Express Food and Hospitality (Vol.1 No.5) August, 2019

EDITOR’S NOTE

Sustainable soldiers

T

he sweltering heat wave that swept through much of Europe last month is now wreaking havoc on the Greenland ice sheet. Glaciers are melting, raising sea levels. Climate change has long been discussed but a concrete plan is yet to be in place.

That is why Param Kannampilly's efforts to give India her own eco sensitive hotel brand ten years ago is highly commendable. That's also the reason why they are on our cover. India needs more such brands that keep environment as their core philosophy.

A salute to another torchbearer, VG Siddhartha, who brought coffee into our lives and taught us that a lot can happen over coffee.

His untimely demise has left the industry shocked.

With the food industry progressing in India, homegrown and international modern trade brands in the country have delivered a double

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY NATIONALFOOD,HOSPITALITY& BEVERAGE SALES WEST Datta K +91 9821580849 | datta.kandalkar@indianexpress.com

NORTH Prabhas Jha +91 9899707440 | prabhas.jha@expressindia.com

SOUTH Sreejith Radhakrishnan +91 88675 74257 | sreejith.radhakrishnan@expressindia.com

Sanjay Kumar +91 9711099079 | sanjay.kumar@expressindia.com

OPERATION AND SALES Satish Dange +91 9821876620 | satish.dange@indianexpress.com

Satish Dange +91 9821876620 | satish.dange@indianexpress.com

EAST Debnarayan Dutta +919051150480 | debnarayan.dutta@expressindia.com

Ziyad Tungekar +91 9820512718 | ziyad.tungekar@expressindia.com

Ajanta Sen Gupta +919831182580 | Email: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com

Venkatesh Subramaniam +91 9892512644 | venkatesh.subramaniam@expressindia.com

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“Climate change has long been discussed but a concrete plan is yet to be in place.

That is why Param Kannampilly's efforts to give India her own eco sensitive hotel brand ten years ago is highly commendable”

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August 2019

digit growth in the yesteryears. Tanit Chearavanont of Lots Wholesale Solutions decodes how the HoReCa industry has carved a niche on the retail map.

Hotel rebranding within the brand portfolio was quite evident abroad, but India has also been home to it of late to believe the recent headlines of a landmark five star hotel in Powai, Mumbai being upgraded to a premium brand, in a phased manner. Praful Gupta from Writer Relocations points out how hoteliers can notch the renovation process without impinging on their guest's comfort level.

However, renovations produce massive rubble and free-flowing dust particles thus polluting the atmospheric air. Industry experts share their views on how the Indian hospitality industry strives to provide its visitors with peerless indoor air quality.

FOR PARTNERSHIPS,TIE-UPS,SPECIAL EVENTS Anishi Khetan +91 9930915221 | anishi.khetan@indianexpress.com

STEENA JOY Editor Express Food & Hospitality editor.efh@gmail.com

Important: Whilst care is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,it is not possible to verify its contents.

Global Fairs & Media Pvt Ltd cannot be held responsible for such contents,nor for any loss or damages incurred as a result of transactions with companies,associations or individuals advertising in its newspapers or publications.We therefore recommend that readers make necessary inquiries before sending any monies or entering into any agreements with advertisers or otherwise acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever.

CONTENTS CHEF'S PLATTER Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Sr. Vice President Neil Viegas Asst. Vice President Harit Mohanty Editor

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Steena Joy* Correspondent

CELEBRATING INDIAN FLAVOURS WITH CALIFORNIAN TAJNESS

Akshay Nayak DESIGN

IN FOCUS

Assistant Art Director Pravin Temble Chief Designer Prasad Tate

Heritage hotels Preserving the legacy

Senior Designer Rekha Bisht Graphics Designer Gauri Deorukhkar Senior Artist Ratilal Ladani Photo Editor Sandeep Patil DIGITAL TEAM Head of Internet

Globallyrecognised for its rich historical and cultural past,India has over a staggering 30 World Heritage Sites designated by UNESCO.She is also home to some of the world’s most incredible heritage hotels which were formerlypalaces or opulent residences of erstwhile Indian royalty.As India celebrates her 73rd Independence Day,we take a peep into some heritage hotels which resonate the immemorial rich culture of a bygone era.

(28-34)

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HORECA INDUSTRY CARVING A NICHE ON THE RETAIL MAP

Viraj Mehta SCHEDULING & COORDINATION Arvind Mane

P22: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

MARKETING / SALES

The Fern Residency Bharatpur, Nepal

Ziyad Tungekar Dattaram Kandalkar Satish Dange Venkatesh Subramaniam Sanjay Kumar Sreejith Radhakrishnan

P24: PRODUCT TRACKER

CIRCULATION Mohan Varadakar PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis

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SIHRA AIMS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP

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SPRINGFIT TO INTRODUCE INDIA'S FIRST PERFORMANCE BOOSTING SMART MATTRESS 'I SLEEP'

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VITS KAMATS GROUP EYES THAILAND, NEPAL AND BHUTAN FOR EXPANSION OF BUSINESS HOTELS

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FNS INTERNATIONAL RECEIVES HIGH DEMAND FOR PREMIUM TABLEWARE FROM FINE DINING SPACE IN INDIA

Display cabinets with anti-mist system by Elanpro

P51: MOVEMENTS Zone by THE Park

PARTNERSHIPS, TIE-UPS Anishi Khetan

MARKETS

P58: WEEKEND Scene and heard by Marcellus Baptista

Express Food & Hospitality® Printed and Published by Vaidehi Thakar on behalf of Global Fairs & Media Pvt Ltd and Printed at The Indian Express Press, Plot No.EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai-400710 and Published at Express Towers, 1st floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021. Editor: Steena Joy* (Editorial & Administrative Offices: Express Towers, 1st floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021)

Production Co-ordinator Dhananjay Nidre

* Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act. Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner, electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited.

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August 2019

MARKET

SIHRA aims to increase membership Steena Joy Bengaluru THE SOUTH India Hotel & Restaurant Association (SIHRA) is working on increasing its membership. In an exclusive interview, Syama Raju, President, SIHRA said, “South India consists of the states of Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, and Kerala. So SIHRA represents hoteliers in all these states.

Presently, we have 1200 members but our target is to reach 2000 members. We have a good response from all states

for membership.Tamil Nadu has the largest membership.”

Commenting on the industry, Raju said, “The industry is generally doing well with an average 60 to 70 per cent business. This is better than last year. Tourism is improving now especially eco tourism and wildlife lodges like Kabini, JLR etc are doing well. As Bengaluru is an IT hub, everyone wants to go out of the city in the weekends. New destinations like Halebidu are opening up. The government is fully supportive of the industry infrastructure and connectivity has improved greatly.

Presently, we have 1200 members but our target is to reach 2000 members. We have a good response from all states for membership Syama Raju

Earlier there were no flights to north Karnataka, but now there are flights to Hubli, Belgaum, Bellary. Under UDAN scheme, an airport is also coming up in Bijapur. Now that the Kannur airport is operational, that is also a gateway to Bengaluru.”

Speaking about the room inventory in the city he said, “A lot of inventory is coming in all segments. All the brands are present here. Earlier the hotel inventory was only concentrated in the city, now it has spread to Whitefield, Marathahalli, Airport Road, etc.”

FHRAI clarifies stance on banana row,says hotel conduct was not illegal EF&H Staff Mumbai IN THE LIGHT of a recent incident concerning a guest being billed Rs 442 for two bananas at a five-star hotel, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has clarified that the hotel has not conducted any illegal practice. It also reiterated that charging 18 per cent GST was a legal requirement incumbent upon the hotel.

Regardign the row, Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, VP, FHRAI, clarified, “Chain hotels have presence across several cities and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). We need to understand that the hotel is not engaged in the sale and purchase of fruits and vegetables but it provides service of accommodation as well as restaurant service which include supply of food and beverages to its guests. Unlike a retail store where bananas can be purchased at market price, a hotel

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offers service, quality, plate, cutlery, accompaniment, sanitized fruit, ambience and luxury and not the commodity alone. A coffee available at ten rupees at a roadside stall could be served at Rs 250 in a luxury hotel.”

FHRAI also clarified that the hotel has done the right thing by charging 18 per cent GST on F&B served in the hotel premises. GST laws are not optional, but are to be charged to the customer and passed on to the government as per provisions of the law. It further stated that the rate for supply of services including goods by a restaurant is nine per cent CGST and nine per cent UT GST. It stated that the hotel has correctly charged the Goods & Service Tax (GST) on the bill which was legally payable by the customer.

“Food served within the premises of a hotel with a declared tariff for accommodation of Rs 7500 per day and above is chargeable under Ser-

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FHRAI clarified that the hotel has done the right thing by charging 18 per cent GST on F&B served in the hotel premises. GST laws are not optional, but are to be charged to the customer and passed on to the government as per provisions of the law Gurbaxish Singh Kohli

vices Accounting Code 9963 at the rate of 9 per cent CGST and 9 per cent UT GST. So, while bananas, or other unpacked fruits, are outside purview of GST at a retail store, when served in a restaurant or hotel, whether as a fruit platter or a whole fruit, as per existing GST laws a levy of 18 per cent is applicable. This is what the laws demand of us, and we don’t

have a say in the matter,” said, Pradeep Shetty, Jt honorary secretary, FHRAI. However, the apex hospitality body has issued an advisory to its members on ways to handle such situations where a guest may have ordered eatables, including fruits from outside the menu.

“Our immediate concern is conflict resolution and for such

a situation to not repeat. We do not wish for guests to experience a situation like this and are deliberating on possible measures that hotels could take. We will advise our members to sensitise the staff on the subject and will advise precautionary measures to avoid such happenings in the future,” concluded D V S Somaraju, hon treasurer, FHRAI.

MARKET

VITS Kamats Group eyes Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan for expansion of business hotels Akshay Nayak Mumbai VITS KAMATS GROUP setup and launched in 2006 is a chain of business hotels that provides seamless accommodation and other services with a key focus on the tier-II and III cities in India. Speaking about the hotel brand's success, Vikram Kamat, founder chairman, VITS Kamats Group, said, “The Indian hospitality market has been good for us. We have been growing. There is great potential in the tier-II and III markets for the supply of branded hotel chains because the markets have been underserved.”

The company prides itself on providing F&B experiences

across both, its restaurants and hotels for which it recently unveiled three new restaurant brands – Pepper Fry, Urban Dhaba, and Wah Malvan. Giving details of each brand, Kamat informed, “Primarily when it comes to the restaurant space in India, we are looking at aggressive expansion under our legacy brand Kamats and also new brands including Pepper Fry, Urban Dhaba, Wah Malvan, taking the total count of our restaurants to 250. Pepper Fry caters to a vegetarian audience with global cuisines right from Indian to European delicacies. Urban Dhaba strives to give the 'Dhaba' experience to urbanites as they want to experience the Dhaba ambience with authentic Pun-

Vikram Kamat

jabi food. Wah Malvan aims to provide with the coastal Maharashtrian Malvani cuisine which receives a big captive audience

too. Initially, the brand will be focussing on Maharashtra. We have more than 50 entrepreneurs who have been partner franchisers of Kamats brand and are looking at newer brands on offer from us too.”

Speaking about VITS hotels' success in the tier-II and III markets, Kamat said, “In the tier-II and III cities, a majority of them are not having a supply of over 150 rooms in 3-star and above categories. So, suddenly to open a 100 key hotel impacts the overall market. One has to be cautious, for which having the right mix of room supply and F&B comes into play. Mostly in such markets, the players focus more on the rooms segment than the F&B when it comes to four-star

plus category. We try to optimise on this aspect by keeping the room supply-F&B mix right, depending on the demand seen in each market which is subject to change from the other.”

VITS Hotels has an inventory of 905 rooms across 14 hotels majorly in the western India market i.e. Maharashtra and Gujarat. The brand paved its way into the international market with the opening of VITS Patong Dynasty. “We are also in talks with key people to set up a new hotel each in Phuket and Bangkok. Furthermore, we are receiving inquiries from Nepal and Bhutan which we will also be looking at,” noted Kamat about the company's future roadmap.

Dabur India to develop new range of healthy preservative-free juices Akshay Nayak New Delhi BUILDING on a legacy of quality and experience of over 133 years, Dabur today is recognised as a globally leading Ayurvedic and natural health care company.

Dabur India one of India’s leading FMCG companies with revenues of over Rs 7,680 crore & market capitalisation of over Rs 48,800 crore has a significant presence in the HoReCa segment of the country with its range of juices under ‘Real’ brand.

The company already has the Real Activ range of sugar-free juices but is also focussing on introducing a range of preservative-free natural juices range with medicinal properties such as Amla, Aloe Vera juices, etc., among others. “With the booming wellness retreats and resorts in India, we are looking at intro-

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ducing this new range of healthy juices across these properties.

Sugar-free juices are more popular and are trending with the increasing awareness of wellness by the well-travelled Indians now,” informed Amitabh Singh, general manager, modern trade & enterprise business, Dabur India.

Speaking about the initial challenges and opportunities faced by Dabur India while introducing a new innovative product like Real juice in tetra packs, Singh said that the challenge that they faced in both the retail and institutional markets space, was the education about the advantages of juices packed in tetra packs. “There were misconceptions such as poor quality of packaging, lesser shelf life, etc.

However, with continuous reinforcement of information about the advantages such as microbefree packaging, higher amount of

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Amitabh Singh

nutritional value retention as compared to canned juices, etc., we at Dabur India have been successful to educate the hospitality industry and our direct customers through the B2C channels about the various benefits of consuming tetra packs

packaged juices,” he added.

In terms of new innovation, the company is focussing on developing a new range of food grade aseptic PET bottle for its range of juices. It will be used for both retail as well as institutional businesses. “We are also working on a new range of juices with fruit pieces in it, to add to the natural experience of the product. There are many other innovations and a range of new products that are under multiple stages of development,” expressed Singh.

Dabur India also has a wide range of other stock keeping units (SKUs) which are serviced to the HoReCa segment in the country including its latest Capsico Red Pepper Sauce.

“We are speaking to a lot of casual dining restaurants as well as QSRs for the distribution of Capsico in the hospitality sector. We are quite successful

with the product in the retail space for its high quality and cost-effectiveness as compared to other international brands of sauces in the markets,” said Singh.

HoReCa sector contributes Rs 250 cr of the total business of Dabur India. We witnessed a Y-O-Y growth of 20 per cent in terms of value and have increased by 15-16 per cent in terms of volume,” Singh said.

We do participate in multiple food and hospitality exhibitions and also partner for awards functions being organised by the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA), as chefs play a very crucial role as the key influencers in promoting the diversity of Indian cuisines to the world, concluded Singh about their B2B tie-ups to further thrust their presence in the institutional markets.

MARKET

Springfit to introduce India's first performance boosting smart mattress 'I Sleep' Akshay Nayak New Delhi SPRINGFIT Mattresses and Sleep Systems, a leading bedding solutions provider in India with presence in leading indigenous and international hotel chains in the country like – Taj, JW Marriott, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Radisson Blu, Ramada International Hotels & Resorts, Lemon Tree Hotels, and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, among others – has recently introduced their new product under the moniker – I Sleep. The performance boosting mattress, Springfit claims to be first in the world, is a mattress integrated with SSD technology, a science based sleep diagnostic system.

Decoding the numerous features of the I Sleep mattress, Nipun Gupta, executive director, Springfit Matresses & Sleep Systems informed, “The sensors imbeded between the layers of the mattress, track, record,

analyse and dislay sleep performance and physical responses through the I-Sleep app.

The I Sleep also features heart rate, breathing rate and moving activity monitors, heart rate variability, sleep reports, a smart sleep alarm, sleeping music and sleep quality management. Our unique sleep cell motion adjustment technology provides pressure releasing comfort by tracking, monitoring and supporting each body movement. Designed with 40 million hours of sleep data, these innovative sleep cells gather and anaylse data while you sleep to provide you with better solutions on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis.

The premium mattress also features a layer of latex for pressure relief and comfort. The natural latex foam is exceptionally durable, breathable, and bouyant, with an open-cell structure for better temperature regulation. The top layer of the I Sleep mattress is crafted with Space X Zero Gravity fabric, the

Nipun Gupta

most advanced fabric that we have ever made. Our unique Thermo Gel Foam provides cooling from all six sides of the mattress. The visco elastic material can lower your body temperature upto four degrees keeping you cool and fresh. The product will be launched in the properties of our hospitality client – IHG. With the launch of I Sleep mattress, we are adding the experiential element to the bedding solutions in hotels in India.”

