fhraimagazine

march 2013

magazine Vol 13 Issue 03

Pages 96

`50

A MONTHLY ON HOSPITALITY TRADE

By DDP Publications

the taste of India

Featuring restaurant entrepreneur Camellia Panjabi

Managing the assets Interview with Mandeep S Lamba TEN Hotels

Budget 2013-14 Hospitality industry reactions

nature Food amidst

Exploring new dining vistas in the greens

March 2013

Cover Story

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In sync with nature Increasingly, restaurants are getting into the new vista of alluring customers by setting the dining tone amidst nature that offers a calm and serene atmosphere for a blissful meal. This niche choice is evolving the facet of dining.

Picture on the cover: Tranquilitea

36 Cover Story

contents THIS MONTH

President’s Message Secretary’s Message FHRAI Desk News Updates Product profile Products & Services Movements Events

7 9 10 20 80 86 88 90

FEATURES Perspective 32 Promoting the taste of India Restaurant entrepreneur Camellia Panjabi talks about Indian food, her restaurants and latest trends

20 News You Can Use

Interview 46 Filling the void Mandeep S Lamba, President & Founder of TEN Hotels and Hospitality Solutions F&B Services 48 An outlet of success A new restaurant should take into account customers’ preferences, menu styles, presentation and so on, to be successful

56 Concept: Chocolate jewellery

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48 F&B Services: An outlet of success

Equipment 50 Equipped with quality F&B operations can become lucid with quality equipment which are based on customer feedback and market needs

explore

chef talk

news updates

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Dear fellow members,

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he Hospitality and Tourism industry has legitimate reasons to be disappointed with the proposals presented in the Union Budget for F.Y 2013-14.

The positive build-up provided by the visionary 12th Five-Year Plan document and the Government’s own Economic Survey had made us confident that the Budget this year would be a game-changer for the tourism sector and give a growth-oriented impetus to our industry, but these high expectations have not materialised.

Recently released data on key macroeconomic indicators has confirmed our view that the turnaround in business sentiment is still fragile and overall economic growth continues to be sluggish. In such as scenario, industries such as hospitality, which are particularly sensitive to volatility in economic cycles, should have been offered support in the form of a comprehensive package of tax relief and other fiscal incentives.

Therefore, we are extremely disappointed by the decision to extend the imposition of Service Tax to all air-conditioned restaurants. FHRAI believes that this is a retrograde move which would hurt consumers, further depress discretionary demand and place an onerous compliance burden on thousands of small and mid-sized establishments across the country. Ever since hotel rooms and restaurants were first brought under the ambit of Service Tax two years ago, FHRAI has been diligently highlighting that though the incremental revenue generated by the Government from the additional tax is only modest, it will have an adverse long-term and cascading impact on the entire sector. It is widely acknowledged that multiplicity of taxes is seriously undermining India’s competitiveness as an international tourist destination. The Economic Survey for 2012-13, authored by Dr. Raghuram Rajan, the Finance Minister’s Chief Economic Advisor, too has echoed the same viewpoint and articulated the imperative to urgently address this impediment. We were very hopeful that the Hon’ble Finance Minister would seize the opportunity and initiate necessary reforms in this regard. At the very least, our reasonable suggestion to place hotels and restaurants in the negative list for Service Tax, pending the introduction of the GST regime, should have been acceded to.

In the coming weeks, along with our fellow trade and industry associations constituting the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), we will again unitedly voice our concerns before the Ministry of Finance. We must reiterate the fact the Government’s own Twelfth Plan and Economic Survey have advocated a targeted approach and strong focus towards “big ticket and employment oriented” sectors such as tourism, as these can yield exponential gains for the Indian economy by cushioning the impact of any slowdown in manufacturing and agriculture and also encourage inclusive growth.

However, there are also certain progressive aspects of the Union Budget which we must acknowledge, for instance,

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president’s message

the thrust on the worthy themes of social equity, financial inclusion and incentives to boost the infrastructure sector.

The Hon’ble Finance Minister has made a sincere endeavour to recharge business confidence and revive the investment cycle. The various initiatives, including innovative policy instruments and institutional mechanisms which were announced to attract private investment in the country’s core infrastructure are welcome. These incentives would indeed be valuable for hotels in those geographic locations which are already included in the Government’s Harmonised Master List of Infrastructure Sub-sectors notified on 28th March, 2012 and the RBI’s Infrastructure Lending List notified on 20th November, 2012. The RBI had recently vide its circular dated 21st January, 2013 allowed all hotels with a project cost of Rupees 250 crore or more, across the country, to raise external commercial borrowings (ECB) to replace their existing high cost rupee debt with relatively cheaper offshore loans, similar to the benefit already enjoyed by other infrastructure sub-sectors. We have also requested that the entire hotel sector should be eligible to avail financial assistance, including takeout financing from specialised agencies such as the Infrastructure Development Finance Company Ltd. (IDFC), India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. (IIFCL) and the newly set up Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDF). Further, Tourism Finance Corporation of India (TFCI) should be included in the proposed list of eligible financial institutions which can issue tax-free bonds up to a total limit of Rupees 50,000 crore in the next fiscal year.

Our members are aware that FHRAI has been engaging with the Government at the highest level, to seek an expansion of the tourist Visa on Arrival (VoA) scheme, to cover citizens of more nationalities and a larger number of international airports in the country. Two recent research reports, one by the Indian Institute of Travel Management (IITM) and another by the prestigious UNWTO, have vividly demonstrated the potential of Visa on Arrival, as a successful facilitative measure to attract larger number of foreign tourists. I am pleased to share that the Hon’ble Minister of Tourism has now taken forward our suggestion and submitted a formal proposal to the Hon’ble Minister for Home Affairs to extend the Visa on Arrival (VoA) scheme to 16 more countries, in addition to the 11 already permitted and increase number of airports from where VoA can be availed. The new countries proposed for extending VoA scheme are Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Brazil, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei. Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism has proposed extension of VoA to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa, Bodhgaya and Trivandrum airports. We urge the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to favourably consider this proposal and also the Ministry of External Affairs to expedite the issue at our Embassies around the world, from where visas are still required to enter the country.

With best wishes, Vivek Nair President - FHRAI

Chairman Publications Sub-committee Vijai Pande - vijaipandit@yahoo.co.in Editor Deepa Sethi - deepa@ddppl.com Assistant Editor Sanjeev Bhar - sanjeev@ddppl.com Desk EditorS Neelam Singh - neelam@ddppl.com Aliya Abbas - aliya@ddppl.com creative Design Ruchi Sinha Advertising Gunjan Sabikhi - gunjan@ddppl.com

90 Events

Delhi Prateek Sahay - prateek@ddppl.com (+919650911388) Shradha Kapoor - shradha@ddppl.com (+919650196525) Udit Pandey - udit@ddppl.com

FEATURES Online 52 Online recruitment: Good news for hospitality HR A recruitment portal specifically for chefs will enable to search latent talents in the hospitality industry

Mumbai Harshal Ashar - harshal@ddppl.com (+919619499167) FHRAI - Marketing S.P. Joshi

Concept 56 A passion for chocolate jewellery Fairmont Jaipur presents a unique proposition of using chocolates innovatively

Production Manager Anil Kharbanda

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

Planning 58 Food sourcing for restaurants The use of local produce will help restaurants to be better placed in business with higher margins and great performance

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

Explore 62 Stop, relax & go Blue Saphire Clarks Inn, Haldwani Chef Talk 68 Food with low carbon footprint Ajit Bangera, Executive Chef, ITC Grand Chola Marketing 72 The magic medium ‘Oliveitup’ campaign raised awareness about the goodness of Olive oil with a high health quotient Human Resource 74 Enable, Empower & Engage People management aka Human Resource Management (HRM) is a dynamic vocation within the hospitality sector

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This issue of FHRAI Magazine contains 92+4 pages cover

Environment 78 Living on the edge Green accounting in the hotel industry is all about adopting environment-friendly methods to save cost and providing better services to customers Guest Column 84 International Partnerships International relations can play a major role in tourism and hospitality development

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 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.

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secretary’s message

Ministry only giving

lip service

Hospitality has nothing to cheer about in this Budget Vijai Pande Honorary Secretary FHRAI vijaipandit@yahoo.co.in

Dear friends

W

e have been patiently observing for the last four-five years that the hotel industry has been ignored in the General Budget and not much has been done to augment this sector. This has resulted in sluggish growth of the industry. Besides, the government has adopted an attitude to impose more and more taxes on this sector every year.

Needless to say that, the hotel industry along with tourism is the biggest employer in India. Tourism and the hotel industry provide jobs and livelihood to around 55 million people in the country. Also, we are one of the biggest sources for generating foreign exchange for the country.

hotel industry and tourism that has been envisioned by our Prime Minister in the 12th Five-Year-Plan.

You would appreciate that our demands for one consolidated tax system, a single window governance structure, giving hotel industry status equal to infrastructure sector and adopting a reasonable and practical approach towards food and safety act, are still unheard. In the recent Budget, the following announcements are going to adversely affect the hotel industry:

Luxury tax is another long-pending issue in Delhi.

This is a very serious issue and if not settled logically, it can affect the people who are at the helm of affairs.

We have to use our resources for preparing suggestions like how this hotel industry can survive and what our expectations are.

We also have to make it very clear to the government that a huge mass is backing the industry and we cannot be taken for granted and ignored every time

1. Service Tax has been imposed on all AC restaurants 2. Increase in surcharge from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, On domestic companies whose taxable income exceeds Rs 10 crore per year 3.

Increase in the excise duty rate on marble (a key input in construction for most hotels) from Rs 30 to Rs 60 per sq mt

Our major customers in restaurants are youths who are hard-working people. They slog throughout the day and then chill out in restaurants and hotels in the night. However, due to the new service tax, cost of everything will rise and it will put a burden on their pockets.

They will find hard to visit the restaurants and hotels and in turn, it will affect the industry.

However, the matter does not end here, as the youths will become upset and it will have a serious repercussion.

Now is the time when all of us have to think over it. We have to use our resources for preparing suggestions like how this hotel industry can survive and what our expectations are. We also have to make it very clear to the government that a huge mass is backing the industry and we cannot be taken for granted and ignored every time. Surprisingly, after Budget announcement, one more department has been added to the list of surveillance for us, which resulted in increased visit of officials for the reasons best known to them. We have to think seriously on the issues.

We need to respond to government’s behaviour towards us in a strong collective voice.

4.

High-end luxury motor vehicles will attract 100 per cent import duty, up from 75 per cent while SUVs will attract a higher excise duty at 30 per cent, up by three per cent

Also, along with DDP Publications, we present a holistic view on the food sector with new trends, agenda and viewpoints that is nurturing this industry.

This issue is a bouquet of stories, which has kept in mind the AAHAR 2013 exhibition on hospitality and food industry. Read it and gain from it.

The current Budget goes against the growth of the

With regards and Happy Holi!

fhrai desk

cover story

chef talk

Budget 2013-14

he Union Budget has been extremely disappointing for the entire hospitality sector. We are particularly shocked at the Government’s decision to extend the levy of Service Tax to all air-conditioned restaurants. This would have an adverse cascading impact on the industry, which is already bearing the brunt of an economic slowdown and high inflation.

FHRAI had asked for the total abolishment of the service tax as it is charged by the Central Government and the State Governments (in the form of Luxury Tax & VAT on Food & Beverage) and it has been contended that both the taxes, specially the recently reduced service tax, cannot be charged on the same item.

Also, the various other requests by the FHRAI have also not been looked into by the Finance Minister and therefore, the Government’s plan to increase the Foreign Tourist Arrivals from 6 mn to 12 mn and increase the employment from the present 53 mn to 87 mn in the 12th Five Year Plan appears impossible to achieve.

In view of the high multiple taxes which are imposed on Hotels and Restaurants, India has become one of the most expensive international tourist destination and our hospitality industry is unable to effectively compete with our peers in neighbouring countries.

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Director - VIE Hospitality and Former FHRAI President

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industry reactions

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events

Kamlesh Barot

Vivek Nair

President, FHRAI and Chairman & Managing Director Hotel Leelaventure

news updates

ear after year FHRAI has presented the pre-Budget memorandum relentlessly and tirelessly to the Finance Ministry, but seldom does it pay heed to all the efforts put in by the industry. The only mention that comes about tourism or the hotel industry in the Union Budget, is as a source of revenue stream by way of imposition of an unwarranted tax or an increase in an existing tax, which is sought by the Finance Minister. Otherwise, post-liberalisation era, the Government has forgotten its main objective of being a facilitator. Rewinding the past decade’s budgets, it is obvious that the governance has become a hurdle in Tourism promotion.

Like our keynote speaker at the previous FHRAI Goa Convention, the IH&RA President Dr. Ghassan Aidi suggested the Tourism Minister, to please leave this tourism industry alone and see how it will flourish. However, with the elections around the corner, is the Government suggesting us hoteliers to franchise them out?

Dr. Jyotsna Suri

VP, FICCI and CMD, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group

T

he Budget announced by the Finance Minister is a populist Budget keeping in mind the impending elections. It is disappointing that the Budget does not hold much for our industry – travel & tourism. Our industry has contributed Rs 94,487 crores in terms of foreign exchange last year as well as, is responsible for generating approximately eight per cent of employment opportunities in the country. Despite this, we are not given any incentives. We are a highly taxed industry. Last year, we were levied with an extra 10 per cent service charge. We demanded a rollback, which we were denied and in fact, this year, the small standalone restaurants have been burdened with the same service charge. However, I welcome new initiatives related to safety and upliftment of women that were announced in this year’s Budget.

Pradeep Kalra

Senior Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Sarovar Hotels

The Budget is more of a bad news for the hospitality industry. Inflation factored in, there is less spending power and more expensive dining because of additional taxation, this would naturally mean Food & Beverages outlets in hotels would face a downfall.

On top of it, Budget had a very little to offer to new investments, which will result in the initiation of sluggish manufacturing industry activity. We, however, believe that luxury hotels will witness a harder hit than mid-segment hotels.

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fhrai desk

VISA

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Positive step on VOA scheme

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Chiranjeevi, the Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) has finally taken the muchrequired step for including more countries under the ambit of Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) scheme. We are happy to know that our Tourism Minister is a strong advocate for extending this scheme to more countries. The flow of tourists to India will increase if the facility is introduced for other countries too. The Ministry of Tourism wants the facility to be extended for those countries, which are potential source markets to India and where there have been no security related issues in the past or likely to be in future. It has been our demand for some time that more countries be included in the list whose citizens are given Visa-on-Arrival (VOA).

Some time back, FHRAI President Vivek Nair had met Chiranjeevi and requested him to take up the matter of extension of VOA with the Home Minister. On March 1, the Minister met Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and presented him the names of the 16 countries for inclusion in the list of countries whose citizens are already given with Visa-on-Arrival facility. The Minister of Tourism informed the Home Minister that the countries named in the fresh proposal offer big tourist markets for India and including them in the Visa-on-Arrival scheme can give a big boost to India’s tourism industry. The VOA scheme was introduced on January 1, 2010. Chiranjeevi informed Shinde that the scheme has been a huge success and contributed to sharp increase in the number of tourists from the countries.

In Europe, the Tourism Ministry wants Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Sweden and Norway to be included as they are key inbound markets. Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan that were the part of erstwhile U.S.S.R are emerging as strong and big markets. Therefore, the Tourism Minister feels they should be covered under this scheme. India’s ties with Brazil and

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news updates

Punjab hospitality is surviving on its own Amarvir Singh Secy. Gen., HRAP

South Africa have become stronger over the years and Chiranjeevi wants the citizens of two countries should also get the facility. Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei are members of ASEAN countries and if we provide the countries the facility, then it will be favourable to India’s ‘Look East’ policy, the Ministry of Tourism feels.

Chiranjeevi also requested the Home Minister to authorise more airports in India to grant visa-on-arrival. We are glad to know that Shinde’s response has been positive and the Home Ministry is actively considering extension of the two facilities. Currently, on arrival visas are granted only at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

The new airports, which have been suggested to extend this facility are Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa, Gaya and Thiruvananthapuram.

Sushil Kumar Shinde Home Minister, Govt. of India

K. Chiranjeevi Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge)

The Tourism Minister was in Berlin on March 6 for the inauguration of India pavilion at International Tourism Bourse (ITB). There also, he strongly advocated for extension of the facility for tourists from Germany and said, “Germany is an important source market for India. During the year 2011, over 240,000 German tourists visited India and we are looking forward to further increasing the tourist traffic between the two countries.” Initially, tourists from Singapore, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Japan and Finland were eligible for the facility. The following year, it was extended to nationals of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar.

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otel industry which is admired, appreciated and accorded a special magnanimous status around the world and earns a lot of revenue for the respective countries - besides earning TLC Hospitality and goodwill points internationally - is given a step-motherly treatment in India, especially to Punjab.

