Fhraimagazine January 14

january 2014

magazine

y d a L

Vol 14 Issue 1

Pages 72

`50

A MONTHLY ON HOSPITALITY TRADE

Chefs on Indian culinary tourism

By DDP Publications

January 2014

Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield

Cover Story

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10 Lady Chefs on Indian cuisine In a culinary tête-à-tête, prominent lady Chefs in the industry talk about how to popularise Indian cuisine across the world.

26 Cover Story

contents THIS MONTH

President’s Message Secretary’s Message FHRAI Desk News Updates Products & Services Appointments Events

8 12 14 20 64 66 68

20 News Updates

FEATURES Guest Column 54 Smart-checks for food adulteration Different methods to check the authenticity and quality of food substances

Guest Column 56 Collaborating to address social inequities The article focusses on the imbalance created by the resource-intensive nature of the industry 58 Supplier Talk

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60 Interview

FEATURES Supplier Talk 58 Getting wood flooring right Suresh Kumar Mansukhani, Country Manager, Junckers, talks about the benefits of real wood flooring and the conditions required for it

Interview 60 Skill-sets expand horizons Jessica Martin, Silver Medallist, WorldSkills, gives insights on training for international competitions and tips on restaurant service

62 Restaurant Review

Restaurant Review 62 Uber Lounge The multi-cuisine restaurant which opened in Delhi, two years ago, offers special themed nights to attract guests

64 Products & Services secretary general M D Kapoor - sg@fhrai.com Editor Deepa Sethi - deepa@ddppl.com Associate Editor Kanchan Nath - kanchan.nath@ddppl.com sub-Editor Shubhi Tandon creative Design Ruchi Sinha

FHRAI B-82, 8th Floor, Himalaya House Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001 Tel: 91-11-40780780, Fax: +91-11-40780777 Email: fhrai@vsnl.com FHRAI Magazine is published, edited and printed monthly

by DDP Publication Pvt. Ltd. On behalf of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India and published from DDP Publications Pvt. Ltd. 72 Todarmal Road New Delhi 110001 Email: fhraimag@ddppl.com Tel : 91-11-23731971 Fax: 91-11-23351503 Printed at Cirrus Graphics Pvt. Ltd. B 62/14, Phase-II, Naraina Industrial Area New Delhi 110028 This issue of FHRAI Magazine contains 68+4 pages cover

Advertising Gunjan Sabikhi - gunjan@ddppl.com Asst. Vice President – Marketing Delhi Prateek Sahay - prateek@ddppl.com Senior Manager – Marketing (+919650911388) Udit Pandey - udit@ddppl.com Senior Manager – Marketing (+919650399907) Shradha Kapoor - shradha@ddppl.com Senior Executive – Marketing (+919650196525) All information in the FHRAI Magazine is derived from sources, which we consider reliable and a sincere effort is made to report accurate information. It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The publisher regrets that he cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this publication, however caused. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarily shared by FHRAI Magazine or DDP. However, we wish to advice our readers that one or more recognised authorities may hold different views than those reported. Material used in this publication is intended for information purpose only. Readers are advised to seek specific advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use, and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances.

Contents of this publication are copyright.

No part of FHRAI Magazine or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in

68 Events Mumbai Harshal Ashar - harshal@ddppl.com Deputy General Manager (+919619499167) FHRAI - Marketing S.P. Joshi Production Manager Anil Kharbanda Advertisement Designers Vikas Mandotia Nitin Kumar Aarushi Agrawal any form without the permission of the publication in writing. The same rule applies when there is a copyright or the article is taken from another publication. An exemption is hereby granted for the extracts used for the purpose of fair review, provided two copies of the same publication are sent to us for our records. Publications reproducing material either in part or in whole, without permission could face legal action.The publisher assumes no responsibility for returning any material solicited or unsolicited nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged.

This publication is not meant to be an endorsement of any specific product or services offered.

The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian and International Advertisements Code. The publisher will not be liable for any damage or loss caused by delayed publication, error or failure of an advertisement to appear.

Xxxxx president’s message

Dear fellow members, At the outset, I would like to wish all our esteemed members a very happy New Year!

I hope 2014 brings much joy, prosperity and success for you and all your loved ones.

I am delighted to note that the lead feature of this issue of the FHRAI Magazine, profiles some of our country’s most innovative lady chefs. The talent, ingenuity and tenacity of these outstanding professionals is sure to motivate and encourage many young aspirants in the industry.

S.M. Shervani President

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2013 was an extremely challenging year for the hospitality and tourism sector. The downturn has negatively impacted the demand scenario in our industry, particularly the business and corporate segment

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Last month, I had the honour of serving as a jury member for the prestigious 10th Annual Metro Chef Awards 2013. The enduring popularity of Indian cuisine across the world is a testimony to the boundless creativity, zeal and vision of our great chefs. I firmly believe that the exquisite richness and vivid diversity of our cuisine plays an indispensable role in adding to the splendid charm and lure of India as a tourist destination. Our chefs are thus befittingly regarded as exemplary cultural ambassadors for the country and are an epitome of the warmth and ideals of legendary Indian hospitality. From meticulously preserving and perfecting age-old recipes and traditional cooking techniques to imaginatively bringing the best of global and fusion cuisine to the Indian shores, they have indeed mastered the art of delectably pleasing even the most discerning palate. Needless to add, the doyens of the culinary world will have a pivotal role to play in scripting the Indian hospitality industry’s next glorious phase of growth!

As 2013 drew to a close, I was inundated with queries from media persons about my perspective on the industry’s performance during the past year and our outlook for the months ahead.

2013 was certainly an extremely challenging year for the hospitality and tourism sector, primarily on account of an adverse and volatile macroeconomic environment. In the course of the past two years, there has been a sharp deceleration in the Indian economy, with GDP growth now registering at a mere five per cent, its lowest level in nearly a decade. This downturn has negatively impacted the demand scenario in our industry, particularly the business and corporate segment. In addition, factors such as high interest rates and a rapid rise in

manpower and utility costs etc., have compressed operating margins and undermined profitability. Several new and under-construction projects also experienced significant time and cost overruns as a consequence of inordinate delays in securing requisite clearances and approvals from the Government. Continued uncertainty in the global economy due to geo-political events and aftershocks from the Eurozone financial crisis led to subdued growth in our Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs).

However, towards the end of the year, with the onset of the peak season, we have witnessed a visible improvement in average hotel occupancy across several key cities. Hopefully, these much-awaited green shoots would materialise into a steady pan-India recovery in the sector in 2014.

Looking at individual markets, we find that Goa and Kerala have been clear out performers, buoyed by a healthy inflow of foreign tourists from countries such as Russia, CIS, Poland and the Middle-East. Bengaluru and Pune were successful in reducing their inventory overhang by leveraging multiple demand drivers such as the MICE segment. Jaipur, Udaipur, Gangtok, Khajuraho, Agra and Varanasi were beneficiaries of a surge in domestic tourism, recording a 5-7 per cent growth in occupancy and room rates. Major metro cities - Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai - saw a somewhat lacklustre performance, as fresh supply of hotel rooms, outpaced demand.

Unfortunately, the hospitality sector in the states of Uttarakhand and Orissa was dealt a severe blow by unprecedented floods and the cyclone ‘Phailin’ respectively. The industry not only suffered massive losses due to the direct impact from these natural calamities but even more so by a precipitous statewide decline in tourist footfalls caused by the fear and hysteria generated by incessant media coverage.

FHRAI has sought a comprehensive economic rehabilitation package for the industry in the two states, encompassing tax relief, debt restructuring and interest subvention on fresh credit. I am optimistic that with the support of all stakeholders, tourism in these states would soon return to its previous high growth trajectory. We have also articulated that our national disaster preparedness and management mechanisms must be strengthened and equipped to more effectively respond to such events in the future.

A clearly discernible trend which has held our continued on page 10...

president’s message ...continued from page 8

“

With the US dollar appreciating and holidays abroad becoming increasingly expensive, we anticipate domestic travel to get another fillip

industry in good stead in recent years has been the robust growth in Domestic Tourism. From 2008 onward, domestic tourism has recorded an impressive CAGR of 16.5 per cent, far surpassing the growth in FTAs. In 2013, Domestic Tourist Visits (DTVs) are expected to have further risen by 19-20 per cent. This encouraging growth in the domestic segment has the potential to insulate the sector to a large extent, from the vagaries of the global market. We are already seeing that the ‘seasonality’ effect in popular leisure destinations such as Goa, Jaipur, Agra, Udaipur and Kerala, is gradually undergoing a change with difference in the demand during peak and lean periods being bridged owing to a reduced reliance on international tourist arrivals. With the US dollar appreciating and holidays abroad becoming increasingly expensive, we anticipate domestic travel to get another fillip.

I wish to emphasise that sustaining this strong momentum and capitalising on its positive widespread impact is an immiscible strategic opportunity and a shared responsibility of our industry as well the Government. On our part, the industry is already actively engaged in reorienting its value proposition to better cater to the specific needs of the domestic traveller.

This commitment is profoundly reflected in the industry’s expansion strategy,

wherein 70 per cent of the hotel projects which are currently under-development, belong to the mid-market and budget category. We are also consistently augmenting capacity in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, which are expected to be the catalysts of future growth. The Central and State Governments must support this effort by facilitating a conducive policy ecosystem which promotes investment in creating affordable tourist accommodation infrastructure. Concessional allotment of land, low-cost institutional finance, liberal FAR/FSI norms, capital subsidies and tax incentives are some measures which the Government must consider on a priority basis for hotels serving the burgeoning mid-scale and economy segment of the market. It is especially important that the reasonable demand of the hospitality industry to include projects up to `50 crore in the harmonised master-list of infrastructure sub-sectors should be acceded to at the earliest.

I would conclude by once again offering my best wishes for the New Year and seeking your continued support and enthusiastic participation in all our endeavours in 2014!

With warm regards, S.M. Shervani President, FHRAI

“

Incredible India Calendar

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he Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has launched the ‘Incredible India Promotional Calendar 2014’.

Launching the calendar, Mr. Parvez Dewan, Secretary-Tourism, MOT said that the calendar captures the rich variety and wide spectrum of destinations offered by India. He added that every state has been covered and regional balance has been maintained. All the north-eastern States have also been represented in the calendar.

The calendar has also been launched digitally and can be accessed on the website of the Ministry at

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www.incredibleindia.org. All the pages of the calendar have been made available through high resolution photographs on the website.

The Tourism Secretary also highlighted the efforts of the Ministry on revamping the Incredible India website. He said that the print-ready material would be made available on the website which would facilitate the professionals in the tourism industry to bring out brochures and other publicity material. This information would be provided in 10 languages – English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, French, Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, German and Hindi.

secretary’s message

Niche Tourism – An Economic Imperative Dear fellow members, I would like to begin by wishing all of you a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2014!

Vivek Nair Hony. Secretary

As we mark the dawn of a new year, this is an apt occasion for us to look forward with optimism and a renewed resolve to achieve the vision of making India one of the world’s leading and most competitive tourist destinations.

I firmly believe that an integral component of the envisaged roadmap to double India’s present market share in international tourism by 2017 is to focus on diversifying our portfolio of tourism products and services. The Government and industry must synergise their efforts to devise and execute differentiated strategies to tap a wide range of profitable niche segments across the tourism spectrum. This approach will be instrumental in mitigating the ‘seasonality’ aspect which has hitherto been the bane of our sector and position India as an attractive ‘365 days a year’ destination. Promoting niche tourism will help to effectively capitalise on the innate strength and distinct comparative advantage which various states and regions across our country offer and thereby, broad-base the socio-economic benefits accruing from tourism.