Talking about the USP of Springfit Mattresses and Sleep Systems, Gupta said that for the hospitality industry, they cater to the individual demand of the clients and provide them with tailor-made bedding solutions.

“Each hotel company has its own specifications for mattresses, like Marriott has its own, while IHG has a slightly different need, so we provide customised products to the clients depending on their needs,” he added. With the rising demand coming from the widespread hospitality industry from across the length and breadth of India, Gupta said that it is the reason that they are now setting up multiple factories across key locations in the country to help service their clients better and also to ensure time-bound deliveries. “Our fourth factory is coming up in Indore with which our service level will also improve,” he added.

Speaking about the key markets from where Springfit re-

ceives demand for its wide range of bedding solutions, Gupta said, “We are seeing a healthy demand from the tier-II and III cities in the country. Since metros in the country have saturated with over supply, we are not seeing a lot of demand from these markets. We receive good demand from Nashik, Nagpur, Indore. In tier-III cities we are receiving major demand for our products.”

Noting the share of institutional business especially the hospitality industry accounting for Springfit's business, Gupta said that almost 50 per cent of their business is driven by solutions provided to the hospitality industry in the country, while the other half is driven by sales in the retail market. Speaking about the future roadmap, Gupta expressed, “We have started exporting our products now. We are already having our regional offices in Dubai, Australia and are trying to expand in other regions globally too.”

Four Points by Sheraton,Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Centre unveils beach shuttle service for city excursions EF&H Staff Mumbai FOUR POINTS by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Centre has introudced “Four Points Mahabs Express” - a shuttle service to discover the true beauty of Mahabalipuram exclusively for the in-house guests.

Located on the East Coast Road (ECR), the hotel is close to the seaside and historical monuments of the town, the Four Points is now on 4 wheels that connects four exotic and historical places of Mahabalipuram capturing four fun elements such as good food, water rides and

shopping experiences. Mahabalipuram is a go to destination for people who visit Chennai as it is known for its marvelous ancient architectural temples, caves, beach and the city in itself.

The vibrant and comfortable shuttle service starts at 9:30am from Four Points Mahabalipu-

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ram in the morning and covers places like - The Five Rathas which is the rock-cut temples shaped in different styles; The Shore Temple that overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal; Krishna’s Butter Ball - a huge boulder near the Ganesha Ratha is popularly known as Krishna's

butterball. The fourth and people’s favourite destination, Polaris, an adventurous ATV sports center that has off-road track and fun filled boat rides, catamaran rides and jet ski in the sea.

The beach shuttle service from Four Points by Sheraton promises to offer their guests a rich cultural and historical experience that enhances overall stay at the hotel.

Speaking about the launch of the beach shuttle service, Ranju Alex, market VP, South India & Sri Lanka, Marriott International said, “Our new initiative, the Beach Shuttle is a unique service offered exclusively to our in-house-guests at Four Points by

Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort. We at Marriott International always strive to introduce innovative experiential initiatives to our guests and this offering by one of our leading properties in Chennai will not only allow our guests to enjoy the stay but also to explore the heritage places around the property.” Girish Krishnan, hotel manager at the hotel said, “We are excited to introduce our first shuttle service for our guests staying with us. In order to make it more exclusive and experiential, our team at concierge is prepared to give our guests an experience of lifetime on the “Mahabs Express”.

MARKET

Weave Craft provides complete furniture and rooftop solutions for an outdoor setup Akshay Nayak New Delhi REPROTECH International, established in the early nineties, is a manufacturer exporter of wrought iron garden gazebos, stainless steel water features and Victorian lights (copper, brass, aluminium, and steel).

The company extended its product line by adding, manufacturing of outdoor synthetic rattan garden furniture under the brand name of Weave Craft. The range of furniture under Weave Craft includes chairs, dining sets, sofas, loungers, etc and is made of powder-coated aluminium frame, purely hand rafted by synthetic rattan which

is being exported to England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Voicing the current scenario of outdoor furniture segment in India, Rahul Jain, proprietor, Weave Craft, said, “As compared to 12 years ago when there were two or three players in the market, the number of players in this segment now has risen to 30-40 players including the small ones.

The outdoor furniture industry is a low capital intensive one and with the entry of new unorganised players, the industry has further diluted. The industry is a labour oriented industry. If you don't grow by 20 per cent year on year, you will anyway find it difficult to survive in the indus-

Rahul Jain

try. The only way to survive today in the industry is by providing impeccable after-sales services. If you promise a delivery date and provide with warranty

on a product, you need to deliver the services even after the sale of the product. Selling is easy, it is always the serviceability that makes a difference. About three months ago, we sold furniture to Goldfinch hotels in Bengaluru.

Out of the 40 chairs delivered, one got damaged during transportation. I sent a representative from here in New Delhi to Bengaluru to repair the chair which took him just 30 minutes. That is the kind of services that we offer on our products.”

Speaking about the brand's USP, Jain said, “Over the last five to six years we have been looking to include products that cannot be copied easily. For this, about four years ago, we partnered

with a 42-year-old Turkish company, Suntech which is a globally leading player in automated retractable rooftop systems. We are their whole and sole distributor in India. It worked very well with us because we provide both, quality furniture and best-inclass roofing solutions required for an outdoor set up of a restaurant, cafe, hotel, etc. Hence, it gives us an upper hand in the competition set.”

“Looking at the trend in the hospitality industry, we are seeing great demand from the owner-driven hotels investing in better quality stuff for their hotels and resorts, than that witnessed in the 4-star and above categories,” he added.

Elanpro pioneers new-age technology in commercial refrigeration segment in India Akshay Nayak New Delhi ELANPRO (Elan Professional Appliances), a young organisation established by professionals having a cumulative experience of 70 years, is a brand focusing extensively on commercial refrigeration. Noting views about the commercial refrigeration segment in the country, Sanjay Jain, VP, Elan Professional Appliances, said that the segment has been growing at a quick pace year on year.

Noting the pathbreaking technologies brought to the commercial refrigeration segment in India, Jain informed, “In terms of innovation, we can divide them into three segments - one being the technological development in terms of environmentfriendly products – wherein the entire industry is scheduled to move away from R-134A or R404A to R290 or R600. We

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were the first ones in this segment to introduce R290 in 201213 when we introduced products for the brand Pepsi. However, India has been slow to adapt to this technology because of its services related challenges. Looking at the other innovations, basic improvement in technology has been introduced to bring down the utility costs and to improve on the aesthetics appeal aspect.

So far, India was struggling with the locally manufactured equipment, from which we are now upgrading to international standards. If you look at the confectionery showcase, there was static cooling which was very unpleasant back then wherein you could see ice lying around the food and also unhygienic conditions maintained. Now we have started moving to frost-free technology with front-heated glass to ensure that there is zero condensation to give better visibility aesthetics.”

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Sanjay Jain

This technology has been existing globally, but in India, it is something new, so Elanpro prides itself to have it introduced as one of the pioneers here in the Indian market, he added.

About the demand for commercial refrigerators in the hospitality industry, Jain pointed out that delivery platforms and

cloud kitchens have been booming in India due to which, on the sidelines of hot food delivery, people want their beverages to be cold on delivery too. “To address this we have introduced products which can be mounted onto a two-wheeler and can run on a battery or a solar panel. We have recently also introduced a bigger module which can be mounted on an erickshaw that can cover 80 kms at once. So these are the things that we addressed to considering the challenges of infrastructure that we have in the country,” he said.

Elanpro has 250 service partners across the country to handle and address the customer's complaints and rectify it well in time. “We also have the largest amount of spares with a life span of 10 years in the commercial refrigeration segment,” Jain informed.

About the demand from ris-

ing markets in the country, Jain feels that eating out and online food orders, especially among the millennials who are a majority in India, has become very regular now than occasionally earlier. “Delivery formats are taking shape; most of the restaurants reporting almost 30 per cent of their business coming from food deliveries.

This is majorly the focus area and we are already working with the key cloud kitchens and also trying to develop products that will meet their requirements. Tier-II cities are quickly picking, as we are receiving high demand for commercial refrigerators from Nagpur, Surat, etc., among others.

“This year we saw a growth of 36 per cent as compared to the last year. We are also very much profit-oriented. In terms of the bottom line and cash flow we will be in the top three in the country,” concluded Jain.

MARKET

FNS International receives high demand for premium tableware from fine dining space in India Akshay Nayak New Delhi FOUNDED in 2005, FNS International has been one of the pioneers to introduce exquisite designs in tableware at an affordable price point not only in the retail segment but also significantly in the vast HoReCa segment of India, informed Adish Jain, managing director, FNS International. He said the brand gained increasing popularity because the segment back then was highly unorganised with local vendors taking over a majority of the market.

Hence the demand for quality tableware was always there, however, the supply lacked the quality, Jain said.

“The company has grown by leaps and bounds over the

years with an initial focus on the retail space but with an increasing presence in the market, we started receiving inquiries from leading hotels and restaurants too in 2008.

But, as immediate feedback, we learned that that the designs didn’t match their standards and hence suggested us to design the range of cutlery as per their requirements. After continuous research and development of a range of designer and premium quality tableware, we started servicing the hospitality industry at a scalable level from 2013,” said Jain talking about the company’s entry into the hospitality space.

With a lot of competition sensed due to other hotel supplies brands, Jain said that they provide two-fold assur-

Adish Jain

ance to their clients, one being the unique design and second their after-sales services. The company already supplies to leading chains of hotels in the country like Hyatt, Crowne

Plaza, ITC Hotels, etc., among others. “We sense a lot of demand coming from the fine dining space in the country because the Indian guests being well-travelled now strive experiences, and nothing seconds the experience that presentation of the food has,” he expressed while voicing about the demand seen for premium cutlery in the HoReCa sector in the country.

FNS International also has the Montavo range which comprises range of chafing dishes that are claimed by the company to be highly price-effective and of international quality.

When queried about the growth of the company, Jain replied that FNS International has grown by 30 per cent in volume and 10 per

cent in value as compared to the last year. “FNS International leads the institutional tableware market in the country with 50 per cent of the total market supply being driven by the company,” he added.

About the future roadmap, Jain said, “FNS International is growing at a very fast rate.

We already have tapped the international market and are seeing growth in those markets too. We are having a strong presence in the West Asian market, Nepal, Bhutan and also the African belt, where the demand is high but supply still doesn’t match the requirement. We will keep up with our vision to provide our customers with quality designer cutlery at affordable prices.”

Conta Group offers over 2000 SKUs of hygiene products Akshay Nayak New Delhi CONTA GROUP established in 1981 has been serving the hospitality industry, corporate, institutions and facility management companies with innovative hygiene products. “We are pioneers in this trade & have more than 2000 SKUs of various cleaning, hygiene, and housekeeping products,” said Mahender Gupta, MD, Conta Group.

The company’s key focus right since its inception has been the hotel industry which was quite prominent back then and had the disposable capital to be spent on hygiene maintenance products. “Back then in the 1980s, hygiene products

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sector was highly unorganised and also not a wide range of products were available in the market. With years passing and the introduction of newer products in the market brought in from abroad, the industry in India slowly started adapting to the use of the products.

Looking at the trend, we started making our range of indigenous hygiene products which meet international standards of quality,” informed Gupta about the hygiene products scenario in the country.

“Ours is a brand which doesn't just promote cleaning but educate and provide our customers with turn-key solutions for maintaining hygiene. We have been the channel partners

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Mahender Gupta

of several known overseas brands in India. We educate the people of the hospitality industry about the international

products and their features,” mentioned Gupta about the initiative the company takes to keep the industry updated about the international trends of hygiene maintenance.

Voicing the company’s success over the years, Gupta added, “Our products portfolio is better in quality than the imported ones. Looking at our success in the India market, US' leading hygiene brand Rubbermaid made us their channel partner for distribution in India. Rubbermaid products are used all across India in wellknown restaurant & QSR brands such as Cafe Coffee Day, McDonald's, etc., because of the durability and food-grade quality offered in their products for

multi-purpose use.”

Gupta said the company is investing in green houskeeing solutions. “Considering the environment which is majorly impacted negatively due to excessive usage of strong harmful chemicals and since hotels are also water guzzlers, we introduced eco-friendly spray soap, which uses less water to be washed off the hands. Furthermore, we have a range of green chemicals to check on the impact caused by traditional cleaning agents otherwise. Under the Rubbermaid brand we have a range of 20 types in soap category, each catering to different clientele, be it multiplexes, hotels, restaurants or also hospitals,” he informed.

MARKET

Hyatt Regency Pune in association with Spiritual Luxury Living hosts whisky pairing event

EF&H Staff Mumbai HYATT REGENCY Pune in association with Spiritual Luxury Living recently hosted ‘Fingerprint’ - a rare experiential whisky pairing event with some of the finest peated blended and single malt scotch whiskies, paired with luscious cuisine which highlights the unique characteristics of whisky along with engaging conversations.

The evening showcased the award winning Highland Single Malt Scotch, The Ardmore Legacy and Teacher’s Golden Thistle Aged 12 Years, a unique blended scotch whisky with an Islay Cask finish, which is inspired by the national flower of Scotland. The event was also graced by the presence of prominent faces of the city like Chahat & Rashmi Dalal, Irisha Poonawala, Abhishek Kulkarni, Aniruddha Patil, Diviya Agarwal, Chanda Patil and many more.

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MARKET

‘IN BENGALURU IT'S NOTJUSTTHE BRAND,ITIS THE LOCATION THATIS THE ADR DRIVER FOR HOTELS' Built in the early 80s, ITC Windsor Bengaluru offers a rich glimpse into the city’s past and recreates the colonial ambience of the British Raj era. In an exclusive interview, Manas Krishnamoorthy, GM, ITC Windsor speaks about the Bengaluru hospitality market, what drives the ARRs and why he believes the hotel will appeal to all demographics of travellers. By Steena Joy How do you see Bengaluru as a hospitality market?

Bengaluru is a very exciting and predictable market.

At the beginning itself, we are able to predict the business and occupancies we will end up with. So it helps us plan the month fairly decently. As a market Bengaluru is no longer one city.

Here there are sub cities or micromarkets that are creating their own demand and there is enough supply to deal with this. A little bit of imbalance in ORR, Sarjapur, Electronic City and that side of the city which has much larger demand than there is supply currently. Traditional central city hotels or the CBD area hotels are fighting for a share of the same pie which is not really growing in line with the demand because there is growth in the other micro markets. The CBD district is not growing dramatically also because the cost of retail and office space is higher than on the fringes.

But the micro markets act as feeder markets for the CBD hotels. Again, for every luxury hotel that exists in the market, there are five business hotels and 10 midscale hotels. So there is enough for everybody. Supply of rooms in the city is coming in pretty recently, every year there is at least 300-500 rooms of the Class A hotels coming into the flow- last year it was the Conrad, this year it is Renaissance and Four Seasons.

Next year it is the 600 roomHilton complex and the new Leela. There are Tier 2

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As a market Bengaluru is no longer one city. Here there are sub cities or micromarkets that are creating their own demand and there is enough supply to deal with it Manas Krishnamoorthy

brands which are definitely flourishing and that's a great place for Bengaluru because the kind of companies operating here mostly see mid to senior level management movement. The CEO level movement which our category attracts is stagnant, not that much to justify the entry or sustainability of luxury hotels.

Overall it is a great market to be in. It is driven by business which every GM in the city will swear by.

The challenge of the Bengaluru market is not quality accommodation. It is the presence of so much traffic on the streets that is really the demotivator rather than anything else.

What about the ARRs? ARRs are really a function of your brand and your location. In our competition set, we are mostly always the ARR leaders but there are some hotels that do dramati-

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

August 2019

cally better than us. Even our own hotel ITC Gardenia does about 25 per cent higher ADR than what we do, owing again to its location. Similarly, JW Marriott, the Leela, the Oberoi owing to their locations, are able to drive a different kind of an ADR. People are willing to pay a thousand or two thousand rupees more if they are able to commute more easily and save time. That is really the driver. In Bengaluru it's not just the brand, it is the location that is the ADR driver for hotels.

The USP of ITC Windsor?

ITC Windsor is very Victorian inspired. This hotel is almost 40 years old. It is a very experiential hotel. We continue to be landmark hotel. ITC as a company has a philosophy of building landmark hotels. We spend a lot more on construction, design and architecture. This story started with ITC Windsor.

The Windsor bridge outside the hotel is a historic land-

mark of the Raj era. Our hotel draws architectural inspiration from that era. Everybody knows this hotel.