Hotel industry in Punjab is surviving on its own efforts only. I think, it is the most neglected industry as far as government’s assistance is concerned. Punjab, being a border state, needs to be nursed with a special TLC especially, after it has gone through a deep crisis of terrorism. But unfortunately, as far as the hospitality industry is concerned – no assistance is being given by the any government, whether, it is the State or the Central government.

Tragically, despite being declared as an ‘Industry’ by the government, since many decades, not a single benefit is being continued on page 14...

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state tourism

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Punjab gives fillip to tourism Surinder Jeet Singh, HRANI EC Member

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he steps initiated by the State Government of Punjab to give a fillip to tourism and the hotel industry are worth appreciating.

Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab said that Punjab would soon emerge as the biggest destination for investment as far as tourism industry is concerned.

Sukhbir Singh Badal Deputy Chief Minister Punjab

The Punjab Government is not only investing money to develop new centres of tourism and tourist circuits; it is also holding discussions with investors and hoteliers to renovate a few of the old forts as luxury and heritage hotels in the state. Also, it is trying to end red-tapism in the state to give a boost to construction of hotels.

Speaking at a function in New Delhi recently, the Deputy CM said that his government would soon introduce a new attractive and highly lucrative policy for the hotel industry.

We strongly believe that not only the Central government, but the governments of other states should also follow the example of the Punjab Government so that tourism gets a boost throughout India

He also said, “We will offer single window clearance for new hotel projects. In fact, Punjab is also holding discussions with some hoteliers and investors to transform a few forts in the state into hotels. We have some good forts in Punjab and transforming them into hotels would be a good idea to promote tourism and preserve heritage.” ...continued from page 12

given under this industrial status. We are being charged with the heaviest power tariffs under the ‘Commercial’ Category.

Lack of connectivity from one tourist destination to another is a major problem anywhere in India, however, to end this, the state is on the verge of unveiling the Mohali airport in Chadigarh. “Punjab has one international airport in Amritsar. There are domestic airports at Pathankot and Ludhiana. The third domestic airport located in Bathinda is almost ready,” said Badal.

The state is also investing heavily in roads and railways. A vast network of four and six lane highways is being developed throughout the state with at the whopping cost of Rs 7600 crore. The network is expected to be ready within three years. The state has also invested Rs 7500 crore for developing a metro railway network in Ludhiana and is likely to be completed in the next five years.

The State Government has recently approved Rs 250 crore to develop Sikh Tourism Circuit. He also informed that places of religious importance in the state would be developed and interlinked.

Opportunities are emerging in the state for the hotel industry and there are no doubts that the hotel industry and tourism with the help of the government will touch new heights of glory, he added. “We strongly believe that not only the Central government, but the governments of other states should also follow the example of the Punjab Government so that tourism gets a boost throughout India.”

The list of taxes is endless to quote a few: 1 VAT on food 14.30 % 2 Service Tax on food 4.94 %

----------Total 19.24%

various avenues in these sectors but with a limited success.

Extensive attention by the government in tourism sector is required to enhance the tourist potential. The government Luxury Tax on has definitely put in some efforts as 1. Room Tarrif 8.00% regards road surface transport, rural 2. Service Tax on room 7.42% The list of taxes paid by hoteliers is endless. tourism, development of archeological ----------Municipal Corporation taxes and fees Total sites, but more is required as far as 15.42% ----------viz. water & sewerage tax, property tax, hospitality industry is concerned. A -----------state excise taxes, licence fees and many special package such as concession Total 34.66% more. Despite this, the hotel industry is Grand in various taxes is required to boost

-----------putting in a determined effort to fight the the growth. Once the step-motherly onslaught of recession. Punjab is not a tourist state as far treatment given by the Central and other state as natural / geographical resources is concerned. Punjab governments have been taken care of then Punjab has thrives mainly on religious, historical and commercial the potential to reach the top of the ladder in tourism tourism. The Government of Punjab is trying to explore and hospitality industry.

A tourist staying in a budget hotel has to shell out 34.66 per cent tax, which is exorbitant.

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The award is the recognition of his contribution and distinguished services in the field of hospitality. The glittering award ceremony was held at FICCI Auditorium, New Delhi. . Kumar in his address appreciated the efforts made by the institution in trying to uphold and inculcate moral values amongst the hospitality professionals and future managers. Several eminent hoteliers and industry professionals were present at the function. At the award function, the reputed hoteliers and industry professionals discussed significant issues pertaining to the growth of the hospitality section. Those present in the discussion included Rajender Kumar (Director Vivanta by Taj Ambassador), Shreesh Saxena (Vice President - Hotels cum Corp. Exe. Chef) ITDC, Ramesh Takulia (Director - Learning and Development) Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, Chef Devender Kumar (Vice President - F&B Production) Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi, Rajiv Chopra, General Manager - Hotel Janpath and Nisheeth Shrivastava (Director Studies - NCHMCT).

Indian Hotel Academy (IHA) is one of the most innovative and dynamic Hotel Management Institute under

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Rajindera Kumar honoured ajindera Kumar, Director, Vivanta by Taj Ambassador and Managing Committee Member, HRANI and who was former President of FHRAI and HRANI, has been conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award 2012 during the event ‘Hospitality Rendezvous – 2012’ by the Indian Hotel Academy in association with the Association of Hospitality Professionals.

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news updates

Nisheeth Shrivastava, Director Studies - NCHMCT It was indeed a pleasure to witness Rajendra Kumar being honoured with Life Time Achievement Award for his contribution to the hospitality industry.

His continuous efforts and commitment for the growth of Indian hospitality industry is well known and exemplary. From policy makers to budding hoteliers, everyone values his measured and positive advice. The silver lining of his persona is that he is always available to inculcate values among hospitality students. This award is just a token of love from all hospitality educators like us and we are looking forward for more guidance in future.

‘Gautam Buddh Educational Society’ a non-profit registered organisation, with an aim to impart quality education for future hospitality professionals. It is recognised for the excellence in the field of hospitality education and training. SK Bhatnagar, Principal, with a very strong background and expertise in hospitality is heading IHA. The institute imparts intrinsic value of professionalism in thoughts and practices.

Association of Hospitality Professionals (AHP) is a nonprofit organisation, established with the aim of increasing the networking among hoteliers and to recognise the achievers and performers of the hospitality industry.

AHP three years back, started awarding professionals of the hotel industry for their outstanding contribution to the industry. The award function is held once in a year and the awards are given under various categories.

Punjab Govt to launch Sikh Tourism Circuit worth Rs 250-cr

To give a fillip to religious tourism in Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, the Chief Minister has approved a Sikh Circuit Tourism Plan worth Rs 250 crore for developing and promoting prominent Sikh shrines in the state. The Chief Minister has also directed the State Tourism Department for early submission of the detailed report in this regard to the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.Three Sikh Takhts in Punjab - the Akal Takht, Kesgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib - besides other gurdawaras and Sikh historic places in Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi and other towns would be covered under this tourism circuit.

UNWTO conference in Hyderabad in April 12-13

India is hosting the 25th Joint Meeting of UNWTO Commissions for East Asia, the Pacific and South Asia in Hyderabad from 12-13 April 2013. The Joint Commission meetings will be co-hosted by Andhra Pradesh Tourism. The delegates include heads of Tourism Ministries/ Departments and UNWTO officials from the said regions.

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exhibition

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Sharing expertise through

food expo Anil Chopra

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he hotels and restaurants are witnessing challenging initiatives on delivering modern, healthy, and international cuisines to its customers exposed to a global environment in the Internet era.

Walking through the crowded aisle of an international expo in Dubai, one is equally amazed at the variety of food on display from across the world as well as the confidence of people from different countries and their willingness to accept the unknown food being sampled by the hotelier or a restaurateur..

The hotel and restaurant operation is a technology driven business today.We provides an intense exposure to new tastes and different use of the same ingredients and at the same time provides an insight into cooking processes perfected by different cultures

The hotel and restaurant operation is a technology driven business today.

The International Food Expo provides an intense exposure to new tastes and different use of the same ingredients and at the same time provides an insight into cooking processes perfected by different cultures. Our kitchens can produce the same wonderful cuisine and bring a dramatic difference to the menu, reputation, image, and clientele of the culinary destination - be it the breakfast buffet or fine dining restaurant, high tea in the cafe or in-room dining.

We all eat sesame or til ka ladoo or chikki. I was offered the Saudi Arabian halava made from sesame or til. However, I never thought of making til- a paste with sugar and pista! So, the lokum from Turkey! And

An international ‘Fine Food Expo’ anywhere in the world like Gulf Food or Sial or Anuga is the need of the hour in India where we have witnessed changing diet and tastes, purchasing power and success of global foods

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the distinguishing factor is really good olive oil. I also discovered the vegetable chips prepared from gobi and beans, the strong ginger drink or a double fat cheese from another country, hung curd or a variety of mushrooms.

An International Fine Food Expo is food technology and cooking technology.

Such a gathering is essential in India.

The profitability of a kitchen be it in the hotel or a restaurant or cafe comes from attractive foods and drinks and then mostly cost-effective preparation techniques, but more than anything else in using the right ingredients and equipment. Equipment today for the kitchen has evolved to the next-gen level. Digital and lasers, new materials and automation and energy saving devices have transformed the kitchen into food labs where a well-equipped kitchen can produce imaginative cuisine from around the world.

An international ‘Fine Food Expo’ anywhere in the world like Gulf Food or Sial or Anuga is the need of the hour in India where we have witnessed changing diet and tastes, purchasing power and success of global foods.

How can a hotel or restaurant catch the wave of health and purity, which customers demand from new recipes and ingredients and cooking methods and technology?

Expo or exposure is the key word and we can create such a destination in India for fine food.

Health drinks are a new rage too. Hotels, restaurants and cafes could introduce and invigorate their businesses by not ignoring such trends. The most important thing for our industry is to share the expertise in delivering a promising hotel, restaurant and cafe with new food and beverage and turning consumers into customers who are amazed with the latest and best in food and foodservice.

(The author is the Convener of Fine Food India Expo and Managing Director of the organisers - Diversified Communications India, Mumbai.)

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Aahar has two components – ‘Hospitality India’ covering hotel and restaurant equipment and Supplies & ‘Food India’ covering Processed Food & Beverages.

While the former, will showcase hotel & restaurants, equipment and supplies, the latter will exhibit food, processed food and beverages. Some of the special

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features include Culinary Art India, Theme Pavilion and Seminars.

The area covered by the exhibition in its last edition in 2012 was 39,200 sq m, where 565 exhibitors, including 72 from 19 overseas participated. Last year, the size of participation increased by 20 per cent compared to previous edition in 2011. In 2012, the overseas participation increased 227 per cent compared to previous edition 22,264 business visitors, including 226 overseas business visitors from countries, such as Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Canada, Finland, Ghana, Hong Kong, Italy, Kuwait, Pakistan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. Overall, there was a 61.7 per cent increase in visitors in comparison to the previous edition.

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OT reckons the requirement during the 12th Plan; CBSE offers vocational courses on hospitality and tourism. For promotion and industry endorsement of hospitality courses, a Consultative Meet of the hospitality industry was organised on February 22, 2013 by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The Meet, a collaborative effort with the Hotel & Restaurant Association of North India, was held to explore the involvement of the industry stakeholders for better implementation of the hospitality and tourism courses that CBSE is offering.

Aligned with the Government of India’s directives and initiatives for skill competency building through formal education, CBSE is offering five vocational courses under Hospitality & Tourism sectors namely- Food Production, Food & Beverage Services, Bakery & confectionary, Front Office Operations and Travel & Tourism Management.

At present, there are about 100 schools affiliated to CBSE, who are offering Hospitality & Tourism based vocational courses. The Board has collaborated with the National Council of Hotel Management & Catering Technology to conduct these courses. The Vocational Education Cell envisages the large-scale promotion and

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The 28th edition of Aahar International Food & Hospitality Fair 2013 he Ministry of Food Processing Industries & Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is supporting the ‘28th Aahar International Food & Hospitality Fair 2013’, which is being held from March 14-18 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Tipped to be one of the largest fair so far, in terms of participation and visitorships, the exhibition is supported by Association of Resources Companies for the Hospitality Industry of India (ARCHI), Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers’ Association of India (HOTREMAI) and All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA).

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acceptance of these courses for imparting hands on and professional skills amongst the students in the field of hospitality & tourism sectors, thus reducing the skills gap in the country and facilitating a pool of skilled work force to the hospitality & tourism sectors. Therefore, multi-fold initiatives/activities have been carried by the Vocational Education Cell, the Consultative Meet being one.

The agenda of the Meet was to facilitate hospitality & tourism based courses of CBSE in terms of study material- practical and theoretical contents. The Meet was also aimed at the deliberation on job competency expectations of the hospitality industry in terms of skills and knowledge requirements of the prospective employees, to gather feedback about the problems faced by the hospitality industry employers from the entrylevel employees, and training need assessment of the entry-level hospitality industry aspirants.

The Consultative Meet was attended by representatives from various leading hotels and restaurant chains like Fortune Park Hotel, Vivanta by Taj Ambassador, Pallavi Hotels & Resorts, McDonald’s, NRAI, The Oberoi, Jaypee and Suryaa.

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u Nakul Anand (second from right) receiving the GRIHA recognition from Hon’ ble President of India, Pranab Mukherjee

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GRIHA, a Green Building design evaluation system, is the National Rating System of India conceived by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) and developed jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. ITC Grand Chola was rated on 34 criteria, categorised under various sections, including site selection & site planning, conservation and

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efficient utilisation of resources, building operations and maintenance and innovation points. Each criterion has a number of points assigned to it and a building is required to score a minimum of 50 points for certification.

GRIHA awards different levels of certification (1 to 5 stars) based on the score. ITC Grand Chola garnered 91 points to become the first hotel in the country to secure a 5-star rating. Speaking on the occasion, Nakul Anand, Executive Director-ITC Ltd said, “This rating underscores ITC Grand Chola’s accreditation as the World’s Largest LEED Platinum Green Building and ITC Hotels’ commitment to continue providing inspiration to the Green Building movement in India.” Hundred per cent of the electrical energy demands of ITC Grand Chola are being met through renewable energy sources. Efficient fixtures reduce the building’s water use by 35 per cent compared to internationally benchmarked luxury hotel standards. Almost 100 per cent of the hotel’s waste is recycled for useful purposes.

In addition to the wide spectrum of environment-friendly measures that ITC Hotels implement, the Group’s carbon positive, water positive and solid waste recycling positive status ensures that a guest’s stay at any of its luxury hotels contributes to a lower carbon footprint. At the heart of the ‘Responsible Luxury’ credo lies the product design of green buildings, which are energy efficient, utilise renewable energy, conserve and recycle water and take concrete steps to preserve the eco-system around them.

Lemon Tree Hotels wins National Award Presented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI

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p Davander Singh Tomar receving award from Hon’ ble President of India Pranab Mukherjee

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GRIHA rating for ITC Grand Chola

eaffirming its commitment to the ethos of ‘Responsible Luxury,’ ITC Hotels secured a 5-Star GRIHA, the highest national rating for Green Buildings, for ITC Grand Chola, the 600-key luxury hotel in Chennai. The hotel is the first in India to secure a 5-star rating from the Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats (ADaRSH) through GRIHA. Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC received the award from Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India, at the annual National Conference on Green Design at the Vigyan Bhavan, recently.

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n February 6, 2013, Lemon Tree Hotels were honoured with the award for ‘Outstanding Work in the Creation of Barrier-Free Environment for Persons with Disabilities’.

The National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment are presented every year by the Honourable President of India.

The award is in recognition of the pioneering manner in which Lemon Tree has designed its 20 properties across the country with an emphasis on easy accessibility and a hassle-free experience for people with special abilities.

Each hotel of the Lemon Tree Group has a specially

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designed room for orthopedically challenged persons and this room is located close to the elevator. These rooms are equipped with large sliding doors, low height vision panels, barrier free spacious washrooms with grab bars equipped with low height washbasins and adjustable hand showers and sliding door wardrobes with low height hangars. In addition, an audio-visual fire alarm system and an alarm button are installed within easy reach for emergencies.

Speaking on the occasion, Davander Singh Tomar, Executive Vice President- Corporate Affairs, Lemon Tree Hotels said, “We are happy that we have been able to make a difference, by building universally accessible properties across India. We are resolved to continue understanding the needs of our specially-abled guests and employees and building properties that cater to these requirements.”

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arriott International Inc. has announced its entry into the Bengaluru market with the launch of Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield.

The first ever Marriott property in the city stands tall amidst the top Fortune 500 companies in Whitefield’s IT hub. Conveniently located just 50 minutes from the Bengaluru International Airport, and 30 minutes from the city centre.

