Food and Hopsitality World (Vol.4, No.23) August 16-31, 2016

EDITOR’S NOTE

An August offer

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n a world of complexities, it's always refreshing to receive a gift, especially from the government that can ease out few issues with taxation.

The recent GST announcement has brought some cheer amidst the hospitality and tourism fraternity of India. Investors feel this initiative will surely help simplify complicated matters as the hospitality sector is anyway burdened by many other permits and licences. The general sentiment within the industry is that the passage of the GST Bill brings in a new era in fiscal reforms in India and tax rates across India will be uniform. The consumers will benefit from this move and that input credit on GST ushers in a whole new world of taxation.

There definitely seems to be a certain sense of buoyancy in the industry, albeit coupled with caution. Keys Hotels is looking at robust expansion in India's emerging cities and towns. Fairfield is looking at adding four more properties, in Indore, Amritsar, Jodhpur, and Belgaum in the coming months.

HEAD OFFICE Food & Hospitality World MUMBAI: Rajan Nair, Dattaram Kandalkar, Global Fairs & Media Pvt. Ltd 2nd Floor, Express Towers Nariman Point, Mumbai-400021. India Tel: 6744 0000 / 22022627 Fax: 022-22885831 E-mail: rajan.nair@fhwexpo.in; datta.kandalkar@fhwexpo.in Branch Offices : NEW DELHI: Prateek Sahay The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Business Publication Division Express Building, B-1/B Sector 10 Noida 201 301 Dist.Gautam Budh nagar (U.P.) India.

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Mobile: 09899003030 Email : prateek.sahay@fhwexpo.in / prateek@fieramilano.in

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

Our Associate: Dinesh Sharma Mobile: 09810264368 E-mail: 4pdesigno@gmail.com CHENNAI: A K Shukla, The Indian Express (P) Ltd, New No.37/C (Old No.16/C), 2nd Floor,Whites Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600 014 Tel: Board: 28543031/28543032/ 28543033/28543034 Fax: 28543035 Mobile : 09849297724 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in BENGALURU: Sreejith Radhakrishnan, The Indian Express (P) Ltd, 502 Devatha Plaza, 5th Floor, 131 Residency Road Bengaluru - 560025 Ph 080-22231923/24 Fax: 22231925.

Mobile: 08867574257 E-mail: sreejith.radhakrishnan@fhwexpo.in

They are confident about the market in Uttar Pradesh and believe that the state has a lot of potential in the hospitality space.

They are keen to expand their brand in the northern states. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is also planning an expansion in the India market. Carlson Rezidor's goal is to have 170 hotels in India by 2020.

“Investors feel this initiative will surely help simplify complicated matters as the hospitality sector is burdened by many other permits and licences”

HYDERABAD: A K Shukla, The Indian Express (P) Ltd, 6-3-885/7/B, Ground floor V.V. Mansion, Somaji Guda, Hyderabad - 500 082 Tel: 040-23418673/23418674/ 23418675 (Tele-fax)/66631457 Fax: 040-23418678 E-mail: ashwanikumar.shukla@fhwexpo.in KOLKATA: Ajanta Sengupta, The Indian Express (P) Ltd, National Highway 6 (NH 6), MouzaPrasastha & Ankurhati, P.H. Domjur, Dist Howrah Kolkata - 711409 Mobile: 09831182580 Email: ajanta.sengupta@expressindia.com KOCHI: Sreejith Radhakrishnan, The Indian Express (P) Ltd. Sankoorikal Building, 36/2248, Kaloor, Kadavanthara Road, Opp. Kaloor Private Bus Stand,

Apart from the expansion story, the industry is also ready to experiment with themes, designs and decor. The owners are getting closely involved with the look and feel of the property along with the brand's team. The owner at Novotel Vizag, likes to be involved with the designing of the F&B space and invests personally in select artefacts and classics. The restaurant segment, especially the fine dining space, is highly creative when it comes to interiors and design. Our cover story highlights what's happening in this space.

REEMA LOKESH Editor

Kaloor - 682 017 Mobile: 08867574257 E-mail: sreejith.radhakrishnan@fhwexpo.in JAIPUR: Prateek Sahay The Indian Express (P) Ltd. C-7, Dwarika Puri,Jamna Lal Bajaj Marg, C-Scheme,Jaipur - 302001 Mobile: 09899003030 BHOPAL: Prateek Sahay The Indian Express (P) Ltd, 6,Vidya Vihar, Professors Colony, Bhopal - 462002, Madhya Pradesh Mobile: 09899003030 AHMEDABAD: The Indian Express (P) Ltd. 3rd Floor, Sambhav House, Nr.Judges Bunglow Bodakdev,Ahmedabad - 380 015.

Important: Whilst care is taken prior to acceptance of advertising copy,it is not possible to verify its contents.The Indian Express (P) 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.

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CONTENTS Vol 4 No 23 , AUGUST 16-31, 2016

HIGH SPIRITS

Chairman of the Board Viveck Goenka Editor Reema Lokesh* Assistant Editor Steena Joy Senior Associate Editor Sudipta Dev

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CONTENT TEAM New Delhi Saloni Bhatia Kolkata Joy Roy Choudhury CEO (Global Fairs & Media Pvt Ltd) Sonia Chawla DESIGN National Art Director Bivash Barua

THE CHANGING

DESIGNSCAPE

Assistant Art Director Pravin Temble Senior Designer Rekha Bisht Senior Artists Ratilal Ladani Kiran Parker Scheduling & Coordination Ashish Anchan Photo Editor Sandeep Patil NATIONAL HOSPITALITY SALES Dattaram Kandalkar Rajan Nair Ashwani Kumar Shukla Sreejith Radhakrishnan Prateek Sahay Ajanta Sengupta

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NATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE SALES Sujoy Gomes

(20-25)

INDUSTRY LAUDS GST; HOPEFUL OF EASE IN BUSINESS

CHEF’S PLATTER

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P 13: NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

MARKETING Darshana Chauhan

P 14 PRODUCT TRACKER

PRODUCTION General Manager B R Tipnis

P 33: MOVEMENTS

Mustard, Sangolda, North Goa

Kishco Innochef 3Ply Cookware The St Regis, Mumbai

P 41: WEEKEND Scene and heard

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THE EAN EDGE SABRE HAS PARTNERED WITH EXPEDIA AFFILIATE NETWORK (EAN) TO GIVE TRAVEL AGENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BOOK MORE THAN 63,000 HOTELS WORLDWIDE FOR THEIR CLIENTS

LIFE

DILMAH TARGETS PREMIUM SEGMENT IN INDIA MARKET

INTERNATIONAL FOOD & HOSPITALITY SALES Dhananjay Makharia

Manager Bhadresh Valia

EDGE

Visual art in hallways,pops of bold colours in cafes,wooden floors in rooms and edgydesigns on walls are slowly replacing the conventional interior elements in hotels and restaurants.While designers are experimenting with new textures and patterns,hoteliers want spaces that appeal to the newage traveller.FFood & Hospitality World checks out the latest interior trends that are transforming hospitality

MARKETS

THE CELLARS OF CANELLI POLINA BOSCA TALKS ABOUT INDIA AND HOW THE BOSCA CELLARS (A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE) IN CANELLI, ITALY ARE DRAWING VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD

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A CHOCOLATIER'S TALE CHEF VARUN INAMDAR SHARES HIS INTERESTING CAREER JOURNEY AND THE MANY HIGHLIGHTS THAT HAVE POSITIONED HIM AS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST KNOWN CHOCOLATIERS

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Food & Hospitality World Published for the proprietors, Global Fairs & Media Private Limited, by Vaidehi Thakar at Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, and printed by her at Indian Express Press, Plot EL-208, TTC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai. Editor : Reema Lokesh* (*responsible for selection of news under PRB Act).

Copyright © 2016 Global Fairs & Media Private Limited. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in whole or part without the Publisher's permission is prohibited.

MASTERING THE CHOCOLATE ART THE CALLEBAUT CHOCOLATE ACADEMY CENTRE IN MUMBAI IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCE THE SKILL SETS OF PASTRY CHEFS AND CHOCOLATE ARTISANS IN THE COUNTRY

MARKETS

Industry lauds GST; hopeful of ease in business FHW Staff Mumbai THE CONSTITUTION (122nd Amendment) Bill for the rollout of the Goods and Sevices Tax (GST) that was passed by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha recently, has been welcomed by the Indian F&B and hospitality industry, which is hopeful of some tax relief and ease of business. The move, which aims to replace various taxes levied on goods and services through one indirect tax has garnered appreciation by the hospitality sector, which has been frequently advocating for reduction and simplification

of taxations. Riyaaz Amlani, president, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said, “The restaurant industry has been burdened with high and multiple taxations. We welcome the Centre’s move for introduction of this much awaited reform. We would need to look at the GST details as and when finalised. However, liquor should be included in GST; exempting it defeats the very purpose of bringing in a uniformed single tax structure.

This allows states to have their own taxes without a cap with separate accounting requirements and results in double compliance for the restaurant

The restaurant industry has been burdened with high and multiple taxations. We welcome the Centre’s move for introduction of this much awaited reform industry. This is neither beneficial for 'ease of doing business' nor for the customers.”

Likely to be effective from April 1, 2017, GST is a single common tax on goods and services, right from manufacturing to consumption.

Ajay K Bakaya, executive director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said, “The much anticipated passage of the GST bill brings in a new era in fiscal reforms in India. Tax rates across various states will be uniform.

The consumer will benefit from

lower taxation, as there will be no tax on tax at different levels.

Input credit on GST ushers in a whole new world of taxation.”

Whereas, the travel and tourism industry, which complements the hospitality industry, agreed that GST will bring a tax reform in the country.

Vishal Suri, managing director, SOTC Travel said, "All countries which have adapted GST have grown in their GDP. Incase of travel and tourism, GST is likely to eliminate multiplicity of taxes. Implementation of GST will rationalise and simplify tax regime. It will lead to ease and transparency in compliances."

Fairfield By Marriott to expand brand presence in northern states Sudipta Dev Mumbai AS A HOSPITALITY brand that offers quality, mid-range accommodation to the business traveller, Fairfield By Marriott has a strong focus on expanding its footprint across many destinations in Asia. “Thirteen Fairfield By Marriott hotels are signed in India and additional properties signed in Nepal and Indonesia,” said Anand Ganesan, multi-property general manager for Fairfield by Marriott, Lucknow and Renaissance, Lucknow. Currently there are two Fair-

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fields in Bengaluru and a recently opened property in Lucknow. “We will add four more in Indore, Amritsar, Jodhpur, and Belgaum in the coming months. UP has a lot of potential in the hospitality space and we are keen on increasing our brand in the northern states,” mentioned Ganesan.