Almost everyone affluent in this city got married in this hotel and now their kids are doing the same. It is a very joyful hotel. An ode to the Raj. Will the hotel appeal to the millennial traveller?

The millennial traveller seeks unique experiences.

You can't find a unique nature of this kind in any other hotel. It is also the balance of what you offer at the hotel.

Our food is at par with the best restaurants in the city.

All our signature brands Dakshin, Royal Afghan, Dum Pukht, Dublin – are here within this hotel. I don't think any other hotel in our group has all these signature restaurants within one hotel.

We drive a great balance across all demographics. The hotel appeals to the more adventurous, the experience seeking millennial.

Is attrition a major challenge?

From a cultural perspective, we are very up there in managing our human resources. Whatever we do in this hotel is a reflection of the company's HR philosophy of 'people first', a philosophy that goes across all our diverse businesses. Attrition is a problem, yes but it is much lesser than in other hotel companies. We also have an advantage that the asset owner, our parent company, ITC, also manages and operates the hotel as opposed to managed hotels of international chains which are driven towards profitability. At no point are we obligated to dilute or compromise on any parameters whether it is food, uniforms, lead time, etc. Having said that, younger recruits want culturally new experiences so however good a working environment we provide, they want to move. There are cultural, monthly sports progammes and team events for employee engagement.

We also encourage employees to attend training workshops and seminars on premises or off premises to add value to themselves and adding value to our organisation.

Your management mantra?

Take care of the people, enjoy what you are doing, have fun and make sure that your people have fun. Then everything else follows - the guest experiences, revenues, profitability.

MARKET

Sweetener India introduces zero-calorie sugar-substitute in spray format, eyes to tap HoReCa industry Akshay Nayak New Delhi JJD Enterprises, popularly known as Sweetener India, a leading homegrown single-window sweetener brand since the year 2009 is exclusive and only partner in India associated with the world’s largest sweetener companies like JK Sucralose Inc., Hyet Sweet France, Aoxing Stevia, etc., for raw material and technical support. The company, in a first in the Indian market, introduced zero-calorie spray sweetener as a sugar substitute which comes in pocket-friendly packs ideal for travellers.

Ganesh Singh, CEO, JJD Enterprises, said, “Our motto has always been to educate and provide the Indian customers

with a healthy alternative to sugar, looking at the alarming levels of adverse effects due to over-consumption of sugar.

Speaking about the USP and vision for Sugar Freedom, Singh said, "We promote our Sugar Freedom spray as a wellbeing product and not otherwise as a medicinal product to be available only in pharmacy stores. We educate the modern-day people to cut out excessive use of sugar and use the product as an alternative, and hence make our products available through the retail channel including modern trade formats among others.”

Voicing about the product's success in the market, Singh exclaimed that it has garnered an overwhelming response

Ganesh singh

from the market with over four lakh bottles sold since its launch about six months back.

He further added that the hospitality industry is also actively looking at the product and they

have already received inquiries from Taj Hotels and other hospitality brands too. "Taj Hotels has already asked for customised bottles with their logo to be placed at a designated position on the bottle. The bottles will be made available with other in-room amenities," he said.

The company is keen to further thrust its presence across the HoReCa industry in India.

About the future roadmap of the company and the product, Singh said they are looking at more B2B tie-ups to make the products available through trade channels. "We are also devising other promotional activities not just to popularise the product, but to educate Indians to follow a healthier lifestyle by cutting out exces-

sive intake of sugar. We are making several engaging educational videos for the same to further drive the cause," he added.

The product is versatile and doesn't restrict to be used for select applications only, which was the case earlier with tablets and powders of sugar substitutes. "You can carry the product conveniently in a pocket, purse or laptop bag without worrying spillage or clutter. It can be used in coffee, tea, lassi, kheer, dahi, and many more food items, with the same taste of sugar but without the guilt of calories," Singh concluded.

Sweetener India claims 74 per cent market share for sucralose and other sweeteners in India.

Amanora The Fern,Pune initiates Water Matters campaign EF&H Staff Mumbai THE WORLD'S second-most populous country is running out of water. About 100 mn people across India are on the front lines of a nationwide water crisis. According to a study by the government think tank NITI Aayog, 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by next year, including the capital New Delhi and the information technology hub of Bengaluru. Two hundred thousand Indians die every year due to lack of safe water supply, the report said.

Speaking about the shortage of water in India and Amanora The Fern, Pune's effort to help water conservation, Amit Kumar Sharma, GM of the hotel, said,

18

“Water shortage in India has reached critical level. Now is the time to take the issue seriously for our future & future generation. In urban areas we don’t face this problem on a large scale, but if you look at the rural areas nearby, you will notice the importance of water. At Amanora The Fern, we took the pledge to do our bit to overcome this crisis.

For which we would be educating our staff & all our guests along with the nearby residents in various societies about ways to conserve water. Also, at the hotel, we have a rain water harvesting system in place; practice natural plantation in the property's premises; have installed aerators equipped sensor taps in every washroom to save water. Interestingly we serve half glass wa-

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

August 2019

ter in restaurant; and we have also installed a drum, in which remaning bottle water is collected & used for other purposes. We also place a 'Save our Planet' card in the room so if a guest puts the same on linen, we don’t

wash the linen to save water.”

“Considering the situation, we think that is our responsibility to use water wisely. Every individual should think twice before wasting water. We know our efforts won’t change the situation,

but it’s just the start. Hence, we would appeal to every citizen of Pune and India at large to do their bit, because every little thing counts. And yes, water does matter,” concluded Sharma.

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advertisement are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement.

MARKET

Vezlay Foods introduces range of Soya-based foods with non-veg texture in India Akshay Nayak New Delhi WITH A VISION to provide nutritious, healthy and scrumptious vegetarian foods and as a key alternative to various meats, Vezlay Foods introduced a range of ready-to-cook foods based on Soya. Noting the high consumption of Soya and Soya based products in India, Amit Bajaj, director, Vezlay Foods informed, “We are one of the first organisations to introduce soya foods with non-vegetarian texture. A range of our innovative products is first in India.”

Vezlay Foods offers over 35 stock keeping units (SKUs) in-

cluding Soya Seekh Kabab, Shami Kabab, Nugget, Soya Chop, Soya Leg Pieces, Soya Noodles (Gluten-Free), Soya Vegget TVP (Gluten-Free), Soya Chikka, etc. “We are getting a healthy response from our customers. Our USP lies in the product’s unique taste and texture which is highly appreciated by vegans, vegetarians and also non-vegetarians. Our range of foods contain proteins, rich dietary fibre, are a good source of calcium, and are low in cholesterol levels,” added Bajaj.

The company also provides institutional packs of its range of products in the formats of 1kg, 2kg and 10kg respectively to

Amit Bajaj

cater to the HoReCa industry in the country. “Considering the needs of each brand set to particular specifications of food, we

also cater with tailor-made products as requested by the head chefs of hotels and institutional kitchens. Our distribution is strong in both the retail and the institutional markets pan-India for we are the premier brand to have such wide range of Soya based frozen and non-frozen products,” expressed Bajaj about the market for Vezlay Foods.

The company also has recently introduced Soya Shawarma which has gained high demand from some of the QSR brands in the country, asserted Bajaj. “With the introduction of such innovative products we are not only tapping the vast

Indian market but are also looking to expand to newer international markets including West Asia and the African belt. We have already been exporting our products to the USA, UK and Canada. Our main objective is to provide the customers with a healthier option and an indifferentiable non-veg texture while also keeping the products cost-effective,” concluded Bajaj.

Vezlay Foods services to leading hospitality brands including ITC Hotels, Taj Hotels, Holiday Inn, Country Inn & Suites, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Blu Resorts, Ambassador Hotel and Mayfair Hotels & Resorts, among others.

Rans Technocrats to launch a new range of deck pizza ovens, eyes expansion in HoReCa industry in Tier-II & III cities Akshay Nayak New Delhi RANS TECHNOCRATS is a leading manufacturer and importer of the commercial kitchen, catering, bakery, foodservice equipment established in 1996. The company’s USP has been to provide total turnkey solutions to the hospitality industry including hotels, cafes, industrial canteens, QSRs, multiplexes, etc. The company has a separate fully dedicated team for installation, testing, and commissioning.

Speaking about the demand for commercial kitchen equipment solutions in the hospitality industry, Nitin Kumar, chief executive, Rans Technocrats, said that, they are receiving significant demands from the Tier-II and III cities of the country as there is more development happening there, following the saturation of metro markets. “The

clients now are more quality conscious, as many international hospitality brands are making their way in these markets and are tying up with international brands for quality products being used for their services. Also, the end customers have now become very quality-conscious,” he noted.

Decoding the company’s USP, he said, “We have been providing quality products which are value for money. We have over 25 service representatives in multiple cities, who take care of the after-sales related queries. The parts, which we use in fabrication of equipment, are of reputed make such as Burner of United Works, Motors of Crompton Greeves, Heating Elements of Telelec/ Theeta, Compressors of Kirloskar Copeland, etc. As all these parts are from reputed make the availability & replacement

20 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

Nitin Kumar

can be done on short notice.”

The company has its sales office in Mumbai too. West and South markets are handled by Mumbai office while the North and East are looked after by Delhi office, shared Kumar.

“Earlier we were just having a prominent presence in hotels,

but with the time passing, we entered other verticals too, like in multiplexes, from Guwahati to Chennai, we are servicing brands like PVR, Cinepolis and Inox with our range of products. We have grown in volume very well. With the boom in Indian economy some time back, a lot of homegrown restaurateurs and café brands witnessed the internationally available products and have found similar quality standards in our products which has further thrust our growth,” he said about the company’s success.

Rans Technocrats is channel partner for multiple international brands wherein they provide complete turnkey solutions to their clients using the products. “We do not just sell the products but take into account the product’s installation and setup too. We also look into the design factor of a project while installation of

the international products, for which we are coordinating with project consultants and architects,” he said.

Highlighting the new products to be introduced by the brand, Kumar noted, “We are planning to launch a range of deck pizza ovens, and other innovative products too which are in the pipeline. However, the major challenge that India still faces is the lack of homegrown spare parts availability.

Only the European and Chinese markets are providing with quality spares as of now.”

The company is also looking to expand its manufacturing facilities. “We are now entering the mechanisation of a lot of fabrication things. We have already installed a lot of CNC machines too. We have CNC bending and CNC punching, to further enhance the quality to meet international standards of quality,” he concluded.

MARKET

Pune Gas provides turnkey LPG infrastructure installation solutions to hospitality sector EF&H Staff Mumbai PUNE GAS, a 30 year old company has made an impact towards creating LPG infrastructure for industries, the hospitality sector and residential projects by way of providing state-of-the-art installations, quality equip-

ment and unmatched customer service for which the company has received recommendations and citations from major oil companies.

Projects are undertaken on a turnkey basis, to provide expert guidance right from planning, manufacturing and commissioning – according to the client's specific require-

ments. The company has also exported equipment related to gas systems to various

global destinations.

Pune Gas was the Gas Solutions partner for the 37th

edition of Express Food & Hospitality held in Bengaluru this year.

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August 2019

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The Fern Residency Bharatpur, Nepal

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he Fern Hotels & Resorts, India's leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain has opened its second property under The Fern Residency brand in Nepal. The Fern Residency, Bharatpur is a 48-room hotel offering contemporary accommodations, a finely-designed multi-cuisine

Aloft Kathmandu Thamel

restaurant, rooftop poolside bar offering pan Asian food, state-of-art banquet halls and a swimming pool. Winter Green Rooms offer both King and Twin bed options. The hotel is located just 0.5 kms away from the Bharatpur Airport and 0.7 kms from Pokhara Bus Park.

A

loft Hotels, a part of Marriott International, opened Aloft Kathmandu Thamel in July, 2019. The hotel would be managed by Shanti Hospitality Management Services (SHMS), India’s leading hospitality management company. As the first Aloft in Nepal, Aloft Kathmandu Thamel, joins the family of 161 Alofts operating across 20 countries and territories around the world. The hotel, scheduled to launch in the next month would have 167 keys and one full-fledged fine dining restaurant along with a 24x7 all day dining restaurant. Located just six kilometres away from the Kathmandu international airport, it is situated in the heart of the city.

Karma Apsara, Koh Samui

K

arma Group has returned to Thailand’s Koh Samui with the opening of Karma Apsara, a tranquil oasis located on the pristine coconut grove slopes of the fabled holiday island. Located on an elevated slope in Mae Nam along Koh Samui’s north coast, Karma Ap-

Kathmandu Marriott Hotel

sara brings together 32 spacious one and twobedroom residences offering both garden and ocean views. Karma Apsara is located just five minutes from Mae Nam Beach with its white sand and palm trees, while Koh Samui airport is just 15 minutes away.

K

athmandu Marriott Hotel has just opened in the historic capital city of Nepal, marking the debut of Marriott International’s flagship brand in the country. Upon entering the hotel, guests will see thoughtful touches paying tribute to the country. A 500 kg Nepalese praying bell hangs from the ceiling while local paintings and crafts adorn the walls. The patterned carpets mimic the detailed weaving seen in the Dhaka Topi, a brimless cap that is part of the traditional Nepalese national dress. The 214 well-appointed rooms reflect streamlined Marriott Modern design complemented with premium elegance and intuitive technology.

22 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

31/32,The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat

K

olkata now has its highest rooftop lounge, 31/32 at The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat. 31/32, built at the 31st and 32nd level of the hotel offers an expansive view of the skyline of the City of Joy. This new rooftop lounge can accommodate 170 guests, and offers scrumptious F&B. On the 31st level, the lounge

niu&nau

seating is white, low and sculptural. A red VIP area offers close encounters with a more retro ambience. The 32nd floor starts with a sculptural staircase that leads up to the roof terrace. A feature wall with 3D effects creates the backdrop for a portable bar and a drink rail along the glass railing.

Café Pride and Tangerine Lounge Bar

P

ride Hotel Nagpur has unveiled Café Pride and Tangerine Lounge Bar. Café Pride, the all-day dining café, features an exquisite blend of a traditional and international menu with a casual atmosphere on offer. The cafe has exciting breakfast buffets and impressive lighting to set the mood right. It also has a see-through kitchen which represents a multi-cultural cooking theatre. Tangerine Lounge Bar houses lavishly-designed interior and

Oriental-accent crystal chandelier. This unique bar offers

top-notch ambience and an exclusive spread of liquors.

T

he Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has launched its new salon brand, niu&nau. The unisex salons will present a reimagined experience with distinctive design and cuttingedge treatments delivered by professional stylists and therapists.

Housed at Taj Lands End, Mumbai, the first niu&nau opened on July 19, 2019. With a niche sense of style, niu&nau brings a full regimen of services spanning hair, beauty and skincare. The creative layout of the salon boasts of private treatment rooms and a gentleman’s barbering section. Outfitted with the most modern equipment, niu&nau emphasises the use of eco-friendly and chemical-free products. Unique to niu&nau at Taj Lands End, Mumbai are the pedicure stations with expansive views of the Arabian Sea.

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August 2019

PRODUCT TRACKER MARKET

Display cabinets with anti-mist system by Elanpro

Millet flour by Nature's Super Foods

ELANPRO, India’s leading commercial refrigeration company, has introduced display cabinet in its product portfolio. The product is equipped with a new anti-mist and LED lighting system that enhances display and lowers electricity consumption.

Equipped with specialised compressor technology, the new range by Elanpro keeps the temperature ideal between 2 to 12 degree Celcius. The product is an ideal solution for bakeries, patisseries, restaurants, cafeterias, coffee shops, hotels, retail units, dairy and ice cream outlets.

AASHIRVAAD, India’s leading staples brands, has launched a new range comprising Gluten Free Flour, Ragi Flour and Multi Millet Mix Flour under the umbrella of Aashirvaad Nature’s Super Foods.

With consumers moving towards health-foods, superfoods have emerged as one of the fastest growing nutri-cereals in the staples market. This new range will be available across leading metros including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Single cabinet wine cellar by Haier Haier, a leading company in home appliances & consumer electronics has introduced its new classic wine cellar- JC87A which boasts of a state-of-the-art design for preservation and aging of wines in elegant, well-designed cabinets. The newly introduced wine cellar has a capacity to store up to 25 bottles giving varied options to store the whites and reds each at a time with different temperature control modes.

24 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

SkyLine PremiumS ovens range by Electrolux Electrolux has launched the SkyLine PremiumS ovens range, born from the company’s 40 years of experience in engineering and developing highperformance, super intuitive and efficient combi ovens. Efficiency, unmatched usability and uncompromising, truly replicable performance resulting in high food quality, reduced running costs and a comfortable working environment are the key benefits of the range of ovens.

