Hotel & Catering News ME - April 2021

Hotel&Catering NEWS Middle East

APRIL 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM

A L L T H E L AT E S T F R O M T H E M I D D L E E A S T H O S P I TA L I T Y I N D U S T R Y

LEADING FROM THE FRONT FERIT ŞAHENK

CHAIRMAN AND CEO, DOĞUŞ GROUP

MODERN GASTRONOMY

FULLY IMMERSED

COMING HOME

Chef Heinz Beck and his new take on dining in Dubai

A dining venue with a twist has arrived

A GM on returning to the property that feels right

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME IN THIS ISSUE

48 COYA

A MULTIFACETED EXPERIENCE Chief Operating Officer, COYA Restaurant Group

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COVER FEATURE

Leading from the front FERIT ŞAHENK, Chairman and CEO, Doğuş Group

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F&B FAR AND NEAR

The Best Cheeses Angelique Hollister, executive director of the USA Cheese Guild, reveals how USA Cheese products are bringing ranges of the highest quality to the market

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GM INTERVIEW

Coming Back Home Afif Salibi as general manager of Raffles Dubai

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CONCEPT HOTELS

A Secluded Retreat Nathalie Cockayne, the general manager of Meliã Desert Palm Dubai

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Chef Heinz Beck

Radisson BLU Hotel Ajman

CELEBRITY CHEF Master of Modern Gastronomy

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WHAT’S COOKING?

Full Of Flavour Margarita Vaamonde, head chef at Masterchef, the TV Experience restaurant, Vaamonde believes in the power of culinary innovation.

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CHAIN OF THE MONTH

Accor Accor is one of the leading hotel operators across India, the Middle East, Africa and Turkey

EMIRATE FOCUS

Leading the emirate’s 5-Star hotel

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IN THE KITCHEN

TURKISH EATS Muhammet Ors, the head chef of Turkish restaurant Babaji City Walk

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OPINION

The Digitisation of Food Businesses Igor Nikolenko, the co-founder and CEO of SupplyMe, a new online B2B marketplace

In France, real dairy butter is churned for a longer time, resulting in at least 82% butterfat in the final product.

Richer and creamier than most, French butter adds another depth of flavour to cooking and baking. It’s so much more than just another ingredient, it’s a remarkable flavour enhancer, which is why our love affair with butter will never end.

The content of this ad represents the author’s point of view only and is the sole responsibility of the author.

The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made from the information contained herein.

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Hotel&Catering NEWS Middle East EDITOR Dina Maaty dina@bncpublishing.net CEO Wissam Younane wissam@bncpublishing.net

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EDITORIAL DESIGN Eliane Elias

All rights reserved 2021.

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HCNME EDITOR’S NOTE

A Gradual Recovery

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otels in the UAE and the region are seeing signs of recovery in 2021 as a result of many factors including the nation’s vaccination drive, as well as the slow and steady return of tourists from countries which are allowing travel.

While, evidently, the above encompasses why a total recovery is upon us, there are also plenty of other noteworthy points that come into play when we analyse the general situation – the first being the normalisation of ties between the UAE and Israel.

The UAE’s hotel sector is expected to benefit from Israeli tourism in the coming months, and in so many different ways. By 2022, the average length of stay for Israeli tourists will be 11.5 nights, forecasts the Dubai Government’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. This indicates a preference towards lengthier trips, with business and leisure visitors making up 53% of the total outbound market.

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Moreover, to support the hotel sector’s efforts, the Government launched the UAE Strategy for Domestic Tourism, rolling out the first federal domestic tourism campaign titled the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’, which concluded with AED 1 billion in revenue and attracted 950,000 domestic tourists within a month.

The 45-day campaign, overseen by the Ministry of Economy in collaboration with local tourism entities, encouraged residents to explore and rediscover the seven emirates that form the UAE. We’re expecting another successful campaign for the summer really soon…

Domestic tourism in the country contributed AED 41.2 billion ($11.2 billion) to the national economy in 2019, accounting for 23% of total tourism revenue. New strategies in place aim to double this number.

International tourists are also flocking to the UAE to escape harsh lockdowns in their own countries, spotlighting the UAE’s destinations as they take centre stage when it comes to toprated tourism wish lists.

We have witnessed a recovery, and with the UAE’s strategy in place, we’re headed towards a much brighter future. Don’t forget to celebrate the industry’s stars with us at the Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2021! Believe me when I say this, there’s a lot to celebrate – and lots more to come.

DINA MAATY EDITOR dina@bncpublishing.net

Always by your side to offer your guests an extra star Whatever happens the #1 destination for premium entertainment ''en français''

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Timeless Elegance Where modern French art de vivre meets ancient Egyptian charm.

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HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME NEWS

KEMPINSKI HOTEL MALL OF THE EMIRATES CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SURPRISES Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates is set to hold a grand 15th-anniversary celebration during the month of April 2021.

The luxury hotel opened its doors on April 6, 2006. Since the opening, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates has been offering its guests luxurious staycations featuring views of the Dubai skyline and winter escapes in Aspen Ski Chalets.

With its location in the heart of Dubai, a short distance away from downtown and with a

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connection to the awardwinning Mall of the Emirates, the hotel offers convenience with world-class shopping, dining and entertainment a stone’s throw away.

Over the years, the hotel has been recognised with awards and recently awarded as Middle East’s Leading Leisure Hotel and Dubai’s Leading Shopping Mall Hotel, as well as receiving the internationally acclaimed Green Globe certification, LEED platinum certification, Sharecare

Health Security Verified® with Forbes Travel Guide and the Bureau Veritas Safeguard label.

As the luxury hotel celebrates 15 years, guests are invited to cherish memorable moments where sand and snow meet and get a chance to win exceptional dining escapades from three culinary concepts – vibrant Spanish flair at Salero Tapas & Bodega, authentic Levantine gastronomy at Olea and a sumptuous afternoon treat at Aspen by Kempinski.

NEWS

THE HOTEL SHOW DUBAI INTRODUCES ALL-NEW F&B STAKEHOLDERS SUMMIT FOR 2021 The Hotel Show, the MENA region’s longest-running hospitality trade exhibition, has announced the addition of a free-to-attend F&B Stakeholders Summit as part of the 2021 exhibition programme, which will run within the wider event, held from May 31-June 2, 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The F&B Stakeholders Summit has been introduced to address the major issues the industry has faced after a pivotal year for the food and beverage industry. The two-day summit will feature leading professionals sharing their insights, case-studies and market forecasts in panel format, while also providing the community a long-overdue opportunity to network and reunite face-to-face.

Now celebrating 21 years of connecting people, products and insights live and in-person, The Hotel Show remains a catalyst for change and growth in the industry through its annual gathering and feature experiences. The F&B Stakeholders Summit is timed perfectly at a critical moment for this market, as it moves from a challenging period to the gradual return of ‘normal’ business conditions with renewed vigour, ideas and invention.

The F&B Summit will take form of a series of highly focused and candid live discussions, with participation from a host of renowned speakers and panellists including Andy Cuthbert, Chairman of the Emirates Culinary Guild and General Manager for Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and Jumeirah Hospitality, Madinat Jumeirah Conferences & Events, Samantha Wood, Founder of Foodiva, Joey Ghazal, Founder & Managing Partner at The Maine New England Brasserie Company, Edward Harvey, Director, Elevate and Antonio Gonzales, CEO of Sunset Hospitality Group.

UAE INBOUND TOURISM SPEND EXPECTED TO TOP $25.3 BILLION BY 2025, FORECASTS EUROMONITOR Euromonitor International has hosted a webinar with WTM Global to discuss prospects for the global travel and tourism market in attendance of Caroline Bremner, the company’s head of travel and tourism research.

Bremner presented the findings of Euromonitor International’s Travel Forecast Model, which predict that global inbound tourism spending will recover by 2022 at the earliest – as long as mass vaccinations and testing enable travel to resume safely.

“World inbound tourism spending collapsed by -57% in 2020, and our forecast expects it to rebound by 82% in 2021,” she said.

In the Middle East, inbound tourism spending for Saudi Arabia is predicted to grow to $33.5 billion by 2025. UAE’s inbound tourism spend, meanwhile, is expected to top $25.3 billion during the same year.

“In our most pessimistic scenario, spending growth is predicted to rise by 40% in 2021, leading to a more prolonged recovery timeline, returning to pre-crisis levels by 2024.” She also discussed Euromonitor International’s recent Voice of the Consumer global survey, which found that 65% of consumers remain concerned about climate change.

“Consumers are increasingly interested in having a positive impact on the environment through day-to-day actions,” added Bremner. “France and Germany show high levels of interest in sustainable travel.”

Claude Blanc, WTM Portfolio Director, said: “WTM Portfolio has been at the forefront of shaping the travel industry’s revival and this Euromonitor webinar is our latest online forum for professionals to hear up-to-the-minute global research and find out how to capitalise on the pent-up demand from consumers.”

“We have been working with governments and the private sector around the world to create a safer, smarter and greener travel and tourism industry.”

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

Marriott International signs three-property deal in Saudi Arabia

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arriott International, Inc. has announced that it has signed an agreement with Al Saedan Group, a real estate company in the Middle East, to open three hotels across Saudi Arabia. The multi-project agreement includes the country and territory’s first Renaissance Hotel, the world’s largest Aloft Hotel and a Courtyard by Marriott in the Holy City of Makkah. All three properties are projected to open by 2025.

“We’re pleased to build on our fantastic relationship with Al Saedan Group and further expand our portfolio across Saudi Arabia with these milestone signings,” says Satya Anand, President for Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. “These agreements underscore Marriott International’s commitment to supporting the growth of the Kingdom’s tourism sector and reinforces the continued demand we are seeing for our portfolio of brands across the country.”

“As a company, we are focused on developing projects that support the growth and development of the Kingdom,” said Sultan Al Khudair, CEO of Al Saedan Group. “We’re excited to collaborate with Marriott

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International to open two new properties in the Holy City which will be ideal destinations for those visiting for Umrah and Haj, and to debut Renaissance Hotels in the country. These three new agreements were signed in line with our commitment to bring the highest standards of quality and design to our assets and to provide a premium experience to our guests.”

Renaissance Hotels is expected to make its debut in Saudi Arabia with the opening of Renaissance Riyadh Hotel. Situated in the business hub of the King Abdullah Financial District and within close proximity to Riyadh International Airport, Renaissance Riyadh Hotel is expected to feature 266 suites, three food and beverage outlets and leisure facilities such as a spa, pool and fitness centre.

Aloft Makkah Taysir, which will be situated in the Holy City of Makkah, is anticipated to be the brand’s largest hotel in the world with plans for 1,000 guest rooms.

Located in the Taysir district and close to the Grand Mosque entrance, the hotel will be located for guests visiting on pilgrimage.

Aloft Makkah Taysir is slated to feature the brand’s use of technology and design to enhance guest experience as well as signature Aloft amenities including the Re:mix Lounge; Re:fuel® by Aloft, offering a 24/7 graband-go gourmet menu; and Re:charge, Aloft’s 24-hour fitness centre.

OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk introduces Middle Eastern Ramadan menus with French flair Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk has launched a culinary journey as a tribute to Arabian hospitality and culture, while incorporating French savoir-faire for Ramadan.

Tickling taste buds is Chef Daniel Boulud’s French take on an authentic, Arabian Iftar. Honouring tradition, guests can break their fast with dates and a Pistou broth soup with seasonal vegetables followed by an assortment of starters to share, including local burrata with crisp artichokes and pickled zaatar and wild mushroom falafel doused in velvet tahini dressing.

Selections from the grill make way for

the char lovers, such as prawns with smoked garlic and grilled lime, herb brushed bavette and seabream with sumac and parsley. Bigger groups and families will appreciate the ouzi-style lamb shank with oriental rice and a daily local catch cooked on the grill with a delicate blend of local spices.

Finish the meal with signature desserts such as saffron-poached pear tartlet served with pistachio cream, or go for a warm date pudding, dripping with salted caramel and accompanied by sweet, local honey ice cream.

Located on the 2nd floor, Iftar at Brasserie Boulud is available from sunset

until 8.30pm during the month of Ramadan and is priced at AED 195 per person including Ramadan juices, water, tea and coffee.

Guests can extend their evening for Suhour at Soleil Pool & Lounge and enjoy an a la carte menu and shisha blends. Dine on small bites from the grill, from shawarma-style tacos to a live showcase of traditionally prepared desserts.

Located on the 6th floor, Sohour in Soleil Pool & Lounge will be available à la carte from 8.30pm to midnight during the month of Ramadan. Shishas are priced from AED 70.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

La Fabbrica Italiana Dubai opens on Al Wasl La Fabbrica Italiana, the UAE’s first ‘focacceria’, has opened at Wasl 51.

The menu focuses on mastering three keys items: focaccia, burrata and the original tiramisu. It was co-founded

by Chef Davide Galbialti, Maurizio Galbialti and Karam Annab Galbiati, in addition to Riccardo Bon as a family business which aims to bring a new artisanal side of Italy to Dubai.

The homegrown eatery’s corner of the venue is dedicated to il Mercato, which showcases Italian ingredients available for purchase.

At La Fabbrica Italiana, the focaccia’s 2000-year-old recipe maintains its integrity even today. With a rigorous fermentation process of 72 hours that leaves the bread airy, it will be serving more than 15 variations of the item. These include signature Italian favourites like Barese, Ligure and Trentina along with a sprinkle of adaptation to local flavours like Zaatar Man’ousheh.

What sets the tiramisu at La Fabbrica Italiana apart from is that the recipe comes straight from the family’s great Aunt Speranza Bon, who first created the dessert in the late 1950’s. Speranza Bon created this dessert for a visiting Greek Princess in 1958 and served it in a coppa imperiale (the imperial cup).

In 2021, the new concept is using the original recipe and serving it to customers in a coppa imperiale to stay true to the dessert’s history and the aunt’s legacy.

The tiramisu served is made with exclusively imported Italian ingredients to maintain its authenticity, including Italian yellow egg yolks. This ensures its original vibrant cream honeysuckle colour. Made with yolks, Bialettibrewed mocha coffee, whipped mascarpone, and an abundant portion of dark chocolate shavings, the original tiramisu will be available in single and family serving sizes.