The company is targeting both Tier II and micro markets in the metros. Explaining why Lucknow is ideal for the new Fairfield property (and the first in north India), Ganesan said, “Lucknow as a travel and business destination has become increasingly

important. Government business, seminars and conferences, apart from lot of

business activity happening in the city and around it has made it an important

destination. With international air connectivity, MNCs setting up offices and IT sector also picking up, the city has emerged as an important market for the hospitality sector.” The property is located in the business hub of the city with a large room inventory and varied F&B options.

Ganesan pointed out that Fairfield By Marriott is a moderate tier hotel with friendly and personalised service. “It aims to be perceived as a high end Marriott hotel that offers brilliant service at a competitive price,” he mentioned.

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

MARKETS

Carlson Rezidor aims to have 170 hotels in India by 2020 Mohit Rathod Mumbai CARLSON REZIDOR Hotel Group is planning expansion in the India market. The hotel group recently opened its 29th Radisson Blu property in India, in Karjat – Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat. Targeted at weekend leisure travellers, including families and independent travellers, the resort also plans to tap the weddings segment. Atanu Dey, general manager, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat, said, "We are working on the premise of being able to target two segments in particular – MICE and weekend leisure travellers. We have kept families in mind and made sure that we have something for every member of a family."

Elaborating on the weddings segment, Raj Rana, CEO – South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, commented,

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

Raj Rana

"Today Goa is the No 1 destination for weddings in India, but we want to develop Karjat as a wedding destination too.

We have learned that any destination which is a couple of hours away, will be ahead; and Karjat, in the future, is going to be the way it is today."

Carlson Rezidor's goal is to

have 170 hotels in India by 2020, of which the group aims to have 120 operational. As part of expansion in the India market, Carlson Rezidor is also looking looking at Tier II cities, particularly for its brands Country Inn & Suites

by Carlson, Park Inn by Radisson and Radisson Red. Additionally, the hotel group is considering religious destinations, particularly in South India; North East India; and outer rings of urban cities. A Radisson Red property is under construction in Mohali, Chandigarh and is slated to open in Q1 2018. Rana stated, "There are many other prospects for Radisson Red, which is more of a lifestyle brand and caters well to the millenials."

Out of all the Carlson Rezidor hotels in in India, 75 per cent are managed and 25 per cent are franchised. Rana mentioned, "Our business model is asset light, so we don't own the properties; we do invest, but not in real estate. India has potential for expansion, as there is not only robust hotel pipeline but also talent pipeline."

Quorvus Collection, the luxury brand of Carlson Rezidor, is not present in the India as of now. However, Rana indicated its entry in the India market. He suggested, "We are in very early talks on that and I think we should be able to see Quorvus in India in the next two years." Quorvus is expected to launch at a palace destination such as Rajasthan or a beach destination like Goa, through conversion of an existing property in these destinations.

Anantara opens 2nd property in Sri Lanka; sees India an important market Saloni Bhatia New Delhi ANANTARA has expanded its portfolio in Sri Lanka with another resort property, the Anantara Kalutara Resort.

This will be Anantara's second resort in the country apart from Anantara Peace Haven- Tangalle Resort, which started functioning in December 2015. Speaking to Food & Hospitality World, Edoardo Giuntoli, general manager, Anantara Kalutara Resort, shared, “Our focus is to attract the premium segment of leisure travellers from India, while also targeting the wedding and MICE segments."

The property will open in September 2016, and feature 141 rooms including leisure rooms, villas with private pools and one presidential suite. It will have three restaurants including an all day dining, an Italian restaurant and an Asian restaurant featuring Indian cuisine by a designated Indian chef. The property will also include a separate kids and teen club, along with a spa with 11 treatment rooms providing various therapies. In addition the

property will introduce a conference hall with a capacity of 400 people in January 2017.

Anantara's other property at Goyambokka Estate, Tangalle has been functioning for over six months now.

Tamir Kobrin, general manager, Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort, informed, “While the current number from the India market stands at two-three per cent, our target is to reach 10 per cent, as India is the fourth most important market for the brand in Sri Lanka.”

Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort is a 152-key property including 32 villas and 120 rooms with six food and beverage outlets.

Speaking about their expectations from the India market, Kobrin added, “First of all we are looking at high net worth individuals (HNI) who belong to the main urban cities. The second would be the wedding and MICE segments, as India is one big source for business travellers as well. Many outbound tourists to India from the US and Europe also add Sri Lanka to their lists and we would wish to tap that market too.”

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MARKETS

Dilmah targets premium segment in India market

Saloni Bhatia New Delhi WITH US$ 3 MILLION turnover from the India market, Dilmah Tea is targeting the premium segment in the country.

Dilmah Tea has over 100 tea lounges in different cities across the world and plans to bring back the traditional tea culture through the concept. Merrill J Fernando, founder and CEO, Dilmah Tea, launched the brand in 1988, handpicking and packing the tea to be exported overseas. Speaking to Food & Hospitality World, he shared, “I was once asked the reasons for entering the highly competitive India market. I also believed that India would be our best customer and so it has been. We wish to transform the

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way how tea is perceived as a commodity and make sure that it is enjoyed for its experience.

Most manufacturers have changed the concept of tea in making a quick cup by sacrificing the quality. We provide pure Ceylon tea directly from the farmers of our country.”

Dilhan C Fernando, director, MJF Holdings, mentioned, “As Indians are becoming more adventurous with their palate, they are demanding variety in experiences. Tea is a very exotic and special product that changes with time. The terrain also affects the quality of the product and we make sure that the end product is of premium quality.” Talking about the hospitality sector, he stated, “Hospitality is one of the segments where Dilmah is

the strongest. But we have had certain roadblocks in dealing with Indian clients. The major challenge is the regular change in rules and regulations of norms which make exporting difficult and also the variety to be provided. But we are already dealing with some of the Oberoi and ITC properties, and look forward to more connections,” he informed.

Dilmah will be focused on the premium segment or some boutique properties. The aim is to make people aware about the health benefits of Ceylon tea and create a better experience. “Each tea should have a story to engage the customer.

The idea is to develop a niche among the tea drinkers and not depending on sales,” added Fernando.

F&B packaging gets eco-friendly Sudipta Dev Mumbai VADODARA-BASED Nature Packwell manufactures eco-friendly packaging solutions for the F&B sector. The company supplies bio-degradable and PP disposable cups, glasses, trays, bowls and food containers. The products have been well received in India and overseas markets in the last year since the company was started. “Almost 50 per cent of the products are exported - primarily to the US and countries in Europe,” stated Gopal Vachhani, director - business development, Nature Packwell.

The price of this biodegradable range is about 20 per cent higher than the general products available in the market.

Acknowledging that in India the awareness has increased a lot for ecofriendly products, Vachhani pointed out that people are willing to pay more. The company is expanding its range of products including biodegradable straws and spoons.

The products are also recyclable and mi-

crowaveable. The taste and essence of the food contents are kept fresh in the containers. Along with hotels and restaurants, the targeted clientele includes juice centres, ice cream parlours and catering for corporate event and social functions.

All the products are made from food grade materials and additives. The manufacturing plant in Vadodara is completely hygenic. The cups are opaque, transparent and coloured, printed with logos of restaurants, catering companies and hotels.

“We have imported an eight colour printing machine from China. For the first time in India we are introducing coloured glasses; we import food grade colour from the US,” he said. The company does custom printing and has a team that specialises in printing and matching the colours.

Nature Packwell had participated in FHW exhibitions Mumbai and Bengaluru and Vachhani is happy that restaurant and hotel owners are showing great interest in the product range.

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

MARKETS

India tops package sales for Sands China properties Mohit Rathod Mumbai SANDS CHINA, the majorityheld subsidiary of integrated resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp, is strengthening its focus on the India market with the launch of its seventh property, on the Cotai Strip – The Parisian Macao. Slated to open on September 13 this year, the Frenchthemed property has brought Sands China’s total Macao investment to over US$ 13 billion.

The property is also expected to increase tourist arrivals into Macao, whilst growing Sands China's business. "We are working in co-ordination with Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and Macao govern-

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

ment to promote our properties and the destination," said Ruth Boston, vice president – destination marketing and sales, Sands China Resorts Cotai Strip Macao, while speaking to Food & Hospitality World. The Parisian Macao's major focus will be on the leisure segment.

In June, business from the India market was up 20 per cent year-on-year for Sands China, as May to June is the peak leisure travel period for Indians. Boston informed, "India ranks fifth or sixth in terms of our key source markets, but it ranked fourth in June this year. Other key markets for us include Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. India's travel period is different than other countries, so

it is complementary for us."

Contradicting the overall ranking among key markets, India ranks first for Sands China in terms of package sales. Boston stated, "Response from the Indian travel trade has been very good. We have a lot of key partners here. We partner with Indian travel agents every single time we launch a new package."

In terms of total Indian arrivals to Macao, about 70-80 per cent contribute to Sands China's business. The leisure segment forms a larger proportion of business for the company, however, Boston indicated that they are focused on MICE as well. "In the leisure segment from India, we receive a lot of families, as Macao has various facilities and attrac-

tions for them, so families play a big role. But MICE is equally important for us, as India is becoming more global, more and more companies want to do meetings in Macao. We receive business from pharmaceutical, IT and

other sectors. Meeting groups from India are larger in size and we have catered to a group of 2000 people. We also witness independent travellers, but MICE and leisure remain the focus for us," she commented.

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'HOTELROOMS CANNOTSELLON JUSTPRICE' Anshu Sarin, CEO, Berggruen Hotels, is leading one of India's fastest growing hospitality brands with renewed dynamism and a firm vision

By Reema Lokesh In this environment wherein its crucial to have a competitive edge, what is your niche ?

We believe our niche is in the following areas: ● Distribution landscape that we have today allows us to explore multiple channels and do inventory and price management effectively. ● Agility and flexibility to tailor a product to cater to each asset owner’s requirements without compromising brand deliverable ● Tried and tested cost optimised model which gives us a disproportionate upward swing in bottomline in both RevPAR and ARR growth models.

As you are a PE asset management company, is there a certain strategy you have chalked out to further penetrate the India market ?

Our growth strategy is to focus on strengthening our operating platform and enhancing our capabilities and competency in that arena.

We will focus on increasing our footprint in the genre of hotels we work in via management or franchise route.

Your experience clearly states, you feel ‘hotel rooms cannot sell on price'. Can you explain further ?

We believe that price is market driven and should not become the sole basis on which a product is sold.

There are other criteria such as brand loyalty, guest loyalty, distribution reach, experience and consistency that influence a decision making process.

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employers show flexibility; it encourages employees to go beyond putting in the minimum hours and in fact putting in much more efforts enthusiastically.

