&B operators, even more so, given that dining out in the region was the highest globally at 90 percent, outpacing Asia (72 percent) and Europe (48 percent).

According to the report, Middle Eastern consumers are looking for authentic and healthy products.

They are also willing to purchase premium items, the GRLC found.

Globally, there is a strong emphasis among consumers on knowing what their food contains, with transparency in restaurants on the rise. In addition, the Middle East and Asia both consider technology to be of the utmost importance.

Data showed that customers in the Middle East were the most engaged with technology broadly and with food photography while dining out in particular. globalrlc.com TOP 5 FASTEST GROWING GLOBAL CONCEPTS IN 2015 Subway

44,663 units

McDonald's

36,525 units

Starbucks

23,571 units

KFC

19,952 units

Pizza Hut

16,063 units

CLASSIC BURGER JOINT HOSTS FIRST ANNUAL FRANCHISE CONVENTION

US-based The ONE Group Hospitality has signed a licensing agreement to open STK Doha in partnership with Katara Hospitality. STK is a modern twist on the American steakhouse concept, with locations in major metropolitan cities throughout the US and Europe. STK Doha will be located on the top floor of the city’s newly renovated Ritz-Carlton hotel. The restaurant is expected to have seating for 150 guests and will feature STK’s classic menu, along with the brand’s signature décor. katarahospitality.com togrp.com Boubess Group opens Market in Beirut

Market is Boubess Group’s latest restaurant concept, soon to open in Downtown Beirut in early April 2017. Branded and designed by WonderEight, (Global Branding and Interactive Agency), Market is a cosmopolitan restaurant that serves diverse cuisines and embraces different culinary traditions from around the world. boubess.com Tawasy Group ventures into fine dining segment

Tawasy Group, a leading UAE-based dining, catering and restaurant management firm, has launched its first restaurant, Tawasy Restaurant and Grill, in Dubai Festival City, serving authentic Arabic and Mediterranean cuisine. The company plans to open 10 more restaurants in the UAE in the coming four years and expand across the GCC through franchising. tawasy.ae Café Blanc inks partnership with Bebuzzd

Bebuzzd, a Dubai-based multi-store mobile app loyalty program, has signed a new partnership agreement with Lebanese coffeehouse, Café Blanc. Under the terms of the agreement, Café Blanc will now be able to run its own customer loyalty program while also being a part of a more extensive and exclusive network. bebuzzd.com Largest restaurant in Bahrain is underway

Classic Burger Joint (CBJ) celebrated its network growth by holding its first annual franchise convention at the Ritz DIFC in Dubai.

The convention was attended by all franchise owners and suppliers, providing them with an opportunity to share the company’s vision, support and guidance. CBJ, owned

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

by Beirut-based Ministry of Food s.a.l., was launched with just one restaurant in 2010, before expanding to 30 branches by 2016. Outlets are located in Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon and the UAE. The first branch in Iraq is scheduled to open in 2017. cbj.me

Part of IKEA Bahrain, the restaurant will have 800 seats over an area of 2200 square meters.

IKEA Bahrain will house a 6,200 m2 showroom, a 6000 m2 market hall for accessories, a 5000 m2 self-serve area and 4,000 m2 full service area. The bistro and Swedish food market, which facilitate grab-and-go snacks and takehome meals respectively, will take up about 500 m2 of the total area. ikea.com/sa

NEWS

RESTAURANTS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

SBE TO MERGE WITH HAKKASAN GROUP

DUBAI OPERA EXPANDS BANQUETING FACILITIES

The Dubai Opera will be transforming the proscenium arch theatre into a banquet configuration, flat floor space. The interior of this acoustic opera house and concert hall has 2000 seats. When the space is repurposed as an event hire proposition, it becomes a 2000 square meter flat floor space, which can host up to 1000 people for an exclusive gala dinner, wedding,

fashion show, product launch, exhibition, corporate or social event to rival anything offered by the world’s best venues. In the six months since Dubai Opera has opened, it has welcomed over 22 production teams from some of the world’s finest shows, including 1300 performers watched by over 150,000 theater goers. dubaiopera.com

sbe, one of the leading lifestyle hospitality companies which develops, manages and operates award-winning hospitality venues globally, announced that it is in advanced discussions to merge Hakkasan Group into the sbe family. sbe Founder and CEO, Sam Nazarian stated, "sbe is in advanced discussions with Hakkasan Group regarding a potential merger. As currently contemplated, sbe would welcome Hakkasan’s global portfolio of restaurants and best in class nightlife assets into sbe's international platform of lifestyle hospitality and entertainment assets to create a dynamic hospitality, residential, restaurant and entertainment company in the industry. The merger is expected to close within 60 days." sbe acquired Morgans Hotel Group in 2016.

Its portfolio also includes internationaly acclaimed restaurants and lounges, including: Katsuya, Cleo and The Bazaar by José Andrés. sbe.com

ADVERTORIAL

ATAYEB AL RIF (RURAL DELIGHTS) COOPERATIVE Rural Delights "Atayeb Al Rif" Cooperative

Atayeb Al Rif Cooperative (also known as Rural Delights) is a marketing cooperative that was established as a result of a developmental project implemented

by YMCA USA-Lebanon that aimed at providing rural women in Lebanon with income generation opportunities. Being a hub for more than 40 women-owned rural cooperatives, Atayeb Al Rif aims at producing 100% natural and authentic Lebanese foods that follow traditional recipes while respecting the standards of food safety and hygiene. Atayeb Al Rif Cooperative currently supports and followsup with the cooperatives’ operations and markets the products under the brand-name “Lebanese Village Products”.

Products include an array of authentic foods “Mouneh” including jams, syrups, dried fruits, distilleries, pickles, molasses, vinegar, dairy, olive oil, food in oil (makdous), za’atar, honey and sweets as well as handmade articles, soap, candles and much more. Products are available at the head-office and at Rural Delights Boutique – Gemmayze which is a new concept and initiative to help market

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

Lebanese food and non-food products in Beirut. The boutique serves as a focal sales point that groups rural producers to supports their access to the market.

Atayeb Al Rif currently implements its own projects and supports the network of cooperatives as well as others (including small enterprises, farmers, Syrian refugees and individuals with special needs).

Consequently, Atayeb Al Rif Cooperative works with different donor agencies, local NGOs and the private sector. One of the recent projects is the “Sustainable Opportunities for Fair Trade Activities in Rural Areas” (SOFAIR) project, a 3-year project funded by the U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and implemented in partnership with Fair Trade Lebanon.

SOFAIR aims at enhancing the economic activities and status of 14 women-owned cooperatives and 8 SMEs in rural areas with a focus on expanding their market linkages.

Address: Sin El Fil, St. Rita Boulevard, Delta Center, Block B, Floor 3, Hurch Tabet, Lebanon.

Email: atayebrif@yahoo.com Mobile: +961-3-335854

@ruraldelights

Rural Delights Cooperative

NEWS

RESTAURANTS

6 QUESTIONS TO

WADAD KHALIFE MANAGING DIRECTOR ASSAAD FOOD & BEVERAGE 1. Do you view Lebanon’s F&B industry as a premium-generating sector, and if so, why?

Despite the challenges the Lebanese economy has faced in these past five years, over 1000 F&B establishments have been launched across the country. The industry has shown itself to be resilient and productive. With a broad plethora of new and revamped concepts, the F&B industry is catering to customers’ needs, and is on a path of continuous improvement. Furthermore, a new differentiating strategy is being implemented by F&B outlets to export their products and services beyond Beirut, enabling them to capture a wider targeted audience away from the saturated capital.

2. Your company’s activities have been growing steadily in Lebanon, despite market challenges. What do you see as your competitive advantage?

P.F Chang’s, Al Forno and The Cheesecake Factory are continuously following up on market trends and customers’ expectations. Striving to maintain our top position, our F&B outlets frequently introduce limitedtime offers (LTOs), as well as quarterly updated menus. Our brands’ marketing calendars are designed to optimize each of our campaigns, both on and offline. All campaigns are thoroughly planned and strategically implemented around each holiday and event.

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

P.F. Chang’s

3. Is Chinese cuisine proving popular in Lebanon? What are your development plans for PF Chang’s?

P.F. Chang’s is considered a comprehensive culinary Asian experience, rather than solely a Chinese restaurant, thanks to its diversified menu. Chinese and Asian cuisine is attracting a growing audience, since customers are willing to experience new food cultures. With several new Chinese and Asian restaurants opening, P.F. Chang’s remains at the top of the list.

Plans to launch two additional locations will keep P.F. Chang’s on a continuous path of development and growth.

4. Italian is one of the most popular cuisines worldwide, Lebanon included. Was it easy to introduce Al Forno and establish a presence in the country?

The culinary art of our Italian kitchen is sparked by a great passion for food and soulful cooking. In 2015, Al Forno established itself as one of the finest traditional and modern Italian cuisines in Lebanon, despite the difficult economic conditions at that time. Its continuous commitment to growth and development through homemade, wood-fired pizza and fresh pasta is at the core of its success.

5. How do you assess The Cheesecake Factory's progress in the market?

The much-anticipated brand debuted in December 2015. Since then, The Cheesecake Factory has maintained a ‘Fully Booked’ status, with an endless waiting list. Its presence in Beirut has delivered non-stop growth, on the back of the brand’s generous portions, ideal strategy for sharing and a wide variety of dessert offerings.

6. What brands will you be introducing to the Lebanese market?

Assaad Food & Beverage thrives on developing and diversifying its portfolio throughout Lebanon. Our newest addendum is Texas Roadhouse, the concept with the ‘Legendary Food, Legendary Service’ motto. Since its launch in the US in 1993, the restaurant has maintained its spirit as a place where everybody can enjoy good food at a great price in a fun way.

The renowned chain is expected to debut in Lebanon next year in Vermelho building, Hamra Street.

ABOUT ASSAAD FOOD & BEVERAGE Lebanon-based Assaad Food & Beverage S.A.L., was founded in 2011, part of the extensive group of businesses owned

by BA United Holding, which embraces three diversified entities: Real estate management and development; food and beverage; and retail. Assaad Food & Beverage owns and operates a wide range of franchised restaurants in both local and international markets.

F&B PORTFOLIO P.F. Chang’s ABC Achrafieh (2012) City Centre Beirut - Hazmieh (2013) Zaitunay Bay - Beirut (2015) The Spot Choueifat (2017) Vermelho, Hamra (2018) Al Forno Zaitunay Bay - Beirut (2015) The Cheesecake Factory Verdun Main Street - Beirut (2015) Texas Roadhouse Vermelho, Hamra (2018) assaadfandb.com

This is an almond. # goboldwithvalrhonafruit

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Inspiration is Valrhona’s first range of fruit couvertures* created with 100% natural ingredients. All Valrhona’s chocolate-making expertise has been put to use to develop this technical breakthrough, combining the unique texture of cocoa butter with the color and intense flavor of fruit.

NEWS

RESTAURANTS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

NEWS OPENINGS CHEF LEBANON CONSULTANTS OPENS RESTAURANTS IN IRAN

KIAN CAFÉ, TEHRAN Classified as a five-star café, the project is owned by Fadi El Rewissati. Chef Lebanon Consultants Company act as consultants and concept creators. The café has a seating capacity of 50 people, both indoors and outdoors. The executive chef is Fadi El Rewissati.

Opened March 10

NOMA RESTAURANT, TEHRAN Classified as a five-star restaurant, this project is also owned

by Fadi El Rewissati. Chef Lebanon Consultants Company act as consultants and concept creators. The café has a buffet style menu. The restaurant has a seating capacity of 100 people both indoors and outdoors. The executive chef is Fadi El Rewissati.

Opened March 18

ASIA DE CUBA, BAHRAIN

Opened January 19 Owner(s) Gallery 21 is part of the owning company of Bushido and Trader Vic's Executive chef Luis Pous Covers 95 Average price/person USD 160

Typical dishes Shrimp Churros, Chicken Chicharrones, Tunapica Tartare Address Gallery 21, Road 3801, Block 338, Adliya, Bahrain asiadecuba.com

LA PLAYA DUBAI, UAE Opened January Owner(s) Whissle group, the UAE hospitality company which also manages OKKU, CLAW BBQ, Casa De Tapas and Cielo Sky Lounge Head chef Thomas Zwar Covers 230 Average price/person USD 20 Typical dishes Southerninspired American dishes Address The Walk, Dubai laplayalounge.com

DEMOISELLE BY GALVIN, UAE

TASHAS AL BATEEN, UAE

Opened March 6 Owner(s) Natasha and Savva Sideris Covers 168 Average price/person USD 50 Typical dishes Citrus, Avo and

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Pistacchio Salad, The Brazilian Quesadilla, Parmesan and Cous Cous Encrusted Chicken Address Unit B02 Cafe, Marsa, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi tashascafe.com

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

Opened March 12 Executive chef Luigi Vespero Executive pastry chef Ryan Harris Covers 210 Average price/person USD 40 Typical dishes Milk-fed Lamb,

bulgur wheat, mint, courgette and pomegranate, Crisp Duck Leg Confit, green beans and shallot salad Address Demoiselle Dubai, City Walk, Dubai demoiselledubai.com

NEWS

CHEFS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

L’ACADÉMIE CULINAIRE DE FRANCE RECOGNIZES LEBANON-BASED CHEFS

IN BRIEF New executive chef in Oman’s Alila Jabal Akhdar

Sylvain Arthus

Patrick Burat

L’Académie Culinaire de France induced 36 new auditors including three chefs working in Lebanon: Sylvain Arthus, chef of La Table d’Alfred, Patrick Burat, chef at the Casino du Liban, and Alexis Couquelet, chef and co-founder of

Alexis Couquelet

Couqley Bistro. The occasion took place at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. During the event, Fabrice Prochasson, president of L’Académie Culinaire de France, remitted the title of Knight of the World Order to André Cointreau, president of Le Cordon Bleu.

3 QUESTIONS TO CHEF JOE BARZA

Star-studded chef Alex Ensor has joined Oman’s Alila Jabal Akhdar as the executive chef of the resort’s Juniper restaurant. alilahotels.com

Park Rotana & Park Arjaan by Rotana, Abu Dhabi appoints new executive chef

Thijs Van Rhoon joins Park Rotana & Park Arjaan

by Rotana, Abu Dhabi as executive chef. He has over 12 years of experience in the global hospitality and restaurant industry. rotana.com

New executive chef for InterContinental Abu Dhabi

InterContinental Abu Dhabi appointed chef Chris Curtis as its executive chef. He has over 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry. ihg.com

New executive chef for Courtyard by Marriott Dubai Green Community

Lebanese celebrity chef Joe Barza is the new branding image of Hilton Hotels in the GCC and Africa. Here is what he said about his title.

1. What does becoming the branding image of Hilton mean to you as a chef and how would it translate in your business?

Becoming the branding image of Hilton represents a chapter in a long story of success, which is still ongoing. I would call it the ‘cherry on the top of the cake’. The title will bring added value to my career. It is recognition of the hard work done both locally and abroad over the past years.

2. You are the first Middle Eastern chef to hold this title. What was involved in the selection process?

I am the first chef to hold this title in the Middle East, Turkey and East Africa. This is an international

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certification to Lebanese cuisine. It is the crowning of four successful years of consultancy undertaken with reputable hotels such as Conrad Cairo and Waldorf Astoria, among others.

This proven record was behind the Hilton Group's decision to choose me to be their branding image.

3. How are you planning to introduce your food philosophy to Hilton?

My loyalty to my ‘food terroir’ and passion for it are, in fact, the reasons I have been chosen by Hilton, bearing in mind that when it comes to taste, flavor and quality, Lebanese cuisine is today a strong competitor on the international culinary scene.

Transmitting our healthy Lebanese culinary culture and maintaining consistently high standards are my main goals with Hilton and with every stakeholder in this industry. joebarza.com

Rosalind Parsk is the new executive chef at the Courtyard by Marriott Dubai Green Community. She has been the head chef at Ivy Restaurant at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers. marriottdiningatcy.ae

New head chef at Ramada Plaza Jumeirah

Chef Fernando María Rey Golfarine has joined Ramada Plaza Jumeirah Beach from Churrascaria Rodizio as head chef of Dubai’s first Brazilian Churasscaria, Fogueira.

He began his career in 2007 in Brazil with a popular churrascaria. ramadaplazajbr.com

NEWS

SUPPLIERS

3 QUESTIONS TO BASSEM CHARTOUNI, GENERAL OPERATIONS MANAGER - LEVANT FOR NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL importance. That being said, we at Nestle are working tirelessly to provide just that.

2. What are your plans for this year?

This year will be the milestone in perfecting our service offering, as we will be introducing our dedicated service value proposition, PROCARE. With this, the market dynamics will be elevated by not just meeting customers’ needs, but surpassing them in terms of time, efficiency and effectiveness.

Leading FMCG brand Nestlé is planning to introduce several new products to the Lebanese market, to ensure it keeps in line with customers’ demands 1. Given the current market dynamics, what does the future hold?

In this rapidly changing market where customer offerings are so dynamic and wide, competition for meeting B2B customers’ needs is in high demand and of critical

3. Are there any new innovations planned for launch this year?

We will be extending our Nestlé Docello range with four highly anticipated flavors: Tiramisu; dairy base; mango mousse; and mixed berries mousse. For savory, along with our wide Maggi range, we are working on dedicated formats and solutions that match the needs of our out-of-home customers.

When it comes to beverages, we continue on the path of evolving our solutions through next-generation machines on one hand - Nescafe Milano, Nescafe Alegria and Nestlé Coolpro - and upgrading our coffee offering and consumption experience on the other. nestleprofessionalme.com

AL RIFAI IN THE US Al Rifai is eyeing the US, as it seeks to build a substantial position in the international F&B market, revealed Jean Nader, commercial director of the Lebanese nuts and kernels manufacturer. The company, which has already opened two stand-alone locations in Canada, with a distribution network of over 1000 stores, will debut in the US by the end of the year. “We are now focusing on developing our footprint in North and South America,” Nader said. Al Rifai already has over 400 shops in the GCC and will continue to grow its portfolio. A brand new USD 30 million factory in Halat, North Lebanon was opened in Q1 2017. alrifai.com

HOME-GROWN COFFEE BREWERY Latte Art, a Lebanese home-grown roasting room and brewery, is now ready to cater to restaurants and hotels. The concept, founded by Bechara Nakad, roasts, grinds and brews fresh coffee using quality beans from around the world. The outlet also serves hot and cold beverages, prepared with roasted coffee beans, alongside cakes and bagels. Two or three new Latte Art shops will be opening on a yearly basis, with a long-term expansion plan.

The art of great cooking The german specialist in professional cooking technology

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

www.mkn.eu

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

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ENERGY STAR AWARDED TO MKN The internationally recognized and renowned Energy Star Certificate has officially certified the energy efficiency of MKN combi steamers worldwide. The Energy Star Certificate requires MKN equipment to undergo an annual inspection. For many years, the MKN international GreenTeam has been working on the efficiency and sustainability of its production processes and products alike. The Energy Star is an international energy efficiency label awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since 1992. The Energy Star Program was introduced to Europe by an EU

Regulation in 2003 and has been regarded as the official label for energy efficient appliances ever since. mkn.de

SAFRAN DU LIBAN TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN LEBANON The idea behind Safran du Liban (Saffron of Lebanon) began with Yasmina Wakim, a young visionary, committed to reviving the historic cultivation of saffron in Lebanon.

After market research, she cultivated a small plantation which grew over a fiveyear period to reach eight kilos per year in 2016. The harvesting of this purple flower is a delicate process since it lasts a maximum of 48 hours. Once harvested, the red thread of the flower is dried out, at which point it loses 80 percent of its weight.

Nearly 200,000 flowers are harvested and

dried to obtain one kilo of dry saffron – a process requiring around 400 hours of intense labor, which is why saffron is often more expensive than truffles and caviar.

Its price can reach up to EUR 35,000 per kilo. Wakim aims to provide farmers in the rural areas of Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, with the means to secure a sustainable living by growing saffron. Besides supplying some of the most respected Michelin-starred European chefs, Wakim expects to give out saffron bulbs to farming communities. safranduliban.com

BARILLA EXPANDS IN THE KSA Italian pasta brand, Barilla, is expanding into Saudi Arabia, in partnership with Mayar Foods, which will distribute the products through retailers across the Kingdom. The pasta market in Saudi Arabia totals 55 thousand tons, with nearly 2 kg consumption per capita per year. Barilla’s regional expansion has been prompted by a shift in dietary preferences in the region, where the Mediterranean diet is

becoming more popular and people are keen to try authentic Italian food. In 2014, Barilla opened its MEA headquarters in Dubai, and announced an expansion into North Africa before entering Saudi Arabia.