SPOTLIGHT - EXCLUSIVE

‘SITTING BACKAND WAITING FOR CHANGE IS NOTTHE SOLUTION.WE GOTTO GO OUT AND DRIVE THE CHANGE’ India’s first eco sensitive hotel brand, The Fern Hotels & Resorts has completed 10 years. In an exclusive father and son interview, Param Kannampilly, the ‘father’ of sustainable hospitality in India and Suhail Kannampilly speak about what was the inspiration behind the brand, how it carved a sustainable niche for itself and the roadmap ahead. By Steena Joy How has the 10 year journey been for The Fern?

Param K: It has been an exciting journey there’s no doubt about that. But it had its share of problems too. The first brand we had was Gracia , we launched it, but then found that someone else had the same brand. Then we were searching for a name and we thought of Fern – no one else had used it and Fern was very appropriate because it is very environment friendly. Besides according to history, fern was the first plant that appeared on Earth and the first plant that will die if pollution increases. So we chose that as our brand name.

The journey has been interesting because asset owners really trusted us. We are a homegrown brand and the Mishras who owned the Jaipur property, our first Fern hotel, were kind enough. Even though they had many people who wanted the hotel, but the Mishras went with the Fern. Then came the Ahmedabad hotel, Delhi, Gir and later Meluha in Mumbai.

When Suhail finished his edu-

cation, he joined the business and it has been smooth sailing ever since.

The millennial traveller has different needs and demands.

How has The Fern adapted to the new age hotel guest?

Suhail K: The age group of clientele between 25 to 40 years is the bulk of travellers. In terms of what a millennial guest wants, one of things that really is the highlight is regional, local and to an extent glocal. And Fern represents that to a large extent. We have a lot of environmental friendly initiatives which we do at our hotel and this echoes well with the eco conscious millennial travellers

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August 2019

SPOTLIGHT - EXCLUSIVE and that’s one of the key drawing points attracting them to the brand.

Technology wise what we try to do, is keep it still personal.

We have not gotten to a stage where the entire system is driven by technology. That said, we are soon launching a new brand called Zinc, which will be completely targeted at the millennial traveller. And it will be heavily technology oriented and will have a casual feel. We are opening a 200-room property under this brand in Whitefield Bengaluru hopefully by November this year.

What was the reason behind starting an eco sensitive hotel brand?

Param K: It was the market.

I didn’t know much of environment, I studied that later. We never wanted to be a single hotel at all. We wanted to be a brand which expanded and which had many more hotels attached to it. When you look at it, the market was only in three places at that time – hospitality belonged to Taj group, professionalism to the Oberoi group and cuisine was ITC group. We could only have been a me-too brand and many hotel chains have taken this path. So we created the fourth pillar that was environment and focused on it and opened it so all our industry people could see it, understand the benefits of it and start adapting to it. That was the inspiration behind The Fern.

What are the challenges of growing a homegrown brand vs an international brand?

Param K: It is difficult because you are competing with people who have more years of experience than we do. But the interesting part of the indigenous brand is that owners check with other Indian owners. Are you comfortable with these people? have they delivered what they promised you?

Are they respecting your company’s philosophy? Here we score much higher than international chains.

Suhail K: Also, we have international travel movement of around 15 million while domestic travel is over 550 million

26 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

people. And these domestic travellers still recognise something regional, they need the touch and feel which is regional, they need someone who can understand what they are. So in this aspect, we are a step above international brands.

Suhail, who is your role model? What advice will you give the next gen hoteliers?

Suhail K: My father is of course one of my role models.

His patience and human relations are one of the key factors that has been the driving force of the group so far. What I can tell the gen-next is what we lack is patience. That’s something we have to imbibe from the older generation. We want everything in the ‘Now’ and at times that doesn’t happen. We got to live with it. We have to work on how it can happen. Sitting back and waiting for change is not the solution. We got to go out and drive the change.

Miles to go before I hang up my boots. Param, what more do you want to do for the brand?

One of things that is missing is trained manpower for hire.

At some stage, before I hang up my boots, we must start a training college. We are on the lookout for it.

Apart from the training institute, what is the future roadmap for The Fern?

Suhail K: We set out with a target to reach a 100 hotels as a company by 2020. When we set that target, we were only six hotels. Currently we operate 67 hotels in India across the various brands that the company has, Fern being one of them. We are on course to reach about 97 hotels by 2020. The next step is to now consolidate the brand, make it stronger, ensure that our customer loyalty part is focused well, working on enhancing their experiences in the hotel. We are looking at expanding within the Indian subcontinent right now – we have started off with Nepal and have three hotels there. Post that we are also looking at Sri Lanka and later south east Asia as well.

COVER STORY

Heritage hotels Preserving the legacy Globally recognised for its rich historical and cultural past, India has over a staggering 30 World Heritage Sites designated by UNESCO. She is also home to some of the world’s most incredible heritage hotels which were formerly palaces or opulent residences of erstwhile Indian royalty. As India celebrates her 73rd Independence Day, we take a peep into some heritage hotels which resonate the immemorial rich culture of a bygone era. By Akshay Nayak

28 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

the main focus

TAJ FALAKNUMAPALACE,HYDERABAD B

uilt in 1894, it is the former palace of the Nizam, rumoured to be the richest man in the world at one time.

Overlooking the twinkling City of Pearls, this enchanting palace exudes romance and grandeur that take one back to when the Nizam ruled Hyderabad. From the moment you arrive at Taj Falaknuma Palace in a horsedrawn carriage, the palace’s butlers treat you like royalty.

Walk the walk of kings through

the Grand Staircase to retrace the steps of Nizams, European royalty, enchanting Begums and distinguished heads of state.

The five-star luxury hotel, spread over 32 acres, allows you to journey to the gilded ages, where opulence and excess is celebrated and savoured in equal measure. The 60 rooms and suites are beautifully refurbished and lovingly restored by Her Highness Princess Esra, the Nizam’s Turkish wife. Each

provides marvellous views of the palace courtyard and the 400-year-old city of Hyderabad.

Go on a sumptuous, gastronomic ride at our Indian finedining restaurant, Adaa, and savour multi-cuisine specialities at Celeste. Enjoy breakfast at Celeste & Gol Bungalow and and afternoon tea on the Jade Terrace or private dinners at South East Garden & Jade Terrace or a unique dining experience at Gol Bungalow. The stun-

ning Durbar Hall, Jade Room and massive 101-seater dining hall bedecked with Belgian chandeliers, and assorted gardens and terraces lend royal decadence to celebratory events and elegance to business meetings. The tours to art, culture and shopping destinations, as well as to spectacular landmarks like the Charminar, Mecca Masjid, Golconda Fort, Chowmahalla Palace and the famous Ramoji Film City.

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UMAID BHAWAN PALACE,JODHPUR uilt between 1928 and 1943, Umaid Bhawan Palace is an ideal piece of Rajasthan’s heritage, and an icon of new Jodhpur. Home of the erstwhile Jodhpur royal family and currently the world’s sixth-largest private residence, Umaid Bhawan Palace has one thing in common with the iconic Taj Mahal at Agra — the palm court marble used in its construction. Located on Chittar Hill, Umaid Bhawan Palace overlooks the historical Blue City, vast sand dunes, and the Mehrangarh Fort. The palace is just a 20-minute-drive from the airport, and is in close proximity of shopping areas and the Balsamand and Kalyana lakes.

The property houses a family museum and the magnificent Umaid Bhawan Palace. Spread across 26 acres of lush gardens, with dancing peacocks and a subterranean Zodiac Pool, the

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luxury five-star Taj heritage hotel offers 70 Art Deco-style rooms and suites. The F&B offerings at Risala are the authentic Rajasthani and Indian cuisine. You can also have an array of European and Mediterranean delicacies at Pillars, set in a lovely colonnaded veranda. Unwind at the Trophy Bar with its unique hunting-themed décor and vast selection of alcoholic beverages and cigars.

THE LALITGREATEASTERN KOLKATA T he legendary hotel traces its inception to 1840, when an Englishman, David Wilson decided to open a hotel – The Auckland Hotel, named after the-then Governor General, Lord Auckland. It was the first luxury hotel of Asia and in 1883 became the first hotel to get electricity supply. It remained the favourite haunt of royalty and celebrities like Mahatma Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II, Rudyard Kipling and Mark Twain, who referred to it as the “Jewel of the East”. Asia’s first luxury hotel had the distinction of being the longest continuously operating hotel (165 years) till 2005. “Carrying forward our legacy and maintaining The Lalit standards, we proudly say, ‘The name has changed not the tradition of hospitality’,” remarked Jagdeep Nambiar, GM, The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata.

Speaking about how the age-old heritage is still preserved at the hotel, Nambiar said, “The Lalit Suri Hospital-

“The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group takes great pride in Indian culture and preservation of its heritage” JAGDEEP NAMBIAR GM, The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata

ity Group takes great pride in Indian culture and preservation of its heritage. It is precisely for this reason the heritage of this hotel is reflected across various elements that are reminiscence of yesteryears. The rooms are showcasing styles of three different eras of history – Victorian, Edwardian and Contemporary. The century old Grand Piano restored to its original glory is

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part of the main lobby and more than a century old oven is the main attraction of The Bakery. The restoration of this iconic hotel has been a labour of love and extremely rewarding for the Group. We organise a “Heritage Walk” where we take the guests on a tour of the property sharing the journey from Auckland Hotel to Great Eastern Hotel to The Lalit Great Eastern. The Lalit

Great Eastern Kolkata is a feather in our cap with its rich history and heritage. We proudly showcase this to the world through all our communications and messages. We would like more and more guests to come and be part of this history by staying with us in Asia’s first luxury hotel. A part of our property, called as Victorian Block, is still under renovation, which will show-

case, some architectural splendors in terms of Victorian Suites and Executive Suites.

We would also be adding Maxims The Bar, Baluchi – our pan Indian destination, and Kitty Su, our award winning nightclub. With all these additions we would be able to amalgamate the heritage and culture with modern flavours to make the Kolkata and India as a popular tourist destination.”

COVER STORY

NEEMRANAFORTPALACE B

uilt since 1464, Neemrana Fort-Palace, once a tragic ruin – is now splendidly restored and revitalised to be better than before.

“Sprawling across 10 green hectares/25 acres, it has India’s first thrilling zip-line. The palace is stepped over 14 levels with rooms and suites, conference halls, hanging gardens, private courts and balconies. The two outdoor pools (one for adults only) with a rejuvenating Spa and health club are great options to unwind at, away from the daily hustle and bustle of the city. An intimate play area for toddlers, and an outdoor one too and the adjacent Neemrana farm, are great additions which were specifically added to cater to the requirements of our clientele so that our young guests have additional activities and guests can consume healthy organic food too. This year the restored ruin of Neemrana is 555 years old and it gives guests the rare op-

“The Neemrana team continuously works on enhancing the experience including visits to India's first exhilarating zipline facility, among others” SONAVI KAICKER CEO, Neemrana Hotels

portunity to stay within medieval walls and experience period interiors, traditional and international cuisine, and enjoy some of the best cultural entertainment India has to offer.

Neemrana Fort-Palace also hosted the finalists of the Miss India contest earlier this year.

Who would have thought that what was once a dilapidated ruin would host the 30 Miss India Finalists in 2019,” informed Sonavi Kaicker, CEO, Neemrana Hotels about the historic timeline of the palatial hotel.

The Neemrana team continuously works on enhancing the

experience. “These include visits to the local potter and the first exhilarating zipline facility in India which gives adventure lovers a chance to enjoy the Aravalli ranges which are the oldest fold mountains of the world, dating back 2 billion years. Neemrana Fort-

Palace has also evolved into a cultural hub that promotes Indian classical dance and music and many renowned danseuses perform on Saturdays from October till April which is a very unique experience for our guests from across the world,” she added.

WELCOMHERITAGE FERRNHILLS ROYALE PALACE,OOTY B

uilt in 1844 by Capt F Cotton, WelcomHeritage Ferrnhills Royale Palace was the summer Palace of the Mysore Maharajas. It was temporarily named Moonesami and was one of Ooty's earliest club hotels. In 1873 Ferrnhills found a new royal owner. His Highness Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, the first Indian Royal to buy an English holding in Ooty. Since then Ferrnhills Royale Palace has been with the Wadiyar dynasty and today it is successfully run in the able hands of Her Highness Promoda Devi. The heritage hotel is surrounded by over 50 acres of estate with sprawling lawns, beautiful gardens, dense forests with scenic views. The Palace is finished with Burmese teak, features a ballroom and an ornamental papiermache

ceiling. The hotel boasts of 19 Regal Suites with bedrooms, sitting rooms, dressing rooms, spacious bathrooms with Jacuzzi and a multi cuisine dining area. The excursions nearby include Botanical Gardens, Ooty Lake, Dodabetta Peak, Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Kotagiri village, and Kalhatty Waterfalls.

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WELCOMHOTELTHE SAVOY,MUSSOORIE A n elegant and historic hotel that was opened

by Cecil D. Lincoln, an Irish barrister, in 1902. Built in English architecture style, the hotel is an ideal mix of oldworld charm and new-age conveniences. With a regal history of more than a hundred years, the hotel has been delighting famous dignitaries and royalties from India and abroad with its luxurious services. As a summer resort in the days of the Raj, The Savoy at Mussoorie had few equals. More than a hundred years later, it still is.

Today, as a Welcomhotel, it stands in all its glory, ready to turn the clock back in time for the connoisseur of fine living.

Located 34 km from Dehradun at an altitude of 2500 m above sea level in the beautiful Gharwal Hills, Mussoorie is one of

the most frequently visited hill stations in India as it provides the perfect getaway to those who want relief from the hot, sultry conditions of the plains, especially since it is close enough to the capital to make just a weekend trip. The hotel is located at the Library end of the Mall Road at Gandhi Chowk, around 32 km from Dehradun Railway Station and 55 km from Jolly Grant Airport.

THE IMPERIAL,NEWDELHI A

gleaming heritage emerging from India’s golden chapters with a legendary past on bespoke hospitality, loved by kings and queens. The Imperial New Delhi continues to be a shining star on India’s luxury map. Built and run by S.B.S. Ranjit Singh, son of R.B.S. Narain Singh, it was conceptualised in 1934 by Blomfield and inaugurated by Lord Willingdon in 1936. A fine confluence of a rich historical past and a slick international appeal, the hotel is witness to India’s freedom. “The Imperial has been home to the royalties, India’s political leaders and many other eminent personalities and is one of the oldest luxury hotels of Asia, the design of which was on the blue print of Lutyen’s Delhi. Lady Willingdon gave the hotel its name and even conferred the lion insignia upon the hotel. It was the first amongst the legendary “Four Maidens of the East”, which some say included The Strand hotel in Rangoon, Raffles Hotel in Singapore and the Great Eastern & Orien-

VIJAY WANCHOO Sr EVP & GM, The Imperial New Delhi

tal in Calcutta,” expressed Vijay Wanchoo, Sr EVP & GM, The Imperial New Delhi.

The old world ambience of the hotel and the art deco elements are a distinct departure from the shiny, if not glitzy, interiors that one is accustomed to see in many upmarket hotels today. Art filled corridors and pillared verandahs, shining marble floors, Burmese teak furniture, Persian carpets and more. The historic legacy of the hotel reflects the days of the Raj

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“Lady Willingdon gave the hotel its name and even conferred the lion insignia upon the hotel”

like no other. Moving further, every restaurant at The Imperial has a fable behind its making.

The grandeur of 1911 restaurant filled with the views of Delhi Durbar and the iconic blue pillars at the restaurant where the eminent leaders of India held meetings during the independence era are some of the unique treasures which embrace its heritage. The Pan Indian restaurant- Daniell’s Tavern was the spot from where the Daniells duo painted the his-

toric wonder Jantar Mantar while The Spice Route was the first few South East Asian restaurants in the country tracing the journey of spices across six regions and is now world renowned for its cuisine and interiors. The historic relevance extends with The Royal Imperial Suite which has been home to heads of states and celebrities, the royal palms which were laid by lady Willingdon herself, verdant gardens and the sheer existence in the blue print of Delhi,

makes The Imperial a distinguished address in the heart of the capital. “The Imperial’s success story can be credited to its rich history, colonial décor and some very colloquial art deco elements which create the aura of an early 19th century English manor. The hotel offers personalised service accompanied with overtones of rare and original art, embedded in understated luxury which also characterises it as a Museum hotel,” Vanchoo added.