Anshu Sarin

What is the strategy of Keys Hotels for working with business allies such as online and offline travel agents ?

It is a competitive and importantly an emerging distribution landscape defined by what a customer eventually wants. As participants of this eco-system we respect that and fairly engage with our valued partners, may they be offline or online agents, to offer consistent value to the customer.

What is that one change you have implemented under your leadership at Keys ?

I have been fortunate to have been given an extremely robust platform to perform on. It gives me the ability to augment seamlessly emerging trends and concepts, with relative ease.

Re-defined distribution landscape and revenue optimisation capabilities is a key

addition to our platform.

What is the current turnover and the target for 2016-17 ?

We are not a public listed company hence we would not like to disclose this.

Can you throw some light on your HR and training systems vis-a-vis other groups if any?

One of the most important aspects to incentivise topperformers is ensuring that they have a proper work-life balance. The objective is to have an enjoyable work-life with career progression. It is also a well-known fact that happy and satisfied employees ensure improvement of performance and long term commitment to the organisation. Today’s corporate life has gone much beyond the ordinary 9 am to 5 pm job with people having to be connected constantly with their work devices. Hence, when

What kind of properties would you like to extend your brand name to, both in the leisure and business space. Is there a future mapping of regions in place ?

We choose a business partner on the basis of common business objectives, value system and common orientation towards the business basics like customer centricity, quality and transparency. As far as the product is concerned, we follow certain minimum brand standards for all three categories i.e. Keys Prima, Keys Hotels and Keys Lite and our teams ensure that we shortlist, consider or entertain the properties which adhere to these parameters. These parameters are driven by customer expectations and some of the traditional fundamentals of industry like locations, architecture, legalities, etc. We also bring in our expertise here to fill the gaps (standards adherence) before we are operational. As far as mapping of the regions is concerned, we have considered smart cities, state capitals along with tourist destinations.

What is the primary brand identity of all Keys Hotels across categories in India ?

Unmatched guest experience which compels the guest to always come back.

For example you will always find a Keys Hotel centrally located with guests having a

homelike stay and healthy homelike food. Keys Prima and Keys Lite draw a sharp distinction between the different market segments they serve. Keys Prima is a premium brand catering to the upper mid market segment, comprising the upscale business and leisure traveller, while Keys Lite is aimed at economy travellers. Keys Hotels plans to add six - eight hotels under Keys Prima and Keys Hotels, year on year basis. Plans are also on the cards to add 60-70 hotels under Keys Lite in the next 12 months.

Any other highlights you wish to share ?

Women secure rooms, diabetic menu, Satwik menu, 'Ghaar Ka Swad' are our special offerings. Women secure rooms have a video telephone, an additional women’s kit, hairdryer and other soft elements. Single women travellers are treated with special care by the staff of Keys Hotels. The Diabetic Special menu is also worth taking note of. Satwik menu/Prasadam section is for all the guests of Keys Hotels who are on a religious fast or diet. It comprises of pure vegetarian food which are grown above the soil.

'Ghar Ka Swad' is a patent product of Keys Hotels, specially designed to cater to the needs of all guests who miss home food. The menu is specially designed in a way to make the guest feel like he is dining at home. Extra care is taken to ensure that the food served matches the home flavours and taste, which is available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings.

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

MARKETS

Maha govt gives nod to HRAWI petition for abolishing sign board licences

FHW Staff Mumbai THE GOVERNMENT of Maharashtra has granted the long standing demand of hoteliers and restaurateurs and abolished the sign board licenses. A recent circular issued by the government has done away with the need for retail establishments to obtain licence for advertising their own business at their operational premises.

The circular has also indicated that along with the licence, retailers will no longer have to pay for the fee either. The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), which has been advocating for the cancellation of the licence, has

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

welcomed the move and has commended the government for this step.

“The move comes on the back of the ‘Model Shops and Establishments Bill’ which the Union Cabinet has recently given a nod to which essentially allows establishments to remain operational 24/7. Although, the state government is yet to finalise on introducing this bill in Maharashtra, the abolishment of the sign board licence is an encouraging indication of the government’s outlook towards ease of doing business,” said Bharat Malkani, president, HRAWI. The new circular states that sky-signs are mainly set up for advertising, which is an inte-

Mecca to have world’s largest hotel by 2017 FHW Staff Mumbai BY 2107 MECCA will be home to the largest hotel in the world with 10,000 rooms. According to reports, the Abraj Kudai hotel, with an investment of around US$ 3.5 billion, is expected be ready for visitors in 2017. Touted to be the largest hotel in the world, the project is owned

by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance and is being designed by the Dar Al-Handasah group. It will be located in the Manafia area of Mecca’s central zone, which is about two km from the Holy Haram in Mecca.

The property will have 70 restaurants across 48 storeys and 12 towers (which will vary between 30 and 48 storeys). There are also plans of four helipads

on the roof.

The hotel expects a a number of royal visits, so it’s being planned in such a manner that entire floors of the 1.4 million sq m complex could be reserved for royal families. There will also be a convention centre built inside the hotel compound.

The hotel’s podium will accommodate a bus station, shopping mall, restaurants, food courts, conference centre and car parks. A dome located on top of two mid towers will house a ballroom and the convention centre.

Due to its size, location, exposure and architectural style, the building poses itself as a landmark with a modern multifunctional identity relating to both the Saudi locality and the Islamic universality of its expected users.

gral component of every retail store. As long as the sky sign is fixed in and out of the selfowned, leased or mortgaged premise of the retail store, by the trader advertising his own business it shall not attract the requirement of permission of the commissioner or chief officer or competent authority and payment of fees.

“The HRAWI has been tirelessly following-up with the government for many years, including the previous governments, to rationalise laws and policies that are either archaic or simply irrelevant today. The abolishment of this licence is welcomed by the association and the industry,” added Malkani.

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CESC to set up stadium complex with hotel in Kolkata FHW Staff Kolkata GLOBAL INSURANCE giant MetLife has a stadium branded in its name in the US, while Manchester has Etihad Stadium and London has a stadium branded after Emirates.

Soon Kolkata will have a stadium branded after CESC. Buoyed by this successful trend of corporate branding of stadiums, Kolkata's CESC (erstwhile Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation) the flagship power utility company of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group has firmed up plans to set up a stadium-cum-sports complex that will have the CESC branding.

The stadium will be part of an integrated sporting complex that will also house a football

academy, a 120-keys three-star hotel, hostel and other shopping and entertainment facilities. “A 30-35 acre plot of land near the city has been identified for the project that will take off immediately after it gets all the necessary approvals from the government agencies,” said Sanjiv Goenka, chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group.

“The group will be investing to the tune of `500 crore for the project which will be sourced through internal accruals and from the CSR funds of group companies. The stadium and the academy with classrooms and hostel will be ready within a year of receiving the final clearances. To start with, the stadium will have a football ground and a tier of stands. We

will gradually develop it to a full-size stadium,” Goenka stated.

The entire project will be executed by the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group but it will seek managing partners for the 120room three-star hotel, he added. “The stadium will be part of a larger facility that will be a self-sustaining venture,” Goenka pointed out. Over the years, it is likely to emerge as a happening venue for sporting and non-sporting events and promoting retail facilities, besides making it a shoppingcum-entertainment destination. The group has interests in both football and cricket and owns a team each in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Indian Super League (ISL) formats.

Bhartiya Group and The Leela launch luxury residences FHW Staff Mumbai BHARTIYA GROUP Bengaluru and The Leela have announced the launch of Leela Residences, branded luxury houses. This collaboration makes Leela the first Indian hospitality group to launch branded luxury residences, a statement said.

“We are excited to have

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partnered with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts in conceiving and developing these branded residences in the heart of Bhartiya City. The project is designed keeping in view those who seek a lifestyle woven around the legendary luxury and service of The Leela. The well-heeled are even more sophisticated and willing to pay a premium for upscale homes. We are delighted to an-

nounce the sale of almost 50 per cent of the apartments in less than two months,” said Snehdeep Aggarwal, chairman, Bhartiya Group and promoter, Bhartiya City.

Apartments are of various formats, priced between `1 crore for a studio apartment and over `5 crore for a four bedroom residence.

Sodexo to source ‘cagefree’eggs for global supply chain; HSI hails decision FHW Staff Mumbai HAILING the decision by support services firm Sodexo of sourcing only “cage-free” eggs, an animal rights body has said the move will send a message that the future of egg production in India is “cagefree”. Humane Society International (HSI) India said egg-laying hens are often confined for their whole lives in wire battery cages.

The use of conventional battery cages for laying hens is banned or being phased out under laws or regulations throughout the European Union, five US states, New Zealand and Bhutan.

The majority of states in India, the world’s third

largest egg producer, have declared that the use of battery cages violates the country’s animal welfare legislation and the country is debating a national ban.

HSI said that Sodexo announced has that it will source only “cage-free” eggs for its global liquid and shell egg supply chain by 2025.

“Consumers care about the way animals are treated to produce our food and we applaud Sodexo for taking these concerns seriously by committing to only procuring ‘cage-free’ eggs. We look forward to working with more companies on similar policies,” sais N G Jayasimha, managing director, HSI India.

(PTI)

The use of conventional battery cages for laying hens is banned or being phased out under laws or regulations throughout the European Union, five US states, New Zealand and Bhutan

(PTI)

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Mustard,Sangolda,North Goa

Jamie’s Pizzeria The first restaurant of JAMIE’S PIZZERIA has opened in Mumbai. This marks the third location of the restaurant in India. Located in High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, Jamie’s Pizzeria contributes to the diverse retail and food and beverage options in the mall, fitting in among other brands. The design of the new restaurant is simple, with a neighbourhood feel. The menu starts at `149 and includes homemade pizzas, sides, salads and desserts, with classic options such as our Funghi, Margherita pizzas, Paneer Piccante and Chilli Freak. The restaurant also features pasta dishes and a kids’ menu.

MUSTARD, a new villa-restaurant, has opened in Sangolda, North Goa. The restaurant features Bengali and French cuisine. Chef Pritha Sen has curated the Bengali menu, while Frenchman Gregory Bazire has created a menu of European food. The Bengali menu offers old favourites such as Dal Puri and Kumror Chhokka, and Bhapa Doi while also featuring creations like Cocktail Luchi with Alu-Dum. Another unique point is that most dishes come plated in ‘thali’ style often with rice, dal and mango chutney. Some of the Bengali treats to try are the Shukto, Kosha Mangsho, the Maacher Chop, and the Rui Maacher Shorshay Jhaal. Some of the highlights of the European menu are the Chicken Scallopini, Crispy Fish with Ratatouille, Pork Medallions, Poached Black Pomfret, and the Pesto Aranccini. The desserts on the European menu include Creme Brûlée and Brownie a la Mustard. The restaurant's garden area and indoor seating can fit around 150 people. As part of earth-friendly commitment, Mustard grows its own micro greens, which guests can also buy. A gourmet food section is also underway, where guests can savour from a selection of wines, table foods and more.