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The Government and industry must synergise their efforts to devise and execute differentiated strategies to tap a wide range of profitable niche segments across the tourism spectrum

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In 2008, the landmark report of the Planning Commission’s High Level Group on the Services Sector had laid particular emphasis on two specific niche segments, which can give a major impetus to our country’s tourism industry – beach tourism and MICE. Even during the economic slowdown phase, beach tourism continues to be one of the most resilient segments in the industry. India is fortunate to be blessed with a vast coastline stretching almost 7,500 kms, which is a vital strategic resource that can catapult us to being among the top global players in this lucrative category. Regrettably, the enormous tourism potential of India’s coastal assets, largely remains underutilised on account of regulatory constraints, especially our stringent CRZ norms and the complex and long-drawn approval process for setting up hotels and resorts in coastal areas. The lost economic opportunity for the country is perhaps most conspicuous in the present scenario, wherein on account of political events in Egypt and Turkey, lakhs of affluent leisure tourists from Russia, CIS, Eastern Europe etc are keen to patronise India as an alternative destination for their beach holidays.

However, since our industry has not been able to

meaningfully augment its room inventory in the coastal regions, we simply do not have enough capacity to cater to the exponential demand.

Pursuant to our consistent efforts, FHRAI is hopeful that the Government will unshackle the sustainable development of beach and backwater tourism by relaxing the rigid CRZ rules in identified coastal stretches in accordance with prevailing international practices and the scientific recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee report and also provide a supportive policy environment for creating tourist amenities and accommodation infrastructure in these areas.

MICE is another high-yielding market segment which is proven to have a transformational impact on the tourism landscape and brand equity of the host destination. The global market size of the MICE industry is estimated to be an astounding US$300 billion, with India currently being ranked at 33. Leveraging its dynamic economy and vivid kaleidoscope of geographical diversity, magnificent historical sites, rich culture and incomparable hospitality, India truly has the potential to be a preferred MICE destination.

The lack of state-of-the-art convention and exhibition centres has been the primary impediment in adding scale to India’s presence in the global MICE market. To remedy this bottleneck, FHRAI has been actively engaged with the Government at the highest level, to seek policy incentives and concessions which can facilitate the massive private investment which is imperative to set up world-class convention facilities in the country. In a pivotal breakthrough, we were recently able to secure the inclusion of Convention Centres with a project cost of more than `300 crores in the RBI’s Infrastructure Lending List.

On the basis of the findings of our exclusive international benchmarking study, FHRAI is also in constant dialogue with different Government agencies and city planning authorities to liberalise the development control norms applicable to large convention and exhibition centres, such as allowing a higher FSI/FAR, which would help make these capital-intensive projects more financially feasible.

A multi-dimensional approach to tourism development and promotion is certainly the viable way forward to translate the goals enunciated in the 12th Plan into tangible reality.

With warm regards, Vivek Nair Honorary Secretary, FHRAI

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Executive Committee meets in Hyderabad A meeting of the FHRAI Executive Committee, chaired by Mr. S.M. Shervani, President, FHRAI, was held at Hotel Taj Krishna, Hyderabad on December 20, 2013.

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New Membership Applications HOTELS S. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56

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Applications, as on date, 31st December, 2013

Name of Establishment City Category NEW TOURIST HOTEL Alwar 2 SANTIAGO RESORT Goa 3 PEPPERMINT WEST GURGAON Gurgaon 3 KEYS HOTEL - LUDHIANA Ludhiana 3 PJ PRINCESS REGENCY Kochi 3 POOVAR ISLAND RESORT Thiruvananthapuram 3 KEYS HOTEL KATTI - MA Chennai 3 AMBICA SEA GREEN Visakhapatnam 3 HOTEL SOORYA REGENCY Malappuram 4 FORTUNE PARK- DJ AVENUE Delhi 4 HOTEL AIRLINK CASTLE Dist. Ernakulam 4 HOLIDAY INN MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Mumbai 4 COUNTRY INN AND SUITES BY CARLSON Panjim 5 FORTUNE SELECT GRAND RIDGE Tirupati 5 HYATT REGENCY GURGAON Gurgaon 5D SATYA HEALTH FARM & RESORT Dist. Raigad UC MTDC FARDAPUR RESORT Dist. Aurangabad UC SUGATI BEACH RESORT Diu UC HOTEL BHAGYALAXMI Taluka: Rahata, Dist. Ahamadnagar UC HOTEL SNOW CRESTS MANOR, MANALI Kullu UC RAJASTHALI RESORT & SPA Jaipur UC EMBLEM HOTEL New Delhi UC J.S. RESIDENCY Varanasi UC EMARALD-SUPERUS GUEST HOUSE Delhi UC LAXMAN JHULA DIVINE RESORT Tehri Garhwal UC THE SPRING Chennai UC HOTEL SAPPHIRE INN Raipur UC HOTEL PRESIDENT PARK & SERVICED APPARTMENT Indore UC AMAR MAHAL Orchha (District: Tikamgarh) UC KEYS HOTEL PIMPRI Pune UC HOTEL VINAYAGA Kumbakonam UC HOTEL RAAS VILAS New Delhi UC HOTEL RAJWARA PALACE Jodhpur UC ORCHID HOTEL Patna UC HOTEL TRIBHUVAN Bengaluru UC 1589 GRENERATION X Bhavnagar UC PARAMOUNT TOWER Calicut UC HOTEL RUDRA CASTLE New Delhi UC BRIJWASI LANDS INN Mathura UC THE GOLDEN OAK Raipur UC GCC HOTELS & CLUB Distt. Thane 3 AMRAPALI CLARKS INN Deoghar 3 THE PRIDE HOTEL, KOLKATA Kolkata UC MAYFAIR PALM BEACH RESORT Gopalpur (Dist.-Ganjam) UC 1 LOVELOCK HOTEL Kolkata UC SIGNATURE CREST Ahmedabad UC HOTEL TULSI EXOTIC Bhopal UC MASARA BEACH RESORT Purbamednipur UC THE PARK RESIDENCY Ahmedabad UC BEAUMONDE THE FERN Ernakulam UC SUNDEEP INN New Delhi UC THE LEGEND INN Delhi UC CLUB FLORENCE Gurgaon UC SHIMLA BRITISH RESORT Shimla UC J.C. CHALET HOTEL Mumbai UC SPICE HOTEL Dehradun UC

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No. Of Rooms 21 71 60 95 30 78 30 34 13 21 54 245 62 138 451 36 28 40 60 32 52 20 24 24 44 48 32 49 48 101 39 25 19 20 42 39 53 19 32 31 48 69 153 45 22 22 27 36 27 50 28 21 16 14 11 48 ******UC - Unclassified

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New Membership Applications Applications, as on date, 31st December, 2013

RESTAURANTS S. No. Name of Establishment City 1 RATNA CAFE Chennai 2 RATNA CAFE Chennai 3 RATNA CAFE Chennai 4 CAFE 176 RESTAURANT Gurgaon 5 100% ROCK RESTAURANT New Delhi 6 SPICE ART RESTAURANT Delhi 7 THE MOVIES @ THE SPRING HOTEL Chennai 8 KEBAB EXPRESS Delhi 9 KEBAB EXPRESS Delhi 10 MILANO RESTAURANT Delhi 11 THE WONTON RESTAURANT Hyderabad 12 CORIANDER LEAF Gurgaon 13 THE TERRACE CAFE Mussoorie 14 AURA-OUT OF THE BLUE Mumbai 15 ID RESTAURANT Chennai 16 MAHARAJA RESTAURANT & BAR Mumbai 17 CIRCLES RESTAURANT Hyderabad 18 SKETCH RESTAURANT Chennai 19 KAMATH’S PALATE KORNER Bengaluru 20 KINGS RESTAURANT & BAR New Delhi 21 CHOCOLATERIA SANCHURRO Mumbai 22 YUM CHA VIE RESTAURANT Mumbai 23 FOUNTAIN INN RESTAURANT Mumbai 24 PLATINUM LOUNGE Delhi 25 THE PAVILION New Delhi 26 BANJARA MELTING POINT Bengaluru

ASSOCIATES S. No. Name of Establishment City 1 SCHUECO INDIA SOLAR & WINDOWS PVT. LTD. Mumbai

No. Of Seats 95 90 90 64 48 116 72 48 65 95 90 85 38 160 54 68 120 25 40 48 70 100 150 46 32 110

Soon Visa on Arrival for crew on chartered flights

A

s we welcome 2014, the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) is taking a slew of initiatives to further the promotion of Indian tourism. Here are some of the things that the travel fraternity can look forward to in the new year.

Promotion

MoT had been actively researching markets for their potential to promote Tourism to India. While traditional markets like USA & UK are still very productive, but markets like Germany are also key contributors to global tourism and are a ‘must focus’ source market. While China would generate significant traffic, the average traffic and days of stay was at the lower end. Therefore, it is imperative to invest marketing funds in markets which have both, high visitor and high spend potential. The Incredible India website will also be revamped and the new website will be ready by 2014.

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Tie-up with Lausanne Institute of Hotel Management The MoT has tied up with the world renowned Laussane Institute of Hotel Management to support a 360 degree upgrade in the curriculum of government-run hotel & tourism management Institutes. This will help bring an enhanced skill set to service visitors to India. The joint initiative will not just upgrade the curriculum, but it will also improve teaching methods, and there will also be an exchange programme for the faculty of these institutes.

Visa on Arrival (VoA)

In addition to the present VoA programme, VoA for crew on chartered flights is also on its way to being implemented. For visitors attending conferences/conventions in India, it would no longer be necessary to verify the bonafides of the convention organisers, as has been the case in the past resulting in limiting of participation in conferences/conventions.

news updates

AWARD

Recognising emerging leadership talent

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he International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) will present Saurabh Bakshi, the inaugural Rising Star Award (RSA) at HIFI on January 15, 2014. Bakshi is the General Manager at Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway, a part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. HIFI is co-hosted by Burba Hotel Network (BHN) and Horwath HTL at the Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel and Residences, Delhi, India.

“We are very pleased with the launch of the Rising Star Award,” said Jim Burba, President, BHN. “The number and quality of the candidates exceeded our wildest

Launch

expectations, and bodes well for the future of our industry in the Indian subcontinent.”

The Rising Star Award was created to recognise emerging leadership talent in the hospitality industry in the Indian sub-continent. Award criteria requires that a nominee be 35 years or younger, have a minimum of five years in a hospitality-related field with at least one year with the current hotel or company, be recognised by leaders in his or her company as an outstanding contributor with a promising future and be currently working and living in the Indian subcontinent.

Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum opens

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ilton Worldwide introduced the Hilton Garden Inn brand in Kerala with the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum. Hilton Garden Inn is an award-winning brand of upscale yet affordable hotels.

Strategically located in the city centre on Punnen Road, Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum is near prime government institutions and commercial establishments, a 20-minute drive from the airport and 12 kilometres from the IT Technopark at Kazhakkottam.

Guy Hutchinson, Vice President, Operations – India, Hilton Worldwide said. “The opening of Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum will be a significant step in Hilton Worldwide’s expansion into prime city centre locations across India. India is a key strategic market for Hilton Worldwide. Presently, we operate hotels and resorts in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai, Vadodara, Pune, Goa, Shillim and now Trivandrum.

Over the next eight to 10 months, we anticipate extending our portfolio to include Bengaluru, Agra and Jaipur.”

Adrian Kurre, Global Head, Hilton Garden Inn said, “We are pleased with this opportunity to extend the brand’s presence in India. Hilton Garden Inn has set the standard in the mid-market sector offering an award-winning combination of best-in-class customer service and affordable comfort and convenience. We are confident that Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum will fast become the first choice of travellers seeking upscale and affordable accommodation in the city.”

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news updates

expansion

Fortune Inn Grazia, Ghaziabad opens The hotel is conveniently located, adjacent to the ALT Centre, and in close proximity to premier establishments in Sanjay Nagar, like IMT Ghaziabad. The newlybuilt, contemporary 50-room hotel, owned by R K Associates & Hoteliers, offers an array of guest facilities and services complemented with a range of modern amenities and technology.

F

ortune Park Hotels has further expanded its portfolio of hotels with the opening of the brand’s 41st hotel, Fortune Inn Grazia in Ghaziabad. With the addition of this hotel, Fortune now has six hotels operational in Delhi NCR – two hotels each in New Delhi and Gurgaon and one each in Noida and Ghaziabad.