The hotel offers 324 rooms which include 16 junior suites and one plush presidential suite. Speaking at the launch of the property, Rajeev Menon, Area Vice President- Indian Subcontinent, Maldives & Australia Marriott International Inc said, “Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield is an exciting addition to the portfolio of Marriott Hotels & Resorts, the iconic, flagship brand of Marriott International. As India’s fifth and Bengaluru’s first, this property embodies the brand philosophy of inspiring and energising the performance of its patrons.

The tremendous potential for business and hospitality growth in this city made it an obvious choice for us to introduce our signature brand. Adding to this, a heritage of rich culture and tradition well balanced with

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modernity blends with our brand vision. We foresee this property growing to be the next community centre of Whitefield.”

Matthew Cooper, General Manager of the hotel said, “This hotel is designed to provide the best services and facilities for business and leisure travellers looking to experience a comfortable and stylish stay. It is indeed exciting for me and my team to be a part of this hotel as we make our entry into this fascinating city for the first time.

We will strive to serve and delight our guests with our warmth and hospitality, the ‘Marriott ’way”.

Keeping the business segment in mind, the hotel boasts over 10,000 sqft of efficient meeting space, equipped with the latest technology and amenities. Guests can choose to use the efficiently designed executive lounge on the 14th floor for business purposes or relaxation.

There is a pillarless Grand Ball Room with a ceiling height of 7.8 m apt for grand weddings and social events.

Spree hotels ventures into Bengaluru

S Keshav Baljee Managing Director, Spree Hotels

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First Marriott property in Bengaluru

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p (L-R) Matthew Cooper, General Manager of the hotel along with Rajeev Menon, AVP-Indian Subcontinent, Maldives & Australia Marriott International Inc

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pree Hotels has announced the opening of its 10th property – The Spree Hotel, Bangalore. Modelled as its flagship hotel, Spree Hotel, Bangalore, is a mid-market business hotel that claims to offer services and facilities, which are not available elsewhere in hotels in this category.

At the launch of the property, Keshav Baljee, Managing Director, Spree Hotels stated, “Since 2008, business travellers have been cautious with their travel spends. This led us to conceptualise a hotel that would provide five-star hotels at prices of a three-star.

By continuing to offer free, fast wi-fi in all our Spree Hotels, we hope to differentiate ourselves as a young and hip brand.” The hotel has been taken on a long-term lease and has invested a small amount in basic refurbishments

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and working capital. “We hope to break-even in our first financial year of operations,” added Baljee.

Spree Hotel, Bangalore features 76 rooms, with an average room size of 32 sq mt. Over 65 per cent of the rooms feature a balcony and bathrooms in all but the base-category Studio rooms have bathtubs and are larger than most 5-star hotel bathrooms. Rooms feature various amenities that one would expect in 4-star hotels. The hotel is located in the IT Corridor of the MarathahalliKR Puram Outer Ring Road in Bangalore, in close proximity to Whitefield, Sarjapur, and a short drive to Electronic City. In the near future, it will feature an almost signal-free commute to the airport via the Outer Ring Road and Elevated Expressway. It is located close to IT parks like Bagmane, RMZ, Vrindavan, Embassy and Ferns.

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ord Hotels & Resorts owns five hotels located in Surat, Vadodara, Ankleshwar, Dahej and Silvassa. In the operated category, the Company manages 11 hotels out of which five opened last year, which has over 900 keys.

According to R Puri, Associate Vice President (Operations) of the Group, it has an extensive expansion plan for future and it has outlined four more hotels which will be opening in the coming few years.

“Our aim is to have 35 hotels under the umbrella in owned and operated categories combined by the end of 2015. The goal is to create a pan-India presence with a ‘wow’ factor attached to the services we provide,” R. Puri AVP (Operations) he informed.

Lord Hotels & Resorts

P R Bansal, MD of the Group explained, “In India, due to the lack of quality rooms and services in the lower end of mid-scale segment of hotels, we are trying to

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cater this segment with a quality brand as there is a high expectation from this segment. A niche brand in this segment was missing earlier and we have been able to fill the void perfectly, where we are defining standard all across.” The Company is using a prototype approach to ensure all properties under the hotel brand have a commonality for customers to make a choice. “We are adding 30-room Grand Lords Eco Inn in Lucknow, 62-room Lords Inn in Jaipur, 46-room Lords Eco Inn in Jodhpur and 90-room Lords Plaza in Savli (Vadodara) within a short span of time,” Bansal said.

The Company is operating with various brands viz.

Lord Plaza, Lords Inn, Lords Eco Inn and Lords Resort.

“Depending on the service and rooms, brand name is decided upon. Though we are looking at a minimum of 60 inventories to manage a property,” Puri added. In order to market the hotels, the Company owns offices in Delhi and Mumbai. In fact, it has added a regional office in Bengaluru to cater to the south market.

Currently, we are also investing in infrastructure and marketing offices and have plans to open our next office in the eastern part of India.

EllBee Hotels to expand within 5 years

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n order to bring a more organised approach in its future developments, EllBee Hospitality Worldwide has launched the brand ‘EllBee Hotels’. The first property under this brand will be Ellbee Hotel Ganga View in Rishikesh, which comprises 32-rooms.

However, EllBee Hospitality Worldwide will be supervising the renovation work of the hotel. EllBee Hotel Ganga View will be operational by May this year.

Talking about the plans, Sahil Gulati, Director of the Group said, “We expect to have at least five properties in the next five years in Uttarakhand.

We have already started materialising the plans in order to achieve this target. The first property in Rishikesh

Sahil Gulati Director EllBee Hospitality Worldwide

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Lords Hotels & Resorts to add more hotels to its kitty

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P. R. Bansal MD Lord Hotels & Resorts

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Sahib Gulati Director of Marketing EllBee Hospitality Worldwide

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under the new brand proposition will be followed up with another property in Mussoorie having 48 rooms.”

He added that the existing property in Mussorie – Hotel Ashok Continental - having 24 operational rooms and 24 semi-furnished rooms will be completely renovated soon. The Group plans to 50-60 rooms more to this property based on future viability. However, the Group has already taken the possession of two more properties viz. Vatika Boutique Villa in Rishikesh (to be renovated) and Tree House Resort in Haridwar (to be developed).

On the other hand, the Group also harbours management role in future. The new brand will act as a differentiating identity. Gulati also informs, “Our emphasis has been on providing exceptional service standard along the River Ganges, which will be unique to only our property in Rishikesh. Guests can enjoy the view of the river right from their rooms. The best of technology has been incorporated in the hotel to provide supreme comfort to those who will stay in the hotel by positioning it as an upscale yet affordable option.”

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International Conference on Buddhist heritage held in Odisha

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three-day event ‘International Conference on Buddhist Heritage of Odisha: Situating Odisha in the Global Perspective’ was organised during February 1-3, 2012. It was held at Toshali Udayagiri Convention Centre near the historical Buddhist heritage site of Udayagiri in the Jajpur district of Odisha. The International Buddhist Conference on Odisha was organised by Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Odisha in association with Utkal University of Culture and Odishan Institute of Maritime and South-East Asian Studies.

Barachana legislator Amar Prasad Satapathy, Mahanga MLA Pratap Jena, eminent US historian Prof T E Donaldson, Arizona University, Professor Chitta Baral, Tourism and Culture Principal Secretary AK Tripathy were also present.

Maheswar Mohanty, Tourism & Cultural Minister, Government of Odisha inaugurated the threeday event on February1,2013. AK Pattanayak, Vice-Chancellor, Utkal University of Culture presided over the function while Tourism Director Harishankar Upadhyay, Jajpur MP Mohan Jena,

Tourism & Culture Minister Maheswar Mohanty also inaugurated a photo-exhibition showcasing the Buddhist heritage of Odisha. A book ‘Buddhist Heritage of Odisha’ penned by Prof. Sadasiba Pradhan of Utkal University is also unveiled on the first day of the conference.

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International participation of 20 delegates from seven countries (i.e. the US, Sri Lanka, Poland, Nepal, Japan, Bhutan and the UK) and 65 national delegates participated in the conference. A total of 1,547 domestic and 66 foreign tourists attended the Meet.

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Radikal Overseas eyes HORECA share

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adikal Overseas, one of India’s leading Radikal Overseas is aggressively marketing its domestic and international players in new range of four varieties of Basmati rice. the Premium Basmati Rice segment, is These include Aqua Mist Premium Basmati earmarking a steep growth in the HORECA Rice, which is a premium naturally aged segment after having tasted success in the retail basmati rice, Pristine Traditional Basmati segment. Siddharth Chaudhary, Managing Rice, which has an exceptional taste with Director, Radikal Overseas said, “We are exotic aroma. The last one being, Apica just a four-year-old company and getting Premium Rice, enriched with natural nutrients recognised for the quality of rice we have that makes it the ultimate food for a healthy supplied which are aged for 24-30 months.” Siddharth Chaudhary lifestyle. Meanwhile, Morvarid Premium Sella To substantiate on the quality parameters, Managing Director, Radikal Basmati Rice and Arctic Pink Basmati Rice, Chaudhary explains, “Our quality is such that we are the offers low-fat balanced diet, rich in vitamins, minerals, exclusive supplier to the carriers - Emirates and we have fibre, antioxidants and phytochemicals. In fact, Chaudhary signed an agreement for three years.” The company is informs, “We have been supplying Basmati rice to some aggressively looking at opportunities in hotels and airlines of the leading hotel chains in India. In our total share, the outside India.

HORECA is still growing and comprises 25-30 per cent for the last two years. This is one important segment The company is operating at the premium rice segment. for us and we are quite upbeat about it.” The company “Also, the rice segment has remained cluttered and many is growing with 70 per cent year-on-year and expects to don’t even supply pure Basmati. The USP of our Basmati grow similarly in the HORECA segment also. According rice lies in the quality of it. Only our rice withstood the to him, HORECA margins are low and therefore, the blast chill process. We are reaching to almost 35 countries company is trying to increase its distributor network. “We through distributors and Cash-n-Carry shops and aim to are focussing on creating awareness about health segment, increase that number to 65 by end of 2013,” he remarked. food testing activities and kiosk promotion,” he adds.

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Promoting the taste of India While London diners continue to rule the world as sophisticated diners, their love for Indian food hasn’t gone unnoticed. Renowned restaurant entrepreneur Camellia Panjabi, who made Indian food upmarket in London with a chain of restaurants, believes that even Indian cuisine has the panache to become one of the most popular and demanded cuisines in the world. SANJEEV BHAR

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hen Indians travel to London or anywhere else in the world, they like to experiment with food.

This is quite common and rarely people scout for Indian restaurants. However,

I was to open an Indian restaurant on behalf of the Taj Group of Hotels in London, I decided to live there for six months to understand the city, the people and their likings, what they are eating and the established dining standard that needs to be matched.”

At that time, she realised that there were only a couple of north Indian restaurants, popular one being the Gaylord.

Therefore, she opted to open cuisine distinct and presented a different facet of Indian taste.

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rary MBE Award at the British u Camellia Panjabi receiving the Hono i on February 22, 2013.

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noted restaurant entrepreneur, Camellia Panjabi feels otherwise. She says, “Indians should try out the way we offer quality Indian cuisine with a touch of elegance, which is unlikely to be found even in India. It is because we are competing with the best of other brands in other cuisines right at the melting pot of London.”

But to entice an international traveller to an Indian restaurant is a tough proposition in today’s times. According to Panjabi, key things that are required for a restaurant to succeed in a place like London are: presentation, recipes and standard of highest level.

Looking back An established name that has been created in the London market by Panjabi over the years did not come easy.

She went through a long journey. She reminisces, “Way back in 1983, when

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According to her, a British would take his mother-in-law to an Indian restaurant but not a banker. She felt the need to change that perception.

She had some ideas and wanted to take it forth by not giving into the north Indian food in London. Therefore, eventually, she started Bombay Brasserie with Bombay (now Mumbai) food. She recalls, there was an immediate hurdle as to how to collate ‘Bombay food’ way back then when there were hardly many people promoting it as a zonal cuisine.

“Then I took a round of the street stalls of Bombay to know what the locals are eating in the city. I came up with Ragda patties, sev puri, farsan tiffin plate, and a few Parsi dishes – baffal dhansak and patranio machhi – after getting help from my Parsi friends. I also took some dishes from Goan community like Kekda (crab) and chilli cheese toast that I discovered in some interesting places,” she says.

As a result, a well-planned menu was prepared and she started with 100-seater restaurant and in due course, its popularity added 75 more covers later.

She remarks, “We created an ambience of Bombay what it used to be in the 1940s.

The restaurant picked up in no time and was even hailed as one of the top 10 restaurants in London by the New York Times in 1983-84.”

In 2001, she left the Taj Group to join her sister for Chutney Mary, a restaurant chain that offers refined and elegant Indian food and is now a 22-year-old brand. Later, the company bought the 84 years-old-brand – Veeraswamy, which is the oldest Indian restaurant in the world.

She further claims, “We added Amaya, a Michelin-starred restaurant offering grilled and dry food, which is now just seven years old and is perhaps the best in the world in its category.” In 2001, Panjabi became instrumental in opening mid-market casual diner – Masala Zone, an Indian Brasserie, offering thali concept, which has become very popular apart from 15 different curries from different parts of India. It was meant for the young and busy crowd who look forward to change everyday. There are a total of eight Masala Zone restaurants; the last outlet opened at the Selfridges at Oxford Street in 2012. “Interestingly, we have served half a million customers in a year through seven of our outlets,” she says.

Change in Perception

The Indian taste is complex. To make oneself successful, one has to know the city to cater to its dining needs, Panjabi feels. She adds, “Unlike London, not many restaurants in other cities think of their carbon footprint. However,

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London diners care for it since they are quite aware of their environmental responsibilities. They prefer local ingredients; for example, would question about the lamb being served in the restaurant; Norwegian or brought from Scotland, Wales or New Zealand.”

Hence, the perception of customers would have to be taken into consideration to make restaurant succeed. In future, local ingredients will become a critical consideration while preparing a menu for a restaurant globally as the eco-sensitive consciousness grows, she articulates.

According to her, great dishes are prepared with humble ingredients and by using them interestingly. In addition, restaurants should promote local cuisines.

Panjabi says, “Somehow, I feel that restaurants in India are not doing a lot to promote the Indian cuisine. What I have felt that world over, the Indian cuisine is not considered as a great cuisine; we are lagging behind the French, Italian, Chinese and Japanese cuisines. It hurts

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Getting your ‘curries’ right The fact that many still believe that curry (lucidly termed as sauce for generic understanding) is a type of dish in the Indian cuisine. In fact, says Camellia Panjabi, there are so many curries we have. A single curry is prepared with 15 ingredients. She authored a cookbook titled - ‘50 Great Curries of India’, where she explained the curries with pictures for a referral check of the texture and colour of the same. The book was published in London and has sold over 1.25 million copies worldwide in seven languages.

Camellia Panjabi awarded MBE On February 22, 2013, Camellia Panjabi was awarded the Honorary MBE at an elegant ceremony at the British High Commissioner’s Residence in New Delhi, attended by a distinguished audience. This Honour is granted by the Queen for her services to the hospitality industry. Camellia Panjabi has been a veteran in India’s hotel industry. She has introduced a wide range of speciality restaurants at various Taj Hotels.

when I see that Indians in London won’t take their visitors on official or personal visit to an Indian restaurant, whereas, other nationals will take people to taste their native cuisines.” She feels that has to change. “Indians in India are still not ready in propagating Indian cuisine.

The change in perception has to come

through catering institutions, hotels who promote international cuisines over the Indian cuisine(s). Chefs need to project the classical Indian menu in India first. Only then can we expect others to accept the Indian food on an international scene,” she argues to sum up the conversation.

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The culture of dining in the Indian context can now be flaunted as an evolved one. However, the next course concerning customer preference is to dine uniquely in the midst of Nature. This niche choice is evolving the facet of dining with food presentation, which is etching another proposition that has no boundaries and can be relished in the heart of a cosmopolitan city or a forest setting keeping a common thread of green surroundings.

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hasing butterflies, looking at innumerable vivid colours of blooming flowers, lazing around and walking in the pristine patch of green or watching those incessant rains... all these are just a few of the innumerable experiences that come to our minds when we think of sprawling lush green spaces.

Gardens, very often, have not just been the extension of our houses but also the extension of our being.

Taking the concept of dining to the outdoors, there are some restaurants that guarantee an experience like no other. Be it amidst the lush Nilgiri hills, vineyards or even in the cradle of nature in the Himalayas, dining outside not only enhances the flavour on every taste bud but also brings one closer to the source. In fact, with the hustle-bustle of the maddening city life, an elementary

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restaurant combined with impeccable service and a delicious menu creates a perfect destination for a memorable dining experience. According to Inderpal Singh Kochhar, Owner, Sewara Hospitality, the lush surroundings, pebbled walkways, cane and wooden furniture and bamboo railings highlight the earthy and organic sensibility of the restaurant, adding to its laidback charm.

