Fhraimagazine December 13

december 2013

magazine Vol 13 Issue 12

Pages 72

`50

A MONTHLY ON HOSPITALITY TRADE

By DDP Publications

Procurement

Best Practices Purchase managers share their views

Hospitality

Year-END Analysis

Water

CONSERVATION Forewarned is forearmed

December 2013 Cover Story

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Ramada Caravela Beach Resort Goa

Procurement Best Practices Procurement managers hold a vital role in any business and can make all the difference in making or breaking the profit margins of any hotel.

Picture on the cover: Ramada Caravela Beach Resort Goa

24 Cover Story

contents THIS MONTH

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

8 10 12 18 64 66 68

38 Analysis

FEATURES Etcetera 34 Annual Metro Chef Awards The culinary fraternity got together for the awards hosted by ICF

Analysis 38 Hospitality Industry: Year-End Analysis Hospitality industry reveals their agenda for 2014 and round-up 2013

GM Canvas 46 Staying Ahead of Competition 46 GM Canvas

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Novotel Ahmedabad reveals their business strategy

FEATURES Chef Talk 52 Gateway to Indian Cuisine Chef Rakesh Sethi, Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel, talks about his new restaurant, Gateway of India - Dvar

Guest Column 58 Conserving Water Resources The key objective is to understand the different nuances of the terminology applied to water management

52 Chef Talk

Report 60 India Hotel Market Review A performance overview of key markets across India and analysis of occupancy and room rate metrics

Restaurant Review 62 Succumb to Desi Vibes!

In a time when most crave for Chinese, Thai or Japanese, this Noida restaurant maintains the spunk in Indian cuisine

62 Restaurant Review secretary general M D Kapoor - sg@fhrai.com Editor Deepa Sethi - deepa@ddppl.com Associate Editor Kanchan Nath - kanchan.nath@ddppl.com sub-Editor Ramya JS D’Rozario creative Design Ruchi Sinha

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

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

Advertising Gunjan Sabikhi - gunjan@ddppl.com Asst. Vice President – Marketing Delhi Prateek Sahay - prateek@ddppl.com Senior Manager – Marketing (+919650911388) Udit Pandey - udit@ddppl.com Senior Manager – Marketing

68 Events Mumbai Harshal Ashar - harshal@ddppl.com Deputy General Manager (+919619499167) FHRAI - Marketing S.P. Joshi Production Manager Anil Kharbanda

Shradha Kapoor - shradha@ddppl.com Senior Executive – Marketing (+919650196525)

Advertisement Designers Vikas Mandotia Nitin Kumar Aarushi Agrawal

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.

president’s message

Dear fellow members,

S.M. Shervani President

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These days the companies confront the challenge of competing on product, service quality and price. A modern and efficient procurement strategy can optimise costs, eliminate wastage and enhance operational efficiency

“

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At the outset, I would like to thank our readers for their overwhelming feedback on our report on hotel classification which was published in last month’s issue of FHRAI Magazine. It is indeed gratifying to note that we have been successful in our endeavour to gauge multiple perspectives on this highly topical issue and initiate a vivid industry-wide dialogue on reconceptualising the future role, structure and a pragmatic criteria for hotel classification. I am confident that all of you will similarly find this month’s comprehensive feature story on purchasing to be of immense value.

In today’s hypercompetitive business environment, companies confront the challenge of consistently competing on product and service quality as well as price. In such a scenario, a modern and efficient procurement strategy can be an indispensable tool to optimise costs, eliminate wastage and enhance operational efficiency. Across the manufacturing and service sector, transactional and tactical purchasing is making way for holistic supply chain management systems, which strive to be lean, agile, resilient and green. Companies, both large and small, are increasingly adopting sourcing strategies which focus on building long-term relationships with vendors, leverage technology for real-time inventory control and are closely aligned with their social and environmental responsibilities. The Indian hospitality industry must also proactively embrace this paradigm shift and re-engineer the traditional purchasing function in our organisations by integrating contemporary management concepts and innovative technological solutions to yield a sustainable competitive advantage. At the next FHRAI convention, we propose to hold an extensive interactive session on this vital topic, which would bring together senior hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs, key suppliers to the industry, and global experts.

As you are aware, FHRAI has been a leading advocate for instituting a liberalised visa regime which offers a seamless and differentiated mechanism to encourage and facilitate foreign tourist travel to the country. With a mere 6.5 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs), India’s present global market share in tourism is a paltry 0.64 per cent. It is the Government and our industry’s shared goal to ensure that India leapfrogs to join the league of the world’s top tourist destinations within this decade. However, we believe that to translate

this ambitious vision into reality, incremental measures will not suffice. Instead, our sector requires bold, decisive and game-changing policy action. In this regard, we have proposed to the Government that the progressive changes which are being currently contemplated to relax our visa norms must not be restricted to an expansion of the existing tourist Visa-onArrival scheme. Rather, we should seize this opportunity to swiftly move towards introducing electronic visas for tourists, which countries such as Australia, Mexico, Turkey and Sri Lanka have already successfully implemented. Such a system of eVisa, which is also endorsed by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), would entail a one-time investment to deploy the requisite technological infrastructure but will generate exponential gains by firmly positioning India as a welcoming and conveniently accessible tourist destination.

Our members will be pleased to learn that the Ministry of Tourism has accepted FHRAI’s request to commission a comprehensive study to assess and quantify the various taxes which are imposed on the hospitality and tourism sector by the Central and State Governments.

Over the years, multiplicity of taxation has been a major systemic impediment in our industry’s quest to grow at its full potential.

We have also highlighted that inspite of being one of the largest foreign exchange earners for the Indian economy, our industry continues to be inexplicably denied various tax concessions and incentives which are extended to other exporters. In this context, the Ministry’s proposed study will lend strong empirical support to FHRAI’s recommendations on rationalisation of the industry’s tax structure and our demand for seeking parity with physical exporters in terms of fiscal incentives and subsidies. We have suggested to the Ministry that the ambit of their study should also encompass an analysis of the impending impact of the Goods & Services Tax (GST) on our sector and a comparative assessment with the taxes which are levied on tourism by some of our competing destinations, especially in South-East Asia.

On behalf of FHRAI, I heartily congratulate the Ministry of Tourism for the grand success of the Second International Tourism Mart (ITM) which was recently held in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. In addition to drawing an enthusiastic response from hoteliers, tour operators, investors, media and government agencies from across the country, the Mart also witnessed continued on page 12...

secretary’s message

Retrospect 2013 Dear fellow members,

Vivek Nair Hony. Secretary

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We were successful in persuading RBI to liberalise the applicable norms on External Commercial Borrowings, so that companies in the hotel sector can raise cheaper offshore debt

“

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As an eventful 2013 draws to a close, it is an apposite opportunity to reflect on our sector’s performance and some of FHRAI’s multifarious initiatives which have helped to shape the policy landscape of the industry in the past year. The Indian hospitality and tourism sector continues to confront adverse headwinds emanating from the Eurozone financial crisis, geo-political events, a tepid economic recovery in the United States and a sharp downturn in the domestic economy.

Factors such as inflation, rising wage costs and extreme currency volatility have eroded operating margins, whereas high borrowing costs are further squeezing cash-flows and earnings. Though the overall demand scenario is subdued on account of the slowdown, there has been a steady addition in the room inventory across cities, thereby exerting competitive pressure on key metrics such as hotel occupancy, average room rates and RevPAR. However, even in this difficult economic climate, there have been some heartening silver linings.

While the increase in Foreign Tourist Arrivals may have been lower than anticipated, domestic tourism has shown robust double-digit growth.

Leisure destinations such as Goa and Kerala have been clear outperformers, owing to their ability to attract foreign tourists from newer geographies such as Russia and Eastern European countries.

Their success has visibly underscored the urgent imperative for the Government to relax our rigid CRZ norms so that all coastal states can tap the global buoyancy in beach tourism. FHRAI’s comprehensive proposals submitted in this regard are presently under active consideration.

The hotel industry has been resolute in its confidence in the long-term outlook and potential of the Indian tourism sector and has resiliently stayed on course with the previously envisioned investment targets. FHRAI’s endeavours have focussed on facilitating a strong foundation which can fuel the industry’s viable growth and future expansion. We firmly believe that the current challenges are a transient phase and the strategic importance of tourism in India’s economy remains undiminished. This is evident from the fact that in 2013, tourism’s contribution to the country’s GDP is estimated to have increased to 6.7 per cent and capital investment in the sector has risen to $34.5 billion. The industry is on track to generate more than $18 billion in valuable foreign exchange for

the country and is also among the top sectors attracting highest FDI inflows.