Club Mahindra Hatgad MAHINDRA HOLIDAYS & RESORTS INDIA (MHRIL) has announced the launch of its new 75-keys resort in Hatgad, Maharashtra, six km from the hill station of Saputara, Gujarat. Spread over an area consisting of approximately three acres, Club Mahindra Hatgad is located on the Nashik-Saputara road with views of the Saputara Hills as well as the Hatgad Fort. Club Mahindra Hatgad offers a range of rooms and modern amenities, including a clubhouse, a gymnasium, spa and free WiFi. A variety of cuisines is offered at the in-house multi-cuisine restaurants, while adventure lovers can try their hand at trekking, paragliding and cycling amongst other activities. The culturally inclined can visit the Saputara Tribal Museum and the Gandharve Pure artist village.

One&Only Le Saint Géran ONE&ONLY LE SAINT GÉRAN, on the north-eastern coast of Mauritius, has announced its plans for a rebirth of resort. The resort will close in February 2017 for an extensive renovation, and will re-emerge in late 2017 with a beachfront and calm lagoon. Brand new guest rooms and suites will be introduced as well as new culinary experiences, two new pool experiences and new fitness and spa offerings. One&Only will also be introducing residences to the resort for those seeking an idyllic lifestyle on the island. A complete renovation of all guest rooms will introduce additional suites. The focus has been placed on showcasing the views and surroundings of the resort, with muted hues of warm white marble, teak and greys being used for the complete makeover including new furnishings, fabrics and colour schemes to reflect the lush tropical landscapes, the turquoise Indian Ocean and the Mauritian sand. All of the restaurants will be redesigned, introducing additional outdoor dining and new dining concepts including a pan Asian experience complete with sushi bar. At the North end of the resort, guests will be able to enjoy a new pool, complete with a new bar and restaurant with an open kitchen. The existing pool will also be renovated. In addition, a new library will be introduced. KidsOnly, the fitness centre, spa and watersports centre will also be renovated. Three new meeting rooms will also be added along with new retail experiences.

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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PRODUCT TRACKER

Kishco Innochef 3Ply Cookware

Godrej Locking Solutions and Systems

Marimbula

GODREJ LOCKING SOLUTIONS AND SYSTEMS (Godrej LOCKSS) has introduced a new range of door handles called – Arsa. Inspired by Indian craftsmanship, the new premium collection of handles is a blend of traditional and contemporary ideologies. The collection comprises of four new door handles which have been inspired from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bikaner. The collection is available in antique brass and antique copper finishes.

The products will only be available in 60 premium outlets of key metro cities. The handles are priced at `13000 onwards per set.

MARIMBULA has launched new exotic flavours – raspberry, hazelnut and tiramisu. Marimbula’s Raspberry syrup can be used to make beverages like Raspberry Belini, Raspberry Chocolate Kiss, Grape Flip, Hibiscus Tea Cocktail, Latin Love, etc. Roasted Hazelnut syrup can be used make drinks like Nutty Shake, Nutella Cold Coffee, Funfettini, Virgin Mudslide Cocktail, etc. Whereas the Tiramisu syrup can be used to make drinks like Tiramisu Martini, Tiramisu Latte, Tiramisu Tippers, etc.

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AUGUST 16-31, 2016

PRODUCT TRACKER

Vinod Cookware VINOD COOKWARE has announced the launch of its GeNext Olympic Bottles, exclusively for tea. The product starts from `895.

It is available in two sizes 300 ml and 400 ml. The bottle is made with stainless steel infuser with easy silicone grip so the liquid stays hot/cold for hours. The tea bottles come with an infuser which can hold upto five teaspoons of loose leaf tea. Designed for the tea drinker, the bottle sports an easy sip drinking spout.

Prestige Vineyards PRESTIGE VINEYARDS announced th e launch of four new brands: Pine Forest, Prestige, Grape Valley and Port 777.

Pine Forest has labels like Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc.

Prestige has Shiraz and Chenin Blanc.

Grape Valley has Premium Red Wine and Premium White Wine and there’s the Port under Port 777.

LivRite Foods LIVRITE FOODS has launched a new range of classic honey called Beelicious, selected from Himachal, Jammu and other parts of North India. The product is free from added sugar, fructose or corn syrup and goes through a unique filtration process that allows it to retain its natural antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins as it is only heated to 40 degrees. Additionally, most of the honey’s pollen content also gets retained. It is available in pack sizes of 250 g and 400 g for `250 and `385 respectively.

The Great Eastern Home An exclusive collection of centre tables has been launched

by THE GREAT EASTERN HOME. With this launch, The Great Eastern Home aims to provide living spaces a stylish and ingenious finish.

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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CHEF’S PLATTER

Achocolatier's tale Chef Varun Inamdar shares his interesting career journey and the many highlights that have positioned him as one of the country's best known chocolatiers

By Sudipta Dev

I

NDIA'S CELEBRITY chocolatier Chef Varun Inamdar has many unique achievements to his credit – from the creation of India's first lifesize edible chocolate mannequin to be appointed as the Cocoa Brand Ambassador by the government of Ecuador.

Interestingly, he reveals that some of the most important milestones of his career journey was unplanned for and the opportunities came to him on their own.

An Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development (OCLD) alumnus, Chef Inamdar started his career with The Oberoi Group. “With OCLD, I travelled to Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Agra, Udaipur, Jaipur, and other places,” he says. He worked at The Trident and Oberoi Hotel at Nariman Point,

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Mumbai for nine years. Then he went to Kuwait to work for the royal family there for a year and a half. Revealing more about his tenure there he mentions, “We also opened a few cafes and pastry shops for them and a perfumery. The name of the perfumery was The Fragrance Kitchen, I was told to just concentrate on the flavour combinations. We took the sheikh's grandmother's recipes and created the perfumes. It had nothing to do with me and my forte but we managed. Then we opened a pastry shop called 21 Karats, which was unique because it went beyond food - we had perfumes on sale and clothes (by the biggest artists and fashion designers of the Gulf). In the Gulf they want to see grandeur - they will not settle for five to

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CHEF’S PLATTER

10 pastries, they want 200 pastries from which they will select the best. And the portions are huge. Their biggest forte is that they do not think of cost, it is not a barrier for them.” He admits that as a chef anywhere else in the world, cost is a barrier that is always there in the mind.

Chef Inamdar returned to India because he wanted to do something of his own. Revealing how his career took an interesting turn and he became a writer by chance, he says, “I opened a Facebook page, and did a whole trail of restaurants in Colaba and wrote about it. I got a call from a publisher in Chennai for a food magazine, followed by a call from BBC to write for them. Later, I was approached by a magazine in Durban, South Africa to do food writing for them.” How-

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ever, he soon realised that writing (like a journalist) was not his true calling, and he started promoting chocolates as a medium as he had expertise in the field. “I started taking workshops which became quite a rage as people started coming for my name. I did not realise for sometime that I had created a niche for myself. I started getting invitations from food studios who asked me to curate menus for them. People started using terms like Master Chocolatier, then television programmes happened,” he points out, acknowledging that he had not taken a planned route for his career progression.

Unique flavours “I get good opportunities as a chef and brilliant opportunities as a chocolatier as well. I dabble well between both. The

YouTube show, The Bombay Chef where I am a hardcore chef, gets a phenomenal response in terms of viewership, subscriptions and comments,” he says reminding that when he started working as a chocolatier, India was not ready to absorb a lot of experimental flavours, but now the trend has changed. “Today you can give people something as random as black cardamom to taste with chocolate and they will lap it up. With Barcode, the chocolate range that I have launched, we have created an amazing range - from Banaganapalli mangoes and Teja chillis which is particular to Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh and people have started taking a liking for it.

India has more than 80,000 varieties of mangoes, people know only a few variants.”

Barcode is artisanal chocolate, which is 100 per cent egg free.

He has just launched Volume 1, including states like Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Flavours have been taken from these regions, e.g.

kinnow and ajwain from Punjab. “There is a story behind it - it is not a random flavour.

Kinnow was the first crop grafted by Punjabi farmers, there is history to it that nobody knows. We paired it with an indigenous spice like ajwain. It is an unheard of flavour,” he explains. These are single origin chocolates from Equador, Ghana, Java, Belgium and other places.

Chef Inamdar is currently moving his entire operations to Gujarat because of better logistics and distribution. He wants to tie-up with Incredible India and the state tourism boards to ensure that these chocolates with unique Indian flavours reaches Indian embassies abroad. While Barcode is for classes, he wants to launch a new range of chocolates for the masses.

The chef has been the Cocoa Brand Ambassador for Ecuador since 2014. He is also

associated with universities like Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) near Kasaragod in Kerala. He keeps going there to understand what is happening in the world of cocoa in India. “The breed here is Nigerian by origin so what is grown here is not Indian but Nigerian. As a common man we just open the wrapper and eat it, but there is so much that goes behind the little piece of chocolate.

Whatever I get to know internationally I tell them and visa versa, for instance the Malaysian Cocoa Board has developed a formula to eradicate cocoa pests. It is a serious problem as the cocoa plant has a lot of pests.”

Chef Inamdar still considers himself a hardcore chef. “For this reason I do sometimes gala dinners like a recent one with Vikas Khanna for Smile Foundation and Virat Kohli Foundation,” he avers.

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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HIGH SPIRITS

THE CELLARS OFCANELLI Polina Bosca, the sixth generation of Italy's famous family of winemakers talks about the long association with India and how the Bosca Cellars (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Canelli, Italy is drawing visitors from across the world

By Sudipta Dev

I

n 2014 UNESCO declared the Bosca Cellars in Canelli, Italy to be a World Heritage Site of Humankind. The ancient wine cellars are considered 'underground cathedrals'. The company, that has had a presence in India for almost half a cen-

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tury, was founded in 1831 and the business is managed by the sixth generation. “At the moment I am taking care of the company with my sister and brother. We have always been a very international company since the very beginning and even now we export about 90

per cent of our production,” says Polina Bosca (VP Agribusiness and Business Development - Bosca S.p.A), and the brainchild behind DIA Red and White, Sula Vineyards' semi-sparkling wine mainly for women.

The Bosca Group produces

about 75 million bottles every year, from its three production sites - in Italy, Lithuania and Switzerland. “From these three sites, we cover the world.