Barilla Restaurant Group, part of the Barilla family of brands, has also just opened two restaurants in Dubai and is planning further expansion in 2017. barilla.com

DELIFRANCE OPENS TWO OUTLETS IN DUBAI Delifrance, one of the world’s leading French bakery-café-restaurant chains, has opened two outlets in Dubai. The venues are located in Dubai Mall and Ibn Batutta Mall. Delifrance opened its first restaurant in 1984, although its heritage dates back to 1919. Today, its international franchise network spans 400 outlets across 13 countries. Delifrance produces and sells 1000 different bread, viennoiserie, pâtisserie and savory products to professionals in the hotel, restaurant and bakery sectors. delifrance.com APR-MAY 2017 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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HORECA

PREVIEW

TALKING HORECA

Now in its 24th edition, HORECA Lebanon is once again getting down to business. Bringing together owners and CEOs of large food brands to GMs of the top hotels across the region, the exhibition provides a platform for decision-makers to meet, to explore new trends and engage in positive dialogue to help shape the future of the hospitality and foodservice industries

DOWNLOAD THE HORECA LEBANON APP FOR SHOW INFO

WHAT THE SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS HAVE TO SAY GOLD SPONSORS Boecker has been proud to be part of HORECA for many years now and the exhibition remains one of the best and most professional in Lebanon Bana Kobrosly, Country Manager for Boecker Public Health SAL

Years ago, HORECA was predominantly an exhibition place.

Today, it’s a gathering point and a unique occasion for all industry players to meet and define the sense of taste, as well as an opportunity to plan for the future. We’re proud to be sponsors of the show

EXHIBITORS AND EVENT SPONSORS Fattal Group has been with HORECA since its genesis in Lebanon. Our regular participation has become more of a partnership throughout the years, a partnership that has proved to be strategic, guided by a common vision and shared values. What makes this experience exceptional is HORECA’s dedicated team members, who continuously innovate and tailor the different possibilities for showcasing our offerings and interacting with potential partners to our needs, so that we always look forward to the next season Ahmad Makki, Head of FMCG Lebanon and Syria, Khalil Fattal & Fils

350+

EXHIBITO

Bassam Rizk, CEO of Prunelle SAL

SUPPORTING HOTELS HORECA is a name that has made Lebanon shine locally and internationally and a place where Lebanese chefs have been able to share their hidden talents. It is a very successful, organized and professional exhibition that gathers the hospitality sector under one umbrella Nather Auchi, General Manager of Le Royal Hotels & Resorts Beirut

HORECA is a tremendous platform in the local market for showcasing talents and for professionals to meet and exchange ideas. Highlighting the country’s rich hospitality, it is also an important awareness tool to raise Lebanon to new heights internationally Dagmar Symes, General Manager of Phoenicia Hotel Beirut and Le Vendôme InterContinental

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

HORECA never fails to shine a bright light on the country’s rich hospitality and foodservice industries. As platinum sponsors of the Lebanese Barista Competition and exhibitors at the show, Café Najjar recognizes the importance of HORECA as an essential annual meeting point, networking hub and platform for innovation. It’s the exhibition no one in the industry wants to miss Georges Najjar, Chairman of ETS. Michel Najjar SAL

KEY FACTS: • 15,000+ TRADE PROFESSIONALS • 25+ DAILY EVENTS, COMPETITIONS & FORUMS • 60+ TOP INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS • MULTIPLE MEETING & NETWORKING HUBS

RS

NEW PRODUCTS ON THE SCENE

Look out for the special sign at the exhibitors' stands

HORECA brings more than 2,500 brands to the forefront. Here's a small selection of the newest products to discover

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1. Okka-Minio coffee machine arzum.com.tr

8. Candy van vending-lb.com

15. Sundried tomatoes terroirsduliban.com

22. Roger's handcooked chips orangebloom.net

2. Huxol sucralose goraieb.com

9. Flavored olive oil zeitboulos.com

16. RAK woodart plate restofairlb.com

23. Garbage bin with pedal 3mplast.com

3. Chunky chicken americana-group.com

10. Beirut Beer beirutbeer.com

17. Slow cooker crock-pot.com

24. Nord drive system raymondfeghalico.com

4. Glass water gallon talaya.com

11. Rim sparkling water rimwater.com

18. Morning gift parcel 4likeapril.com

5. Bamboo veneer plates polaver.com

12. Vacuum sealer foodsaver.com

19. Fellowes air purifier maliks.com

25. Drawing dough sheeter for baklawa samtec.com.lb

6. Wembley gin the-roaster.com

13. Desko document reader solectronlb.com

20. Blendtec blender armobel.net

7. Knorr hickory BBQ sauce ufs.com

14. Metalsistem storage span-group.com

21. Blade carbon infrared heater veito.com

26. Sunny sunlounger kama.com.lb

horecashow.com

APR-MAY 2017 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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EVENTS

WHERE TO BE SEEN

ON THE HORIZON

Book these dates on your calendar for three of the most anticipated hospitality and tourism events happening this month

MEET US THERE

media partner of GRIF, ATM & AHIC

THE GLOBAL RESTAURANT INVESTMENT FORUM APRIL 10-12, FAIRMONT, THE PALM, DUBAI

Amir Nahai

The fourth edition of the Global Restaurant Investment Forum 2017 (GRIF), the annual networking and intelligence event for the international restaurant and hospitality community powered by Michelin, is fast approaching. It will provide a macroeconomic overview of the F&B industry and tackle issues such as concept development, finance, lending, investment feasibility, scaling up for sustainable growth, creating a food culture, and catering to digitallyfocused customers.

The event brings together over 300 industry professionals for interactive culinary tours, networking receptions, a franchise masterclass and a stimulating conference program that gets to the core of investing in the restaurant and

ATM EXPECTING OVER 30,000 VISITORS APRIL 24-27, DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017 is gearing up for its 24th edition. The four-day show's increasing growth and footfall, drove organizer Reed Travel Exhibitions to open up an additional hall. The official show theme is 'experiential travel', highlighting the adventure, culture, heritage, wellness, sport, theme park, halal and cruise tourism segments, currently trending globally.

This has been integrated across all show verticals and many activities, including focused seminars and roundtable events.

The opening session of this year’s event will look at the role Expo 2020 plays in delivering the UAE government’s longterm vision for economic diversification.

The UNWTO & ATM Ministerial Forum, entitled ‘Fostering the contribution of tourism to sustainable economic growth and diversification in the MENA region’, will host 20 ministers. ILTM Arabia will host

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one-to-one pre-appointments between luxury products suppliers from around the world to high-net-worth individuals. New this year, the inaugural Halal Travel Summit will discuss halal destination strategies and how to sell halal travel. The ATM Best Stand Awards are back for a third year. Top judges and visitors to the annual industry event will acknowledge the design, creativity and positioning of exhibiting companies’ physical presence at the annual showcase. arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com

• +30,000 visitors expected • + 2,800 exhibiting companies • 70 percent growth since 2012 • 65 country pavilions • 140 represented countries

food service industry. The topic of restaurant conceptualization will be an important one at GRIF 2017. The lineup of speakers for the 2017 edition of GRIF includes Amir Nahai, CEO Food & Beverage, AccorHotels, who will be interviewed live on stage about the international hotelier’s F&B strategy on 11 April. Speaking ahead of the event, Nahai said, “Rethinking and redefining our F&B offer is a critical element of AccorHotels’ transformation and we are committed to demonstrating that hotels can be market-leaders in the restaurant business. With close to 8,000 restaurants around the world, our goal is to position our F&B offer as a truly differentiating factor for our guests, our partners and our employees.” restaurant-invest.com

ARABIAN HOTEL INVESTMENT CONFERENCE 2017 25-27 APRIL, MADINAT JUMEIRAH, DUBAI

Rani Gharbi

The 13th edition of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2017 (AHIC), the annual meeting point, knowledge and networking platform for the hotel investment community, will bring together 700 global leaders from the world’s largest hotel chains, in a series of CEO keynote sessions. Chris Nassetta, president and chief executive officer of Hilton, said, “The Middle East is a very important market and Hilton sees tremendous potential growth in the years ahead. I am honored to keynote AHIC, and I look forward to a great conference and many productive conversations.” H.E Sheikh Mubarak AlAbdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, founder and non-executive chairman of Action Hotels, won the 2017 AHIC Industry Pioneer Award. He has spearheaded the economy and mid-market hotels in the region, and broken new ground internationally with Action Hotels, making it the only Kuwaiti company and only hospitality company within the region to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The advisory board also awarded the 2017 AHIC Leadership Award to Ghaith AlGhaith, CEO of flydubai.

Highlighting trends This year’s theme, ‘Global Catalysts for Change’, will tackle the impact of the ongoing digital revolution, the emergence of the Internet of Things, the advent of the sharing economy and the changing face of the consumer on today’s hotel business.

Influence of the East Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, CEO of Louvre Hotels Group, owned by Shanghai-based Jin Jiang International Hotels Co, will address the growing influence of the East on the international hotel industry. “We are witnessing record travel between Asia and the Middle East and Louvre Hotels Group is positioned to play a strategic role in the regional travel growth,” Roulot said.

Chris Nassetta

Newcomers?

According to Rani Gharbi, vice president of development (North America) at Virgin Hotels, the MENA region has been and will always be very important. Some of Virgin’s sister companies have already well established business in the region, including Virgin Mobile in KSA and Virgin Megastores, from Dubai to Beirut. “While Virgin Hotels may consider key Middle Eastern markets in the near future, our current focus is to work closely with our strong network of MENA-based investment firms and family offices to invest in or develop Virgin Hotels in North America and Europe,” Gharbi said.

He added, “We have close relationships with Middle Eastern partners and are continuously exploring investment and development opportunities with them in North America and Europe. As such, AHIC is an ideal venue for Virgin Hotels to show its support to our close friends and partners in the region.”

Keynote speakers Dr. Badr Al Badr, CEO, Dur Hospitality Steven Daines, COO new businesses and CEO, HotelServices Africa and Middle East, AccorHotels Rani Gharbi, vice president, development (North America), Virgin Hotels Olivier Harnisch, CEO, Emaar Hospitality Group Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International Amine Moukarzel, president, MENA, Louvre Hotels Group Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton Stefan Leser, group CEO, Jumeirah Group Jean-Paul Pigat, senior economist, global markets and treasury, Emirates NBD Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, CEO, Louvre Hotels Group arabianconference.com

Pierre Frederic Roulot

CALENDAR APRIL HORECA 04 - 07 LEBANON The annual hospitality and foodservice event in the region.

Hospitality Services s.a.rl. horecashow.com GLOBAL RESTAURANT INVESTMENT FORUM 10 - 12 Dubai The forum showcases the hottest restaurant concepts from around the globe.

Bench Global Business Events restaurant-invest.com CAKE INTERNATIONAL 22 - 23 UNITED KINGDOM The cake decorating and baking show.

ICHF - International Craft & Hobby Fair Ltd. cakeinternational.co.uk SEAFOOD EXPO GLOBAL 25 - 27 BELGIUM International trade fair.

Diversified Communications seafoodexpo.com/global AHIC 25 - 27 Dubai Arabian hotel investment conference Bench Global Business Events arabianconference.com

MAY NRA SHOW 20 - 23 USA National Restaurant Association restaurant, hotel-motel show.

National Restaurant Association show.restaurant.org

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EVENTS

SEEN & HEARD

RECAP

Some of the industry’s biggest events took place recently. Here’s what you might have missed

GULFOOD BIGGER AND BOLDER

Celebrating its 22nd edition this year, Gulfood welcomed stakeholders from around the world. From the latest in health, wellness and freefrom to ‘on-the-go’, artisan and affordable-convenience, the five-day show lifted the curtain on a vast range of new concepts and products which are evolving across the global F&B scene. Over 2000 participants debuted at the exhibition, which also hosted the world’s biggest annual halal food sourcing trade show-in-show, titled Halal World Food. Virtual Supermarket, an interactive virtual shop window to the stand-out products and

cutting-edge technologies, was another attraction.

Copaboca

Herbeus

Ennius Rainbow Halal Certified sparkling wine. copaboca.com

AWARDS Six awards recognizing excellence and creativity within the global F&B industry were given out.

Best condiment or sauce: Magro Brothers Foods Limited Best frozen or chilled food: Pinguin Greenyard Frozen Best fruit and vegetable innovation: Global Food Industries LLC Best halal food: Green Isle Foods Best trade stand (up to 40 m2): Rastelli Brothers INC Best food service innovation: Zila Kavehaz Kft. gulfood.com

Herbal energy drink with 22k gold. en.herbeus.de

A FIRST FOR DINE EXPO Showcasing over 150 products and services dedicated to restaurants and cafés, the Dine Exhibition & Conference gathered over 5000 visitors at The Address Hotel, Dubai Marina, Dubai on March 4 and 5. Powered by Zomato, the event was accompanied by 10 multi-track conferences and brought together hundreds of industry leaders, chefs, business owners and food enthusiasts. They tackled industry concerns on franchising, licensing, design,

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and equipment technology.

The show's second edition will take place from April 16-18 at The Address Hotel, Dubai Marina, Dubai. dineexhibition.com

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FROM THE EXPO Boudy Nasrallah of Beirut based branding consultancy, WonderEight, gets a taste of what’s in store for the F&B and FMCG sectors at this year’s Gulfood in Dubai.

For those of us who closely follow what’s happening in the F&B sector in the Middle East, attending important trade shows like Gulfood 2017 is crucial in keeping on top of how the industry evolves.

Whether ‘Japanese deep sea water black garlic’ will be a hit in the snacking isle remains to be seen, but it’s clear that private labelling is going to be the next big thing.

Private labelling provides companies in the FMCG sector with an opportunity to create their own brands and build equity around them

on the long term. Moreover, globalization of the food and drink sector is creating huge opportunities for brands to enter new markets.

Manufacturing plants for copacking are widely available in most parts of the world and you can source any ingredient you wish for, from Chile to Russia. This also allows those venturing into private labels to focus on branding and creative packaging rather than the minutia of product development. Creativity and innovative presentation in the form of visually unusual packaging is a winner – but it is especially important to use tailored packaging: what works in Dubai won't necessarily work in Saudi Arabia. But, globalization also means localization when it comes to gaining traction across multiple markets. One of the most striking features of Gulfood was the number of exciting new flavors and culinary innovations that were on show from F&B businesses – from deep seawater black garlic to single serve luxurious strawberries. There is no doubt that some can become a hit in Arab countries if presented in the right context or by a suitable brand, offering the right consumer experience. wondereight.com

IRAN OPENS ITS DOORS AT IHTIC Iran highlighted its aim of doubling the number of tourists by 2020 at the inaugural Iran Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference held at the Parsian Evin Hotel, Tehran, on February 7-8, inaugurated by VP Dr. Zahra Ahmadipour, head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO). With key sanctions lifted, Iran opened its doors to investment and welcomed over 300 delegates in the two-day conference. Fifty percent of attendees came from the Middle

East and Europe, making it the most multi-national conference that Iran has hosted for many years. Land costs and finance were some of the key issues addressed at the IHTIC. New developments, such as Accor’s Novotel and Ibis hotels at the Imam Khomeini International Airport and the Gran Melia Ghoo on the Caspian Sea, are expected to pioneer Iran’s hospitality industry and act as benchmarks for future development. iranian-conference.com

SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION

EDUCATION A SELECTION OF THE MOST REPUTABLE HOSPITALITY SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD FRANCE ESSEC essec.edu

Institut Paul Bocuse institutpaulbocuse.com

Le Cordon Bleu cordonbleu.edu

Vatel vatel.com

JORDAN Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Les Roches raca-lesroches.edu.jo

LEBANON AUL

LIU

aul.edu.lb

liu.edu.lb

AUST

NDU

aust.edu.lb

ndu.edu.lb

AUT

Université La Sagesse

aut.edu

uls.edu.lb

Balamand

USEK

balamand.edu.lb

usek.edu.lb

LAU

USJ / IGE

sb.lau.edu.lb

usj.edu.lb

SWITZERLAND BHMS - Business Hotel Management School Luzern Switzerland

HOW THEY MADE ITTO THE TOP We know them as pioneers, leaders, achievers and entrepreneurs, but how exactly did they get there? Here is what nine of the leading hoteliers and restaurateurs said about their educational backgrounds and their advice to hospitality students eyeing a future in the industry

bhms.ch

César Ritz Colleges cesarritzcolleges.edu

Ecole Hôtelières de Genève ehg.ch

Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne ehl.edu

Glion Institute of Higher Education

HOTELIERS Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, CEO, Katara Hospitality

emiratesacademy.edu

Having been a part of Katara Hospitality for more than half of my 45-year journey, I believe the key to a successful career is hard work and dedication as well as a passion for what you do. Your education will give you a solid foundation for a career in hospitality. However, I also encourage students to seek out industry experience to support their formal studies. To really stand out in hospitality, you also need to be willing to take risks, continually exceeding the expectations of the industry. This will ensure you differentiate yourself in a highly competitive environment

UK

Graduated from: University of Salzburg, 1991

glion.edu

Hotel Institute Montreux hotelinstitutemontreux.com

IMI Luzern imi-luzern.com

Les Roches lesroches.edu

SSTH - Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality ssth.ch

UAE The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management

University of Surrey, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management surrey.ac.uk

USA University of Houston, Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management uh.edu

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Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management and Tourism Studies Bio: Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla was appointed CEO of Katara Hospitality in February 2011, having joined the company’s head office in December 2009 as chief human resources and administration officer. Al Mulla began his career in hospitality in 1991 at the Sheraton Gulf Hotel, now known as the Doha Marriott Hotel. Prior to joining Katara Hospitality head office, he was general manager of Merweb Hotel Al Sadd Doha.

Pascal Gauvin, CEO, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG In order to succeed in any industry, you need to be passionate about what you do, but particularly in the hospitality industry.

I believe that great hotel brands are delivered by great people who love what they do, so make sure that you are truly passionate about hospitality and about delivering the best possible guest experiences Graduated from: Lycée Hotelier Dinard and Ecôle Hotelière de Paris Qualifications: CAP Service, CAP Kitchen, BTH, Hotel Management, 1st year B.T.S. Hotel Management Bio: Pascal Gauvin is chief operating officer for IHG across India, Middle East and Africa, with over 124 operating hotels and 74 in the pipeline under his umbrella. Gauvin held several managerial positions at Accor and Hilton Hotels before joining IHG in 1993 as F&B manager at the InterContinental Hotel Paris.

He has been with IHG for over 20 years and held several senior managerial positions in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Africa, Lebanon, Qatar and UAE.

Omer Kaddouri, President & CEO, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation Success is for those who know what they want and go after it, no matter how difficult the path is Graduated from: Les Roches International School of Hotel Management Qualifications: Hotel Management diploma Bio: Omer Kaddouri is a seasoned hotelier who has gained a wealth of experience across various fields of hotel management and has worked with renowned chains, including Hilton International in UAE and London and Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur. He has been with Rotana Hotel Management since 1998. Under his helm, several initiatives involving the retention and succession planning of colleagues were launched, in line with the company’s expansion plans. One of the major programs is TAROT – The Accelerated Refinement Of Talent – which targets ambitious college or university graduates, as well as passionate existing team members whom Rotana believes have a bright future.

This reflects his belief that human resources will remain a key factor in the growth of the company.

Henk Meyknecht, Senior Vice President Middle East and Africa, Kempinski Hotels

Daniel Ruff, President and Managing Director, EMEA, Wyndham Hotel Group

Keep educating yourself and maintain an open mind on new customer trends and product or brand developments in the hospitality market. Ensure that you are always ahead of the information curve

To be a great hotelier, or businessperson in general, it is important to have passions and interests outside of your job scope, and use them to infuse your work with new perspectives

Graduated from: Hotelschool Maastricht

Graduated from: Cornell University, College of Arts & Sciences

Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management, and attended marketing courses at Cornell University and Business Management at the University of Hong Kong Bio: Henk Meyknecht is a hotel veteran with a career spanning a period of over 20 years. He has held positions in Europe, North America and Asia with Hilton, IHG and Peninsula Hotels. Before his appointment as senior vice president Middle East and Africa, Kempinski Hotels, Meyknecht was general manager of Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea.

Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts: Comparative French and Russian studies in the College Scholar Program Bio: Daniel Ruff joined Wyndham Hotel Group from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., in Brussels, Belgium, where he most recently led asset management for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He began his career as an investment banking analyst with Credit Suisse First Boston in New York.

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SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION

RESTAURATEURS Charles Boghos, Founder and CEO, Chez Charles Dubai Patience, determination and hard work spiced up with a bit of craziness are the success trio in the hospitality business Graduated from: Notre Dame University - Louaize (NDU) and Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in advertising and marketing and a Masters in marketing and communication Bio: A food entrepreneur at heart, Charles Boghos left his career in marketing to follow his culinary passion. His deep understanding of the need for fresh, organic ingredients allowed him to place quality above all else when opening his catering company in Dubai. He worked alongside Michelin star chefs to understand the flow of the kitchen, the art of culinary presentation and the true DNA of good food. He began his journey with The Gourmet Store with only two employees in a warehouse. Alongside Chez Charles, he founded Recom, a boutique marketing agency. His catering business reached new heights when he launched his e-commerce site, The Deli. He extended his catering services to Abu Dhabi, before opening Chez Charles restaurant, a contemporary French brasserie in Dubai Design District.