La Fabbrica Italiana is open from 11am to 11pm and will soon be available for delivery.

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OPENINGS & LAUNCHES

Social by Heinz Beck rolls out new menu featuring more ‘informal’ dining offering The offering at Social by Heinz Beck has been refreshed to reflect a more informal approach to Italian cuisine.

Along with a new à la carte menu featuring traditional yet elevated Italian classics, Sociale, a Saturday lunch

activation that draws on the Italian traditions of abundance and communal dining has also been introduced.

During Chef Heinz’s recent visit to Dubai, he underlined the importance of evolving with the needs and wants of the market. The new menu will feature generous portions offered at a more affordable price point, allowing the restaurant to appeal to a new demographic of repeat diners who may have only previously visited to celebrate special occasions.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME APPOINTMENTS

Hospitality Management Holding appoints chief operating officer Hospitality Management Holding (HMH), a company which operates in the Middle East and North Africa, has announced the appointment of industry veteran Michael Zager as its new Chief Operating Officer.

In the 30 years of his hospitality career, Zager has played a pivotal role in driving growth and success in the leadership positions he has held at many global hotel groups including InterContinental Hotel Group, Wyndham Hotel Group and Marriott in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island names John Buenaventura as new executive chef

John Buenaventura has been appointed as Executive Chef of the newly opened Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island. The 35-year-old Filipino takes the position following senior culinary roles with Hilton and other hospitality brands throughout the UAE. Content

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contributor of multiple cookbooks and a recipient of countless awards throughout his 15-year professional career, Buenaventura brings a wealth of experience and creativity to his new role. As Executive Chef, he will oversee culinary operations at Hilton

Abu Dhabi Yas Island’s three bars and restaurants, including Osmo – Lounge and Bar, which overlooks Yas Bay, the outdoor dining venue Capila – Pool Bar and Grill and Graphos Social Kitchen, the property’s all-day dining destination.

APPOINTMENTS

Facilities management company Farnek appoints new director to head hospitality division

UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has appointed

British national Walter Knight as director of its new hospitality division.

Knight will be responsible for structuring and developing a new fully functioning hospitality division, which will provide a comprehensive range of outsourced or third-party services.

Quite apart from concierge services, housekeeping, property operations, maintenance, energy consultancy (POMEC) and security, Farnek will manage central reservations and front office services.

Bistrot Bagatelle appoints new head chef Portuguese Chef Ricardo Goncalves will be bringing his energy and gastronomic flair to the kitchen of Bistrot Bagatelle. Chef Goncalves has garnered 12 years of experience working in Portugal, France and the UAE, with his sights now set on the restaurant, where he will be responsible of a brigade of 18.

The chef’s love for cooking began at an early age, dating back to when he’d help his grandma in her kitchen in Portugal. At 16, he took a summer job at one of the busiest restaurants in his hometown.

Enthralled by the environment of a bustling kitchen and quickly developing a love for fresh produce, Chef Goncalves then moved to France where he lived and worked for three years. During that time, he graduated from Montpellier Culinary School and undertook an internship in the kitchen of Chef Pierre Auge at the famous La Maison de Petit Pierre.

In search of new pastures after holding several roles in finedining French restaurants, he

joined the Dubai culinary scene with Cocktail Kitchen in 2016. He oversaw and managed the kitchen during the restaurant’s transition to Axe House. Chef Goncalves created a menu that paid homage to British classics from London’s foodie hotspots such as Shoreditch and Borough Market.

New executive chef to lead Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk’s culinary team With over 25 years of culinary experience, Russell Impiazzi has joined Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk as the Executive Chef, with the mission to establish a new hub of restaurant and bars in the city.

As Executive Chef at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, he is in charge of all culinary operations across five dining outlets – Brasserie Boulud, Taiko Dubai, The Nine Gastropub, Bijou Patisserie and Soleil Pool & Lounge, as well as the banqueting facilities. He leads a team of 80 chefs to translate the Sofitel culture of French art de Vivre through creations by demonstrating his core values of authenticity, quality, creativity and sustainability.

Commenting on Impiazzi’s appointment, Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk’s Director of Operations, Joe Nassoura, says, “Russell is extremely passionate and knowledgeable, and we’re delighted to have him join the Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk family and guide the culinary team to further success. He’s a culinary expert with a simple vision; to inspire and connect great people through great food, and is set to create a sustainable dining culture within the exquisite luxury offerings of the Obelisk.”

Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Impiazzi started his culinary journey working in a hotel kitchen at the age of fourteen through a work experience programme and went on to work alongside some of the UK’s most renowned Michelin-trained chefs. He was a part of the preopening team for WAFI Pyramids and launched various popular dining venues, including Medzo, Vintage, Carters, Asha’s and Seville’s, which won several Dining Awards.

Having established himself as one of the youngest Executive Chefs in Dubai at 28 years old, he was part of the pre-opening team of Atlantis Bahamas resort, was responsible for menu-reconstruction and concept development of a set of restaurants and bars in London, Manchester and Leeds, and helped establish the famous Parisian brand Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME SUPPLIERS

A SMARTER CHOICE

IN TEMPERATURE MONITORING

I

nnovations in connectivity, software and mobile technology, and the availability of smart kitchen equipment have increased dramatically in recent years, enabling operators to capture even more data; utilised by restaurants and other foodservice establishments, it allows them to provide timely insights, optimise processes, make better

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decisions, and save time and money.

When it comes to restaurants and retail foodservice, food safety is always a priority for businesses, and reliable temperature monitoring tops the list. However, creating daily logs is an important, but a rather labour-intensive process, experts at Emerson say.

Emerson’s CooperAtkins has developed the Multi-Function

Thermometer (MFT), a handheld, Bluetoothenabled device which effectively registers internal, surface, and air temperatures – hot and cold – and transmits that data to any approved food safety software application.

The MFT captures who is taking the temperature, applies a date/time stamp and assigns a clear pass/fail to every product reading, helping enable timely corrective action. Data is now visible, providing insights for continuous improvements.

With firmware updates now conveniently handled over the air, the waterproof MFT comes with a five-year warranty and operates with a replaceable Double A battery.

“Customers’ reactions to our MFT have been overwhelmingly positive,” explains Liza Zagrabchuk, business development manager for foodservice at Emerson. “That’s because it’s accurate, streamlined and

efficient, turning a twoindividual task into a solo operation.”

Emerson’s customers who are successfully using the MFT include many wellknown national and international restaurant chains, convenience stores and other foodservice operators.

Smart kitchen equipment is making it much easier for restaurants, retail foodservice, and other commercial kitchens to prepare food safely and efficiently, experts add; this gives operators more time to focus on other factors, which helps them build their businesses and grow the brand.

food safety plans Efficient. Compliant. Streamlined

Leveraging today’s IoT technology and Emerson’s comprehensive end-to-end services, our customers can rely on us to help their food safety plans become more efficient, compliant and streamlined in order to help grow their business.

Transmitters make it easy and cost efficient to cover an area with Bluetooth Low Energy to internet connectivity to centralize management of temperature monitoring with a fraction of the effort required by alternative technologies.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE

“While working with Liwa Minor, I got the chance to set up many cafés and restaurants, which has given me more opportunities for my journey as a chef. ” 2015 as head chef with IHG and worked my way up to an executive sous chef role with Hilton, and now executive chef at Soho Garden.

While working with Liwa Minor, I got the chance to set up many cafés and restaurants, which has given me more opportunities for my journey as a chef.

What’s your favourite dish to eat and why?

Grilled and raw seafood; there’s zero guilt eating them.

What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish.

It’s a playful take on the classic English dessert banoffee pie. I like to call it banoffee taco…

CHEF LAMBERT CHIANG EXECUTIVE CHEF

AN INDIAN NATIONAL, CHIANG HAS 13 YEARS OF CULINARY EXPERIENCE, SIX OF WHICH ARE IN THE UAE.

Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far?

I come from a family of restaurateurs; at an early age, I started helping out in my parents’ restaurant. Over the years, I began developing a liking for cooking and, as I grew older, I decided to do it

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professionally and joined a culinary school in India – it hasn’t stopped since then.

Starting out as a management trainee, I then became junior sous chef and sous chef with Starwood hotels in various properties in India. I moved to Dubai in

As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days?

Top ingredients I’m using include fresh seafood (both local catches and imports from Japan), herbs, and lettuce to name a few. Plus, of course, Nestlé’s dessert mixes.

What are some of the most recent important food trends you can tell us about?

Chefs are trying to learn more about veganism, as this seems to be what everyone wants these days.

What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand?

Focus on quality and price, as these are the two most important things I look for.

INGREDIENTS

BANOFFEE TACO FOR THE TUILE • 60 g All-purpose flour • 90 ml Egg whites • 90 g Sugar • 7 ml Vanilla extract • 60 g Butter FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE • 100 g Dark chocolate coins • 100 g Cooking cream

FOR THE BANOFFEE STUFFING • 2 Bananas • 50 g Sugar • 50 g NESTLÉ® Condensed milk • 500 ml Whipping cream FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE:

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME MAKING DELICIOUS POSSIBLE the flavour and aroma of charcoal makes for delectable taste (meat, fish, chicken, and even potatoes and vegetables).

What are you cooking up today?

Tell us more about the dish.

Today, I’m cooking traditional Arabic chicken with potato (dajaj w batata ), but its cooked in a modern way, where we add some berries into it for a sour and fruity taste, as well as the potato. The result is more like a soufflé (which is cooked in an oven with cream and eggs). I finish it off with lemon, garlic and coriander sauce.

CHEF AMMAR ALEKILI CLUSTER EXECUTIVE

A SYRIAN NATIONAL, ALEKILI HAS 20 YEARS OF CULINARY EXPERIENCE, 18 OF WHICH ARE IN THE UAE. Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far?

At the age of 38, as a Golden Sands Hotels cluster executive chef, I have already established a strong name for myself in the hospitality industry.

Growing up around food and in a kitchen where my passion for cooking has flourished, I was exposed to the art while living in Syria. After completing my degree in hotel management, I joined Rotana Hotels. From day one, I completely fell in love with the mystery world of culinary and cooking arts.

Since then, my career took off with a bang; I won the Gold Medals for the Emirati and new Arabic cuisines at Emirates Salon Culinary 2006, and the Silver Medal as the Middle East’s Junior Chef of the Year, as well as countless others awards.

I worked in many top hotels and restaurants in the country across Rotana, Mövenpick, VIDA by EMAAR, in addi-

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tion to restaurants chains with different groups. In 2019, I joined Golden Sands Hotels Group as cluster executive chef for four hotels, looking after kitchen and F&B operations.

I have been chosen as one of 250 chefs around the word to attend the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger, which took place in South Africa in 2011, where I showcased my talent in live cooking at different hotels and malls in Johannesburg and East London.

I also hosted several culinary TV shows on Abu Dhabi TV, Sky News Arabia TV and more. I’m proud to be a senior member of the Chaine De France Association, Emirates Culinary Guild and Syrian Culinary Guild.

What’s your favourite dish to eat and why?

Sushi is my favourite food because it’s healthy and you eat it fresh; it’s high in omega and proteins. I also love BBQs,

As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days?

I’m using fresh herbs such as parsley, coriander, rosemary and thyme (because herbs change the taste of every dish and give it a special aroma), as well as some nuts such as walnuts, almond chia seeds, and sunflower seeds to make the dish more rich in protein.

What are some of the most recent important food trends you can tell us about?

Recent trends include plantbased and vegan foods, as well as flavoured hummus (black, pesto, beetroot, etc.).

What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand?

My advice to all food suppliers is to stay close to chefs and see what their challenges are in term of products and how they can make their life easier.

At Nestlé, for example, they are always striving to understand chefs’ requirements; it’s evident that they work to improve ingredients for them by providing ready-to-use products such as sauces, soups, spices, and more, which can add a value to their meals and help them save time.

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN WITH POTATO SOUFFLÉ AND BERRIES ( DAJAJ W BATATA)

• 1000 g Whole Chicken • 25 ml Olive Oil • 20 g Raisins • 20 g Red Currants • 20 g Blueberries • 5 g Salt • 5 g Black Pepper • 5 g MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon Powder • 25 g Garlic

LEMON , GARLIC & CORIANDER SAUCE • 100 ml Fresh Lemon Juice • 100 ml Olive Oil • 25 g Garlic • 10 g Fresh Coriander • 2 g MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon Powder POTATO SOUFFLÉ • 80 g MAGGI® ® Mashed Potato Powder • 100 ml Cooking cream • 25 g Butter • 2 pcs Eggs • 5 g Salt • 2 g Black Pepper • 1 pkt Edible Flowers

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US HERE:

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME F&B FAR AND NEAR

The Best Cheeses Angelique Hollister, executive director of the USA Cheese Guild, reveals how USA Cheese products are bringing ranges of the highest quality to the market

“THROUGH EDUCATION AND PROMOTIONS, THE GUILD AIMS TO INFORM RETAIL AND FOODSERVICE PROFESSIONALS AS WELL AS CONSUMERS ABOUT THE CRAFTSMANSHIP, INNOVATION, VARIETY AND VERSATILITY OF USA CHEESES. ”

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Please tell us more about the USA Cheese Guild and its scope of activity worldwide, specifically in the GCC and UAE. Created in 2019, the USA Cheese Guild® is a customer-facing brand identity and entity that raises awareness of the quality, innovation of cheeses from the USA around the globe through in-country programmes, events and activities targeting the import trade and consumers alike.

The USA Cheese Guild® runs a variety of marketing programmes in nine international markets to drive demand and ultimately sales. These programmes, primarily focused on the retail and foodservice sectors, aim to educate the local trade and consumers about cheese from the USA. Activities include, but are not limited to, educational workshops and trainings, in-store/online/menu promotions as well as a robust communication programme through social media and PR. To increase consumption of USA cheese in the Middle East, the Guild outreaches to consumers through in-store and online promotions, and a social media programme (Facebook and Instagram: @USAcheeseGuildME).