The main markets are the US and Russia. In Russia alone we do 45 million bottles. We do a very important line of Kosher

products for Israel. Few years ago we came up with a Halal product also - we have a nonalcoholic spumante certified halal. I think this is our future, the world is going more towards niche, nutritional, low or non-alcohol,” mentions Bosca, adding that the company's

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HIGH SPIRITS

specialisation is innovative products, for instance, spumante made of wine and fermented cereals. “But we also have very traditional products. Since we have 185 years of experience we feel the traditional products have to be there to make us understand how to be innovative. So we always start from our traditions,” avers Bosca, adding that the traditions are the cellars that are a World Heritage Site for UNESCO. In 2015 Bosca celebrated with UNESCO the International Year of Light with an exhibition of light and music.

The cellars are open to the public and is increasingly attracting visitors from across the world. “In 2015, almost 10,000 people visited us from all over the world. Since we are a UNESCO site, the number of visitors are increasing and this year we expect 16,000-17,000 visitors. In 2015 we also decided to renovate the lighting since it was International Year of Light for UNESCO and we were partners. So we decided to change the lighting and use the most modern photonic lights. It also enables giving coloured lights in the cellars with a video, telling the story of the family. This is very attractive to tourists and we get lot of tourists by word of mouth. Actually the whole town of Canelli, where we are based, have cellars underneath. There are other companies also who have cellars and it is really a very beautiful site,” says Bosca.

The sound and light show is an enthralling experience for tourists to feel the tradition, with music and moving lights and modern technology like 3D mapping. “This technology has also been used on our bottles,” mentions Bosca.

The Bosca family believes that it is thanks to the community that the company could grow. “And likewise the community could grow because of us as in our town we are one of the biggest companies. Consequently, we have a video of the community and another of the family - six generations, where

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

they went and what they did,” she says. The tour is free, however if visitors opt for wine tasting, it is charged.

India connect Bosca has been in India since 45 years, and was the first wine producer of the country. “My grandfather was called by the Govt of India to consult them about how to use the surplus grapes produced in Baramati area. He advised production of wine and it took a lot of effort to convince people that wine is food, a part of meal, not alcohol. In Italy we consider it as part of food, not alcohol," she states. He started Bosca Wines, and used to come and live here for three months every year. “Later, on account of old age he could not visit India frequently, and my father also could not come often. Things did not work out for sometime,” she adds. About 15 years ago, she took charge of the Indian market and lived in Baramati for six months trying to improve and revive the company. “We thought of collaboration, to find a new partner as we did not want to lose this

Polina Bosca

market. I had the fortune and luck to meet Rajeev Samant, who was just starting his Sula company. I tried to convince him with the idea - our idea all over the world is to make nondrinkers, drink something and to make them get closer to wine. In the world 15 per cent of the world's population drink wine. DIA was born specially for the Indian market. The

wine is very aromatic, and has a nice perfume, it is slightly bubbly. Our philosophy is to make people enjoy what they drink,” affirms Bosca.

DIA was always positioned as a wine for women and the packaging was conceived to appeal to women. Interestingly, a lot of men also drink DIA. “A lot of men don't like to say they drink sweet wine, 80

per cent of Bosca Group's production is sweet wine, for sure the consumers are not only women. 75 million bottles a year, it can't be just for women,” she asserts. Her focus on the India market is to stabilise the two products - DIA Red and White. She has been happy with the growth of DIA in the market - approximately 30 per cent every year.

Sharing her views about the wine scenario in India, Bosca points out that local wine products will grow, in particular those with lower alcohol content. "The world is moving towards that everywhere.

Unless taxation changes, it will always remain difficult for international companies to export wine here,” she states.

Bosca specialises in the production of spumante and is famous worldwide for its Verdi, Sparkletini, Toselli and Asti. In order to develop solutions that will lead to a more sustainable future, Bosca searches every day for cutting-edge technologies, designed to ensure product quality and continuity of its traditions.

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THE CHANGING DESIGNSCAPE Visual art in hallways, pops of bold colours in cafes, wooden floors in rooms and edgy designs on walls are slowly replacing the conventional interior elements in hotels and restaurants. While designers are experimenting with new textures and patterns, hoteliers want spaces that appeal to the new age traveller. Food & Hospitality World checks out the latest interior trends that are transforming hospitality design

BY SALONI BHATIA

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AUGUST 16-31, 2016

(

THE MAIN FOCUS

by experimenting with textiles and fabrics.”

Changing outlook

U

PCOMING hotels and cafes around the country are creatively adapting to the social changes and tech-savvy travellers. Some striking designs like bold colours, textile wallpapers and metal artworks are shaping the design scene today. The hotels now have versatile lobbies and room designs with a homely feel, ensuring a personalised experience for the guest. Restaurants and cafes are not only experimenting with the quirky furniture but are also hiring regional artists to decorate their walls.

Even simple twist to the regular pat-

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

terns are making a huge difference in changing the interior outlook.

Alifia Shabbir, principal designer, Design Mint, a Bengaluru-based interior designing company, informs, “Hotels are now moving away from the traditional concept of styling the interiors. They prefer a different outlook of the entire hotel and want the property to speak a single language. Designing with modern interiors is not just restricted to the dining section but has moved towards grand lobbies and crafted wall décor.

Eco friendly furniture and metal pieces are trending as new installations at the hotels. The main reason for their use is good quality and durability in the long run. There is also higher demand of quality products with minimalistic design. Instead of the conventional art pieces they are reviving some old crafts

Hotels are now more discreet about their complete outlook, restricting to a theme but at the same time experimenting with new designs and patterns.

Sreeram Rama Chandran, principal designer, Resorts & Destinations, KGD Architecture, mentions, “Hotels are now moving towards more boutique in terms of language shift and parameters. Gone are those days when hotel entities were purely and solely colloquial and luxurious. The segments are being fragmented now as business /leisure/holiday hotels. These days more and more interior entities are packed into a hotel room, when it comes to the private spaces. The public spaces, apart from the restaurants, coffee shops, bars, etc, are seeing overnight themes and vibrant ones at that. It is interesting to note that these public spaces within the hotel undergo constant redesign and facelift to keep the customer enticed and frequenting the hotel.”

Dinesh Rai, general manager, Mercure Hyderabad KCP, states that though they are a city centre business hotel, the property has some interesting art decor. The owner of the Mercure Hyderabad KCP is involved with the look and feel of the place. The hotel has two paintings of MF Hussain brought from Delhi by Kavitha Dutt Chitturi, executive director of KCP. He further adds that the concept of Mercure also incorporates the local art and culture in their decor.

“Further, the guest room head board above photo frame incorporates local Cherial painting of the Cherial village from Telangana state. The guest floor corridor paintings, the hydraint boxes in front of the guest lift houses acrylic silicon painting by Thota Tharani in Chennai. The bar ceilings have also been done by Tharani. The front-office has a background that reflects Nizami architecture,” he mentions.

Environment focus Nowadays many hoteliers are also opting for sustainable products that are not a threat to the environment. Purchase managers are careful about these items prior to opening, during refurbishment and ongoing operations. Some of the factors that affect these decisions are quality, effectiveness, value for money, design and product lifespan. Shabbir in-

forms, “Metal installations are indefinitely recyclable and add a very unique look to the place. At the same time the smaller items which are not just artistic but highly functional would continue to exist at hotels. Sustainable furniture is replacing heavy old furniture. These are the trends that I see continuing in the market in the long run.”

Faiz Alam Ansari, general manager, Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park, adds, “The shift of focus to sustainability and the environmental impact has played a massive role in interior trends over the past few years. Most guests and companies we cater to make it a part of their policy to only choose hotels that have these plans in place. Trends are also evolving today with wide variety of clientele that hotels cater to in terms of their lifestyles and preferences. Hotel designs are aimed at being a destination on their own and not just a space.”

In the long run, hotels with a sustainable practice and those that cater to the environmentally conscious guest will continue to trend. “It is an important practice to incorporate into the hotel and will continue play a huge role in hotel designs. The concept of having a multiuse atrium with natural lighting, as we do at Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park, will also continue to be a key trend in hotel design as it portrays a larger well-lit space, more welcoming and inviting to the guest. From the hotel perspective, even as smaller lobby will display a larger sense of space. Keeping in mind the surge in land pricing it has an additional bonus in cost saving,” mentions Ansari.

What's trending Jars converted as lights, inverted posters and graffiti as wall décor is seen in cafes all over the country. One of such restaurants to cleverly adopt the new trends is Soda Bottle Opener Wala. The design is old world, colonial and humorous. The restaurant gives a slice of 'Bombay experience' at its Parsi best.

Every item seen on the walls and on the menu is typical of Bombay and of what you most likely may find in a Parsi home and kitchen. Keeping most original elements of a typical Irani cafe in place, architect Clement De’Sylva and fashion and interior designer Sabina Singh, added a few contemporary touches.

Their take of Parsi Style Freddie Mercury meets Monty Python on the large mirrors juxtaposes with a play of graphics all around that bring out the Parsi

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“There is higher demand for quality products with minimalistic design” Alifia Shabbir Principal designer, Design Mint

“Today’s client/customer is demanding, the order of the day being, value-for-money” Sreeram Rama Chandran Principal designer - resorts & destinations, KGD Architecture

One of the major challenges is to design the outdoor spaces.The furniture not only needs to be in sync with the theme of the hotel but bear the outdoor atmosphere as well “The front-office has a background that reflects Nizami architecture” Dinesh Rai General manager, Mercure Hyderabad KCP

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spirit and idiosyncrasies.

The ‘chuk chuk’ train moving around the restaurant is reflective of the old train system of Mumbai which is integral to the spirit of the city. A jumble of Parsi portraits with framed images of life in Irani cafes and the bustling Bombay street life on the walls, all tell the story of a

Bombay Irani café .

Old printed tiles on the floor, Irani chairs and chai glasses, red checker and crochet tablecloths, coloured glass lamps and dome lights from Chor Bazaar, cuckoo clocks, brass tea kettles and dabbas, tin boxes, locks and old paraphernalia, barni glass jars filled with nankatais and

typical bakery items sold by the piece on the cash counter and bric a brac complete the old-world charm. Singh says, “We have also introduced a juke box in the bar area so people can have a great selection of retro music to choose from.”

One of the major challenges is to design the

outdoor spaces. The furniture not only needs to be in sync with the theme of the hotel but bear the outdoor atmosphere as well. Puneet Garg, managing director, GEBE India, mentions, “A decade ago, wooden furniture was in use but it required a lot of maintenance. Specially in case of outdoor furniture, it becomes important to check the durability of the product as well. Usually outdoor furniture would have to be moved to avoid the sun as it would affect the durability of the product.” Later, cast iron furniture solved some of these problems.