New Restaurants

Suresh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Fortune Park Hotels, said, “We are delighted to announce the launch of Fortune Inn Grazia in Ghaziabad and to partner with the Group once again, who have yet again reposed their trust in our brand. We expect to bridge the existing gap with our excellent service and hospitality commitment. We will be able to redefine service standards available to the business traveler in this region. We are sure of receiving a good response for our hotel as it is placed strategically to serve the NCR region.”

3 restaurants open in Acron Place, Goa

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n continuation of its association with Fortune Park Hotels, Acron Hospitality will showcase three of Fortune’s signature food and beverage brands Earthen Oven, Neptune Bar & Lounge and Fortune Deli at Acron Place in Candolim, Goa. The debut of the restaurant brands is an extension of the continuing association between the two companies. Fortune currently manages the Fortune Select Regina in Candolim, Goa, owned by Acron Hospitality.

Speaking on the occasion, Amar Britto, Director, Acron Hospitality said, “We are delighted to extend

our partnership with Fortune Hotels who currently run the Fortune Select Regina, Goa, to run the first independent stand-alone restaurants in Goa. We look forward to many more ventures in the future with them.”

Suresh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Fortune Park Hotels added, “We are extremely happy to extend our food & beverage offerings to Goa and that too through a tie-up with Acron, as we already share a strong relationship with the group and hope to further strengthen this association in times to come. Today, Fortune has established itself as a leading first class, full service business hotel chain known for its contemporary modern hotels offering quality products and value-led services. Our endeavour, undoubtedly, is to extend the same level of quality and consistency in product and service to this project as well.”

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news updates

EXPO

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Expo brings together global exhibitors ine Food India 2013 was inaugurated by S.M. Shervani, President, FHRAI and Garish Oberoi, President, HRANI, along with the Ambassadors of Peru, Mexico, Chile and Colombia.

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in its third year,” said Anil Chopra, Managing Director, Diversified Communications India, the US company organising not only Fine Food India, but also Fine Food Australia, and Restaurant & Bar, Hong Kong.

Fine Food India (FFI) 2013 was organised with close support from FHRAI for the first time. The Fine Food India Expo 2013 was the third successive show at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The focus of the show in 2013 to present a neutral and positive platform to the HORECA sector in its need to drive new sources of gourmet and specialty food and drink was considered by the FHRAI in supporting FFI 2013.“The support of FHRAI, and as such, HRANI, was critical to the success of FFI 2013, in that FFI was thus able to attract the core strength of the industry from the leading hotels and restaurants, from not only Delhi but the adjoining states, and the exhibitors were truly appreciative of the quality buyers attending the expo

Shervani delivered the industry message to the exhibitors and audience comprising of importers of food and drink, hoteliers, restaurateurs and industrial caterers. Shervani pointed out to the importance of FFI in bringing new sources from across the world to India and the tremendous potential and growth in the hospitality industry in India. Chopra pointed out, “The fact that Indian consumption of global cuisine is rapidly increasing and the members of the FHRAI are investing tremendously in delivering global food trends in new multi-cuisine fine dining outlet, the FFI played the role of an catalyst, much to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.”

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cover story

In a culinary tête-à-tête with the FHRAI Magazine, prominent lady Chefs in the industry talk about how to popularise Indian cuisine across the world.

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Indian Cuisine...

Kanchan Nath

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Lady

Chefs on Indian culinary tourism

cover story

Indian Cuisine...

Chef Veena Arora

Chef De Cuisine, The Spice Route, The Imperial, New Delhi

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hef Veena Arora, Chef De Cuisine, The Spice Route, The Imperial, New Delhi has been bestowed with the honour of the Best Lady Chef by the Ministry of Tourism, India for her Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to the Promotion of Tourism in the Country. The Spice Route is popular for its South-East Asian cuisine.

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

Passion for food, eating and cooking, clubbed with constant innovation, has always been my true inspiration for being a chef. My mother and my nanny’s unmatched culinary skills were responsible for making me reach where I am today and made me dedicate myself to the gourmet world.

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

Indian cuisine can be modified for foreign connoisseurs by use of fewer spices. For example, The Spice Route is famous for bringing six South-East cuisines under one roof. We have Malabar Meen Curry from Kerala, which is usually full of spices and tamarind, but I simplified it by using minimum quantities of both. By doing this, the dish gets customised for a palate which is not accustomed to high spices and sour flavours.

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

Indian cuisine tastes spicy, if it contains a lot of chillies. However it is hot, when there is a liberal use of whole spices. One has to differentiate between the two and choose the most appealing, among the diverse offerings.

How well-packaged is Indian food as an export product?

With changing times, the quality of Indian food packaging has gone up to an optimum level. It is definitely well-packaged to be transported to countries abroad and lately has been accompanied with rice to offer a complete meal.

How well-known are the Indian regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

As per my knowledge, the popularity of North Indian food is much higher abroad, as compared to regional cuisines from India, which too have a vast and delectable variety to offer. They just need to gain their due position.

Indian Cuisine...

cover story

>> RAPID-FIRE » Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one else is around?

Coffee ice-cream by Madhu from Agra » Which ingredient can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Tomatoes » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

Passion for food » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad? Your favourite restaurants?

Thailand will always be my favourite destination since I was born and brought up there and I am continuing the culinary tradition at The Spice Route. In Delhi my favourite restaurant is Dhaba at DLF Saket Mall » Your favourite cuisine?

Thai » Your last meal?

Thai Omelette

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Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally? How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

Butter chicken and all tandoori variants are befit for the Indian cuisine category abroad. I feel tandoori dishes can also be popularised from the health perspective, since they are not accompanied with heavy creamy gravies and are also high on protein. Even Indian breads have loads to offer considering the variety of flour grown in India and the options available here. One can popularise Indian cuisine by conducting cross-country Indian food promotions. In areas of heavy traffic for food, like malls, live culinary sessions by guest chefs can catch the eyeballs or even Indian food sections can lure people in food fairs.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

With good health gaining immense popularity and healthy living being the order of the day, the food trend which will last long, globally and domestically, is undoubtedly, the steamed cuisine. Chefs across the world are finding more and more innovative ways to make steamed food appealing with creativity and are experimenting with newer ingredients for tastier and sumptuous steamed food options.

What is your idea of a perfect meal?

My idea of a perfect meal is rice, gravy, stir-fried vegetables and omelette, made with utmost simplicity and balanced spices.

: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Chicken Tikka Masala, Amritsari Fish, Butter chicken, Mutton Roganjosh in non-vegetarian, while I love Baigan ka Bharta in vegetarian dishes and diet coke

in beverages

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Indian Cuisine...

Chef Ritu Dalmia

Diva, Latitude 28, Café Diva, Diva Kitsch and Café at the Italian Culture Centre Chef Ritu Dalmia needs little introduction. She has 13 years of being one of the front runners in Italian cuisine with five restaurants, two well-loved television shows and three cook books. She is the owner of Diva, the Italian restaurant chain and Café at the Italian Culture Centre. Interestingly, she has not undergone any professional training to become a Chef. She cooked her first meal at the tender age of nine and till date, trusts her instincts, when it comes to cooking. Dalmia believes cooking is an art, guided by a natural sense of taste and talent. Apart from many food awards, she has been awarded the prestigious Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity.

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

I have always enjoyed cooking, so when I decided to venture out of the family business, this was my first choice. My very close friend Serra, who was also my machinery supplier from Italy, was a very big inspiration, a great cook herself. She is the one who pushed me to open my first restaurant.

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

I am a firm believer that food should be served in a

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: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Matar kachori and aloo petha sabzi, because as a

Marwari I grew up on it.

Good South Indian breakfast of dosa, idli and medhu vada always hits the spot.

Amritsari stuffed kulcha, Goan Prawn curry with kokum and Coorg Pandi curry (pork curry)

traditional way, and a connoisseur will not want it simplified in any case.

Indian Cuisine...

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

Indian food can be both hot and spicy, depending on which region and what we are talking about. India has so many regional cuisines, that this cannot be simplified like this.

How well-packaged is Indian food as an export product?

Many countries in the world, especially England, survives on packaged Indian food.

>> RAPID-FIRE » Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one else is around?

Yes, I am a great ‘midnight-snacker’- normally junk foodchiwda, cheese and containers and containers of ice cream » Which ingredient can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Onions » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

Open-mindedness » Your favourite cuisine?

Home-cooked Indian » Your last meal?

Kadi chawal and aloo jeera

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How well-known are the Indian regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

I think today, Indian food, and not just Indian, but the regional Indian food, is gaining a lot of momentum worldwide and I would say they are fairly well recognised.

Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally? How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

I think Indian breads and kulchas are loved universally and this can work as a great business model.

What new equipments have you recently added to your kitchen to optimise the resources available?

My favourite new equipment at the moment is the thermomix. I just love it!

What is your idea of a perfect meal?

Cliché as it may sound, whichever meal, whether it is a simple cooked home meal, or at a fancy restaurant, which leaves you with a sense of joy and satiation, is the perfect one.

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Chef Nira Singh

Owner and Proprietor, Chez Nini Chef Nira Singh, Owner and Proprietor, Chez Nini, makes sure that she uses locally sourced ingredients and the freshest produce for the food she serves in her French restaurant, Chez Nini. She is a former model and software engineer. However, it was her passion for food that decided her calling in life and keeps her engrossed with her restaurant, seven days a week.

Indian Cuisine...

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

As such, I am a computer engineer, but because of an injury, I left that career behind me. My mother has been the real influence behind my career choice. Since childhood we were put into the habit of enjoying fresh, wholesome home-cooked food. So a sense of what to eat came inherently to me and now I enjoy cooking.

Also my cousin Komal pushed me in the right direction, telling me to go for it and not be scared. I always try to reach out to people with more experience and I always try to think of how to grow.

>> RAPID-FIRE » Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one is around?

Golgappas » Which ingredients can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Curry Patta and Rai » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

The person must have the ability to maintain the flavour of the vegetables that he/she cooks and an intuition to recognise flavours and combinations » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad?

Calcutta in India and France abroad » Your favourite cuisine?

French, Japanese and Indian » Your last meal?

Leftover Christmas turkey, broccoli and asparagus salad

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Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

I think by nature, the Indian cuisine is simple. I think people over-complicate the flavour profile. I think every spice has a story, every dish should not be a khichdi of almost all spices. Over-flavouring and adding artificial colours is not the nature of Indian cuisine. When those kind of dishes are served with over-flavouring, people are left with a heartburn. Also as a result of overflavouring and the use of the same tadka, a lot of the dishes end up tasting, just the same. For example, when one is eating saag, you want to be able to taste the saag, the flavour of the dal and paneer. Spices, I feel are accents and adding the accents is the chef’s discretion.

In fact, I do not think that any cuisine should have set recipes. I feel the recipes should be the base and you build your building blocks from there, and find your own voices with how you can build the characteristics of the food you serve. Indian cusine by nature is very simple

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and somewhere it was very technically strong. Now I feel it’s a lot like cooking everything to death and too much spices in most restaurant.

Indian Cuisine...

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

I think good Indian food is not too spicy; a lot of Indians that I have met do not like very spicy Indian food.

Sometimes too much spice is a means to compensate for a lack of flavour and understanding of your ingredients. For example, while making a butter chicken, you need not use too much butter or spices, the flavour can be made to be delicate. If you are moving towards the natural ayurvedic cuisine, every spice is celebrated and an overload of spicy food is incorrect. It is like an error from the chef’s end, it kills the rest of your taste buds, it kills your ability to taste food and masks all other flavours. It makes you eat faster and makes you eat too much. The body cannot process the food, if you eat it really fast. This is what I have learnt from ayurvedic doctors. Though I love spice, now that I eat less spice, every flavour is stronger to me. I think chillies should be left to the decision of the person eating. Chefs should prepare a flavourful, healthy dish and to add more spice, should be left to the discretion of the person enjoying the food.

Of course, some restaurants also serve exceptional food.

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How well-packaged is Indian food as an export product?