The emphasis has been to blend additional construction, furniture, decor and other manmade intrusions into the natural environment of the restaurant space, which is an extension of Lodhi Gardens itself. The Lodi has 180-cover seating, which splits between the Atrium, Bar Floor, Terrace, the Garden Area and the Ground Floor. The garden area Taking the concept has a large variety of of dining to the trees, some of which are outdoors, there are over 100-years- old. some restaurants

garden setting has become luxury.

With an increased awareness about green living, the restaurant industry is now doing its bit to take us back to the nature. This story takes you on a green sojourn to unravel the mystics of restaurants in these landscapes and to understand the strategies they employ in a quest to become ‘green’ or in the greens, literally.

Surrounded by a garden

Amid the lush botanical surroundings of the Lodhi Gardens in the heart of Lutyen’s Delhi, is the Lodi - The Garden Restaurant.

As verdant as the garden itself, you can literally walk into this restaurant after a morning or an evening walk. Owned and operated by the Sewara Hospitality, this restaurant is known for its serene natural environment, which blends perfectly with its elegant décor. The charm of the

that guarantee an experience like no other. Be it amidst the lush Nilgiri hills, vineyards or even in the cradle of nature in the Himalayas

In its quest to boost sustainable practices and make the restaurant much more than just an outdoor dining space, the Group is also promoting this place as a cultural hub.

“Like with all Sewara properties, our brand

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philosophy emphasises on showcasing India in its contemporary form and promoting upcoming artists. The beautifully landscaped garden, a respite from the bustling city, provides a perfect setting for soothing music gigs, art exhibitions and book readings. We organise a number of exciting activities regularly which has further helped to mould the character of the restaurant,” he reveals.

Moreover, as the tale of the city becomes hotter in the summers and colder in the winters, maintaining a garden restaurant is surely a Herculean task. Says Kochhar, “One of the main challenges of having an Al fresco restaurant is the extreme Delhi weather, which makes it unbearable to sit outside during the biting cold winter evenings, the summer afternoons and during the rains.

In addition, there is a high maintenance cost to ensure a Inderpal Singh Kochhar perfect outdoor Owner, Sewara Hospitality ambience.

However, due to our ongoing efforts to bring forth new and exciting entertainment options to our customers, we are able to overcome these challenges to a large extent.”

of the same. “Interestingly, the garden setting in the restaurant has been almost recreated with a French feel. Cheri is not typically set in a garden. Our USP is being located next to the Qutub Minar,” informs Solanki. “However, Delhi is devoid of any garden-based places and so, I have recreated the ambience of a luxurious garden with plenty of greenery by designing the place and carving out a sit-out area under the shade of the trees.

While Delhi loves to sit out in good weather, we manage to get a lot more people by providing the green ambient space and a calm setting that is unlike the hectic pace of the city,” he claims.

Taking its first steps towards creating a whole new set of restaurants that can be called ‘green restaurants’, the Sewara Hospitality owner sees immense potential in going green. “Sewara is a green brand and we are very conscious of our carbon footprint. The philosophy implies to the restaurant as well. The primary focus for our in-house chef has been on innovative dishes prepared from the freshest ingredients on a regular basis. The use of seasonal fruits and vegetables being the fundamental rule in Lodi’s kitchen, most of our ingredients are sourced from our organic farms,” he adds.

fabulous view of the Qutub Minar and lush greens that not only soothe the eyes but the soul as well. Blending antiquity of the medieval times with the chic modern European flavours, however, the restaurant is built on the site of a 100-year-old Serai. The brainchild of a multi-disciplinary designer Sudeep Solanki, the restaurant borrows heavily from his experiences in Paris where he studied and worked. The ambience of Cheri incorporates a cobble-stoned courtyard, a terrace overlooking the Qutub and an assorted interior space with a private dining area.

Terrace & garden

Another new trend now being witnessed is that not just are restaurateurs getting back to the natural settings, many are following the path to recreate the settings as well. And Cheri is a clear example

Tucked atop a beautiful terrace and a garden, Cheri One Qutub offers a

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With more people braving the cold to go out and dine, the restaurant has been on a joyride. Truly cashing in on the experiential Sudeep Solanki dining fervor Owner, Cheri One Qutub of the city, the restaurant that opened in February 2012 has been witnessing a rapid increase in footfall this winter. “Yes, for two reasons, firstly, winter brings with it sheer good weather and people like to go out more for sit out dinners and socialise. Secondly, winter brings an air of festivity and people prefer to go out, experience new places and cuisines. Both these reasons contribute to a favourable increase in footfall,” he points out.

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“Almost two-thirds of Cheri is outdoor – either the patio on the ground floor or the open-air terrace on the first floor.

Thus, the real challenge will be to ensure how we manage to provide reasons for people to continue coming even when spring arrives and starts bringing with it the hot sun,” the owner chuckles.

Overlooking the Nilgiris Tranquilitea, as the name suggests, is a tea lounge situated in the midst of a tea estate in the rolling hills of Nilgiri in Cunoor, Tamil Nadu. Established in 2004, its primary endeavour is to educate guests that there is more to tea than the normal cup of ‘chai’ that most people have at home. The tea lounge opens out onto the garden and guests can choose between the sunroom or the garden to have their meal.

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that serves authentic Badaga cuisine and provide a gourmet tea tasting tour that our guests have been truly appreciative of and have been reviewed the world over for our food, tea tasting and farm stay experience,” he ellucidates. The lounge is run purely on a reservations-only basis and walk-ins are not entertained.

Reservations should be made at least two days ahead of schedule. “We even have reservations running up to a year ahead.”

The time of service can be tailored to the preference of guests, and lunch and high tea can be served at the lounge.

Changes in menu are never done and They concentrate on keeping the whole experience as authentic as possible here.

Tea tasting tour - With a tea estate

surrounding the property, walks around

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the estate and factory visits can be organised on request for guests who join for the gourmet tea tasting tour and for the farm stay guests.

The only challenge is that they can take in a maximum of 10 pax. “We often refuse guests for want of space. We are looking to set up a separate alfresco dining area within our tea estate, but away from the main building to take care of more guests, while at the same time keeping the coziness of the place intact,” Subramani explains.

The company does not rely on technology too much apart from its website (www. tranquilitea.in) which enables it to reach to a vast majority of its guests. Barring mid-October to mid-November, the least active period owing to the rains, Tranquilitea commands a strong interest of travellers throughout the year.

Nashik’s vineyards

Sandeep Subramani, Founder of Tranquilitea informs, “We started serving the local Badaga cuisine (Badagas are one of the native groups in the region whose existence in the Nilgiris has been dated back to the 14th century) more recently in 2010, as we found a lot of visitors wanted to taste the authentic local fare while on holiday.”

The lush fruit-laden vines in Sula Vineyards (Nashik, Maharashtra) offer a treat like no other. There are three food and beverage outlets at the winery. The Tasting Room is the signature terraced bar that overlooks the vineyards with a lake and hill view. It serves an array of Sula wines and a few wines from the Sula Selection international imports portfolio and selective bites that compliment the drink. The winery also houses Little Italy and Soma, which are their specialty cuisine restaurants. The ambience is Mediterranean styled, which fits perfectly into the surroundings and milieu.

Many guests truly appreciate the fact that they serve authentic local cuisine. “We are probably the only place in the Nilgiris

p View of the garden at Tranquilitea

Visiting winery - Since the winery is

t Gourmet tea tasting session

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beverage

located way outside the city, with limited resources of food available, Founder and CEO, Rajeev Samant decided to open restaurants. “Of course, it was a good decision since most of the folks visiting Sula, especially from Mumbai and Pune, make most of the restaurants at the winery. The Tasting Room was established in 2006, followed by the restaurants in 2008,” says Chaitanya Rathi, Associate Vice President, Sula Vineyards.

The Tasting Room is an all-day dining

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restaurant, which serves from 11 am to 11 pm. Soma is a specialty Indian restaurant serving north Indian cuisine.

The food is by the Kalras, who are renowned in Nashik for their culinary expertise. One can also organise banquets and parties at the restaurant or amphitheatre, which is a 50,000 sq ft Greek-style lawn area of banqueting space.

“On the other hand, we have partnered with India’s leading Italian restaurant chain, ‘Little Italy’ to serve authentic Italian cuisine. We have, on offer, wines that go well with your choice of dishes, whether Indian or Italian. Both these restaurants are open during meal periods only.

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grapes at Sula p A traditional way of crushing the ripe Fest.

Sula g vineyards durin

Wine tours - Dining at the Sula outlets is a

fascinating experience coupled with some great food to relish, Sula’s best wines to savour and great scenery to enjoy. This makes it the best combination one can have for an unforgettable getaway.

“We offer a wine tour and tasting at the Tasting Room where there is an option of tasting a set of four or six wines. The tours are held every hour between 11 am and 5 pm on all days,” informs Rathi. The guests get an opportunity to know about the process from grape crushing to the final product, and a short but interesting session of details are followed by a tasting at the Tasting Room. Guests can also experience grape stomping between January and March, which is a unique activity in India. challenges faced, since the restaurant is within the winery and located away from the main city. Another challenge is to handle guests over weekends from December through March. Due to the heavy flow of guests and a number of groups waiting, it gets quite challenging

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the Wilder Brown Trout and the Rainbow Trout. The restaurant at the Himalyan Trout House is situated amidst a plum and pear orchard overlooking the river 50 mt away.

The restaurant is an open-aired gazebo, built with local stone and with a fireplace in the centre.

A 74-seater restaurant, Little Italy also has an exterior section to it as well. “We use a lot of ingredients from our list of free range home-grown vegetables and dairy products,” adds Rathi.

Challenges - Staffing is one of the

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for the service team to cope up with the pressure.

The restaurant here serves a variety of dishes from Indian to continental to wood-fired pizzas (on special days). “The Trout is our specialty, served in various forms from garlic fried to smoked trout using herbs from our very own garden,” says Christopher Mitra, owner of The Himalayan Trout House. The main gazebo has four tables seating six each. There are 4/5 smaller tables placed in the orchards where additional guests may also be served.

Fly fishing - The Himalayan Trout House

These challenges are offset by the Human Resource team and hospitality managers, who are always on the lookout for raw talent. Inter-departmental transfers are encouraged and internal promotions from the Tasting Room and our resort Beyond, located at a 10-minute distance from the winery. “We also bring-in team members from our Wine and Tapas Bar Vinoteca in Worli for cross exposure training. And as far as the weekends are concerned, we bring-in casual or hotel management students as and when required for the back area management, so that the core team can concentrate on delivering the same level of service as on a usual day.”

was started in 2001, with the idea of introducing fly fishing as a sport to the Indian audience. The Tirthan Valley is a protected stream and is ideal for this sport. Over the years, the resort has gained popularity and is frequented by guests from neighbouring guesthouses and homestays, informs Mitra.

Between November and April sees the maximum number of visitors. For the remainder of the year, a long weekend is another occasion where one can see a rise in footfall, especially through guests booking long weekend stays at their resort.

Challenges - “As we are located in a

Scenic valleys of Kullu The Himalayan Trout House in Nagini is a friendly, well-connected, comfortable retreat set deep in the heart of rural Himachal Pradesh. Here, campers, trekkers, tourists can fish in the bountiful waters of the rivers nearby home to

There is also a herb garden stocked with Basil, Thyme, Lemon Grass, Rosemary and much more. They also grow many types of lettuce, cherry tomatoes and gherkins. He ensures that the menu is revised every year, retaining the popular items and making new additions. remote area, sourcing quality materials is a challenge. And with footfall being irregular, we keep no pre-cooked food and the kitchen has to process each order from the scratch,” Mitra explains. To tackle this challenge, Mitra developed supply lines from Manali, Chandigarh and even Delhi, though on occasion this is expensive.

The gazebo is Wi-Fi enabled and has a PA system where guests may plug-in their iPods to listen to the music of their choice. May, June and October are the busiest months, with sporadic visits from March to November.

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Filling the void The Indian hospitality scene attracted the presence of international brands that have brought in new perspective to the market.Yet, this sector lacked presence of companies that could guide Indian outfits from asset management to end-to-end solutions for hospitality projects. Mandeep S Lamba, President & Founder of TEN Hotels and Hospitality Solutions, feels that the time is now changing where advisory and consulting practices are setting out a change for the Indian hospitality.

Q

TEN Hotels and Hospitality dozen assignments for executive search Solutions was formed in 2011. and training and two master franchise How has the performance of the searches for international restaurant Group been till date? chains out of New Zealand and the US We recently completed wanting to enter India. the first year of Several other dialogues are operations. After in the pipeline. spending 30 years in Professional What according the industry and having consulting in to you drives had the privilege of hospitality in the concept of asset working with several India has largely management in Indian and international been restricted to hospitality in India? hotel and restaurant feasibility studies Asset management is companies, I feel that traditionally. In relatively a new concept the time has come to addition, there in India. Internationally, set up an advisory and have not been good it is extremely popular consulting firm that can consulting companies and a very effective assist fresh investors to that offer end-to-end tool used by hotels and set up businesses across solutions restaurant owners, which the hospitality spectrum. is now beginning to see It will also provide increased demands in customised solutions the Indian hospitality to existing businesses. sector. As an asset There is a large void in manager, TEN Hotels would serve as the professional advisory business in the a professional intermediary between Indian hospitality sector that can provide the owner and an operator to maintain end-to-end solutions. However, with a healthy and spirited relationship the enormous growth anticipated in this between the two at all times while sector, it was clear that a large demand ensuring that the hospitality project exists for professionals across several delivers the best results. Through its hospitality verticals. team, TEN Hotels would constantly Could you throw some light on monitor the operating performance of the USP of the Group? assets in the market. It operates on behalf We set out to cater the aforementioned of the owner and provides required demand and to occupy the leadership feedback to the operator and the position over the next five years. We owner on areas where there work closely with several leading real may be any discrepancy or estate developers in assisting them with inefficiency. The asset their hospitality ventures. We also work manager works as an with some of the leading international extended arm of the and domestic hotels and brands for our owner allowing him operator search and executive search to free himself from verticals. Currently, we are involved in the nitty-gritty of the asset management or operator search hospitality project leaving assignments across the country. In it in the safe hands of a fact, we are currently involved over a professional company

Q

Q

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while providing simplified MIS along with the key competition information, best practices and global benchmarks to the owner. The asset manager takes away the fatigue that commonly occurs in an owner/operator relationship due to the constant and direct interaction. Equally, the asset manager assists the operator in communicating effectively with the owner ensuring that brand standards of the operator always meet. Hence, the owner not only gets a complete range of services but also gets far more accountability from the operator.

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Q

What is the scope of asset management in the Indian hospitality market?

Professional consulting in hospitality in India has largely been restricted to feasibility studies traditionally. In addition, there have not been good consulting companies that offer end-toend solutions and advisory services to the hospitality industry. Unlike many other businesses, there is a lack of recognition for the value addition that a quality consulting company brings within the hospitality industry. However, with the industry poised to grow at an enormous pace, consulting and advisory companies that truly add value will be much in demand and we certainly envisage the early mover advantage for us.

Q

The Group recently collaborated with Hotel Solutions Partnership, UK. How is this step going to take you forward?

Please share your short-term approach.

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locations and we would We have signed a soon be working on this Joint Venture (JV) assignment. From the agreement with Hotel While the Hotel Solutions Partnership Solutions Partnership, RBI relaxation perspective, this JV gives a global consulting of ECB for hotels them an instant access to the firm headquartered is a step in the fast growing India and South in the UK. This gives right direction, Asia markets through their us an instant access to the minimum agreement with us. clients globally, who are level of borrowing looking at hospitality as stipulated can With the recent investments in India help the 5-star and RBI initiative with and are approaching luxury projects regards to ECB, how do our partners at various you see the hospitality locations worldwide. industry being boosted?

Equally, the JV gives As an end-to-end-solution us access to an enviable provider, how does this pool of world-class move boost your opportunities? professionals worldwide for every While the RBI relaxation of ECB for possible hospitality vertical. It helps us hotels is a step in the right direction, the extend our reach beyond India and we minimum level of borrowing as stipulated are currently, for example, working can help the 5-star and luxury projects. together on a project in Sri Lanka. One The mid-scale and economy hotels, which of the hotel solutions partnership clients are already competing on costs with the has approached them with a mandate luxury hotels on cost of land are not likely to find opportunities in India to acquire to benefit from the current ECB norms. operating hotels in resorts and heritage

Q

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An outlet of

success T

A new restaurant has to assess where it wishes to position itself in order to claim success. Starting from customers’ preferences to menu styles to restaurant approach towards presentation, all these factors collectively play an important role in the overall operation of an outlet.

PIYUSH TYAGI

he time keeps on changing but brings back the trends that were once considered passé.

Today’s customers are young, dynamic, enterprising and passionate.