APRIL 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM

It also works with the foodservice sector to educate young chefs about USA cheese through the USA Cheese Specialist® Certification Program; it consists of many different tracks to educate the difference segments of the trade (chefs, retailers as well as importers/distributors). By working with retail staff, this programme also helps buyers and in-store staff build proper knowledge and confidence in purchasing from the U.S. cheese industry and back to the stores dealing with shoppers.

In 2019, the World’s Best Cheese title was awarded to the USA; what makes the country’s cheese special?

The United States is home to the biggest variety of cheeses on the planet. Immigrants from France, Italy, the Middle East, Mexico, and many other countries have used ancient recipes, sometimes with a twist, to create some of the finest cheeses in the world — just ask the judges.

What other awards has USA Cheese won?

Tell us a bit more about the history of USA Cheese.

With immigrants from all around the world, the United States is a melting pot of diverse cultures.

And with that comes culinary traditions that have evolved over centuries. The history of cheese making in the United States began with the very first settlers who came to America in the 1600s.

Being from Europe, settlers naturally brought cheese with them, while others brought dairy cows in hopes of continuing their dairy farming traditions. Once settled in their new environment, a small cheesemaking community soon emerged.

ANGELIQUE HOLLISTER | USA CHEESE GUILD

THE UNITED STATES IS HOME TO THE BIGGEST VARIETY OF CHEESES ON THE PLANET. As the immigrants migrated westward from the rocky coast, they encountered fertile fields and lush grasses reminiscent of their homeland. Shortly thereafter, they started cultivating grains, which helped sustain them and their farm animals throughout the long, cold winters.

Growing grains also enabled them to feed their dairy cattle year-round. A surplus of fresh milk therefore became available.

Cheese represented a process of preserving surplus milk, and since many European settlers were seasoned experts in cheese making, a tradition developed.

Originally, cheese was produced and consumed at home on the farm. As the industrial revolution created opportunities for increased production, it started to be traded locally and exported internationally. What was once a small part of farm life evolved into a calling for artisans and entrepreneurs around the country.

Today, the United States alone produces a quarter of the world’s cheese output in mostly large, state-of-the-art facilities. It’s home to some of the world’s largest cheese manufacturers, producing in one single facility more cheese than the whole country of New Zealand produces in one year. However, America is also the land of specialty cheesemaking, where hundreds of artisans across the country craft some of the world’s best artisanal cheeses.

How many varieties are there and who are the top cheesemakers?

Over 1,000 cheese varieties are produced in the USA. The United States is home to nearly 1,300 registered cheese manufacturing facilities, from the largest production operations in the world to small, artisan facilities.

How does the USA Cheese Guild represent dairy farmers and the cheese community, and promote products?

The USA Cheese Guild® works on behalf of American farmers and the entire cheese community to build global awareness of the excellent cheeses from the USA. Through education and promotions, the Guild aims to inform retail and foodservice professionals as well as consumers about the craftsmanship, innovation, variety and versatility of USA cheeses.

The Guild sanctions the USA Cheese Specialist® Certification Program, which is offered through many prestigious culinary institutes and universities worldwide. In Dubai, the USA Cheese Guild® has partnered with one of the leading culinary vocational education training centres, the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA).

Since the launch of the programme in 2018, 239 students have enrolled, with 100 completing the entire certification programme to date, earning the designation of Certified USA Cheese Specialist®.

How do you see the future of USA cheese products in the GCC markets?

In general, we see an upward trend for cheese consumption in the Middle East. The USA Cheese Guild® promotional programmes encourage higher demand for USA cheeses into the region.

Although 2020 was challenging in many ways, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar fared well in the last year; there are more US exporters engaged in the markets, more local importers and distributors dealing with US cheese, and more retailers carrying US cheese.

Hundreds of new SKUs have been introduced to the GCC, with more brands, varieties, and formats being channelled into the region’s markets. Our in-store activations are generating sales, up to 60 per cent during promotions and 6% post promotions.

We’re currently seeing more potential in Saudi Arabia, which we’re aiming to develop. We anticipate that the region will witness a surge in demand for USA cheese in the latter half of the year as the Covid situation improves.

What are some of the most unique characteristics of USA Cheese products and what is the latest technology being used?

All U.S. producers adhere to the highest standards of production to create incredible and internationally recognised cheeses.

Cheesemakers across the country source high quality milk and use innovative and creative techniques to combine it with cultures, rennet and salt to create everything from authentic aged gouda to soft and spreadable cream cheese and everything in between — including the best cheese in the world, Rogue River Blue.

Our farmers also invest in the future and support technical progress. Dairy research centres in the United States are developing new ways to satisfy consumer demand with new cheese prototypes and processes that allow better control over production, safety, shelf life, flavour, and more.

Finally, innovation in American cheesemaking manifests itself through the never-ending new creations of our talented and passionate cheesemakers, who are not afraid of putting quite a few spins.

What’s coming up for the Cheese Guild in the region and what developments can we expect?

The certification and retail programmes (in-store promos and social media) are the key activations we’re running this year.

The USA Cheese Specialist® Certification programme is a cornerstone of the Guild’s marketing efforts. With it, culinary students and professionals as well as food importers, distributors, and retailers can learn more about cheese, how to use it or sell it, and most of all discover an exciting industry they never knew existed!

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME SUPPLIER WATCH

Artfully Made Chef Middle East hosts Easter Art Quest 2021, where art and pastry come together, in collaboration with Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown and Valrhona

“FIFTEEN CHEFS FROM TOP HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS IN THE UAE HAVE TAKEN PART IN THIS EXCLUSIVE EASTER-THEMED CHALLENGE.”

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O

nce again, Chef Middle East has raised the culinary bar to a whole new level, launching and hosting a one-of-a-kind pastry competition – the Easter Art Quest 2021 – in collaboration with Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown, the neighbourhood’s hub of creative contrasts, and iconic French chocolate brand Valrhona. The event blended art and pastry-making, inspiring some of the most talented chefs in UAE. The competition finale was held at the Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown on March 23, 2021 and streamed live on distributors’ social media platforms. Fifteen chefs from top hotels and restaurants in the UAE have taken part in this exclusive Easter-themed challenge and were judged

APRIL 2021 | HOTELNEWSME.COM

remotely by a jury of internationally renowned guests of honour which included: Yann Brys, M.O.F. (Meilleur Ouvrier de France), and the creator of the Tourbillon Technique: “I was delighted to participate in judging these stunning chocolate pieces during the Easter Art Quest 2021, organised by Chef Middle East. I was able to explore beautiful creations made into sculptures, each having a special association and unique interpretation.”

Nina Métayer, two-time French Pastry Chef of the Year: “I’m extremely happy to see all the showpieces and discover the beautiful, colourful and meticulously crafted creations, which reflect a high level of technicality and imagination.”

François Daubinet, executive pastry chef at FAUCHON: “Congratulations to all the chefs who participated in the Easter Art Quest 2021, and well done to them for their commitment, energy and passion, which they invested into this creative process and the craft of creating astonishing final pieces.”

The judging panel also comprised the wonderful duo, who were present at the event and accompanied the participants in their journey from the early days of the creative process, Astrid Lesuisse, art manager at Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown and Glenn Noel, pastry chef instructor at Valrhona.

CHEF MIDDLE EAST HOSTS EASTER ART QUEST 2021

“This year’s Easter Art Quest brought mesmerising art pieces to life. Participating chefs demonstrated distinctive artistic interpretation and creative processes, which made it very hard to decide on three winning pieces from among fifteen eclectic creations. I believe that such an initiative is essential to highlight pastry chefs’ talents by showcasing their extraordinary skills and creativity. Such innovative projects, not connect hospitality industry professionals, but also attract neophytes, and bring awareness to what may be unknown facet of pastry chefs’ skills,” says Lesuisse.

“The Easter Art Quest showcased the great talents of the UAE. From a jury’s point of view, I can say that participants demonstrated interesting techniques, and some outstanding pieces in terms of harmony of colours, level of creativity, finishing and overall aesthetics. Given our collaboration with Hotel Indigo, the platform of arts, we analysed the interpretation of the art pieces without forgetting the Easter theme aspect. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this journey and appreciated the overall level of dedication from the participants,” adds Noel.

Participants had been working on their creations for a whole month before the final reveal, starting with a site visit to Indigo Hotel Dubai Downtown, selecting their piece of art for inspiration and putting in extensive hours of work until the event.

The standard the finalists have set during this first Easter Art Quest 2021 was outstanding. Participants were personally selected based on their skills and experience, and it was inspiring to have the best talent in UAE participating in this competition, guests highlighted.

Pooja Bhatt, pastry & bakery category manager at Chef Middle East says: “The Easter Art Quest was an initiative aiming to showcase the talent of our customers in the UAE. We believe that it’s our responsibility as a distributor to, not only gather our community of chefs, but also spotlight their exceptional skills. The success of this first edition has greatly encouraged us to carry on with this initiative and keep involving the world’s most recognised chefs such as Yann Brys.

We’re proud of the response and trust

that all the participants placed in us and we very much intend to repeat the experience the next season.”

Inspired by a portrait by renowned Dubai-based photographer and visual artist Marta Lamovsek, Kapila Amaratunga, executive pastry chef at W Dubai – The Palm won the first prize for his magnificent piece of art “The Real Woman of Dubai”.

Amaratunga says: My creation was inspired by the piece of art at Hotel Indigo, reflecting the multi-cultural nature of the individuals working in Dubai and a fusion between modern and traditional Emirati culture. The main ingredients I used for my showpiece are the Valrhona Manjari and Ivory chocolates. Pastry is an art and it motivates me and keeps me in shape.”

The Shakespeare & Co. team, led by Pascal Dupuis, executive pastry chef, won the second place for their “Eggsquisite” creation, and the third place went to Christopher Lambert, executive pastry chef at InterContinental Dubai, Festival City for his “Jali Pysanky” piece.

The public also had a say in voting for their favourite showpiece during the event and selected the winner Christophe Devoille, executive pastry chef at Royal Atlantis Spa & Resort for his piece “Le Poulpe Et L’Oeuf”.

Devoille says: “For my creation, I was inspired by a beautiful frame from South Africa, representing a very large octopus covered in newspaper and holding shiny pearls. For the base, I used dark chocolate to make the black pillar to stick the huge “pearl egg”, made with Valrhona Ivory Chocolate. The octopus itself was made with dark chocolate. Pastry is an art, and like all forms of art, it is important to showcase it.”

The competition was fierce, and it was noteworthy how close the scores were. A Wild Card prize was awarded to Achala Weerasinghe, executive pastry chef at Nad El Sheba, for his creation “Ensemble Art”, a remarkable piece in the show.

Another highlight of the event was the announcement of publishing an Easter Art Quest 2021 Book showcasing all the beautiful creations crafted by the talented chefs, in collaboration with Flavel Monteiro, an award-winning author and publisher of WG Magazine.

“THIS YEAR’S EASTER ART QUEST BROUGHT MESMERISING ART PIECES TO LIFE. PARTICIPATING CHEFS DEMONSTRATED DISTINCTIVE ARTISTIC INTERPRETATION AND CREATIVE PROCESSES, WHICH MADE IT VERY HARD TO DECIDE ON THREE WINNING PIECES FROM AMONG FIFTEEN ECLECTIC CREATIONS.”

Chef Middle East’s commitment and mission to inspire culinary craftsmanship remains a top priority, the company highlights, reiterating its plans to launch more professional industry competitions and events designed to create a platform for valuable experiences, and recognise the region’s best talent for their craft and passion.

Chefs and Creations: • The Real Woman of Dubai led by Kapila Amaratunga, Executive Pastry Chef at W Dubai – The Palm • Eggsquisite led by Pascal Dupuis, Executive Pastry Chef at Shakespeare & Co. • Jali Pysanky by Christopher Lamber, Executive Pastry Chef at InterContinental Dubai Festival City • Ensemble Art led by Achala Weerasinghe, Executive Pastry Chef at Nad El Sheba • Le Poulpe Et L’Oeuf led by Christophe Devoille, Executive Pastry Chef at Royal Atlantis Spa & Resort • Melody of Time by Abel Vieilleville, Cluster Pastry Chef at Address Sky View • Arabic Jewellery Box by Laure Dumas, Head Pastry Chef at CÉ LA VI • From Shells to Shelters led by Mario Fico, Head Chef at Zuma • Tradivision led by Romain Castet, Executive Pastry Chef at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk • Mother Nature by Arnaud Daunac, Pastry Chef at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon • Osheq Al Nafs led by Xira Marcus Pastry Chef at Nikki Beach • Hope led by Syarif Purawinata, Head Pastry Chef at Nammos Dubai • Galaxy led by Khalil Bouabid, Pastry Chef at Ikram Café – Hermès • The Hidden White Shell of Indigo led

by Hugo Sipp, Executive Pastry Chef at Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi • Alex Nubian Mud House led by Bernard Charles, Production Manager at Bateel HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME GM INTERVIEW

I personally grew in and started my career at Raffles Dubai as assistant front office manager in 2007, as part of the pre-opening team and was later promoted to front office manager, before relocating overseas within the company.

I returned in 2014 and held the position of director of operations for three years; today, I’m back once again as general manager.

I would also add, with the current situation and global pandemic, the Accor management team and our owning company were keen on having someone who was already familiar with Raffles Dubai, can fit quickly into the role and lead the property to a successful recovery. When I was approached, the natural answer was ‘yes’ and I’m delighted to lead the strategic direction and manage operations at Accor’s most legendary property in Dubai.

Coming Back Home

L

ast month, Accor announced the appointment of Afif Salibi as general manager of Raffles Dubai. Formerly a member of the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech, within the group’s portfolio, he will lead the strategic direction and manage operations at the property.

In mid-2007, Afif was part of the pre-opening team of Raffles Dubai as assistant front office manager and was later promoted to front office manager. Salibi returned to Raffles Dubai as director of operations for almost three

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years before moving to Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech in 2017 as general manager.

Why have you decided to return to Raffles; how did that come about?

Just like how the Raffles’ Service Culture says, ‘Arrive as guests, leave as friends and return as family,’ I believe that I have come back home to my family.