A seminal development for our sector was the approval of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-17), which accords tourism high priority and has also proposed a three-fold increase in the budgetary outlay for the Ministry of Tourism to `15,190 crore. This is poised to give a major impetus to the ambitious plans to augment tourism-related infrastructure, more effectively market India as a global destination, support capacity-building initiatives for skill development, and promote the development of niche tourism products.

FHRAI has steadfastly pursued policy measures to ease the funding constraints which our industry faces. A major step forward in this direction was the Government’s recent decision to include large capital-intensive hotel projects in the RBI’s Infrastructure Lending List. We were also successful in persuading the RBI to liberalise the applicable norms on External Commercial Borrowings, so that companies in the hotel sector can raise cheaper offshore debt not only to finance fresh capital expenditure but also repay their existing high cost rupee loans.

In a landmark judgement this year, the Kerala High Court ruled that Service Tax imposed by the Central Government on hotels and restaurants was “unconstitutional”. This ruling came as a vindication for the united and principled stand which our industry has taken in strenuously opposing this levy and will strengthen FHRAI’s consistent demand for its withdrawal. The FHRAI Convention in Kochi this year was a grand and memorable success in terms of influence and impact and has been widely acclaimed for promoting the concept of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism.

FHRAI reiterates our commitment to assiduously represent the myriad concerns and best interests of the entire cross-section of the Indian hospitality and tourism industry in the new year, and we look forward to the continued support and encouragement of our esteemed members.

Wishing you and your family a happy & prosperous 2014!

With warm regards, Vivek Nair Honorary Secretary, FHRAI

fhrai desk

...continued from page 8

Over the years, multiplicity of taxation has been a major systemic impediment in our industry’s quest to grow at its full potential

the active participation of international delegates from over 20 countries. The well-planned three-day event served as a unique showcase of India’s vibrant NorthEast as an idyllic tourist destination, both in the domestic and international markets.

The Central and State Governments have reaffirmed their commitment to speedily address bottlenecks pertaining to infrastructure and connectivity which will give an impetus to tourism promotion in this pivotal part of the country. FHRAI will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to develop and promote the North-East as an attractive destination, with a specific

focus on tapping niche segments such as adventure tourism and eco-tourism, which are the region’s natural strength.

I would conclude by offering my best wishes to you for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope 2014 brings much joy and success for you and your family, peace and prosperity for India, and also ample reasons to cheer for our industry!

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

WTTCII appoints new office bearers for 2014

Photos: Simran Kaur

The Annual General Meeting of the World Travel & Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTCII) was held in New Delhi. Mr. Dipak Deva, CEO - Destination Management, India & South Asia, Kuoni Destination Management, has been appointed as Chairman, WTTCII for the year 2014. Mr. Deva, who was the Vice Chairperson of WTTCII for the year 2013, takes over from Ms. Priya Paul, Chairperson, The Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, who just completed her term.

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fhrai desk

Indian Hospitality Awards 2013 at HITEX

The ‘Indian Hospitality Awards 2013’ were held on November 16, 2013, at Hyderabad International Trade Expositions (HITEX) Madhapur, Hyderabad. The function was graced by Mr. S M Shervani, President, FHRAI, Mr. G.V. Krishnaiah, President, Andhra Pradesh Hotels Association (APHA), Mr. K Syama Raju, President, South Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA) and Ms. Chandana Khan, Special Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Tourism.

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fhrai desk

HRAWI hails Maharashtra Government’s single-window clearance policy health of the hotels and restaurants of a State, is directly linked to the region’s economic growth and prosperity. We whole-heartedly welcome the initiative of the Maharashtra Government.”

The State Government’s move, to abolish some of the licenses and permits that are currently needed to set up restaurants, bars and hotels, is expected to bring transparency and eliminate red tape.

p Mr. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Mr. D.S.Advani, Mr. Kamlesh Barot and Mr. Bharat Malkani

H

license policy

otel & Restaurant Association, Western India (HRAWI) held a press conference on November 1, 2013, at Hotel Marine Plaza, for announcing the association’s whole-hearted support to the new, transparent single-window clearance being proposed by the Maharashtra Government. HRAWI has urged the Government to implement this policy at the earliest and conveyed that these proposals not only have the full backing of its members, but the entire hospitality fraternity and the sectors directly and indirectly associated with it.

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The Maharashtra Government had recently proposed liberalisation of licensing policies for the hospitality sector.

The proposals included curbing the number of licenses, permits, NOCs and registrations from 38 to 19 for opening a new restaurant or renewing existing licenses, besides certain earmarked tourist zones, which would remain open 24x7; and the abolishment of drinking permits besides other initiatives. With the implementation of the proposals, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) will become the nodal agency to which restaurants and hotels will apply for new licenses and renewals. It will act as a single window that will in turn fetch all licenses from the relevant departments on the Board and have the investors pick them up from the same window. It would also ensure that the permits are granted within a set timeframe.

Mr. D S Advani, President, HRAWI said,“This is a landmark initiative and will lead to the revival of the hospitality industry in Maharashtra. The vibrancy and

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Mr. Kamlesh Barot, the immediate past president of HRAWI said,“If a foreigner stays one extra night, it will increase forex revenue to Maharashtra Government at `599 crore per night. An online single-window clearance shopping cart will increase room inventory for the State and reduce room tariffs, reduce waste of time, increase efficiency and form an ideal State to emulate across the country.”

The idea for having the Hospitality Development Promotion Board (HDPB) was the initiative relentlessly pursued by the past presidents and Barot, an immediate past president since the last four years with constant personal follow ups; discussions held with ministers related to Tourism, Excise, Finance; BMC, Excise, Police Commissioners; Secretaries, Bureaucrats, Principal Secretary and the Chief Minister.

Government of Maharashtra had assigned this task to ‘Accenture Management Consulting’, with whom HRAWI has held numerous meetings & discussions, and inputs had been provided by Barot, D. S. Advani, President, HRAWI, Bharat Malkani, Sr Vice President; Gogi Singh, Vice President; Pradeep Shetty, Hon. Secretary; Sherry Bhatia, Jt. Hon. Secretary; Prrem Tiwari, Hon. Treasurer; R S Bedi, Past President; Dilip Datwani, past Vice President, other EC members and the HRAWI Secretariat.

During the Hospitality Development Promotion Board (HDPB) meetings, the board had discussed threadbare the portal logistics, simplifying the process for investors and reducing the time taken, by at least 65 per cent within the stipulated time frames. In conclusion, Mr. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, HRAWI, said, “These reforms will be a turning point in the economic history of Maharashtra, since Mumbai leads the nation in business tourism and most inbound foreign tourists prefer to relax at night after a hard day. This new policy will not only help the growth of business tourism in Mumbai, but would also promote leisure tourism in places like Tarkarli and Ganpatiphule. This will create a level playing field for Maharashtra alongside states like Goa.”

news updates

expansion

InterGlobe Hotels opens ibis in Jaipur across India, all of which will be operational by 2015.

Speaking on the expansion, Jean-Michel Cassé, Senior Vice President, Operations, Accor India said, “We are extremely delighted with the opening of an ibis hotel within the important precinct of Jaipur. This is a significant move towards our goal of becoming a reference point for economy hotels in the region. ibis Jaipur will provide quality with international standards and accommodation to guests with the reassurance of one of the world’s largest and most respected economy hotel brands. The opening of ibis Jaipur reiterates the importance of India in the expansion strategy for the ibis brand worldwide.”

p Jean-Michel Cassé, Senior Vice President, Operations,Accor India with Rahul Bhatia, Group Managing Director, InterGlobe Enterprises

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nterGlobe Hotels reaffirmed its commitment and confidence in the growing Indian tourism sector by announcing the expansion of ibis, the international economy hotel brand of Accor, with the launch of ibis Jaipur. This marks the opening of the first ibis hotel at a leisure destination.

This is the eighth ibis in India, and the first in the city of Jaipur. Prospects for the ibis brand remain very strong in India, where demand for economy hotels is being driven by significant and consistent growth in domestic travel.

InterGlobe Hotels is ramping up development in Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities with the ibis brand positioning it as the best value international hotel, offering comfortable accommodation at a very affordable price point.

InterGlobe Hotels currently has an active development program for 19 ibis hotels with 3,600 rooms

launch

As a global and modern, yet affordable hotel brand, the ibis brand proudly introduces its first ibis hotel in Jaipur.