Nowadays more hotels and cafes are shifting to wicker furniture for outdoors. It is a combination of real wicker and poly resin materials that hold up the rigours of outdoor use and unpredictable weather conditions. Wicker comes in a variety of price points. It is strong, lightweight, and comfortable and comes in a wide variety of styles of colours as well. Garg adds, “Wicker is a hot selling property today as it is durable and comes in a lot of varieties starting from sofa sets, bar furniture, day beds, dining furniture, easy chairs, loungers, designer planters, tea chairs and outdoor swings. The furniture is not only durable but adds a sophisticated look to the place.”

There has also been a shift from granite floors to wooden flooring.

Junckers, a Denmark-based wooden flooring brand has already worked on Indian projects like Prime Minister's House, Parliament House, North and South Blocks, BSNL and NDMC Buildings in Delhi. In the hospitality sector, Junckers has covered JW Marriott both in Bengaluru and Mumbai, Le Meridien - New Delhi, Radisson, The Taj Group, ITC Group and many others.

Talking about the changing trends in the flooring of hotels and restaurants Suresh Mansukhani, country manager, Junckers, informs, “We have seen an increasing

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

( number of hotels coming forward to adopt wooden flooring. In fact, Some of the properties like Le Meridien has been using the concept for past 10 years. People have started liking wooden flooring a lot since it gives a completely different look to the room.

Therefore, the laminated, hard wood and solid wood flooring is replacing marble.”

He adds, “Most of the hotels would use it in rooms, certain parts of lobby or the dining area. But now with better flooring options some hotels have increased their usage and also shifted to using the wooden floors in their spa areas and gym. But this mainly depends on the budget and what outlook they plan to give to the hotel. Wooden flooring gives out very classic and fine look to the floors. Another environmental factor is that in the summer months the floor feels cool while in the winter months it is warm. The cost is also comparatively lower than high-end Italian marble or granite.”

For the new age traveller It is considered a challenge to design for the constantly onthe-go traveller as the parameters are quite different from the rest. “Minimal quantum of

space with lot of packed elements that come with it and still not being clustered is important in terms of criteria. A little playful and a little sober is an eclectic mix that is required to create spaces for this segment, unlike the other categories. Today’s client/customer is demanding, the order of the day being, value-for-

money. There is a lot of effort from hotel owners to stuff in as much possible in the roomscape to make the customer feel like a king. Freebies and complimentary entities are being showered without a second thought. A good interior design that enhances one's mood and frame of mind is what is on the mind of a hotel

owner today. Quick on-the-call services is another area of utmost importance when it comes to customer satisfaction. These factors combined together crack the whip when it comes to good interiors,” Chandran adds.

Ansari informs that along with the increase in hotels that have tech savvy features, many hotels are also building on their fitness models so as to cater to individual needs of new age travellers who are becoming extremely health conscious. “Aloft offers both of these facilities in design-savvy spaces that global travellers demand. We also have the fashion and brand conscious travellers who yearn for that extra touch of luxury for their satisfaction. Modern travellers also include those in touch with nature and the importance of sustainability in terms of energy and emission,” he mentions.

From green furniture to personalised spaces, local art to techno designs the interiors designers are creating an enriching experience for the visitors who are looking for a change.

(With inputs from Reema Lokesh)

THE MAIN FOCUS

“The shift of focus to sustainability and the environmental impact has played a massive role in interior trends over the past few years” Faiz Alam Ansari General manager, Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park

“Hoteliers are looking for furniture that is not only durable but adds a sophisticated look to the place” Puneet Garg Managing director, GEBE India

“Wooden flooring gives a very classic and fine look to the room” Suresh Kumar Mansukhani Country manager, Junckers

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

25

SPOTLIGHT

A global forum Canada-based Fairmont Raffles Hotels International’s (FRHI) annual Global Meeting Exchange (GME) has become a ‘must attend’ event for travel agents and event planners worldwide, a networking forum to gain in-depth knowledge of the group's finest luxury and upscale brands which includes Raffles, Swissotel and Fairmont. A report on this year's GME in Ajman,UAE. By Steena Joy

E

very year FRHI's Global Meeting Exchange (GME) is held in a different location giving delegates an opportunity to experience the brands and also connect with the destination. While last year's GME was held at the Fairmont Monte Carlo, this year the event was held at the Fairmont Ajman from June 22 to 26, 2016. Ajman is the smallest emirate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The four-day event brings together more than 100 event planners from around the world for one-to-one meetings with representatives from Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel properties, workshops and knowledge sessions - a great educational opportunity with corporate organisers, agents and DMCs discussing the challenges and changes in the industry, exchanging information and discussing how FRHI and they can work better together as partners in progress. Notably, this year the company also had custombuilt a mobile app for the event – the app had all the important information the delegates needed for the event, and features to enhance the event experience. The app was designed by US-based PSAV, a leading full-service event technology provider in the global audiovisual and event technology services industry.

Jennifer Fox, president, international FRHI Hotels & Resorts and president, Fairmont Brand, opened the GME 2016 saying, "We are really focused on luxury and upper upscale. For the future roadmap, FRHI will

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be focusing on three target segments - Aspiring Aristocrats, Cultural Connoisseurs and Occasion-based Luxury Travellers. These are the three affluent global tribes." She added, “We have over 117 hotels in 50 countries. This region contributes 25 per cent of our business. We are planning on setting up a F&B Council across the globe which will have the best chefs on board.”

The group, which recently has been acquired by AccorHotels, views India as an important market. Speaking at the GME,

Bastien Blanc, vice president, sales & marketing, Middle East, Africa and India, said, "India is an important market for us and it is a dynamic one. We already have Fairmont Jaipur and Swissotel Kolkata. Fairmont Jaipur is attracting a lot of MICE groups and weddings. These hotels also act as a feeder market for the rest of the region." He informed that this GME has seen a 18 per cent growth in participation.

Knowledge exchange The session on Distribution

Solutions in Meetings & Events, was presented by Doug Carr, executive director, distribution, FRHI Hotels & Resorts. He observed, “In most events, the registration process is different from the housing process so we have to integrate the two. This also helps to increase pre and post business opportunities. For instance, if the conference destination is appealing, delegates may extend their stay for a few more days.” He suggested designing event specific websites to include imagery.

“Linking registration benefits

has the potential to eliminate a rooming list approach. If we tie together conference registration and housing, it not only helps to reduce the chances of bookings going outside but also makes it easier to spot attendees who have registered but not made room reservations. This also provides an opportunity to put incentives when booking rooms (like a discount on registration fees),” he informed.

Carr firmly stated that FRHI has no block commitments with OTAs. Event planners have to contact the hotel directly

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

SPOTLIGHT

through the group's global sales representative. As for competition, he said, “There are other travel verticals in the accommodation space like OTAs, aggregators and wholesalers. Growth in OTAs is through acquisition so they are a threat for the meetings space.”

Bharat Malhotra, senior VP, sales, CVENT who made a presentation on The Future of MICE, said, “After a company's website, tradeshows and events are the most effective B2B marketing initiative. You have to adapt to change and create brand loyalists.”

Diana Banks, vice president, Raffles brand and luxury sales, said that this September the iconic Raffles brand will complete 129 years. “Apart from our current 12 hotels, in the pipeline are Warsaw (next opening in the last quarter of 2017), Jeddah, Sharm el Sheikh and Shenzhen. The Warsaw property is a 1857 hotel.” She noted that today's luxury travellers are more discerning, more sophisticated and more demanding. “A Raffles hotel is an oasis for the well travelled.

There are eight key characteristics that define the Raffles brand: Personalisation (people want bespoke experiences), relationships, discreet luxury (it is not showy but private and elegant), seamlessness, generosity, simplicity (experiences must be intelligently crafted), authenticity (immersed in local culture and connected with local people and heritage (storytelling adds credibility). Luxury

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

has changed from ostentation to simplicity, from off the peg to bespoke and individual.”

Jean McKie, VP, Fairmont brand, said, “Be the essence of the destination; connect the guest to the destination and simultaneously, connect the guest to Fairmont.”

Alistair Watts, director, marketing, Europe, FRHI, gave a presentation on the Swissotel brand. “We are Swiss at heart.

We want quality in everything we do. Even our bellman uniforms have been designed by Swiss designer, Ida Gut and has been inspired by the traditional costume of Appenzell, a Swiss village,” he said.

He informed that the brand's new openings include Swissotel Sofia (208 rooms) in Bulgaria, Swissotel Al Jadaf Dubai and Swissotel Bali (172 rooms) in 2018 and Swissotel Chengdu (378 rooms) in China in 2017.

Most of the travel trade and DMCs who attended felt that GME gave them an opportunity not just for closing deals, but to help them put a face to the people they have been talking to or connecting by email.

It also helped them in proper positioning of the hotel's brands in each business segment.

Guest speaker Marios Maratheftis, chief economist, Standard Chartered Bank spoke on Brexit and its implications. A special mention was made of India. He noted, “India is the growth engine of the emerging world but she has to

deal with infrastructure problems, corruption and bureaucracy.”

The session on Effects of the Economy on the Hotel Industry was presented by Shalabh Kayastha, executive director,

performance strategy, FRHI Hotels & Resorts. He observed, “The global recovery continues at an increasingly fragile pace.

We expect global arrivals to grow four per cent in 2016 (4.3 per cent in 2015) with Asia show-

ing the highest growth of 5.8 per cent. In source markets, India moved from 22 in 2000 to11 in 2015 while China moved from 24 to 5. Asia inbound travel has grown 6.8 per cent in 2016 from 5.4 per cent in 2015.”

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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IN FOCUS

DRIVING IN THE RIGHTLANE The story of Madhav Bellamkonda, GM, Novotel Visakhapatnam, Varun Beach, is all about sheer will, faith and determination to fight against the tide and stand up strong. From driving an auto rickshaw in his early days to being in the driver's seat as GM, he has a clear vision both for his property and Vizag as a tourism hotspot. By Reema Lokesh

T

here was a time not too long ago, when Vizag was considered a sleepy city in the eastern part of the newly carved state of Andhra Pradesh. It was the year 2008-09 when the ARR in the top category hotels was around `3,500-`4,000 per room night and there was nothing to write about in general about the place, apart for its naval base stories. However, with time, like other Tier II cities of India, the development wave caught on.

Local visionaries and entrepreneurs like Prabhu Kishore, from Vizag, realised the potential of the hospitality sector and went ahead and laid the foundation of their hospitality dreams, which was backed by statistics and the passion to offer the country a superlative product. Then came the time to sign a hospitality partner and after a series of discussions Accor was chosen because it shared the owner's vision; this finally gave birth to the Novotel Vizag Varun Beach.

Madhav Bellamkonda, who worked as the CEO of the parent company, took over as the GM of the property as well.

Amongst his various achievements as GM, one of the highlights was to lead a team of professionals that catered to the Naval Event, which witnessed a stream of high profile delegates from the PM of India to the head of the armed forces and more.