COVER STORY

RATAN VILAS,JODHPUR R atan Vilas Jodhpur, a heritage hotel today, was once the private home of Maharaj Ratan Singh.

Maharaj Ratan Singh (1887 – 1978) was a Rajput nobleman from Raoti, Jodhpur. He belonged to the indomitable Rathore clan, who were the rulers of Marwar region of south-western Rajasthan.

Maharaj Singh’s travels and experiences with and among the most prominent statesmen of that era were decisive factors in the vision he had for his home.

He infused in Ratan Vilas regional architectural character that you can still see in the form, method of construction and notably the use of the beautiful red sandstone quarried from mines near Jodhpur.

“Having opened its doors to wanderers from across the globe, this mansion speaks not just of a fascinating past but interweaves with its own tale that of the many travellers who enter through the archways to re-

“It is extremely important that any additions and alterations are carried out in complete harmony with the original architecture of the building” BRIJRAJ SINGH Owner, Ratan Vilas

lax and rejuvenate during their pursuit of a little Jodhpuri Magic,” said Brijraj Singh, owner, Ratan Vilas.

The most important part of the essence of a heritage property are the people who run the day to day operations, be it the owners or the staff.

“At Ratan Vilas we make it a point to interact with all our guests and encourage our

staff to do so as well. We mostly hire local people. A lot of them do not have any formal training in hospitality yet they perform their duties exceptionally well and grow tremendously as individuals.

Most of the heritage properties were not raised from ground up to be hotels. Thus to accommodate the requirements of a modern day trav-

eller these properties undergo a lot of additions and alterations. It is extremely important that any additions and alterations are carried out in complete harmony with the original architecture of the building. We get lot of compliments from our guests for the layout of the property as they are not able to differentiate the original building from the

new additions. People are experimenting with food a lot these days. This provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the local cuisine without tampering with its original flavours. We are working very hard to make our guest’s meals not just lunch, dinner or a breakfast but a curated experience,” added Singh.

THE TAJ MAHALPALACE,MUMBAI T he Taj Mahal Palace opened in Mumbai, then Bombay, in 1903, giving birth to the country’s first harbour landmark. This legendary luxury hotel has played host to kings, dignitaries and eminent personalities from across the globe. Each of the rooms 285 rooms & suites are a striking blend of nostalgic elegance, rich history and modern facilities.

Strategically located in Mumbai’s prime historical and commercial hub, The city’s financial hub, parliament, stadium, offices and shopping districts are all located within close proximity of the hotel; as is a flourishing art and heritage precinct with must visit museums, art galleries, churches and synagogues. The airports are an hour away. For those who would like to experience fine dining in style, the hotel hosts nine of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and bars, renowned for delectable cuisines from India, Eu-

“Lord Mountbatten made the announcement that India will gain her independence on the Grand Staircase of this hotel ” TALJINDER SINGH GM, THE TAJ MAHAL PALACE, MUMBAI

rope, the Middle East and the Orient. Mumbai’s original luxury hotel has 11 newly refurbished halls and venues, ideal for occasions ranging from formal meetings to elaborate weddings.

“The Taj Mahal Palace has a very special place in not just the history of India, but specifically in the independence movement in India. There were several

meetings and confabulations of our freedom fighters including Sarojini Naidu, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pandit Nehru. They used to meet in the very rooms and suites of this hotel pre-independence to decide on the next course of action for independence. The other not-sowell known fact is that Lord Mountbatten made the an-

nouncement that India will gain her independence after the British Parliament passed the bill on the very Grand Staircase of this hotel, which is a very significant part of India's history,” said Taljinder Singh, senior VP, SeleQtions and South Mumbai, and GM, The Taj Mahal Palace, Taj Mahal Tower.

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CHAPSLEE,SHIMLA vocative of a bygone era, Chapslee was formerly the summer residence of Honorable Raja Charanjit Singh of Kapurthala. His grandson, late Kanwar Ratanjit Singh, popularly known as Reggie, opened it as a small exclusive hotel. With Reggie’s passing, his wife Pronoti now carries on this legacy and so the Chapslee Experience lives on. Chapslee was Reggie’s childhood home and where he was born. In April, 1976 they opened the doors of Chapslee to visitors and so began the saga of The Chapslee Experience. Staying at Chapslee is like stepping back in time. You can experience the comfort and allure of valuable and time worn objects handed down through

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generations; be surrounded by the gentle opulence of faded velvets and antiquities, glowing silver and shining brass, beautiful furniture and polished wooden floors, even if scarred by use; feel the allure of tradition, the warmth of faded wallpaper and the soft lustre of old brocade.

CHEF'S PLATTER

CELEBRATING INDIAN FLAVOURS WITH CALIFORNIAN TAJNESS Campton Place Restaurant is Taj Campton Place San Francisco's Michelin-starred restaurant that serves a unique Cal-Indian cuisine. Chef Srijith Gopinathan, executive chef, Campton Place Restaurant is changing the architecture of California cuisine as he blends California fresh ingredients and the use of its smoke, fire and brining techniques with India’s multi-faceted regional dishes, aromatics, and traditional spice blends. He has earned the Michelin star eight years in a row, including the coveted Two Star recognition in 2016 and 2017. In conversation with Akshay Nayak, Chef Gopinathan speaks about his journey in culinary space and how he presents Indian flavours to the Californian palate What were your initial inspirations to pursue culinary arts as a professional career?

Good food was always very important in my life so was cooking for fun. But being a professional cook/chef was something which I developed while I was doing my bachelors in hotel management, in my late teens. I quickly realised cooking was something I found joy in and I was passionate about.

Later I evolved as a chef over time and I don’t think I can attribute credit to just one piece of training. I feel it is

many years of training with different people that had taught me to cook. I picked up something from everyone around, starting from my grandmother’s kitchen to Michelin starred restaurants like Le manoir quat saison and of course one learns a lot from co-workers, and colleagues and friends, who happen to be major influences. I would also say that my tenure at Hyde Park Culinary Institute of America in New York City, where, I must admit I developed a fancier outlook towards a cuisine that has also had an overbearing influence

on my culinary style.

What were the challenges and opportunities you witnessed during your journey in this career?

No journey is complete without challenges. I have had my share of them and continue to have them. Probably, they are some of the reasons, we get to push ourselves to the edge and reap the best of benefits. Unlearning and learning anew has been a major challenge every time I embarked upon a new venture in a new location or country. You had been conditioned a certain

Chef Srijith Gopinathan

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way and well, you had to let go all of it and begin afresh. That, to my mind has been the challenge that I have been grappling with. However, at this point, I believe I have come a long way and evolved and am in a more fluid, flexible space, where I am willing to reinvent, learn and rediscover.

companiments do change, but the core parts do not. Another recommended dish is our Spice Pot. While the menu is always evolving; iconic dishes such as the Spice Pot, an amalgamation of the millennial favourite poke bowl but with potatoes, lentils and tamarind chutney are still featured on the menu along with new dishes such as the white asparagus with fava leaf saag; part of the restaurant’s new summer menu.

What does it take to be awarded two Michelin stars recognition to a restaurant?

Consistency, consistency, and consistency. Consistency is the keyword.

What special factors, cooking & preparation techniques do you consider to bring authentic Indian flavours as far as in California?

What has really worked to our advantage is California’s fresh produce and cuttingedge cooking technique innovations from India and the amalgamation of both just creates the magic. We have an amazing relationship with certified local farmers and fishermen and hence the availability of what we need is great. The best part about the United States is that you can ask for certificates for everything.

We’re very particular about where we source everything from.

The menu at Campton Place has two options, so you can choose between a fourcourse or seven-course spread, teeming with different elements of nature from both land and sea. We are particular about our vegetarian dishes. We don’t compromise on those elements because, in many restaurants, a vegetarian dish is just a nonvegetarian one with the meat or fish removed. In terms of non-vegetarian options, I would recommend our take on Kerala-style fish curry, but we use Maine lobsters. The sauce is basic coconut curry, but we’ve seen so many people come back for that. We also poach these lobsters very slowly in a spiced butter; it’s almost like a soup. The ac-

What would you advice to the aspiring students considering culinary arts as a professional career option?

Do not treat it as a job, make a career out of it. Also, it all depends on you as to whether you would want to

It all depends on you as to whether you would want to grow to be a chef or a culinary artist.As for me,this is an art and the more you experiment with your craft and stay committed to it,you amaze yourself as much as you amaze the world around

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grow to be a chef or a culinary artist. As for me, this is an art and the more you experiment with your craft and stay committed to it, you amaze yourself as much as you amaze the world around.

So, my only advice is, look within, be consistent, be flexible and be willing to dare and experiment, that can surely take you places.

CHEF'S PLATTER

‘CURATING MENUS FOR ATHEME PARK IS A DIFFERENTBALLGAME ALTOGETHER’ Chef Veeraj Shenoy, VP – F&B, Adlabs Entertainment, in a detailed conversation with Steena Joy speaks on the diverse F&B offerings at Adlabs Imagica and the challenges associated with theme park catering

How different is it to curate menus for a theme park vis a vis a mainstream hotel or restaurant?

Understanding the sensibilities of different segments at Imagica, we are dealing with numbers not only in thousands but millions and hence the entire curation of the menu becomes very sensitive. We have to take care of the aspects of how we create the 'wow' factor, within the entire segment and even a comfortable approach to the consumer is most important.

Hence, it is completely different from designing menus for a specialty restaurant or coffee shop or a cruise line, where there is a set menu curating menus for a theme park is a completely different

ball game altogether. There are a lot of different types of meals which need to be served from the morning. We have different formats right from restaurants to kiosks, and a range of versatile products, so that is the key feature when we design menus.

What are the various F&B outlets at Adlabs Imagica?

We have a centralised kitchen which feeds into the satellite kitchen in a hub and spoke model. Understanding the crowd distribution in the park and also the time, and then feeding it is very challenging. Overall the F&B space at the property is 90,000 sq ft which comprises of over 9000 sq ft of the various core kitchens. There are

also various restaurants which are divided into food courts as well as specialty restaurants. We have the Zeze Bar+Grill, which serves Indo African cuisine and is an important element in the theme park. Red Bonnet American diner serves pop American cuisine. There is another veg food court called Roberto’s which also has a Jain Box. We have an all-youcan-eat kind of buffet that is very high on popularity. The buffet keeps changing - if it’s monsoon, then there is a monsoon special buffet spread at Imagica Capital, which on an average does 800-900 covers a day. Accordingly, we do it for Diwali and other festivities too.

Apart from that, we have

Chef Veeraj Shenoy

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three full-fledged bars as well which stir up a range of mocktails and cocktails.

What is the procurement challenge in a theme park like Imagica?

It is a little difficult because we have an annual tendering process when vendors come and supply to us. The quantum of the raw materials that we need, like we have over 50,000 kilos of rice being consumed, 80 tonnes of poultry coming in. So, with that huge numbers and to cater to over 1.6 million people a year, with over 10 million meals that we do, it’s a very difficult process. We see to it that all our vendors are quality controlled to ensure the standards of the ingredients throughout and also timely delivery of the same.

From the use of internal temperature-controlled storage systems to delivering the semi-finished to finished products, the entire process is a complex process of the supply chain. As we handle a lot of perishables and nonperishables, there is a lot of training that has to be given to the team members.

What about waste management at the theme park?

When we designed the kitchens and the facilities, we ensured that they are made keeping in mind international standards, because as a leading theme park in the country, we give special focus to our F&B offerings too. When it comes to wastage, we have separate log books that we maintain for scraps, disposal of greens, etc. Also, the whole engineering department monitors streamlined waste management. Our wastage is minimal in terms of food as we do a lot of batch cooking because we forecast certain number of people for certain peaks in the day, like the lunch hours receive a higher number of covers than in the case of snacks time in the evening.

What is the experiential element that you are adding at the food outlets?

Today’s guests are all welltravelled across the world and they have visited international theme parks too. They understand how entertainment dining can bring in the wow factor. Year on year we have been seeing a graduation in receiving people who understand food.

What are the challenges and opportunities while creating a MICE and weddings related menu at Imagica?

We cannot ignore the destination weddings or banqueting segment. We have about 1.4 lakh sq ft of outdoor banqueting space, and also 14,000 sq ft indoor banqueting space. We po-

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sition ourselves as a fairytale wedding destination. Also, we have accommodation through classical marriage with the Novotel hotel next door. So apparently, the challenge is to understand the vision of the person, how they want their

function to be. Once you get that right, the execution is not that much of a problem.

What is the team strength at Imagica?

We are a team of about 180 chefs as well as food person-

nel. In the Indian hospitality industry, aspiring individuals must once work at least once in a theme park to grasp various skills including time management, quality control, etc, which will help them in their careers.

INDUSTRY WATCH

Achieving optimum IAQ As the deteriorating air quality across cities in India has made frequent headlines, the hospitality industry and air purifying solution providers are going the extra mile to provide their guests with optimal IAQ. Akshay Nayak spoke to the industry experts to learn how IAQ has become a USP for the hospitality industry of the country

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ir pollution has been on the rise in India for decades now.

Reasons of which are over a dozen including booming infrastructure, swollen automobile sales in the country, and the overall increase in industrial output, among others, all summing up to the rising percentage of pollutants in the air.

As per a report by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which reports on the air quality of 70 cities across India, for the period between October and November 2018, more than 40 cities had 'Moderate', 'Poor' and 'Very Poor' air quality on a scale with 'Good' and 'Severe' air quality conditions being the extremes. Moderate air quality, as per CPCB, translates to breathing discomfort faced by the people with lungs, asthma and heart diseases, while poor and very poor categories decode that even healthy residents will be faced with respiratory illness with prolonged exposure to the atmospheric air.

IAQ - the market The hospitality industry experts feel that the residents and other industries in the country are well aware about the poor ambient air quality indoors for which an increasing demand for air purifiers, both resident and industrial, is witnessed from across the country. India's residential air purifiers market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 29 per cent from the current US$ 14.14 mn to US$ 38.99 mn by 2023, backed by rapid urbanisation, increased purchasing power, expanding the urban population and deteriorating air quality, according to

RAHUL PABALKAR AJAY BAKAYA

DARASHBIR SINGH

MD, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts

Director, Accor - engineering services India & South Asia

MD, Aspa Watermelon Hospitality Infrastructure Company & past president ASHRAE Pune

a report by PTI. “In 2017, industrial air filters market stood at US$ 293.27 million and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 6.07 per cent to cross US$ 392.63 million by 2023. Also, the need for frequent replacement of air filters in the construction sector is spurring demand for air filters,” the report further read.

As a testimony for the increasing awareness among the modern-day travellers about air quality, Ajay Bakaya, managing director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, voiced, “The awareness of travellers about air quality and its parameters is increasing. It has been observed recently that few Foreign Individual Travelers (FITs) were carrying IAQ Monitors. These IAQ Monitors are readily available in the market and are very handy for monitoring the air quality. In case of unsatisfactory IAQ, these travellers demand implementation of needful measures. It is only a matter of time that IAQ becomes a necessity for hotels along with other hygiene and safety standards.”

Rahul Pabalkar, MD, Aspa Watermelon Hospitality Infrastructure Company and past president - ASHRAE Pune, agreed with Bakaya’s perspective saying that poor indoor air quality is indeed a very important responsibility that hoteliers have to address.

“With the continuous news of worsening air quality in our cities, travellers are now more alert and expect that the hotels they prefer at least provide them better quality air,” he added.Ashish Gupta, sales head, B2B, Sharp Commercial Air Purifier also spoke on

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AHRAAZ KHAN Marketing leader, Connected Living Solutions, Honeywell Building Technologies, India

similar lines, saying that the consumers are choosy about the place they stay in when away from home. Not only the guests are demanding a neat and clean area, but they also insist on pollution-free indoor air quality, he added.

Arvind Dhiman, director of engineering, JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru is positive about the increasing popularity of air purifiers and other air quality maintaining equipment. “Yes, indoor air quality is as important as the quality of the food we eat. The standards will rise every passing day to a higher level as the outside air quality drops more and more. There will be an organic growth happening in good air quality sector similar to what is taking place in food production and process industry,” he noted.

As per a report, the Assocham-TechSci Research joint study said some other key factors expected to drive the market are growing technological advancements, aggressive marketing strategies by air purifier companies, increasing incidences of airborne diseases and aspiration to lead a healthier lifestyle which is anticipated to boost demand for air purifying equipment.