The 145-room property is conveniently located in the city center at Civil Lines, in close proximity to the business and shopping districts as well as tourist attractions.

The ibis in Jaipur offers guests first-class facilities and global service standards. For well-priced quality food, the ibis in Jaipur has developed ‘Spice it’ - a casual dining space that offers the best of world cuisine; ‘any flavor, any time’, in an interactive kitchen environment with a choice of buffet and a la carte.

Goa Portuguesa to enter Middle East

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ne of Mumbai’s known Goan restobars, Goa Portuguesa celebrated its 25th anniversary on December 3, 2013. The occasion was marked by a grand celebration and announcement of their plans to go national by opening a chain of restaurants across India and franchises in Middle East nations.

Conceived by owners, Dr. Suhas Awchat and his Goan wife Chef Deepa Awchat in 1988, the restaurant soon blazed into the cultural limelight, becoming a hub for the city’s glitterati and food

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Manish Kakkar has been appointed as the Hotel Manager to spearhead Operations. Manish has been associated with Accor India for the last six years. Prior to his new role, Manish was the Operations Manager at the ibis in Gurgaon and Revenue Manager at Novotel Hyderabad and Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

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connoisseurs. The group thereafter opened two other brands, Culture Curry and Diva Maharashtracha and spread across the city by opening eight more outlets.

“Silver jubilee is a big milestone for any restaurant.

From being a group of restaurants, we will now become a chain with franchisee units across India,” announced Dr. Awchat.

The company intends to franchise Goa Portuguesa pan India and in the Middle East. “We are looking at opening 11 more restaurants in the coming calendar year and 25 over the course of next two years,” says Sudeep Awchat, Executive Director, Goa Portuguesa.

news updates

Laurels

Revival Indian Thali enters Limca Book of Records 2013 Book of Records 2013 for most dishes served in one Thali’, ‘I ate here - Awards 2013 for Best Indian food, Mumbai by Mouthshut - your opinions matter’ and ‘Zomato users’ recommendation for Value for Money – issued for being featured in the Citibank Zomato Restaurant Guide 2012’.

p Groupon Manager Nizam Saifi giving the award to Shail Barot

New Hotel

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roupon India, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois has chosen Revival Indian Thali to be among the top ten awardees for ‘the awesomeness hereby bestowed upon us, in the city of Mumbai, through our patrons’ for 2013. Along with ‘Golden Spoon in 2013’, the Crawford Market Original has entered the ‘Limca

IHG expands with Holiday Inn Amritsar

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nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has marked its presence in Punjab with the opening of Holiday Inn Amritsar Ranjit Avenue, the first Holiday Inn in the State. The 145-room hotel is located in the centre of Amritsar’s premier commercial district, Ranjit Avenue, giving travellers the opportunity to experience everything Amritsar has to offer. The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) is located a short distance away and Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport and railway station are within a 15-minute drive from the hotel.

Commenting on the opening of the hotel Douglas Martell, Vice President, Operations South-West Asia, IHG said,“Both religious and leisure tourism in Amritsar is booming and demand for hotels has never been higher. We are

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Healthy food does not always have to be insipid, while the shift in eating habits today is towards health consciousness. Two out of three Americans are obese and Indians are only struggling not to outnumber them. Revival Indian Thali’s menu items have not only influences from across the country, relished by the millions of healthy vegetarian countrymen, but have been finely tweaked on a variety of traditional health recipes that are Vaat/Pith/Kappa inhibiting. They are using good ingredients grown without chemicals, made with healthy (zero trans-fat) lipids, tested in laboratories from time to time, having state-of-the-art creations for special need guests like Jains and diabetics, served from ‘Kansa’ (gun metal) service-ware on health enhancing ‘Kansa’ crockery, ably assisted by nutrition experts, interspersed with health drinks all the healthy way.

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delighted to bring our Holiday Inn brand to the city. With the central location of the hotel, range of international facilities and best in class service, I am certain it will become a new landmark of hospitality in this city.”

Kunal Shankar, General Manager, Holiday Inn Amritsar Ranjit Avenue said,“Amritsar is already one of India’s most popular religious tourist destinations and we look forward to catering to the demand for an international hotel brand. Our hotel has a winning formula - a contemporary, comfortable hotel, in the centre of the city, combined with great service. Both international and domestic travellers can expect a world-class experience.”

In India, IHG now has 15 hotels open across 10 cities in the country - seven Holiday Inn hotels and Resorts, six Crowne Plaza hotels, one Holiday Inn Express hotel and one InterContinental hotel. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels make up IHG’s biggest proportion of upcoming hotels in the country with 25 Holiday Inn hotels and 16 Holiday Inn Express hotels due to open over the next three to five years.

news updates

AWARD

‘Most Admired HR Professional of the Year’ Award

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ilesh Mitra, Senior Director, Human Resources, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, South Asia has won the ‘Most Admired HR Professional of the Year Award’ at Asian Hotel Industry Awards 2013. He has been awarded for showing exemplary work in his profession by applying the best of HR business modules to manage and keep the company’s missions afloat.

His efforts in developing a sustainable competitive advantage of the talent capital within the Carlson Brand and in today’s hyper-competitive domestic environment have been truly remarkable. He is of the firm view that knowledge development and deployment are truly the catalyst on being the front runner in any competitive scenario. His strengths are reflected in his ability to manage various human capital functions, concurrent handling of multiple issues and leading transformation.

The 3rd Asian Leadership Awards are about Achievers, Super Achievers and Future Business Leaders was held at Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach, Dubai. The award was hosted by Asian Confederation of Business

opening

supported by Star of the Industry Group, endorsed by World CSR Day and Thought Leaders International.

Presented by CMO Asia and CMO Council. Over 36 countries participated and recognised the achievements made by selected corporate Nilesh Mitra Senior Director, Human business leaders in Asia and Resources, Carlson Rezidor honor their great contributions Hotel Group, South Asia towards the industry. All these fine exemplary leaders are mentioned for their impeccable leadership qualities deeming it fit into nation building by their contribution.

Also, over 20 categories recognized the achievements of these selected high profile corporate business leaders.

Jury had received 356 nominations, 184 from India, 172 from rest of Asia, including GCC. The nomination was judged by eminent jury and business leaders from various industries.

V Resorts Fort Auwa opens in Pali

V

Resorts Fort Auwa opened in November 2013, in Pali, 35 km from Jodhpur. The Fort is famous for the 1857 mutiny in Rajasthan that began from Auwa when various Thakurs of Pali region confronted

the British. Fort Auwa was surrounded by the British army and the conflict lasted many days.

Pali is also the land where the Pandavas rested when on exile and sages meditated. The Fort has been renovated keeping in mind its historical presence so that it appears as a relic of the long-gone period, for the adventurous traveller to discover.

Vaibhav Dayal, Co-founder, V Resorts, said,”Such restored forts are few in India where you get a glimpse of a bygone era and you can live in an ambience which brings to life an epoch thousands of years old.

Untouched nature and a rich cultural heritage is what makes Fort Auwa unique and striking.”

The architecture of the Fort is an unusual mix of preMughal traditional Hindu sculpture with neo-colonial, Indo-saracenic style. The old fort is embellished by decorated surfaces, and horseshoe, pointed, and multi foil arches, spires and minarets in a magnificent manner.

The Fort has 19 rooms available to guests as well as a dining area serving authentic Rajasthani cuisine.

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cover story

Procurement

Best Practices 24

December 2013 I

cover story

Procurement managers hold a vital role in any business. Talented procurement managers can make all the difference in making or breaking the profit margins of any hotel. Some of their key responsibilities include close control of purchasing budgets, negotiating with suppliers and ensuring that delivery schedules are met.