Marc Kallassi, Managing Director, Burger King Lebanon To succeed in this business, you have to think ‘globally’, but act ‘locally’. You need to work hard, to have a vision and to have perseverance. A small hint about the hospitality business: It is a real estate business. Buy land and build your own restaurants/hotels.

This is where you make good money Graduated from: Lebanese American University (LAU), Jbeil Qualifications: Double major in accounting and marketing, with a Certificate in People & Operational Development from Kansas University, USA. Masters of Marketing, Burger King University from Miami, USA Bio: A young, spirited businessman, Marc Kallassi is the managing director of King Food, the company which runs and operates the Burger King franchise in Lebanon, with a network of 25 branches. He is also in charge of Dine In, which operates Lime Tree and Kitchen Yard restaurants. King Food is part of Kallassi Group, one of the largest business operators in Lebanon. It distributes leading consumer goods, including Arla international brands, among many others.

Kallassi is currently the treasurer of the Lebanese Franchise Association.

Ziad Kamel, Managing Director, Couqley Middle East Your road to success will be filled with failures, so be prepared to turn your failures into lessons and remain enthusiastic and you shall succeed!

Graduated from: American University of Beirut (AUB) and University of Surrey, UK Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in business administration and a Masters in marketing management Bio: Hospitality entrepreneur, Ziad Kamel, is the co-founder and managing director of the French bistro concept Couqley in Lebanon and in the UAE, and nightlife concept Stereo Arcade Dubai. He is also a co-founder of The Alleyway Group in Lebanon and served as its CEO for 11 years, creating and managing over eight hospitality businesses. Kamel is dedicated to the development, management and growth of his F&B brands. He was elected as a member of the board of directors of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs and Patisseries in Lebanon for a second consecutive four-year term and has served as its treasurer and secretary general.

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SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION

LEARNING THAT WORKS

With a lifelong involvement in hospitality management schools in Lebanon (19591996) and across the Arab world, who could be better than Nouhad Dammous, co-founder of Hospitality Services and editor-in-chief of Hospitality News ME, to discuss the key contribution that vocational and continuous education can make in shaping the industry?

1. Based on your deep understanding of the industry and its foundations, what’s your assessment of hospitality education in Lebanon throughout the years?

Hospitality education must serve the profession and the industry. It is our role and duty to highlight what the hospitality industry needs and create curriculums to cater to this demand. When we first started our classes in the late fifties, we only had 40 undergraduate students. We then grew, evolved and expanded. This was only achievable with the collaboration of hotels and restaurants which are actually the ones most interested in these students. The main pillars of the private sector took part in the selection process of students who gained admission to the school. We were in continuous contact with hoteliers to update our curriculum according to their needs.

2. As an advocate and founder of vocational and practical education, how do you believe it serves the industry better?

I was able to persuade the Ministry of Education to make vocational education an ‘authorized’ part of the Lebanese education system, by changing the ‘kitchen manufactory’ in our school to ‘kitchen laboratory’ in 1963. Students of hospitality had to practice in a supervised area. I created the school’s restaurant which became one of the best in Lebanon. This was a rare practice in hospitality education, since training was traditionally conducted in private hospitality institutions. This approach has widely contributed to the training of qualified students under their teachers’ supervision and, based on its success, has been adopted in most hospitality schools worldwide operating today. Sometime afterward, when assessing the posts and the jobs students were taking up, universities decided to get involved and launch academic hospitality curriculums. However, I was against studying hospitality solely from

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an academic angle, feeling instead that it should be a higher formation.

3. Continuous education and training are growing on a global scale. How valuable is it in the hospitality industry?

A SELECTION OF VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS IN LEBANON CIT cit-liban.edu.lb

When achieving your hotel management formation for example, and embarking on your career path, there is always a need to broaden your horizons, and acquire new skills and knowhow. This is where continuous education plays a major role.

Even if in employment, you could pursue a specific specialization, depending on your professional needs. For example, as a chef, you could specialize in management if you wanted to run and operate your own property. A multitude of schools and higher institutes offer these types of continuous curriculums.

Institute Mgr. Cortbawi SSCC

4. What are the difficulties currently facing the hospitality education system in Lebanon?

A SELECTION OF SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTIONS OFFERING CONTINUING HOSPITALITY PROGRAMS

On a yearly basis, over 10,000 hospitality students in Lebanon graduate at all levels.

Most mid-level graduates (BT and TS) find employment. However, there are difficulties from the outset related to students’ choices.

Students must be taught from a very young age about the hospitality industry’s advantages - its strengths and opportunities - to plan their future. The development of the country’s hospitality industry and the increase in new models is also affecting education in hospitality. New curriculums should also be created to take account of alternative lodging, such as guesthouses, ensuring that they fit this artisanal and genuine type of service. We have to enhance the concept of branding Lebanon and promote the country among very young students, introducing it as part of our national education system. The education system must grow in line and in parallel with the development of the country’s hospitality sector. It starts in schools and continues upwards to the top of the ladder.

instcortbawi.sscc.edu.lb

Institut Saint Antoine Technique bp.antonines.org

Institut Technique de Zgharta itz.edulb.net

L'Institut Technique Industriel-Dekwaneh iti-lebanon.org

Saida Technical School it-saida.edulb.net

Technical School and Institute of Ajaltoun edu-lb.net/it-ajaltoun

Alain Ducasse Education centreformation-alainducasse.com

Chocolate Academy™ | Callebaut chocolate-academy.com

Cornell University, School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions sce.cornell.edu

Ecole Bellouet Conseil ecolebellouetconseil.com

Ecole de Savignac ecole-de-savignac.com

Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne ehl.edu

Glion glion.edu

Institut Paul Bocuse institutpaulbocuse.com

Le Cordon Bleu cordonbleu.edu

Les Roches lesroches.edu

Richmont richemont.cc

BUSINESS

INTERVIEW

A REGION OF DIVERSITY & OPPORTUNITIES In line with the global hospitality dynamism, Simon Casson, president of hotel operations, EMEA, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, unveils the chain's busy agenda

Ultra-chic boutiquestyle properties with an intimate appeal are becoming popular among luxury travelers 46

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

How do you benchmark the hotel industry throughout the Middle East?

How are you managing your relationship with the owners of the various properties you run?

The Middle East has evolved into a highly appealing destination for travelers from all over the world. The hospitality industry has developed rapidly to meet the increased demand for luxury accommodation, flexible services and cultural experiences. One important component of this development is the continued discovery of new destinations to visit in this part of the world, as leisure travelers look to journey off the beaten path and business travelers seek opportunities in new markets. When it comes to Four Seasons specifically, the Middle East holds plenty of opportunities for further growth. Since we opened our first property in this region in Cairo in 2000, we have expanded our presence to 15 hotels and resorts in the Middle East and North Africa, with a strong pipeline of projects in development.

Our sharp focus on a single brand and commitment to luxury has made us the partner of choice for luxury hotel and mixed residential projects in the global hospitality industry. We are committed in our efforts and approach to aligning our global vision with their unique focus for each property they own. The satisfaction of our partners is as important to us as that of our guests.

We believe that our brand’s success in delivering exceptional guest experiences is an extension of the relationship we share with our owners.

What are your upcoming projects in the region?

The opening of Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya is set to bring a new standard of luxury hospitality to the heart of downtown Kuwait City.

The 140,000-square meter Burj Alshaya complex will include 284 rooms. It will be the first hotel in Kuwait City to feature both indoor and outdoor pools in addition to a spa, a yoga studio, a fitness center, two ballrooms and a range of conference and banqueting rooms. Another property to open later in 2017 in the region is Four Seasons Resort Tunis in Tunisia, featuring 200 rooms.

Our sharp focus on a single brand and commitment to luxury has made us the partner of choice for luxury hotel and mixed residential projects Which MENA markets are more challenging and why?

While the Middle East and North Africa is quite diverse as a region, it shares a common thread of tradition and culture that binds the various countries together.

However, there are certain challenges that are common to the region as a whole and yet others that are specific to only a few markets. We believe that every challenge is an opportunity to further strengthen the relationship we share with our guests in terms of surpassing their expectations and to continuously innovate. What changes is only the way in which we deliver this vision: a localized approach that helps us develop a better and deeper understanding of any particular market, and the individual needs and expectations that our guests have of that destination.

Where do you see the industry heading?

The hospitality industry in the region is at a fascinating stage at the moment. The rise of new guest segments is paving the way for unique trends that are driving a welcome wave of fresh developments and innovations in the sector. Keeping pace with our guests’ evolving needs, we are designing our properties and their offerings to mirror these trends. As an example, ultra-chic boutique-style properties with an intimate appeal, such as the Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre, are becoming popular among luxury travelers.

We also understand that regardless of time, F&B will continue to be an integral element of our guests’ travel experiences.

We are constantly strengthening our focus on bringing cutting-edge concepts to our hotels. The success of our new outlets, such as Butcher & Still at Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island, as well as Firebird Diner by Michael Mina at Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre, represents the increasing importance our guests are placing on socializing and dining during their travel journeys. Food will also dominate our three-week Culinary Discoveries itinerary with the Four Seasons Private Jet, in a journey to some of the world’s most exciting culinary destinations.

Developed in partnership with one of the world’s best restaurants, Copenhagenbased Noma, and its acclaimed head chef René Redzepi, the voyage promises the ultimate gastronomic adventure for foodies.

Projects realized in 2016 • Added nine properties to the chain’s global portfolio: Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre; Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá; Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island; Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina; Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta; Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown; Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto; Four Seasons Resort Anguilla; and Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam.

• Introduced the first private island experience in the company’s portfolio:

Since opening the first property in this region in Cairo in 2000, the chain has expanded to 15 hotels and resorts in the Middle East and North Africa Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, Baa Atoll, the world’s only exclusive-use UNESCO hideaway located in a World Biosphere Reserve.

Projects scheduled for 2017 Globally, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has a pipeline of over 50 projects at various stages of planning and development.

• Opened Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, a restoration project of one of London’s historic addresses.

• Opened the chain’s ninth hotel in China in Tianjin.

• New properties coming to: the Seychelles (Desroches Island); Florida (Surfside); Kuwait; Megève; Tunis; Montreal; Los Cabos; Bangkok; Madrid; Philadelphia; São Paulo; Bengaluru; Kuala Lumpur; Boston; and Tokyo.

• Four Seasons Hotel Megève, the first Four Seasons mountain destination in Europe, will open for the 2017-2018 winter ski season. It will be located at the HauteSavoie Alpine range, and will feature a collection of traditional chalets in the medieval Mont d’Arbois village.

SIMON CASSON IN BRIEF As a teen washing dishes in a busy kitchen in northern England, Simon Casson was always intrigued by what he saw through the swinging door to the restaurant. His childhood dreams led him to a bright career in hospitality.

He joined Four Seasons in 1989, as an assistant manager at what is now Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane.

After further assignments in London and Washington, he returned to the same hotel as hotel manager in 2000.

In 2005, he opened Four Seasons Hotel Doha, and was promoted to regional vice president in 2011, before moving to Dubai for the brand’s first opening in UAE in 2014. During this time, he also led the company’s Global Spa Task Force. Casson was promoted to his current position in 2016. Nowadays, he oversees Four Seasons hotel operations across a portfolio that ranges from palace hotels in Europe to glittering skyscrapers in the Middle East and hideaway beach resorts in Africa. fourseasons.com

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BUSINESS

HOTELS Vida Residence, The Hills

AT THE HEART OF THINGS

The mixed-use model has been fashionable for a few years now, supported by wealthy millennials looking to get away from residential complexes and gain immediate access to amenities, transportation, retail and offices. Nada Alameddine, partner at Hodema consulting services, examines the practicalities and effects of this trend 48

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

Mixed-use development has become a tool in its own right, teaming hospitality concepts with retail components, from shopping malls to theme parks and even hospitals, all gathered on a few square kilometers, or even inside the same building. Besides reducing travel time, mixed-use projects also boost the economy of local communities and favor social interaction. In countries with emerging economies, for instance, mixed-use hotels/residences pipelines are strong, due to lack of supply of quality housing for business people requiring long stays (from two weeks to six months).

Investors in the Middle East are on the lookout for the golden goose A multi-faceted cash cow This variety of characteristics enhances the value of these complexes, helping to make them hugely popular among real estate developers: hotel, leisure, retail investors provide obvious benefits to each other, complementing each other’s businesses. A residential offer integrated

in the project can also be a strategic financial move to generate instant cash flow by encouraging early buyers.

Investors in the Middle East are on the lookout for the golden goose in the shape of a winning mix of shops, offices, residential and leisure spaces, teamed with hotels. Gulf countries are particularly fond of the concept, with international, upscale branded hotels trying to secure the value of the development and benefit from the complex’s attractions. Al Mouj Muscat displays a strong hospitality offer with the Kempinski and Shaza hotels. Three and four-star hotel brands have joined mixed-use projects in Cairo, such as the upcoming Element

by Marriott at the Gate, or Accor and Novotel at Tahrir mixed-use project, which are complemented by offices and a conference hall. Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Staybridge Suites have also joined the Heliopolis project by Citystars in Cairo.

Some projects enrich their offer with new features, such as a golf course, as seen at Akoya in Dubai, Uptown Cairo, developed

by Emaar and Citystars Red Sea Riviera in Hurghada, to attract international visitors.

Some even strive to change the urban landscape; with an increasing number

of people turning their backs on cars and promoting the concept of 'walkability', many establishments, such as La Ville Hotel, Autograph collection, are adapting to meet demand. The brand is part of City Walk Dubai, a titanic, mixed-use complex offering amenities ‘ad infinitum’: a shopping center with dense retail and food and beverage (F&B) spaces, theme parks, an 18-hole golf course, luxury hotels and spas and fitness centers, offices and residential units.

Special care is also put into landscaping, facilitated by large surfaces. Some projects are so vast that the same operator can open several hotels from various brands and segments. For example, Mall of the Emirates hosts both Kempinski Luxury hotel and Sheraton. Others are integrated in a master plan, such as Abdali in Amman, which has three branded hotels - W, Le Gray and Rotana – and Waterfront City in Lebanon which has Le Méridien hotel. Lifestyle hotels, such as Vida Hotel in Dubai Marina and Aloft Hotel in Deira City Centre, are also a big hit with both visitors and residents.

While the mixed-use formula is definitely a winning one, the vicinity of competitive retail and F&B brands has proved to be a challenge for hotels, many of which have to maintain high standards and food offerings to stay in the game. Some scenarios can even prove to be disruptive, such as when the shopping center puts on a holiday musical that annoys some of the hotel’s guests.

MENA PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE HOTEL

CITY

MIXED - USE ELEMENT

OPENING

RADISSON BLU RESIDENCE, DUBAI SILICON OASIS

Dubai

Residences

2018

RADISSON BLU RESIDENCE AL SUFOUH

Dubai

Residences

2018

DUSITD2 PALM MALL MUSCAT

Muscat

Mall

2018

VIDA RESIDENCES

Dubai

Residences

2018

SWISSOTEL KATAMEYAH HOTEL & RESIDENCES

Cairo

Residences

2018

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL JEDDAH AT KINGDOM CITY

Jeddah

LandmarkMallResidential

2020

HILTON DOHA THE PEARL RESIDENCES

Doha

Residences

2018

HILTON GARDEN INN AL AHSA

Al Ahsa

Cluster Hotel

2018

HILTON DWC

Dubai

Airport

2020

ROSEMONT HOTEL & RESIDENCES DUBAI - CURIO A COLLECTION BY HILTON

Dubai

Residences

2019

DTBH DUBAI DUBIOTECH - HOTEL & RESIDENCES

Dubai

Residences

2020

JUMEIRAH LIVING MARINA GATE

Dubai

Residences

2019

MILLENNIUM GOLF RESORT AL AIN

Al Ain

Golf

2018

MILLENNIUM HOTEL & APARTMENTS

Jeddah

Residences

2018

MILLENNIUM HOTEL MAKKAH (UMM AL QURAH)

Makkah

Mall

2019

COPTHORNE MAKKAH AL NASEEM

Makkah

Cluster Hotel

2018

MILLENNIUM MAKKAH AL NASEEM

Makkah

Cluster Hotel

2018

MILLENNIUM 1 - KEC

Madina

Cluster Hotel

2020

MILLENNIUM 2 - KEC

Madina

Cluster Hotel

2020

STUDIO M - KEC

Madina

Cluster Hotel

2020

MILLENNIUM EXECUTIVE APARTMENTS -KEC

Madina

Cluster Hotel

2020

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON MAKKAH

Makkah

Mall

2019

W SHARM EL SHEIKH - RESD

Sharm El Sheikh

Residences

2020

MARINA MALL ARJAAN

Abu Dhabi Mall

2019

VICEROY JUMEIRAH VILLAGE

Dubai

Residences

2018

VICEROY THE PALM

Dubai

Residences

2018

NOVOTEL SHARJAH EXPO CENTER

Sharjah

Exhibition

2018

IBIS KHOBAR KING FAISAL ROAD

Khobar

Cluster Hotel

2018

Much anticipated projects

ADAGIO KHOBAR KING FAISAL ROAD

Khobar

Cluster Hotel

2018

The mixed-use trend is undoubtedly still booming and shows no sign of slowing down, supported by the upcoming Dubai Expo 2020, Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 and the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 plan. The latter is developing Saadiyat Island which, on top of its residential and leisure offer, is focusing on culture, with a university quarter and the Guggenheim, Louvre and Sheikh Zayed museums. Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower, meanwhile, is set to feature a Four Seasons Hotel, 121 Four Seasons serviced apartments, 61 residential floors, 318 apartments but, most importantly, the world’s highest observatory space. For water lovers, Sharjah Waterfront City is building a waterpark, while Dubai's District One, which is scheduled to be completed for Expo 2020, will be home to the world's largest crystal lagoon. The highly-anticipated Dubai Eye (a 210-meter ferris wheel) is also set to be part of the Jumeirah Beach Residence coastline.

ADAGIO DHABAB STREET

Riyadh

Cluster Hotel

2018

IBIS RIYADH DHABAB STREET

Riyadh

Cluster Hotel

2018

ADAGIO ALESAYI PLAZA

Jeddah

Cluster Hotel

2018

IBIS JEDDAH ALESAYI PLAZA

Jeddah

Cluster Hotel

2018

ADAGIO JEDDAH AL ANDALOUS

Jeddah

Cluster Hotel

2018

IBIS JEDDAH AL ANDALOUS

Jeddah

Cluster Hotel

2018

NOVOTEL JEDDAH AL ANDALOUS

Jeddah

Cluster Hotel

2018

ADAGIO MAKKAH AL NASEEM

Makkah

Cluster Hotel

2019

IBIS STYLES MAKKAH AL NASEEM

Makkah

Cluster Hotel

2019

NOVOTEL MAKKAH AL NASEEM

Makkah

Cluster Hotel

2019

RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT JUBAIL

Jubail

Residences

2020

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT RIYADH QURTUBAH

Riyadh

Cluster Hotel

2020

RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT RIYADH QURTUBAH

Riyadh

Residences

2020

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT RIYADH AL AKARIA TOWER

Riyadh

Cluster Hotel

2023

RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT RIYADH AL AKARIA TOWER

Riyadh

Residences

2023

RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT MANAMA

Manama

Residences

2020

RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT DUBAI AL JADDAF

Dubai

Residences

2018

Mixed-use projects also boost the economy of local communities and favor social interaction

hodema.net

APR-MAY 2017 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

HOTELS

LOOKING FOR A HOTEL AFFILIATION? Portfolio diversification is the leading reason for hotel investment money flowing in and out of the world’s various regions. Even when in possession of high financial and bargaining power, investors need the right hotel chains to help enhance their market visibility, market share and financial performance. In fact, investors benefit from a variety of choices in operating hotels, with the choice of obtaining an affiliation or running the project independently (i.e. self-managed). Serge Chamelian, managing partner of h-hotelier tells us more about hotel affiliations 50

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

Hotel affiliations bring a package of useful tools for any aspiring business operator in the hotel industry. The large operators develop and maintain central reservations systems, yield/revenue management programs, cumulative purchasing power, loyalty programs, global distribution systems code, brand awareness and sales and marketing activities that independent business operators may not be able to match. However, these benefits come at a cost, and this cost can be considerable.

Affiliation may include: (1) Management Contract; (2) Franchise Contract; (3) Consortium Contract.

Management contract A hotel management contract is a commercial agreement, between the hotels owners/investors and a third-party company - the operator - to run the hotel on behalf of the owner/investor. The owner/investor retains most of the risks and rewards of ownership, including the full benefit of the revenue. The operator, commonly known as the management company, will supply the owner/investor with a full range of hospitality services paid for through a fee structure.

A successful management contract aligns the interest of the owner/investor and the operator. The owners/investors will look

to achieve solid returns on investment and cash flow, without having to become involved in the hotel’s operations, and the management company will want to earn an acceptable fee and have assurances regarding the longevity of the continuation of the contract without investing in the hotel real estate. The owner/investor is mainly in charge of financing the wages of the hotel’s employees and capitalizing on the hotel’s assets. The general manager of the hotel is appointed directly by the operator.

Examples InterContinental Hotels and Resorts: with Intercontinental Hotels, Crown Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Staybridge, and others.