While many restaurants are heading for an approach that involves less human intervention due to the mechanical lifestyle, yet some feel that customers wish to torn themselves away from that very aspect of mechanical approach especially in hospitality. They wish to stay in the old fold of service yet with limited human involvement for a personalised dining time.

There is a subtlety evolving in personalised services, which is not direct on the face of customers. The mechanical approach of yesteryear’s standard operating

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procedures to be over friendly with customers is no longer accepted.

I feel that today’s young mind plays an important role when it comes to identifying F&B demands as they are not just well travelled and well read but they also form a kind of multi-regional groups working together from different parts of the world.

Innovation is important but it is also about giving simple home-styled food with some fantastic presentation skills, which would continue to play an important part.

Today’s customer has neither the time nor the passion to come to a hotel just to be pampered but rather he appreciates crisp personalised F&B with not much of frills.

F&B is not a luxury anymore. Tomorrow’s market leaders would be those who stick

to basics and continue to give a warm and crisp service and of course, adding value to customers’ money.

Creative menu We all try to be as innovative as we can while opening a new restaurant or re-introducing a new menu. However, it is important to keep in mind that today’s customer not just comes to our restaurant because of our innovative cuisine but they come primarily for originality, consistency, recognition and value for money. Coming to a restaurant is just a part of life and not a once in a while thing when one would expect the moon. It is, therefore, important that we have small menus, keep them changing and continue to establish an excitement factor. Of course, it has to be done with a proper menu engineering so that we don’t replace dishes, which have become favourite to many customers or talk of the town.

This is invariably seen in the course of international cuisines, which would continue to flourish, as the influx of

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expatriates would only increase with time. A city like Chennai is evolving in this respect. When we see and read that world-renowned standalone restaurants are entering, it only gives a sense that it is happening at a much faster rate now. It will flourish even further in years to come and would give a very tough competition to organised hotel F&B trade. In fact, it is interesting to note that so many hotels judiciously go about opening F&B outlets one after another based on the success and need ratio. I agree to the mantra that many chefs profess… ‘Think Global, Eat Local’.

In fact, gastro pubs are doing very well and would continue to drive good business for some time. An open air/alfresco dining would be very popular, as people are tired with conditioned air spaces and want to go fresh. Keeping in mind, the General Budget for FY2013-14 is definitely not a bad option as eating out in all AC restaurants is set to become costlier with the service tax to come into action now, whether serving liquor or not.

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Critical elements Easier said than done, setting up a restaurant entails an elaborate F&B service set-up. There are critical elements, which need to be taken into consideration to fine tune the following: types of services, menu, frequency of menu rotation and so on. Today, health conscious customers have increased manifold which is forcing hotels to keep F&B services approachable. Most of the hotels have kept health section in all meal periods. I firmly believe that it is important to have healthy cooking practices. In fact, use of more local produce is not only a healthy and environment-friendly option, but it is also a more cost-effective function.

People tend to override this aspect giving importance to ‘imported’ tag attached to many ingredients used in many food recipes. In addition, better vendor management and annual contracts should be looked into minutely to avoid frequent price fluctuations apart from SOPs related to better yield practices. Carrying out these simple practices in operations for a

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Tab on service

n Service style: formal, informal, casual, trendy, upbeat, regional and loud n Menu: one needs to have a good balanced menu with a good mix of traditional and modern recipes.

Menu needs to be small and crisp n Menu rotation: menu should be changed every six months in order to keep the excitement alive for customers to experience something new over a period

restaurant set-up and eventually passing on the benefit achieved to customers will definitely make outlets more competitive in pricing adding value to customers’ money, which will eventually reflect on the sale of number of covers.

(The author is the Executive Assistant Manager of the Raintree Anna Salai, Chennai. The views expressed by the author are personal.)

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Equipped with quality F&B operation is such that it depends on quality equipment. Elanpro is consistently working on assignments based on customer feedback and market needs bringing quality F&B equipment to fore. It is even launching newer product ranges during AAHAR 2013.

E

lanpro began its commercial operations in October 2009.

Since then, it has been growing steadily in the commercial refrigeration segment and professional coffee machines. More importantly, it has also been adding a few product lines in addition to the regular products marketed by it currently.

According to Sanjay Jain, Director, Elanpro, the company is expecting almost 80 per cent of growth in 2012-13. “This growth is a reflection of the confidence shown in our products by some of our key accounts. Though the growth directly depends upon the growth of retail and HORECA businesses in India, we expect to continue to grow faster than the industry albeit a little slower growth in FY13-14. This makes us the fastest growing refrigeration company in India,” he adds. Earlier, Elanpro through its channel partner network achieved the revenue of Rs 3,500 lakh in 2011-12.

Focus areas Developing new products for the market is an on-going endeavour. Although, Jain mentions that it is a time consuming process and involves risk. “However, we have consistently developed products for energy/power starved Indian market.

We have also developed products based on specific segments viz. beer and wine retailers and small and medium restaurants,” Jain adds.

According to him, the focus area of the company was to develop product which can meet the erratic power situation and thus the concept of eutectic, solar battery operated and Kerosene/LPG was conceived.

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HORECA industry was so far having either locally fabricated refrigeration product or expensive frost free solution in sizes which were very large for small restaurant/ hotel kitchen. We developed direct cool kitchen refrigeration which comes with better finish/suitable refrigeration and power efficient system,” he informs.

out shelf for better display and long-term storage.”

Sanjay Jain Director, Elanpro

With ever increasing beverage sales, the ice consumption is also on a rise.

But availability of hygienic ice quality at an affordable price was a challenge.

Therefore, Elanpro developed a small ice machine based on India’s requirement at a very affordable price with a built-in water filter. Further, Indian wine market is going through a major transformation yet the sales are very low. Jain explains, “One of the major challenges faced by restaurants/bars is to not only maintain them at appropriate temperature but also display them effectively. Keeping that requirement in mind, we introduced a dual temperature wine cooler with a pull

To be showcased at Aahar 2013 as its new product n Filter coffee machines - from World leader Coffee Queen from Crem International, Sweden n Open deck chillers & super market freezers for large format and Super market retail n Elanpro Glycol chest freezer with glass door n A wide range of Elanpro ice cube and flaker machines for small kitchen and restaurants.

Elanpro’s coffee machine comes with a multi-boiler technology, as India is primarily a cappuccino/Café latte market, which requires coffee machine with large boiler for correct and consistent steam pressure. “Overall, new product development will remain a never ending process. Hence, we shall continue to work based on customer feedback and market needs,” informs Jain.

Future ahead Whilst growth in this segment has remained upwards, the economy has slowed down leading to a large number of projects witnessing slow implementation.

“This definitely impacts the market sentiment. Indian HORECA segment has seen the route to growth on franchisee model.

It should continue for sometime. The mid-segment is expected to grow,” feels Jain. High investments were made by some companies in 2010-11 and 2011-12 and they have suffered as the investments were made by assuming a faster growth than what has been actually achieved.

Nonetheless, he has high hopes for future as centralised kitchens are increasingly becoming a norm. But there is a challenge. Jain feels that quality and availability of electricity continues to remain a dampener for companies like Elanpro.

“Quality of electricity also impacts failure of machines and our costs. We hope that electricity situation improves. We are optimistic about the future as we see some growth. However, the immediate and medium-term growth depends on various micro-factors,” he sums up.

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HR

Good news for hospitality

Onlychefs.co.in is a recruitment portal in its first year for aspiring chefs and for the fast-growing hospitality industry that is looking for chefs for their hotels or specialty restaurants. Launched by a turnkey professional consultancy firm International Hospitality Partners (IHP), and as the name suggests, Onlychefs.co.in specialises in the online recruitment of chefs from anywhere in the world.

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aunched by International Hospitality Partners (IHP), the portal is a part of a series of domain specific sites and Onlychefs.co.in is one of the first recruitment sites for chefs in India.

It provides traditional recruitment consulting by combining technology to give a quick and an economical recruitment solution.

Services offered by

Onlychefs.co.in

n n n n

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Post a job Resume search Make my kitchen team Head hunt

Idea behind the portal According to Jayant Singh, Founder and CEO of Onlychefs.co.in, “The portal became operational in mid 2012 and targetted only the clients of International Hospitality Partners.

However, in terms of outreach, it picked up momentum by the end of 2012. The response so far, has been overwhelming and we have about 7,000 to 8,000 specialised resumes from various chefs.�

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He further explained that the economy that when the potential client sation with many single unit and simplicity of the process makes it or recruiter visits the website operators across the country, a fault proof tool. If a recruiter only and compares the site with as well as large to medium searches the database, then they will others, then the client will hotel chains for their recruithave to pay only for the downloaded only find the relevant openment needs.” resume, which could be as low as Rs ings since this portal is meant 1,000 in case of a chef of Indian origin for specific job seekers thus According to him, his portal based in India and if the recruiter posts it will reduce the time of is getting a positive response a job, the cost of recruitment can be as searching and help save and good references from Jayant Singh low as Rs 2,500. The portal has packmoney also. Many times, the chef community as Founder and CEO of Onlychefs.co.in ages starting from Rs 5,000 in which HR has to sift through about these are important to gain the recruiter gets to post two jobs on 500 resumes for one position, and that momentum. However, in his opinion, the site. Our chefs view each response is a daunting task when done manually. references are important, but in the generated to the posting and a stringent “On our site, the technology is applied increasingly multi-layered and multiscrutiny is carried out. Only the reto create a meticulous sifting process tiered recruitment market, it is more sumes, which match the job specs of the that gives you a resume matching closest important to find the right person clients, are forwarded to your requirement. We have close for the right job. For to the recruiter. Thus, layers of scrutiny, where chefs and HR instance, the chef’s job a recruiter has a very experts on the panel have a close look has become so specialised good chance of closing a at the resumes we send out, ensuring that it would be difficult position at Rs 2,500. that appropriate resumes are selected. to get a sous chef who We have close We have established both online and ofspecialises in Thai cuisine layers of scrutiny, For instance, if a client fline filters which create a near faultless just through references. where chefs and is looking to recruit a process,” Singh asserted.

The way the current HR experts on chef from anywhere market is structured, the panel have a can send the chef to Currently, he has a medium-sized team you need a larger search close look at the the required place for comprising experienced HR profesparameter. This has thus resumes we send a cooking trial. The sionals and chefs. IHP as of now does become a boon for the out, ensuring that panel of chefs can not intend to expand the team, as they chef community, as they appropriate resumes then determine if the want to run this business on technolcan be recruited based on are selected. We potential recruit will ogy rather than on people. “The aim needs and specialisation. have established be a good fit or not and is to make the technology even more We have to understand both online and give a food trial report efficient and cost-effective. Through that any new idea takes offline filters to the recruiter. This the online space, we can reach out to a little time to pick up, is extremely beneficial anyone across India or even the world. but in the end if results for overseas clients who As Internet penetration increases across are assured then it gains do not have to come all even smaller cities, finding the right momentum. the way to India to hire client base is not difficult at all,” he chefs, adds Singh. opined. Singh says that currently, IHP is On being asked how his portal will benconcentrating on expanding services to efit the industry at large, he says, “There other segments of the hospitality indusis even greater need to ensure that the Business try, i.e., F&B and Sales & Marketing. In talent gap is bridged with the right talfact, the company is planning to launch ent rather than needless and expensive propositions Talking about tie-ups and business more websites to cover Hotel Sales, hires. We are the most economical prepositions, he said the company has GM’s and HR. recruiting tool today, as you can hire a tied up with large hotel chains as well chef with as low as Rs 2,500. However, as single unit restaurants and resorts.

He added, “We aim to remain in this the complete package costs Rs 5,000.

These are not just restricted to metros space only till the next two years as The traditional recruitment process is but also covers Tier-2 cities across the we have in-depth knowledge of the both time-consuming and costly when country. He further explains, “We have hospitality industry and we understand you compare it to our system.” tie-ups with Shangri-La and The Lalit as how it works. We might then consider well as Hridayesh, a luxury resort situmanaging similar domains for others, ated in the vicinity of the Jim Corbett but that is still in the pipeline. We are Future course In fact, he also informs that Onlychefs.

National Park and The Pewter Room, confident about the hospitality space, as co.in is different from other regular job a fine dining restaurant in Chandigarh. we understand how it works, and can portals as it solely caters to the hospitalWe also have an international restaurant provide the right recruitment solutions ity sector and offers specialised services chain, the Royal Orchid Hospitality for the clients.” These websites will be to the chef community. He elucidates Group in Dubai. We are also in converonlyFnB.co.in and onlyhotelsales.co.in.

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A passion for

y r e l l e w e j e t a l o c o ch

Fairmont is known for providing authentic experience to its guests that provides a reflection of the place. Anurag Bali, Executive Chef of Fairmont Jaipur, in a candid conversation explained how the concept of chocolate jewellery originated and how he managed to maintain the authentic flavour in his food. NEELAM SINGH

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ave you ever seen a chocolate jewellery surfaced and the team finally elephant, an edible chocolate decided to showcase the authentic elephant… visit Fairmont flavour of Rajasthan by making the Jaipur and you will be more chocolate jewellery instead of than happy to find this in your room as a normal chocolates. welcome gift. Fairmont Jaipur’s first-ofa-kind desert and chocolate gallery offers Weddings and a treasure of edible jewels and gems Chocolates crafted to perfection by its Jaipur is a big wedding Executive Chef, Anurag Bali.

A ‘happy-go-lucky’ Punjabi destination. And making by heart, Bali enjoys his job chocolate jewellery further of being at the centre of helped the Fairmont team kitchen. He informs that at to make a wedding more the time of designing the special. Bali proudly shared Tea lounge, the designer with us how during a proposed a box to be placed wedding they have been asked right at the entrance of the to design one piece for every hotel to showcase some room exclusively for them.

Anurag Bali Executive Chef, Fairmont Jaipur nice pastries and chocolates from the kitchen. Bali with his team Taking it to discussed about what to put there. another level At the same time, the hotel was also After getting good reviews for jewellery, in talk with some jewellers for its the Fairmont team decided to take this shopping complex. During one of such concept to another level. As Bali says, conversations, the idea of chocolate

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Passion package Discover your creativity and pursue your passion in pastry arts, with the ‘Passion for chocolate jewellery’ package of Fairmont. The package offers an exclusive session with the Chef where you learn the art of designing jewellery on hand made chocolates. The package is available from April 15 - Sept 30, 2013.

“When we host weddings we mostly have ladies in almost each room but when we host conferences and meetings we have mixed groups. So, we decided to customise local things, such as elephants with a textured carpet, diamonds and pearls. They make a great give away gift and often with a good bye message on it. Though they take a lot of time and are quite expensive, there are customers who want these items to be customise for them. The first time we make a new piece it takes a lot of time after that it takes normally 4-5 hours.”

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Food sourcing for restaurants

The use of local produce has somehow decreased in some ways with the entry of fine dine restaurants in the Indian market. Though the trend is going to remain towards adding more and more international cuisines, sticking to a local produce can help a lot in creating better margins and performance for restaurants.

SHAIL BAROT

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n today’s competitive scenario, findowners might be better off if they attach ing food and liquor suppliers can be their supplies with a smaller and regular easy but the real challenge would be pool of suppliers. to size them up. Pricing is one of the most important factors but not at the risk According to the National Restaurant of compromising on quality Association’s 2013 Restaurant and safety of raw materials.

Industry Forecast, despite Depending on the location a continued challenging of restaurants, owners might operating environment, the have 12-15 suppliers of fresh restaurant industry remains a foods to choose from. Some strong driver in the nation’s suppliers specialise in certain economy, where the limitedingredients, while others who service segment will be up by are more generic. Being a part five per cent from the previof the restaurant industry and ous year, whereas full-service BAROT dealing with suppliers’ every SHAIL restaurant sales will increase Director of Vie Hospitality day, there is as such no rule of by almost three per cent. thumb for which group to choose from, but nearly all are small and local distribuHowever, an interesting finding in a tors. survey done by NRA was that more than seven out of 10 consumers said they In order to control costs, large restauwould be more likely to visit a restaurant rants/restaurant chains might pit freshthat offers locally produced menu items, food vendors against one another, call and more than six out of 10 said locally each supplier separately or have vendors sourced menus are a key attribute for fax their prices on a weekly basis. Howchoosing a restaurant. My objective for ever, in my opinion, smaller restaurant this article is to inform and educate our

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readers and restaurant owners, on how local sourcing can be adapted for restaurants.

Local sourcing Sourcing food locally is becoming one of the hottest trends in the food service industry. Restaurateurs that have taken the time to bypass middleman suppliers and go directly to the sources available in their local communities realise benefits on several levels. These benefits include higher quality ingredients that are cost-effective and a great technique to connect with customers looking for restaurants who focus on sustainability.