Kanchan Nath

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rocurement managers across the country, reveal to FHRAI Magazine, their best practices and green initiatives that procurement managers and vendors can take up. How does the procurement manager source products to cater to the exotic taste? We find out about the criterion that procurement managers use for new product introductions and to improve sourcing; the challenges they face in supply chain management; expectations from the supply chain management logistic companies; and how hard it is to maintain supplier relationship management, with the dwindling value of the rupee and rising food costs. We also find out about the latest innovations in technology to adapt to better processes and understand guest needs and trends.

n Green Initiatives

Bharanidharan Ramaswamy, Director of Procurement, Marriott Hotels India, believes that procurement managers and vendors have a very important role to play in green initiatives and carbonfootprint reduction. Some of the quick methods that can be adopted are as follows: 1) Using eco-friendly chemicals, eco-friendly garbage disposable bags, energy-saving light bulbs and recyclable packing material/papers; 2) Reducing number of deliveries by proper planning to help decrease transportation cost and fuel consumption; 3) Usage of biogas generation through organic waste; 4) Improving electronic communication with suppliers instead of printing papers; 5) Eco-friendly room amenities such as bath gel, soap, shampoo, etc.; 6) Improve usage of organic vegetable and fruits and usage of organic cotton for bed and bath linen.

n Procuring Global Flavours Locally Ramaswamy added,“Past experiences show that we have local options available for many imported product categories. These products can be

promoted to guests with the support of chefs and through various food promotions and activities at hotels.

Some of the examples are as follows: Domestic cheese instead of imported cheese; domestic poultry instead of imported poultry; domestic bakery/ confectionery instead of imported bakery/ confectionery; domestic sausages instead of imported sausages; domestic spring water instead of imported spring water; domestic canned food instead of imported canned foods etc.

n Introducing New Products

Criteria for new product introduction and vendor development varies from one product category to another. Some of the criteria to be taken into consideration are consolidation, standardisation, quality, service, environmental-friendly, price, domestic options to replace imported

ones. He added,“This criteria further help us in improving quality, cost and services.”

n Supply Chain Management Challenges According to an independent study, more than 30 per cent of the fruits and vegetable grown in India (40 million tonnes amounting to $13 billion) get wasted annually due to gaps in cold chain like poor infrastructure, insufficient cold storage capacity, unavailability of cold storage in close proximity of farms and poor transportation infrastructure, etc. Ramaswamy said,“Though we see steady development in this area, we still have a long way to go for supply chain management categories such as dairy, meat, seafood, fresh fruit and vegetable supplies. Some of the basic expectations from supply chain management logistics companies are: 1) Spending time in educating their suppliers, employees (drivers, warehouse staff, etc.) on the importance of quality product delivery; 2) Investing in cold storage and refrigerated transportation by taking the benefit of government subsidiary schemes; 3) Following Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulation while supplying products to hotels.”

n Rising Food Costs

We still have a long way to go for supply chain management categories such as dairy, meat, seafood, fresh fruit and vegetable supplies” Bharanidharan Ramaswamy Director of Procurement, Marriott Hotels India

Ramaswamy said,“Some methods that help maintain the food cost are: 1) Consolidation of procurement (product consolidation/supplier consolidation); 2) Localisation (domestic options in the place of imported options); 3) Bulk purchasing (bigger pack sizes) and stock keeping unit (SKU) rationalisation; 4) Procurement from the source instead of traders; 5) Focus on national contracts instead of global contracts.”

He added,“Supplier relationship can be managed with frequent interaction and feedback on areas of improvement and appreciation. One of the recommended method is to ensure all important suppliers are evaluated regularly for

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Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) softwares and as they are expensive and replacing the legacy ones entail huge cost and effort. However, it is necessary to integrate the old traditional system amongst the company and supplier and other channel partners.”

their performance, by user department and reporting to purchase department, against every order for their quality supplies, timely supplies and fulfillment.

This method is called supplier performance evaluation process and helps avoid surprises at the time of contract renewals and eradicate individual perceptions about the suppliers.”

l Harnessing Technology

n Harnessing Technology

Ramaswamy concluded, “We are working on strengthening the material control systems at all our hotels. A new IT tool is being developed by our global IT team to help us consolidate volumes, control inventories and reduce procurement process time. We have a practice of regularly taking feedback from guests called Guest Satisfaction Survey (GSS).

Through this tool, our hotels try to capture the guest’s needs and trends.” *** *** *** *** ***

l Green Initiatives

Asheem Suri, Purchase Manager, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini said, “For any business to survive in this challenging environment, it is imperative to be committed to the ecosystem by opting for green initiatives and reducing the carbon footprint. We ensure that we place bulk orders for any item purchased so that minimal packaging is used and the cost incurred is less. Vendors are inquired about and requested to use environmental-friendly products wherever possible. This helps in reducing hazardous waste. Emphasis is put on suppliers to take back and reuse/recycle their packaging waste. Only biodegradable cleaning products and certified organic produce is used in all areas of the hotel.

We also make sure that items and services are sourced locally to reduce the impact on environment and to benefit the community. Vendors are advised to use low emission transmitting and eco-friendly vehicles to deliver the goods.”

l Procuring Global Flavours Locally Suri added,“Delhi is a multicultural city, with a base for different cultures that include South Indians, Gujaratis, Punjabis, Bengalis and people from North-East India. Each of these communities is

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We also make sure that items and services are sourced locally to reduce the impact on environment and to benefit the community” Asheem Suri Purchase Manager, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Rohini situated in a specific colony/area of Delhi where you can find their local products with many exotic food options. Numerous vendors are available, supplying key ingredients in these local markets such as Khari Baoli, INA, Ghazipur, Chandni Chowk, etc. Many hypermarkets and large wholesale stores are also a viable choice. Options for organic stores and its acceptance are also increasing in the city.”

Suri concluded,“Dedicated software systems are in place to make the process more accurate and efficient, it also aligns the vendor-buyer relation and makes information sharing more accurate. We surely make full use of social media to gather information about new innovations and upcoming trends. A forum of purchase managers within India is also a good knowledge sharing base which is wellmanaged through emails.” *** *** *** *** ***

n Green Initiatives

Naresh Kumar, General Manager Materials Management, Lemon Tree Hotels said,“Our new projects are now halogenfree. We have now completely moved to CFL and LED lighting in our new hotels. As a result, the per sq. ft. operating cost for electricity has come down substantially.

l Supply Chain Management Challenges Telling us about Supply Chain Management (SCM), he said,“Generally a supply chain consists of different functions, i.e., logistics, inventory, purchasing and procurement, production, planning, etc. Despite the extensive research carried out in the area of supply chain management all over the world, SCM practices have not been well adopted in a developing country like ours yet. The key factor of supplier relation management is to streamline the process between a company and a supplier and make it more effective. Not all companies can afford to deploy the recent Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP),

Food cost control, ability to procure and store over a long period, and opportunistic buying will be key to curb food cost” Naresh Kumar General Manager - Materials Management, Lemon Tree Hotels

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The minimal incremental cost in capital expenditure (only `50 lakh is spent on lighting and light fixtures for a 400-room inventory), will be offset by the payback in savings from operating cost in a span of three years – assuming an 8 per cent growth in commercial electricity costs yearon-year. The lower cost on lighting fixtures in capital expenditure is also a result of our efforts in developing vendors out of China with whom we are on ‘bulk purchase’ agreements. We have also start putting BMS in our projects which control the electricity consumption. Plumbing items are purchased as per green building norms.”

n Procuring Global Flavours Locally Kumar said,“Surely we should procure local products which matches the exotic tastes of customers. Guests must be briefed by the staff on the shop floor about the quality of indigenous products and this in turn would boost local procurement.”

n Introducing New Products

He added,“New products are developed in coordination with the relevant function head and is based on subject-area expertise. We have developed many items pertaining to plumbing, light fixture, adjustable basin for the disabled, etc., along with our Projects head and our Housekeeping head.”

n Supply Chain Management Challenges He added,“We import many items at the project stage, which involve payment of foreign currency. As the US dollar exchange rate against the Indian rupee has gone up by 20 per cent, we are facing issues with logistics companies, when it comes to deciding the freight rates. My expectation from logistics companies is that they should charge reasonably even in this economic environment.”

n Maintaining Supplier Relationships Kumar said,“Last year has been one of the most challenging years for the hotel industry. One of Lemon Tree Group’s biggest hotel openings is of Delhi Aerocity.

This project was slated to open in January 2013, but due to a revision in Government policy, the project got delayed by a number of months. This meant staggering the

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arrival of various imported equipment/ supplies. The dual impact, with the dollar price rising was to find a way to maintain the same rates despite these two factors.”

n Rising Food Costs

Kumar added,“Due to inflation, we have faced challenges to convince our food supplies vendors to maintain the same rates. One of the biggest challenges I foresee in the future will be food inflation.

With a rising population and shrinking farming area as well as unpredictable weather patterns – we see food inflation growing to a high of 12-15 per cent.

Food cost control and the ability to procure and store over a long period coupled with opportunistic buying will be key to retaining food cost within limits.