SHASHI SHEKHAR MD, Camfil Air Filtration India

ASHISH GUPTA Sales head, B2B, Sharp Commercial Air Purifier

Hospitality industry's perception about IAQ While the guests are welltravelled and equipped with all the technology to track air quality, hospitality brands in the country are well aware of the importance of good indoor air quality and go the extra mile to make the guest’s stay all-round comfortable.

“The hospitality industry is undergoing a significant change with trends defining the experience of guests. Hotels across the globe are introducing new things to accentuate and upkeep their brand name. With the much talked about poor air quality in most Indian cities and the recent reports, it has become imperative that hotels offer cleaner and healthier air to their guests. It is no longer a matter of offering superior serv-

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ices and facilities to its guests but a basic necessity,” expressed Ahraaz Khan, marketing leader, Connected Living Solutions, Honeywell Building Technologies, India, in this regard.

IAQ is the key area of focus for the hospitality industry in India recently.

Shashi Shekhar, MD, Camfil Air Filtration India, noted, “There has been increase in talks about the IAQ level in hospitality industry to provide the best comfortable experience to their customers and it has become very evident in big five-star hotel chains and leading restaurants where they have started thinking about clean air as a necessity for their guests. They have started looking out for innovative technologies which are best suited and at the same time energy efficient.”

As a standard operating procedure by most of the hotel brands in India, Bakaya mentioned that generally, hotel air conditioning is supplemented with Treated Fresh Air (TFA) units. “TFAs are equipped with High Efficiency Particulate Filters (HEPA filters) to check quality of fresh air being pumped into guest rooms and public areas. To ensure high quality IAQ, especially in the guest rooms and guest room corridors, standalone air purifiers are used. It is extremely crucial to maintain bacteria/virus free IAQ in public areas such as the reception lobby, restaurants and banquet halls. To achieve this, apart from HEPA filters, UV tubes can also be installed inside Air Handling Units (AHU). These UV tubes facilitate in keeping the coil clean by way of killing the bacteria/ virus and eliminating the possibility of gel formation,” shared Bakaya.

Combating challenges and ongoing trends Although the hospitality industry strives to maintain commendable IAQ, there is a multitude of challenges associated with the same - right from the complexity associ-

NISHANT SAXENA

ARVIND DHIMAN

Jt secretary, PHA and executive housekeeper at Gokulam Grand Hotel & Spa

Director of engineering, JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru

ated with maintaining the electricity guzzling equipment, utility costs, training manpower about the equipment and its functioning process, etc.

As a strategic approach to combat the costly affair associated with operating TFAs, Bakaya decoded, “To optimise the utilities cost, dew point temperature of the air and the chilled water temperatures of aircon plant is adjusted depending upon the humidity of outside air. Nowadays, technology plays a crucial role in monitoring outdoor and IAQ parameters. Microprocessors in air conditioning units are programmed with necessary algorithms to throttle the chilled water or TFA coil temperatures as per need. In the past, these parameters were being controlled manually.

Now because of technology these machines almost work in 'Auto' mode with minimal manual intervention thereby ensuring efficiency.”

According to Pabalkar, part of the problem of IAQ is addressed by adopting and exceeding requirements of stringent green building ratings like LEED, which are internationally recognised. These LEED ratings have customised versions for existing hospitality projects where they also assess the indoor environment quality. This is being done by leading hotel chains like ITC Hotels.

“Additionally, the operations & maintenance team has

to be trained continually to ensure that the air-filters are regularly cleaned and maintained, and the state-of-theart systems are in place to process the incoming air.

Monitoring of important parameters like CO2 and VOCs are also important. Several other features like indoor plants and water streams which absorb pollutants and give fresh and pure air continuously are also being considered imperative,” said Pabalkar. The outdoor areas of the hotel premises, which form the micro-climate around the hotel also play a crucial role in addressing the IAQ issue.

Also, educating the guests about the initiatives at the hotel by third-party dashboards as provided by LEED - which show the IAQ score of the facility real-time - does make a difference, and helps in making the guests feel sure and safe, and hence their decision making, feels Pabalkar. “Some hotels are also trying to display the indoor and outdoor air quality levels in their reception areas for the guests to acknowledge that the efforts taken by the facility to ensure better air quality,” he added.

Interestingly, as suggestive measures to leverage IAQ, Nishant Saxena, jt secretary, PHA and executive housekeeper at Gokulam Grand Hotel & Spa, Bengaluru, said, “Upkeep of AC equipment and proper preventive maintenance of the

INDUSTRY WATCH fresh air systems and fan coil units is important. We can ensure or reassure our guests on our pure air systems. Whereas also by avoiding stagnant water in the trays, fungus formation of the canvas and blocking of the coils by bacteria are avoided by practising proper maintenance and also ensuring air filters are always maintained well without any blockages. Also, we maintain our return air system well by cleaning of the ducts very often, to ensure the pure air is well circulated again.”

While Delhi has been a gas chamber of late, Taj Palace claims that it maintains the air quality in the national capital with utmost diligence.

Rothin Banerjee, director of engineering, Taj Palace, New Delhi, said, “In its endeavour to ensure IAQ control, Taj Palace, New Delhi, a pioneer in luxury hospitality has installed Electronic Air Cleaners (EAC) in all the AHUs and TFAs of the hotel that feed the controlled quality air in the lobby, guestrooms, Jiva Spa and banquet venues. The EAC is an electrostatic precipitator, a device that uses an electric charge to remove impurities - either solid particles or liquid droplets - from the air.

The electronic air cleaner functions by applying energy only to the particulate matter to be collected, without significantly impeding the flow of air. A team of experts at the hotel constantly monitor the air quality levels and also ensure periodic air quality tests are done by an external laboratory. The hotel’s air quality levels are displayed live at the lobby for guests to see. With the implementation of this special initiative, Taj Palace, New Delhi has been able to maintain the national ambient air quality standard.”

Meanwhile, air-purifying solutions providers are introducing new range of state-ofthe-art retrofittable products driven by smart technology in order to make it more simpler for hoteliers to operate and also help them save on costs.

At present, hotels are faced with the dual task of

Today, air quality has become a USP for marketing for upscale and upper-upscale hotels. Hotels are increasingly becoming more vocal about their efforts and their state-of-theart clean air rooms bringing down the high-energy consumption costs while also providing cleaner air.

Many hotels use media filters to filter air pollutants; however, media filters create resistance for the air leading to higher energy consumption.

Honeywell recently launched EACs that the company claims to clean air more efficiently with much lower energy loss. “They work on the principle of electrostatic precipitation to clean the air of particulate matter. They are IGBC Green Pro certified.

They are retrofittable, and only need to be cleaned with a detergent solution from time to time. Since the EACs do not use any consumables, they reduce the total cost of ownership and make for an efficient adoption by the hotels to provide an enhanced experience to their guests,” explained Khan about the features of the new EACs. Speaking about the product, Anil Kumar, director engineering, The Imperial New Delhi expressed, “We have had great success with the implementation of the Honeywell EAC technology at our hotel. The Honeywell EACs are a filterless technology with no opex of filter changes (for 10 years), and since the pressure drop is far lower than the existing pre-filter and media filters on AHUs and TFAs, there is considerable energy saving as well.” “It is pretty typical to see an ROI within 2-2.5 years, which makes this investment saving on utility costs. Also, we have installed Air Quality Monitors, the information from which can be relayed on a channel in the guest rooms as well as the smartphones in hotel guests/staff real-time,

through an app, to deliver peace of mind, as well as loyalty through transparency,” he added.

Camfil as a pioneer in the field of providing clean air solutions is continuously working towards providing energyefficient and most suitable products and services to their customers in the business of hotels and restaurants, claimed Shekhar. “We always suggest them to keep the minimum level of IAQ as per standards prescribed by WHO. We have products which are plug an play in nature and help you reduce pollution to the very minimum level of almost eliminating it. These can be customised also according to the need of the premises. We are one of the pioneers who are talking about PM1 which is a greater threat than the common PM10 and PM2.5. We have developed technology in our product which can get you the exact data of the PM1 level and have introduced products to keep that level in control to provide healthy air. The best part about this is that you do not even need to do any modification to your existing air purification system and still can achieve the desired results.”

Sharp’s patented Plasmacluster Ion Technology helps in deactivating various types of bacteria, viruses, fungus, and mould and keeps the indoor air healthy and fresh, informed Gupta about the company's USPs. “It also removes unpleasant odour and smells from the room, making the air as natural as nature. Sharp also has models with Merv 14 true HEPA filters, which removes particulate matter as small as 0.3 microns, up to 99.97 per cent,” he added.

Optimum IAQ as a USP Having all the things in place, experts feel that hotels can leverage providing IAQ as their USP. Darashbir Singh, director, Accor - engineering services India & South Asia, highlighted that since decades all hotels follow ASHRAE codes that specify ventilation rates to be determined for a specific area as per occupant and usage area. “Yes, as pollution attracts attention and serious discussions and debates take over, hotels tend to use it as a USP like displaying pollution screens, installing air purifiers in public areas to make their guests feel safe,” he expressed.

Indicating similar viewpoint, Kumar said, “Today, air quality has become a USP for marketing for upscale and upper-upscale hotels but is not restricted to the luxury segment only. Hotels are increasingly becoming more vocal about their efforts and their state-of-the-art clean air rooms, pointing towards the fact that indoor air is becoming a major deciding factor for guests. IAQ has become a selling point today in the hotel industry, along with other hygiene and safety standards.”

“Yes, I do believe that IAQ has become a USP. The prospect of establishing good standards of indoor air quality is always considered as it plays a vital role in protecting human health. We are also aware that it is a major environmental concern and hence, we at Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa are taking steps to combat it,” concluded Jeyanth R, chief engineer at Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort and Spa.

ANIL KUMAR Director engineering, The Imperial New Delhi

JEYANTH R Chief engineer, Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort and Spa

ROTHIN BANERJEE Director of engineering, Taj Palace, New Delhi

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

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August 2019

IN FOCUS

How to maintain guest experience while refurbishing hotels Praful Gupta shares invaluable tips to consider while renovating a hotel without hampering the guest's comfort level

42 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

IN FOCUS

I

n an increasingly competitive landscape, more and more hotels are opting to refurbish or retrofit their facility in order to attract guests. These days, hotel renovation is not only limited to replacing old, worn out furniture and mattresses. It has a lot to do with the increasing level of competition in the hotel industry. Today, it is a basic requirement for hotels to be up to standard, fresh and technologically aligned.

Some hotels prefer to renovate, while some opt to reinvent themselves. Some go for rebranding while holding on to their USPs. Yet, all the changes are most often to improve guest experience. In India, there are several iconic hotels and properties that have existed for several years, decades and even centuries. A few of these hotels are located in historic buildings that often possess distinctive elements which set them apart from modern construction. Besides, hotels are also now keen to integrate sustainability and energy efficiency into their structures.

However, renovating or retrofitting a hotel property is not an easy task. Most importantly, the privacy and comfort of guests is top priority while managing a hotel renovation project. There is an erroneous notion that if guests don’t know about the hotel renovation, it can’t hurt bookings. This is not true because if unsuspecting guests find themselves in the midst of construction, it will leave a very bad impression on them and could affect the image of the hotel negatively. In order to minimise surprises, smart planning and preparation is the key.

Bringing the multiple pieces of the project, from managing the furniture to installing plumbing together is a mammoth task where each piece must happen at exactly the right time to ensure a harmonious whole.

Additionally, the entire process has to remain “invisible” to guests.

Naturally then, project teams that handle such ven-

Praful Gupta

tures have to first ensure that the process is planned well in advance. They have to interact with the hotel to understand their busiest time which is not really when there should be pulling down of walls or changing of curtains.

Peak holiday seasons like December, April-May and the festive season are not the right time to undertake the process. The easy way is to review the property’s occupancy trends for the last few years to determine its off-season. This proves to be the ideal window for the renovation. It is also a good idea to keep some buffer time at the end of the project because constructions and renovations do not always go as per plan.

Maintaining guest comfort Yet, when it comes to renovations in the hotel industry, especially for high end properties that have their reputation at stake, the whole process is very intrinsically related to the comfort of guests. The project team has to ensure that if there are major changes, the rooms surrounding the construction site are best kept empty. The safety of the guests is of utmost importance which means adding barricades as required around the construction site at all times is a necessity. It is helpful to schedule the noisiest construction or disturbance ele-

ments of refurbishment at check-in and check-out times.

Scheduling any loud construction work during the middle of the day when guests are more likely to be out and about is a good idea.

While intense planning is an essential part of the process, open and regular communication between the project team and the hotel staff is critical. This is to ensure both sides have a complete understanding of how the construction activities will impact ongoing hotel operations and the guest experience. There have to be regular meetings between the project teams and the stakeholders at the start of the preconstruction phase and then from time to time to guarantee expectations are clear.

Project teams need to interact with all the staff and inform them about the renovation plans, including the housekeeping staff. Afterall, hotel staff members are the contact point for guests wanting more information.

As opposed to renovations in any other facilities, in hotel projects where aesthetics matter to a great extent, even small aspects like the way the construction staff is dressed is of utmost importance.

Workers need to be presentable, dressed well and should not be a turn off for guests.

Even then, it is good to make sure that not too many areas are under renovation at any one time. It also helps to keep the refurbishment zone and guest areas separate and avoid allowing workers in

Today, it is a basic requirement for hotels to be up to standard, fresh and technologically aligned. Some hotels prefer to renovate, while some opt to reinvent themselves. Refurbishing a hotel can be a challenging aspect. To be executed well, it requires coordinated scheduling and project management

guest zones or guests in refurbishment zones. The team has to be mindful of disrupting business meetings and relaxing spa treatments with too much noise. One way is to create a buffer zone around the area being re-modelled which will minimise noise and disruption. This will call for some floors or rooms to be left unoccupied.

Final touches Besides, furniture, fixtures and equipment can be installed at night to avoid putting elevators or even staircases off limits during peak hours. In case, elevators are being renovated, the work must be phased such that at least some cars are available for the guest’s use. Most importantly, the trash generated by the demolition and construction of the renovation work needs to be removed quickly and efficiently. And finally, there also has to be provision for plans to consider fire and life safety throughout the project, since construction may involve tools that could cause fire or could temporarily block access to stairs or elevators.

Refurbishing a hotel can be a challenging aspect. To be executed well, it requires coordinated scheduling and project management. This calls for immense planning, efficient project management and a team of professionals who are prepared to handle the massive project without causing inconvenience to guests. It is more prudent for hotels to bring on board and collaborate with experienced teams to handle the process and ease it out. They can help through design and constructability, which can have a positive impact on schedule and budget. Especially with hotels that have design, materials, furniture, fixtures, and equipment dictated by design standards, expert help is always advisable.

(The author is business head - commercial moving at Writer Relocations)

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

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August 2019

STRATEGY

Big Daddy Casino Goa: Entertainment driven global gastronomical experiences Big Daddy Casino, an offshore casino with 'no-limits' tables commenced operations since early May 2019. With international games aboard, the casino ship believes in providing round-the-clock unique F&B experiences with live entertainment setting the experience a notch higher. Akshay Nayak met with the Chef Shubham Dhar, corporate executive chef, Big Daddy Casino to learn about the all-round experience in the culinary space he brings along with him to provide the guests aboard the ship with impeccable gastronomical experiences from across the world

T

he luxury ship, built in 1995 with imported furnishing and interiors, will house 110 tables in an area of around 50,000 sq ft spread over three decks. All the national and internationally played games such as Indian Flush to games such as American Roulette, Black Jack, etc., and various variants of Poker will be available for avid gamers.

It also houses a multi-cuisine restaurant offering the best of local and global cuisines, a bar, a live barbeque area on the topmost deck, a sundeck and a variety of entertainment programmes including national and international acts to cater to its visitors.

At Big Daddy Casino, Chef Dhar heads the all-day restaurant Aish-O-Rum. Located on the topmost covered deck of the ship, it boasts of more than 210 covers. The restaurant has a 24feet-long bar, where you can sip away to your choice of alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages from 7 pm to 12.30 am during weekdays and an hour extra during weekends starting Friday. Primarily being a buffet restaurant, dinner is served from 9 pm to 1 am during weekdays & an hour extra during weekends. By 7 pm the restaurant opens its Live Chaat

Chef Shubham Dhar

44 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

counter which has a mouth-watering range of street-styled chaats including paani puri to dahi bhalla, ragda chaat, sev puri, etc. The buffet menu is a mix of three cuisines, mainly revolving around Indian cuisine, European cuisine and pan Asian - majorly Thai and Chinese. The menu consists of soups, compound salads, mains and a delightful mix of desserts. Vegetarian & non-vegetarian selections are displayed separately. Entertainment by various artists again starts by 8 pm on the restaurant stage. You can see

European dancers, Indian singers, magicians doing their stints, from Bollywood entertainment to rock bands.