Accor Hotels: Sofitel, Novotel, Adagio, Mercure, Ibis, Formula One, and others.

Starwood: Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Residence Inn, Protea Hotels, Hyatt Hotels Corporation Louvre Hotels

Franchise contract A franchise operation is a contractual relationship between the franchisor (i.e. hotel chain) and franchisee (i.e. investor) in which the franchisor maintains a continuing interest in the business of the

BUSINESS

HOTELS

franchisee in such areas as knowhow, operational manuals and training; wherein the franchisee operates under a common trade name, format and/or procedure owned or controlled by the franchisor, and in which the franchisee has or will make a substantial capital investment in the business from their own resources.

The owner/investor (or franchisee) is in charge of recruiting the hotel general manager and other hotel employees, financing their wages and capitalizing on the hotel’s assets.

Franchising has come a long way, from feudal roots to one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. With many more people now looking to take charge of their careers and family life by running their own business, franchising looks set to go much further in the years to come. Some major management contract operators offers franchise contracts with some of their brands.

Examples Wyndham Hotels and Resorts: Some brands Hilton Hotels and Resorts: Some brands Choice Hotels International Louvre Hotels: Some brands Best Western

Consortium contract A hotel consortium is an organization of hotels which combine resources in order to establish joint purchasing/ trading arrangements and operate marketing services. These aims will often be achieved through the setting up of a centralized office whose activities will be financed through a subscription on member hotels. A consortium can help the hotel in many ways, in areas such as technology, marketing and operations.

Consortium is seen as offering the highest level of independence for hotels within a chain, with the investor assigning the general manager of the facility and the latter recruiting the employees. A managed hotel can also be part of a consortia program.

Examples Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldhotels Leading Hotels of the World Design Hotels

Independent or self-managed In this scenario, the investor is the manager of the hotel. The independent business could actually be a less effective business format, since

OPERATING CONTRACTS MODEL

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

decision-making, employee-selection process and managerial incentives are hindered by the fact that most of the power and knowledge lie within a small ownership structure. However, operating independently presents advantages over and above money saved on franchise royalty and marketing fees, such as the owner being given the freedom to operate differently and to promote the property’s individuality.

The owners/investors should evaluate their abilities to enter into a particular contract, where certain limitations on their operational freedom could be raised.

The experience and skills of a hotel’s managers will have a key part to play in the type of affiliation selected, since they will provide the professional attitude and expertise in establishing and maintaining good relations between investors and the hotel chain, as well as in fully implementing a chain’s standards and requirements. An investor may sometimes reach out to professional companies to evaluate the best choice in moving forward with the investment. h-hotelier.com

BUSINESS

MARKET UPDATE

ERBIL subdued state. The momentum for roomnight demand is expected to pick up once the oil price normalizes at around USD 6570 per barrel and border unrest eases.

Hotel players

Filippo Sona, director, head of hotels, Middle East and North Africa, at Colliers, explains the hospitality market status, major players and upcoming developments Erbil has faced challenging times recently.

The capital of the Kurdistan region has endured a financial crisis due to budget cuts from the federal government of Iraq since the beginning of 2014. The international drop in oil prices and the influx of almost two million refugees, in addition to challenges produced by people displaced in Kurdistan internally, have also contributed to problems.

Market status Erbil airport welcomed 1.6 million passengers in 2015; an impressive figure given its humble origins 10 years ago.

Erbil’s hospitality market is predominantly fed by corporate demand. Keeping rooms occupied during difficult economic times is a major challenge. However, while market occupancy has decreased in recent years, the pace of decline normalized in 2016, with market leaders posting occupancy levels between 45 and 52 percent for the year. Looking ahead, the hospitality market is expected to emerge from its relatively

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Industry leaders, such as Rotana, Divan and the Ankawa Royal, deliver extremely high service standards, in line with international brands. Marking Erbil’s first ‘lifestyle business hotel’ when it opened in 2012, the Tangram also received accolades for its efficient and quality service. The lower end of the pricing spectrum is also well catered to, with properties such as the 41-key Merci Hotel, the 72-key Erbil Quartz and the 80-key Darin Plaza hotels with positive reputations, while offering business travelers value for money.

Targeted travelers Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian business travelers make up the bulk of visitors to Erbil, supported by some domestic leisure demand. Even though the primary market had always been corporate, the last three years have witnessed an increasing reliance on press and military visits to fill rooms.

Currently, the only quality long-stay product in Erbil is the 20-unit Hayali Suites. However, the extended-stay market will see a strong increase in quality, when the 168-key Arjaan by Rotana begins operating this year, followed by the 190-unit DoubleTree Suites, slated to open in 2019.

properties. Marriott International is expected to be the largest operator in Erbil, with 931 keys offered across five hotels and serviced apartments. The operator plans to introduce several international brands, such as JW Marriott, Aloft and Four Points by Sheraton, in what will mark their launch in Iraq.

What’s coming up?

Erbil is an ideal entry point into the Iraqi market for international hotel brands.

The region has a good reputation and acts as a gateway into Turkish and Iranian markets. The hospitality market is expected to rally in the medium term, with an anticipated recovery in oil prices in 2017/18.

Simultaneously, a rise in the number of smaller boutique hotels, such as 35 Rooms, is expected to attract younger leisure and business travelers, representing an area of opportunity for further development down the line. The market will undoubtedly increase in quality, with the share of internationally branded supply expected to increase from seven percent in 2016 to 39 percent of total supply by 2021. There is a void in quality serviced apartments, which is a requirement in any business-focused city with such high airport arrivals. colliers.com

Erbil Hospitality Market | Breakdown of number of keys as of Feb 2017

Hotels in the pipeline Erbil’s hospitality supply pipeline remains active, with a total of 2084 keys announced for entry. The majority of projects have been marred by delays due to funding issues and uncertainty, but hoteliers are confident that the market can bounce back. Hilton is making a big push in Erbil, with a total of 400 keys in the pipeline. The company is also active in other parts of Iraq, including Sulaymaniyah. Darin Group is currently the market leader when it comes to inventory, with a total of 327 keys across its three

48 properties

3277 keys

BUSINESS

MARKET UPDATE

WHY INVEST IN KURDISTAN, IRAQ?

Thomas Touma Head of Hospitality Division

Magma Square

Malia Group Amid regional turmoil, Kurdistan, Iraq, has continually maintained an adequate level of security that has safeguarded businesses and their operations. The banking and insurance sectors, directed by Lebanese know-how, have fundamentally contributed to the increasing appetite of local and foreign investments. However, ISIS and oil prices have slowed the pace of development, reduced demand and weakened spending capabilities. The damaging elements have now reached the downward trajectory of their bell curve and are clearing space for a renewed period of opportunities. Malia Group constantly exercises a vigilant risk

management approach in order not to miss potential opportunities during encouraging and discouraging trends. Consequently, Malia Group sustained its hospitality strategic investments plan in Kurdistan. After the successful launch of its first five-star property, the award-winning Erbil Rotana Hotel, back in 2010, the group is about to open its second hotel property in Erbil, the Erbil Arjaan by Rotana, at the end of April 2017. The project consists of 168 studios, one and two-bedroom apartments, fullyserviced offices, food and beverage, and health and recreational facilities. Magma Square, Malia Group’s new project in the

heart of Sulimani, the largest governorate of the Kurdistan Region, is another major hospitality investment lined up to open in mid-2018. Magma Square, a mixed-use complex, will feature multiple international and regional F&B franchised concepts, a selection of convenience and service retail shops, a movie theater, family entertainment venues, a branded supermarket, and a health and beauty center. The project is located at the main gate of the prestigious American University of Iraq, Sulamani, and a short walk from major universities. maliagroup.com

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

WHY HAVING A BUSINESS IN ERBIL IS PROFITABLE

Ghassan Dalal General Manager

Erbil Rotana and Erbil Arjaan By Rotana

Several factors make investing in Iraq profitable. Firstly, the dormant Iraqi economy has received a new boost in recent years. As the country looks forward to overcoming a prolonged period of conflict and stagnation, economic opportunities are emerging. Our market studies show that demand for top-end hotel rooms will continue to remain high and increase year-on-year because Erbil is on the right investment track. It is one

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

Erbil Rotana

of a number of cities in Iraq that display security and stability, and, with government support in the form of investment, is on the up. However, a new concept of hotel rooms is required, which is why we are bringing Erbil Arjaan by Rotana to town.

When we opened Erbil Rotana six years ago, the hospitality industry was still a major question mark for Erbil’s local community; a new discovery. Managing a hotel in Erbil is not an easy task; it requires

determination and drive to get the right resources and connections. We have faced some challenges along the way, but our perseverance has allowed us to sort out the logistics. We have built a solid team of local talents that can look forward to long-term success, in line with the practice that has been key in Erbil Rotana’s overall growth of maintaining loyalty. rotana.com

CMY

K

When exclusive is not so much a privilege, but a lifestyle.

As a member of the Rotana Rewards Exclusive programme, you can expect nothing but the best.

From a VIP welcome at any Rotana hotel to exclusive deals at some of the finest dining establishments around, you will receive the attention, perks and benefits that others can only talk about. Privileges exclusively for you include: • Up to 50% discount on food bill • 20% discount on beverages • Guaranteed late check-out up to 6pm

• Complimentary Internet • 20% discount on the best available room rates • 20% discount on Bodylines annual membership

To start enjoying the finer things in life that come standard, visit rotanarewards.com Rotana Rewards, where it’s always a privilege. rotanarewards.com

privileges of life

BUSINESS

MARKET UPDATE

What’s Next for Iraq?

Hospitality is a backbone in any Middle Eastern culture, and Iraq is no different. Despite turmoil and some instability in the region, money is being heavily pumped into the hospitality sector to revitalize tourism and diversify economic revenues away from petroleum based sources.

www.lumenhospitality.com

Travel & Tourism USD 1.9 Billion

worth of capital investment were pumped into the tourism industry in 2016. This figure is expected to swell exponentially, capping at by 2026

USD 5.0 Billion

Following the

Bismaya New City Project

3 solar power plants with a capacity between 5 and 10 MW will be built alongside a wind power plant with a similar capacity, providing alternative renewable energy sources

will be invested to construct 2.5 Million additional housing units, to be delivered in 2018

USD 2.6 Billion

The Transport Corridors Project

due to complete by 2026, will revamp roads, rail and airport infrastucture

a project consisting of 100,000 residential units, will be completed under the care of

Build Own Operate Model,

Hanwha Engineering and Construction

Food in Iraq

TOP10 RESTAURANTS

IN IRAQ Trip Advisor 2016

SAJ AL-REEF BON APPETIT ICE PACK CORAL RESTAURANT SAMAD RESTAURANT ALFAQMA QADOURY RESTAURANT AROMA BESTOON SAMAD MAZAYA

Hotel Pipeline 300 Hilton Hotel & Spa

Rayhaan by Rotana

Radisson Blu Highcrest Tower

Ramada Hotel Sheraton Erbil JW Marriott Four Points by Sheraton Aloft Erbil

Movenpick Erbil

Erbil Arjaan by Rotana

107

Swiss-Belhotel

2017

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

2018

2019

opening

BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY

ROBOTICS IN HOSPITALITY Rev up your RevPar with robots – Hospitality News ME speaks to global experts to find out how

Pepper

Galen Collins, Ph.D. Professor and Co-founder

Hospitality Information Technology Association

According to a 2016 report by the World Economic Forum, robots will not completely replace workers in most occupations in the foreseeable future.

Rather, they will perform specific tasks previously carried out as part of existing jobs, leaving employees to focus on new tasks. There is growing evidence that hospitality organizations can achieve an attractive return on investment (ROI) by replacing manual labor with machines.

Consequently, employees’ social and collaboration skills, such as emotional intelligence, will be in higher demand than narrow technical skills, said Galen Collins, Ph.D., professor at the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management (SHRM) at Northern Arizona University and co-

founder of the Hospitality Information Technology Association.

For robots, gaining these soft skillsets will require advancements in robotic design and artificial intelligence (AI), enabling machines to mimic cognitive functions found in human minds. In the US, robots are providing digital waiting relief services in airports like San Jose International, while Wendy’s Burger restaurants are experimenting with humanoids for order intake. In Japan and Belgium, the first robot hotels are opening their doors. At Marriot Gent, Robot Mario is one of the first Digital Assistants in the industry and is able to speak 19 languages and remember the faces of guests for six months. It can welcome guests and provide keys to the rooms.

SOCIAL ROBOTS: GOOD OR BAD?

Eric Wesselman Partner

KPMG Digital Labor Advisory Services EMA

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A social robot interacts with people using language processing capabilities and animation or natural-looking gestures and movements, according to Eric Wesselman, partner at KPMG Digital Labor Advisory Services EMA. Some social robots are able to make eye contact with their customer and track their faces, thanks to algorithms and software programming. These robots may read emotions, guess a customer’s age and estimate their mood. Softbank’s Pepper robot is known for this feature and is considered the leader of the pack of social robots. It looks inviting, which is seen as an important factor in the hospitality business. The social robot will be linked to the company’s computer network with

some sort of AI attached to it, allowing it to learn from previous conversations and use real-time data from the front and back office process flows to manage the expectations of customers.

BILL GATES TO TAX AUTOMATION Robots have at least one unfair advantage over human workers: they do not pay income tax. Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, suggested taxing companies using robots. Money should be used to retrain people replaced by machines. ft.com

CHAT WITH THE MAKER

Steve Cousins CEO and Founder

Savioke Hospitality is one of the first industries to deploy robots that interact directly with the public. Here is what one of the makers had to say.

1. How do you believe the world is embracing robotics, and how is the hospitality industry using it?

Robots are becoming more common as powerful sensors, chips and software are now low cost enough to produce autonomous robots used in multiple industries. However, hospitality is one of the first industries to deploy robots that interact directly with the public.

Savioke’s autonomous delivery robot, Relay, is already in use in dozens of hotels worldwide, including Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental and Starwood, among

Hospitality is one of the first industries to deploy robots that interact directly with the public others, as well as some apartment buildings. It will soon appear in hospitals, office buildings and industrial facilities, to name a few. Hotels use Relay to deliver goods to guest rooms, including towels, drinks, snacks, meals, gifts, personal care items and more. Relay even delivers balloons and cakes to guests on their birthdays. It can even take elevators on its own, navigate complex floor plans

Relay

and has powerful sensors to ensure it operates safely, even in the most crowded locations. Relay robots have made nearly 100,000 successful deliveries in hotels since 2014.

2. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of having a robot in a hospitality establishment?

Robots, such as Relay, increase hotel revenue, improve guest experience and boost employee productivity. Guests enjoy the security and speed of Relay deliveries.

They love interacting with Relay and post many positive reviews about it, boosting word of mouth for the hotels that use him.

Many consumers will go out of their way to stay at a hotel with a Relay and some hotels even have ‘robot specials’ where a special delivery is included in the room rate.

Hotels have actually increased occupancy because of Relay. In addition, we are seeing an incremental revenue increase through more sales of snacks and other items. Relay replaces, and surpasses minibar income for most hotels that use it. Hotels often charge a service fee for each delivery, which adds to the profitability of the robot. A Relay delivery robot frees up approximately five hours of staff members’ time each day to pay more attention to guest needs.

3. What are the financial returns?

Hotels that use Relay robots report increases in incremental revenue from item sales, a boost in occupancy rates due to guest interest in interacting with the robots and an increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) due to increased occupancy. They sometimes also charge about USD 2 per delivery, generating a new revenue stream. For example, Residence Inn by Marriott LAX/Century Blvd, reported a 0.5 percent increase in RevPAR attributable directly to Relay, after one year of operating the robot.

The property also reported an average USD 1,700 increase in incremental revenue/month, in addition to a surge in occupancy and repeat business, requiring new staff hires. Relay robot is a robot-asa-service that rents for about USD 2000 a month. That includes installation, training and 24/7/365 monitoring and call center support.

4. Where do you see this technology heading?

Relay is not yet in any hotels in the Middle East, but several robots are deployed in an industrial setting in Dubai. We expect Relay to roll out in some Middle East hotels in the near future.

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BUSINESS

STRATEGY

SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSION Raja Nasri, managing partner of N4TC, a hospitality consultancy firm, highlights the how tos and how not tos of problem solving in a family-run business

Studies reveal that almost USD 1 trillion in assets will be transferred to the next generation of family-owned companies over the next decade in the Middle East.

These macro figures are reflected in the hospitality industry, following a move by wealthy real estate developers to begin venturing into the segment to diversify their portfolios. In Saudi Arabia, most families have a sibling developing a hotel chain or a restaurant. These include the Al Sueilem, Al Amir, Al Moussa and Abdel Kader families.

Al Hokair represents one of the most established of the group, with a network of 20 hotels in the Kingdom, in addition to its hospitality investments abroad. The Al Rajhi family, which comes from the banking industry, has also tapped the hospitality field with Naif Al Rajihi, and is eyeing a move into the restaurant business. Kuwaiti family businesses, such as the Al Nafissi, Al Ghanem, Bou Khamseen, Al Hissawi and Al Saleh families, have all taken the same path, shifting from real estate and trade towards hospitality. Though the hospitality return on investment is usually much lower than other trading activities, it boosts the family’s image and prestige.

Expanding abroad Challenges and economic instability in the region have driven all Kuwaiti and Saudi hospitality investors to expand their portfolios farther afield, specifically in Europe, including the UK and Germany and, recently, also in Spain. Both GCC countries have traditionally preferred management contracts for hotels, although they also consider franchising for restaurants. The expansion of their own F&B concepts, meanwhile, is no longer considered taboo.

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7 steps to effective succession planning A considerable number of family businesses are in a critical situation due to a lack of a proper succession plan, especially when transitioning to the third generation, which is mainly driven by millennials. Maintaining success requires several key strategic steps to be put in place: 1. Develop a strategic mid-term plan, even if the family business is a long-lasting one.

2. Broaden the decision-making process: measure, monitor and adapt.

3. Strengthen the role of the board. Assign responsibilities to each member which will create a discipline to commit to deadlines and deliverables.

4. Clarify what the retiring generation will do.

5. Start the process as early as possible.

Set a timescale to avoid any clashes among family members.

6. Become familiar with the legal and administrative steps.

7. Invest in higher education of the next generation.

CASE STUDIES IN SUCCESSION PLANNING Le Méridien Jeddah Saudi Al Maghrabi is a wealthy family that owns a range of businesses.

Its main activity is related to transporting pilgrims to Makkah and Medina; the family owned Le Meridien in Jeddah. In the midnineties; the father passed away and the license of the hotel was due for renewal. The heirs were not organized and the succession planning was not undertaken. This led to the hotel’s closure for a couple of months. I was part of Le Meridien’s executives who were searching for an exit. We reached Prince Abdallah (the former king) who gathered the heirs together to convince them to split the inheritance among them and sign the hotel’s license.

Rodin hotel Beirut n4tc.com

Though the hospitality return on investment is usually much lower than other trading activities, it boosts the family’s image and prestige.

The project is part of the Al Hissawi family holdings, which own several hotels in Kuwait, such as Messilah Beach Jumeirah. It also owns Radisson Blu in Beirut and has several properties in Europe. Many attempts were made to finalize the Rodin Hotel. When the father passed away, the son, his sister and her husband had differing views on the management of their assets, which has left the hotel closed to this day.

BUSINESS

STRATEGY

KEY CHALLENGES FACING FAMILY BUSINESSES IN THE ME According to Harendra Kailath, Director - Family Business Advisory Services, PwC, nine key challenges were pinpointed in family businesses operating in the Middle East in the firm’s ‘Keeping it in the family: Family firms in the Middle East’ survey. From 32 family businesses surveyed, particular challenges were related to strategic planning:

Succession Only 14 percent of family firms had a plan for their succession process for all senior executives. The findings revealed that 38 percent had no plan at all.

Innovation 48 percent identified innovation as a key challenge to keeping ahead in the coming five years.

Digital The same proportion (48 percent) said keeping pace with digital and new technologies represented one of their key challenges, yet only a quarter think their business is vulnerable to digital disruption.

Professionalization 50 percent said professionalizing and bringing non-family members into the business was a key challenge in the coming five years.

Skills 65 percent said they needed to work harder than non-family businesses to recruit/retain top talent.

Finance 42 percent said that they found it harder to access capital than their non– family business counterparts.

Geopolitical concerns The majority of family businesses identified political and economic stability as a major source of concern over the short term.

A managed succession process can be a rallying point for the family, allowing it to reinvent itself in response to changing circumstances, but without a plan it is the most obvious ‘failure factor’ for the family business Firas Haddad, PwC Middle East partner

Regulations 43 percent cited a changing regulatory landscape as a source of concern in the coming five years. ae.pwc.com

5 TIPS FOR FAMILY BUSINESS SUCCESS 2. Diversify the portfolio Either by tapping into new markets or new industries, to broaden the company’s horizons.

3. Believe in meritocracy Employees are the drivers of an organization. Whether they are family members or not, companies should always aim to have the right person in the right position.