1. Needs and parameters: When trying to buy local products, realise your limitations. Figure out what sorts of local products can be used in your restaurant and how much of it you need. There is no set method for sourcing ingredients locally.

2. Develop relationships: A farmers’ market is a good place to start and get in touch with farmers. Here you can commission them to grow the produce you want but also keep in mind that you also need to commit to buying it.

3. Involve staff: Educate and inform the staff working in your restaurant, including cooks, managers and servers and take them to the farms where you’re sourcing your ingredients so that they understand what you’re using and why.

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4. Promote: Let customers know what you’re doing in a way that’s not obnoxious, especially since you might have to charge more for your local products. A very good idea would be to consider shooting videos at farms that are good suppliers and posting them on your website.

5. Befriend distributors: If you have three or fewer restaurants and are a loyal customer, farmers might bring their products to you. If not, you’ll need help from distributors. Work with them to coordinate how they might send empty trucks returning from long-distance hauls to swing by farms to pick up your produce.

Advantages of local sourcing The restaurant industry is slowly realising that sourcing ingredients locally is not just a ‘feel good fad’ but instead a longterm trend with inherent advantages over today’s food sourcing model. Here are a few advantages of sourcing food locally: More Cost-effective: On an average,

suppliers have to source materials almost 100-200 km for it to reach the restaurants kitchen. There are costs such as packaging, travel, overhead and weather conditions that are added. These costs can be curtailed if buying supplies locally.

Improve the environment: Because

food from other states and countries has to be shipped to your restaurant there is a massive amount of gas and pollution associated with non-local items. With item

Reducing food wastage Many of these are extremely simple and restaurants just need to get into the habit of using them. One of the solutions is to promote and encourage use of ‘doggy bags’. A few of them are: n Reuse food that would otherwise be thrown out, e.g., orange skins made into marmalade n Make old bread and untouched toast into crumbs and croutons n Give excess bar snacks for free to customers at the end of the day n Observe food patterns carefully, e.g., when customers were consistently not eating the tomato relish, it was no longer provided free as a condiment n Order fish and meat cuts to specification n Leftovers can be turned into some great meals for your staff, which raises morale and improves retention

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sourced from nearby farms, the food is often driven from the farm to the market or even from the farm to your restaurant.

Customer Focussed: Locally sourced

ingredients are fresher, which means they are more nutritious and have a better taste. This resonates with consumers.

Competitive in Business: The people

that drive demand for supplier purchases have identified local sourcing as a key element of their overall kitchen-management strategies. Given the potential cost savings and consumer benefits, it’s clear that food-service businesses that don’t add it to their strategy will be at a disadvantage.

Seasonality forces menu rotation: By

depending on the seasons to dictate what products are available, it can pose both a tricky and creative challenge for your restaurant’s kitchen. If your business loves to change things from time to time, then buying local products can provide the perfect opportunity. While it may upset some customers that your famous dessert featuring strawberries won’t be available in January, many more will appreciate the new options and know that the ingredients that make it are as fresh as possible.

Much needed municipal support As cities and suburbs have grown bigger, they have covered huge farmland, and as consumers demand locally sourced, organically grown produce, a conflict has arisen between antiquated zoning laws and the realities of the modern landscape. The result is a growing need for more progressive municipal laws that allow both citizens and local businesses to maximise their land use. Such progressive thinking not only addresses the growing desire for locally sourced foods but helps the local economy.

Concerns over water use, toxins and pollutants in urban soil, and the taxation of sold produce are all things that can be readily addressed by revised zoning laws.

(The writer is the Director of Vie Hospitality.

The views expressed by the author are personal.)

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Stop, relax & go As Blue Saphire Clarks Inn opened its doors to public in Haldwani on December 1, 2012, it also added another dimension by offering upscale hospitality to not only corporates at SIDCUL, Rudrapur and Pantnagar, but also to those leisure segments who wish to make Haldwani a connecting focal point in their itineraries covering Nainital and the Jim Corbett National Park. SANJEEV BHAR

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he saying of getting the best of both worlds has become difficult in the trying times we live in. However, hospitality is such an interesting facet that looks at every opportunity to defy all odds to bestow a new trend. Arguably, creating one such in the township of Haldwani is the Blue Saphire Clarks Inn, which lies in the middle of plains and hills. Right at the corridor of SIDCUL and on the way to Nainital and the Jim Corbett National Park, the hotel is in its nascent stage of

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its operational days trying to make the best of the both worlds, i.e., corporate and leisure.

Haldwani in Nainital district is one of the most important townships after Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun. Haldwani’s location serves as a strategic point for the Blue Saphire Clarks Inn due to its proximity to Nainital, Bhimtal and Mukteshwar, and industrial townships of Rudrapur and Pantnagar, making the best possible use of revenue

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generating opportunities that the region offers.

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Rahul Varshney, Managing Director of this hotel.

The hotel is approaching the meetings and events segment aggressively and the The hotel has latched on to travelprice range has been kept competitively lers who are heading for Nainital and i.e., at Rs 4000-4500 and Rs 5500-6500 the Jim Corbett National Park for its per night for standard rooms and suites, proximity to these places. T C Sharma, respectively. The hotel is keen to tap General Manager of the hotel says, travel agents from Delhi and northern “We want to tap interests of travellers belt to cross sell leisure destinations like heading to Nainital and Jim Corbett and Nainital and the Jim Corbett National become the epicentre as an accommodaPark. S N Srivastava, Vice President, tion facility. Many travellers are now Clarks Inn Group of Hotels says, “This opting for this option, which will play a hotel is uniquely positioned to cater critical role in our marketing strategy.” to business as well as leisure travellers. Nainital is India’s one of the most With an aim where many itineraries sought-after hill stations and Rudrapur, could be established, this fairly new a leading industrial township in the hotel by Clarks Inn Group has been region, are just an hour’s drive from the built in a 14,000 property. Besides, Haldsq ft plot having wani is also a gateway to 42-keys in four famous leisure destination, different categories including the Jim Corbett with facilities like a National Park.”

We want to swimming pool, an alltap interests of day dining restaurant Varshney further adds, travellers heading and with plans of “We wish to capitalise on to Nainital and karoke lounge in the the first mover advantage the Jim Corbett four star category. in this town. Our hospitaland become the “The hotel project ity facilities are unmatched epicentre as an cost has been Rs 10in this area and will address accommodation 12 crore barring the the needs of MICE and facility land price. It is my leisure traffic for the sheer first project and I am connecting point Haldwani quite upbeat about the offers to other destinations proposition,” informs in the hills.”

Business pitch

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The hotel has been built in a 14,000 sq ft plot having 42-keys featuring a swimming pool and an all-day dining restaurant According to Sharma, the hotel will ensure that travel agents sell it as a touch point for stay for tourists where they can explore the region. He says, “People can stay with us and complete Nainital and Bhimtal tour in a day to come back to the hotel. Then, they can explore the Jim Corbett as their next day itinerary without having to stay at Nainital which will make the jouney cumbersome.” Moreover, travellers can pick this spot as a stopover for their onward or return journey to/from Ranikhet and Mukteshwar. The hotel is even planning to facilitate adventure activities for its guests like mountaineering, trekking and camping based on the interests of the guests while making reservations at the hotel.

Subtle embellishment

The 42-key Blue Saphire Clarks Inn, Haldwani is distinct with respect to its other Clarks Inn cousins. With a hint of luxury in terms of look and space, the hotel can be easily distinguished from rest of the hotels. Use of softer tones of colours makes its look welcoming.

Rooms and suites are quite bigger than the convention hotel rooms in a city

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keeping with the fact that leisure segment will get attracted. In fact, the best part is rooms have large windowpanes for natural light during the day time.

The vastness of the open lobby area gives a sense of space, which one will usually not associate with mid-segment hotels. At one corner of the lobby, one can even get a glimpse of hills towards its northwest direction. The terrace offers an opportunity to relax in a swimming pool with the provision of fitness centre.

The hotel has 29 Superior Rooms, seven Executive Rooms, four Luxury Suites and two Royal Suites. The rooms are well-furnished comprising modern day facilities, including electronic key locks for added safety, a 24-hour Wi-fi connectivity and a well-stocked mini-bar, which one associates with a

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conventional business city hotel. Srivastava informs, “One important facet of this hotel is its banqueting space for various functions. This space can be used for a variety of events like conferences, board meetings and other social functions with a capacity to accommodate up to 500 pax. Additionally, there is a huge lawn available at hotel’s disposal, which is used for events and functions.”

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which is a perfect place to hang out during the day or in the evening. ‘Lucknow Street’ is a terrace restaurant with live kitchen serving the delicacies from the city of Nawabs.

On a high way

The hotel, which soft opened in November, last year, has made a head start. According to data, we expect to get 70-80 per cent occupancy in times to come, says Sharma. The hotel received an average of 55 per cent occupancy for the opening month. “The fact Hotel’s F&B options include Clarks that the area of Haldwani Inn’s signature restauis primarily known for rant brand ‘The Bridge’, trading units compriswhich is 88-covers and ing areas like SIDCUL, one of the trendiest Rudrapur and Pantnagar, restaurant address in The fact that the which gives the locathe city now. Its royal area of Haldwani tion a healthy base of approach with the hue is primarily known corporate segment. We of gray colour makes for for trading units are also expecting to get a unique dining expericomprising areas a lot of business from ence. The look and feel like SIDCUL, corporates and will gain definitely adds up a Rudrapur and from local interests in statement of lavishness Pantnagar, which our F&B offerings. We to the hotel. Further, gives the location will definitely get the ‘Illusion’ is a well a healthy base of first mover advantage stocked bar, offering a corporate segment in giving an organised wide range of cocktails brand to this location,” and mocktails. ‘Infinity’ he summed up. is a karaoke lounge,

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Food with low carbon footprint ITC Grand Chola in Chennai recently secured a 5-star GRIHA rating, the highest national rating for green buildings by TERI and MNRE. Interestingly, the Executive Chef of the hotel, Ajit Bangera, proudly claims that the food offered by the hotel is immaculate and ecologically-friendly with the entire F&B department carrying out its operations with an eco-sensitive approach.

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Q

ITC hotels have always been at the forefront of being ecosensitive in its approach. How does F&B department draw its inspiration from that brand ethos?

We are very well aware of our green credentials and work on many different levels to be environment-friendly. Some of our practices are mentioned below: l We very consciously procure local

fresh produce comprising low carbon footprint l Our kitchens are designed such that we employ energy efficient equipment l We even visit the premises of our vendors to ensure that they follow our specifications and are environment-friendly

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FSSA, 2006 has been introduced to keep up with changing needs and to consolidate the various laws relating to food.

The previous legislation mostly dealt with food adulteration l We offer organic menu selections l Allergen free menus are also available l E-menus – our room service menu is

totally paperless

l We incorporate kitchen processes

that are environment-friendly, for example all our cardboard packaging

is recycled

l Garbage is segregated into organic,

chinaware, paper and cardboards. l We have an organic waste converter that ensures all organic food waste is treated and converted into manure

l Green seal certifications are a must

for cleaning agents

l Water waste from the kitchen is also

treated and reused in guest rooms flushing systems l Oil waste is collected and given to the railways to be used as fuel

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Q

You oversee 10 different outlets catering to different taste palette. How challengingly vivid is your role? What is your approach to keep them all different yet creating a harmony that represents the hotel’s philosophy?

Some of our restaurant brands are already well recognised and appreciated in the market, e.g., Peshawri and Pan Asian.

The challenge is to keep the food quality consistent. At ITC Grand Chola, we have launched for the first time an Italian restaurant Ottimo – Cucina Italiana and Royal Vega – a luxury vegetarian restaurant; we do not have the luxury of hindsight, so, we have the challenge of making it successful by making the quality of food and service surpass our guest’s expectations. For this, we have a team of professional chefs with special expertise in these areas. We have a stringent process of food trials and selection before a dish makes it to the menu. The next task is to set procedures in place to get it right each time. We take pride in ensuring that all our food outlets have excellent food with superior ingredients and recipes are authentic to their origin.

Q

Of late, food quality has been talked about a lot. What is your take on the Food Safety & Standard Act 2006?

Food Safety & Standard Act (FSSA), 2006 has been introduced to keep up with changing times and to consolidate the various laws relating to food. The previous legislation mostly dealt with food adulteration. The new Act treats food safety holistically taking principles

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of HACCP and ISO 22000. It is based on scientific standards to regulate the manufacturing, storage, distribution and sale of food to ensure safety for human consumption.

As an organisation, we welcome the new Act. We owe it to our guests and consumers for their well-being. We are very conscious of our responsibilities and take pride in clean and healthy surroundings not only from a guest perspective but also for the people who work with us. We, as a chain, have made ourselves future ready by getting ourselves certified even before the Act came into existence. At the ITC Grand Chola, we have one of the most advanced laboratories in the country with the capability of conducting advanced tests, including biological air sampling.

Q

How has been your journey so far?

I was fortunate to start my career with the Mumbai Taj Mahal hotel, where being a Chef was a pleasure and taken

seriously by the Management. We had the best equipment in the country to work with, regular exposure to international chefs, a range of specialised cuisines to work on and a clientele most could only dream of. Starting from there, and moving onto ITC hotels, which had the vision to research and produce the best Indian food in the country, onto Australia, where arguably the best food is on offer, my food journey has been a very exciting one.

Q

Being a chef is a recognised vocation today. But as a student, do you feel this vocation still has impediments in nurturing talents?

Being a Chef has become glamorous today, thanks to the increased awareness through various TV food shows, especially MasterChef. But, the fact remains that a Chef still needs to work long, arduous hours in unfriendly conditions of heat, stress and pressure.

The recognition of the trade has ensured

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that there are fewer impediments with our philosophy of growth from within. We induct trainees into HMI (Hotel Management Institute), our training school, which has a very robust curriculum for all areas of hotel operations.

Similarly, we also have a very vigorous training and development infrastructure in all of our hotels where staff gets trained and move up the ladder. Our lowest attrition rate is testimony to people finding enduring careers with ITC.

Q

What are the critical measures that chefs should take into considerations to be successful and simultaneously achieve a blend of quality with hotel’s business aspirations?

As for achieving a blend of quality keeping the hotel’s business aspiration in mind, I do not believe one has to be achieved at the cost of other. If the quality of food is good, we get appreciation and the business increases. Both can be achieved and are mutually compatible.

As for achieving We cater to the top-end a blend of quality of the segment, be it keeping the hotel’s social or the business business aspiration traveller. There is never in mind, I do not a compromise in quality believe one has as it is the very essence to be achieved at of our existence and the cost of other. spending on quality is an If the quality of investment. On quality, food is good, we there is no conflict. get appreciation The segment that we and the business cater to is the top-end increases of international and domestic travellers and there would be no repeat customers if we do not deliver quality. Spending on quality for us is an investment, which brings great rewards and we don’t see it as an expense.

Q

Many food connoisseurs believe that Indian chefs can do much more to promote Indian cuisine but fall short as the need of promoting other international cuisines for the sake of hotel’s business takes priority. Your response…

I think everyone will agree with me when I say the ITC hotels has done immense work in promoting Indian food and cuisines over the years. Food and ITC hotels go a long way with a story of vision and grandeur. ITC philosophy of being a Group with an Indian soul extends to its celebration of Indian cuisine. Our passion for food over the years along with investment and research have culminated in the creation of world-class iconic brands, such as Bukhara, Peshawri, Dakshin, Dum Pukht, Kebabs & Kurries and now Royal Vega.

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The

magic medium Over the past few years, there has been a drastic rise in the way Olive oil is being used as a cooking medium following the extensive campaign - Oliveitup - to promote its goodness with high health quotient. The three-year campaign that ran across the country had an impact in creating a good market in the hospitality segment.

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ust like how a machine needs oiling to keep its depreciation at a low and performance at a high, Olive oil has gained a repute of similar sort, needless to say in the F&B segment.

Here, it has been pitted against all possible cooking media to make it emerge as a leader (as per the Oliveitup campaign) to be the healthiest. The journey of active marketing for this unique cooking medium, even tipped as juice in case of extra virgin olive oil without any processing whatsoever barring filtration, started with the Oliveitup campaign three years ago. The aim was to make people aware about the benefits of olive oil as a cooking medium in India. The initiative was launched by the Consortium of Guarantee of Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVC) for promoting premium European olive oil in the Indian market.

Giusy Pascucci, Press Office, Consortium

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of Guarantee of Extra Virgin Quality of Olive Oil, Italy, remarked, “The campaigning has done well. There has been a rise in the trade import. We can definitely say that it has successfully come to an end with a winning result leading to a tremendous interest and awareness

In 2011-12, the total import volume of olive oil in India stood at 7,200 tonne, about 80 per cent of which came from Spain and Italy

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Giuseppinna Pascucci Press Office, EVC

Keith Sunderlal The SCS Group

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about Olive oil.”

During the event, Himani Dalmia, AGM- Corporate, Dalmia Continental, gave an insight on the business prospect that has been witnessed.