Coming with a rich background in the culinary space right from preparing diverse global cuisines for a significant period of time while being associated with popular hotels across the country, to looking at the capital perspective of planning and setting up of a kitchen, Chef Dhar responds almost instantaneously, “I was born to be a chef.” Chef Dhar started cooking when he was just 8-9 years old. The love for cooking didn’t take long to transform into a passion when everyone at home was all praises when he first steamed his sorson bhapa ilish (steamed mustard hilsa) for dinner. Speaking about his initial inspiration to follow cooking, Chef Dhar voices, “Food is like a celebration for a Bengali. Going early in the market to get the best quality of lamb, fish, and also gardening the vegetables when I was staying with my maternal house during my growing years, knowing about food and cooking is something that I have been passionate about since a very tender age. My parents were very supportive of my decision of joining the culinary industry.”

STRATEGY However, professionally, Chef Dhar first went on to pursue a degree that had nothing to do with culinary arts. But, he reminisces that his father saw the spark within him for food and hence enrolled his name in the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal, from where he graduated in 2004. “That is how my career in the culinary space started. It was the time when I realised cooking is a natural instinct in me,” he adds.

Stepping into the culinary space Chef Dhar started his professional career in the culinary space by joining Taj West End, Bengaluru. “Following that I joined Alila Diwa Goa and then joined the team during the opening of hotel Devigarh Palace (Lebua Hotels) in Udaipur. After spending some time there, I joined ITC in Goa where I was heading the F&B department of two properties i.e. Fortune and Acron Waterfront Resort, Baga with Chef Cyrus Todiwala and another British master chef. After a lot of experience with hotels, I thought that I should focus on the ancillary aspects of a kitchen too. Like how a kitchen can be strategically designed to radiate out the heat easily; keeping the kitchen clean; planning restaurants and kitchens; educating people about the various points to consider while keeping in mind the FSSAI norms and ISO standards of operating a kitchen, etc. I started my own venture in that space with partners from the industry, like Vikramaditya Singh from Taj Group of Hotels and one more partner. We went to renovate the Jai Mahal Palace in Jaipur, and then came to Goa and worked with the Deltin Group.

So in 2013, we launched their new menu, redesigned their restaurant according to fivestar hotel specifications and then also joined the Deltin Group as the corporate chef.

Following the four-year-long stint with Deltin Group, I joined Big Daddy Casino in 2017,” informs Chef Dhar about his journey in the culinary space.

When asked about his sug-

gestions to aspiring chefs, Chef Dhar replies, “Since I have been passionate about cooking since a very young age, I really don't find it stressful. But, Indian cuisine is vast and one needs to be diligent when it comes to pursuing culinary arts. Even in Goa itself, each region within the state has its own recipe of fish curry.

The region has an abundance of coconut used in almost all of its preparations. So one needs to understand the essence of the ingredient and capitalise on it.

Never underestimate any ingredient because everything in a dish has to be balanced. I have worked with master chefs even in Taj Group, but at the end of the day, not everybody teaches you everything. You ought to be a good learner.”

Talking about his expertise in global cuisine, Chef Dhar says, “I have learned Mediterranean cuisine - Lebanese and Turkish cuisine and I like making it. Of course, Thai cuisine has its own essence when it comes to its spices and flavours.

So my forte lies in preparing pan Asian, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines. I am a recipeoriented person and I do not support fusion foods made by changing the original recipes because it misguides people

about the heritage value the recipe holds. I am a purist.”

Global cuisines like Lebanese-lamb tagine, chicken shawarma, homemade pita, hummus beiruti, Italian-risottos, pastas, tiramisu, Thai-krapow gai,basa pla meung mano, variations of Thai curries and Indo-Chinese - are amongst the highlights of the offerings at Big Daddy Casino other than Chef Dhar's own Indian and Goan specialties, namely, Galauti kebab, Murg makhanwala, Raane-sikandari, Khat khate, rechaedo and cafreal.

Challenges of F&B business on a ship Replying to a query on the challenges faced by him to provide a complete F&B experience to the guests on the casino ship, Chef Dhar exclaims that there is not one but a multitude of challenges. “The first thing is you cannot use fire on casino ships in Goa. The biggest challenge is to prepare all the food using electric cooking equipment aboard. On land, electric cooking equipment consumes 50 Hz whereas on a ship, most of the generators being American they are tuned to 60 Hz only. Hence the cost of the cooking equipment itself, as well as the utility

costs of operating it on a ship, are almost three-fold as compared to that of a land F&B outlet. This is a huge challenge. The capex of building a kitchen on land would be Rs 25 lakhs whereas on a ship one would be shelling around Rs 1.5 cr. Doing anything in terms of variety with the kind of flare, logistical challenges come into play. I have been doing it for quite some time on the Mandovi river, so we are used to it, but F&B business in a casino ship is very tricky in India,” Chef Dhar feels.

The ship receives major clientele from South and North India and some of the European clientele. The restaurant makes 500-600 covers on a daily basis.

“In terms of innovation in the F&B experience to the guests aboard Big Daddy Casino, we are minimising the wastage. We are introducing smaller portion sizes of foods so the guests can explore everything that is available. We put extra attention on the plating and presentation too,” concludes Chef Dhar.

Accommodation at Big Daddy Big Daddy Casino also offers premium rooms to private gamers to relax. The premium rooms styled after the suit of

cards – Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spade, allow the casino's special invitees to enjoy a private atmosphere while still being a part of the casino action.

With a combination of seclusion and casino amenities, this private area sets the scene for a truly elite experience.

Every one of the four premium rooms has been thoughtfully designed and features a specially curated bespoke experience with a gaming table, a king-sized bed, a range of luxurious fabrics and fittings and the latest mod-cons for your comfort.

The private area also provides amenities including the finest cuisine, an extensive bar and dedicated staff.

Speaking about the launch of Big Daddy Casino, Narinder Punj, chief visionary officer and mentor, Big Daddy Casino, said, “Big Daddy Casino is all set to revolutionise the gaming industry and redefine the rules of offshore gaming. We firmly believe that Big Daddy Casino will immensely contribute to the growth of tourism of Goa. We look forward to working towards our goal of establishing Goa into a global offshore gaming and entertainment destination.”

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

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August 2019

IN FOCUS

HoReCa industry carving a niche on the retail map Tanit Chearavanont writes on how the booming food service business in India has augmented business for cash and carry players in the India retail industry over the past years

T

he Indian retail industry has developed significantly, rising as a standout amongst the most venturesome and dynamic parts of the economy. Today, the retail segment represents over 10 per cent of the nation's (GDP) and a stunning eight per cent of the nation's employment as indicated by the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF).

With India positioning as the world's fifth-biggest destination worldwide in the retail

space, the part is probably going to observe more development because of strong household request, in the years to come. Digital technology will play a great role in expansion of this industry.

Fuelling this growth, both FMCG and online retail players are looking beyond traditional trade channels to boost revenues whilst gaining an express entry into the HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, and Catering) segment in India. Over the past couple

46 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

Tanit Chearavanont

of years, the food service business otherwise called the HoReCa business has turned out to be one of the fastest developing ventures on the planet. Business-to-business (B2B) discount mammoths are progressively assuming control; accounting for nearly 1.3 cr organisations compared to 1.2 cr Kirana stores, the segment is one of the fastest growing in India and provides immense opportunities to cash and carry players. The time is ripe for organised re-

tailers to foray into this market. However, the biggest challenges faced by this segment include transparency in transactions, consistent supplies and value solution in terms of products and services. Also, there is a dire need to rework the retailers’ approach and provide end to end automation, disintermediation of supply chain, transparency and predictability for customers leading to consumer satisfaction.

Whilst, the overall

IN FOCUS industry faces certain challenges, but it will remain a major engine of growth for the country’s economy contributing significantly to the GDP and generating employment for millions of people.

The road ahead for the Indian HoReCa Industry looks promising and it is imperative for the government to facilitate faster growth of this sector.

Leveraging the current opportunities in the sector, following factors will prove to be instrumental in organising the HoReCa industry and will further enable the players to grow their business substantially.

fore, maintaining food security has become unconditional and highlights the need to achieve full supervision of food safety in the modern world, because the journey leading from food production to the consumer is very time and space consuming.

A step forward – An omni-channel approach strategy

Lifestyle changes are the key growth drivers Changes in lifestyle patterns being a key driver of development, HoReCa characterises the way of life changes of an advanced buyer. The inclination of having meals outside of our homes has set solid energy for this maturing industry over the business ecosystem in India. This has cleared a way for both solidified nourishment makers, advertisers and cheap food applications who have a solid foothold in the division since their essential wellspring of business originates from HoReCa which offers fundamentally more alluring returns than retail. Abridging this, HoReCa is a broad market with gigantic potential that may even now be tapped to encourage significant monetary advancement in the nation.

Supply chain management acts as a sturdy backbone Catering to the rising need for an efficient supply chain management system, investment into India's supply chain infrastructure is experiencing noteworthy progress. The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), expanding foreign direct investment (FDI) and higher government spending has helped to spur muchneeded growth. The supply

Business-to-business (B2B) discount mammoths are progressively assuming control; accounting for nearly 1.3 cr organisations compared to 1.2 cr Kirana stores. The segment is one of the fastest growing in India chain industry has a trickledown effect on almost all aspects of retail and trade. As India starts to open its economy even further, financing the improvement of this intermediary sector is key to growth in the HoReCa industry.

Whilst a supply chain management approach is ideal when facilitating an effortless transition from farmer to consumer, the concept of supply chain collaboration with logistics service providers has few takers within the HoReCa segment.

Nonetheless, a strong supply chain is pivotal for the

HoReCa segment. The reason why many brands are largely unsuccessful is the absence of an all-inclusive distribution strategy. Retailers need to intensify their supply chain by making greater investment for ‘last mile delivery’ to win over customer satisfaction, gain loyalty, increased purchase value and frequency, mitigating profitability risk through automation and optimisation of fulfilment locations.

Access to relevant information from each step of the food supply chain magnifies food safety, fortifies the integrity of a brand, and en-

sures customer loyalty. The lack of transparency and traceability can create an upheaval in the supply chain and expose a brand to unnecessary risk. This drawback in a food supply chain is typically due to companies availing outdated systems or manual tracking and inspections. Being a food quality conscious segment, it calls upon the retailers to maintain high quality standards. At the same time, quality can be difficult to define and isolate but when consumers judge the quality of fresh-food products, they consider much more than taste and appearance. There-

The solution lies in the ability to combine global capabilities taking into account with local customers via an omni-channel network and efficient supply chain management. An organisation's capacity to respond to continuous change spread across the market quickly and reduce their costs at the same time is the new mantra of HoReCa worldwide. By managing end-to-end processes with steadfast aptitude and adopting a global view on process ownership, companies can enjoy savings, improve performance, offer quality, choice, and price with unmatched convenience.

An omni-channel strategy can also ideally be leveraged to establish an integrated national footprint for HoReCa in India. This strategy aims to provide a fluid experience to consumers across various channels, factoring in the miscellaneous device’s consumers use for transactions like online stores, mobile app stores, physical stores and so on. Given that brands are adopting innovative methods to interact with consumers, this strategy will help online and retail players rethink their marketing plans and access the best of both worlds when it comes to the HoReCa industry.

Overall, it is important for the players to plan for the long term. Thus, the interplay of these factors will enable the industry at large to sustain the growth momentum in the foreseeable future.

(The author is the managing director and member of the board at Lots Wholesale Solutions)

EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY

47

August 2019

IN FOCUS

The changing hotel loyalty landscape Eliot Hamlisch writes on how hotel loyalty programmes have undergone transformation over the years from just redeeming free nights to the guests to providing them with tailor-made intimate experiences

F

ree nights. Experiential rewards.

Personalisation. These are just a few of the buzz words you’ll frequently hear when discussing today’s loyalty landscape, which is changing at a rapid pace. Driven by those looking to capitalise on increased scale and distribution – often the result of recent mergers and acquisitions – hotel companies across the globe are seeking new and innovative ways to not only foster deeper customer loyalty but drive greater returns. It’s a scenario that has created a new reality around the value of hotel loyalty programmes, one in which simply having a programme has become table-stakes and where the focus has shifted to accelerated

48 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

innovation and a heightened need to not only understand guests at a personal level, but also cater to those preferences at every step of the customer journey.

Moreover, “hotel loyalty programmes” are no longer just about hotels; many have branched out to offer accommodations and experiences in related travel arenas, including home rentals, timeshares, car rentals and more. This evolution has forced hotel loyalty programmes to compete not only with one another, but to an increasing extent with programmes of other major travel providers, not to mention online travel agencies, among others.

It’s an increasingly crowded field and the stakes are high.

Challenges and opportunities: Industry consolidation and loyalty fatigue Loyalty programmes were once a straightforward concept, in which hotels offered guests points for their stays which could in turn be exchanged for free nights.

For the most part, this remains a key structural element of most programmes; however, the landscape is shifting. Multiple brands, increasing redemption tiers, shifting room availability, blackout dates and status dependent benefits have driven increased complexity among most programmes. What’s more, continuous mergers within the space have only compounded the effects. These trends have

introduced real challenges for myriad travellers, many of whom aren’t able to keep up with details across each programme. In turn, how a programme educates customers about its offerings and more importantly, how it’s differentiated in the marketplace, has become vital to success.

Loyalty fatigue has also set in for many travellers. Nowadays, loyalty programmes are everywhere, from grocery stores and pharmacies to cell phone providers, vehicle manufacturers and more. This raises the question – can one individual really be loyal to every programme of which they’re a member?

The short answer: Probably not.

IN FOCUS A recent study by BOND suggested that on average, an individual belongs to roughly 15 different rewards programmes yet actively engages in fewer than half. Translation: An effective rewards programme is only as strong as the desirability of its currency and offerings.

Companies with programmes that individuals actively use will very likely be among those reaping the benefits. According to US-based conversion rate optimisation experts, Invesp, loyal guests not only help the bottom line when it comes to managing customer acquisition costs, but are also 50 per cent more likely to try new products and on an average, willing to spend 31 per cent more than new customers.

The value of experiences and the need for personalisation A direct result of the above challenges is the increased need for hotel companies to find new ways to leverage their programmes to drive higher engagement and ultimately, greater returns. To a greater extent than ever before, this means moving away from simply offering points for free nights and evolving programmes to be more customer-centric and offer a greater breadth of redemption options.

Looking back 10 to 15 years ago, the top reward for which a guest might be able to redeem may have been a free night in a hotel’s nicest room, perhaps even a suite with a stellar view.

Today, those rewards are still appreciated, but it’s the experiential aspects of travel that are valued even more and the extent to which a hotel’s team members create a personal connection with the guest. So, instead of a free night, the preferred reward might be free tickets to see their favourite performer while in Las Vegas or a hands-on cooking lesson to learn how to make authentic dumplings while visiting Shanghai. It’s about acknowledging not just how guests like to travel, but why they travel.

Equally important to experiences are finding ways to embed

Eliot Hamlisch

a loyalty programme in members’ daily lives, again with the goal of creating a deeper guest connection. This is especially important for leisure based programmes and members, who may only have the opportunity to travel once or twice a year. As such, enabling members to earn and redeem their points on everyday transactions, with or without carrying a co-branded credit card, helps make rewards more attainable and gives those members a personal reason to stay engaged.

Lastly, how these offerings are presented to members and the ease with which they can be redeemed are in large part what ultimately determines their success. Technology has opened incredible doors, vastly improving the speed and ease with which members can earn and redeem. At the same time, programme operators have greater access to data and are able to track and respond to member behaviour at a speed unlike ever before, allowing them to create personalised offers that better connect and in turn, drive the desired response. The loyalty landscape will only continue to shift from here and likely, with increasing speed. At the end of the day, the winning programmes will be those that create the strongest bonds with their guests, that seamlessly weave themselves into their guests’ daily lives, and that find new and innovative ways to deliver real, tangible value for guests, both during their stays and beyond.

Hamlisch oversees Wyndham Rewards, the company’s award-winning loyalty programme, which spans more than 30,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Earlier this year, the programme welcomed 900 new La Quinta by Wyndham hotels to its global portfolio while simultaneously adding innovative new ways for members to earn and redeem points, including on shopping, food delivery, tours, experiences and more.