On Vizag Bellamkonda believes that the vision of the owner coupled with some interesting sociopolitical developments and business decisions have worked

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Madhav Bellamkonda with PM Narendra Modi at Novotel Vizag Varun Beach

well for the property and Vizag in general. Says Bellamkonda, “From the past four years we have been the trend setters in the hospitality space in Vizag.

The Accor partnership is truly robust and positive with its excellent network in the global space. This surely works to our advantage. Secondly, the bifurcation of the state of AP helped, as investors came in and so did the business and our large inventory and the convention centre worked well to cater to and tap the MICE segment.” He proudly adds, “Today the property is on

the highly desirable list for grand destination weddings, high profile product launches and more.”

After tasting success in the city itself, the group has gone ahead and built a boutique five acre resort property in an area called Bhimli, which is a 30 km drive from Vizag city. Adds Bellamkonda, “We have our very own scenic ocean route in this region, considered one of the best marine drives of India.

Vizag has truly a lot to offer to the tourists especially in the field of water sports tourism and the government is trying to take this

vision forward. However, we at our end as private hospitality players are keen to promote the region to the world, and not just our hotel.”

Beyond hospitality He attributes his success largely to the his mother, who was a devout Christian. "After my father lost hope in me, (I guess), my mother took charge. She told me to learn theology, which I did, worked at a seminary at the Centre for global leadership development from 1995-2004,” he

reminisces.

Bellamkonda started out a failure in academics, a teenager with no aim and vision and who quite naturally depressed his parents due to his wayward ways. During his early years, his father finally gave him no choice but to start riding an autorickshaw for a living in the city. As a college drop out and without much choice he had to comply with his father's command. "It is my past that has made me what I am today, ready to face the future without fear," says Bellamkonda. In 2004 he decided to do his MBA, in strategy and finance. He sold his assets to raise money, borrowed some as well to pursue his dream of an international MBA. This risk and hard work did reap rich rewards as he was awarded the best MBA student of the Strathclyde Business School. From a successful career at Scottish Power as investor relations manager, wherein he worked with the top management teams to Bank of Scotland where he worked as associate director for JVs, for real estate transactions in Europe.

In 2008, when the learner in him, asked for more. he moved back to India to explore a new world of opportunities. From special community service of educating young minds to a dream of setting up his own school one day, Bellamkonda’s advice to the GenNext is, “If you dream, you can achieve and losers can become winners through right mentoring.”

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

EVENTS TRACKER Date

Event

Venue

September 21 - 23, 2016

Fi Asia

Jakarta

September 2016

Asia International Import Food Exposition

China

October 10-14, 2016

Foire Bernoise Du Vin

Switzerland

January 19-21, 2017

Food Hospitality World

Mumbai

February 7-10, 2017

SMAK

Lillestrøm (Norway)

February 14-17, 2017

OLEOTEC

Zaragoza (Spain)

March 19 - 22, 2017

Bibac Expo

Antwerp

April 1-3, 2017

Salon Des Vins Et De La Gastronomie

St Malo, France

April 2-3, 2017

Natural & Organic Products Europe

London

April 4-6, 2017

Profood Tech

Chicago

April 5-8, 2017

Food & Hotel Indonesia

Jakarta

June 2017

Fithep Mercosur Argentina

Buenos Aires

July 2017

M'Asia Foodpro

Kuala Lumpur

July 2017

Great Japan Beer Festival

Osaka

July 2017

Good Food & Wine Show

Perth

July 2017

Fiera Di U Vinu

Luri

July 2017

Bellavita Expo

London

August 2017

Abastur

Mexico

August 2017

East Food Indonesia Expo

Surabaya

August 2017

Expo Comida Latina

Los Angeles

August 2017

Hong Kong International Tea Fair

Hong Kong

September 11-15, 2017

DRINKTEC

Munich

September 19-21, 2017

Livestock Asia

Kuala Lumpur

September 19-22, 2017

INTERBEV

Chicago

October 17-20, 2017

VITEFF

Épernay (France)

October 20-24, 2017

HOST

Milan

November 28-30, 2017

Bake & Cake

Tel Aviv

Nov 29-Dec 2, 2017

Austro Agrar Tulln

Tulln (Austria)

January 2018

Anfas Hotel Equipment

Turkey

January 2018

Danubius Gastro

Slovakia

January 2018

Gast Expo

Slovenia

January 2018

HORECAVA

Netherlands

January 2018

India International Coffee Festival

India

January 2018

Millésime Bio

France

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

29

TECH TALK

THE EAN EDGE Sabre has partnered with Expedia Affiliate Network (EAN) to give travel agents the opportunity to book more than 63,000 hotels worldwide for their clients

T

ravel consultants all over the world now have 63,000 more reasons to prefer the Sabre travel marketplace as their global distribution system (GDS) of choice, thanks to a participation agreement between Sabre Corporation and Expedia Affiliate Network (EAN).

Because of the new integration with EAN, Sabre is adding more than 63,000 new hotel properties to its travel marketplace. Travel agencies will now have access to the EAN rates and availability through the Sabre GDS.

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EAN is a division within Expedia, Inc, one of the world’s leading travel companies. EAN works with thousands of partners in 33 countries to turn their web traffic into hotel bookings. EAN provides partners with the tools and technology that help millions of travellers find the perfect hotels for their next trips.

Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Sabre’s software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, net-

work and crew management.

“Travel agencies will have more hotel options to offer their customers,” says Shelly Terry, vice president of travel product solutions, Sabre Travel Network. “Additionally, more hotels in the Sabre travel marketplace will have the ability to merchandise their products, property attributes and personalise offerings to travellers. These are just a few ways Sabre provides hoteliers products to differentiate themselves and that is a powerful tool for travel buyers,” he adds.

“EAN is excited to bring thousands of new properties across the globe to Sabre’s valued partner network. Expedia is continuing to grow hotel supply

by thousands of hotels each month and the Sabre agent community will have the ability to deliver more solutions to their customers,” states Christian Gerron, vice president of sales for EAN brand.

Agents can easily shop and book properties through the Sabre Red Workspace. The additional properties are a wide range of property types, including full-service hotels and resorts, B&Bs and small inns, airport hotels, boutique hotels, budget hotels, and serviced apartments. While the new hotel content covers all regions, many of the properties are in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, typically where hotel property content

is known for being highly fragmented.

“Our clients look to us to provide solutions, not excuses. The addition of the EAN rates and availability in Sabre dramatically expands our abilities to meet the needs of our customers,” says Marc Casto, president and CEO of Casto Travel.

The additional rates and availability from EAN expands Sabre’s robust hotel content of more than 750,000 properties, through the combination of its travel marketplace and network of hotel aggregator partners. Agents will now be able to offer more options to travellers, increasing more business and commission opportunities.

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

TECH BYTES

e-Surveillance in F&B The e-surveillance security service provider having its market leadership in ATM and banking security, spreads its footprints in the F&B market

S

ecurens Systems announced its venture into F&B e-surveillance market with an aim to provide eSaaS (e-Surveillance as a Service) across India for all their outlets.

F&B market is growing rapidly geographically and it has become very important to have a single vendor to implement and maintain all their e-surveillance equipment across India.

There is also a financial need across the sector to preserve their capital for expansion rather than to tie it up in e-surveillance equipment making Securens’ eSaaS a very attractive option to help in their growth. Securens has introduced ACTICare in F&B sector that will help in ensuring online health of the surveillance equipment on a daily basis and also provide comprehensive AMC on a SaaS model and on a pan India basis along with monitoring of brand SOPs. The ACTIHygiene services of Securens provides a ‘eMystery Shopper’ where each and every outlet is checked

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

twice a day over the video for adherence of the store and its employees to the customer’s brand policies. Sunil Udupa, MD, Securens Systems said, “Our aim is to provide value added 360-degree surveillance solution to our customers on a SaaS model.

However, our new service catalog includes more than just surveillance solutions that are designed in collaboration with our customer and developed by us. We continue to improvise and offer innovative solutions.” He further adds, “Our

new initiative in F&B sector is more specific to the sector which not only includes e-surveillance but also helps in monitoring other factors like the hygiene, day-to-day operations and employee behaviour of the facility resulting in better services thus creating more 'customer delight' moments.”

Securens Systems is a new age Internet of Things (IoT) company with a vision of being the largest provider of electronic surveillance (e-surveillance) services in India. Se-

curens offers distinctive monitored intrusion alarm solutions to meet the need of high value asset protection of its clients.

Securens solutions are centred on proactive ways of preventing a crime. ‘Active deterrence’ is the motto of Securens.

Securens Unique Active Monitoring Services reduce crime and property damage by integrating the latest alarm technology with on-site surveillance systems, thus enabling the use of powerful video verification and two-way voice to actively deter a crime incident.

Securens provides e-surveillance solutions to leading Indian PSU banks, private and multinational banks, ATMs, cash vans, retail outlets, warehouses, school premises and buses, commissaries, co-operative societies, logistic vans, currency chest, Quick Service Restaurant, factories, residential complexes, gems and jewellery, and health and beauty.

With a state-of-the-art Central Monitoring Centre at Navi Mumbai, Securens maintains vigilance of more than 14,000 sites in India.

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SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Mastering the chocolate art The Callebaut Chocolate Academy centre in Mumbai, the 19th international academy of Barry Callebaut Group, is committed to enhance the skill sets of pastry chefs and chocolate artisans in the country

By Sudipta Dev

T

HE BARRY Callebaut Group, a global leader in manufacturing of high quality chocolate and cocoa products, recently relocated and relaunched its state-of-the-art Callebaut Chocolate Academy centre in Mumbai. The company has a strong focus on educating chefs about its premium Belgian chocolate brand. This is the 19th international academy for the company and Mikael Neglen, president, Chocolate Asia Pacific, Barry Callebaut believes that the group is well positioned for the growth ahead in India. “I am convinced that with the opening of Barry Callebaut chocolate factory in Pune and the upgradation of the acad-

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emy, we are well positioned going forward,” says Neglen, adding that India as a market is important to the company as the consumption of chocolate here is low compared to other countries. “It is a dynamic market and there is high potential for growth in the near future,” adds Neglen.

According to Euromonitor, India is one the fastest growing confectionery markets globally with CAGR of 12 per cent over 2015-2020.

Every year Callebaut Chocolate Academy centres around the world train as many as 38,000 students including pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers along with culinary professionals working in hotels, restaurants and catering businesses. “There are

different types of training for different levels, depending on the skill sets of the people. It also depends on the development in different markets, for instance in Europe there would be more advanced courses than what you may have in a country like India which is still in its infancy in terms of chocolate. That said we do the same types of classes here that we do in other parts of the world.