It’s my third time here and I have had the pleasure of seeing the hotel evolve through the years and also worked on developing myself at different locations within the company.

How do you plan on motivating staff as things start to open up both globally and on a regional level?

The foundation of our hotel is our people and it has always been our secret recipe for success. Irrespective of the global situation, we will always put our people at the heart of what we do. In hospitality, everyone loves being busy, engaging with and serving guests – it’s a natural element of motivation.

As there is a new reality that we’re dealing with, we need to be proactive, make sure colleagues stay motivated and adapt to the situation. We’re reinforcing our already existing motivational tools and trainings programmes to make sure that our colleagues stay engaged as we ramp up and prepare for travel borders to reopen.

Our colleagues are very much looking forward to welcoming our guests once again with full energy. I’m very proud to see that we have one of the highest retention rates in the city, with many long-serving colleagues, and dozens have been here since the opening of the hotel, which is a testimony to our work culture and engagement levels.

Safety is our utmost priority; we have made sure that our team felt safe and

COMING BACK HOME | AFIF SALIBI

“I believe that I have come back home to my family.” remained motivated and confident about their workplace and future. All colleagues have undertaken rigorous trainings with Accor’s ALLSAFE programme in the past year, with new standards incorporated in both their daily lives and guests’ journey. In addition, the vast majority of our colleagues have received the Covid-19 vaccine.

What are some new guest experiences you’re planning on bringing to the property?

For the pre-arrival experience, flexibility is key in terms of securing bookings and giving our guests the freedom to change their minds with great liberty and little restrictions in an uncertain world.

Once guests reach the hotel, safety is the name of the game and our aim is to make sure that they feel safe while elevating our current guest journey. For more than a decade, Raffles Dubai has been an oasis of calm and charm, beautifully located in the heart of the city with an incredible sense of space, service and unforgettable style.

The hotel, until today, offers the largest standard rooms in the city starting from 70 sqm, perfect for accommodating families, business travellers, and long-stayers. To cater to the local market, we have launched a dedicated UAE resident’s staycation offer, with affordable rates and a focus on family activities.

In addition, we will be collaborating closely with Wafi Mall and VOX cinemas this summer to offer great additional entertainment facilities. The Wafi multiplex will feature activities for kids and adults, including soft play areas, bowling, a kids’ square and more.

Visitors can enjoy watching the latest films on an advanced ONYX screen by Samsung, offering powerful, captivating and larger-thanlife visuals. The ONYX screen at VOX Cinemas WAFI Mall is defined as the “cinema of the future” and the first of its kind in the UAE. As we look forward to welcome regional and global markets, personalisation is about delivering carefully crafted new experiences for guests, tailored to their interests so they can experience local knowledge, culture and one-of-a-kind experiences.

Luxury travellers are searching for more bespoke experiences and memories, rather than the newest, or the most extravagant property.

Located on the cultural and heritage side of the city, our hotel concierge and dedicated butlers can help guests sift through the vast array of gems the city and the UAE have to offer. For new markets like Israel, we’re looking into kosher catering and culturally themed events.

Furthermore, with guests’ convenience and wellbeing in mind, the Raffles Dubai mobile application offers a contactless and seamless experience with the option to interact with a personal butler through the hotel’s social media and dedicated digital channels without losing the human touch.

In addition to its digitalisation and sustainability efforts which

cater to eco-conscious clientele, Raffles Dubai installed a universal electric vehicle charging station in the hotel car park, supporting technology that produces no emissions.

How do you plan on maintaining the hotel’s TripAdvisor spot?

Consistency is key; doing things right one day is good, doing things right every day and fine-tuning is what we strive for. With ongoing trainings and hands on coaching, our colleagues are taught how to understand each of our guests as unique individuals, to engage with them in a thoughtful and meaningful way. They use the knowledge they develop about our guests’ habits and preferences in order to anticipate their needs and deliver a gracious and intuitive service. >>> HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME GM INTERVIEW

TOMO RESTAURANT TERRACE

We always encourage them to use their creativity and discretion to wow our guests and deliver unexpected moments.

True luxury hospitality is about how our guests feel when they stay with us, something that we define at Raffles as ‘emotional luxury’.

We constantly check in with our guests and keep them connected with online content, which would make them feel close with a sense of belonging until they are able to visit us again. At Raffles Dubai, we have a high number of repeat guests, close to 40% of our guests - which is a very high number in the industry.

We maintain such strong guest loyalty through the personal, emotional relationships that our colleagues develop with our guests. Our relationships are built on

“In hospitality, everyone loves being busy, engaging with and serving guests – it’s a natural element of motivation.”

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understanding our guests, our business partners and delivering a seamless and luxury experience.

I’m proud that the property reached the number one position on TripAdvisor when I was director of operations six years ago and that it continues to maintain it out of 761 hotels in Dubai. It has also successfully achieved the top 10 hotels worldwide ranking on TripAdvisor in 2020, being the only hotel in the Middle East to be recognised.

RD SIGNATURE ROOM KING

If you could describe what makes Raffles Hotel Dubai unique, what would you say?

People before anything; ultimately, it’s our colleagues that will make the difference in a highly competitive hospitality sector. Our colleagues engage with our guests, they take time to understand each guest as a unique individual, making each one of them feel important, which enables us to maintain such strong guest loyalty.

COMING BACK HOME | AFIF SALIBI

In terms of product, Raffles Dubai is one of the city’s mostloved landmarks. This stunning hotel in a distinctive pyramid shape conveys a unique architectural statement, while its interiors offer a treasure trove of ancient legends, exceptional artworks and design excellence, emphasising three distinguished heritages: traditional Middle Eastern culture, ancient Egyptian history and refined Asian characteristics.

The Raffles suites are the most popular with the GCC and local market due to their size, design and facilities perfectly appointed to accommodate big families. Offering cultured luxury and drawing inspiration from contemporary Asian and Middle Eastern design, the Raffles Suites and their lavish designs create a residential sanctuary for a sophisticated and luxurious home away from home experience.

Residents can book a 150 sqm Diplomatic Suite, a 205 sqm Landmark Suite, a 301 sqm Presidential Suite, or for the ultimate indulgence, the 441sqm Penthouse suite, or the 650 sqm Royal Suite.

What are your plans for F&B? Focus on consistency; we have great Arabic cuisine with a talented Lebanese Executive chef, Hassan Abdallah, who is working on elevating our annual traditional experiences such as the popular Ramadan iftar in Azur, as well as our outdoor Raffles Garden cabanas experiences that are most popular this year due to the current situation and social distancing preferences.

Famous for yearly events such as Easter and Festive, we will continue to focus on driving family-friendly offerings.

We have adapted the Friday Solo Gusto lunch, offering kids activities including making their own handmade artisan pizza in our authentic wood oven from Verona, Italy. Raffles Salon has also introduced a dedicated children’s afternoon tea, a fun twist on the award-winning floral afternoon tea where kids will relish on their favourite savoury and sweet snacks.

We’re also delighted to see TOMO continuously winning awards year on year. It’s still widely recognised until today as the most authentic and exquisite Japanese restaurant in the country.

In addition, Raffles Dubai has always been popular for exclusive events, from fashion shows to destination weddings, corporate and awards dinners and we’re currently offering flexibility and creating new attractive catering packages, as we get ready to welcome large social events once permitted.

Do you expect the hotel industry to make a full recovery?

I believe that the hotel industry will make a full recovery. It will be a phased recovery, starting with national, followed by regional come summer, then gradual international travel as of Q4 2021.

People long for travel and life experiences; it’s in our human nature and they are eagerly waiting to explore and travel again. Many people internationally have not been able to attend any social events since over a year now. Just imagine what the wedding market will face after over a year of people not being able to tie the knot due to the pandemic.

Once big events and gatherings will resume, combined with the launch of Dubai Expo 2020, we expect a huge boost in tourism. People want to connect again, and physical contact will always prevail over the virtual; besides, we are all “Zoomed Out” and feeling the Covid Fatigue. Only travel and human connections can revitalise that.

We’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel thanks Dubai authorities’ swift and effective response to the pandemic, and the successful and accessible vaccination drive.

For the past two decades, the government and DTCM have positioned Dubai as a major tourism hub, and it will definitely be one of the first global destinations to rebound.

We’re in one of the safest cities in the world and are ready to welcome back tourists; it’s only a matter of time.

“Raffles Salon has also introduced a dedicated children’s afternoon tea.”

RDB-FLORAL AFTERNOON TEA

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME CONCEPT HOTELS

A Secluded

Retreat

NATHALIE COCKAYNE THE GENERAL MANAGER OF MELIÃ DESERT PALM DUBAI LEADS A DETERMINED TEAM AT THE BOUTIQUE POLO RESORT

Tell us more about your journey in the industry.

Hospitality has always been my passion, ever since I was a child running around the Peninsula in Hong Kong and thinking how amazing it was. I attained my Bachelor of Business degree in Hotel Management from the Australian International Hotel School in Canberra (Australia).

I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years and my UAE connection goes back to the year 1999, when I started my career at the iconic Burj Al Arab as a

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guest services executive. I’ve made my way up the ladder since then, having worked with some wonderful hotels such as The Setai South Beach Miami, The Savoy London, Island Shangri-La Hong Kong and Mandarin Oriental, Doha.

I returned for the second time to the sandy shores of the UAE in 2012 to join The H Hotel as the director of operations and hotel manager for St. Regis Saadiyat, and returned again in July 2019 as general manager of the gorgeous polo resort Meliã Desert Palm

Dubai. They say third time lucky, and I consider myself to be incredibly blessed to be working with such a beautiful boutique resort.

What were some of the most important milestones throughout your journey?

Every new role is a new challenge and a new milestone. My career has taken me across the globe, working with different cultures, handling different VIPs, working with some incredible brands who have all molded me into the leader I am today.

NATHALIE COCKAYNE | MELIA DESERT PALM DUBAI

If I have to pick one big milestone, it would be being part of the team who closed the Savoy Hotel after 118 years of operation for refurbishment. Many hoteliers get the opportunity to open hotels, but it is a rare and enlightening experience to close down a Grande Dame like the Savoy When did you land in Dubai and what was your first impression of the landscape?

I landed in Dubai in 1999, close to the inauguration of the Burj Al Arab, my first real job. The landscape was obviously quite different than what it is now.

Many of the key areas and attractions you see now didn’t even exist back then. The culture shock of living in Al Quoz surrounded by nothing but desert, our only neighbor being a cement factory was hard at first.

But this was quickly followed by how kind and welcoming everyone was, and how fortunate I was to be working for the iconic Burj Al Arab which filled me with pride and optimism for the future of the UAE.

or our Polo BBQ brunch. The resort is also located close to the emirate’s newest popular tourist attraction the Dubai Safari, plus various malls and business districts.

Meliã Desert Palm Dubai is also a popular venue for destination weddings/celebrations owing to its gorgeous outdoor venues including the beautiful Olive Garden.

What are the challenges of managing a property that’s located in the desert, especially in times of pandemic?

Running a luxury hotel especially during a pandemic has been quite challenging. We have all been caught off-guard with the spread of Covid-19, and no one had a playbook on how to prepare or carry on.

We were blessed to be able to stay operational throughout the period due to our standalone Pool Villas attracting long stay guests who wished to isolate in natural, serene surroundings. With lockdowns of international borders, stayca-

tions became increasing popular last Ramadan, and we’re grateful there is a high demand for getaways in Dubai.

Apart from this, as the GM of a legacy property tying up with Meliã Hotels Internationa l, it has been important for me >>>

What makes Meliã Desert Palm Dubai unique?

Meliã Desert Palm Dubai is a secluded retreat, despite being located just on the outskirts of a buzzing downtown city. The moment you enter the Estate you forget that you’re in Dubai.

You feel immersed in the tranquil ambience and keep gazing at the lush polo fields with a distant view of the city’s skyline.

Being a polo resort is definitely a USP for us. We, not only have guests who stay overnight, but also walk-in guests who visit the resort to watch the live polo matches, while enjoying afternoon tea HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME CONCEPT HOTELS

to retain the rich heritage of the resort, while still offering something new and instilling it all with the Meliã brand values.

We host ‘Desert Palm’ loyals as well as new travellers, so we want to ensure that the ‘old’ don’t feel alienated because of the ‘new’ offering. We still want to retain the essence of the original property.

In terms of health and safety regulations, how have they shifted?

We had to pivot away from the norm, adapting to the new regulations daily yet still continue to offer the best services to every guest. Our priority has always been to ensure the safety of our guests and team, while still keeping the doors open.

We adhere to the guidelines and precautionary measures set

by Dubai authorities, to ensure our daily operations are seamless.

Moving forward, technology and minimising physical contact with guests will definitely be key factors to be incorporated. The biggest challenge then, of course, will be to strike the right balance between personalised, yet safe, service.

Tell us more about your F&B offerings, and how they shape the property.

Meliã Desert Palm Dubai is home to the below F&B outlets, helmed by Executive Chef, Gaston Silva Herrera.

Epicure - Our all-day brasserie, serving à la carte casual dining

on the resort’s poolside. The menu includes fresh salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and hearty mains. Various weekly theme nights take place including cheese and grape night, which is one of the restaurant’s most popular offerings.

RARE - The hotel’s signature restaurant featuring an Asado oak-wood-fired grill with al fresco dining, overlooking the championship polo field. Chef Gaston is an Asado expert and has introduced an Argentinian flair to the menu. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available at the restaurant.

Red Bar – A bar/lounge adorned with polo memorabilia

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including trophies and champion mallets. Guests can indulge in fine vintages, antique liquors, house-infused spirits and creative cocktails, along with carefully curated cigars. Guests can also watch live sporting action on the screens at the bar.

Shisha Terrace - Overlooking the main championship polo field

serving a variety of flavourful shisha, house beverages, Arabic mezze and more. The terrace is the ideal place to unwind in the cooler months.

What about the spa and its offerings, what can you tell us about the wellness aspect?

A sanctuary of utter wellness and serenity, Samāna Spa offers the ultimate retreat away from the hectic city life. The treatments are focused on tailored experiences and organic solutions allowing your body, mind and soul to sense a haven of tranquillity. With a choice of indulgent services and lavish spa getaways, the exclusive packages are designed to pamper you and lull you into a state of complete bliss.