For most people, the references for restaurants are those in their locality, which offer food which is very heavy and very spicy. When there were no refrigerators in India, people were eating fresh food everyday. Cooked food was not overpowered with all the flavours. There was a lovely tadka and a garam masala that was signature to each home. We are a country that people have tried to conquer, just to be able to take back the spices. The light flavours, the beautiful ingredients, old cultures and traditions need to be highlighted more. Rajasthani food, Gujarati food, food from Kerala, Bengali food, we have

January 2014 I www.fhrai.com I

: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Dishes Traditional Bengali dal, Mustard fish curry and rice, chaat, golgappas, aloo-tikkis, barbequed pork in Nagaland food, simple home cooked Punjabi dishes. Matta rice (red rice) from Kerala. I also love misti doi (sweet curd).

Drinks Lassi (plain fresh yogurt lassi, with little bit of chilli and little bit of salt), sweet lassi (mango lassi), rassam (not over spicy, but hot), masala chai, Old Monk rum, Amarante

whiskey

so much variety and diversity, it needs to be researched.

Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally? How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

Bhelpuri as a salad, using imli and whole puffed grain rice, golgappas, healthier version of misti doi, tandoori chicken with a vegetable pulao, whole-wheat sheet for momos and Chinese noodles. I would recommend to foreigners to go to the homes of Indians and enjoy dishes prepared in their homes to get the real taste to Indian cooking.

What new equipments have you recently added to your kitchen to optimise the resources available?

Thermocirculator, which helps us avoid wastage, as you can vacuum freeze products.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

I think trends are dangerous, I think it’s good to observe intuitions people are having around the world. However, when trends come in, people like to follow them. That tends to take them away from what is natural to them.

I think its good to be influenced, good to know what is happening around the world. If you are a chef, you need to know. However, to mimic trends is not to find your own voice. I think one needs to follow in one’s own creativity. I feel simplifying, making the food more close to nature with your influence in it, is the way forward.

What is your idea of a perfect meal?

I think it’s your quirkiness, your imagination, don’t take food too seriously, you take it seriously and you loose the fun. There are other things attached to food, part of it may be your intuition, part of it might be nostalgia for some people, or maybe you are conveying a new story for the guests with your food. What is important to me is a well-rounded concept for all of this. Food should be delicious and fresh. The chef needs to take into account the guest’s preferences and enhance the experience of eating while also making sure it is nourishing.

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Chef Aneeta Myint

Development Chef and F&B Consultant Senior Professor, IHM Pusa

Indian Cuisine...

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

Hotel management just happened to me. I guess destiny pushed me to opt for it, otherwise, Aneeta Myint would have been a chemical engineer! Ironically, I started my career in the housekeeping department of one of the best hotel chains of that time - the Taj Group of Hotels.

But I soon realised it was the wrong choice as I was not meant for it! So I moved on to the food and beverage department in a much smaller known property. Here, I met my would-be husband who helped me become a chef and ultimately became my mentor and guide.

Together, we moved on to become entrepreneurs and started the first Chinese restaurant in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1986, when the locals did not know what Chinese food was all about. This time I was stationed behind the range and hubby dear opted

>> RAPID-FIRE » Which ingredients can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Fresh green chillies and coriander leaves » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

An eye for the minutest detail » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad?

Andamans - for exotic freshly-caught seafood, direct from the net.

I love to cook for myself! A barbecue on a virgin beach with freshly caught crabs. No restaurants can give me that. » Your favourite cuisine?

A mix of Indian and Burmese - like at my in-laws’ place » Your last meal?

Oh, I am still alive!

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Photo: Simran Kaur

Chef Aneeta Myint is a Development Chef, a food and beverage consultant, entrepreneur, and owner of restaurants. She is currently working as Senior Professor, Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa. She is also consulting for a Persian restaurant, Indian street food restaurant and a health food restaurant.

the easy way out - guest handling!

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

There is no cuisine as simple as our Indian food. We just need to do our basic homework. We need to tell the world that Indian cooking is all about the use of freshest ingredients. We cook with our hearts, pouring love and care into our preparations- rest, of course, is easy!

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

India, fortunately, has no standardised recipes. The heat or the spiciness can be controlled and made according to the target consumer or the diner. If and when we are able to convey this message across the globe, we will achieve what we want.

How well-packaged is Indian food as a product representing the country globally? How wellknown are the regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

We have been able to reach across the country barriers and today, most of the world is aware of the Indian cuisine. The tandoor, the curries, the vegetarian and

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Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally?

Indian cuisine and the tastes change after every 20 kms as do the Indian spoken languages. The tandoori dishes and a few curries have been successfully popularised. Our very own phulkas, which every household makes are nutritionally wholesome and balanced whole-wheat preparations.

But they are still not eaten or appreciated much globally as we focus on selling tandoori rotis or paranthas.

What are the new courses and techniques being taught to student chefs?

We, in India, are putting a lot of emphasis on the world cuisine – French, Italian, Oriental, while we prepare the syllabus for our hotel management institutes. Well, yes, it is important to learn the foreign cuisines but are we really doing justice to our very own Indian cuisine? One

: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Dal bati from Rajasthan goes very well with adraki aur jeera chaach Makke ki roti aur sarson ka saag with kala namak ki lassi, Chettinad chicken with rasam, Mapla fish curry and kerala parotta with chai

Pork momos with chicken stock and coriander soup

in every 1000 students learns to handle a tandoor and can make tandoori rotis. How many of our students who are focussed to become chefs can make a roomali? I feel, our own Indian techniques and the art of cooking should be taken up more seriously and this art be passed on from the master chefs to the budding chefs.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

The eating habits and practices, based on the use of freshest ingredients and organic products, and a decrease in the use of food preservation techniques, is the trend which will catch up very soon globally.

What is your idea of a perfect meal?

A dish, well-conceived, well-presented and served with a smile!

Indian Cuisine...

the non-vegetarian dishes have been able to capture the food fantasies of foreigners. Thanks to the nonconservationist approach towards food, the tourists love to try out the local food available. We just need to package Indian food as wholesome and hygienically prepared, where, perhaps, we do lack as far as the hygienic standards are concerned, especially in the smaller commercial joints.

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Chef Zelma Pereira Xavier

Sous Chef, jüSTa Panjim, Goa Chef Zelma Pereira Xavier, Sous Chef, jüSTa Panjim, Goa, feels that cooking is not merely following a recipe ’It is an Art as well as a Science’.

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

I have loved food all my life, my mother influenced me a lot. When I was 13, my mother’s job took her abroad and hence I had to help my father in preparing the meals. My mother was a great cook and hence I always tried to copy her style in my cooking. I never thought it was going to be my career. It was always my passion to cook. I collected newspaper cuttings and food magazines and cooked for my family, friends and for parties. It was my high school teacher, Sera De Gama, who spotted my call and guided me.

Indian Cuisine...

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

As a true Indian, I wish our cuisine becomes popular in every corner of the world. We need to simplify it. If we

look at Indian recipes, critically and scientifically, we can reach the conclusion that each step has a particular purpose and there are alternate ways of making the same dish also. At the same time the proportion of spices and several additions is an art that needs to be understood and perfected as per changing times. After all, cooking is not merely following a recipe ‘It is an Art as well as a Science’.

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

India lies on one of the hottest location on earth. Eating spicy foods works differently for Indians - it raises your internal temperature to match the temperature outside.

Your blood circulation increases, you start sweating and once your moisture has evaporated, you’ve cooled off.

While spices are used in Indian cooking, they are not always what make the food spicy. As for chillies and pepper (which add the heat to a dish), they are a matter of preference and can be easily adjusted when cooking most foods. We need to market our cuisine, in such a way that the correct message is spread to our foreign connoisseurs. Food shows are coming up on TV channels

: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Spicy Mutton Roganjosh with garlic naan and nimbu paani would make a sumptuous meal for me; a glass of lassi with my biryani instead of raita would be fingerlicking delicious. My regional food Cafreal with a peg of Caju fenny and not forgetting our Xacutti with sweet and tangy Kokum drink makes me feel nostalgic. Chole Bhature had along with a glass of Aam ka panna is my

favourite street food

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all over the world. Indian recipes are part of the diverse recipes taught in those shows, these shows can be the message medium.

How well-packaged is Indian food as a product representing the country globally? How well-known are the regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

As a growing economy, we are still a little far from addressing packaging sustainability challenges. We need to cover a little more distance. But I am sure the industry will address these in the coming days and we will take a big leap. Indian cuisine has contributed to shaping the history of relations. The different parts of India have their own local traditions and cultures. The food and recipes of the various regions were quite diverse too. In North India, wheat has been the staple food whereas in Southern and Eastern parts of India, rice is the staple food. The food habits also vary as per the weather conditions, geographical location and major crops of that region.

However, there is hardly a situation when a popular food of any part of India is completely new to another region of India. This is because of the food culture in India where people exchange food with their neighbours and friends especially during festive seasons. This is common in every part of India and has helped in spreading the popularity of various regional dishes in other parts of India and the world.

What is your idea of a perfect meal and what adds the lure factor to it?

For me, the essence of food and dining is to keep it pure. It should feel like you are eating the meal in your own dining room, cooked by a friend as a guest chef. The lure factor is automatically added when it is prepared with love.

>> RAPID-FIRE » Which ingredients can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Onions, garlic, chillies and turmeric » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

Desire to learn » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad?

Delhi and London » Your favourite cuisine?

Indian Coastal and Italian » Your last meal?

Fish curry and rice along with grilled fish

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Chef Rama Joglekar

Chef de Partie, Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre Chef Rama Joglekar, Chef de Partie, Courtyard

by Marriott Pune City Centre heads the kitchen at Pune’s high-end rooftop lounge - Evviva Sky Lounge at Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre.

Indian Cuisine...

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

It had been my childhood dream to become a Chef.

My father is my inspiration behind my career choice as he himself owns a restaurant. I have grown up seeing my father running the restaurant and since then I had decided that I wanted to do something in the hospitality industry.

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

Indian cuisine is diverse. India is a vast country and food from all the states is very different from one another.

Abroad, Indian food is defined by butter chicken and tandoori chicken. As a chef, I feel like it is my responsibility to educate people of the extravagance and variety of the cuisine, whether it is idlis of the South, aloo paratha of the North, gatte ki sabzi of the west or jhal muri of the East. Foreign connoisseurs also sometimes compare our food, to food available internationally; dishes like chapatis are compared to the tortilla and dosa is compared with crepes.

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

The main difference between spicy and hot is that hot food will produce a burning sensation in your mouth, while spicy food is considered to be extremely flavourful.

According to me, Indian food is more spicy than hot.

Indians love spice and masala which does add a lot of taste to our dishes. However, I do see how it could be considered as hot to people who are not used to the amount of spice that is added to our food. Even though it does boil down to every person’s individual taste and preference, steps can be taken to educate people and develop food tourism in India considering the vast variety of ingredients India boasts of.

How well-packaged is Indian food as a product representing the country globally? How well-

>> RAPID-FIRE » Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one is around?

Chocolate » What ingredients could you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Onion, garlic and coconut » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

Honesty towards work » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad? Your favourite restaurants?

My favourite destination to travel to for food is Mumbai, Singapore, Thailand and my favourite restaurant is Mainland China » Your favourite cuisine?

Thai and Oriental are my favourite cuisines » Your last meal?

The last meal that I will eat is Dal Chawal

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It would vary upon the geographical location but in general, any dish that could be associated with the cuisine of that particular country will be popularised as fast as people can connect to the food emotionally. To popularise Indian food globally, the initiative has to be taken by the Indians staying around the world. Initially, they should create a demand in market for the different regional Indian cuisine so it could be made available for other nationalities. For instance, Chinese go out and try different food but with the same passion they promote their cuisine as well and take pride in it. I feel if you are proud of your culture only then can you make people like it or believe in it.

Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally? How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

What is your idea of a perfect meal?

The first thing that attracts a person to a certain dish is the look and aroma of the dish. According to me, the perfect dish is one that has a balance of aroma, look and taste.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

I think in India, people are trying different international cuisines, at the same time they are also showing a willingness to try Indian regional cuisine.