(The author is senior VP of Worldwide Loyalty and Partnerships at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts)

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CAMPUS NOTES

'THE SKILLING MISSION IS DEFINITELYWELL INTENDED BUTOUTCOMES OFAMISSION ARE THE BESTINDICATORS OFHOWIMPACTFUL THE VISION HAS BEEN' Dennie Mathews, chief managing officer - South & South East Asia, American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) believes that nothing less than a revolution is needed in the field of hospitality training in India if it is to match the skilled manpower needs of the sector. By Steena Joy How has the hospitality education and training scenario evolved in India? Has the government's Hunar Se Yojana helped in skill development in this sector?

Organic evolution is there in this space but what we need is a revolution and we are far from it! The skilling mission is definitely well intended but outcomes of a mission are the best indicators of how impactful the vision has been. While number of candidates opting for these programmes have gone up, though not at the initially planned pace, there is still a paucity of good trained personnel for the industry and this leads me to believe that there is a lot of catch up needed in the quality of the programme and also perhaps time to include some of level of psychometric assessment for entry even at these level of programmes to check on compatibility for this industry.

Else, attrition rates would continue to be high and it could be a never ending cycle of having newer schemes with enough lure to join the programme but very less motivation to work in the industry.

What has been AHLEI's contribution to the

kept us as leaders in this space. In India itself we have had several students and hospitality professionals who have undergone our programmes and have carved out exciting positions in the industry. We continue to focus and work on what is ahead of us, and that is what gives our programmes the edge over other like professional bodies.

Dennie Mathews

hospitality sector in the country?

AHLEI is now into its 66th year of being in the space of education and training. Internationally we have been actively present for the past three decades plus.

AHLEI, since 2017 is managed by the National Restaurant Association, USA and ever since there is a increased pace in product revisions, enhancements and new programmes being introduced. Being an industry supported organisation, minimising the industry-academic practice gaps has been always at the fore front of our programme development and this has indeed

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With the creation of FSSAI, food safety and hygiene has assumed more importance than previously. Your comments.

As mentioned above NRA, USA is now the company which owns and manages AHLEI. Having said that, NRA is the most active promoter and advocate of food safety programmes in the United States with hundreds of thousands of food service and industry professionals being certified in Food Safety by NRA, USA. ServSafe has been the signature programme and now we have introduced a brand new series called ServSuccess.

Both these series of programmes will be made available in India as well. And yes, these would definitely need local contextualisation

before we do so. So watch this space!

How has the industry responded to your latest edition of the food safety handbook?

Our Food Safety handbook is a benchmarked one and is aimed at both the academic and industry professionals.

AHLEI has more than 31 RUIs in India. Any plans to add more institutes?

We are always in an expanding mode and yes we do see a lot of potential in joining hands with more academic institutions to offer high quality hospitality programmes.

Do you see a growing importance for certifications and upgradation of skills among Indian hospitality professionals?

Indian hospitality professionals are certainly more sensitive to professional certifications than ever before.

Yes, it did take some time to get the industry educated on the importance and advantage of a continuing education programme and today we have many enquiring for certifications even in areas which are upcoming! We

certainly believe that the very concept of continuing education and professional certification needs more emphasis here and the lasting benefits it entails to both the industry and the professional thereby. We have a very recent certification jointly developed with STR, USA called Certified Hospitality Industry Analytics and we are thrilled to see the demand and strong response to new certifications like these.

Is hospitality a trending career option for millennials?

Media has certainly given a fillip and glory to this industry - thanks to them.

People are no longer shying away from joining these programmes and are more easily giving up on misconceptions they have had all along about a career in hospitality.

With the industry growing and credible career paths being made known, this certainly is an area of study which is gaining traction with both students and parents! I believe the impression the industry will give with their good HR practices, will further enhance making hospitality a career of choice.

MOVEMENTS Zone by THE Park

Hyatt Regency Pune

Zone by THE Park, the upscale social-catalyst brand by THE Park Hotels, has appointed Vikas Ahluwalia as its new general manager & national head. Ahluwalia brings over 22 years of rich experience in the hospitality segment with ex-

Varun Marwah

Hyatt Regency Pune has appointed Sandeep Singh as the director of operations. He holds an experience of more than 13 years in hospitality industry converting strategic vision into measurable results at various hotels. As the director of operations, Singh will be responsible for heading and managing the hotel operations and maintaining high standards of guest satisfaction. A driven professional, Singh is extremely passionate about enhancing customer ex-

attaining corporate objectives.

Prior to joining Novotel Pune, he worked as the cluster director of sales at ibis Pune Viman Nagar and ibis Pune Hinjewadi.

Vikas Ahluwalia

pertise in the areas of hotel operations and development. He takes pride in striving for excellence; and in his new role, he will be responsible for heading and growing Zone by THE Park brand. By overlooking operations, sales & marketing, he will be actively focusing on further expansion and development of the Zone brand.

Novotel Pune Viman Nagar Novotel Pune has appointed Varun Marwah as the director of sales and marketing. An industry expert, Marwah holds an experience of nearly 14 years in hospitality industry converting strategic vision into measurable results at various hotels.

As the director of sales and marketing, he will be responsible for maximising the hotel's revenue through result oriented sales and marketing strategies, exploring business opportunities through events, conferences, meetings, etc. A driven professional, Marwah has strong skills in leadership, ability to build relationships, establish trust, train people to achieve their potential while

Four Points by Sheraton, Vashi Stephen D’souza has been recently appointed as the GM of Four Points by Sheraton, Vashi. D’souza has been working in the hospitality business for more than 18 years and will lead Four Points by Sheraton to its continuing success. With his broad information spectrum on the industry and vast experience, D’souza is an incredible ascendancy for Four Points by Sheraton, Navi Mumbai. The hotel is determined to keep giving visitors significantly privileged encounters and further upgrade the administration quality.

Sandeep Singh

periences and achieving operational excellence with his team.

Prior to joining Hyatt Regency Pune, he served as the director of F&B at The Westin, Gurgaon.

years of experience Bhatia has held numerous positions in several departments such as front office, sales and marketing, etc.

He has worked with various renowned brands of hotels like InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), The Grand, Radisson Hotels Group (RHG) among other international hotel brands in Dubai. Prior to joining Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka, he was associated with Radisson Blu Hotel, Greater Noida as the GM.

responsibility areas include developing and executing sales strategies, maximising revenue, managing selling-oriented activities, analysing sales figures and ensuring exceptional customer service.

Recruitment-training-mentoring of the sales team, working in tandem with off-property sales channels and associating with trade events to forge key relationships with GSO team members, market leaders as well as customers are also some of the other significant engagements that fall under the ambit of his job profile.

Stephen D’souza

Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach has appointed Mario Benedict as the rooms division manager.

With an overall experience of more than 10 years, Benedict has an enhanced understanding of operations in hospitality.

His expertise lies in foundational development and team

Radisson Blu Dwarka Munish Bhatia has been appointed as the GM of Radisson Blu New Delhi Dwarka. With 23

Courtyard by Marriott, Siliguri A highly-accomplished professional with a diversified selling experience and organisational skills, Priyanku Mahanta is appointed as director of sales at Courtyard by Marriott, Siliguri. In his present role, Mahanta would use his indepth experience to influence stakeholders and translate ideas into results. He brings to the table detailed sales methodologies and an ability to provide effective solutions to complex challenges. His key

Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach

Priyanku Mahanta

Mario Benedict

Munish Bhatia

building. He firmly believes in strategic planning for efficiency to hit multiple aspects of a guest life cycle in the hotel. He started his career with Accor in 2011 as the duty manager at Novotel & ibis Bengaluru Outer Ring Road. Benedict was allied with ibis Bengaluru City Centre as the rooms division manager in his last assignment. During his tenure with Accor, he has also contributed his expertise to more than six Accor properties within India mainly for their pre-opening support.

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MOVEMENTS

Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Center One of the city’s leading hospitality destinations, Four Points

by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Center has appointed Girish Krishnan as the new hotel manager. The journey from a commis to hotel manager, Krishnan started his journey as a commis with Rajputana Palace Sheraton and later moved to Oberoi hotels as a kitchen associate and went on to become executive chef with Marriott Hotels. With 26 years of experience behind him in some of the most eminent kitchens across

and swift pre-openings of the upcoming hotels. Chandra brings with him 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He is a keen planner, a strategist and a highly motivated team leader with strong communication and people skills.

Pullman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity

Dinesh Babu

ing the daily operations of all outlets, maintaining established quality and service standards and responding to customers trends and needs to ensure outstanding experience.

He thrives on developing new ideas and concepts, and innovative and creative ways to improve the service standards and values to delight guests.

Pullman & Novotel New Delhi Aerocity have announced the appointment of Biswajit Chakraborty as their new general manager delegate (cluster general manager), who will spearhead the operations of the prestigious tripartite venture between Singapore GIC, InterGlobe & Accor. With an intricate understanding of the luxe segment, Chakraborty considers himself a catalyst that adds

Cygnett Hotels and Resorts

Girish Krishnan

the country and abroad, his style is keeping the food simple and fresh. In his last assignment, Krishnan was the director F&B for Courtyard Marriott Bhopal.

Cygnett Hotels and Resorts has appointed Debasish Chandra as the regional director, preopening & development.

Chandra will be responsible for formulating new ideas to extend Cygnett's reach in new territories. He will also be responsible for streamlining operations in the existing units

The Westin Pune Koregaon Park The Westin Pune Koregaon Park has appointed Dinesh Babu as the director of beverages. An industry expert, Babu holds an experience of more than 10 years in the hospitality industry; he will work to bring new life to the hotel’s beverage programmes and menus. As the director of beverages, he will be responsible for manag-

impetus to his team, by further creating finer experiences for the luxury and upscale travel and business market in the country. With over 30 years of experience behind him, he has been the driving force behind some of the world’s top luxury hotels. In his last assignment, he was the man behind a successful transformation of the Sofitel Mumbai BKC, by strongly establishing the brand in the country after its inception in 2011.

JW Marriott Kolkata Debasish Chandra

52 EXPRESS FOOD & HOSPITALITY August 2019

Biswajit Chakraborty

Arunit Banerjee has been appointed as the human resources manager at JW

Arunit Banerjee

Anil Mishra

Marriott Kolkata. He earned the reputation of a seasoned HR professional with almost a decade of experience in successfully aligning HR strategies with business objectives. In his current stint with JW Marriott Kolkata, he is using his vast repertoire of expertise to carry out daily activities of the human resource department including supervision of recruitment, compensation, training and development. Additionally, he is also responsible for delivering HR services that meets the essential needs of employees in compliance with the laws, regulations and operating procedures applicable to the hospitality brand.

Sofitel Mumbai BKC Sofitel Mumbai BKC, the flagship property of Sofitel Hotels & Resorts of the Accor Group, announced the appointment

Lords Hotels & Resorts

Vikas Kapai

Lords Hotels and Resorts has appointed Anil Mishra as its manager – HR, corporate.

Mishra has over nine years of industry experience and carries a generalist profile in HR operations and employee engagement. His strength areas are employee engagement and uniform implementation of corporate policies across the chain.

He started his career with Trident Hotels in HR and was associated with them for over seven years. Prior to Lords, Mishra was with U and I Holidays. In his new role he will be responsible for recruitment, employee engagement, and standardisation of HR policies.

of its new GM, Vikas Kapai.

Having led prominent hotels in the country, Kapai comes with over three decades of hospitality experience and an eye for the future of not just the property, but a sense of how hospitality is changing in the country. Kapai’s past experience includes work with stellar brands such as Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Oakwood Asia Pacific and similar where he often played a key leadership role, turning around the properties on significant performance metrics with his leadership capabilities and meticulous attention to detail.

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WEEKEND

GRADUATION DAY OF FOURTH BATCH OF PURATOS SANSKAAR FOUNDATION SCHOOL The graduation day ceremony of the fourth batch of bakers from Puratos Sanskaar Foundation School, a bakery school, run as a CSR initiative by Puratos India, was held in Navi Mumbai on August 1, 2019.

TAJ COMMEMORATES THE CENTENARY OF SRI LANKA’S LEADING ARCHITECT GEOFFREY BAWA Taj commemorated the centenary of Sri Lanka’s leading architect, with a journey through Geoffrey Bawa’s distinctive ‘Tropical Modernist’ architecture and design influences in Chennai and Colombo.

TURKISH FOOD FESTIVAL AT HILTON BANGALORE EMBASSY GOLFLINKS Hilton Bangalore Embassy Golflinks had recently hosted Turkish Food Festival at their award wining restaurant Ministry of Food. Chef Sedat Hamarat, Chef de Partie at Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus, had specially flown to India to curate and prepare the buffet spread for the 10-day long food festival.

HYATT PUNE, KALYANI NAGAR CELEBRATES GLOBAL WELLNESS WEEK This year, to demonstrate Hyatt’s global commitment to wellbeing, Hyatt Pune, Kalyani Nagar's team hosted a series of health and wellness events leading up to the day. It was a celebration involving various health and fitness related activities emphasising the importance of wellness in every form.

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WEEKEND

Scene and Heard With Marcellus Baptista

Breezy brunch

Playful

T

here’s good news on the lounge and nightlife front. Divyesh Thakkar, Kaushik Mehta, Samir Gandhi and Jayesh Vora, directors of Trizen Hospitality are back with Play – The Lounge, now located at The Orb next to JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. A perfect daytime hangout that transitions

into a high-energy lounge, Play is touted to become the newest hotspot for party people to unwind. The grand launch party, hosted by Kedhar Gawde, saw the presence of Arjan Bajwa, Rakshanda Khan, Geeta Kapur, Ravi Dubey, Rocky S, Apurva and Shilpa Agnihotri, Shibani Kashyap, Deepti Gujral, Candice

Pinto, Hemangi Pare and many more. From handcrafted dishes to delicious concoctions of cocktails and drinks, one can indulge in exciting drinking games. The Lounge aims to redefine the overall experience of its patrons with tasty food, delightful drinks and a merry mix of music.

Consulate models

T

he Terry Fox brunch is a much-awaited event on the calendar. As usual, it drew a sizeable response at the Regal Room of the Trident with famed fashion designer Maheka Mirpuri presenting a chic collection. It was a celebration of all those who have and continue to support the care of cancer victims at the Tata Memorial Hospital. The Terry Fox run, organised by Gul Kripalani, convenor, Terry Fox (India) Committee, has been going on for the last 21 years. This time, for the very first time, the consulate corps of Mumbai was seen on the catwalk, looking chic and slick in classic saris by Maheka. Prominent TV actors also walked the ramp. The event was ably anchored by Rochelle Rao and included super singing by Manasi Scott and a dance by Sandip Soparrkar. A flamenco and kathak dancer also performed in tandem and Mehmood Curmally did an Elvis Presley act.

Deepti Gujral, Hemangi Parte & Candice Pinto

Thrill and chill

Dozen delights

P

arty people were thrilled at the launch of Jhatka, a lounge and nightclub at Ramee Guestline in Juhu. Present on opening night were Nihit Srivastava, director CEO of Ramee Group of Hotels (India) along with Aquib Khan and Aarav Jain, working partners at Jhatka. Guests soaked in the sight of the brilliant bar and kitchen with global cuisine on offer. The rawness and refinement of the well-lit interiors coupled with micro-detailing and vintage vibes added to the overall exciting experience at Jhatka. Guests noticed the Iris Maity entrance of the lounge that emanated an energetic vibe, while the lounge and club section dominated the space with a separate section that was ideal for private parties. The impressive audio, lighting and video systems filled the guests with joy as they ate, drank and made merry on the dance floor.

F

antastic food and drink, energising music, delightful dance and bonhomie was in the air as Hotel Sahara Star celebrated the 12th anniversary of its award-winning Mediterranean restaurant Mabruk. Mabruk chef Jihad El Chami was there along with the hotel’s executive chef Ranjan Rajani. Guests partook of drinks and the traditional mezzehs complemented by carefully picked soups, main courses and desserts, filled with an array of flavours, textures and aromas. The curated range of Arabic and Turkish coffee made on heated sand for around four to five hours was greatly appreciated and the coffee went very well with the dates.

Looking pleased was Salil Fadnis, hotel manager, Sahara Star who was happy that the growth and journey of Mabruk was dream worthy in the past 12 years.

You heard that over the years the restaurant has been winning many excellence awards for its fabulous food and gracious hospitality.

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Salil Fadnis & Shibani Kashyap