We are actively considering centralised refrigerated warehousing in clusters (northern region, southern region, etc.) for semi-perishable items – like rice, oil and others. We are doing a cost-benefit analysis to examine holding costs versus perishability versus transport costs.”

n Harnessing Technology

Kumar concluded,“We are working on a web-based MMS application which will provide access to all MMS applications centrally. We do take feedback from our suppliers and for that we have designed vendor feedback forms internally, which we review every year. Regarding guest needs, the Marketing team and Operations team does continuous research with them and comes to us for new requirements and new ideas. We then work on sourcing these items at the best possible price.” *** *** *** *** ***

l Green Initiatives

Malcom Sequeira, Corporate Head Purchase and Controls, Foodlink Services India, said,“Procurement managers and vendors can take up many basic initiatives to reduce carbon footprints: 1) Reduce purchase orders on hard copy and instead use mails and system PO’s to communicate orders, thereby reducing paper and saving trees; 2) Number of deliveries can be kept to bare minimum per month by planning inventories and stocking long shelf life products, thus helping in reducing transport cost for vendors and getting better price for the

The purchase manager can buy certain items in bulk, to give the vendor and the buyer best quality, at the least price” Malcom Sequeira Corporate Head - Purchase and Controls, Foodlink Services India buyer; 3) Recycling stationery items like papers/pens/cartridges by purchasing from reliable and cost-effective sources; 4) By educating the production team to composite food and non-food wastages; 5) Reducing wastage of disposable containers and plastic water bottles; 6) Reducing power consumption by switching off lights, air conditioners, desktops when not required, as well as use low maintenance solar power; 7) Try finishing work effectively within office hours and having common break times for lunch and tea; Management should initiate an extra day off in a month during peak summer days to reduce consumption of electricity and water in office; 8) Use star-rated fuel efficient consumable equipments; 9) Use waterless urinals; 10) Car pooling of employees; 11) Using CFL’s (Compact Fluorescent Lights); 12) Usage of light sensors or motion detectors; 13) Compostable utensils, cups and plates.”

l Procuring Global Flavours Locally Sequeira said, “Local is always the best choice as you are confident about the stocks and availability of the material and the cost of transportation is low. Guests

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usually prefer hygienic and tasty food and would always prefer well-prepared and well-presented dishes. Guests with exotic tastes can also be diverted with proper presentation and hot tasty meals. In case there are guests who insist on exotic items, they are now readily available at many retail outlets and malls and it is not very difficult for a purchase manager to procure such items, if required and if informed, well in advance. Also there are a lot of importers who carry an inventory of exotic items that are regularly required by restaurants and hotels.”

l Introducing New Products

He said that,“New product introductions could be done by regularly attending trade exhibitions, food festivals, data from manufacturer association magazines, material catalogues, trade directories, newspaper ads, salesman visits, market surveys, etc. Vendor developments can be done by meeting multiple vendors discussing their products, visiting their godowns or warehouses to check hygiene and capacities.”

He added,“This will subsequently make you more confident in dealing with vendors for their reliability, quality and timely service. Select the right vendors by getting reference feedback from the market. Develop new suppliers by giving them the payments at the right time, educate them on quality, price, delivery times, service, technical ability, product knowledge and educate vendors, about the in-house standards and specifications.”

by buying certain items in bulk, if possible, which will give the vendor and buyer a chance to get the best quality at the least price. He needs to also substitute high-value imported goods with equally best local items without compromising on the quality and presentation of the menu items. Supplier relationships can be maintained by discussing and giving the vendor the confidence of consistent business and timely payment commitments. Good relations can be maintained by respecting their time, meeting them with prior appointments and helping them to understand your requirements according to your standard and specifications.” *** *** *** *** ***

n Green Initiatives

Sanjay Verghese, Director - Materials, The Imperial, New Delhi, said the best practices and green initiatives that procurement managers and vendors can take up specifically is, checking on pack sizes to reduce packaging cost.

n Catering to Exotic Tastes

He added,“The purchasing department is a facilitator for the operations, and

l Supply Chain Management Challenges He said that, “Supply chain management is not a guarantee that all your issues will be taken care of. We need to expect that the supply chain management companies will alter their services according to the client’s needs by discussing the flexibility of delivery and payment issues. Resolve to get the best quality products at reasonable prices.”

l Maintaining Supplier Relationships

Procurement managers and vendors should specifically start checking on pack sizes, to reduce packaging cost”

Sequeira added, “With food costs rising due to devaluation of rupee, the purchase manager has to balance his procurement

Sanjay Verghese Director - Materials The Imperial New Delhi

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keeping this philosophy in view, the purchasing team is always expected to fulfill the requirements of the chefs. In case of exotic requirements, we have contacts in the farms and keep in touch with the various internet forums on food.”

n Introducing New Products

Verghese said,“Since I joined the industry as a management trainee with Taj Hotels, I trained in kitchens too, which has tremendously impacted my style of functioning. We, at the Imperial, always encourage new suppliers and get the samples whenever possible, for testing by the chefs to get their feedback on the products, and coordinate meetings with the user departments and the suppliers to ensure all possible exchange of information about the products which helps the kitchen team to make decisions.”

n Supply Chain Management Challenges He said,“As a purchasing professional, my expectations from my suppliers is that they deliver the right products at the committed price in the committed time frame.”

n Rising Food Prices

He said,“For the last one year, there has been a never before experienced pressure in the market, especially the impact of the changing seasonal patterns, natural calamities like floods, increase in petroleum prices, and varying rupee-dollar parity. All these resulted in a negative pull and has created a suction which is not allowing the suppliers any leeway. This has resulted in a constant pressure on the purchase department with price increase requests. At the Imperial, we have always worked with a long-term perspective on business, most of our regular suppliers have been reasonable and have given price increases only in very rare cases.”

He added,“However the rates of commodities wherein there have been upheavals’ like fruits and vegetables, milk products, imported goods, we have supported our suppliers.”

n Harnessing Technology

He concluded,“The purchasing department has access to internet and are encouraged to keep a look out for new products by signing up on the latest forums and networking, resulting in RSS feeds which

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are constantly updated. We also are members of the Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum (HPMF), a national network of purchasing professionals and are constantly in touch with most of the Hospitality Purchasing Managers.” *** *** *** *** ***

l Green Initiatives

Rajesh Nair, Materials Manager, ibis & Novotel Bengaluru Techpark, Bengaluru said,“Best practices and green initiative in procurement is a integral part of almost all the organisations and cannot be achieved independently.”

The following are some of the best practices he follows: 1) Introduction of bulk packaging whereever consumption is higher; 2) Initiating a training process for the vendors on best hygiene practices and new FSSAI guidelines; 3) Taking initial steps to conduct regular supplier audits by a third-party in order to better the supplier performance in different parameters.

On the green initiative front, they have also implemented a lot of steps which have reduced the carbon footprint of their hotel. These include: 1) Introduction of bio-degradable bags in our operations; 2) Recycling of cartridges with the help of Hewlett Packard (HP) through their HP planet programme; 3) Disposal of used batteries in an eco-friendly manner with the help of Eveready.

He added,“If the manufacturer does not support recycling or disposal, we have appointed an agency called E–Parisara.

They collect the electrical waste like bulbs and tubes and dispose the same in an eco-friendly manner, as per the existing norms from the pollution control board.”

l Catering to Exotic Tastes

Rajesh Nair said,“We cannot apply the principle of localisation in all the cases. As we are all aware, compared to international products, Indian products lag behind on many aspects like quality, packing, etc. Hence, 100 per cent of

For most ingredients, prices went up by 15-20 per cent, causing the suppliers to stop supplying as per the agreed contract pricing” Rajesh Nair Materials Manager, ibis & Novotel Bengaluru Techpark

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localisation in the hospitality industry will take more time. But wherever possible we try and promote and locally source the products which can pamper our guest’s requirements. As per planet 21 Programme of Accor, it is mandatory that we have to source and promote local products in our restaurants.”

l Supply Chain Management Challenges Rajesh Nair said,“SCM is an integral part of any industry whether it is a manufacturing or service industry. They help us to manage our day-to-day operations. As a part of any other system, SCM logistic companies also have some drawbacks at the present scenario. On the service industry front, the main problem is the delivery timings which many of the companies cannot fulfill. And another drawback is the cold chain cycle which many companies cannot follow apart from the basic hygienic issues.”

l Rising Food Prices

He said, “Devaluation of rupee against dollar and other currencies had a very bad impact on our food cost and related expenses. For almost all the ingredients, the prices had gone up by 15-20 per cent, which caused the suppliers to stop supplying as per the agreed contract pricing. We have used some techniques like increasing our par stock level to the maximum and requested suppliers to supply the stock which they already hold and has a longer shelf life; this was used instead of vendor-managed inventory. We have used our duty-free licence for getting maximum items on direct import basis or on high-sea sale basis. On the other hand, we had meetings with our existing vendors and in genuine cases, we have given price hike to a certain extent to help them reduce their losses.”

l Harnessing Technology

Rajesh Nair concluded, “We use e-procurements and reverse auctions.