Indian Cuisine...

known are the regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

Only some food items from the Indian cuisine are known to the world. Regional cuisines are not known nationally so there are fewer chances of people knowing it internationally.

As regional cuisines are limited to household cooking and to a particular region, they are not much known. I feel an unawareness of regional cuisine comes from the rigid nature of people who are not keen to leave their comfort food and try something new. For instance, if a North Indian is visiting South India, he will first find where he can get roti and vegetables to suit his palate rather than finding where he can get the best food of that region. I feel regional cuisines are not marketed commercially by hotels or well-known restaurants. I feel every large organisation should have at least 40 per cent of the menu based on regional cuisine in at least one of the restaurants.

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Chef Vidhu Sethi

The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambhore Chef Vidhu Sethi, The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambhore feels that the countless and magical uses of Indian spices should be promoted in order to attract people from all over the world to try them.

Indian Cuisine...

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

My inspiration for becoming a Chef was my eternal love for food. Professionally, I have had many mentors in Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and have been inspired by observing Michelin-star restaurants. At a personal level, my father will always be my mentor and my foodie family would continue to inspire me.

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

Indian food is one of the richest and most versatile cuisines in the world. To change it for anyone’s taste is unfair to our food and culture. These days foreigners are only keen to try the authentic spice levels of the food and they do not want the Chefs to modify the traditional taste.

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

Most of the regional Indian cuisine is flavoured with spices, hence has the warmth of spices. When people travel to India, they are frightened to try out dishes thinking they might be too hot for their palates, however, we need to promote dishes which are more

flavourful and carry the right balance of aroma and chilli which does not make the tongue numb and allows one to taste all the other elements of the dish. We should also promote the other regional dishes of India in order to showcase our diversity in food. Some of the Indian restaurants abroad do not cook the spices very well, hence the food tastes very hot and the foreign traveller carries the same impression to India. We should also promote the countless and magical uses of our spices, in order to attract people to try them.

How well-packaged is Indian food as a product representing the country globally?

The Indian food that is popular abroad, is sadly not even authentic enough. Also, there is a vast variety of packaged Indian food available off the shelf in foreign supermarkets, from where these travellers make their first impressions of Indian cuisine. Most of the guests always compare the tastes of restaurants abroad and say that it does not match up to the Indian food they eat when they travel to different parts of India.

The famous dishes are unfortunately limited to North Indian curries and Tandoori dishes. The other famous dishes of different regions are rarely known to the world.

How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

Dishes we can popularise

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globally can be: 1) Kebabs, rolls and biryanis 2) Indian street food (samosas, aloo tikki, papdi chaat, bhel puri, golgappas) 3) Dosas and the steamed appams and idli 4) Dal makhani and Tandoori breads with famous curries like murgh tikka makhni, roganjosh, laal maas, lamb vindaloo, palak paneer, etc.

There need to be really high quality, more widespread and authentic Indian joints abroad, so that foreigners queue up to get a taste of the delicacies. The Indian tourism board, along with private entrepreneurs and prominent Chefs should come together and aggressively promote Indian delicacies by way of well-organised food festivals at regular intervals in India and abroad, for example, the community paella cooking in Spain and the

>> RAPID-FIRE » Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one else is around?

Something to do with good chocolate and Maggi

Indian Cuisine...

» Which ingredients can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Garlic, green chilli, onion, lemon and spices » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

The person should be truly passionate about being a Chef. This shoudn’t just be a job for him/her, but food and cooking should mean the world to them. Also the person must have some interesting trait and hobby and should be fun loving, as happy Chefs make good food » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad? Your favourite restaurants?

In India it has to be Delhi, my hometown and abroad would be Sicily. I would love to go to Istanbul and parts of South East Asia. My favourite restaurants in Delhi are Gulati, Pandara road, Kaake di hatti at Fatehpuri, Chandni Chawk, Andhra Bhawan, Saravana Bhawan, China kitchen, Khan Chacha, Dum Pukht, Spice route and countless street food joints. The restaurants I aspire to go to are a string of Michelin-star restaurants like El cellar de can roca, Noma, Dinner, Gordon Ramsay’s, Zafferano, Eleven Madison park and French Laundry » Your favourite cuisine I love to eat all kinds of food but most of all Indian. I also love to prepare modern European cuisine » Your last meal It was a smoked lamb burger followed by carrot cake and Belgian chocolate

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: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Bhindi, phulka and arhar daal at home with mango shake, Lamb biryani from old Delhi and kahwa to wash it down, South Indian curries and Malabar parantha with South Indian butter milk, Chaat of all kinds, from Golgappa, to chhola bhatura to pao bhaji at Delhi’s many thelas and enjoy it with Moong daal halwa.

Chicken tikka roomali roti rolls, butter chicken, daal makhani and butter naan with Coke

beer festival in Germany.

What new equipments have recently been added to your kitchen to optimise the resources available?

One of the re-discovered techniques in cooking is the old French method of Sous-vide, as it not only cooks the food really slowly, but also helps preserve all the flavours within. Hence a sous-vide cooker is a good equipment. For Indian cooking, we need to creatively promote our rustic cooking methodologies through chulhas, tandoors, silbattas, and martabaans.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

The world is moving away from processed microwave food to a more sustainable era of organic farming, slow cooking and pot to pan concepts, where people like to grow their own ingredients and enjoy seasonal dishes from the produce of their backyards. There is more respect today for a fully sustainable restaurant like Noma, than a McDonald’s. In terms of Indian food, North Indian will always be famous, but we may see a rise in fame of the flavoursome South Indian curries.

What is your idea of a perfect meal?

The idea of perfect food totally depends on the mood of the consumer. But there are factors that make most of us say ‘that is perfect’. The food has to be balanced in terms of salt, sweet, sour and natural tastes and crunchy, soft yet fresh in texture and should have a sense of fulfillment, comfort and contentment in it. The use of fresh, seasonal and authentic ingredients in the right environment or setting can set the overall meal experience apart, like eating fresh-caught fish by the river bank.

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Chef Ishika Konar

Chef de Cuisine, Pullman Gurgaon Central Park Chef Ishika Konar, Chef de Cuisine, Pullman Gurgaon Central Park, feels that Indian cuisine is very versatile almost anything can be made spicy or non-spicy as per the requirement of the guest.

Indian Cuisine...

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

My mother is my inspiration. She still cooks better than anyone, in the family or professionally, that I have came across.

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Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

There is absolutely no need to simplify the Indian cuisine. our food is known for its taste and great memories created, I would not prefer to tamper with its beauty and taste.

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

Indian cuisine is very versatile; almost anything can be made spicy or non-spicy as per the requirement of the guest. Different chillies can be incorporated or replaced with its alternatives to alter the scoville unit (measurement of spiciness).

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Regional cuisine is yet to reach this level. I believe it is the exposure to international clientele which is missing here, Most international guests visit India through carefully drawn route, mostly from cosmopolitan cities, if good regional food is advertised here with right methodology, it will certainly make an impact, as its said ‘jo dikhta hai, wahi bikta hai’ (Only what one sees, that is what is sold).

Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally? How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

There is a huge demand for kebabs globally. We can look at creative usage of regional spices and new type of kebabs e.g. Chicken chettinad tikka.

What new equipments have you recently added to your kitchen to optimise the resources available?

I have not added any new equipments in my kitchen recently. However, I have been hearing of new technology such as pulsed light. Pulsed light is a surface preservation method in which a material is subjected to very short pulses (of the order of milliseconds) of broadspectrum white light. The spectrum of light is typically between 200 and 1100 nm and includes UV, visible and infrared components.

The product is typically exposed to 1-20 pulses having

: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Dishes Paneer Butter Masala, Bhuna Saag, Methi Murgh, Gosht Roganjosh and Maccher Jhol

Drinks Ambi ka panna, Pudine wala Jaljeera, Adrak wala ganne ka ras (sugarcane juice with ginger), Tamatar cha saar, Panipuri ka teekha paani

>> RAPID FIRE » Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one is around?

Roshogolla

» Which ingredient can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Shuddh Ghee » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

Honest and hard worker » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad? Your favourite restaurants?

Gujarat – Vishala restaurant Dubai – Ushna restaurant » Your favourite cuisine?

Bengali of course! » Your last meal?

Ghar ka khana - Be Indian, Die Indian!

an energy density in the range of 0.01 – 50 j/cm2 at the surface (IFT 2000). This decontaminates exposed surface, treatment of relatively short shelflife products that are susceptible to mould growth such as baked goods, when this can be done I can put food for display which I had never been able to before, like soufflé and kathi-roll.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

Many more guests are going to come here for a combined culinary, cultural and social experience of India. I am witnessing an awakening of the globalised Indian cuisine, demanded by the Indians living abroad and international tourists visiting India to get married, celebrate anniversaries, visit special events like Goan Carnival, Nauchandi ka mela - a festival held on the second Sunday after Holi every year in Meerut in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, and various other festivals being organised in India.

What is your idea of a perfect meal and what adds the lure factor to it?

Amazing taste, perfect garnish and wholesome food and with a sales pitch thrown in, even if its available at a cost – why not.

Indian Cuisine...

How well-packaged is Indian food as a product representing the country? How well-known are the regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

For one of the foreign guest in my hotel, his must-do-bucket-list was to taste butter chicken and dal makhani in India. He was visiting for the India first time and his friends back home praised these two items so much that he could just not live without tasting Indian food. After having it, he said he understands what the hullaballoo was all about and that his friends were right.

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Chef Roxanne Saviona Dixon

Whitefield Baking Company, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield

Chef Roxanne Saviona Dixon – Whitefield Baking Company, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield thinks that the Indian cuisine is rich in terms of its ingredients and flavours, and hence should be served to guests preserving its authenticity.

Indian Cuisine...

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

I have grown up watching my mother cook. She is an amazing cook and I have always been inspired by her style and method of cooking. I would be her helper doing the peeling and chopping. While I was growing up, I began cooking with her and started enjoying it ever

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since. I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and here I am today, working with one of the top hospitality brands in the world!

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs?

I feel Indian cuisine is just fantastic and needs no simplifying or any modification to suit the tastes of foreign connoisseurs. I am personally fond of Indian food and truly relish it. The cuisine is rich in terms of its ingredients and flavours and hence should be served to guests preserving its authenticity.

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

I certainly cannot term Indian cuisine as hot or spicy. The country is so vast with diverse cultures and the food too varies depending on the region and preferences of people.

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>> RAPID-FIRE » Which ingredient can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Onions

» Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad? Your favourite restaurants?

Delhi and China. Wan Hao (Chinese restaurant) at Tomorrow Square at the JW Marriott in Shanghai and Laris also in Shanghai, Indian Accent and Orient Express in New Delhi » Your favourite cuisine?

Indian » Your last meal?

A new dish I created, Mascarpone cheese with strawberry jelly and crushed homemade granola

How well-packaged is Indian food as a product representing the country? How well-known are the regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

The world has transformed into one global market and people now have an easy access to commodities from across different countries. In addition, consumers are open to experimenting with different cuisines while they are on the move.

Indian cuisine is remarkably popular across the world.

People are very familiar with the Indian street food like vada pav and kebabs. South Indian food and Punjabi food are amongst the most popular cuisines and are relished by people across the world.

Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally? How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

For an optimistic entrepreneur it could be - kebabs, chaat and of course Indian desserts. I think anybody

: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks Butter Chicken, Mutton Seekh Kebab, Chaats

are some of my favourite Indian delicacies. Since I have been living in South India for a while now I also like idli and dosa and the same time I thoroughly relish the Hyderabadi Biryani as well!

What new equipments have you recently added to your kitchen to optimise the resources available?

With new techniques are coming into cuisine development, how important are equipments to showcase the perfect food?

The Charcoal Barbeque Grill is something which provides a real feel and authenticity to the perfect food.