4. Involve the new generation

Nathalie Dib Management Consultant

Near East Consulting Group

1. Maintain the entrepreneurial spirit A business should never get old. It should maintain the entrepreneurship spirit of the founder and strategic long term thinking.

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BENEFITING FROM A PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM

They should be familiar with the entire portfolio in order to grow the business at a later stage.

5. Good governance Have the right governance mechanisms and proper decision-making through the board of directors, including non-family directors, each hailing from different specializations and backgrounds, depending on the needs of the business. necg.com.lb

Karim Burhani Managing Director

Emerging Investment Partners Capital Businesses succeeding in moving to the third generation are the ones that find themselves facing the most acute difficulties. In this respect, a private equity (PE) company can act as a third party, assisting with the company’s management, financing and, most importantly, structuring and governance. PE firms help clients create governance systems to maintain unity and a sense of purpose, transition between generations and avoid conflicts over values, behaviors, financial issues and personal relationships. They can help design board structures and align owners, board relationships and company management to protect and grow the business. PE firms are also ready to inject capital for driving growth and expansion. eip-capital.com

BUSINESS

TRENDS

FOOD TOURISM IN DEPTH

of fast-food chains worldwide, the latest trends point to a newfound appreciation of a destination’s culinary offerings and a desire to experience them.

Despite fears that communities are succumbing to McDonaldization and cultural homogenization, a new trend - culinary tourism - is emerging. Chadi Chidiac, managing partner of PROTOCOL explains Food tourism or culinary tourism is defined by the International Culinary Tourism Association (ICTA) as “the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences”. A tourist, by definition, is someone who travels for pleasure and for most, an element of that experience is experimenting with and enjoying food. While this has always been broadly accepted as a part of the mass tourism model, recent research conducted by PROTOCOL has identified culinary tourists as an important demographic in their own right. Despite the aggressive expansion and proliferation

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On an international level, there are many countries still building their culinary heritage, such as Canada and Australia for example, that face challenges not found in wellestablished destinations, like China and Spain. Canada remains relatively young as a culinary destination, characterized by an amalgamation of cultural influences.

However, the country, like some others in a similar position, is making great strides in boosting its market share of culinary tourists by capitalizing on those challenges. This includes celebrating and promoting the country’s diverse culinary heritage, which owes much to its immigrant population.

Above the Line (AtL) media indicates that food is clearly becoming increasingly prominent and profitable in popular culture, yielding both a wider audience and hefty profits. Celebrity chefs began competing with Hollywood stars decades ago, confirming what has become a wellestablished trend and the rising popularity of cooking magazines, paving the way for the birth of the food celebrity. Celebrity chefs have paved the way for what is known as the ‘Delia effect’, named after the British presenter of TV cookery programs, Delia Smith, whose 1998 show, ‘How to Cook’, led to an extra 1.3 million eggs being sold in Britain, each time it aired. Gordon Ramsay’s famed ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, complete with his bouts of bad temper and Jamie Oliver’s

focus on wholesome school dinners, have all shifted our focus towards good quality food.

While some countries like France and Italy have a firmly established gastronomic legacy, tourists with an interest in culinary experiences are often keen to try out new food in cultures with a lower profile.

Their demand for homegrown culinary experiences is having a positive impact on local economies. The rise of globalization is another factor that has increased demand over the past decade for ‘authentic, experience-based’ tourism, with local culinary traditions seen as a key part of such a package.

In a recent survey, PROTOCOL looked at food’s impact on tourism by surveying 1000 arrivals from 29 markets visiting Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey and Yemen. The four Middle Eastern destinations were chosen on the grounds that tourists would have had the opportunity to try out the cuisine in their own countries before sampling dishes in their place of origin.

Objectivity Three key performance indicators (KPIs) were used to gather and analyze results: a tourist’s main recollections from their trip; whether they’ve tried the dishes associated with the country they visited back home; and the names of three items of local cuisine they tried, regardless of whether or not they liked the taste. PROTOCOL found that 95 percent of those surveyed gave a positive response in at least two of the indicators,

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BUSINESS

TRENDS MARKETING & PROMOTION

Social Media Familiarization Tours Blogs Guides Websites Brochure Advertising Events Organization with food featuring particularly strongly in the first KPI, suggesting that the cuisine in the countries featured left visitors with good memories that they took home.

The survey also showed that Lebanese cuisine ranked top for cusine tried by tourists back home, followed by food from Turkey (2nd), Egypt (3rd) and Yemen (4th). The results of the second KPI followed suit. However, rankings were reversed when it came to citing dishes tried, with Yemeni cuisine taking the top spot, followed by dishes from Egypt (2nd), Turkey (3rd) and Lebanon (4th).

A lack of opportunity to sample cuisines before visiting a country meant a sizeable number of tourists tried dishes for the first time during their trip. On other occasions, respondents were unsure of a food type’s country of origin, such as humus.

Significantly, almost 89 percent of respondents considered gastronomy and culinary heritage as a strategic element and deciding factor in defining the brand and image of their destination.

Marketing and promotion PROTOCOL consulted a number of organizations and strategists, including ministries and associations that formulate capture plans for tourism. Findings revealed that 68 percent of them carry out marketing plans or promotion campaigns based on food tourism. The public relations and promotional tools most used by entities are: events organization (used by 92 percent of those surveyed); leaflets and brochure advertising (81 percent); and websites dedicated to food tourism (79 percent).

Playing a smaller part in strategy are: promotional tools, such as tourism guides (62 percent); online blogs (42 percent); and familiarization tours for journalists and tour operators (14 percent). Just five percent of polled organizations said they used social networking as a promotional tool for culinary tourism.

Consensus and conclusion PROTOCOL’s findings highlighted the need for destinations to formulate strategies aimed at establishing development

Taleb Rifai Secretary-General

UNWTO Food tourism is also an important vehicle for development, with locally sourced produce ensuring tourist dollars are invested back into the community, allowing other businesses to thrive

guidelines and creating gastronomicoriented tourism products. In the field of marketing and promotion, it also found that destinations needed to seize the opportunities that gastronomy presented to create a strategy based on an authenticitydriven image and brand identity.

Key factors cited are: bringing chefs on board as interpreters of the territory; the development of high-quality and credible promotional tools, such as food guides; the patronage of events with media exposure and public relations.

TRIED THE VISITED COUNTRY'S FOOD IN HOMELAND

45%

28%

11%

8%

Lebanese

Turkish

Yemeni

Egyptian

TRIED LOCAL FOOD OF THE VISITED COUNTRY

72%

79%

87%

82%

Chef Curtis Stone The beautiful thing about Australian food production is that a lot of it is family owned and operated. Produce is commonly mass-produced these days with little love or respect for consumers, animals or the environment, so I enjoy using produce from smaller producers who can control quality

protocollb.com

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BUSINESS

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

‘CHEFPRENEURS’ With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Chef Athanasios Kargatzidis was behind the culinary creations in several restaurants, brasseries and bistros around the world, from France to China, Greece and Canada. Before venturing into his own restaurant, Baron, he founded his own consulting firm, Tastykitchens.

Chefs are no longer hidden behind their food; instead, those with business acumen are using their talent and knowhow to create profitable ventures. Here’s how four established 'chef-preneurs' from the Middle East are adding their own magic ingredients to entrepreneurship THE BARON

Education: Hotel Restaurant Management Culinary Bread & Pastry diploma from Dubrulle International Hotel and Culinary Institute of Canada.

I always aimed to have my own concept. Though I'm a team-player, I know I lead better

Chef’s advice: “Make

mistakes! It’s the best way to find out for yourself and learn.”

How did you launch your concept?

We’d had the site for over a year and knew that what was available was boring, so we wanted to launch a livelier concept. We worked with one of the best consulting groups in the Middle East, Hodema, who provided us with a market study, to identify whether what we were doing was completely out of the box. We used our savings and cashflow from our consulting business, together with private money.

THE IRON WILLED

What motivates you when you are burnt out? "The success and rewards keep you going; the smiles of your employees and their energy."

What still excites you?

"The smell of good food."

Chef’s advice: “Do not

engage in a business venture before understanding the business culture. You need to have a clear vision.”

Tips: "Knowledge and hard

work, and to be surrounded by a team of hard workers who are willing to undertake and learn."

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Tip for a successful entrepreneur: "Passion,

laser-focus and great partners pushing you."

Athanasios Kargatzidis / Tastykitchens

How do you juggle the responsibilities of a chef and a manager?

Etienne Sabbagh. We have clearly defined roles, which makes our life easier.

In all partnerships, everyone’s role needs to be clear. As chef, I’m something of a ‘diva’. I take all restaurant-related decisions, while the remaining decisions are handled by my partner,

Do you prefer a full, backof-house kitchen or open kitchen?

A chef, caterer, restaurateur and entrepreneur, Chef Hussein Hadid has accumulated over 25 years of food passion. Switching from a career in finance, he attended The French Culinary Institute in New York, where he received a Grande Diplome in 1992. He then went on to become Chef de Partie at San Domenico INC. in New York.

Hadid has since worked as a food consultant, run his own private catering company and has been involved in Pzza.Co, Brgr.Co and Deli.Co in Beirut.

He has exported his burger concept to London, where he has two outlets.

How did you finance your venture?

Did you do it alone or with help?

No one can deceive you, or if they do, they are caught in the act. It’s hard work and very tough. Either you can do it or you can’t. This is what determines success or failure.

I had financial back-up. They were people who loved the food business, but had no knowledge of running restaurants.

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

Open - look at Baron! Based on our experience in the industry,

we are fully aware that a full, open kitchen is what customers can actually see in a restaurant.

It requires infrastructure from suppliers, in addition to an upper-scale production kitchen and a superior back office team behind the scenes. An open kitchen is all smoke and mirrors.

I had partners who financed the business. They were all involved in some way through their field of expertise.

How do you juggle the responsibilities of a chef and a manager?

To be a great chef, you need to combine many attributes; cook, create, organize and lead, as well as have knowledge of accounting and finance.

You are the public relations’ representative for yourself.

What is the added value of a chef/owner in the kitchen?

Hussein Hadid / Hussein Hadid Catering

Lactalis Dairy Products and Trading (Middle East) LLC Email: info@ae.lactalis.com - Tel: +971 4 3623025

BUSINESS

ENTREPRENEURSHIP subsidized bank loan in Lebanon. The second element was personal investments with my business partners.

THE CULINARY GIANT

Did you do it alone or with help?

I was fortunate enough to meet two young entrepreneurs like myself. I partnered with Paddy Cochrane and Ziad Kamel, who both had strengths in areas that were integral in establishing a successful business. We balanced each other out and, in turn, our first business flourished!

What still excites you? "The expansion of Couqley Bistro.

This has been a childhood dream for me, and now that my dream has come true, I would like to see the brand grow even more."

Tips: "You need to understand

your market and its needs. Have a good working knowledge of trends and gaps in the market place. Having mentors and good partnerships with others in the culinary field is a big advantage."

Alexis Couquelet, corporate chef and co-founder of Couqley Bistro, Beirut and Dbayeh in Lebanon and Dubai, has over 25 years of culinary engagement and dedication. He began working in a series of restaurants in Paris in 1993, including Plaza Athenee and La Gare, with some

What is the added value of a chef/owner in the kitchen?

Alexis Couquelet / Couqley

of the most prominent names in French gastronomy, Alain Ducasse, Jean Georges and Eric Briffard. Couquelet has been living and working in Beirut since 2004. His titles include Maitre Cuisiniers de France since 2015, Académie Culinaire de France since 2017 and Académie National de France since 2016.

How did you assess the market before opening?

After working at many well

established restaurants in Beirut, I noticed that there were not any traditional Bistro style outlets in the market. My focus and goal was to open a restaurant serving ‘French comfort food’.

How did you finance your venture?

Our concept came to life through two sources of financing. First, we applied for and were granted a Kafalat loan, which is a very common

THE GROUND BREAKER

A young Kuwaiti food-preneur who has launched his first eatery, Street by Zubabar, and his second, Table Otto, chef Faisal Al Nashmi is a Le Cordon Bleu graduate specialized in experimental cuisine.

Education: Bachelors in

film & photography from the University of Miami, as well as a diploma in Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu London.

How did you launch your concept?

A thorough study of the successful brands in the Kuwaiti market, complemented by professional training in well-respected restaurants to gain insight into customer demand. We were funded by the government's Kuwait Small Project Development Company. We successfully grew our business and are now an independent company.

Did you do it alone or with help?

I am very lucky to have friends who are partners that add value to my personal production. Bader Al Hasan, Dalal Al Hasan and Aysha Al Nafisi all bring great depth to every aspect of our business, as partners and owners.

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I have the ability to create a menu and a dining experience that expresses my creativity and passion which gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. I will also be more hands-on, not only with creativity, but with cost as well. Often, taking on both roles can be overwhelming.

In the end, it’s all about prioritizing tasks and delivering the best experience to each and every guest.

Chef’s advice: “Always

study the market and your customers. Be prepared to keep learning and educating yourself."

Faisal Al Nashmi* / Al Makan United, Street by Zubabar

How do you juggle the responsibilities of a chef and a manager?

Having partners as key players in our company, we have successfully assigned each person with specific functions within the company operations.

As the growth of the company accelerates, more employees are hired for specific roles to invest in the natural elevation of each sector.

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

What is the added value of a chef/owner in the kitchen?

Making my own decisions on issues is invaluable. In addition, customers feel a sense of care and passion when food is produced by the actual creator. Being a chef is different than being an owner, as the priorities are not the same. Taking on both roles means having less time to invest in the full potential of

Tips: "Keep your own

individuality, but still understand and acknowledge things from the customer’s perspective."

each, especially the creative aspect of cooking. Owning a business requires procedures which slows creation.

* Interviewed by Lumen Hospitality Consultants lumenhospitality.com

BUSINESS

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

THEATER KITCHENS Nowadays, kitchens are more theatrical than ever.

Their utility goes beyond a beautiful design to include the role of actual footfall driver. Daniel During, principal and managing director of Dubai-based Thomas Klein International, a design, consulting and management services company, tells us more

What to show and when Show kitchens have been a part of restaurants’ interior design for the last 25 years. The trend originated in big cities, such as New York, where chefs prepared meals in full view of the diners, mainly due to space constraints. Nowadays, show kitchens support diners’ desire for transparency and visibility. They show there is nothing to hide, inviting diners to see the ‘magic’ behind the menu. From show kitchens behind the glass, to fully exposed kitchens behind just a counter, to island counters integrated in the dining space, to cooking carts and street carts, the versatility of integrating kitchens into the design is huge and paramount in setting the ambiance of the interiors. Show

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kitchens add ‘show’ and ‘drama’ to the overall dining experience, as diners’ senses are constantly exposed to everything around them. They also encourage diners to engage with the movements and production sounds of the kitchen permeating the dining space.

Interaction is key The most important thing to consider when deciding if your restaurant should feature a show kitchen is to select the level of interaction you want to achieve between the kitchen’s functions and diners. This interaction involves factors such as lighting, permeability of smells and sounds, and smoke and heat generation, in addition to the interaction between chefs and diners.

Mind the light and the noise Lighting has a major role to play in kitchen design. It’s important to ensure the lighting doesn’t negatively affect the restaurant’s ambience. For instance, in fine dining restaurants, lighting is brighter in the production area to allow cooking, and dimmer in the dining area to create ambience and intimacy. This is not the case in casual and fast dining places, where lighting levels are similar throughout.

The use of partial screens to reduce light from the kitchen or warmer lights in the kitchen are good options to consider, as is strategically positioning kitchen lights on food in the preparation area, rather than flooding the entire kitchen and dining space.

Noise coming from the kitchen can add positively to the dining experience if the sounds are at the same level. However, just as screens can help to reduce bright light, shelves installed between the kitchen and the dining area will assist in buffing sounds.

Smell control While the smell of freshly baked bread can contribute to the full dining experience in certain concepts, you do not want your diners to leave smelling of garlic, frying or more generally, of what they have eaten. Fortunately, smells, smoke and heat generation are easy to manage by hiring a good mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) consultant. thomaskleingroup.com

“An open kitchen is no longer just a hole in the wall where you can see someone working,” said William Eaton, chairman of the board of Cini-Little International, the world’s largest foodservice design consultancy.

GOOD TO KNOW Display kitchens are receiving a warm reception everywhere, from fine dining to quick-service restaurants.

Domino’s, for example, is remodeling its almost 11,000 restaurants worldwide by 2017 to a ‘pizza theater’ format, where customers can view their pizzas being prepared. restaurant.org

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BUSINESS

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

AN EXPERT’S OPINION standards, ultra-modern design and lighting techniques, have all contributed to making theater kitchens even more en vogue. Additionally, TV production companies attributed a mega importance to producing food-related shows. The development of induction cooking process, alongside upgrades in ventilation and smell absorption techniques, are also worth-noting.

A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE

The chef’s table

Emile Jouzy Chairman

H.C.I JLT - Hotelequip Consultants International The F&B scene has drastically evolved over the years. The practical contact between the chef and the client was limited to food ordering through the serving team. The development of culinary arts led to the adoption of open kitchen designs, which engage clients in the cooking process. Nowadays, the client has the opportunity to watch the butcher cut the piece of meat he chooses and accompany it from grilling to serving.

Contributing factors Several factors steered the industry towards trendier show kitchens, including the growth in customer spending power, driving more eating out. Chefs have also become true stars, driven by the extra accent that gastronomy and cooking schools are putting. New hygiene

The ‘intimate’ chef-client relationship led to ‘the chef’s table’ concept: An open glass in-kitchen room with a limited seating capacity, mostly booked for private parties.

Its popularity led to pulling down the walls and the open kitchen was developed.

Fast food and industrial catering The increasing popularity of fast-food chains raised the profile of open kitchens.

The introduction of more industrial and heavy catering facilities in office buildings, universities and factories, has also prompted the development of new open kitchen concepts catering to a large audience in a limited timespan.

ABOUT EMILE JOUZY Emile Jouzy is the chairman of the Dubai-based H.C.I JLT - Hotelequip Consultants International, a company specialized in kitchen and laundry consultancy.

Robert Plumb Design Director

Tricon Dubai-based Tricon Foodservice Consultants have created some of the most successful hospitality operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Why are open kitchens making an appearance in the industry?

Theater kitchens are increasingly being seen in the F&B industry as they extenuate the production and the food assembly process into the dining environment. Consequently, they enhance the customer’s experience by engaging him in the culinary production experience.

Are restaurants or hotels adopting them more?

Both hotels and restaurants are adopting the open kitchen principle for different reasons. Hotels benefit from the opportunity to provide a more dynamic environment for the all-day dining restaurants. On the other hand, restaurants use them to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive dining market.

What are the trends in open kitchens?

Indigo on the Roof at Le Gray Beirut

7 TIPS ON OPEN KITCHEN DESIGN AND EFFICIENCY Acoustics Place speakers near open kitchen to counteract clatter.

Ventilation An air modulation system is key to control extra cooking smells.

Aesthetics Build a counter high enough to shield the work area, but low enough to give guests a glimpse of the action.

Equipment A stainless steel hood, enamel coating, copper or bronze accents all make the kitchen shine.

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Flow Do not build a big and beautiful kitchen without thinking about whether it is operationally sound.

Cast and crew Prepare staff for starring roles, as what they do will be on view.

Cleanliness Have a place for everything and everything in its place, and sweep every 10-15 minutes. restaurant.org

The trend is to highlight the core principles of production through using unique cooking pieces, such as flames, coal fires and wood burning, among others. All foodservice design is covered

by Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and food hygiene regulations which cover both open and enclosed kitchens. The challenges come through interior design finishes, spark arresters, enhanced ventilations systems and fire suppression requirements, which are heightened in an open kitchen. tricon.ae

BUSINESS

RESTAURANTS The Village - Dbayeh

F&B CLUSTERS HOW TO AVOID THE BUBBLE

With the regional bourgeoning of F&B clusters, understanding what it takes to survive if the bubble bursts is essential.

Ralph Nader, CEO of Amber Consulting, unveils the fauxpas and how to avoid them when building your cluster

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Outing plans that include food and drink remain the Middle East’s number one leisure activity and have symbolized the signature convivial lifestyle in the region.

Scanning through the MENA region, the notion of F&B clusters exists by default in some countries. Canicular weather and the abundance of malls will inevitably push the concept of clusters forward.

In fact, Dubai and the Gulf countries are anticipating an exponential development of the F&B industry, on the back of an increase in visitor numbers, large immigrant populations keen to obtain food from their home countries and ongoing population growth.

In recent years, the Lebanese restaurant industry has switched its point of view from a standalone restaurant perception to F&B clusters. It all started a few years back, when the first clusters in the country started to pop up, from Uruguay Street in the heart of Beirut to Publicity in Jbeil. Today, the clusters market is looking stronger than ever, with future projects in Lebanon, including those undertaken by Venture Group, with three locations in Lebanon (Achrafieh, Jounieh, Jbeil). The same trend is evident, to a lesser or greater extent, in other countries. Venture Group is planning to open five hospitality clusters in Egypt,

with the first, comprising 50 outlets, due to be ready this June.

An undertaking with ups and downs?

Developing an F&B cluster could look promising, but success isn’t guaranteed.