We depend on Google for searching on products and websites like msamb.com, w.e2necc.com, agmarknet.nic.in. to find the raw materials prices and sites such as nextlevelpurchasing.com for our learning and training requirements.” *** *** *** *** ***

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n Green Initiatives

Sameer Nair, Purchase Manager, JW Marriott, Mumbai, said that their green initiatives include:1) Minimising the deliveries by consolidating the products and reducing vendor base. This way, number of vehicles movement will be reduced, paper work of back offices will reduce, etc; 2) Company’s involved in central warehousing and logistics can setup a central warehouse, wherein all vendors from outside the city can deliver to this single warehouse and all consignment from various vendors can be delivered in a single vehicle. This can lead to saving in fuel, also reduce the traffic congestion & air pollution; 3) Improvement in processes, for e.g., minimise the number of orders for general products, for e.g., stationeries, cleaning supplies, guest amenities, etc.; 4) Alliance management with vendor for best practice and better ideas.

n Introducing New Products

Telling us about sourcing new products, he said,“We have a system of sample approval format, wherein details of new products are mentioned along with the details of existing products. Also details of cost, i.e., savings or expenses are

mentioned. Comments and approvals are obtained from user department heads and then we proceed further. We also have a process of blind sampling, wherein the comments are obtained by user department head without providing the information of brand, country of origin, etc.”

He added,“Supplier development programme encourages constant communications with our suppliers to better understand the role they play in success of our mutual benefit.

There are generally five steps of vendor development, i.e., planning, implementation, measurement, improvement and recognition.”

n Supply Chain Management Challenges Sameer Nair said,“Failure in supplies and consistency is a major challenge. To manage ’Just in time’ process without support and process of supply-chain is very difficult. It is necessary to have ontime supplies, wherein we can track the location of delivery schedules online and online access to vendor inventory.”

n Rising Food Costs

He said,“It is very important to save outflow of foreign currency and spend more on local products to increase the GDP. We have started working on sourcing and developing products manufactured locally of international standards without compromising in quality and services.We share and enjoy good rapport with all our vendors by meeting them regularly and acknowledging how important they are for our success of our business.”

n Harnessing Technology

It is necessary to have on-time supplies, wherein we can track the location of delivery schedules online” Sameer Nair Purchase Manager JW Marriott Mumbai

He said,”We have created a common platform, amongst our forum of purchase managers across Asia Pacific Marriott hotels, which is called TEAM SHARE. Through this, we share details of best practices amongst entire region. We also share the minutes of purchase strategy meetings held across the region. This has really helped us in coming up with some great ideas, new vendors, innovative products, process, etc. Marriott has a strong team globally which works constantly to create milestone in guest need, trend creation and ultimately resulting in best guest satisfaction.”

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ICF hosts 10th Annual Metro Chef Awards 2013 The culinary fraternity got together for the annual awards ceremony on November 23, 2013, the International Chefs Day, organised by the Indian Culinary Forum (ICF) at the Hotel Ashok, New Delhi.

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1. Winners of 10th Annual Chef Awards 2013 2. L-R, Chef Suman Sharma & Chef Vikas Khanna 3. L-R, Chef Vikas Khanna & Chef Manjit Gill 4. L-R, Chef Vivek Saggar & Chef Sanjeev Kapoor 5. Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for HRD, and Rajeev Bakshi, MD, METRO Cash and Carry honouring Chef Satish Arora with METRO Lifetime Achievement Award

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6. L-R, Chef Davinder Kumar, Anil Bhandari & Shashi Tharoor 7. L-R, Winner of Master Chef International Confectionery- Chef Pawan Saxena, Chef Kunal Kapoor & Winner of Silver Hat Award - Chef Sabyasachi Gorai 8. L-R, Chef Manjit Gill, Anil Bhandari, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor & Zorawar Kalra

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he Chief Guest at the award ceremony was Shashi Tharoor, Minister for HRD. The festivities kicked-off on November 23, 2013, with the seasoned chefs competing with each other in different categories each day.

The four-day long, Trade Test for Chef Awards’13, was judged by Chef Virender

1. L-R,Winner of Student Chef of the Year - Megha Agarwal, Anil Bhandari, Chairperson, ICF & Shashi Tharoor 2. Unveiling of the magazine ‘Incredible Chef’ 3. Winner of Lifetime Achievement Award - Chef Satish Arora 4. Winner of Silver Hat Award - Chef Sabyasachi Gorai 5. Sunanda Pushkar 6. Students gathered at Chef Summit with Chef Davinder Kumar 7. L-R, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor & Chef Davinder Kumar

S Datta, Chairperson, Jury and other ICF committee members, Chef Gill, Chef Jitender Uppal, Chef Davinder Kumar, Chef Vivek Saggar, Chef Shaju Zacharia to name a few. The competition is organised to bring Indian chefs at par with their counterparts in the developed western world and to make them eligible

to take part in international culinary competitions worldwide.

The Indian Culinary Forum was formed in New Delhi in 1987, as an exclusive non-profit-making organisation, dedicated solely to the advancement of the culinary art in India.

Award Categories º Silver Hat Chef Award: Chef Sabyasachi Gorai º Lifetime Achievement Award (Jury Award): Chef Satish Arora º Master Chef International Cuisine Award: Chef Kishan Singh Rawat º Master Chef Oriental Cuisine Award: Chef Anand Rawat º Kitchen Artist Award: Chef Chittaranjan Jena º Master Chef North India Cuisine Award: Chef Saurabh Sachdeva º Master Chef Indian Sweets Award: Chef Dharmender º Master Chef International Confectionary Award: Chef Pawan Saxena º Master Chef Kebab Award: Chef Govind Ram Arya º Chef of the Year Award: Chef Pankaj Kumar º Master Chef Baker Award: Chef Javed Alam º Master Chef South India Cuisine Award: Chef F P Girish Kumar º Student Chef of the Year Award: Megha Agarwal º Best Food Writer Award (Jury Award): Hoihnu Hauzel

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analysis

: y r t s u d n I y t i l a t i p s Ho

d n E r a Ye ysis l a n A

find lity groups to a it sp o h d n a nt hotels 3 has rrent year 201 ch with differe u cu to e in th t w o o g h e d n nology, an FHRAI Magazi grades in tech p u , 4 1 0 2 r fo das n Nath out their agen whole. Kancha a s a ry st u d in and the been for them

n Shervani

Hospitality

S M Shervani, MD, Shervani Hospitality and President, FHRAI, said,“We feel in the last 20 years we have gained the expertise for both business and resort hotels of 40-60 rooms. Our focus will be on the mid-segment and budget hotels in this category to take them on management contracts and provide them with professional sales and services. We are also looking to purchase land for mid-segment

>> Snapshot » 2014: Adding management contracts and acquiring land for new mid-segment hotels » 2013: Launched Shervani Kitchen for outdoor catering » Challenges: Natural calamities, low occupancies and economic slowdown

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hotels with the hope of getting them ready by 2017.”

Telling us about technology advancements, he said, “We have upgraded our software in all computer systems. We are

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abreast with internet marketing and realise that social media is a major tool for marketing and sales and are planning to increase our presence in this area.”

Telling us about 2013, he said,“The year 2013 has been full of challenges for our group.

Because of the unfortunate flood situation in Uttarakhand our hotel in Nainital faced a drop in occupancy. In fact, the summer season of June took a beating due to the constant S M Shervani coverage of Uttarakhand floods MD, Shervani Hospitality even though areas like Nainital, Mussoorie, Almora, Ranikhet and Corbett were not affected by it at all. We had increased our inventory in Nainital last year and were expecting to do well in this season. However, we did manage to hold on our own and recover through aggressive sales and marketing. The Delhi hotels continue to face stiff competition due to the increase in the inventory in the NCR as well as the economic slowdown both in India and abroad. In 2013, we launched Shervani Kitchen, outdoor catering due to the constant demand of our customers in both Rodeo and Nainital to do so. This year, there has been a slight downfall. Next year, we feel there would be a slight increase.