Using the right type of equipment is essential to create a perfect dish. With increased sophistication, hotels are now investing a huge amount of capital to upgrade the cooking techniques to ensure high-quality delivery.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

I believe that cuisines across the globe have been evolving to suit the tastes and preferences of the consumers. Consumers are now becoming extremely choosy about eating the right kind of food and often look out for healthy food items. In such a scenario, we should focus on serving them food with the right balance. Also consumers now prefer eating chef-crafted cuisines that have the appropriate nutrition quotient with the use of farm fresh ingredients.

What is your idea of a perfect meal?

I am really fond of traditional and regional cuisine that gives you an experience of eating a homemade meal.

The factors that add the lure factor to any dish or cuisine are authenticity, consistent, choice and quality of the ingredients used. The trick is to come up with a dish that is exotic while preserving its simplicity!

Indian Cuisine...

» What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

Attitude towards food and a team player

who knows India is well aware of Indian food, which is why they want to try the Butter Naan and the Tandoori Chicken as soon as they step into the country.

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Chef Rashi Jain

Sous Chef, Country Inn & Suites, Member of ICF

Chef Rashi Jain, Sous Chef, Country Inn & Suites, Member of ICF, feels that the passion with which food is prepared adds the ‘lure’ factor to it.

Indian Cuisine...

What was the inspiration behind your career choice? Who was your mentor?

My mother has inspired me throughout my growing up days with her creative cuisine. Sushil Chug, a Golden Chef Hat award winner, who is currently GM of Hotel Country Inn and Suites by Carlson, has inspired me to become a chef, when I was working as intern at The LaLit New Delhi.

Do you think there is a need to simplify Indian cuisine for the foreign connoisseurs? If so, how can it be done?

Yes, it should be simplified for our foreign connoisseurs.

It can be done by selecting dishes which are simple in

>> RAPID-FIRE » Which ingredient can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Asafofetida (Heeng) » What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a member in your kitchen?

Passion » Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad? Your favourite restaurants?

Rajasthan and my favourite restaurant is Farsaan » Your favourite cuisine?

Rajasthani » Your last meal?

Dal Baati Churma

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preparation and by creating videos of the step-by-step preparation with standard measure of quantities of these recipes.

Is the Indian cuisine hot or spicy? How can we send the correct message about the Indian cuisine across the world?

Not all Indian dishes are spicy or hot. There are hundreds of Indian dishes which are aromatic but not hot.

We can get this message across the world by popularising few dishes which are milder in taste and chilliness e.g. south Indian style vegetable stew and north Indian cuisine dishes like butter chicken etc.

How well-packaged is Indian food as an export product?

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These days, Indian food is being packed as per international standards and has adequate shelf life.

Which dishes from the Indian cuisine can an optimistic entrepreneur hope to popularise globally? How can we further popularise Indian cuisine globally?

Tandoori non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes and north Indian curries can be popularised globally. Indian cuisine can be popularised globally by having authentic Indian cuisine restaurants in major world cities and this initiative can be taken by Indian consulates/commercial attaches in collaboration with the Indian hoteliers and restaurants operators.

What new equipments have you recently added to your kitchen to optimise the resources available?

Table top steamers, induction grillers, infrared griddles are some of the equipments which I have added to my kitchen to optimise the productivity. These days, having

Rajasthani chaat – paan patta chaat, jodhpuri mirch ka pakora, kalmi vada and raj kachori, Dal baati churma, Patra ki sabzi, Gatta curry and Badam ka sheera

the right equipment is very important to prepare and present the food the way it should be prepared and presented.

What food trends should we look out for in the future in India and globally?

Use of fresh, seasonal and local produce and the use of organic foods are one of the trends.

Another trend is the new cooking styles so that the maximum nutritional value is retained while cooking, and intelligent-fusion based on scientific techniques.

What is your idea of a perfect meal and what adds the lure factor to it?

My idea of perfect food is properly seasoned, cooked to the right degree and served at right temperature with simple yet elegant presentation. The passion with which it is prepared adds the ‘lure’ factor to it.

Indian Cuisine...

How well-known are the Indian regional cuisines, nationally and internationally?

The awareness of regional cuisines in India in gradually increasing but there is a lot that needs to be done to increase the popularity of regional cuisine at the international level.

: 5 Favourite Dishes and Drinks

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Smart-checks for

food adulteration Dear Chef,

F

SSAI is a self-declaration format Act, unlike the perceived notion that it is a process of brute enforcement. But you can only be comfortable with it, if you have a clear understanding of the Act and the points shared below: Dr.V Pasupathy Food Scientist and Expert

Restricted use of colour: Other than for Indian sweets, confectionery and certain savouries, use of colour in other food substances, such as tikkas or Gobi 65 or flavoured rice etc., is not allowed. Make sure you inform your purchase department, that compliance to details in the appendix of FSSAI, is important for all your colour and essence suppliers. Either you can request your lab for a confirmation on what ppm of authorised colours is allowed for substances to be used or you can approach the FHRAI food safety cell for lab verification.

Beware of masala powders, mixes and spice powders; adulteration is quite possible in these kind of raw materials.

Some smart-checks!

Beware of masala powders, mixes and spice powders as adulteration is quite possible in these kind of raw materials

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Chilli Powder: Dissolve a spoon of chilli powder in a glass of water. After a few seconds, throw the entire mixture out.

There should be traces of chilli flakes on the sides of the glass tumbler. If, on the contrary, you find a colour watermark, then the chilli powder is adulterated.

Turmeric Powder: Take a spoon of turmeric powder. Grind polo into powder. Mix both in small amount of water, then the paste should turn red. If it does not turn

red, the powder is not a standard one.

You can also mix one spoon of turmeric in a glass of water. After dissolving it, if you find sediment of flour substance, then it is not of good standard.

Always make it a point to open the pods of any spice from a batch or pack of raw spices. Then take a magnifying glass and search for insect eggs.

Be very careful when you buy pepper powder. Take a small muslin cloth piece and put this powder in and fold it. Soak it in a glass of water then open it. If you find a sticky mass in the cloth, then the powder is adulterated.

Milk: Most of the hotels and restaurants buy only standardised packed milk for use.

However, for making special milk sweets, shrikhand and paneer, we may buy fresh milk in bulk. Whatever the case may be, just do these quick, easy tests: Take a spoon of milk and add a drop of tincture of iodine, you may have it in the first-aid box. If it turns blue, then the milk is adulterated with starch. Take a polished smooth tile and place a drop of milk on it.

Tilt it so the milk will run down. If there are watermarks left on the tile, it means the milk has water added to it.

Take a spoon of milk in a test tube. Add lime or a few drops of diluted H2SO4 and shake it well. If there is a formation of foam, then the milk has detergent or urea in it.

Oil: The new law discourages mixing of two oils in making any food. The law discourages re-use of oil beyond two times.

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Factors that can make food unsafe Improper temperature Bad process

Foreign matter

Pest infestation

Improper storage High humidity Body fluids of rodents, animals or birds

Use of expired products Residue of chemicals

Below standard sanitation

Bad waste management

Bad packing material This terminology is difficult to interpret in our industry. The fitness test for oil is simple. Take a spoon of oil on a PH paper.

If it turns into dark orange or red, it is unfit for use anymore.

Certain things leach more than others, like marinated non-vegetarian food, when fried in oil. Be cautious of rancid oil as it is extremely bad for the health of guests.

Make it a habit to visit your pot-wash area and check whether the required post-washing sanitation routine is being followed for your vessels. Verify them with the chlorine indicator strip for ppm. Make simple dilution and use posters in local language or the language understood by your hygiene staff.

Check your dishwasher’s temperature: It should be set to 65-72 degree celsius for washing and 75-82 degree celsius for rinsing.

Don’t allow the service staff to use wet, unwashed, stained wiping cloth.

At least once daily, make sure to check the sanitation of the chopping board. 100 ppm chlorine or a similar validated chemical are compulsory to ensure that your chopping boards is safe to use. You should follow colour codes for them and make

Bad raw materials Lack of personal hygiene

Cross-contamination Bad drainage system

the staff aware of the segregation. Once every six months, ensure that the cutting boards are shaved, smoothened and are without any chipped surfaces.

Take some keema (mince meat) and spread it on a porcelain plate. Use a magnifying glass to search for any acrylic or plastic pieces in it. These random checks can help you in ruling out chipped substances from entering your food.

Do not allow housekeeping dusters to be used in kitchen. Housekeeping dusters are used from cleaning the WC to glass wiping and if you are careless, the cross contamination, could prove to be very bad. Ensure that if the old towels are recirculated in the kitchen for use, they are piped in all corners with proper distinct

Once every six months, ensure that the cutting boards are shaved, smoothened and are without any chipped surfaces

colour codes. Make a visit to the laundry to ensure that the kitchen uniform and the dusters are handled separately.

Post-pest control, you should depute a senior person in your kitchen before restarting operations to check whether the post-pest control wash was properly done. Ask for random table-tops and the floor to be washed with hot water. Then collect a glass of water and smell it for the presence of any chemical smell. If there is a smell, then do not use the kitchen.

You should be extremely careful about imported food items and verify whether such imports are accepted by law. You should ensure that it is not from any restricted geographical location and ask for custominbound clearance paper for the concerned batch. You should verify the labels and never buy a dented can or tin just because it is on a discount. You should always maintain the recommended temperature.

It is simple to develop documents to control and maintain records to monitor food safety. Remember each of these factors can cause food to become unsafe.

(Views expressed are that of the author, Dr. V Pasupathy, Food Scientist and Expert)

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Collaborating to address social inequities Niranjan Khatri General Manager, Welcomenviron Initiatives, ITC Hotels

The resource-intensive nature of the industry has had a significant impact on creating an imbalance in the social structure and is one of the major causes of the yawning gap between the haves and have-nots.

“N

ature seems to be running a fever. We are the flu,” observed William Ruckelshaus, former head of the U.S. Environment Protection Agency at the Forum on Global Change and Our Common Future, in May 1989.

“Our goal is not so much to manage the planet Earth as to make our self less like a pathogen and more like those helpful bacteria that dwell in our system,” he added.

Climate is changing, and the ‘three pillars of global architecture’ - the economic, environmental and social climate - are undergoing rapid change, imperceptibly but steadily, like the changing tide in an ocean.

In the social arena, the UN has introduced the UN Global Compact, a strategic policy initiative for businesses, as a primary driver of globalisation, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere.

Food shortages around the world

n Recent food riots

Food prices have jumped 83 per cent in the past three years, according to the World Bank

Food riots Shake Haitian government

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n Other food-related troubles

Rice shortage may lead to farm land conservation in Philippines

General strike in Burkina Faso

Source: World Bank, AP, Reuters

n Recent restrictions on food exports

Pakistani army called out to deter food thieves

One-fifth in Bangladesh may go hungry

Map not to scale

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The industry worldwide has a large footprint in terms of its use of natural resources. The resource intensive nature of the industry has had a significant impact on creating an imbalance in the social structure and is one of the major causes of the yawning gap between the haves and have-nots. In India, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has come out with nine principles of the National Voluntary Guidelines (NVG) in order to respond to social inequities.

This article will focus on the fourth principle of the NVG guidelines, which is as follows: ‘The principle recognizes that businesses have a responsibility to think and act beyond the interests of its shareholders to include all their stakeholders. The Principle, while appreciating that all stakeholders are not equally influential or aware, encourages businesses to proactively engage with and respond to those that are disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalised.’

The core elements of the 4th principle are as follows: 1. Businesses should systematically identify their stakeholders, understand their concerns, define purpose and scope of engagement, and commit to engaging with them.

2. Businesses should acknowledge, assume responsibility and be transparent about the impact of their policies, decisions, products and services and associated operations of the stakeholders.

3. Businesses should give special attention to stakeholders in areas that are underdeveloped.

4. Businesses should resolve differences with stakeholders in a just, fair and equitable manner.

Under the above NVG guidelines, the industry has a great opportunity to work innovatively with simple, path breaking initiatives to add value to the lives of marginalised people.