In some scenarios, operators might find themselves facing a not-so-pretty ending. The closure of the first seven restaurants that began operating when Lebanon-based Blueberry Square opened in 2013 is a prime example.

Another shock was the decision by Publicity (a Lebanese cluster) to shut down 10 pubs that formed part of a 12-outlet cluster it opened in 2013.

Other failures in the region are to be expected. So what are the reasons for these closures? Why did they give a disappointing performance, and why are some projects failing, while others survive?

F&B clusters: the recipe for failure It all starts with the honeymoon period; curious customers roll in and the marketing campaign is aggressive.

Sometimes, you might even get a minister or other high-profile personality to attend the opening. The cluster is filled with intrigued food lovers and the future looks bright. But, as all married couple will tell you, maintaining

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BUSINESS

RESTAURANTS

the momentum post-honeymoon is the hardest part. There is one main reason for F&B cluster failures, and it can be summarized in a single word: unpreparedness.

Know your customer!

A major factor in the success of an F&B cluster is understanding current customers. Do cluster owners invest the time, the money and the energy to assess the demand, prior to the launch?

It’s highly unlikely. Opening a restaurant is an action that comes from the heart.

Operators tend to offer the food they’re passionate about and, in turn, hope customers feel the same. But opening an F&B cluster is really primarily about economics. Just like any business, an accurate study on consumer behavior must be undertaken before any physical development is made. Operators must be aware of what consumers want, such as what type of food they eat and whether they want to get away from their surroundings for a night out or stay close to home. Unfortunately, most clusters owners would accept a tenant without considering the basic notion that a tenant’s success or otherwise is also theirs. One empty restaurant impacts all of the restaurants.

Opening a restaurant is an action of the heart, but an F&B cluster is mainly economics Design is crucial F&B clusters are complex, disarticulated, intricate structures that need to be well designed. The flow of food, cars, customers and supplies must be irreproachable. One pitfall in the design and you’re out of business. Have you ever had to wait 20 minutes for your car because the valet-parking system was inadequate? Did you ever go for a burger but noticed your clothes smelling of the shishas from next door? And what about seeing food come in from the same door as that used for the neighbor’s garbage?

These scenarios, inspired by real-life experiences and with failed design at their core, could deter anyone from returning to an outlet.

Zaitouna Bay Beirut

every day of the week and it’s the most profitable period of the year for the F&B industry, especially for clusters.

But when the rain starts pouring and the temperature drops, everyone heads for shelter. Unfortunately, this is a challenge for some F&B clusters, whose seating is mostly outdoors and only adequate for the dry, warm season. Consequently, when winter comes and it’s too cold for anyone to enjoy a night out, these outlets experience a decline in activity. On another level, clusters that operate every day of the week, from sunrise to past sunset, must be able to offer meals throughout the day, from breakfast to dinner. This concept is non-existent for pub clusters, for example.

Fight with a plan Truth be told, those who make it through the hard times are the ones with a trustworthy, established, regular clientele

Souk Al Bahar Dubai

Don’t be empty This might sound somewhat obvious, but full coverage is a must, any month of the year, any day of the week, any hour of the day. Low times are the enemy of F&B clusters. There is nothing more depressing for the image of the cluster than the perception of emptiness. It can be fatal. Continuous revenue and resilience is what owners should target.

For example, as summer is everyone’s favorite season; people go out almost

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JBR Walk Dubai

and adequate cashflow to continue functioning in harsh conditions. There is no secret recipe to success, but common sense is a key ingredient. To stay on the scene, the cluster should keep creating value for consumers and avoid giving a disappointing experience.

If you have a piece of land and want to create an F&B cluster, our advice is simple: invest time and money in preparation and planning because in a highly demanding region, where eating out is an important part of life, the devil is in the detail. The number and quality of F&B clusters will increase, and only the strong will survive.

When an F&B cluster faces severe criticism from food lovers, one additional failure could impact the entire ecosystem. amber-consulting.com

BUSINESS

EYE ON BEIRUT

EYE ON

BEIRUT

THE BEATING HEART OF THE MIDDLE EAST Despite regional volatility, the Champs Élysées of the Middle East never ceases to amaze and here’s why

VIBRANT RESTAURANT SCENE

Tony Ramy President

Syndicate of RCNP The Lebanese F&B scene has proven to be resilient over the past five years, against a challenging economic backdrop.

Beirut received a major boost recently when Travel+ Leisure magazine ranked it number one international food destination, an accolade that cemented the city’s reputation and highlighted its attractions.

According to Tony Ramy, president of the

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Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Night-clubs & Pastries (RCNP) in Lebanon, the restaurant sector has witnessed positive growth, despite the country’s overall stagnant hospitality market, and compared to operations across hotels, beach resorts and car rental agencies.

“Over 1500 F&B establishments opened in the country during the past five years, marking 20 percent growth,” Ramy said.

There are now around 6000 F&B outlets operating in the industry, including 2000 snack bars. Investment in the properties totals at least USD 500 million, he added, averaging around USD 350,000 per outlet.

Most newly-opened restaurants belong to the express and diner concepts, with average bills ranging from USD 25 to USD 35. Over 250 diner-burgerias have opened in just five years, Ramy revealed. Lebanese cafes have also grown in popularity, with the number having now reached around 1500. There are several reasons for this positive activity, according to Ramy, including their popularity with creative and

savvy, young Lebanese entrepreneurs.

“These business enthusiasts are involved with figures,” he said. “They target bright concepts, with small-medium investments, to develop businesses that are agile, with high return on investment and low running costs.”

Additionally, smaller outlets and bistros in various Beiruti neighborhoods, such as Mar Mikhael and Gemmayzeh, generate footfall among diners keen to discover and savor the charms and cachets of their locations’ historic streets.

The multiplying malls and cluster projects have also been an important platform for the proliferation of numerous F&B concepts.

“Lebanon has proven to be a concept creator and exporter,” Ramy said. “Over 80 percent of F&B concepts founded in the country are exported, whereas only 20 are imported. This differentiates us from major neighboring cities such as Dubai, for instance, which imports over 80 percent of its concepts.”

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BUSINESS

EYE ON BEIRUT

NIGHTLIFE, AS BRIGHT AS ALWAYS

Jad Aboujaoude Nightclubs Representative

Syndicate of RCNP Lebanon attained and has maintained its reputation as the party capital of the Middle East. Lebanese entrepreneurs have never stopped creating successful concepts which extend beyond the borders of their small homeland, founding some of the original nightlife venues of hot destinations, such as Dubai’s White, Sky Bar and Music Hall, among others.

“What distinguishes this sector from others is the Lebanese people themselves who know how to enjoy nightlife, alongside the famous Lebanese sense of hospitality and service,” said Jad Aboujaoude, managing partner of Addmind, a company which creates and manages F&B and nightlife concepts, whose portfolio includes iconic brands such as White, Iris and Indie. Aboujaoude is also the nightclubs representative in the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafés, Nightclubs & Pastries (RCNP). He believes nightlife represents a major market share of the country’s attraction, coming under the same banner as restaurants, beach resorts, ski facilities and sightseeing. “With world-renowned DJs and top music acts performing live in Beirut, in addition to the local and international media covering and promoting the events, we evolved into a party destination and a hotspot for nightlife lovers,” Aboujaoude noted.

Mega clubs, such as White and The O1NE, continue to act as magnets for lovers of the party scene. The rising popularity of pubs

and bars, meanwhile, is adding another dimension to Lebanon’s nightlife, catering to a broader variety of demands. Streets such as Gemmayzeh, Mar Mikhayel and even Badaro are destinations that continue to stand the test of time for those looking for a quieter night out. “There is room for every market and to meet all demands,” Aboujaoude said. “Some clubbers might not like pubs and bars, while others might prefer to start their evening in a pub or bar before heading to a club.”

Just like many other sectors, the clubbing and pubbing industry is currently facing a number of challenges, although according to Aboujaoude, that isn’t holding it back, with investments in new concepts ranging from USD 500,000 to USD 3 million.

However, he cautioned that with many brands springing up every year in the nightlife industry, investors need to choose their operators wisely. With good, thorough planning, financial studies and cash flow management, he concluded, it’s possible to overcome obstacles successfully.

OUT-OF-THE-BOX LODGING

Nada Sardouk Director General

Ministry of Tourism Lebanon According to the Syndicate of Hotel Owners, Lebanon has 341 hotels, Beirut taking 28 percent of supply, from which 22 percent are five-star properties and 46 percent have a four-star rating. The capital also has almost 8500 hotel rooms available. However, a new lodging trend has started to take off in the city, with a growing number of guesthouses now opening. While still a nascent segment, these guesthouses signal a new vibe and a new type of tourists seeking an authentic experience in the heart of the city. According to Nada Sardouk, director general of the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), guesthouses were put under the umbrella of the MoT in 2006 in a bid to promote alternative lodgings in remote areas on the Lebanese Mountain Trail. “We have initiated a regulation to

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legalize their activity and to promote them,” she said. “We have also helped them to get subsidized funds to renovate the properties and appeal to guests.”

However, guesthouses are now offering a new option for visitors, “catering to a niche market of tourists seeking a different experience than residing in a regular city hotel”, Sardouk explained.

These new alternatives are seen as offering something different to hotels, rather than competing with them, and while they might not provide the comprehensive amenities found in larger

Baffa House

properties, their individuality can be a plus. Lebanon has over 50 guesthouses available for bookings, either through their own websites and social media, or via networks, such as L’Hôte Libanais and Diyafa, among others.

Guesthouses are now offering a new option for visitors, catering to a niche market.

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BUSINESS

EYE ON BEIRUT

FRANCHISING LEBANON 2. What are the objectives of launching this certificate?

Charles Arbid President

Lebanese Franchise Association With the franchising industry in Lebanon continuing to go from strength to strength, the Lebanese American University launched its ‘Professional Certificate in Franchise Management’ program. Charles Arbid, president of the Lebanese Franchise Association (LFA), spoke to HN about the program’s benefits.

1. The curriculum was devised in collaboration with 80 experts and professionals from the industry. How accurately do you think it reflects the true needs of the franchising industry in Lebanon?

All businesses require continuous streams of knowledge, innovation and new thinking. Continuous education addresses a broader audience and can boost entrepreneurship, skills and offer career choices. The needs of the franchising industry in Lebanon are many. Meeting all of them is a collective effort, primarily involving the LFA, but also specialized service providers and the government on the policy front.

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The LAU seems to be optimistic about the growth of franchising in Lebanon and the region, which is why it is investing resources to address a need they have identified. The university believes that building stronger bridges between academia and the business community is a priority. The certificate will help promote franchising in Lebanon, making the skills related to this business model readily available to additional segments of society.

3. Do you think the franchising industry in Lebanon has reached a maturity level requiring additional specialization and expertise?

Franchising has been successful in Lebanon because it embodies our people’s ‘can do’ attitude and promotes our way of life. Equally importantly, Lebanon is the biggest exporter of franchising in the Middle East, a fact that all Lebanese should be very proud of. No country in the region produces and exports so many innovative concepts. Given the spirit of the Lebanese, our sector will keep on growing.

However, mature companies have more focused needs and face more complex operational questions. The new certificate is more beneficial to new entrepreneurs wishing to gain insights into franchising essentials. Restaurants and others, who are already operating under the franchise model, need more focused training. That is why the LFA offers highly specialized training modules in fields like: assessing franchise concept profitability; visual merchandising; purchasing; and food styling, among others. lfalebanon.com

THE LEBANESE FACT SHEET According to Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2017 recently released by the World Travel & Tourism Council, the direct contribution of the travel and tourism industry to the Lebanese GDP reached USD 3.3 billion in 2016, equivalent to seven percent of the total GDP. This ranked the country in second place in the Arab world, following Egypt. It is forecast to almost double within the coming 10 years, to reach USD 6 billion by 2027. In parallel, investment in the sector reached USD 1.2 billion in 2016, over 10 percent of the total investment found in the country. It is also expected to nearly double in 10 years, to reach USD 2.3 billion. Leisure travel spending (inbound and domestic) generated 90 percent of direct travel and tourism GDP in 2016, compared to only nine percent for business travel spending. However, the latter is expected to grow by eight percent in 2017, and rise by seven percent per annum to almost USD 1.6 billion. Leisure travel spending is expected to grow at a slower pace, and rise by almost six percent per annum.

Domestic travel spending generated is on the rise, but still represented 14 percent of direct travel and tourism GDP in 2016. When it comes to employment, the sector directly supported 123,500 jobs last year and is expected to attract more employees within the coming 10 years, to 147,000 jobs in 2027. wttc.org

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BUSINESS

EYE ON BEIRUT

ROUNDTABLE

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WORKING HAND IN HAND At a roundtable facilitated by Hospitality News ME, the Minister of Tourism, Avedis Guidanian, and leading five-star hotel general managers in Beirut, discussed the challenges and opportunities in the sector and how to build on the notion of common ground “We live in a country that suffers from a security problem, but we can now state that we are officially emerging from this problem,” Guidanian said. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has officially started promoting Lebanon as a safe destination, calling media to highlight the positive vibes in the country and not to exaggerate the small incidents that might occur. “Our social media campaigns target eight countries, including Armenia, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, KSA, Qatar, UAE and Iraq to promote

The Minister of Tourism, Avedis Guidanian

our packages with MEA tickets and hotel occupancy,” the minister said. On another issue, Guidanian mentioned that the Ministry of Public Works plans to work on improving infrastructure and road networks, with a focus on routes leading to the airport.

New tourism packages Packages start at USD 333 for a 3D/4N trip, which includes ticket, transport, bed and breakfast in a three-star property. The offer is valid from January 6 until May 31.

The MoT is working on a similar project to

attract the Lebanese diaspora living in South America, especially those in Brazil, with packages approximately USD 600 - USD 650. “So far, we do not have direct flights, but our aim is to attract these travelers to visit their country for at least once,” the minister said.

Seeking GCC tourism and beyond The MoT’s new strategy focuses not only on winning back GCC travelers, but also tapping new markets and finding routes that will appeal to visitors from various Western countries. The MoT reached an agreement with the General Security to grant visas to Russian, Indian and Egyptian groups visiting via any tour operator or a hotel within 24 hours.

MICE power Simultaneously, the MoT is working to expand the country’s MICE power and appeal. Guidanian revealed General Electric is considering holding its annual meeting in Lebanon, while the exhibition of Free Zones is also eyeing Beirut as a destination for its annual assembly, which takes place in November.

GM concerns and topics of interest As the perception of Lebanon abroad, specifically in Europe, is negative in terms of safety and security, there is a focus on neighboring countries when it comes to client segments, participants said. This meant that if the nearby markets collapsed for any reason, Lebanon would also face challenging times. Therefore, leaders of the private sector’s major five-star establishments are investing time and effort in positively influencing the local market as much as they can. The general managers agreed on the importance of establishing a proper union between them to fight their cause and move in the right direction, in order to protect the sector during difficult

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times. They pointed out that it has long been known that Lebanon has relied heavily on GCC tourism, even though there was a multitude of new markets that could be explored. South America was one option, notably Brazil, hoteliers said, where millions of Lebanese diaspora were based. Smart and practical strategies must be established to attract this diaspora, they agreed, starting with the promotion of Lebanon as a destination and a move to improve the country’s image, especially when participating in foreign expos and

FIVE-STAR HOTEL GENERAL MANAGERS IN ATTENDANCE

Hala Massaad Raouché Arjaan

by Rotana

Our country has great potential with wonderful services. We have a lot to offer Avedis Guidanian forums. Hoteliers said the media must play a key role by relaying a brighter image of the country. When it came to pricing, Lebanon should not be seen as a cheap destination, they warned.

They pointed out that while some hotels dropped their prices in 2016, the GCC tourists still stayed away. Participants said it was important to have various levels of pricing in the market to cater to various segments. They also highlighted the issue of airline tickets, saying it was the biggest factor around pricing and pointing out that when people travel to a destination, hotel costs are only one part of the expense. Pricing had to include transportation, airport taxes, airline tickets and hotel fees. They called for a meeting to be set up with the national carrier, MEA, to discuss price concerns in order to generate broader success. The hoteliers also highlighted the benefits of a ‘no visa’ strategy, saying it would help to attract the highest number of visitors possible.

Jean Marc Panossian Le Commodore Hotel

Frank Royer Le Bristol Hotel

Rami Sayess Four Seasons Hotel Beirut

Dagmar Symes Phoenicia Hotel Beirut & Le Vendôme

Daniele Vastolo Kempinski Summerland Hotel & Resort

Naif Zureikat Hilton Habtoor Grand, Hilton Metropolitan

APR-MAY 2017 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

SERVICE

MASTERING HOSPITALITY

Transform your management team right in front of your eyes with Master Trainer Mark Dickinson and the basic principles of the 70 by 7 success formula In our industry today, there is a total disconnect between owners and employees. An owner works for their dreams to come true. It is their urgent desire to attain amazing results from their investment of time, energy and passion that drives them. The ‘best employee ever’, is, and will always remain, an employee.

And at that level, no matter how much commitment they show and how hard they work, they are employed. The goals of the two entities are forever on different trajectories and ‘never the two shall meet’.

Where they differ An owner does not need an alarm clock to get them going or to keep them focused.

It is innate. This is their investment. This is their baby or their empire. They grow it and build it and pour themselves into it day after day. At no point do they allow themselves to slacken off the pace. It is fuelled by a

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burning desire for growth and perhaps a little narcissism. No obstacle will stop them.

Employees are often either in awe of the dedication and commitment of the owner or tired out by it! They have to run to keep up and have their hands full just getting things done that have been requested.

And they bring with them the baggage of organizational thinking and college educations. Worse still, they may have some degrees or letters before/after their name, or a title; and that really slows things down. These two entities live in entirely different worlds.

Bridge the gap For a business to be the thriving success that it was meant to be, there must be a bridge that connects the two sides. The role of training is critical in bridging this gap. The secret is to inspire the people who run the business to master what they do. This is very difficult. It comes back to the clash of the two cultures. Employees’ journeys involve growing a career, even if they are senior company directors.

It is incredibly difficult to get the buyin, but the Holy Grail is in having highly empowered focused individuals whose sole objective is to add massive value to the business; a group that is intensively focused on what they can contribute, rather than meeting their own needs. It’s a fabulous scenario, and when it works, you get a result the likes of which are not commonly found.

The formula: 70 by 7 Creating intense personal growth opportunities within the organization can be the powerful and effective force required for change. A very special formula can deliver this within an organization with powerful results. This formula has multiple ingredients:

Secret sauce Up front, the personal commitment and dedication of each person is tested and refined through intensive, immersive training experiences. The objective is to get the team to aspire to be with the best in class and learn from the world’s best, modeling what the greats are doing or have already done.

The perfect meeting Next, the team is guided into developing a perfect meeting scenario. This is where high energy interaction plays a massive role and individuals begin to meld into a harmonious group of like-minded team members. Research suggests that the most powerful group dynamics can be generated with a team of between six and 12 people (Parkinson’s Law by C Parkinson), and so we chose seven.

This is a superb number with so many connotations and meanings. One of the greatest attributes is that seven provides sufficient number of members to engender good discussion, and yet ensures that every decision will always have a majority. The perfect meeting also

BUSINESS

SERVICE

has a special time segment assigned, 70 minutes. There is a blueprint for the meeting that effectively dictates the activities that transpire during the allotted time, stating what must be done during each of the seventy minutes.

Seven Seven is not a gimmick and is far more than just a theme. There are seven team members, there are seven topics that are discussed, one per week for seven weeks, and there are 70 minutes allocated. The cycle is repeated seven times per year.

The topics are carefully selected to give team members the opportunity to focus their entire abilities on one topic per week.

Over the seven weeks they will cover every aspect of their business. This creates an absorbing and challenging business activity that develops strength at the core because by its nature, it drives each team member to go out and find out about every part of the business they are in. The key is Business Mastery. We are not here to dabble. We are not here to pander to ego.

We are solidly devoted to mastering our business and knowing everything there is to know about it. Having understood our business, then to constantly and neverendingly improve it.

The meetings follow a cyclical plan The business needs a map. You have to know where you are going. Appropriately, in the first week of each seven-week cycle, the meeting is focused on the business’s map. Where are you going?

Product Here, the group focuses on product, services and delivery. What is it that we actually sell? How do we provide it and how do our customers get it?

Marketing Massive marketing is all about being a fire-starter. Ask questions that change the way things are done. It looks at internal and external customers and asks what we do for the general public too. We ask, “What could we do for our customers?” and “What would be our best offer ever for our customers?”

We look at the origins of our customers and pose the question, “What would business be like if we were to have every customer we have ever had?” and “What would our business be like if every single person were engaged in marketing?”

Numbers Here we learn to love numbers; to feed on them and to thrive from knowing what they really say. We encourage understanding of the balance sheet, cash flow and P&L (profit and loss). We explain how they are tied together and spark some interesting thoughts on how to grow the bottom line in a short time.

People Employees always talk about people being the capital of the company. And so they are. In this session, we look at people from multiple angles. We talk about our most valuable asset: personnel. We encourage an honest reflection of the weak links and identify new choices that could instantly revive the business.