We also have the Stables Fitness Centre for those that don’t want to miss their workouts while on holiday. The centre is equipped with the latest Techno Gym fitness equipment and hosts yoga retreats, tennis camps, kids’ classes and personal training services.

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HCNME NEW IN F&B

It’s Showtime

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rzu Hospitality Group has launched its third venue in Dubai. AKA, located at The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah, is a cyberpunk-inspired Japanese lounge which aims to redefine the traditional dinner show experience, wowing guests with immersive live performances.

Founder Mirzo Hafizov speaks to Hotel & Catering News ME about his newest venture.

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ORZU HOSPITALITY | MIZRO HAFIZOV

“VISITORS TO AKA CAN EXPECT A VIBRANT, FRESH ASIAN-INSPIRED MENU AND BUSTLING ATMOSPHERE COMBINED WITH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.” charcoal grill. I don’t think there is any other restaurant that’s serving anything even similar to it.

finished with deep red and black interiors, giving guests a true sense of Tokyo’s nightlife!

How will you adapt the dining experience given the current measures?

We, of course, adhere to all government regulations and measures currently in place, but on top of that, we also ensure all our waiters are thoroughly trained to best accommodate the new ‘normal’.

Everyone, from our service team to top management, know that safety is our number one priority. We work together to help each other overcome the challenges that this pandemic has brought.

Guests who visit our venues must feel comfortable when they’re dining with us, as eating out should always be relaxing and enjoyable and not an experience of concern.

Tell us more about AKA and what it’s going to bring to the Dubai dining scene.

When working on the AKA concept, it was important for us to consider all the finer details guests appreciate when visiting a restaurant. We want our guests to have a truly unique experience and not just a meal.

Visitors to AKA can expect a vibrant, fresh Asian-inspired menu and bustling atmosphere combined with exceptional service and attention to detail. The space is very intimate and beautifully

What are some of the most unique dishes on the menu?

Our Asian-inspired menu has a variety of signature dishes such as the Alaskan black cod marinated with miso sauce and paired with home-made yuzu daikon, truly something special.

Guests also seem to love our zesty seabass ceviche with avocado and bean paste. However, the star of the menu has to be our marbled A5 grade wagyu rib eye with foie gras, black truffle and black pepper teriyaki sauce, served on a mini

Why have you decided to bring this venue to Dubai at this time?

There’s always an appetite for new and exciting restaurant concepts in Dubai, so we think AKA will fit in perfectly. The space isn’t large, so it feels intimate and private yet extravagant at the same time.

We have some very extraordinary, unique entertainment which we present depending on restrictions. I hope guests will appreciate that we’ve created an all-round concept which surprises and delights both on the floor and in the specially curated menu.

Tell us more about your journey and other ventures.

We launched Zor, our popular Uzbek restaurant at The Pointe on the December 1, 2020. The launch was both exciting and challenging, as we had expected many diners to be apprehensive towards the cuisine.

Anticipating this, we created an experience that showcased a variety of authentic Uzbek dishes to encourage guests to explore a cuisine that they’re not familiar with.

Shortly before that, we launched Bramble Bar located at The Pointe Food District, which offers another distinctive experience as it’s unusual for a food court to be licensed.

How are you planning on keeping things exciting at AKA? Sometimes less is more, and if we say too much about what we’ve got planned, we worry we’ll ruin it. One thing we can surely say is that there’s more than meets the eye at AKA and it’s best explored than described.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME CELEBRITY CHEF

MASTER OF MODERN GASTRONOMY

CHEF HEINZ BECK

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oused in the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Social by Heinz Beck has been a stalwart in Dubai’s fine dining scene since it opened in 2014. Based at the venue from March 1-4, the chef prepared an artfully curated selection of dishes from his world-renowned repertoire.

Beck was joined in the kitchen cooking alongside his culinary team led by head chef Francesco Acquaviva. Using the finest ingredients and their artistry, the highly celebrated chef and his team created seminal culinary moments for a select number of diners over the course of four nights. Fine dining aficionados had the option of a fiveor seven-course epicurean journey and the opportunity to meet the master who created it.

World-renowned, 3-star Michelin Chef Beck brings contemporary Italian dining to Dubai. Featuring inviting design elements and offering innovative contemporary Italian cuisine, Social by Heinz Beck offers a relaxed atmosphere with magnificent views of Dubai.

Beck is widely known throughout Italy and Europe as a notable master of modern gastronomy. Expressing a unique interpretation of the

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modern kitchen, his artistry exceeds his raw culinary talent with a wellguarded process, which includes mindfully curating ingredients and implementing innovative techniques to transform simple ingredients into highly evocative dishes.

Following the success of the acclaimed La Pergola in Rome, Social by Heinz Beck is set to amplify Chef Beck’s reputation within Dubai and solidify his position as an international culinary talent.

CELEBRITY CHEF | HEINZ BECK

“As today’s reality is showing us, the first aim of human nutrition is the quality, then comes everything else. ” What’s your main focus in terms of cuisine?

As today’s reality is showing us, the first aim of human nutrition is the quality, then comes everything else.

It’s essential to consider this aspect on each level of proposal, not only in the gourmet world. That’s why I want to underline it as a principle of inspiration for my work.

Why do you think Social by Heinz Beck has stood the test of time?

You see, if you believe and, above all, apply the principles I mentioned, I believe that ensuring the continuity of good work is much easier in the restaurant business.

How is social media presence important for a chef and how do you interact with followers?

The media in general and social media in particular have represented a revolution in relations with customers.

The way of communicating food has changed and is constantly evolving; we, as chefs, must communicate responsibly and attentively with new generations.

Tell us about some of your greatest career moments.

I believe that the youthful emotions of kitchen management remain indelible memories; those are surely the best moments of a career.

How has the pandemic changed diners’ perception of fine dining?

The pandemic has changed a lot of our priorities. Honestly, it takes time to understand how the market will transform and we will have to be ready for everything that will come in the next years.

Are you planning to change the offering at Social by Heinz Beck?

Clearly, if it will be necessary, with respect to the changes in demand we will build a new offer. For now, we only have to change the menus according to the seasonality…. then we will see what happens.

Are you working on any new projects?

Of course, new projects, especially during these difficult moments, are the energy we need!

We’re working on a great new project at Palazzo Fiuggi, a new medical retreat near Rome, where our guest will regenerate at 360 degrees from the medical aspect to the food.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME COVER FEATURE

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LEADING FROM THE FRONT | FERIT ŞAHENK

Leading from the front FERIT ŞAHENK

CHAIRMAN AND CEO, DOĞUŞ GROUP With an estimated net worth of US$2.3 billion, this Turkish billionaire’s insights on running a business are definitely worth learning from b y A B Y S A M T H O M A S

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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hen I met with Ferit Şahenk at the Dubai outpost of the internationally renowned Japanese restaurant Roka on a sunny morning in March this year, one of the first things that struck me about the Chairman and CEO of the global conglomerate Dogus Group is the very affable and animated personality the Turkish businessman showcased to everyone around him- and when I say “everyone,” I mean that in a literal sense.

Now, you may probably think here that, well, of course, Şahenk would behave in such a lively fashion with me and my team, and yes, you’ll also perhaps grant that, yes, that’s the way he works with the few members of his executive team who were also with us that morning. But what I found particularly interesting (and quite endearing, to be quite honest) is in the fact that I saw Şahenk exhibiting the same spirited attitude as he went about interacting with the staff that day at Roka- this is where you need to know that this award-winning restaurant falls under

the purview of Doğuş Group’s hospitality arm, D.ream (Doğuş Restaurant Entertainment and Management) International, of which Şahenk is Chairman. And so, when I saw Şahenk talk, applaud, and even joke with almost everyone in the Roka team who were there that morning, I found myself taken in by the magnanimous persona of this man, who, with an estimated net worth of US$2.3 billion, has been billed as one of the richest people in Turkey.

Later, when I asked Şahenk about this friendly rapport that he demonstrated with the staff at the restaurant, he

“WE KNOW OUR SLICE OF THE MARKET, AND WE KNOW WE CAN DO VERY GOOD THINGS WITHIN IT.” Ferit Sahenk, Chairman and CEO, Dogus Group, speaking during the session ‘The Global Business Context’ at the Annual Meeting 2012 of the World Economic Forum

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seemed almost surprised by the query, pointing out that there was nothing out of the ordinary in the way he interacted with his team- this was his family, he told me, and so, this was normal for him and his style of leadership. In fact, he believes that this is the only good way to behave with one’s employees, especially in a consumer-facing, experience-driven business like this. “Your employees are the face of your enterprise,” Şahenk says. “They are the ones keeping your brand and business going. So, if you don’t treat them with love, respect, and kindness, if you’re not working to keep them happy and satisfied, you can rest assured that your end customers aren’t going to be pleased with whatever it is you are offering. So, yes, I believe in treating all of my employees the best way I possibly can- I think you have to, if you want to run a successful business.” Şahenk definitely knows a thing or two about running a thriving enterprise- Doğuş Group, which was founded by his father, Ayhan Şahenk, in 1951, is today one of the largest private sector conglomerates in Turkey, with its portfolio including over 300 companies and more than 19,000 employees working in businesses spanning sectors like automotive, real estate, construction, energy, and more. With its key hubs in London and Dubai, the Group’s interests in lifestyle and hospitality are today centered in D.ream International, which was launched in 2012- besides operating over 150 luxury F&B outlets in Turkey, it also has a global presence with over 60 restaurants across 13 brands in 11 countries. The latter has

IMAGE © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM SWISS-IMAGE.CH/PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN DERUNGS

HCNME COVER FEATURE

LEADING FROM THE FRONT | FERIT ŞAHENK

DOGUSGRUBU.COM.TR

been made possible thanks to D.ream International’s efforts in seeking out and building partnerships with the likes of Azumi Group, Coya Group, Paraguas Group, and Nusr-Et Group- the foodies among you will recognize all four companies as the names behind some of the most celebrated concepts on the global F&B stage.

For instance, Azumi Group, founded by Arjun Waney and Rainer Becker, is the operator of brands like Roka, Zuma, Inko Nito, Etaru, and Oblix, while Paraguas Group, founded by Sandro Silva and Marta Seco, runs Amazonico, El Paraguas, Numa Pompilio, Ten Con Ten, Ultramarinos Quintin, and Aarde. Meanwhile, Nusr-Et Group’s claims to fame includes its eponymous steakhouse as well as the Salt Bae Burger concept, while Coya Group, founded by Arjun Waney and majority owned by Dream International, has its namesake restaurants spread around the world. A Google search of each of these restaurants will reveal that they are inventive, innovative concepts in their own right, and that definitely seems to figure into the modus operandi that D.ream International uses when deciding what brands it should associate itself with.

According to Şahenk, all of the restaurants under the D.ream International banner belong to what he calls the high-end luxury segment- this is the lifestyle domain where he believes he and his team have the requisite experience and expertise needed to win and lead in it. “Our restaurants offer what I like to call a theatrical experience to our guests,” Şahenk explains. “From the service

given, to the food provided, to the entertainment we showcase, people come to our concepts for the unique experiences they get to enjoy at our establishments. They want to experience something out of the ordinary when they come to us, and we make sure we give them just that.” Actually, it’s Şahenk’s belief that the appeal of such restaurants has only been amplified following the COVID-19 crisis that struck in 2020, with people around the world wanting to move out of their current circumstances, and get back to enjoying the finer things in life as they once used to.

This is the sentiment that is reiterated by Tevfik Akdağ, one of Şahenk’s closest associates, when commenting on the current F&B landscape in the world at large. As a Supervisory Executive Board Member of D.ream International, Akdağ is extremely well-versed about this industry, a fact that is bolstered by his executive level roles in Doğuş Group’s hubs in Dubai and London, as well as by his participation in the boards of several of its operating companies. According to Akdağ, all of the brands that fall under his company’s banner today are seeing a renewed interest from patrons, regardless of whether they are located in, say, Madrid, or Riyadh. “Given the desire and demand that we are seeing from our customers around the world, the future is looking quite bright for us,” Akdağ says. “The experiences that we are offering are working because we are keeping our guests at the center of everything we do, and that is something that is going to stand us in good stead as we move into a world after the coronavirus pandemic.” >>>

“YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE THE FACE OF YOUR ENTERPRISE.” “I BELIEVE IN TREATING ALL OF MY EMPLOYEES THE BEST WAY I POSSIBLY CAN- I THINK YOU HAVE TO, IF YOU WANT TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.”

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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“Because we wouldn’t be good at it,” he responds, in a matter-of-fact tone. “We know our slice of the market, and we know we can do very good things within it. As such, it makes sense for us to focus our efforts on doing what we do best, and build on our niche. That’s what is going to guarantee our success in the long term.”

It should be clear by now that Şahenk is keeping himself very closely involved with all of what’s happening in his business, which is evidenced by him, say, keeping a finger on the pulse of the market at large and looking out for opportunities, or even with his intent interest in ensuring his staff’s happiness

“OUR RESTAURANTS OFFER WHAT I LIKE TO CALL A THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE TO OUR GUESTS.”

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and well-being. All of this points to a man who is deeply passionate about the work he does, and Şahenk describes his temperament as a lifestyle in itself, because he can’t imagine himself doing anything differently either. Indeed, when I asked him what drives him to do what he does every day, Şahenk first answered by saying that he is propelled by the idea that the business he works on creates jobs, and that in turn ensures the livelihoods of so many people,

“FROM THE SERVICE GIVEN, TO THE FOOD PROVIDED, TO THE ENTERTAINMENT WE SHOWCASE, PEOPLE COME TO OUR CONCEPTS FOR THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THEY GET TO ENJOY AT OUR ESTABLISHMENTS. THEY WANT TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WHEN THEY COME TO US, AND WE MAKE SURE WE GIVE THEM JUST THAT.”

wherein they are empowered to dream and build better futures for themselves and the ones they hold dear.