Leveraging the power of the imagination Hotels and restaurants can work towards upgrading dhabas in there vicinity, in terms of standards of food hygiene, personal hygiene and imparting soft skills in interacting with people, without losing the

essence of local cultural practices. Hotels can engage with small road-side eateries and share different ways in which to handle waste responsibly, in partnership with local authorities. Training in soft skills can be conducted by industry bodies in multiple locations to provide an array of vocational skills.

According to newspaper reports, 30 crore people go to bed hungry every day, while on the other hand, good food is put in the dustbin by the food industry. If the industry works with all stakeholders to come out with safe and innovative leftover food reuse policy it will reduce pressure on land and water besides ensuring that the needs of people are met. Packaged food has a residual life of one month after the expiry date for consumption; however it

The industry has a great opportunity to work innovatively with simple, path-breaking initiatives to add value to the lives of marginalised people is destroyed due to the current law. Existing rules state that this is a non-bailable offence, which deters the industry from giving away leftover food or food packets.

Discarded food finds its way into landfill sites, which then serves to put a further strain on the environment and impacting climate change by releasing methane gas in the atmosphere. Imagine a scenario where leftover food could be consumed by those who would otherwise go hungry, reducing the load on land fill sites, preventing the release of methane gas. Perhaps one day, the land fill site itself could be used for alternative purposes such as the creation of open spaces in the city.

The dabbawallas of Mumbai are an inspiration in this regard. In addition to performing at six sigma levels, their perceptual

skills have spawned a new food saving and feeding hungry children service design. All recipients of the daily tiffin are given green stickers, which they affix on the dabba if they have not consumed the same.

This is an indication to the supply chain that food can be given to street children.

By doing so, a large number of children are able to eat a wholesome meal.

Imagine if the industry works out a federation of recycled food. Needless to say, a reverse logistical enterprise will have to be established to achieve the above objective elegantly and the financing of the same can come from the 2 per cent to be spent on CSR by industries. Cities could also become cleaner, conforming to the ‘Incredible India’ advertisement campaign.

Local hotel associations in many small resort destinations can work collectively to put up ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ in every hotel and public domain in partnership with local authorities. The aim of this would be to educate tourists on responsible behaviour.

It is alarming to see all kinds of litter being strewn in the most remote places, cars being washed in pristine streams in the upper Himalayas without any concern for the downstream communities. The different arms of the tourism trade can help in improving the soft skills of guides, bus drivers, taxi operators and rickshaws.

Rickshaws are zero-emission vehicles and need to be given their due in this climate challenged world where escalating numbers of fossil fuel run vehicles are putting immense pressure on existing resources.

People in remote places are not aware of the range of low-cost technologies which can help them in improving their productivity and mitigating a harsh life. A range of such products can be acquired by hotels and resorts for display to their staff who can then share the knowledge with their local community. It is in the interest of the tourism industry to guard all resource and places jealously for their own long-term business sustainability.

‘We have lots of knowledge, but a paucity of wisdom’-Bertrand Russell (Views expressed are that of the author, Niranjan Khatri, General Manager, Welcomenviron Initiatives, ITC Hotels)

supplier talk

Getting wood flooring right Real wood floors provide some of the best interiors in hotels. However, it is imperative to keep in mind, the humidity levels of the area of installation for correct fittings. In conversation with Suresh Kumar Mansukhani, Country Manager – Indian Subcontinent, Junckers, we find out more. Kanchan Nath What are the different types of floorings available in the Indian market?

Floors are a very important aspect of any house, as they determine the personality of the owner and his aesthetic value for the products that he uses. In India, the awareness about wooden floors is very limited. People consider granite and marble as the best product for floors.

However, due to limited knowledge about the flooring materials available in India, people are not aware that marble and granite are not sustainable products while wood is a sustainable material.

In hilly areas of India or where the climatic conditions are very cold, people have been using wood for floors for a long time, as the absorption of the low temperature keeps the rooms cosy. Similarly in the summers, real solid wood flooring retains the cooling effect, thereby reducing the air conditioning costs. Earlier, people used the wood for Suresh Kumar Mansukhani flooring, from Country Manager – Indian Subcontinent, Junckers the leftover waste wood. They used to make small strips of different sizes and dimensions, glued it on the floor; and grinded and polished these strips which would give a great cosy effect to the room.

However in the mid-1990’s, there was a major revolution in the wooden flooring market in India. Laminated wooden flooring suddenly invaded the homes of the rich and the famous. During the initial stages, the laminated wooden flooring from Europe was imported by various companies in India and was sold

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at an exorbitant rate of over `250 per sq ft. These were the rates of laminated flooring in 1995 as against the current rates of `50 per sq ft., available across the country. With the passage of time, laminated flooring lost its lustre and is seen at most of the middle-class homes across India. However, all said and done, even today laminated wooden flooring is quite cheap in comparison to the tiles and marble flooring and there are no installation mess-ups as compared to tiles or granite.

exposed to a spectrum of wooden flooring products. The categorisation of wood flooring can be done as solid hardwood flooring, engineered floor and laminated wooden floor. The difference in all three is that solid wood floor is 100 per cent natural wood, whereas engineered floor is red wood on top (veneer) and the core material is either pine wood, plywood or high density fibreboard (HDF). Laminated wooden flooring has paper laminate on top and HDF as the core material.

What are the newest flooring solutions that you bring to the table, specifically, for hotels?

Solid wood flooring is the best solution, for hotels, specifically, due to the exposure of the rooms to high traffic volumes and the climatic changes that affect the same. The need for awareness about solid wood flooring is a must in the minds of the masses, which is

Junckers ensures that it sustains the parameters required for a wooden flooring during climatic conditions. To combat such climatic conditions, Junckers ensures moisture content of 80 per cent in the wood and a special installation system called the Clip Installation.

Besides this Junckers, has a wide range of designs and colours which no other

supplier talk

manufacturer of solid wood can boast of.

At present, we are more inclined to make the people in general and the hospitality industry in particular, aware about the good qualities of solid wood as compared to the engineered flooring and other flooring materials available in the country and worldwide.

What are the latest demands from the hospitality industry regarding flooring?

The general demands of the hospitality industry are quality, durability, aesthetic value of the product, expansion and contraction in terms of the climatic conditions and of course a reasonable price. However, I term installation of the product as the top priority, since until and unless, wooden flooring is not properly installed it is termed as a piece of wood.

You have been in India for the last fifteen years. How has your progress been so far?

Junckers came to India in 1999. NLDK

Wood flooring is the best solution for hotels due to exposure of the rooms to high traffic volumes (Nand Lal Darshan Kumar) was the first distributor to be appointed for Junckers.

The first installation for Junckers was at the Hotel Grand in Vasant Kunj. However, due to the expansion of the markets in India as well as the neighbouring countries, Junckers initiated their own office and staff based in Delhi. We now have four dedicated distributors across India and one distributor each in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.

Sri Lanka is a very good market for wooden flooring.

Please tell us about the hotels you have supplied to?

We have supplied to the Marriott group

of hotels, Oberoi, Meridien in Delhi, Radisson, LaLit Group, Taj and Hilton. The current project is JW Marriott in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Besides the hospitality industry, Junckers also caters to various other segments and clients. In Le Meridien and the JW Marriott, rooms and public areas have been covered by Junckers. We are also a part of the project Supertech Supernova

by Supertech, a high-end project in Kalindi Kunj. Supernova, has two hotels, Hilton and Taj. We have worked on many government offices including the Prime Minister’s House, Finance Minister’s Office, South and North Blocks of the Parliament, NDMC building, BSNL and Shivaji Stadium etc.

Tell us about out-of–the-box service requests that you have catered to?

We took a different approach for the Victoria’s Secret showrooms across the world. To give it the signature colour of pink for Victoria’s Secret, we have stained our oak wide-plank board of 20.5 mm to pink and it looks amazingly beautiful!

interview

u Jessica Martin, Silver Medallist - Restaurant Services, WorldSkills Competition, Germany, 2013 doing a skills demo for the participants

Skill-sets for expanding horizons In a free-wheeling conversation with Jessica Martin, Silver Medallist – Restaurant Service at WorldSkills, we get insights on training for international competitions and tips on restaurant service.

Kanchan Nath

Jessica Martin Silver Medallist – Restaurant Service, WorldSkills Competiton

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Q

What does it feel like to win a WorldSkills competition?

It was an amazing experience. WorldSkills opens many doors for you. You grow as a person and believe more in yourself. You become much more confident as you are the best among the best.

Q

What was the training you went through, to participate in the highest level of the competition?

For each level in the competition, that you progress to, the training becomes even more intense. Before I reached the internationals level, I was training four-five days a week. I was also working simultaneously. I think its very important to work as well as train simultaneously, as you need to have a good balance.

I was working as a Section Waiter at Sydney’s Momofuku Seiobo, the number one restaurant in Australia and among the top 100 restaurants across the world. I got a lot of support from my colleagues when I was training. It is very important when you are preparing for any competition to have a mentor and support from your colleagues.

I hold a Diploma in Events Management and an Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management from TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute.

Q

How did your life change after you became a silver medallist?

You become recognised for your skill. You also become a mentor for new people training for the competition. By helping train and mentor them, you also become a bigger part of WorldSkills. I help in judging some of the regional competitions for WorldSkills. I try to give back to the organisation as much as they gave me.

It is very important when you are preparing for any competition to have a mentor and to have support from your colleagues

interview

t Jessica Martin, Silver Medallist - Restaurant Services, WorldSkills Competition, Germany, 2013 demonstrating for a participant of the workshop

You need to be very passionate about what you do. You need to have that fire in your belly and really need to want it

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SILVER MEDAL

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Australian Apprenticeships Ambassador, Jessica Martin, has won a silver medal in Restaurant Service at the WorldSkills International Competition held in Leipzig, Germany. The 21-year-old, was part of a team of 31, who competed with 1000 competitors from 61 countries, in front of a crowd of approximately 150,000 people.

Is this a lifelong career for you or just a stepping stone for some other ambition?

This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to stay in the hospitality industry - whether it means working in a restaurant, a hotel or opening my own business. Since I left school at the age of 17, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I did not want to pursue a traditional degree.

What is the inspiration behind your passion?

My dad is a chef, so restaurants were always a part of my family when I was growing up. When I left school to train for the industry and study, I loved the practical part of my course about making cocktails or serving guests. The more I studied, the more I wanted to learn about it. Then I completed a diploma which was followed by an advanced diploma and that’s where my passion cames from. Each competition level that I completed, I just wanted more of it.

Q

How has the restaurant service industry evolved?

There are a lot of younger people joining the industry these days. For example, many are enthusiastic about becoming chefs. There are many top restaurants around the world and they are all doing things differently.

Today, it is much easier for a chef or a waiter to gain different experiences at restaurants of different cuisines. After gaining the experience, you can take

WorldSkills WorldSkills International aims to nurture talent by means of providing vocational training. These skills open many opportunities worldwide. Every two years, it promotes the biggest skill competition in the world. Before the main event, India conducts World Skills India, where the winners are shortlisted to represent the country at the international level. Jessica Martin was invited

by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) - a public private partnership promoted by the Ministry of Finance, to prepare the youth of India for the upcoming WorldSkills competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2015.

it back to where you work and apply these skills.

Q

What advice will you give others who aspire to win accolades like you at an international world competition?

You need to be very passionate about what you do. You must believe in your skill trade. For me, my skill trade was restaurant service and I was really very passionate about it. You need to have that fire in your belly and really need to want it. Restaurant service is very customer based, so you need to be friendly.

Q

How relevant is fine food dining in the fast food world?

Fast food is a big part of people’s lives because they do not have time to cook.

But fine dining restaurants will not go out of vogue, especially in Europe, as when people want to celebrate, they prefer fine dining restaurants.

Q

Which restaurant brand do you want to be associated with?

I think my dream changes constantly.

The more I learn the more things I want to achieve. From India, I am going to Denmark. It has one of the best restaurants in the world there, so I am looking forward to experiencing their dining style. It is my dream to experience different types of dining styles from across the world. Then take all of my experiences back home and maybe, in five-ten years from now, I can set up my own restaurant or bar.

restaurant review

Taking cue from the German word, Uber which means, Above All, Uber Lounge holds the promise of the perfect hub for all.