“Olive oil import volumes in India are growing at an increasingly fast pace. In the 2011-12, the total import volume of olive oil in India stood at 7,200 tonnes, about 80 per cent of which came from Spain and Italy. In the coming times, the demand for olive oil is expected to increase manifold with rising awareness amongst consumers about its health benefits and usage in everyday cooking.”

Health connect

Considering the TV shows where chefs would invariably use olive oil as a cooking medium, there is a reason to believe that there is a lure for this oil.

But will it withstand the scene having high demand for Indian Geetu Amarnani flavoured oils for cooking? The Nutritionist answer is yes, says Geetu Amarnani, Nutritionist and Lifestyle Management expert. She says, “In comparison to many oils that Indians have been using traditionally, Olive oil shows convincing result for cooking. In fact, people who were apprehensive earlier now cook Indian food in this medium. That has been a change in the lifestyle following its health benefits.”

Marking the success of Oliveitup Campaign, Keith Sunderlal of SCS Group, which promoted the campaign in India, said that the idea was to make Olive oil gain a position in the Indian food market and increase its usage in traditional, local and daily cuisine. “We promoted and took the campaign to a consumer base through several workshops and training programmes, tour programmes, trade shows/exhibitions, tasting sessions and advertising campaigns to explain the nutritional aspect of Olive Oil and its importance in healthy and balanced diet.”

While the campaign comes to close, Pascucci adds, “It is not like we are not going to promote any further.

We will continue to promote Olive oil in India. Till now, it was a consortium where we promoted the product per se. But, who knows… may be in future we might bring key Italian companies that are producing Olive oil in India.”

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Enable, Empower & Engage People management aka Human Resource Management (HRM) is a dynamic vocation.

Nilesh Mitra, Senior Director, Human Resources, Carlson Rezidor - South Asia feels that a solution to a problem yesterday may not necessarily be the solution today and therefore, one needs to be constantly on top of it to ensure an organisation’s success. SANJEEV BHAR

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uman Resource Management is one such domain where the task of balancing work resources and company becomes an integral element in order to keep the operational efficiency at an optimum level.

This vocation calls for unique sets of challenges. Nilesh Mitra, Senior Director, Human Resources, Carlson Rezidor - South Asia, says that his job is indeed two-fold, “I see it as an art and science, focussing on two major objectives:

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l Firstly, to identify and grow the

talent and capabilities of our professionals so they deliver optimum performance l Secondly, to keep our staff engaged, motivated and ensure that we recognise their achievements I am a firm believer that when you do both well, employees will perform better and in the end they will more likely stay with the company.� In fact, the vocation delves on two parameters

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focussing on staff motivation: training & development and keeping their minds set on their existing engagements.

Talking manpower crunch With each new trend, human force being central to all, operational excellence is achieved for products and new developments. In hospitality, manpower has remained a major issue, be it for its hard or soft skills. The desire for trained manpower in the growing hospitality scene has always hogged the attention of hoteliers. Mitra gives the reference of an HVS survey undertaken in 2011, involving 212 hotels in 61 cities (including Carlson Rezidor hotels). It revealed that the average number of employeesper-room in India was 2.01. This is significantly higher than other Asian countries. This ratio was even higher for hotels in non-major metropolitan cities in India. He says, “This means that in India, we need to focus on building employee capabilities so they become more productive in their work.”

As far as trends are concerned, Mitra says that more hotels are being established in tertiary cities. “For example, in 2012 we opened Radisson Blu Hotels in Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Ghaziabad, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad and Kandla. Many of our hotels under construction are found in resort areas and satellite towns. This means that we need to have a closer partnership with local universities and hotel schools to scout for talent as well as fine tune the training programmes. This way, new graduates are trained adequately to deliver service that is at par with our global standards,” he adds.

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He is also of the opinion that there are no permanent solutions for perennial issues in resource management. Mitra says, “Each challenge presents us with an opportunity to introspect and offer solutions which are best suited for that particular situation. The solution to a problem yesterday may not necessarily

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be the solution for today.”

On meeting HR challenges, Mitra has a straight point to make, i.e., the need to shift mindset, “Instead of ‘problemsolving’, we need to put more time and effort in developing policies, processes and tools to pre-empt any challenges, paving an easier path to progress.”

HR is a strong tool Nilesh Mitra believes that Human Resource as a key organisation function has not been harnessed well yet. He sees two areas where HR can take on new responsibilities to increase employee engagement.

Right now, most HR functions focus on compensation / benefit (HR administration) and people development (training). However, increasingly, a big part of his job is:

A communicator:

Employees are happier when they understand the company’s vision, strategic direction, policies, initiatives and results. Our focus on better communication is starting to bear fruit. Every year for the past four years, we ask employees at all levels to fill out an engagement survey that assesses their engagement level with the company.

In 2012, our engagement score was 79 per cent among managed hotels, an 8-point increase from 2011, and among my direct reports, the score was 92 per cent, a 17-point increase from the year before. A 75 per cent score was considered very good, so to significantly exceed this number is a big achievement.

A promoter of responsible business practices:

It calls for our hotels and employees to take responsibility for our community, our environment and the well-being of our people – be it employees or guests.

Involvement in responsible business practices in our hotels can range from sponsoring children in our neighborhood to receiving vaccinations, collecting floriculture waste and turning it into fertiliser and creating job opportunities for differently-abled people.

Direct involvement in responsible business practices encourages the adoption of good values in our employees. It promotes team bonding. It also gives them better cultural, social and environmental awareness that is important to the sustainability of our business.

This is why I personally take ownership of responsible business practices and encourage our hotels in India to be involved in it.

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Retaining resource Retaining talent is the biggest challenge for an HR person. It is equally true in hospitality and more so because with the growing number of hotels. Wanting only employees with experience becomes an evitable challenge for any hospitality outfit. Mitra says, “The skills of our professionals are not unique to the hospitality industry. However, we are fortunate to be a part of a company that is growing at a rapid pace. We currently have 63 hotels in operation and another 45 under development. This translates into exciting career opportunities for our employees and for those who would like to be the part of this growth.”

This way, the scope of losing good employees is capped.

At the same time, he says, this growth also means that building capability becomes even more critical for us. “It is essential that we equip our employees

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hotel industry was close to 35 with the right training per cent. This is considered high and skills to perform well compared to other industries in in their jobs. As a part of India,” avers Mitra. However, our HR strategy to idenhe adds, “To bring this matter tify, develop and retain into perspective, talent in develtalent, we have rolled out oped markets generally enjoys a series of initiatives from more organised career structure partnering hotel schools, and benefits, so it is easier for organising internal trainNilesh Mitra people to see their long-term ing programmes (online Senior Director Human Resources career projection with a also) and structuring Carlson Rezidor - South Asia particular company.” quarterly feedback for participants in on-the-job training proA better career development structure grammes.” The Carlson Credo and core as well as learning and development values have always provided a strong opportunities are core areas to always foundation and guiding principles for its function in. It is the same strategy that employees as they go about their daily the Carlson Rezidor Group is focussing work. “It has also given them the inspion and is part of its talent retention ration to go beyond their best,” he adds. strategy. “We are proud to say that we have employees who are working with India v/s other us for over 14 years and still very enmarkets thusiastic to learn and contribute more.

“A study was conducted by Aon Hewitt I personally follow that perfect mantra India Hotel Survey in 2012, which of HR – ‘Enable, Empower & Engage’,” stated that the attrition rate in India’s he sums up.

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Living on the edge With ongoing awareness on environmental issues, including green accounting, the hotel industry is adopting environment-friendly methods to save cost and simultaneously providing better services to their customers. Here is an insight on how hoteliers are taking this campaign ahead with integrity for a better future.

NIRANJAN KHATRI

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he subject of Green Accounting was unheard till 1980s.

We simply stumbled onto this domain intuitively in one of our hotels. This particular unit is in a remote location in Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (henceforth referred as the Islands). We decided to introduce the concept of compensatory and depository afforestation to replace trees which had been cut for making the hotel primarily with local wood.

As a result, the hotel decided to plant 20,000 trees in the Islands. However, it could not achieve this due to the non-availability of land, where forest cover was already 87 per cent. The rationale, however, was to develop a model and hence the unit arrived at a solution of planting 1,500 saplings in partnership with AAI (the Airport Authority of India) in the premises of the Port Blair airport.

The objective of this was to plant as many saplings as possible while ensuring that these saplings would grow without any fear of being eaten by cattle. Through this collaborative and cautionary approach, we achieved a survival rate of 90 per cent. As estimated, the value of a tree is Rs 32 lakh because a tree during its lifetime of 50 years provides shade, fruit, flowers, habitat for birds, provides a dust control facility and generates oxygen.

However, when a tree dies, the timber has residual value.

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Need to regenerate resources

If the concept of green accounting were to take root then one could do a quick bit of mathematics and derive the value of 1,500 trees. However, even while resource depletion is taking place at a faster rate then the regeneration rate, natural resource accounting remains absent from formal accounting mechanisms. This, despite global acknowledgement of the resource crisis that we are currently facing, is set to worsen. Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh, former Minister for Environment and Forests, stated that on a positive note, the Government of India (GOI) has taken a pro-active step by announcing the publication of the first green GDP in 2015.

Taking care of business

Industries that manufacture products and machines with water need to design water efficient products, so that the user industries can buy and implement them appropriately. Subsequently, this will help industries make existing facilities water efficient and make green field projects efficient from the drawing board.

Conserving water sensibly

As an hotelier, my wish list is to see waterless laundry, waterless urinals and products made with low embodied water. Well, ‘Low embodied water’ means that instead of consuming an X quantity of water for making a product, it has reduced water consumption by a factor of five or six in the productcreation process.

Rice is a water guzzler as close to 14,000 litres of water is required to produce one kilogram of rice. A hamburger takes 1,600 litres of water and a cup of coffee needs 40 litres of water in the agriculture phase. If the water intensity of agriculture is reduced by at least 10 per cent, then it opens up the possibility of water for new industries and domestic users and reduces the strain of water wars, which occur every summer

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between riparian states. It is imperative that urban Indians reduce their water footprint by 50 per cent with the use of a variety of low-flow devices: low-flow showers, dual flushing systems, waterless urinals, kitchen water harvesting and bathroom harvesting (details of these concepts are available on our website www.itcportal.com under the section environment eco tool kit).

Replenishing economy via water Concepts like a water swap between organisations need to be scaled so that excess sewage-treated water of one industry becomes a primary resource for the other. ITC Hotels has implemented a water swap in seven locations by giving its excess treated water to a local golf course, municipality and others.

The accounting language is replete with words like ‘principle of prudence’, and

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‘precautionary principles’. However, these words are used in isolation and are not applied to natural resources. Globally, natural resources are drawn out at a breath-taking pace. As per the World Resources Institute, we are on a 40 per cent over draft.

Dealing with aquifer depreciation What are some of the new terminologies that we need to bring to the corporate sector manuals? Words like ‘inter-generational responsibility’, ‘return on imagination’, and ‘return on green imagination’ are a few to start with. Another step forward would be to introduce the concept of aquifer depreciation. In the existing account books, provision is made for plant and machinery depreciation. The same principles need to apply to water so that

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people who draw from the aquifer also invest in its health for charging it. This practice is currently non-existent at our own peril.

These are a few ideas for introspection.

It is crucial that these ideas are implemented by diverse stakeholders to address the current detrimental practices of the modern economy so that natural resource foundations are protected for future generations.

William Ruckelshaus, the former head of the United Sates Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), succinctly summarises the current state of affairs: “The earth has got fever, we are the flu.

It should be our endeavour to be more like the bacteria in our guts and less like the pathogen.”

(The writer is the GM, WelcomEnviron Initiatives, ITC Hotels. The views expressed by the author are personal.)

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Rational SelfCookingCenter

Apt for Indian recipes too D

uring March 14-18, 2013, Rational will showcase live demonstration of SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency at AAHAR 2013, in New Delhi. Rational has revolutionised large-scale and commercial kitchens all over the world and is now propagating its usage in the Indian kitchen. Here the company will launch their first cook book especially for Indian cuisine.

At AAHAR, customers can convince themselves again of the performance of Rational and enjoy culinary delights at the front cooking area. Moreover, Rational will also present their new Indian cook book which can be collected from their booth. Pinaki

Banerjee, Chief Representative of Rational India, says, “Because of the fact that the Indian cuisine differs from the European, our Rational research and development department from Germany has been working closely with master chefs from India. Our new cook book proves that the Rational SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency is the new standard for Indian cuisine.”

To develop even further the Indian applications, Rational now has its own Application Manager who also consults customers.

Rational claims to have replaced almost all appliances traditionally found in a professional kitchen with this product.

“It also saves space, time and energy up to 70 per cent compared to kitchens without combi steamer and, above all, is intelligent.

It succeeds in preparing chicken tandoori, biryani and samosas,” adds Banerjee.

Rational is giving its customers a service support from the beginning through the entire product life. “Our company aims to offer our customers worldwide the maximum benefit.

We do not sell only a product to our customers; we are selling them a solution for their kitchen and guarantee the best service. At AAHAR, we will launch our ChefLine in India.

All Rational owners can call the ChefLine 365 days a year to get direct and fast application support and their free technical service hotline will soon be available 24-hours for the customers. With our strong technical service network in India we guarantee support within 4 hours for the main cities and 24 hours response time in whole India,” explains Pinaki Banjeree.

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Ozone ‘Ozo Motion’

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zone offers a complete architectural hardware solution.

It has recently launched its new product line ‘Ozo Motion’ in different categories, including automatic sliding and swing doors, access control systems and security door locks. The world has seen a marvellous evolution of architectural and construction ideas in the recent past. However, due to scarcity of space and resources the idea of developing a building revolves around maximising space, creating world-class ambience and having sustainable construction which are user-friendly and safe.

The façade of any building speaks everything about the thought and attitude inside it. Similarly, however good and interesting the building might be from outside, it is the entrance system that has to be perfect, functional, safe and designed according to the traffic requirements in and out of the buildings.

All modern buildings are now using automatically operated door systems which are very successful entrance systems, especially for buildings with heavy in-flow and out-flow of traffic.

These systems also ensure proper controlling of the temperature and minimum wastage of cool/hot air from

inside. Automatic entrance doors can be bi-parting sliding doors, telescopic opening, swing doors or revolving, and therefore, can suit requirement for any type of application.

Automatic doors

Ozone automatic doors are designed with a futuristic vision, thus encompassing cutting-edge technology and high-end hardware fittings. These systems have a very low maintenance requirement and can be used in even the most high traffic areas without any glitches offering a ‘5-S’ experience to its users – Speed, Silence, Strength, Safety, Smoothness.

The Ozone ‘Revolving Glass Door System’ is suitable for performing heavy duty functions and has been built with high quality system to ensure safety and efficient functioning. These doors are certified for its quality and performance and conform to the European and American CE Standards.

These systems use the internationally acclaimed BEA Eagle Motion Sensor from Europe – which is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of radar sensors.

Prioritising the safety concerns of its users, an anti-squeeze function has been integrated in this system to avoid any mis-happening. All products from Ozone come along with a responsible service network ensuring minimal break downs and happy customers.

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Flexible POS solution

Increase productivity, drive down costs

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n the hospitality world, today’s fast-changing requirements and evolving technical capabilities have created a growing demand for flexible, scalable solutions that drive business operations. Systems that easily expand and contract with the business and integrate across the entire technical portfolio to deliver an innovative solution and offer a sustainable, competitive advantage are a must in today’s marketplace.

Simphony is the premier enterprise enabled pointof-service (POS) solution for restaurants, hotels, resorts, casinos, and cruise ships. This integrated system linking POS transactions and back office functions enables the businesses to manage their operations better by increasing the productivity of employees. It also improves guest service, thus making even the most complex operations run smoothly. Simphony is designed for SaaS (Software as a Service) deployment and offers the flexibility for on-premise or hosted deployment.

Simphony is built using a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) which enables independent business functions to interact with each other using a standard set of messages to achieve seamless business processes. A robust infrastructure allows you to focus on business operations and guest service rather than dealing with system integration and availability issues.

By supporting flexible deployment models and operational requirements, Simphony allows individual services to be deployed at any level of its infrastructure. It also provides the convenience to easily manage software versions and ease the upgrade process as single sites and can be updated at the same time. Credit card processing, interfaces, and printing services may be deployed within a property, revenue center, or workstation to enable the desired level of performance and resilience.

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International Partnerships

In promoting tourism & hospitality development in India There are various implications that hinder tourism and hospitality development. It is vital to identify the structure of tourism and related activities and promoting partnerships in the different segments of tourism and hospitality in order to create a development roadmap for this sector.