Now, this is, of course, a noble undertaking by itself, and while I could see Şahenk being spearheaded by this notion, I wanted to figure out the underlying factors behind this mentality, and so I kept drilling him on this, asking him to tell me why he wakes every morning to go to work.

“Because I am alive,” he replies, finally. “It’s a gift to be alive. It’s a gift to be given the talents and skills we have, it’s a gift to be able to work together and build something wonderful, it’s a gift to come together and work hand-inhand for the greater good.” Şahenk pauses for a moment here, reflecting on what he said, and then adds, “I don’t really see what other reason one needs than that.” Can’t say I disagree- would you?

D-REAM.NET

But this is not to say that the business is not paying attention to the changes that are afoot in the world around us either. Having seen the ongoing boom in the online food delivery space, Şahenk reveals that his company is working on setting up a cloud kitchen business of its own, with them tapping into the unique brands in their portfolio to offer something new and unique to this particular sector. However, Şahenk says that this new offering will continue to target the lifestyle connoisseurs that they know how to serve- when I asked him if he’d ever consider entering into the mass market segment, he replies with an emphatic no. Why?

LEADING FROM THE FRONT | FERIT ŞAHENK

“IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON DOING WHAT WE DO BEST, AND BUILD ON OUR NICHE.” THAT’S WHAT IS GOING TO GUARANTEE OUR SUCCESS IN THE LONG TERM.”

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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A multifaceted experience/ COYA PHOTOGRAPHY FAROOQ SALIK

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A MULTIFACETED EXPERIENCE | COYA

W

ith a global expansion underway, the Peruvian restaurant COYA is now making its presence felt around the world.

We talk to three key figures behind the brand fueling its growth: Yannis Stanisiere, Chief Operating Officer, COYA Restaurant Group, Sanjay Dwivedi, Culinary Director, COYA, and Benjamin Wan, Executive Chef, COYA Middle East.

“COYA IS A JOURNEY. A LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE.” YANNIS/STANISIERE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, COYA RESTAURANT GROUP What sets the COYA concept apart? What are some of the most unique dining elements it boasts that keep diners coming back for more?

What sets the COYA concept apart is the multifaceted experience that we offer. This is unique! There is a journey, a full experience which goes beyond dining and makes our customers want to go back. We want to give over and over to our customers this unique and memorable dining experience. But before anything, COYA is a restaurant with fantastic food and service. We are consistent. This is the key to sustainability and loyalty from our guests.

Our teams on the ground make it happen.

COYA is a combination of Peruvian food, serving innovative pisco infusion with its very own exclusive pisco library, featuring cultural events with our ongoing commitment to art and our pride in being an authentic art destination and, without forgetting our COYA Music which is homegrown thanks to our Music Director and our unforgettable parties, including our Ritual’s & Azucar’s nights. We strive to offer our customers an experience that they want to come back to over and over again. From art exhibitions, to culinary masterclasses, such happenings are part of COYA’s edge.

Please tell us more about the importance of culture and entertainment to the brand.

To set us apart from other establishments, we want to give our clients not just an ordinary dining experience. We strive to offer our customers a cultural atmosphere to walk away with something extra at the end of the visit. Art is part of COYA Culture and atmosphere.

How has your extensive experience in F&B helped you build a vision of what you wanted to bring to the COYA brand?

COYA is a journey. A lifestyle experience. Our principal Ferit Şahenk, Chairman and CEO of Doğuş Group, has a vision. It is up to us to make it happen. I hope to be able to share an extensive experience in F&B with different concepts, volumes in various continents, to the team I work with and that we can take the brand to another level while maintaining its DNA and excitement. I will strive to bring best practices and some structure in order to be able to develop COYA as one of the best lifestyle destinations and make it even more successful.

How do you create different experiences across your venues around the world –adapting to the intricacies of every culture and diner profile– while maintaining the essence of the brand?

Understanding the local clientele and culture are the key elements to make each COYA restaurant more personable to each city. We believe that adding a little personal touch of local cutlure to each establishment is the key to our success. We always adapt ourselves to the local market at various levels.

What are some localisation tactics which you have implemented in order to increase brand appeal among Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh guests?

Understanding the city’s life is very crucial when localising each establishment. For example, while Dubai’s clientele is more international and tourist-driven, we have a lot of locals who are our loyal customers since day one. And Abu Dhabi location is also mainly driven by local and business clientele, we slightly adjusted the concept accordingly to fit the local needs.

Are you planning on expanding to other countries in the MENA, specifically the GCC? Yes, we are as KSA is opening up as a market with solid opportunities. Nonetheless, we are very present in the Middle East at large, and we will continue our growth in top lifestyle European target cities and locations. >>> HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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YANNIS STANISIERE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, COYA RESTAURANT GROUP

“BE HUMBLE, BE PASSIONATE, AND TRY YOUR BEST TO THRIVE IN THE GIVEN ENVIRONMENT. BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY AND BE PROFESSIONAL.”

Please tell us more about the idea behind the COYA Dubai and COYA Mayfair London members’ clubs, and how they have helped the brand.

As Sanjay once told me, “COYA, to me, is you coming to my home.

I just have a bigger dining room and a bigger kitchen.’’ Having a members’ club gives us this opportunity to get to know our clients personally, and we can offer them a more personalized experience and a family atmosphere. It has been helping our business to grow further and strengthen the ties with our loyal clients. Our members have access to personalised cocktails, menu items, service, art and we have a 2021-2022 plan to increase these added values.

How did you overcome challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and mitigate its effects given the hard hit that F&B has endured around the world?

In the pandemic, we needed to be open-minded and think about what we could do to maintain our best to offer our customers. We came up with a few initiatives on the take-out services and tried our best to make it exciting for our clients and keep them engaged. The key was to adapt rapidly to minimize the impact of the pandemic.

What are your future plans for COYA and its development on a global scale?

We want to position ourselves as one of the top luxury lifestyle brands. There are several markets where we believe COYA could be successful and currently we are pursuing several leads in Ibiza, St Tropez, St Barth, Milano, Marrakech, Zurich and others.

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A MULTIFACETED EXPERIENCE | COYA

“WE WANT TO POSITION OURSELVES AS ONE OF THE TOP LUXURY LIFESTYLE BRANDS.” Please tell us more about some of the most important milestones in your career, and the moments which have helped shape your journey.

Two significant milestones helped me shape who I am today. The first one was when I moved from the restaurant manager to the corporate side as Director of New Builds, and the second one was when I became the COO of COYA. To transition from floor operation to corporate taught me how to look at the business on a global scale and strategize and execute the plan for each concept in an accurate and timely manner.

Effective decision making, allocating resources, recruiting, and hiring critical positions to each establishment are crucial elements for opening successful establishments.

The second milestone was when I became the COO of COYA. Working at this level is an exciting opportunity for me to grow even further, and I am looking forward to contributing to COYA and its further success.

The beauty of our job and one of its keys to success is to keep extremely connected and close to the teams, the clients and the operations. This is a business where we need to keep taking the pulse of our restaurants daily.

SANJAY/DWIVEDI

CULINARY AMBASSADOR, COYA Your passion towards food flourished during your childhood; please tell us more about how your family has influenced your culinary journey.

When I was ten years old, I remember going on a holiday to Visakhapatnam, a coastal town in India. My mother’s cousin owned a 5-star hotel there named The Sun n Sea Hotel. During one of my visits to the hotel, I was allowed to go inside the restaurant’s kitchen, where the head chef

prepared a dish. It was a whole fish with fresh herbs, lemon and butter all encased in a paper bag and cooked in a steamer.

When the fish was ready, the chef carefully opened the paper bag right in front of me.

The aroma and the taste of the fish was mind boggling. It was just magical. I have never seen such theater behind a dish, and I guess a seed of culinary was planted in my head at that moment. I was brought up on spices and all food was either cooked on a gas stove or on a BBQ grill. To have a steamed fish with no spices was for me an explosion of flavours – simply just the fish flavored with herbs and lemon. >>>

SANJAY DWIVEDI CULINARY AMBASSADOR, COYA

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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JAPANESE RESTAURANT ROKA, BUSINESS BAY, DUBAI

From there on, I started to do few experiments with food. I loved to watch my grandmother cook and we spent time in the kitchen together. By the age of 15, I was a champion in making omelets for all family members. I remember I tried different methods. To name a few– I whipped the egg whites separately and then added the egg yolk. Another one was cooking tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and chilies together and then adding these ingredients to whipped eggs, and baking them together in the oven. To this day, every time I visit India, there is an Omelets Sunday by Sanjay, where I make omelets for our extended family members. Last year, just before the pandemic, I was in India, where I had to make 30 omelets and as always, a great hit with the family.

You have had a very colourful career, filled with dishes served to celebrities and prominent figures; what were some of the most memorable moments long the way?

We have had a number of prominent people and celebrities visiting our outlets over the years. When we first opened COYA Dubai, we had a guest from the royal family visit us. I remember speaking with them and showing them around the restaurant. They were very impressed, and I guess were happy to see a restaurant like COYA coming to their city.

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I am a big fan of Formula 1. Every year, during the Monaco Grand Prix, we would have Lewis Hamilton coming in for dinner with his friends. I remember back in 2018 when we opened COYA Monaco, Lewis came in after the race for dinner. I went up to his table and mentioned I have cooked certain vegan food for him, and he was impressed that I was aware of his preference. Since then, he has always come regularly during the grand prix and whenever he is in town.

We also had Cristiano Ronaldo and his family – he was such a lovely gentleman.

As you sampled Peru’s finest culinary offerings, how have you envisioned the dishes at COYA taking shape; how have you crafted dishes with the culture and flavours in mind?

As a benchmark since my first menu, I designed a dish ensuring flavours to be very Peruvian and at the same time giving it a Western touch. I don’t like to call it fusion food as I just think, “Fusion is Confusion.”

I always make sure we use the best ingredients. We use chillies and spices that act more like a catalyst and complement the dish rather than just add spice to it and only mask the taste.

I interact a lot with all our head chefs and staff around the world on a regular basis. We are always looking out for new ideas and techniques.

At COYA, it’s all about experimenting with traditional Peruvian dishes and using Japanese, Chinese and Spanish cooking techniques; have you found that to be the essence of what makes the brand unique?

Peruvian food is so unique, as it takes influences form Japan, China and Spain, making the boundaries limitless.

When we first started this journey, in COYA Mayfair, London, the menu was more inclined towards traditional Peruvian food. The cuisine at the time was not as popular as it is today, so the best route was to combine traditional food with something that is more familiar to the market. I guess we hit the right spot. We had raving reviews and best of all is that people fell in love with COYA. I have never been as happy as when I opened COYA ever more than when we received a Michelin star at my previous restaurant.

I love experimenting with flavours and ingredients. One of the ceviche’s we serve at COYA is the Corvina Trufa Ceviche that has Corvina, truffles, ponzu, and chives. It was quite unimaginable and unusual to use truffles and raw fish together, but the lime and the ponzu help bring out its flavours.

In COYA Dubai, we used the red snapper instead of corvina and it has been the outlet’s best-selling ceviche. It is the menu items like these that make COYA unique.

The best-selling dish of COYA across all outlets is Arroz Nikkei Cazuella or the Chilean sea bass with rice, lime and chilli. I created this dish with influences from Peru, Spain and the UK. The Chilean seabass is marinaded in miso, Aji Amarillo, tamarind, and soy for a minimum of 24 hours. For the rice, we use paella rice, which is cooked with dashi stock flavoured with soya, ginger, garlic and aji amarillo. Once the rice is cooked, we finish it with lime and chilli butter. We serve with Chilean seabass, cooked over charcoal and adding sweetcorn puree and pea shoots as the finishing touch.

The beauty of it all was that we are creating something new and unique, and I believe this has been one of the key reasons of COYA’s success.

A MULTIFACETED EXPERIENCE | COYA

BENJAMIN/WAN

EXECUTIVE CHEF, COYA MIDDLE EAST You grew up in a restaurant environment. How has it shaped your journey towards becoming a culinary head?

The desire to become a chef was there from the outset. My passion was always to cook, but I never intended to be a Head Chef or lead a team. I think that the most important thing is if you show pride in your work, do your best, and enjoy, and you will go places.

Starting off with French-casual cuisine, how have you developed your skills and explored other global palates?

My background has always been French cuisine. I believe the discipline, skills and techniques I learned have put me in good stead and helped me progress through my career. I have implemented these into COYA’s kitchens as a matter of course.

In terms of palates, it was a big leap for me at first to shift from BENJAMIN WAN EXECUTIVE CHEF, COYA MIDDLE EAST

“DINERS CAN EXPECT TO SEE COYA ON A MORE GLOBAL STAGE, AND NOT JUST THE MIDDLE EAST.”

French to Latin American cuisine. Traveling to Peru helped me a lot. It took a lot of adjusting and required a lot of understanding of ingredients and techniques. There’s no better way for me to appreciate and understand the food and culture than actually experiencing it myself.

How has your training in France helped you in your role as head chef at COYA Dubai?

The French kitchen is a very well structured and disciplined environment. My experience working at numerous restaurants and executing French cuisine have definitely influenced the way I run the kitchen and manage my team. My goal every day is to pass down that disciplined work ethic to my team and encourage everyone to get involved and work together effectively.

How has the transition from COYA Dubai to overseeing the brand’s culinary offerings across its Middle East locations inspired you as a chef?

The transition was challenging as I have always been very hands on in the kitchen. It required me to step back from daily operations in the kitchen. I’m very fortunate to have a team in all locations that I can trust and believe in and I’m thankful that I have their support also.

What are some of your favourite dishes at COYA? What about popular eats and bestsellers?

My favourite dish is the Pulpo Rostizado or Roasted octopus with potato, bottarga, botija olives, aji Amarillo. It’s our take on the Spanish dish Pulpo a la Gallega. The Arroz Nikkei or the Chilean sea bass with rice, lime, chilli has always been a firm favourite and bestseller at all COYA locations.

COYA is known for its fresh offerings; how do you choose ingredients and source them, ensuring that you get it right every single time?

Choosing the right supplier is an onerous yet vital process. It took a lot of communication and trial and error to build the relationship we have now with our suppliers, but it is key to sourcing the best produce locally and globally. The quality of our ingredients is paramount to our success.