There are high-end classes as well. Sometimes at the academy professional chefs come from Europe to conduct classes,” informs Neglen.

The academy in Mumbai brings the company's newest innovations in different countries and from all the global academies. “There could be dif-

ferences in how you are scheduling different classes in various countries. Looking at different countries, we have to always adapt to the content, meaning what you are working with, the type of flavours that you are doing, etc. These factors depend on the country and local adaptations are made. That is why we have Indian chefs at the academy ensuring local adaptations,” points out Neglen.

The existing relations with global hospitality chains in different countries are leveraged when Barry Callebaut Group enters a new market.

However the company's brand name is itself a big draw. "That is something which is really important, the brand name that opens that

door,” mentions Neglen, adding that clients are also sending their own chefs to visit the academy. “So we are contributing to bring up the knowledge of chocolate within India,” he asserts.

In the academy at one time 12 chefs can be trained and the classes are practical oriented. The courses can be customised as per the needs of the clients depending on the skill sets of the chefs. For instance if a restaurant chain engages the academy to conduct a specific class on a particular topic. "We are very flexible and can do that as well. We also do trainings for our clients at their location.

This is in fact a very important part of the job that we do,” affirms Neglen.

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

MOVEMENTS The St Regis, Mumbai The St Regis, Mumbai has announced the appointment of CHEF MARTIN KINDLEYSIDES as director of culinary.

Chef Kindleysides began his career in the industry at the age of 16 and has worked with celebrated chefs globally. With over two decades of experience in culinary arts, coupled with hands-on operational training, he has worked in various culinary operations including fine dining, banqueting, outdoor

Martin Kindleysides

at the Lily Sarovar Portico, Nashik. Ambre has held various positions at mid-market properties in the country. He was associated with Sarovar Hotels for close to seven years and progressed his career from a trainee manager to becoming a general manager in this span.

Novotel, Goa Novotel Goa Resorts & Spa announced appointments of CHEF GANAPATHY MALLYA, SONIA SINGH and AMAR FRANCISCO ALBU-

Sonia Singh

both Novotel properties in North Goa. Albuquerque has been appointed as the rooms division manager of Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel. He has over seven years of experience.

Indigo, Mumbai Indigo has announced the latest addition to their team, CHEF GANESH DEVADIGA, who has joined the deGustibus family as the new chef de cuisine at Indigo, Colaba. With over 10 years of culinary experience, he brings with him an in-depth under-

Chef Ganesh Devadiga

event catering and more. Chef Kindleysides will be leading the culinary realm of all restaurants and bars including The Drawing Room, The St Regis Bar, Seven Kitchens, The Sahib Room & Kipling Bar, By the Mekong, Yuuka, Li Bai and EXO at The St Regis, Mumbai.

standing of French and Italian flavours. Before making his way to Indigo, Chef Devadiga’s most significant stint was with the Taj Group where he served as the chef de cuisine at Taj Lands End, Mumbai for two years and as the chef de partie at Taj Coromandel, Chennai for three years.

Lords Inn, Shirdi

Marriott Hotel, Jaipur

Lords Inn, Shirdi has appointed AMIT AMBRE as its operations manager. Prior to Lords Hotels and Resorts, he served as the general manager

Amit Ambre

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

Amar Francisco Albuquerque.

QUERQUE. Chef Mallya has been appointed as the director of food and beverage after being the executive chef for three years. Chef Mallya brings over 14 years of hospitality experience to his new role at Novotel Goa Resorts & Spa. Singh has worked as a senior sales manager and is now set for her new role as associate director of sales. With 14 years of overall experience and being a part of AccorHotels for more than half a decade, she will be spearheading the sales activities for

Jaipur Marriott Hotel has announced the appointment of CHEF PRADIPT SINHA as

Hyatt Regency, Mumbai PANKAJ KUMAR has recently joined as the assistant director food and beverage at Hyatt Regency Mumbai. In his current role, he will be responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction, operations and profitability of the restaurants and bars, promotion and planning. His previous assignment was with Hyatt Regency Kolkata. Kumar has 13 years of experience in the food and beverage industry and has worked in Mumbai and Kolkata.

the new executive chef. Chef Sinha has worked with hotels such as The Oberoi Rajvilas, Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa , Hyatt Regency New Delhi, Hyatt Regency Pune, InterContinental, The Lalit Mumbai, Courtyard by Marriott Pune and more. Spending over 14 years in the industry, Chef Sinha brings experience in handling operations, staffing and training, as well as developing and implementing new concepts.

Raju Bhatia

Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai Chef Kshitiz Shekhar has been appointed as the executive chef at Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai.

With an experience of 14 years in the industry, he started his career as an industrial trainee at The Resort, Mumbai. Before joining Hotel Marine Plaza, Chef Shekhar served as executive sous chef for InterContinental, Marine Drive, Mumbai. He has worked with hotel chains like InterContinental, Hotel Sahara Star, Sheraton Saint Louis City Center USA, ITC Grand Maratha, and Sheraton.

SCS Group

Chef Pradipt Sinha

RAJU BHATIA of California Agri Nuts Corporation has been appointed as the India ambassador at the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC). In this role, Bhatia will represent the

dry fruits industry at the INC. There has been no representation of the almonds, pistachios, walnuts and raisins industry from India at the INC till date.

Marco Polo Hotels, Hong Kong Marco Polo Hotels has appointed Bastian Breuer as group director of restaurants, bars and events. In his new role, Breuer will be redefining all objectives and strategies for each of the group’s 14 Marco Polo and Niccolo hotels while rolling out new food and beverage concepts.

Breuer has held senior positions with numerous international brands including Mandarin Oriental, Fairmont and The Ritz Carlton, where he spent most of his career. His most recent position was executive assistant manager of food and beverage for The Ritz Carlton Macau.

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weekend

Scene and heard

With Marcellus Baptista

Stylish space

Ashish Sajnani at the launch of OPA Hospitality & Catering Events at Flavour Diaries

Cater caper FOODIES AND THE fashionable set were all there at Flavour Diaries at the launch of Ashish Sajnani’s OPA Hospitality Catering & Events. It was time to live it up with Chandon and other wines among guests like singer Manasi Scott, actors Narayani Shastri, Pallavi Kulkarni? and Himanshi Chaudhary, models Anchal Kumar and Sandhya Shetty, photographer Colston Julian, Atosa partner Aparna Badlani, designer Rocky S, Ravi Krishnan and others. Gourmet treats including beetroot goat cheese bruchetta, flat bread with smoked salmon, crab sticks with wasabi mayo, vol-au-vent with Cajun mushrooms and rashmi chicken tikka pate did the rounds and everyone awaited a bigger launch later in August.

IT WAS PARTY time at Atellier, InterContinental Marine Drive’s new banquet space with the Arabian Sea and shining Queen’s Necklace as a backdrop. Brining alive the spirit of Mumbai’s art deco heritage in a space that is stylish, regal and cosy, you could see that it befits both corporate and personal events. Actor Tanishaa Mukerji was present on opening night to celebrate the success of her Stamp, a charitable institution that aims to make India green.

Guests were happy to be in a space that promises to recalibrate their understanding of luxury, with lattice mirror works, an art deco themed bar and mood lighting ranging from chandeliers to candles.

Navin Malik, Krishna Naik and Rahel Mehra at the Gateway Brewing Company event at The Bombay Canteen

True brew FROTHY FUN FILLED the air at The Bombay Canteen as Rahul Mehra, Navin Mittal and Krishna Naik, of Gateway Brewing Company launched their fourth tap, The Explorer – a collaborative, free-flowing beer tap to keep the spirit of discovery alive. This tap, you learnt, gives you an opportunity to enjoy new styles of beer while collaborators can join GBC and explore their own food stories in the form of an inspired brew. The time was right to happily sip Hoppy Pils, a pilsner that had been lagered for eight weeks. This brew is described as doing a spin on the classic with a subtle infusion of American Cascade hops. The result is a crisp beer with light malt character and balanced bitterness along with citrus and grassy notes. And complementing the brew was the food from The Bombay Canteen.

Tanishaa Mukerji at the launch of Atellier at InterContinental Marine Drive

All in the game

Divyesh Thakkar, Kaushik Mehta and Samir Gandhi at the launch of Play lounge

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

THE NIGHTLIFE SCENE in Mumbai exploded further with the launch of Play lounge at Kamala Mills. This enterprise from Trizen Hospitality saw guests meander across the rambling 4,700 sq ft space that promises plenty of drinking games, a quirky menu and a variety of specially-crafted cocktails, all targeted at redefining the lounge experience. Play founders Divyesh Thakkar, Kaushik Mehta and Samir Gandhi were there on the opening night to welcome guests like Geeta Kapoor, Aqeel Ali, Hussain Kuwajarwala, Raqesh Vashisht, Rithvik Dhanjani, Asha Negi, Apurva Agnihotri, Rakshanda Khan, Ritu Shivpuri and Shilpa Saklani. DJ Bosco spun his magical music as you heard that Play strives to be an attractive interactive lounge with dual and multiplayer games like kings, beer pong, alco hockey, drunken tower, battle shots and black jack and also board games like chess, ludo and snakes and ladders.

FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

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E V E N T S

INDIAN FLAVOURS The Indian Embassy in Israel along with Dan Hotels, recently hosted Chef Sanjeev Kapoor in Israel to promote Indian cuisines in the country, through Indian Culinary Week, a weeklong food festival

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace was recently awarded "Most Preferred Business Hotel of the Year" by the National Awards for Excellence in Hotel Industry by CMO Asia awards

DELICACIES FROM SRI LANKA Mercure Hyderabad KCP recently hosted a seven-day food festival, featuring Sri Lankan delicacies prepared and presented by guest chef Nihal Senanayake (left) from Sri Lanka

REWARDING THE WINNER Smaaash Hyderabad recently honoured the ‘Benelli Challenge’ winner, Avinash Israel (third from left), with a Benelli 250 bike

A SUSTAINABLE REWARD Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere, Vayalar, won the first place award in Kerala under the Hotels category by Kerala State Pollution Control Board at their Annual Awards 2016

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FOOD & HOSPITALITY WORLD

PRESENTING MACAO Sands Resorts Cotai Strip Macao recently hosted a gala dinner and an entertainment event to introduce its newest property The Parisian Macao to the India market

AUGUST 16-31, 2016

REGD.WITH RNI NO. MAHENG/2012/42381,POSTAL REGD. NO. MCS/161/2016 – 18,PUBLISHED ON 2ND / 17TH EVERY FORTNIGHT, POSTED ON 2ND,3RD,4TH & 17TH,18TH,19TH OF EVERY FORTNIGHT POSTED AT MUMBAI PATRIKA CHANNEL SORTING OFFICE,MUMBAI – 400001.