Processes Evaluating how or why we do something the way that we do has never been so thrilling. Value chain management is a detailed and in-depth look at our key processes. We evaluate the sequence of events in each activity and seek to discover how many handovers and receipts of information there are in any

given process. The fun then is to see by how much we can reduce the number of processes involved and still get the job done to the same standard, maybe even better.

Customers We say that we live for our customers.

The truth is, customers are frequently very far from the center of an organization’s lifestyle. In 70 by 7 it is paramount that the customer is enshrined in the center of our thinking. The reason that customers are the 7th topic is so that we will have adequately prepared the groundwork for the work we do to encourage and enhance greater levels of customer service. We ask two important questions: How do we keep the customers we have?

How do we get more customers?

For a business to be the thriving success that it was meant to be, there must be a bridge that connects the two sides. The role of training is critical in bridging this gap.

The outcome You may say, well that all sounds good, but does it really work? After all, we are actually busy working and we have a lot to get done. True. Why should we waste a precious hour and 10 minutes every single week doing this?

The beauty of 70 by 7 is that each member of the group will take the leadership for one week’s event, each cycle, so by the end of the year, every team member has hosted the meeting, leading on each of the seven topics. The shift that takes place is imperceptible at first. Team members start by dragging their feet and nagging about the demands of this process.

The growth, unity and intensity of intelligent ideas that burst forth from this immersive style of training are immense.

Businesses that employ this process are transformed. We implemented this process in the number one hotel in Asia - Shinta Mani Hotel – with mind-blowing results.

An organization that is willing to be the best is willing to invest to get there. The outcomes far outweigh the challenge of instilling the process.

When 70 by 7 is fully implemented, believed in and invested in, people work less on doing unimportant things and dedicate their time and their minds to doing powerful and important productive business that leads to organizations expanding and multiplying. done.fyi

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SOLUTIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES

EXTREME

VETTING The benefits There are several direct positives to be gained from conducting a reference check.

1. They include increasing the likelihood of ensuring that only a high quality and suitable caliber of employees join the team.

2. A clean background check could also indicate whether an applicant is trustworthy, reliable and responsible and likely to drive forward the ethics of the business.

Naim Maadad, CEO of Dubaibased Gates Hospitality, explains why a reference check is vital for hiring the right candidate No surprises!

A business’s reputation is an uncompromising philosophy that needs to be safeguarded at all times across the sectors, including in culinary ventures.

Human capital is vital for protecting the reputation that a company has built and, in this way, reference checks can play a crucial role in the modern world. Every establishment needs to ensure that the people hired and brought in are known. A background check on character, attitude and recommended skills helps to prevent unwanted surprises down the road. The positives of such an exercise undoubtedly greatly outweigh the inconveniences.

Conducting a reference check before hiring a candidate saves the business from risks which could otherwise be concealed.

Such an exercise does, admittedly, carry some risks, but an increasing number of small business owners are looking at these processes as a frontline defense against potential problems that could arise once a new employee is hired.

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3. A clean reference check could help to predict job performance and minimize the likelihood of termination due to an improper selection process.

4. Pre-employment background checks often discourage applications from individuals who have something to hide.

5. They are an ideal way of increasing an employer’s ability to provide a safe working environment and may decrease instances of workplace unruliness.

6. They may enhance an employer’s ability to minimize theft losses as a result of employee dishonesty.

7. They may potentially increase an employer’s ability to avoid negative publicity, should an employee’s actions or history become public.

Disadvantages There are only a few disadvantages associated with reference checks, one of which is the cost. There is no way to avoid the cost, time and manpower necessary to request and review a thorough background check. Another possible problem is inaccuracy. If the information in the background check report is incorrect, it could potentially lead to a good candidate being disqualified or, conversely, permit the hiring of an undesirable candidate. Preemployment background checks cannot always indicate whether an individual with

a problematic past has since reformed and is now qualified for the job. Additionally, in some cases, employee morale could be negatively affected if staff views a policy of conducting background checks as an invasion of their privacy.

5 key practical tips for conducting reference checks 1. Have a system in place to grade incoming CVs, so that an assessment of a candidate’s suitability for a position can be duly rated.

2. If feasible and opportunity permits, arrange a trial shift to gauge the aptitude, attitude and body language of the candidate in the workplace, especially for frontline team member positions where guesthandling skills are needed.

3. Reference checks should be done beforehand, don’t rely only on the names given on a candidate’s CV, but also call discreetly to obtain more detailed feedback from non-listed referees. This will help you to gain unbiased reference feedback.

4. Depending on where you are, use networks and official sources, such as banks and medical insurance, to see if there is any adverse history background relating to the candidate.

5. Ideally, aim to have in your possession multiple tier reference checks to ensure 360 degree feedback from a subordinate, a peer and a manager.

ABOUT GATES HOSPITALITY Dubai-based Gates Hospitality develops hospitality, asset management and food & beverage products. The company is currently developing several homegrown F&B concepts. gateshospitality.com

SOLUTIONS

F&B

3

WAYS TO CUT COSTS

fewer suppliers and renegotiate on prices.

A reasonable management strategy would balance product selection. It will also push towards reviewing the recipes and the ingredients to try to reduce the cost of every dish and increase its yield without compromising on quality and minimize waste. In challenging times, restaurant managers should also resist the temptation to increase prices; on the contrary, they should look at introducing more deals and offers.

Abdul Kader Saadi, managing director of Glee Hospitality Solutions, defines the three main categories for expenses and how to cut costs at your restaurant

Training staff and offering bonus and compensation packages are a must, even in difficult market conditions Labor

Food The food supply bill varies, depending on each F&B concept. It could reach 20 percent of the total purchase bill in a dessert-oriented outlet or 27 percent in a café, but might exceed 30 percent in a fine dining concept. We need to make suppliers understand the current market situation and try to negotiate better prices. However, this will not be an easy task, since purchasing volumes would also drop. The best solution would be to reconsolidate and reduce the number of suppliers in order to give large orders to

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Unfortunately, in a tough market, business owners often let staff go, with plans to maintain the same service and quality, but using minimum resources available.

This should be the last resort for any business as the ‘hiring again’ process in this market is both difficult and expensive.

Rehiring costs tend to rise when involving visas and work permit fees relating to the employment of foreigners, which can amount to at least USD 2000 per person.

The time spent on recruiting is even more expensive. Hiring is a particular challenge in countries such as the UAE, where the

concept of part-time work does not exist and employees have to be taken on full time. Training staff and offering bonus and compensation packages are a must, even in difficult market conditions. Adding 1 - 2 percent to salaries won’t affect a company’s budget, but makes a huge difference for them, providing motivation and improving their engagement.

Rent Rents in the region are a major expense.

Relieving the pressure will depend on how willing landlords are to adjust to market conditions and their readiness to grant rent revision or reduction for a certain period. While an agreement along these lines would provide business owners with valuable breathing space, rent is often non-negotiable, leading, unfortunately, to the closure of some businesses. Landlords would do well to consider that the cost of replacing operators and down time is more expensive than reviewing the rent for a current client. In challenging market conditions, restaurant owners might want to decide whether a standalone or a mall outlet is their best option. While malls have a higher lease ticket, they tend to guarantee higher footfall, especially in the hot GCC countries. However, the situation may differ in countries such as Lebanon, where shoppers are less affected by the weather. gleehospitality.com

SOLUTIONS

MARKETING

THE

POWER

OF IMAGERY

Renowned food stylist and photographer, Mario Daou, highlights five key points to keep in mind about the effect of a good picture on your menu and how photography can drive footfall Every picture you take is the accumulation of life experiences, of your passion about everything that pushed you to that moment. This is represented just by the fact that the same item generates different emotions when shot from different angles or by different photographers. Therefore, no matter how hard you try to explain or elaborate on what you are seeing, you cannot explain a picture, because it becomes a feeling.

Pictures can drive footfall and win clients’ loyalty We all really hate it when we order an item and it arrives looking completely different from how it appears on the menu. We aim to preserve the same quantity and quality of what you actually order, which is why we ourselves simply order the item then proceed in styling by creating a certain ambiance to the picture without adding anything to the main item. If clients get exactly what they came for, they can trust in

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the knowledge that the same experience will be handed out every single visit and that the same taste and quality will be preserved.

image and identity. This is why it’s so important for the marketing team as a whole to be assimilated into the company’s culture.

Choose between still or in motion

Photos: Your brand companion

Videos or still pictures? Each has its charm and its purpose. Stills tend to be more personal. The feeling or the taste they awaken and bring differ from one client to another. They simply leave space for more imagination and push you towards food cravings once again. On a different level, videos could be used to send a direct message of what to expect when visiting the restaurant and the ambiance the place provides. Videos highlight the process undertaken to create a specific plate, engaging all the possible olfactory, auditory and even gustatory senses. This highlights the attention to detail that goes into each plate.

We live in a fast-paced media era where photography plays a huge role in the selfimage the company aims to create. Keeping up with the raft of new equipment and techniques emerging is a must. Any delay will leave you miles behind what the client truly wants. Undoubtedly, this technology is constantly evolving and today scaling new heights. One thing that should always be kept in mind is the importance of true art. The passion that brings can never be replaced by any type of retouching or computer modeling.

Steps to follow to build a comprehensive image-based strategy

A food stylist, chef and photographer, Mario Daou first became interested in cooking at the age of 16. Having spent nine years amassing experiences in various cuisines, a sip of CortonCharlemagne changed everything.

His discovery of wine culture and growing love for it prompted Mario to become a professional Sommelier.

His clients include Chef Charles Azar, Phoenicia Beirut, Le Vendôme Beirut, Middle East Airlines, Arla Kallassy Foods, Sofil Catering and Tefal Middle East, among others.

Working with the same photographer provides a guarantee that a restaurant’s authentic identity will be maintained.

When scrolling through Facebook feed, for example, and seeing an ad, readers will automatically identify the restaurant it depicts from the colors used, the background or the lighting mood. The picture becomes an inseparable part of the place’s brand identity and presence. Social media, and how the business is presented through such platforms, are an essential part of today’s business schemes. Businesses could risk losing assets and components because they failed to stay true to their

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PRODUCT ZONE

NEW PRODUCTS

ON THE MARKET We scour the marketplace for new items so you don’t have to

Aguila 220 The newcomer in the barista family, the Aguila 220 is high performance in a compact machine with unmatched choice of one-touch recipes. With just two extraction heads, this new machine offers you the same professionalism, Grand Cru after Grand Cru, even with high volume demands. Its preset recipes will respect the barista tradition, enhanced by state of the art technology with unmatched in-cup quality. Features include: 'fail-safe' mode for each extraction head, manual capsule insertion and ejection, pre-programmed choice of languages on digital display, and double head extraction system for preparing two cups simultaneously.

NESPRESSO nespresso.com

Lainox Naboo Lainox Naboo provides, suggests and redefines everything you need for excellent quality results that are uniform all the time. Wifi connection or via Ethernet card, Cloud access through registration, back up of all content, settings and customizations, sharing of content across several devices.

ARMOBEL karim@armobel.net

Polished nickel finish for Ro Faucets Tomlinson Industries’ Contemporary, Designer, Quadra, Ultra Contemporary and Vintage RO faucets are now available in a polished nickel finish. Tomlinson’s polished nickel finish blends the elegant warm-tone of nickel with the luster of a polished finish for an eyecatching result.

TOMLINSON INDUSTRIES tomlinsonind.com

Nuance Bowl, design by Iben SchjaerJacobsen In this design, contemporary Nordic minimalism is combined with the characteristics of a classic material, cast iron. The bowl is elegant and simple - perfect for serving nuts and fruit. The bowl is also available in a 26cm version.

DUPLEXLINE duplexline.com nuance-scandinavia.com

Magicpilot MKN Connect Software MKN customers can access the most current version of their software whenever they want for simple communication between appliance and PC. The MKN Connect software is now available to download free of charge on the company website. With the MKN Connect software, FlexiCombi and FlexiChef appliance users can create and organize cooking programs easily on a PC. HACCP data can also be conveniently managed using the software as it can be visualized, archived and printed simply with just a click. The Connect Software is suitable for all appliance sizes and data transfer is by means of a USB stick. You can download the software on the MKN homepage in the Service & Support section.

MKN - MASCHINENFABRIK KURT NEUBAUER GMBH & CO. KG mkn.eu

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PRODUCT ZONE

NEW PRODUCTS

Danzka Vodka DANZKA Vodka is one of the leading premium vodkas worldwide. It owes its unique bottle design and incomparable taste to its Danish origins. Its secret also lies in the six-stage distillation process, using soft, clear northern water, mixed with 100 percent Korn (schnapps) and distilled in six stages. The result is delicate well balanced vodka, mild and pure with an incomparable rich taste. It serves as the perfect base in a cocktail or straight for pure enjoyment.

It is also known as the world leading vodka for travelers. The unique aluminum bottle is not only ideal for speedy cooling, but also guarantees safe travel. The DANZKA range includes 40% and 50% volume, in five flavors: APPLE, CITRUS, CURRANT, CRANRAZ, and GRAPEFRUIT.

J.Grove Forest Honey J.Grove’s Forest Honey is harvested by local Lebanese beekeepers in the Jezzine region. It’s cold-extracted, raw, dark and bold.

JAZ DEVELOPMENT COMPANY S.A.L. jgrove.co

4A SARL danzka.com

Stella 81 Truffle Flavored Bresaola The surprising pleasure of a tasty alternative, truffle flavored bresaola is exclusively produced from selected beef meats, flavored with truffles.

ALIMENTUMS SAL alimentums.com

Cara Nougatine™ A true homage to Brittany and its famous ‘caramel au beurre salé’: it delivers an authentic milky caramel taste with a hint of salt. The new Croustillant made with real white chocolate and caramel, caramelized almond pieces and a hint of salt; will bring taste and texture to all your creations.

Tanour Bait Jedde & Dr. Bread BOPP (CELOPHANE BAG) with zipper-lock; the ultimate technique to keep your product fresh for several days after opening the seal, with an option to have your brand printed on the bag.

EMF MIDDLE EAST emf-me.com

OJAMCO ojamcolebanon.com

Kusmi Tea - Blue Detox Exotic and fruity blend of maté, green tea and rooibos flavored with a note of savory and pineapple.

RETAIL INC. www.retail-inc.com

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Zéphyr™ Caramel Be seduced by this captivating white chocolate and caramel with a hint of salt.

EMF MIDDLE EAST emf-me.com

PRODUCT ZONE

FOOD

FLOUR

POWER Richard Bertinet Baker, chef, tutor, author and BBC Food Champion of the Year

Jeff Yankellow Chairman of the Board

Bread Bakers Guild of America

Glenn Roberts President and CEO

Anson Mills

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In an era when the variety of grains and other ingredients going into bread has never been greater, bakers are rising to the occasion to satisfy a demanding clientele Wafting from a bakery, patisserie or the breakfast salon of a hotel, the aroma of freshly baked bread is often enough to stop passers-by in their tracks, or at least get the taste buds tingling as they walk past. High on the list of food staples worldwide, bread, in its various forms, has been an integral part of our diet for centuries.

Technavio, a global technology research and advisory company, valued the global bread and rolls market at around USD 187 billion in 2015, with forecasts suggesting it could reach almost USD 216 billion by 2020.

Yet, like with so many other foodstuffs, producers have had to adapt to changing customer demands in an increasingly competitive market. Ever-rising interest in health and wellness, trends for lowcarb diets and a wider choice of breakfast products have forced bakers to innovate and diversify their offerings. On the bright side, however, research shows that while consumers are becoming more

demanding, they are also willing to pay for good ingredients and comparable end products.

Tracing the journey According to industry experts, clear labeling is one of the main demands from today’s consumers. “Transparency and knowing the source seem to be at the top of the list,” Jeff Yankellow, chairman of the board, Bread Bakers Guild of America, told HN. Consumers want to know where the ingredients in their bread come from, he said, with locally-sourced products or a clear journey in demand.

Health first An interest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle influences much of what consumers eat today, including the bread they choose.

Chris Krenzel, director of sales at Firebird Artisan Mills, said there was an evident preventative mindset among consumers.

“Weekend breakfast breads using reduced sugar or natural sugar sources like fruits and honey, allow consumers to indulge responsibly,” he said.

Bread offering nutritional benefits, such as wholegrain, continues to sell well.

According to Yankellow, wholegrain, which has been linked to reductions in the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and strokes, alongside other conditions, “is here to stay”.

“This is for reasons of better nutrition and

PRODUCT ZONE

FOOD

flavor,” he said. “Bakers are pushing the limits on what can be made with wholegrain and finding that there are no limits. It comes down to understanding how the grain behaves and making minor adjustments to the process.”

been gradually moving away from the industrialized, homogenized products lacking in flavor and identity,” he told HN. The renaissance of pre-industrial cereals, he noted, is most definitely upon us.

Ancient revival

Many of these ingredients are also helping bakers to accommodate growing demand for gluten-free options. Originally catering to people looking to manage celiac disease, gluten-free products are now in demand from a much broader range of consumers who are keen to make them part of a healthy-eating or weight-management regime.

Ancient grains, such as quinoa, millet and spelt, are also proving popular, providing an increasingly knowledgeable and adventurous consumer base, the benefits of high fiber and protein, alongside exciting new taste experiences.

Richard Bertinet, a French chef, baker and author, who also runs a cookery school in the UK, believes these discoveries and rediscoveries are allowing producers to diversify their offerings, while also meeting demand for healthier, but flavorsome options. “We use flour made from chestnuts, for example, and a range of grains, including buckwheat, among others,” he said. “Right now, one of the ingredients we are using is a new teff flour from Africa.”

We have been gradually moving away from the industrialized, homogenized products lacking in flavor and identity Glenn Roberts Win-win The fact that ancient and lesser-known grains have a great taste is an added bonus, sitting especially well with an increasingly discerning consumer base.

Glenn Roberts, president and CEO of Anson Mills, believes there is a growing realization that flavor in bread cereals is equal to nutritional content. “We have

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Gluten

A report by Transparency Market Research, titled, ‘Gluten Free Food Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2015 – 2021’ valued the gluten-free food market at USD 2.84 billion in 2014, rising to USD 4.89 billion by 2021.

Krenzel said that bakers today are much more comfortable with glutenfree formulations. “The days of the flat, tasteless loaves are long gone,” he told HN. “As bakers are learning how to bake with gluten free, they are able to make delicious, nice looking breads, which are visually appealing to the eye.”

Reducing waste Using a more diverse mix of grains is also proving effective in supporting sustainability. According to Bertinet, “Wheat is being over-used and wasted, so there is an interest in using different types of flour which work particularly well in varieties such as flatbread, ethnic breads and wraps.”

His words are backed up by Mintel, which

cited ‘Eliminating Food Waste’ as one of six key trends that will affect the food and beverage industry in 2017.

“Sustainability issues are becoming more and more prevalent in the eyes of consumers,” the global market intelligence agency found. “In the food industry, food waste has been a recent topic of interest for retailers, restaurants and non-profit organizations.”

Quality counts While competition is fierce, findings across the board indicate that people are willing to pay for good products, even in challenging economic conditions. It’s a trend that signals good news for genuine artisanal bakers, Bertinet believes.

“There is a big demand for good, artisanal bread from a trusted source - bread made by somebody who has trained, who learned their trade using proper methods, incorporating a hand-made element,” he said.

He added that social media has provided bakers with an unprecedented opportunity to promote their products, but also discover what consumers want. “Keeping in touch with customers has never been easier,” he said. “It’s a great tool for bakers; an opportunity to get closer to the people who buy their products.”

INGREDIENT TIPS * Purified water for fresher tasting loaves * Sea salt for more flavor * Organic flour

BAKERY EQUIPMENT

Booth # B6-C7/B8-C9

Pita and Flatbread Lines

More than 3000 Projects

Certified PITA Bread Machines

Producing More Than 200,000 Pita Breads/min

By SALTEK’s Lines All Around The World!

P.O. Box 166 Ain Aar, Lebanon Mazraat Yashouh, Industrial Zone, Matn T +961 4 925 111 F +961 4 926 222 Ext: 148 sales@saltek.com.lb www.saltek.com.lb

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PRODUCT ZONE

FOOD

SUPPLIERS' VIEWS

ON THE MARKET Panettone Panettone All’ Uvetta and Panettone Al Cioccolatto, with raisins and chocolate; made with natural leaven.

MOULIN D’OR moulindor.com

Salim Makhoul Head of Innovation Center

Crown Flour Mills

Carob Bread Carob bread mix for authentic flavors.

TECPAN BAKERY prodipani.com

Our new range of health mixes eliminate additives to offer a route to healthy clean label products

Rodi Rizk Executive Chef and Board Member

Prunelle

Semolina Milled from sound durum wheat, rendered free of any impurities, with a bright yellow color. Ideal for Arabic sweets like maamoul, halawet el jeben and pasta.

BARAKA MILLS barakamills.com

Bâtard Rustique aux Figues et Anis Handmade artisanal bread with fig and anise.