What were some of the biggest challenges you have faced during the pandemic?

When regulators asked restaurants to close last year, we thought of how colleagues can support themselves and their families as well as how we can continue looking after each other and our guests. This is how we came up with ‘COYA 2 U’, our very own delivery and takeaway platform that brings their favorite signature dishes for them to enjoy at home. It was very tricky at first; to switch from in-house fine dining to packaging the same quality food for delivery was challenging. Adjusting to the timings of the execution of the food due to the delivery timings was new to us. It was a challenge, but something we are relishing and overcoming. We are learning everyday. But it’s comforting to see the orders still coming through and the positive feedback from our guests.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME WHAT’S COOKING?

FULL OF FLAVOUR MARGARITA VAAMONDE

Head chef at Masterchef, the TV Experience restaurant, Vaamonde believes in the power of culinary innovation. Here, she speaks to Hotel & Catering News Middle East about the latest at the venue, located in Millennium Place Marina.

What does food mean to you? What was your first memorable culinary experience?

To me, food is not just about nurturing somebody with what you do, but the ultimate expression of art. One of the key elements taught in art school is to look at contrast, texture, movement and in food; we have all those different elements to play with as well.

Professionally, my most memorable experience was meeting 3-star Michelin and “World’s Best Chef” recipient, Chef Pierre Gagnaire, for the first time during my time at Reflets.

What are your thoughts on diversity in the culinary industry? How do you feel you have contributed as a woman?

There is a limited number of women holding top positions, as executive or head chefs, and this is evident in the inclusion in regional culinary awards. I’m proud to be one of the few and dedicated to doing my part to make the industry more inclusive with an increased representation of female chefs, especially in regional media.

It’s great to see more and more women in the industry, especially those beginning their journey.

What’s your take on Dubai’s culinary scene?

Dubai is one of those places that are considered go-to destinations for amazing food and a variety of options. However, in my opinion, there is also an over saturation of certain trends. As it often happens, when a novel idea becomes successful, more people in the industry try to adapt it, thereby making it inauthentic.

When it comes to dining out, people are becoming more conscious of their spending habits and the expected experiences. Hence, they now opt for authentic meals and restaurants that have proven to be reliable.

How do you think Dubai dining differs from other experiences in Latin and North America?

Geographically, Dubai is the ultimate culinary destination. Its proximity to Europe, Africa and Asia, offers access to several cuisines and varying cooking methods. Restaurants have the privilege of taking advantage of this by being more creative and playful in the kitchen, with a variety of easily accessible ingredients and a multitude of ways to incorporate them.

In that sense, Dubai has a good advantage over North and South America. Although we do have amazing produce such as avocados and tropical fruits, these are also readily available in Dubai.

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Who are your female role models or sources of inspiration in the industry?

I would say, Dominique Crenn; she’s an amazingly talented 3-star Michelin chef who has paved the way for many women in the industry. Her culinary creations are so beautiful, equivalent to art pieces, and this makes her a huge source of inspiration.

I’m sure many female chefs in the industry will agree and share the same sentiment. The second is Carolina Bazán, the chef of Bistro Ambrosia, an amazing restaurant ranked as one of the top 50 best restaurants in the world. The type of food she makes, the fusions, the way she presents the food and herself – I find it very relatable.

What have your biggest achievements been, over the past six months?

The team and I have been super busy crafting an all-new menu and revamping our signature Mystery Box experience. As things are slowly returning to normal, we saw an opportunity to get people excited about dining out again and we’re excited for everyone to try them. We have put together a new menu, which I personally curated with original dishes and a few from past finalists.

HEAD CHEF AT MASTERCHEF | MARGARITA VAAMONDE

“Dubai is one of those places that are considered go-to destinations for amazing food and a variety of options.”

The Mystery Box, available daily, gives guests the opportunity to be adventurous and explore an array of exceptional dishes and flavours across a three, four or five-course menus. It’s such a unique concept, and you have to experience it!

What was your inspiration behind the MasterChef’s new menu? What’s your personal favourite dish and why?

A lot of the inspiration behind the new menu follows my own life experience and journey as a chef. I grew up in Venezuela, where I discovered my love of cooking and drew a big part of my inspiration from. Over the years in the industry, I have incorporated French, Asian and Middle Eastern flavours into my repertoire, which can clearly be seen in this new menu.

It’s difficult to pick a favourite, for obvious reasons, but I have to say, I love the Josper Grilled Pinsa. The dough is a mixture of flours, including rice and soy, making for a base that is lighter

than traditional pizzas but still packed with flavour. Topped with shallots, wild mushrooms, mozzarella, and truffle oil, it’s great as a shared dish or main.

What can guests expect from the new menu and revamped Mystery Box experience? How will this set MasterChef apart from the rest of the dining scene?

MasterChef is the perfect place in Dubai for guests to step outside of their comfort zone and try eclectic food, in an approachable way. We use familiar ingredients, in an unconventional way, ensuring we stay true to the brands ethos of ‘from the ordinary to extraordinary’ in order to create recognisable dishes with a MasterChef twist.

For example, our Caesar Salad contains Chorizo crumbs instead of bacon, and it’s topped with Katsobushi, or bonito flakes, which plays with the seafood element, anchovies, in an Asian way.

What would you consider to be your standout dish, which guests would not be able to get anywhere else in Dubai?

Our approach to Beef Picanha is unique, not just in the region, but internationally. Firstly, it’s a cut that is not often seen in restaurants globally, but is extremely popular in South America, especially in Brazilian cuisine where it is prepared churrasco style.

We serve ours steak with chimichurri sauce, using clarified butter, not olive oil, for a more intensely creamy, buttery taste which compliments the Picanha nicely.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME CHAIN FOCUS

Chain of the month

ACCOR A

ccor is one of the leading hotel operators across India, the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, with over 407 operating properties (88,554 keys) and another 222 (51,646 keys) in its development pipeline.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the group has adopted a proactive approach in providing solutions to ensure the safety and well-being of employees, guests and partners when visiting hotels.

One year ago, Accor launched the ALLSAFE programme, developed alongside Bureau Veritas, implementing the most stringent cleaning standards and operational procedures in the world of hospitality. To date, over 95% of the global portfolio has been ALLSAFE certified, including over 90% of the properties in India, the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.

Today, Accor continues to meet its goal of reassuring travellers as hotels reopen across the world. In line with the ALLSAFE initiative, the Accor Key concept has also been launched in 2021, to provide a contactless guest journey when

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staying at Accor properties globally, reassuring customers with a keyless door entry solution – where they will receive their room key virtually upon downloading a digital key app.

Also starting from April 2021, the ALL CONNECT partnership with Microsoft will commence; it will enable guests around the world to adapt to te new ways of working, which are expected to be an enduring legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic. As of today, 55% of Accor hotels with meeting rooms are already providing hybrid meetings solutions to their clients.

Ennismore Recently, Accor has announced a partnership with Ennismore to form the world’s leading lifestyle operator in the hospitality sector, focusing on one of the fastest growing segments of the industry.

The collaboration merges both group portfolios with brands such as The Hoxton, Gleneagles, Mondrian, SO/ and more, with over 73 properties currently operating and a further 179 projects in the pipeline.

ACCOR

Rixos Magawish

SLS-Infinity Pool

OPENINGS

Rixos Premium Suites & Villas Magawish, Egypt (opened March 2021) In Egypt, Accor has opened the all-exclusive – all-inclusive Rixos Premium Magawish Suites & Villas in Hurghada, on the Red Sea Coast. This luxurious 5-star property of over 255.000 sqm features first-class suites and villa facilities, meeting halls, vast food and beverage options, world-class leisure, sports, entertainment facilities, and a spa – making it a destination in itself.

The new Rixos has it all – 30 pristine pools, beach cabanas, an exclusive sports club, an in-house ranch, the Rixy Kids Club and the Anjana Spa with a Turkish Hammam.

SLS Dubai (Opening April 2021) Accor is introducing the first SLS-branded hotel in the region with the brand-new SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences.

This striking property is split between 254 rooms and 371 branded residences, designed by award-winning architect Aedas and interior designer Paul Bishop, making it a unique cabinet of curiosities that never ceases to delight.

Located in the Downtown district, the SLS hotel fea-

STD-BedRoom

tures an intimate address, with the promise of additional privacy and discretion. Guests can enjoy the two infinity pools situated atop of the 75-storey tower, offering a 360-degree aspect of Dubai, which is among the highest, not just in the city, but globally.

Banyan Tree Doha (Opening Q2 2021) Accor is also growing its portfolio in Qatar with the opening of Banyan Tree Doha, scheduled for Q2 in 2021. An elegant urban sanctuary in the vibrant city, the hotel has been designed by renowned interior designer Jacques Garcia.

Located in the heart of Mushaireb, within the Doha Oasis project, one of the most fascinating destinations in the city, Banyan Tree Doha offers direct access to a signature department store, an indoor experiential theme park and an exclusive cinema multiplex.

Raffles Udaipur (Opening Q2 2021) In India, Accor is opening its first ultra-luxury property with Raffles Udaipur; it will feature 101 rooms, a 1000 sqm Raffles Spa, a rooftop restaurant, a swimming pool, and sprawling gardens, as well as the famous Raffles Long and Writers Bars on a 21-acre private island amid Udai Sagar Lake. >>> HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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Also known as the “Venice of the East”, Udaipur is located in the western part of Rajasthan, which is famous for its rich cultural herniate, lakes, temples and luxurious palaces.

25hours Hotel Dubai (Opening Q3 2021) Another opening in Dubai is the 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central.

Guests visiting this property will find themselves immersed in a unique environment, where tradition meets modernity: weaving the tales of nomadic peoples into a creative and contemporary narrative.

Strategically situated directly adjacent to the Dubai World Centre in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) with a view of the Emirates Towers, the hotel will feature 434 rooms and suites with four different room styles over eight floors. Guests will also benefit from creative breakout areas with co-working spaces, a coffee area and a vinyl player, and a Walkman area.

Raffles Bahrain (Opening Q3 2021) Accor’s pipeline also counts the opening of Raffles Bahrain; the brand-new property will be positioned as the ultimate luxury retreat thanks to its facilities, complemented with the strategic location in proximity to major venues and attractions including the Bahrain International F1 Circuit, the new Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Centre, Al Areen Wildlife Reserve, Bahrain Sailing Club and the Lost Paradise of Dilmun Waterpark.

The property will feature 78 pool villas as well as the region’s largest spa and hydrotherapy facility and landscaping, inspired by Arabian palace gardens. These major enhancements will transform the property into an exclusive and opulent oasis which immerses guests in Raffles’ bespoke well-being experiences.

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Raffles Udaipur

ACCOR

25hours

Evolvin’ Women Accor has announcied its partnership with Evolvin’ Women, a social enterprise focused on improving the employability of women from developing countries and helping businesses in the Middle East and Africa achieve a greater level of diversity and inclusion through socially responsible initiatives.

Through this cooperation, the group is offering 25 placements across 21 hotels in the UAE to provide lifechanging opportunities for women from Rwanda who aspire to build a career in hospitality.

Participating hotels include Fairmont the Palm, Rixos Bab Al Bahr, Novotel Expo Centre, Grand Mercure & Ibis Styles Airport and Mövenpick Grand Plaza, in which the selected women will be placed into diverse open job opportunities such as Reservations, Food & Beverage and room divisions.

The opportunity will have a duration of two years, where the women will follow a training partially held online, complemented with a work placement in a UAE hotel where they will be familiarised with face-to-face career development training, receiving support from the hotel and group’s community mentors.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME EMIRATE FOCUS

RADISSON BLU HOTEL AJMAN

LEADING THE EMIRATE’S 5-STAR HOTEL

A

national of two countries, Australia and the UK, Francisco Giles was raised in southern England.

He studied in the UK and attended the hotel management school “Les Roches” in Switzerland.

Giles has worked on five continents for five international hospitality brands, and lived in the UAE for 27 years, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

His first job in hospitality was as a bellboy at the Grosvenor House in London UK. Meet Radisson Blu Ajman’s general manager:

Tell us more about your career milestones as a hotelier and why you have chosen to come to the UAE. Before joining Radisson Hotel Group, I held numerous positions as general manager in the UAE and led the Renaissance Dubai Hotel, Park Rotana Complex Abu Dhabi, Hilton Abu Dhabi and most recently, the Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh.

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I was awarded “General Manager of the Year” for Renaissance Hotels Worldwide, in 2007 and also was named “General Manager of the Year” in Hotelier Middle East Magazine that the same year.

I chose Radisson Hotel Group in the UAE because they are one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel groups, with fantastic brands.

“I chose Radisson Hotel Group in the UAE because it is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel groups, with fantastic brands.”

FRANCISCO GILES | RADISSON BLU, AJMAN

What’s unique about the Ajman property and how does the emirate differ in its hospitality offerings?

Radisson Blu Ajman is the only 5-star hotel in Ajman.

Located in the heart of the city in close proximity to all famous attractions, landmarks, sporting activities, the port and all major business functions, the hotel offers an oasis of calm and tranquility in the city centre with 148 rooms and suites, six restaurants, and modern recreational facilities.

Ajman is the smallest of the seven emirates of the UAE, combines a deeprooted heritage in the past, and has a present that strives to achieve a progressive and modern environment.

The culture of hospitality is given high importance as being a noble established quality leveraging the magnificent landmarks that attract tourists and visitors.

Ajman offers a pristine coastline, mangroves, luxurious hotels, marinas, shopping malls and other sporting activities like a golf course and watersport activities along the creek.

Why do guests return to Radisson Blu Ajman?

The one basic rule of thumb that we make sure we follow is ‘to stick to the basics and be consistent’. In this ever-changing environment and time, we make it a point to provide for a genuine ‘Yes I Can!’ service to all our guests. >>>

Radisson Blu Hotel Ajman

“Housekeeping and hygiene in current times have become among the most important factors for guests when booking their accommodation. ” HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME EMIRATE FOCUS

Filini Italian Restaurant

For this to be accomplished, we invest a lot in our team members who are at the frontline, creating memorable moments for our guests.