However, slowdown would continue for a year.”

Talking about the industry as a whole, he said, “The year 2013 has not been a great year for the hospitality industry as a whole. The corporate and leisure markets have been hit by the slowdown, whenever there is an economic decline. The hospitality industry is the first to be hit. Cutting of costs by corporate and leisure travellers has resulted in lower occupancies.”

analysis

n Jaypee

Hotels

S M Azmat, Sr. Jt. President, Sales & Marketing, Jaypee Hotels said,“For the year 2014, consolidation of business and occupancy for our hotels would be the top agenda for us. Keeping in view the increased supply of rooms in the markets where we are present, we shall compete with our strong products and outstanding service delivery. The year 2014 seems positive. We are expecting to have an increase of 10 per cent business this year from the domestic business and leisure travel, with increase in MICE as well.”

Talking about the technology advancements, he said, “We have introduced the

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latest technologies for our system, properties and personnel management already.

We have also introduced latest technology in our hotels with respect to communication, business management as well as guest feedback management to ensure constant monitoring and up gradation.”

year. The expectations have been met with what the industry had forecast.”

Talking about the industry as a whole, he said, “The hotel industry in India is going through an interesting phase. With tremendous pull of opportunity, India has become a favourite destination for international hotel chains looking for Talking about 2013 for growth. Though it was an averthe Jaypee group, he age growth year for the Indian said,“Jaypee Hotels witeconomy, India is a destination nessed a positive growth for investment and expansion for year with overall increase of many sectors, which contributed 10 per cent in guests stayS M Azmat Sr. Jt. President – Sales & positively to the hotel industry. ing across our properties.

Marketing, Jaypee Hotels The rapid growth in domestic, The hotel industry is inextrileisure and business travel has also helped cably linked to the tourism industry and the occupancy growth in hotels.” the growth in the Indian tourism industry has fuelled the growth of the Indian hotel “Therefore, the outlook for the Indian industry. The year 2013 has been good for all our properties at Agra, Mussoorie, hospitality industry looks good in the Delhi and Greater Noida. The business short-term as well as long-term. With the witnessed a recovery from the previous opening of economy and trade, there is an overall improvement in quality standards of materials in the product offering by >> Snapshot hospitality industry. In addition, with fast growth of international chains entering the market, the competition is making all » 2014: Target, 10% growth in hospitality players to raise the bar to the business best internationally. The industry is also addressing the challenges of the discern» 2013: Achieved, 10% growth in ing, well-informed travellers, both domesbusiness tic and international with multiple choices in terms of level of comforts, cuisines, » Challenges: Competition is making all hospitality players raise the bar safety and recognition,” he concluded.

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>> Snapshot » 2014: Move more traffic online » 2013: Occupancies higher than last year » Challenges: Natural calamities, general uncertainty in the market

nV

Resorts

Vaibhav Dayal, Co-Founder & Managing Director, V Resorts said,“In 2014, we want to move more traffic online and increase the occupancies further. Our segment is ‘offbeat leisure resorts/cottages’, and we are pretty upbeat about the prospects.

Though there is an element caution, given the general uncertainty in the market.”

Talking about technology upgradation, he said,“We have invested in a CRM system along with a host of technology tools. In the coming year, we plan to improve our reporting systems. We are also planning significant service innovations, to improve the customer’s

delight.” Talking about 2013, he said,“It has been a pretty good year for us. Our occupancy is significantly higher than last year. It would have been close to double of last year, except for the Uttarakhand tragedy, which affected us badly in months after June. However, business has picked up since October and overall this year is better than last year. We have seen the ARR rising by about 10 per cent over Vaibhav Dayal Co-Founder & Managing last year.”

Director, V Resorts

analysis

n Zuri

Hotels & Resorts

smartphone-based app which Stephen Beale, SVP-Operations, Zuri guests can use on-the-move for Hotels & Resorts said,“Zuri Hotels & making room reservations or restaurant table reservations.

Resorts will focus on customer loyalty by improving our customer relationship Using this app, guest can management, upgrading our guest receive updates on Zuri events information system and making it more and promotions along with dynamic. Focus on training for all the other important information. associates with better empowerment They can also share their travel experience on social media for immediate and promoting ownership aggressively feedback. Our Zuri website is among the team would help compatible with all devices us in retaining our fair market - iPad, Mac, mobile and share among the competition. desktop. Hence, our guests We intend to aggressively can log in to and check our expand our client base across website and updates at any segments which would be given time. This offering is in through direct marketing pipeline and we will soon be initiatives. The challenge the launching it.” industry continues to face is the infrastructure, which badly Stephen Beale SVP-Operations Telling us about this year, he needs to improve. Another Zuri Hotels & Resorts said,“2013 for the group, has challenge lies in delivering good experiences for the guests when been a difficult year with very minimal there is a talent shortage. The hotels will growth in revenues except for Goa which have to concentrate on making guests has done quite well for us. In terms of feel at home and ensure that they stay total revenue, the unit witnessed a 15 per connected with the world with the help of cent growth for Q1 & Q2 compared to the same period in 2012, Kumarakom, Kerala technology. The digital space in the form has shown a marginal growth. In terms of of social media will be the key trend in the total revenue, the unit witnessed a 4 per hospitality sector.” cent growth compared to same Talking about technology upgradation, period 2012. Bengaluru has witnessed a he said,“To facilitate guests, Zuri Hotels drop in terms of total revenue by & Resorts is soon going to introduce 5 per cent compared to same period

Particulars

Goa Goa 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr

Paid Occupancy % 82.44% 69.10% Average Room Rate (INR) 5,146 5,061

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Bengaluru Bengaluru 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr

Kumarakom Kumarakom 1st Qtr 2nd Qtr

62.26% 5,379

61.10% 6,615

60.05% 5,229

64.54% 6,805

2012–2013. Goa has seen a reasonably good overall market segment growth which is encouraging. Our Kumarakom unit has seen a good growth in the Middle East market, as well as domestic market.

Bengaluru continues to feel the pressure on the rates due to increased supply in the city as well as Whitefield.”

Talking about the industry as a whole, he said, “With uncertain demand conditions and further supply additions it has been a very difficult year for the Indian hotel industry, where margins have halved over the last five years. The first seven to eight months, the FTA has been slow, though we are optimistic for the third quarter.”

>> Snapshot » 2014: Sustained GDS media campaigns, focus on customer loyalty, direct marketing initiatives » 2013: Difficult year except for Goa property » Challenges: Rising prices of commodities, lack of talent and manpower and lack of infrastructure

analysis

n Sarovar

Hotels

Sajid Mahmood, Vice President, Marketing, Sarovar Hotels reveals the agenda for 2014. He said,“Sarovar Hotels continues to grow. We plan to add more hotels to our portfolio in 2014 with an additional capacity of around 700 rooms.”

build is more energy-efficient than the previous one. With the help of technology, we are making all efforts to reduce our carbon footprints.”

Talking about occupancies in 2013, he said,“We did not witness a decline but there wasn’t satisfactory growth either. We expect the next Telling us about new technolyear to be better.” Telling ogies adopted, he said,“We us about the past year he said, “Sarovar launched have adopted technology in three hotels in 2013. The order to build greener and main challenge that we more energy-efficient hotels.

Sajid Mahmood are facing is of increased So every new hotel that we Vice President – Marketing, Sarovar Hotels supply in most cities. This widens the gap between demand and >> Snapshot supply, thus putting pressure on prices and profitability. We believe that this is a momentary issue that will level out » 2014: Target of adding 700 rooms soon.” Talking about the hospitality industry as a whole he said,“Overall, the » 2013: Launched three hotels industry has grown but profitability has been under stress due to increase » Challenges: Gap between demand in capacity.” and supply

We have adopted technology in order to build greener and more energy-efficient hotels

analysis

n Clarks Inn Group of Hotels S N Srivastava, President, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels said,“Developing and expanding our footprint will continue to be at the core of our focus along with growing new avenues of business for our hotels in the new year. Looking at the kind of developments we have in pipeline, we are expecting a robust growth in 2014.

Besides, we are also planning to make an international foray in 2014 with an office in Singapore, which will not only help us in attracting new businesses from the international market but also help us expand our footprints globally. We are targeting a portfolio of 100 properties by the year 2015-16, and we are well on the course.”