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Lounge offers the right ingredients for fun times

restaurant review

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he café is set up on the ground floor and has unique, comfortable chairs with a simple décor. At the lower ground floor, the seating area in the lounge is cosy and low with warm lights. The concept is a brainchild of Prem Chugh, Owner, Uber Lounge.

Seeing the budding nightlife culture in Delhi, Chugh decided to start up a lounge in South Delhi. He was supported

by Manoj Das, General Manager, Uber Lounge who had 16 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Having started just two years ago, Uber Lounge is making profits of roughly 35-40 per cent of its sales.

They have various offers and themes for various days of the week which are much liked by their regular guests like ladies night, Ek Sufiyana Shaam, retro night fever, hotelier night, commercial and bollywood music night etc. “Apart from these themes, we also invite few celebrity

performers at regular intervals, to keep a buzz about the lounge in the market. This helps us to attract more and more footfall,” said Chugh. Talking about the food, he added, “We are basically a multi-cuisine restaurant. Italian and Indian food is liked the most by our guests. Apart from that, we have got a wide range of mocktails and cocktails which are much appreciated by our guests.”

are usually 8pm onwards as Uber Lounge is a place where people come to spend a good amount of time.”

Uber Lounge’s signature dishes include:

Elaborating on the security and safety, he said, “We have quite strict on our rules and regulations. Firstly, we do not serve or allow anyone below 25 years, to consume liquor in our lounge. Secondly, all the staff here is trained to tackle any kind of problems or nuisance created by any guest who gets drunk. We make arrangements that that particular guest is handled by his/her peer group or leaves the premises without disturbing other guests. For the safety of women, we do not allow stag entries on the lower floor after late evening hours.”

Uber Chip & Dip, Grilled Basa Fish, Classic Grilled Chicken and Soya Azwani Chaap.

Uber Lounge also boasts of possibly the finest collection of draught beers, cocktails, spirits, fine wines and champagnes.

Giving us a profile of their guests, he said, “Our target age-group is people between the ages of 20-45. The variety in food, drinks, themes and offers, helps us to have a repeated footfall. The peak hours are usually on the weekends and the timings

The ground floor of Uber Lounge is set up with comfortable chairs and a simple décor. At the lower ground floor, the seating area in lounge is cosy and low with warm lights. They also offer special, exclusive dining areas.

Products&Services

products & services

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Energy-saving coffee machine

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he Astoria Plus 4 You is a multi-boiler machine that uses almost half the energy of comparable commercial espresso machines. The machine has one designated steam boiler and separate boilers for each espresso brewing group head. The machine is USB programmable, so that predetermined settings can be transferred across multiple machines at the touch of a button. Retractable trays account for various cup sizes, and hot water taps above each group head enables baristas to work without getting into each other’s way. In addition to these features, it has the Green-line technology through which the machine remembers when it is busiest and quietest during the day and will power itself up and down accordingly. This allows business owners to have maximum power when they need it, and not waste power when they don’t, which can lead to a significant savings in electricity bills.

Lighting the stone

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he Le Pietre Luminose collection introduces on the market a new product configuration, eight models of back-lit modular 3-dimensional stone coverings, where light drives the design and the design directs the light into luminous and ornamental effects. The collection has been created from the sophisticated combination of design, the processing of surfaces across three dimensions, and thorough research into illumination techniques applied to the translucent

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properties of marble. Alcor, Antares, Mizar, Naos, Polare, Rigel, Sirio and Vega, eight names of luminous claddings, whose design is characterised by all-over patterns that were studied taking into account their modularity and multi-functionality. Each module (60x60) comes equipped with a luminaire that contains an independent fluorescent light source in order to ensure that normal maintenance is practical and easy.

products & services

Hassle-free water purifiers by Electrolux

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lectrolux Sterling RO Water Purifier is an under-the-counter water purifier with a built-in water storage tank very apt for today’s modular kitchen. It works on RO + UF + Mineral controller technology that ensures the water has all the essential minerals you will need. Its design

makes it an ideal companion for a doubledoor side-by-side refrigerator. The product is launched to meet the ever increasing demand of those elegant Indian consumers that not only wanted a tasty, safe and healthy drinking water purifier but also wanted to add a well designed

look to their kitchen’s luxurious décor.

Electrolux Sterling’s looks combine sophistication and simplicity. Its compact and non-intrusive form quietly tucks itself under the counter. All this makes it a metaphor of one’s approach to style.

age weight and is rich in beta glucan, a form of soluble fibre, which helps reduce cholesterol.

Oats for the Indian palate

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s our lives get more and more on the fast track, the hectic schedules and sedentary lifestyles have taken a toll on everyone’s health. Lifestyleoriented diseases such as obesity, heart diseases, cardiovascular problems, diabetes etc. are on the rise in India.

Bagrry’s unveiled Oats for India - A range of healthy oats staples from which one can prepare Indian dishes.

Oats for India comes in four variants – Oats for Poha, Oats for Suji, Oats for Rice, Oats for Atta. Oats is nature’s boon. This Super Grain helps man-

Elaborating on the nutritional benefits, Dr. Ritika Samaddar, Dietician, remarked, “Oats are rich in a bulky, viscous type of soluble fiber, called Beta-Glucan. Consuming just three grams of soluble oat fiber per day typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23 per cent. Soluble fibers in oats also helps to reduce hypertension and consequently reduce the need for anti-hypertensive medication. Beta-glucans slows the rise in blood glucose levels following a meal; hence make it an ideal cereal for diabetics. With a high content of phytochemicals, it also reduces the risk of getting cancer. Ligans, in oats, have been seen to reduce risk of breast cancer.”

appointments

new faces

appointments Philippe H. Charraudeau

Ajay Sampige Hotel Manager ibis and Novotel Bengaluru Techpark

Vice President (West) & General Manager ITC Maratha, Mumbai

Philip Charraudeau has been appointed as the Vice President (Western region) & General Manager for ITC Maratha. Charraudeau brings with him 40 years of global experience in hospitality.

More recently, he headed ITC Hotel’s premier property, ITC Grand Chola as VP & GM. Charraudeau has worked in multiple functional areas of hotels, specifically in organizational growth and development. With his extensive experience in the hospitality industry, he specialises in successfully opening and running many luxury hotels and resorts.

He was also awarded the Chevalier de l’ Ordre National du Merite by the President of the French Republic in the year 2006. The award honours distinguished civil or military achievements and meritorious public service.

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Somnath Mukherjee

ibis and Novotel Bengaluru Techpark, the first combo property of Accor in India has announced the appointment of Ajay Sampige as the new Hotel Manager. Prior to this, he was responsible for the hotel operation at ibis Bengaluru Hosur Road as the General Manager. Sampige is an accomplished hotelier and brings with him a wealth of experience from over 15 years in the hospitality sector. Most of his career comes from Australia and New Zealand, where he has worked in numerous international hotel chains such as InterContinental Hotel Group, Mirvac Group, Toga Hospitality, Marriott Hotels, Stella Hospitality and Accor hospitality among the major ones.

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General Manager The Taj West End, Bangalore

Somnath Mukherjee has recently joined The Taj West End as General Manager. He has been with The Taj Group of Hotels since 1992 and brings with him the expertise and experience in hospitality industry spanning 20 years. Mukherjee’s portfolio includes tenure at Taj Bengal – Kolkata, Umaid Bhavan Palace, Nadesar Palace, The Gateway Hotel Ganges Varanasi and Rambagh Palace. An established professional, Mukherjee grew up in Kolkata and is an alumnus of IHM, Jamshedpur and TMTC, Pune. He is also a part of the emerging leaders at The Tata’s.

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Manish Dayya General Manager Novotel Goa Shrem Resort, Goa Manish Dayya has joined as the General Manager of the newly-launched Novotel Goa Shrem Resort.

Dayya comes with 16 years of experience in hospitality industry. Prior to joining Accor, Dayya was the General Manager at the Raintree Hotel, Chennai. He also spearheaded the opening of The Raintree in Anna Salai. He was also the Hotel Manager at the Lemon Tree Hotel, Chennai. He worked as the Assistant Food and Beverage Manager at Ramada Caravela Beach Resort, Goa and as the Banquet Manager at Taj Exotica, Goa. Dayya holds a Diploma in Hotel Management from Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Porvorim, Goa.

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events

Chefs gather for three-day Tourism Fest

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he CII International Chef Meet organised as part of the CII Tourism Fest was a big hit with tri-city residents.

The three-day culinary event saw over 90 participants competing in various individual and team events with 14 categories judged by an internal World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) approved jury. With over 35 worldrenowned chefs, they had a large gathering of food and beverage industry professionals – executive chefs, F&B managers, academicians and technocrats.

Odisha promotes tourism

Sri Maheswar Mohanty, Minister Tourism, lighting the Inaugural Lamp

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n order to give a boost to the tourism sector, the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) organised the ‘Odisha Tourism Annual Conclave 2013’. The Conclave was organised to take the expert opinions from trade professionals in the hospitality sector on how to take Odisha tourism forward.

Many important suggestions came forth during these brainstorming exercises. Before beginning of the brainstorming exercise, Ashok Ch. Panda, MLA, Bhubaneswar, in his address to the audience said that

besides Bhubaneswar-Puri-Konark the government should develop other tourist destinations also to give a boost to the tourism industry. He emphasised on having a cargo hub facility at the Biju Patnaik International Airport.

Panda said the decision of the Odisha Government to grant `50 crore to construct a four-lane road connecting Dhauligiri with Khandagiri, bypassing Bhubaneswar city, will shorten the distance between two heritage sites.

The new wider road and its quality will attract more tourists. He urged the Tourism Department to develop a ‘RiverView Project’ from the right embankment at Daya to the right embankment at Kaukhai.

Tathagata Satpathy, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, during his speech, laid emphasis on imparting training to hospitality industry employees so that tourists can have ultimate experience during their stay in Odisha. He also laid stress on impeccable cleanliness across major tourism hubs of the State.

Hotels should also make necessary efforts to ensure disposal of solid waste in the tourist destinations and prevent dumping the trash on roads and keep the beaches clean and hygiene for tourists to enjoy the sea beaches.

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events

French Pâtisserie opens in Mumbai

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a Folie, a luxury French patisserie, will open in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai from January 2014. Started by husband-wife duo, Sanjana and Parthesh Patel, La Folie is a high-end boutique pâtisserie and chocolaterie. Located opposite Kala Ghoda Café, this boutique will offer beautifullydecorated desserts which are freshly prepared daily. The space is elegantly decorated with minimal and stark interiors. It can house up to 10 guests.

On the occasion, Sanjana Patel, Partner and Executive Chef, La Folie said, “Our aim is to provide a quality French experience to our customers, and have a menu that lists a variety of macaroons, pralines, truffles, croissants and cakes.

I am very excited to share my French experience and learning with the people of Mumbai.”

Festive cheer for children

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et Airways ushered in the festive season among 300 children from the NGO ‘Save The Children India’. The Airline celebrated Christmas with a range of fun-filled activities for the students from marginalised sections and those with special needs. The event kicked off with a cake-cutting ceremony courtesy Sky Gourmet, who sponsored a Christmasthemed cake. The Airline’s cabin crew participated in the same along with the students. Organised by Jet Airways, this event held every quarter, is part of the Airline’s CSR initiative focussing on causes relating to child development and education in the community, in association with the NGO ‘Save The Children India’.

Gaurang Shetty, Senior Vice President, Jet Airways, said, “Jet Airways has always believed in supporting social causes which bring about the development and education of children, especially those

most at risk in our society. We have been proud of our association with ‘Save The Children India’ not only on board, but have extended the same at the community and school levels. Celebrating Christmas at the School in association with our corporate partners, is just a small way we hope will bring in positive change to the lives of the young ones.”

RNI No. DELENG/2000/1230 Posting Date 15-21 (Every Month) Postal Reg. No. DL-(C)-01/1294/2012-2014 at MBC-1 Date of Publication 12-1-2014