As much as we would all like to go digital, we emphasise human interactions in a safe way.

Another reason for our guests to return is the constant communication that we share with them prior to arriving to the hotel and post departure, taking notes of their pref-

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erences and picking up any points of action which we have been appreciated for.

Your world-class F&B offering is primarily health-focused; please tell us more about that.

The growing consciousness for health and wellness among guests has been driving rapid changes in the food and beverage sector, but it’s also key to understand that

healthy eating is not only about being in good physical condition, it is a lifestyle choice and an expression of their individual identity.

With that in mind, we ensure that most of our menus are health focused. At Larder, our all-day dining venue, we’re offering a healthy breakfast option as well as a healthy menu for lunch and dinner.

Plus, several solid options in our room service menu.

FRANCISCO GILES | RADISSON BLU, AJMAN

Once again, I would pin it down to team member awareness and training. We have successfully followed the Ajman Tourism and Radisson Hotel Group practices, in addition to being certified by external organisations such as SGS Plus, Bureau Veritas, Safehotels and HACCP for hygiene in the property after conducting various on-site inspections and audits.

Moreover, following that with our constant in-house Housekeeping and Rooms Division leadership.

We believe in giving the best quality food to our guests – making sure the whole process is carefully planned and followed, from gathering the highest quality fresh ingredients to the moment we serve the final dish to the guest.

Our well-trained team make sure all that the standards for quality, safety and hygiene are followed in preparing and delivering food to guests’ rooms.

What are some upcoming developments?

We’re constantly coming up with innovative ways and ideas to make sure we create an unforgettable visit for our guests, so there’s always something exciting on the horizon.

This year, we will be working on upgrading the unique experience at our rooftop shisha lounge, Mazaj Bar and shisha lounge, utilising its location overlooking the pool. We will also refurbish the private dining room at Filini Restaurant, our Italian eatery, with more greens, wooden shelves, and pictures and paintings to enhance the Italian atmosphere.

It’s not just adding a few soups and salads in our menus, it’s a process of research and strategizing to get it right.

How do you ensure the highest service standards for room food orders, and housekeeping?

Housekeeping and hygiene in current times have become one of the most important factors for guests when booking their accommodation.

Executive Room

“We will also refurbish the private dining room at Filini Restaurant, our Italian eatery.”

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME IN THE KITCHEN

MUHAMMET ORS

THE HEAD CHEF OF TURKISH RESTAURANT BABAJI CITY WALK SPEARHEADS A KITCHEN OF 25 TEAM MEMBERS

Tell us a bit more about yourself.

My hospitality career began back in my home country of Turkey in 2008 at Voyage Belek Select Hotel – Antalya, where I was appointed my first commis role.

From there, I worked across various Turkish outlets before moving to Europe and mastering menu curation and progressing authentic cooking techniques in Greece and Russia. I moved to Dubai in 2016 as a Sous Chef at Rixos The Palm Dubai. Here I oversaw the hotel’s main kitchen, A La Turca, and its operations.

In 2017, I was appointed head chef at the renowned authentic Turkish restaurant at City Walk, Babaji. Leading a kitchen and operations team of 25, we continue to offer the most authentic Turkish dining experience at Babaji.

Tell us about Babaji City Walk and your experience there?

As a renowned Turkish eatery, Babaji is authentic in both its style and tastes. Due to its ethos that focuses on the freshness and authenticity of all its dishes, Babaji

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has become a popular spot amongst residents and tourists alike.

With meat being an important part of Turkish cuisine, my role also expands to being the Head Butcher at Babaji, ensuring that we only serve quality meats, all marinated in-house. As part of delivering a traditional Turkish experience, we ensure that all our ingredients are as authentic as our dishes, using only specific products that deliver the most genuine Turkish taste.

Heading up a team of 25 people, I ensure that the brand ethos is apparent throughout the whole Babaji experience – from interiors, all the way to the food and service.

Tell us what diners can expect when visiting Babaji and the menu offerings?

Diners can expect unmatched authentic homegrown Turkish tastes with the freshest ingredients. Each dish is handmade with love and culture in mind, synonymous of the country it originates. Babaji delivers warm hospi

BABAJI CITY WALK | MUHAMMET ORS

tality and variety, which stays true to our roots and authenticity.

Famed dishes include stone ovenbaked pides, which come in different variations and cooked by our expert team who have over 15 years of experience individually; Turkish manti, which are handmade daily; and döner which is completely handcrafted at the restaurant, from the marination of the meat to the creation of sauces, giving it a signature taste that is popular amongst diners.

Much like the food on offer, the restaurant’s interiors are reminiscent of Turkish architecture. With traditional touches and visual references that are unique to Turkish culture, Babaji sets a great ambience for a catch up with friends over a cup of traditional Turkish coffee, or a weekend feast with the whole family. The expansive outdoor seating also allows for a great al fresco dining experience.

“Diners can expect unmatched authentic homegrown Turkish tastes with the freshest ingredients.”

Why you think Babaji stands out from the rest?

What sets Babaji apart is the quality of offerings and ingredients used – each dish is carefully sourced from the finest Turkish suppliers to ensure the most authentic and flavourful selection of menu choices.

Babaji uses locally sourced products in a bid to reduce overall carbon footprint – as part of a groupwide initiative across the Sarood Hospitality Group portfolio.

In addition to this, the kitchen is led by experts in the field with an extensive and impressive culinary career. The chefs individually have more than 15 years of craftmanship specialising in the signature Pide, Mantis and Döner amongst other Turkish specialties.”

Is there anything new and exciting diners can expect in the future?

We’re continually looking at introducing new dishes and offerings to our existing favourites, while keeping true to our authenticity and flavours and to enhance the popular Babaji experience. There are lots of exciting initiatives in the pipeline which are being carefully planned with the current situation and restrictions in mind.

The Turkish Bazaar collaboration with Butcha, which launched in City Walk towards the end of last year was a huge success – we’d love to continue incorporating similar initiatives in the near future to further promote Turkish cuisine and culture.

We also plan to introduce more mouth-watering Turkish food in tradition clay pot dishes, as well as plenty of plant-based options to ensure we also cater to vegan diners.

What are the current trends within the Turkish cuisine?

The use of bulgur wheat is also a significant trend within Turkish tastes and used in multiple ways, popular dishes such as Oruk and Kofte incorporate this grain to create some of the country’s tastiest dishes.

Not just a trend, but a lifestyle for many, veganism or the plant-based lifestyle has been in demand globally in the past years. With this in mind, we also aim to provide vegetarian and vegan renditions of Turkish dishes in our menu to welcome not just diners who practice a plant-based lifestyle, but everyone on every form of diet.

HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME OPINION

The Digitisation of Food Businesses IGOR NIKOLENKO THE CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF SUPPLYME, A NEW ONLINE B2B MARKETPLACE THAT CONNECTS LOCAL FOOD SUPPLIERS WITH RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, CAFÉS, SUPERMARKETS AND OTHER FOODSERVICE BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES, SHARES THE BENEFITS OF DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION FOR THE F&B SECTOR.

O

rganisations across the globe in various industries were already in the throes of digital transformation pre-pandemic, but Covid-19 accelerated the pace of transformation and pushed digital commerce front and centre for both B2B and B2C buyers, leaving businesses to embrace the e-commerce model like never before. It has been found that 56% of B2B customers shopped online for products they had never bought online before.

B2B e-commerce is challenging the authority of traditional sales channels. Market estimates indicate that the industry is forecasted to reach $1.8 trillion by 2023, accounting for 17% of all B2B sales in the US, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%.

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An activity which has been all about a meaningful personal interface for decades, such as procurement of food and beverage products by restaurants, hotels, cafés, caterers, supermarkets, and other foodservice businesses, suddenly jumped on procuring products online for the first time – as a survival tactic.

Estimates from Frost & Sullivan shared in 2020 forecast the B2B e-commerce market to hit more than $6.6 trillion worth of sales — significantly more than the estimated $3.2 trillion generated in the business-to-consumer market.

The shift in consumption and purchasing patterns witnessed in

2020 has led the B2B food industry to embark on its journey to embrace innovation, going paperless, and be more efficient. For business to survive and stay competitive in the ‘new normal’ and economic environment, it will require new strategies and practices. It’s imperative for businesses to consider competencies such as enterprise agility, cost management, workforce resiliency, innovation, or cashflow management as crucial factors for their business success.

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF SUPPLYME | IGOR NIKOLENKO

Customers of B2B industries have given a direct customer ultimatum to provide shopping experiences which are as seamless and convenient as B2C. One of the reasons for this shift in shopping preferences is due to the millennial generation taking over executive-level realms in companies. This generation served a wake-up call to all B2B businesses to get their customer experience management strategy in order, amplifying the importance of customer experience and demands for better digital experiences.

The most important aspects they are looking for are speed, flexibility and transparency. Customer-centric strategies once reserved only for B2C consumers are now fundamentally changing the complicated landscape of B2B relationships, too.

The preference of receiving personalised online experiences created new dynamics in an evolving market.

About 42% of millennials use real-time messaging and social media while at work. This means that, as B2B buyers, they favour omnichannel communication methods for quick and instantly gratifying information, giving them everything they need in the most streamlined manner possible.

Industry estimates suggest that online marketplaces will account for more than 50% of global online transactions; the reason be that they offer suppliers and customers a variety of benefits which are not available in the traditional business model, such as the ability to interact and engage with customers in real-time for suppliers and the choice to select from an assortment of products and services at an extremely competitive price, delivered in a timely manner.

The need for speed and efficiency In a recent McKinsey survey of 1,000 B2B decision-makers, lack of speed in interactions with their suppliers emerged as the number-one ‘pain point’, mentioned twice as often as price. Many B2B companies often take days to provide a quote, require customers to fill in complicated order forms (often on paper), and frequently leave customers in the dark about the status of their order.

The digitalisation of this process through online marketplaces helps customers get instant information through digital catalogues available on the platform, with competitive pricing. It allows for instant order confirmation and provides real-time updates on delivery of the products, thus enhancing customer experience.

The digitalisation of this process through online marketplaces helps customers get instant information through digital catalogues available on the platform, with competitive pricing. It allows for instant order confirmation and provides real-time updates on delivery of the products, thus enhancing customer experience. more efficient. Around 86% of respondents said they prefer using self-service tools for reordering, rather than talking to a sales representative.

The machine-learning feature in online marketplaces can help automate this task for the F&B industry, making reordering a simple and easy-to-do task, with a huge impact on positive customer satisfaction.

Smart invoicing Providing the convenience and top-notch experience that B2B buyers are looking for requires flipping the traditional way of thinking and doing business. Every step of the buying journey must be considered, from how customers research their products and evaluate options, to what tailored help and content they will need along the way, and finally to support post-purchase.

The manual process of invoicing is quite cumbersome and not suitable for businesses generating a high volume of invoices every day in the F&B industry. This challenge can be easily overcome when the purchases are made through an online platform that provides an e-invoice, which is identical to the traditional paper invoice and contains all of the key information such as customer invoice number, shipping or service address, goods sold, price, quantity, PO details, payment information, dates of the transaction, and supplier information.

Going digital in this aspect can make document retrieval and management simple, easy and accessible at any time through their preferred device, channel or the timing. This is definitely a key competitive advantage.

Reordering familiar products and services Efficient and error-free reordering is a major concern for customers sourcing raw materials in the F&B space. The McKinsey survey also stated that digital solutions loom large in executives’ thinking as a way to make routine tasks HOTELNEWSME.COM | APRIL 2021

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HCNME MARKETPLACE parts of the globe who help me learn more and understand the intricacies of manufacturing, art and essentially this business.

Another unique experience is interacting with suppliers and customers here, who are constantly amazed that I’m a woman and yet I’m in this type of business.

Happy Sips LAUNCHED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BAR-ENTHUSIAST FOUNDER URVASHI DESHPANDE DECIDED TO FOLLOW HER PASSION IN SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT BEVERAGE AND CREATED A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO, NOT ONLY ARRANGING THE IDEAL HOME BAR, BUT MUCH MORE THAN THAT. Tell us more about why you have decided to launch Bar-Enthusiast.

Having worked in different industries over the past decade in Dubai, I realised and learnt from many of the leaders that you should get into a business that you are passionate about, which led me to the idea of launching a boutique brand which offered unique pieces of glassware, accessories and games that add a lot of fun to house parties.

You couldn’t find good quality unique pieces in bar accessories and glassware in UAE, which seemed odd, and yet it was an opportunity for a brand like Bar-Enthusiast. I strongly feel like there are many people out there who are enthusiasts and love having a bar at home that they can be proud of.

What are some of the most exciting, unique aspects of your business?

The most unique aspect, and the one that I enjoy the most, is certainly my buying responsibilities. I spend few hours everyday exploring different kinds of unique products from all over the world to see what would make a good fit in this market.

Understanding competition for those products, pricing and uniqueness, along with other logistic details, is something which has been the highlight of this venture. I have learnt so much and, each day, I work with partners from all

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How has the pandemic helped demand?

We have seen our social lives evolve with this pandemic and that certainly has been a factor which influenced demand for Bar-Enthusiast. I started the business last year, in October, which was just about after lockdown restrictions were being relaxed.

I believe it was the perfect time for friends and families to come together for house get-togethers in smaller groups, after months of only virtual meetups. This certainly had an impact on categories like glassware and games, with more of us opting for house parties than going out to a restaurant/club.

Since celebrations came back into everyone’s lives, I saw a lot of gifting purchases. Wine accessories, malt-nosing glasses, mixology tools, etc. These make for a perfect gift from Bar-Enthusiast because I ship every single product in custom-made, unique packaging with a proper gift box with ribbons and personal notes.

What’s in the pipeline?

I have some very exciting projects going on. We’re looking at partnering with some of the biggest brand names in the market for bubbly drinks and are exploring avenues of creating a unique collection of products.

I’m also exploring a collection that focuses on upcycling glass bottles to create unique accessories and pieces of art.

I also want to broaden my geographic reach and cater to markets across the GCC.

“Another unique experience is interacting with suppliers and customers here, who are constantly amazed that I’m a woman and yet I’m in this type of business.”

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