GAURAV M J NEGI

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ver the last few decades, several countries have looked towards tourism as means of promoting development and economic growth. Tourism, however, is recognised as a viable local economic development strategy. Tourism-based businesses create jobs, bring new money into the local economy, are often “clean,” and can help diversify the local economic base. Because of long-term declines in natural resource extraction and manufacturing, economic diversity is critical to long-term success in rural area.

During the second half of the 20th century, tourism changed from a social activity to merely an economic one. Many travellers from earlier days changed into modern tourists. However, under the influence of sustainable development principles and the urgency to conserve our environment, there is a need to re-think the concept of tourism and especially the role the tourist plays in it. By eliminating the economic separation of the tourist (client) on one hand and the tourism ‘industry’ on the other and by joining these two forces into one major activity called tourism, a basis can be laid for a gradual incorporation of tourists within the sustainable development process.

Structure of tourism industry A commonly held misconception is that tourism industry is made up of little more

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than hotels and motels, but in reality, it is much larger than that. However, a large part of tourism industry is a combination of hospitality (a combination of businesses related to accommodation and dining) and travel industry (businesses providing transportation services (to tourists) through different modes). Other than these, there are numerous other businesses, which offer their services and products to the tourists and form a ‘part’ of the tourism industry. The vast and complex structures of tourism industry entail: l Accommodation services l Tourism attractions l Tour operators l Business tourism l Transportation (Carriers) l Distribution, coordination and facilitating services l Retail services l Dining Services l Other support services like insurance, banking and communication services.

Government initiatives Since tourism is a multi-dimensional activity and basically a service industry, it would be necessary that all wings of the Central and State governments, private sector and voluntary organisations become active partners in the endeavour to attain sustainable growth in tourism if India is to become a world player in the tourist industry. (Source: Ministry of Tourism Government of India)

Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23 per cent to the national GDP and 8.78 per cent of the total employment in India.

With more than 5 million annual influxes of foreign tourists and 562 million domestic travellers, the World Travel and Tourism Council recognises India as a tourism hotspot for 2009–2018.

(Source:World Travel and Tourism Council). The travel and tourism sector is undoubtedly one of the most potent and competitive sectors in India.

The Working Group on Tourism for 12th Five Year Plan, set up by the Planning Commission, has recommended various strategies for promotion of tourism industry to increase India’s share of International Tourist arrivals to at least one per cent by the end of 12th Plan from the level of 0.64 per cent in 2011. It will also provide adequate facilities for domestic tourism to sustain the growth of over 12 per cent during 12th Plan.

The Ministry of Tourism (MOT) provides Central Financial Assistance to States/UTs for tourism projects, including those relating to tourist spots, which are prioritised every year based on discussions with them, subject to availability of funds, inter-se priority and adherence to the scheme guidelines. MOT also provides funds for the improvement of road connectivity leading to the tourist sites, especially from the National Highways/ State highways and other entry points

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under its Plan Scheme of Product/Infrastructure Development for Destinations and Circuits, Identification of tourism projects in the country are primarily the responsibility of the State Governments/ Union Territory (UT) Administrations.

Economic value creation Tourism industry has always been a strong economic value creator – be it in terms of - earning FOREX or providing jobs or by means of boosting related businesses. It creates ‘economic value’ through ‘tourism sales’ which is a combined sale of all the above-mentioned components of Tourism industry.

Sustainable tourism in India is composed of three pillars: social justice, economic development, and environmental integrity. It is committed to the enhancement of local prosperity by maximising the contribution of tourism to the destination’s economic prosperity, including the amount of visitor spending that is re-

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tained locally. It should generate income and decent employment for workers without affecting the environment and culture of the tourists’ destination ensuring the viability and competitiveness of destinations and enterprises to enable them to continue to prosper and deliver benefits in the long-term. In this sense, development should be a positive experience for local populations, tourism companies, workers and tourists themselves.

However, the influx of tourists does have an influence on local cultures, whether positive or negative. Exposure to other cultures and norms may in fact create awareness and tolerance, just as it can create tensions and mistrust.

Considering the current situation the tourism industries around the globe are facing in common.

The tourism industry showed remarkable development around the globe during the latter half of the 20th century. By bringing about encounters with a wide

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variety of cultures, histories and national identities as people cross national borders and language barriers, and by deepening mutual understanding and respect through mutual exchange among citizens from distant nations, international tourism even has a role to play in the noble mission of contributing to world peace. We declare that we shall make our efforts for the revitalisation and the future of the tourism and hospitality industry in all regions of the world! So, those who are in responsible positions relating to the tourism and hospitality industry share the future prospects and grasp their responsibilities.

Note: The concluding part of the article - ‘Promoting Sustainable Tourism and Developing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)’ - will appear in the April issue of the FHRAI Magazine.)

(The article has been authored by Gaurav M J Negi, Research Scholar. The views expressed by the author are personal.)

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Vetra range of outdoor furniture Vetra is one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of outdoor furniture range. The company deals and supplies a wide range of hotel furniture, resort furniture, outdoor furniture, water proof furniture, garden furniture, wicker furniture and terrace restaurant furniture. It also manufactures farmhouse furniture, poolside furniture and poolside umbrellas for its customers. Considering the ever-changing market demand, Vetra has come up with a classic collection of open-air furniture that is frost proof and waterproof, UV resistant, which are long-lasting and fully recyclable.

It combines the finest materials and craftsmanship to create a personal space. It caters the outdoor furnishing needs that range from casually comfortable to elegant and dramatic. Moreover, the products match international standards in quality and its looks make it extremely distinctive. The company provides bespoke designing solutions as per the preferences of its esteemed customers.

High technology porcelain tiles GRESPANIA, Spain, has recently launched its new series of tiles, ‘The CITY’ for multi-purpose use. The tiles come in various specifics, including flexural strength of 50 Newtons/mm sq (approx 500 kg/cm sq), compared with the maximum value of 10 Newtons/ mm sq which is obtained from the best concrete slabs.

In fact, 15 mm thickness makes it possible to reach a breaking load of more than 7,000 Newtons making it a perfect tile for heavy outdoor use of any sorts. These are marketed by RC Gupta & Sons in New Delhi.

Prolinen launches its new collection Headquartered in India’s silicon city, Bengaluru, Pro Linen is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of Bed &Bath solutions for clients, including hospitality sector.

The company has launched its latest collection of premium and exquisite bed and bath solutions. Its complete range includes bed sheets, mattresses, table linen, spa linen, mattress and pillow protectors, towels, duvets, pillows and a host of other hospitality products.

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MAGGI Makhani Base Gravy Nestlé Professional India has launched its latest innovation – MAGGI Makhani Base Gravy. Experienced chefs have exclusively prepared this product for chefs and professionals.

This product offers a premium, authentic and convenient base solution for chefs by saving time and energy consumed in peeling, grinding and pre-cooking without compromising on authentic aroma, colour, taste and texture of scratch made gravies. MAGGI Base Gravies assist the chef in the groundwork, providing him all required space for his individual recipe applications and personalisation of his final dishes. MAGGI Base Gravies can be used as a base for infinite applications.

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Electrolux launches ‘Green & Clean Hood Type dishwasher’ In 2008, Electrolux came up with a campaign for high performance Green & Clean dishwashing range titled – ‘Make the right choice. For your dishes. For the environment’.

The company always took a sustainable approach for its products with continuous improvement and thoughtful design for global customers.

of water inlet conditions; detergent and rinse aid savings; and, saves energy following the Energy Saving Device and the Zero Lime Device (automatic de-lime cycle for completely limefree components), which ensures lower energy consumption and running cost (up to 33 per cent less).

However, to promote its unique concept, Electrolux has now launched Electroux Green & Clean Hood Type dishwasher, which ensures a hassle-free dishwashing experience through its characteristics. It allows for yearly savings in water, energy, detergent and rinse aid (up to 1.040 Euros) that are guaranteed by this new dishwasher, without affecting its excellent performances. It requires only two litres/ cycles of fresh water for rinsing, regardless

This product is designed for customers who demand the best results and quality for their kitchens. Electrolux Green and Clean Hood Type dishwasher features latest techniques and machinery ideal for commercial purpose.

This equipment is being displayed at AHAAR 2013 in Delhi during 14-18, March in Hall 11, stall no. 74C, Wang Professionals and the Electrolux stand at 7B-06 A respectively.

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movements

within the hospitality trade Kapil Chopra

Monisha Dewan

Elton Hurtis

President The Oberoi Group

GM, DoubleTree

by Hilton GurgaonNew Delhi NCR

General Manager Courtyard by Marriot, Bhopal

Kapil Chopra has been appointed as the President, The Oberoi Group. He will be responsible for all The Oberoi and Trident Hotels in India. An alumnus of The Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development (OCLD), Chopra’s experience as an hotelier spans over 19 years. Most recently, he was the Executive Vice President of the Group and was instrumental in opening the two flagship properties -The Oberoi and Trident in Gurgaon.

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Under his leadership, The Oberoi, Gurgaon was voted ‘World’s Leading Luxury Hotel’ by the World Travel Awards for the second consecutive year in 2012.

Monisha Dewan has been appointed as the General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR. Monisha brings with her over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

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She joined Hilton Worldwide in January 2008 and was responsible for the successful launch of Asia Pacific’s first Hilton Garden Inn brand hotel in Saket, New Delhi.

For her efforts, Monisha was recognised as the Regional General Manager – Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Europe & Africa in the 2011 Hilton Garden Inn Brand Awards.

Elton Hurtis has recently joined the Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal as the General Manager.

He brings with him over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry and possesses notable expertise in revenue, costing, management control and hotel operations.

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Prior to this, he was the Director of Operations at Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport.

His foray into the hospitality industry began with the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development in 1997.

From there on, he moved to the Oberoi Hotels Mumbai where he spent five years. Hurtis has been associated with the Marriott family since 2002 and then moved on to being their Executive Sous Chef and F&B Manager of the property.

Aditya Shamsher Director of Sales & Marketing, Shangri-La Eros, New Delhi Aditya Shamsher Malla joins Shangri-La’s- Eros Hotel, New Delhi as the Director of Sales and Marketing. In his current role, he will work towards maximising the hotel revenue from various market segments and will lead the hotel’s Sales and Marketing team.

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He has over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to this assignment, he has also worked with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels in India and The Taj Group holding leadership positions in their properties in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chandigarh.

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Praveen Sharma

Rakshit Talwar

Director of Sales Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal

Director of Sales Goa Marriott Resort & Spa

Praveen Sharma has joined Courtyard

by Marriott, Bhopal as Director of Sales. In this role, he will be responsible for establishing the first Marriott branded hotel in Madhya Pradesh. Prior to this, Sharma worked with Marriott International’s Global Sales Organisation based in Delhi. He was instrumental in growing the MICE and Travel trade segments. Sharma was felicitated with the Chairman’s Circle Award in the year 2010 and received a Special Achievement Award in 2011.

Goa Marriott Resort & Spa recently appointed Rakshit Talwar as the Director of Sales. He comes to the property after his last assignment as Director of Sales at the Courtyard by Marriott, Pune.

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In his cumulative experience of 13 years in travel and hospitality, he has handled multiple segments - Corporate, Travel Management Companies and Associations.

He has a Ph.D. in Tourism and when not working, he loves spending time with family.

Pinaki Banerjee MD Rational India

Pinaki Banerjee has taken over i the management of Rational India on January 1, 2013. Banerjee

brings considerable expertise and a highly successful record to his role at Rational. Previously, he has held senior management positions with Pilkington, UK and has an excellent record of delivering in both emerging and overseas markets.

He will be in-charge of Rational India formed in 2010 in Delhi, and have since spread their structures right across India. Its main focus is on Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.

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After starting his career as a Management Trainee in 2002, he worked with Taj and Hyatt in several markets before joining the Marriott as Associate Director of Sales in 2008. His key expertise lies in developing and implementing sales strategies that are relevant to market conditions yet in line with operational needs, and his biggest strengths are customer engagement and community outreach. He is passionate about travelling to new destinations and exploring diverse interests.

Santosh Rawat Pastry Chef Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel Santosh Rawat is the new i Pastry Chef at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel

and Lakeside Chalet – Mumbai Marriott Executive Apartments.

He will oversee the culinary operations of the baking kitchens of the hotel, including the Bombay Express (Deli & Patisserie), under the mandate of his new role.

With 10 years of experience in baking, Santosh comes up with innovative patisseries. He did an artisanship course in Bakery and Confectionery from the Kamat Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology

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Typhoo Tea and Food pairing session

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ipped to be first of its kind, Typhoo organised a session on tea and food pairing under the abled hands of popular Chef Vicky Ratnani who taught the perfect balancing of food with the right type of tea, which allows one to explore new tastes and uncover hidden flavours.

The method behind tea pairing is much like wine pairing. Stronger black teas go with more strongly-flavoured and spicy food items. Lighter black teas go with more lightly-flavoured food items. Green teas go better with savoury food, such as fish, sushi, noodles and Asian food.

Celebrated Chef Ratnani demonstrated the

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versatility of the beverage with a specially prepared menu and how, like wine, different teas can be paired perfectly with different types of food. He said, “What I find exciting is the fact that flavoured tea offers a variety of taste and enriches the food pairing with the tea. Being a tea drinker for many years, I feel different in terms of flavour, nostalgia, energy, comfort of tea when I have a cup of Typhoo… that’s what makes me go ‘oo’.”

Present at the occasion, Typhoo spokesperson Renu Kakkar said, “Typhoo offers an exciting range of teas to its Indian customers. Typhoo Darjeeling goes excellently with creamy desserts, cream cheese sandwiches and mawa cake.

Typhoo Classic Assam is perfect with rich red meats, pastas, chocolate, rich cakes and desserts, and samosas. Typhoo English Breakfast is a great drink to sip with your egg bhurji and aloo parantha.

Typhoo Earl Grey is good with creamy desserts, mild English cheeses, lemon and orange flavoured cakes and desserts, like rabdi, faluda and kulfi. Opt for Typhoo Green tea if you’re planning a meal of seafood, fish, chicken, salads or Japanese, Chinese, Thai and other Asian food items. Typhoo Fruit Infusions, meanwhile, go best with fruity and sweet food or as an ingredient for cocktails and mocktails.”

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Aspri Spirits holds Molinari session in New Delhi

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spri Spirits recently hosted a a master class and a club event at The Lalit in New Delhi. The session was organised with Gegam – a celebrity bartender and the face of Molinari and Mario Molinari -the Owner of Molinari. The session commenced with an introduction of liqueur available in India under the Aspri banner from the House

of Molinari. The event kicked off with Gegam demonstrating ways of creating exquisite cocktails with the Sambuca Liqueur, the specialty of the Molinari brand which is the best selling liqueur in Italy and the most cherished Sambuca in the world. It is the only brand permitted by Italian law to use the term ‘Extra’ because of its extra quality.

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Om Books International launches ‘Khanna Sutra’

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m Books International in association with Shangrila’s – Eros Hotel celebrated the publication of its latest title Khanna Sutra: Food Lessons in Love by Michelin-starred Chef Vikas Khanna.

The book was launched at 19 Oriental Avenue, Shangri-la’s-Eros Hotel’s Oriental Dining Restaurant by internationally renowned fashion designer, Rohit Bal. The evening also had luminaries from all walks of life. Publisher Ajay Mago and his wife Naina Mago, Vikram Baidyanath, model and emcee Ramneek Paintal, Vani Tripathi, author Anita Kumar, Chef Saby, Neha & Shweta Lakhani, Priyanka Kapoor, Rajesh Bhardwaj of Junoon, Priyank Sukhija and Umang Tiwari graced the occasion.

The Westin Mumbai culinary team wins four medals at GICC

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heWestin Mumbai Culinary team has won four medals at the recently held The Great Indian Culinary Challange (GICC) championship.

GICC provides a platform where culinary professionals across India can display their

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individual and collective skills, learn, share experiences, partner and network.

Over 25 hotels from across the country participated in the challenge.The event took place from January 10-12, 2013.

The winning team from The Westin Mumbai Garden City culinary included Ajay Chaudhury, Sameer Karkare, Sagar Satghare and Amit Suri. The team was awarded Gold, Silver and two Bronze medals in various categories.

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Brigade Group redevelops a park in Malleswaram

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rigade Group, one of India’s leading hospitality developers, undertook an initiative as corporate citizens to enhance the quality of life of communities. Brigade Group redeveloped the park at Malleswaram 17th Cross at a cost of over Rs.125 lakhs.

Ashwath Narayana, MLA, Chandre Gowda, MP, Venkatesh Murthy, Mayor

and M. R Jaishankar, CMD, Brigade Group inaugurated the park on January 5, 2013. More than 2000 people attended the function. On the occasion, M. R. Jaishankar, CMD, Brigade Group said, “As a part of our CSR initiatives, we undertook the redevelopment of the park and it is a contribution towards improving the life of people in

Malleswaram. We strongly believe in our philosophy of providing better quality of life to people within our reach.

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 12-03-2013