High in natural acidity, with a distinctive tang, complex flavor, thin crisp crust and springy moist crumb with uneven alveoli filled with dried figs.

The upcoming bread making techniques are inspired by innovative trends respecting tradition and authenticity

PRUNELLE prunelle.com.lb

Casa Dell Olivio Dough, made from stone milled wheat, baked on a stone hearth oven. Stone milled flour retains all the grain's nutritional components from the germ to the bran. @casadellolivo

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Mohamad Shabarek General Manager

Baraka Mills

There are no trade secrets in the milling industry except for how much experience, effort and heart you put into your products

PRODUCT ZONE

EQUIPMENT

TOOLS OF THE TRADE From the absolute essentials to those additional accessories, here’s what the baking experts can’t do without While many top bakers will say their hands are by far the most important piece of equipment in a kitchen, the fact remains that hi-tech gadgets and innovative accessories can be invaluable in a hectic working environment.

Bakers will cite a good quality, hot oven as a top priority.

According to Jeff Yankellow, Chairman of the Board, Bread Bakers Guild of America, “Hearth or deck ovens, lined with stone, are ideal for artisan style breads.”

When it comes to making dough, professionals agree on the need to acquire a good technique by hand before progressing to a mixer.

“Mastering the dough, learning

how to incorporate the air into it with your hands, is an essential part of the technique,” said Richard Bertinet, French chef, baker and author. “I always say, the machine comes later.”

Yankellow added that while mixing dough by hand can be done, it definitely requires some energy and can take a toll on the body over time.

“Understanding how to use the right equipment can allow the manual process to be reproduced in a machine,” he noted.

Temperature control equipment is also high on the list, with selection likely to depend on space available and volume required.

SUPPLIERS' VIEWS

BREAD MAKING EQUIPMENT KitchenAid 4.8L Heavy Duty Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (5KPM5) Complete with iconic design, durability and intuitive controls.

Standard accessories include 4.8L stainless steel bowl with ergonomic handle for a secure grip, pouring shield, plastic bowl cover, wire whisk, dough hook and flat beater. kitchenaid.com

Baxter PW2S Double Wide Proof Box A modular design allowing users to custom-fit rack capacity and space requirements. Features a precision air-flow system, easy access heat and humidity system, and eye-level digital control panel among others specs. baxtermfg.com

Panimatic Retarder Proofer M 600X800 The Retarder Proofer M 600X800 offers fermentation control for more than 60 hours, cooling down after loading and is temperature-regulated from -10/35°C. Humidity can be adjusted with a hygrostat. panimatic.com

Bimatic The latest trend in machinery is the automatic Arabic bread production line, customized according to our clients' production requirements Khaled Bakri, Owner Full automatic production line of Arabic bread designed to produce Lebanese/Arabic bread and pita bread. It can be compact, single, double, triple, quadruple row as per demand. It can produce a range between 500 up to 12,000 loaves per hour with a diameter that varies between 15-38cm. bimatic.com.lb

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Brød & Taylor Folding Proofer Creates low-temperature warmth from an aluminum base plate vital for proofing and useful for many other kitchen processes, such as slow-cooking. Humidity is raised using a water tray. brodandtaylor.com

Sfeir - Forni Fiorini Prefermentation chamber turning system. Automatic and accurate loading and unloading. Suitable for all kinds of dough. Weight range between 40 and 1250 grams.

Provided with left-right loading both by front and rear side.

SFEIR INDUSTRIES sfeirindustries.com

PRODUCT ZONE

EQUIPMENT

The automatic Extra Four s.a.r.l The Bread Stacker automatically Bread Stacker will make the operation receives the cooled bread loaves and stacks them uniformly. of bread packing It then sends them to an more hygienic automated bagger, negating the Michel Chakar General Manager

need for human contact. Comes in four different versions to accommodate various types of pita & Lebanese bread lines. extrafourco.com

Wholegrain bread plays an important role in the diet as it provides many nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins and minerals, vital for health Issam Farhat, Owner

Sabitech Collects wheat flour dust, clears it from particles and conveys it to the dusters again.

Minimizes labor use, increasing hygiene in bakeries and economizing flour usage. sabitech.com

Farhat Bakery Tannour Bread Rotating Drum Oven produces different types of healthy ‘Tannour’ bread: whole wheat tannour, gluten-free tannour, oat tannour, barley tannour, and multi-grain tannour. Manufactured to be cost-effective, with minimum gas consumption, maximum efficiency, and flawless mechanical operation. farhatbakery.com

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Tannour bread's rising popularity nowadays will most certainly play a part in the future success of the bread sector, mainly because consumers are looking for healthier products. Sabitech was the first manufacturer to design, update and build the first full automatic line for the production of this type of bread Iskandar Bitar, Chairman

Bread is the essence of life and without quality made equipment comprising hygienic, safety and protection features, the final product does not guarantee an optimum result. Hence, at Saltek, all the automated lines and equipment bear the CE Certification and UL Standards related to international norms and regulations of health, safety, hygiene and protection Garo Salkhanian, CEO

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Saltek The machine cuts pita bread into smaller chip chunks using a cutter that is able to process 2000 loaves and up to 5400 per hour. This pita chips machine can produce chunked pita chips from a width of 3cm up to 8cm. It eliminates all waste and helps wholesale bakers create a variety of products. saltek.com.lb

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PRODUCT ZONE

BEVERAGE

THE FIZZ

International wine and spirits experts weigh in on why sparkling wines are worth popping your cork over

3. Sparkling Rosé The popularity of Champagne Rosé used to be cyclical and extremely ephemeral.

However, the present vogue of this drink has uniquely lasted 20 years. This shows no sign of abating. It has kicked off global demand for rosé in every shape and form. There are now very few sparkling wine producers who do not sell at least one cuvée of rosé, and, invariably, they achieve a significant proportion of sales.

Tom Stevenson Founder and Chairman

The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships 1. Non-Champagne sparkling wines The rise of sparkling wines made beyond the borders of Champagne will continue as the quality of these drinks has soared over the last 10 years. Consequently, today’s consumers do not regard ‘sparkling wine’ as a derogatory term, as previous generations used to. They rather consider not only that sparkling wine deserves its place on the table, but that it is perhaps the most foodfriendly style of all wines.

2. Prosecco Unlike other sparkling wines, Prosecco had carved out a niche as a bar wine before its popularity demanded its listing in even Michelin-starred restaurants. Most Prosecco consumers do not like acidity and do not understand yeast-aged aromas, thus would not like Champagne, even if it was offered at half the price of Prosecco. Most Prosecco consumers want softness and freshness above all, and their inevitable existence will ensure Prosecco’s continued growth.

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Twenty years ago, English wine was a joke 4. Clear-glass bottles The negative by-product of the rosé boom has been the glut of clear-glass bottles that have followed its wake, used not only to show off the pretty pink color of rosé wines, but also commonly for blanc de blancs, even crossing over to other styles. This is the most dangerous threat to the quality and reputation of sparkling wine, posing far more of a threat than cork taint. After just 60 minutes exposure to light, artificial or natural, electrons in the wine are activated to oxidize amino acids, degrading their components, which starts off as a mild pong and eventually builds up to reek of stagnant water, old drains and sewage.

5. English sparkling wine Twenty years ago, English wine was a joke.

Now, English sparkling wine is worldclass, often selling for a higher price than Champagne. It is such a hot-topic wherever I travel that everyone wants to know how we did it. Suffice to say that English producers have played a significant role in removing the stigma from the term ‘sparkling wine’ and placing the bottle on the table. champagnesparklingwwc.co.uk

CHANGING THE GAME

Ron Busman President

International Bartenders Association 1. Sparkling cocktails Champagne cocktails are the mother of all cocktails and some of the oldest creations in the world of mixology.

Champagne cocktails have remained the trend ever since, but the focus for 2017 will be for champagne cocktails based on cotton candy.

2. Champagne glasses Further decline for the champagne flute is to be expected. Connoisseurs prefer tulip glasses for drinking sparkling wines; bartenders are increasingly using champagne coupes for serving their tantalizing concoctions.

3. Sparkling wine Sparkling wines from the new world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa, will increase dramatically in popularity. iba-world.com

A unique East Asian fruit, Yuzu combines the enchanting flavours of grapefruit, lemon and sour mandarin. Tangy and tart with a sensual, exotic citrus fragrance, Le Fruit de MONIN Yuzu is full of Eastern Promise.

MONIN captures and sublimates flavours to inspire the most discerning professionals.

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MONIN MIDDLE EAST DMCC - Office 907, Jumeirah Business Centre 1 - Cluster G, Jumeirah Lake Towers - Dubai, UAE - +971 4 452 0600

© MONIN - March 2016

NATURALLY INSPIRING

PRODUCT ZONE

BEVERAGE

THE EXPERT'S VIEW

Guy Musart President, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, Barman Class Jury, HORECA Bartenders Competition

Has the consumption of sparkling wines grown?

Consumption is increasing throughout the world with every year. Champagne is breaking records, Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine is generating more interest, and cider is on its way back. Today, the cocktail in vogue is the Spritz from Italy. It is easy to make at home, refreshing, and has a nice color. It is made of one part of sparkling water, two parts of Aperol, three parts of Prosecco, over iceberg, and poured into a balloon glass and garnished with a nice slice of October orange.

How about non-alcoholic sparkling drinks? Who do they appeal to?

Alcohol-free is rising too. I once created alcohol-free cocktails with sparkling grape juice or sparkling apple juice. They usually are particularly popular with youngsters.

Where do you see the industry heading?

KNOW YOUR CHAMPAGNE Crus and grape varieties ‘Cru’ refers to a certain winegrowing location with a particular growing environment, especially soil and climate, which favors a specific grape variety.

Champagne is represented by 320 crus and 275,000 individual vineyard parcels, each with its own individual profile.

Brut, non-vintage or vintage Non-vintage Champagne is traditionally blended from grapes grown in different years, but they may also combine wines from a whole range of crus and varietals.

Non-vintage blends are the means to achieving a consistent house style, regardless of vintage variability.

Vintage

The companies developing these products must invest in advertising to help potential consumers discover new ways to enjoy their products, maybe pairing them with food. Bartenders can also help promote certain products by creating a plethora of redesigned drinks, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

Vintage Champagne is blended from the wines of a single ‘millésime’, an outstanding year that the individual producer chooses to declare as a vintage.

White or rosé Champagne has different colors, from pale gold to grey-gold or even straw-yellow.

The color depends on the blend and

the style of wine in question. The more powerful the wine, the deeper the color.

Rosé Champagne is made via maceration of whole, uncrushed black grapes.

Young and mature wine Champagne must spend at least 15 months aging in the producer’s cellars.

This increases to three years for Vintage Champagne and considerably longer for the Special Cuvees.

Brut, Doux, Demi-sec The word ‘Brut’ indicates that the Champagne contains very little dosage: It has been bottled almost in its natural (brut) state, requiring only the smallest addition of sweetness to bring out its aromatic expression. Over 90 percent of Champagne wines are categorized as ‘Brut’. It is this added touch of sweetness (dosage) that provides the basis for the Champagne sweetness scale. At one end of the scale is ‘Extra Brut’ (no dosage) and at the other end is ‘Doux’. The categories between these extremes are Brut, Sec and Demi-Sec. champagne.fr

ON THE MARKET Ca'del Bosco Franciacorta Saten 2011 A Chardonnay-led Italian sparkling wine, with a small amount of Pinot Bianco adding richness and complexity. cadelbosco.com

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Gigglewater Offers a Prosecco DOC, a Frizzante Secco in bottle and 20cl can, as well as a range of 20cl canned flavored sparkling wines. gigglewaterwines. com

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2017

Luc Belaire Rare Luxe

Weingut Fuchs

Chardonnay sparkling wine from Burgundy.

A refreshing bottle of fizz with notes of peach, apricot, grapefruit and toast. lucbelaire.com

Halal Sparkling Grape Sweet Ruby is made from fresh grape juices and contains no concentrates, dealcoholized wines or additives, sugar or preservatives. weingut-fuchs.de

25-27 April 2017 Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai

arabianconference.com

Catalysts of Change Over 80 speakers already confirmed!

Discover which critical industry topics will be tackled by a powerhouse line-up.

Visit arabianconference.com today!

Chris Nasetta President and CEO Hilton Worldwide

O rga n ised by

SĂŠbastien Bazin Chairman and CEO AccorHotels

Pl ati n u m sP O n sO rs

Olivier Harnisch Chief Executive Officer Emaar Hospitality Group LLC

PRODUCT ZONE

CHOCOMANIA

BROKEN WALLS OF CHOCOLATE Philippe Vancayseele, Head of the Chocolate Academy™ Centre in Montreal, Canada, creates rustic chunks of the finest Belgian chocolate studded with hazelnuts, over a spiced cookie-dough bark Ingredients • Callebaut® Finest Belgian Chocolate Recipe n° W2 Preparation • Pour a 2.5-mm-thick layer of precrystallised white chocolate Callebaut® Finest Belgian Chocolate Recipe n° W2 into an 8-mm-thick frame and leave to set outside of the refrigerator until dry to the touch.

CHOCOLATE-NUT FILLING Ingredients • 230 g dark Crispearls™ Callebaut® CED-CC D1CRISP • 150 g pailleté feuilletine Callebaut® M-7PAIL • 90 g hazelnut bresilienne Callebaut® NAN-CR-HA • 40 g cocoa nibs Callebaut® NIBS-S Preparation • Mix together.

Ingredients • 50 g dark chocolate Callebaut® Finest Belgian Chocolate Recipe n° 811 • 50 g milk chocolate Callebaut® Finest Belgian Chocolate Recipe Power 41 • 100 g almond praline Callebaut® PRAMA • 100 g pale gianduja Callebaut® GIA Preparation • Melt and mix together. Add to previous mixture and pour into prepared frame in advance. Place plastic sheet on top and roll out until filling has the same thickness as the frame. Leave to set outside of refrigerator.

EMF Middle East t. +961 9 938732 | info@emf-me.com | www.emf-me.com

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CALLEBAUT POWER 41 Callebaut Power 41 Chocolate ebables you to boost the chocolate taste in your creations to a higher level.

Power means: more cocoa and less sugar. With the power chocolate in your pralines, moelleux, mousse and ice cream, chocolate lovers get to enjoy more taste than ever.

SPICY COOKIE DOUGH Ingredients • 180 g butter (softened) • 160 g brown sugar • 100 g sugar Preparation • Mix together.

Ingredients • 50 g whole eggs Preparation • Mix in progressively.

Ingredients • 360 g pastry flour • 5 g salt • 4 g baking powder • 4 g 5-spice (ginger, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom) Preparation • Sieve together and mix into previous mixture. Leave to set in refrigerator. Roll out 3-mm-thick layer and cut into desired shape. Bake at 160°C for 10-15 minutes and leave to cool. Spray with black coloring.

Finishing and presentation • Prepare another slab of white chocolate Callebaut® Finest Belgian Chocolate Recipe n° W2. When half-set, place framed filling on top, and roll over it with a rolling pin to make the chocolate and the filling stick together.

Leave to crystallize and remove the plastic from both sides. Decorate the slab with colorful ‘graffiti’, wait until it has set and then smash the slab to pieces Stick the irregular pieces of chocolate on top of the spicy cookies.

WE WERE THERE

OUT AND ABOUT February 7

Kempinski Summerland Hotel & Resort celebrated the opening of its new signature restaurant Candelabra, with Daniele Vastolo, general manager of Kempinski Lebanon, and his team, along with Henk Meyknecht, senior vice president, regional operations for the Middle East and Africa.

January 26

February 10

Under the auspices of His Excellency Massimo Marotti, the Italian ambassador to Lebanon, and in the presence of His Excellency Avedis Guidanian, the minister of tourism in Lebanon, Matta Group and the Italian furniture brand COLOMBINI CASA held a reception in the main premises of Matta Gallery in Dekwaneh, Lebanon, to announce their partnership.

The Lebanese American University announced the launch of ‘The Professional Certificate in Franchise ManagementPCFM’ under its Continuing Education Program (CEP), in response to increasing demand for franchise professionals and executives in the Middle East.

February 7-9

IBTM Arabia's 2017 edition welcomed numerous exhibitors and buyers, with over 2,100 preplanned meetings that happened during the two-day event, at Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi.

February 1

The Malt Gallery marked its second anniversary in Beirut with a two-day celebration held in collaboration with renowned designer and architect Nada Debs and culinary sensation Rouba Khalil.

February 2

Nespresso is offering discerning coffee lovers the chance to taste an aged coffee for the first time, with the launch of its latest Limited Edition, SELECTION VINTAGE 2014, at Etienne Nicolas Boutique.

February 21

United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Ministry of Tourism of Lebanon, the Municipality of Jbeil and PRODES Association launched the new touristic circuit ‘Rural Routes Between Jbeil and Batroun’, linking 20 villages from the districts of Byblos and Batroun.

February 7

Following the success of its first branch in Hamra, Curli-Q has opened a second outlet on Bayada’s main road in Lebanon. Curli-Q was founded by Maya Bekhazi Noun in 2015. The new branch in Bayada is owned

by Nadine Sawaya, whose interest in the shop and spit-baking encouraged her to bring this unique concept closer to home.

February 23

Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman, Al Habtoor Group, hosted 40 social media followers in the second 'Open Talk' debate series.

February 8 February 4

MEPI-LAA hosted the forum ‘NGOs Are Stronger Together’ at Padova Hotel in Sin-El-Fil.

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As part of the World Class 2017 training program, Diageo held a seminar on the art of crafting conceptual cocktails and ingredients at Caprice in Lebanon, hosted

by Nikos Bakoulis & Vasilis Kyritsis from The Clumsies in Greece, one of the most famous cocktail bars in the world.

February 24

‘Celebrating Kuwait at our home UAE’ set out to showcase the strong ties that exist between the UAE and Kuwait, with an event at Yas Mall, Aldar, to mark Kuwait’s National Day.

WE WERE THERE

February 27

Lactalis, the world’s leading dairy group, held at Sofitel downtown Dubai, an exclusive cocktail dinner crafted by Xavier Thuret, International Ambassador of French Cheeses (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) under the theme “Cheese Journey Across European Regions”

February 27

March 1

Le Bristol Hotel Beirut held an event at Villa Linda Sursock, during which the newly established partnership with Orchid Batroun and Byblos Sur Mer Jbeil, for outdoor venues options, was announced.

‘Inspiration’ was launched with a cocktail party in Dubai, along with the Valrhona Signature collection and a mixologist from Les Vergers Boiron.

March 1

February 27

The UAE chapter of the International Cheese Guild (Guilde Internationale des Fromages) was formally established at the Conrad Hotel, Dubai ballroom.

February 28

A total of 96 chocolate and pastry lovers, made up of 29 EMF Middle East team members and 67 suppliers/partners, were spotted chilling out in the desert at Alpha Tours Camp - Dubai, after a long but fruitful day at Gulfood 2017.

Kempinski Summerland Hotel and Resort launched its chocolate and high tea experience in its lobby lounge 'Le Salon'.

Guests were treated to a selection of exclusive high teas, showcasing a vast range of chocolate desserts, including truffles and macarons, prepared and presented by pastry chef Pierre Abi Haila.

March 8

The 21 finalists in Lebanon's 2017 Product of the Year Awards were recognized during a ceremony at Le Maillon. They were selected based on their attractiveness, satisfaction and innovation. The finalists included products by Henkel, Unilever, Kellogg’s, Fattal and local Lebanese brands.

March 9

The results of a 12-month photo competition were showcased in a cocktail reception at the Phoenicia Hotel Beirut. The 12 works were judged by a jury, including exhibited photographer, Roger Moukarzel.

The first place was a tie between Mamad Mossadegh and Chady Khalaf.

March 9

Glenfarclas' brand ambassador Ian McWilliams held a tasting event at the Phoenicia Hotel Beirut. Around 130 guests were treated to Glenfarclas’ finest expressions, paired with selected food items.

March 2

New veggie dishes and creative enhanced flavors were added to the traditional Lebanese dishes at BOU MELHEM located in Sin El Fil, Lebanon, for the period of Lent. Press and bloggers were treated to specialties that included crunchy shanklish and rocca hummus.

March 13

March 1-2

The MICE Arabia at the Palazzo Versace Dubai attracted over 60 global suppliers and over 150 buyers signaling the potential of the GCC’s MICE market.

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March 6

The Metropolitan Hotel Dubai has reopened in a new location on Sheikh Zayed Road, after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus.

Etablissements Antoine Massoud held a series of masterclasses for Skinos Mastiha; the unique liqueur with an exceptional Mediterranean taste. The exclusive sessions were held at The Malt Gallery across a period of two days, in the presence of Paschalis Kapsalis, the international brand ambassador, gathering together bartenders, media and bloggers.

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MAKE A LITTLE SPACE FOR A GREAT PROFESSIONAL

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Introducing the latest addition to our barista family: Aguila 220.

Smart in every sense, it combines compactness with great performance. Convenient to use, Aguila 220 delivers an unmatched range of one-touch recipes delighting your customers and bringing additional value to your business, Grand Cru after Grand Cru.

www.buynespresso.com