Talking about technology advancements, he said,“We have constantly kept up with the needs and the innovations that have been expected from us in the wake of the growth

>> Snapshot » 2014: Opening office in Singapore and targetting 100 properties by the year 2015-16 » 2013: Signed 12 new properties and launched the serviced apartment brand ‘Clarks Residences’ » Challenges: Rupee devaluation and over supply of hotel inventory in some of the markets

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that the company has witnessed over the years. We now have a very comprehensive central reservation system (CRS) in place and have also strengthened booking through our channel partners this year. In the second phase, which we will implement in 2014, we are looking at integrating all the units with the CRS.” Talking about the year 2013, he said,“We have had an extremely good year, as Clarks Inn Group of Hotels signed 12 new properties. Five of these properties are already operational. On the business front also we are satisfied with the outcome.

Despite the weak economic sentiments currently prevailing, we look set to buck the trend and close the year almost at par with 2012.”

Highlight: Looking at the strong demand there is for long-stay accommodations in the market, Clarks Inn launched the serviced apartment brand ‘Clarks Residences’ earlier this year. This is the fourth brand in our portfolio and the first such addition since we forayed in hotel operation and management vertical more than eight years ago. The response for the brand has been overwhelming as we have signed five ‘Clarks Residences’ totalling about 1150 keys in less than 6 months.

Challenges: A weak economic sentiment, rupee devaluation and oversupply of hotel inventory in some of the markets, have been the key challenges lately.

Talking about occupancies and ARRs, he said,“We are yet to get the final figures but from what we have seen in the first nine months, both ARR and occupancy have gone down by 5-6 per cent. However, looking at the measures that we have taken to counter the slide, we are beginning to see a recovery and hope to close the year almost at par with the last year figures. We see a continuation S N Srivastava of 2013 the next President, Clarks Inn Group of Hotels year also. However, I think 2015 will bring greater cheer to hotels across the country from across sectors, be it corporate, leisure, inbound or other.”

Talking about the industry as a whole, he said,“Our estimate suggests that overall the industry has witnessed 4-5 per cent slowdown in business because of a weak economic sentiment, rupee devaluation and over supply of hotel inventory. The good news is that India continues to be one of the fastest growing economies and this augurs well for us as the corporate business will continue to grow. Also India’s popularity as a leisure destination is growing in profile and this can be seen in the growth that inbound has registered at close to 6 per cent, way above the world average.”

gm canvas

Staying

ahead of competition

The Accor group recently opened its seventh Novotel in Ahmedabad, India. Novotel is the mid-scale hotel brand of Accor. Novotel Ahmedabad is Accor’s 23rd hotel to open in India.

FHRAI Magazine gets in touch with Sandeep Johri, General Manager, Novotel Ahmedabad and Sandit Shah, Director of Sales and Marketing, Novotel Ahmedabad to find out more.

T

elling us about the USP of the hotel, Johri said,“Novotel Ahmedabad’s main USP is its location. We are located close to the commercial, industrial hub and retail precincts of the city on S G Highway and is just 30 minutes away from the airport. In spite of being an international brand, we are well integrated with the local requirement, and have designed the product which has a contemporary outlook with high level of service delivery.”

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Type of Room

Superior Room Junior Suite Studio Suite Master Suite

Rack Rates (INR) Single Double 8,000* 9,000* 10,000* 12,000* 15,000*

*Prices are subject to change

He added,“We have a perfect mix for both business and leisure travellers. Novotel’s concept of ‘Family at Novotel’ is specially designed for people travelling along with their families.” Accommodation and breakfast are free for kids below 16 years of age who can share a room with their parents or grandparents. “A dedicated kids play area, kids pool, specialised menu along with special activities for kids in our signature restaurant The Square are few of the unique features.”

Novotel has launched a new concept – Eureka. It has been aimed at business men and women for whom discussion and creativity are central for any successful meeting. “Keeping that in mind, we have invented an all-inclusive solution

which fosters mental well-being, boosts energy, and increases productivity,” Johri elaborates.

Talking about their business strategy and targets, he said,“Since we have just opened our doors, our main target is to increase the market penetration index (MPI) and to ensure that our MPI is better than our fair share. But nevertheless, we want to position our product as a premium hospitality destination in the market. This would be possible with the right price positioning with little or no gap between guest expectations and delivery of services.

We would like to spread and consolidate our market base in the corporate segment and leverage our banqueting facilities along with the rooms.”

“Our main target is to increase the market penetration index. We would like to spread and consolidate our market base in the corporate segment and leverage our banqueting facilities along with the rooms” Sandeep Johri General Manager Novotel Ahmedabad

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Telling us more about the Ahmedabad market, he added,“In recent years, the growth Ahmedabad has seen is really appreciable. People here are always on a lookout spree for new hangout places, where they have late-night dining options.

So keeping that in mind, we would be having late-night buffets as well as Sunday brunches, so the guests can come in and relax. This should happen in the next couple of months. We are also planning for a speciality restaurant. We shall soon start with a survey to ascertain the demand of what people are looking for and then conceptualise it.”

Giving his views on the Indian hospitality sector, Johri said,“The Indian hospitality sector is looked upon as an avenue with huge potential. There is increased To overcome competition we have undertaken the following steps: º Focussed business calls º Attentive site inspections º Owning the backyard – building strong relations with decision makers and tour managers º Keeping a tab of developments in and around Ahmedabad º Customised negotiated rates for local companies depending upon the requirement º Quick response time for clients º Efficient services for guests º Understanding needs and accommodating requests/needs

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Ahmedabad has direct connections and thus, the commission structure is pre-defined. Shah added,“We regularly monitor the ratings of our hotel on the OLTA’s. There are constant variations of information on the website as per the market dynamics, so that we are visible when an end-user goes on the OLTA’s website.”

Telling us about the combined capacity for MICE available from the Accor group in Ahmedabad, he said,“Accor Group currently has two hotels, one being a fullfledged Novotel Ahmedabad and the other being a budget hotel Formule1, which does not have banqueting facilities. We will promote the Novotel Ahmedabad for meetings and conference which has four breakout rooms.” awareness and demand for hotels, especially in the quality of accommodation in the mid-market segment. This increase in the room supply has led to an imbalance in demand and supply, putting ARR’s under stress. However, this is momentary and would settle down soon.”

Talking about the hotel industry, Sandit Shah, Director of Sales and Marketing, Novotel Ahmedabad said,“The industry

has evolved immensely and is gradually focussing towards online presence and with time, the hotel industry evolved with new means of information and reservations, etc., which have come in place of the traditional travel agent. We are working with the leading On Line Travel Agents (OLTA’s) of different markets around the world for our online reservations.”

Being a part of the Accor Group, Novotel

New hotels in Ahmedabad in the last five years Hotel Name

No. of Keys

Courtyard by Marriott Ramada

164 92

Segment Date of Opening 5-Star

February 2010

Budget March 2011

Hyatt Ahmedabad

178

5-Star

September 2012

Radisson Blu

116

5-Star

September 2012

Holiday Inn Express

173

Budget November 2012

Aloft Ahmedabad

178

Budget

January 2013

Four Points by Sheraton

103

Budget

April 2013

63

Budget

August 2013

Lemon Tree Premier

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Elaborating on the marketing and distribution strategy for the local market, Shah added,“The profiles of travellers are changing with time and to stay in line with their expectations, Novotel Ahmedabad will follow the challenger strategy for marketing, wherein we have our objective and opponent in place. For the challenger strategy, we have studied the market and its potential for our hotel segment. Based on the data analysis, focussed business calls are underway with tailor-made presentations to the accounts.

We are conducting site inspections to give the market the confidence about our products & services.”

He further added,“To expand the total market for Novotel Ahmedabad, we have our database that we have collected from various sources and from our sister hotels. E-newsletters have been sent announcing that we are open, along with traditional advertising on billboards and local advertisements. We cannot miss

Accommodation and breakfast is free for kids below 16 years of age who can share the room with their parents or grandparents

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out on marketing’s new mantra which is ‘Brands now act as publishers’. This is because of social media and its potential to allow brands to engage in meaningful conversations with their loyal fan base and potential clients alike. In short, content advertising is the new advertising. By using the sharpest media tools like social media, newsletters, webinars, SEO, SME, Google banners etc., avid travellers can now research, compare and read reviews of hotels, food & beverage outlets and meeting facilities. We are enrolling on TripAdvisor Business Listing, which will ensure we get more clicks on our hotel website.”

“On distribution, we are working with the major TMC’s and also the OLTAs. We will also promote Novotel Ahmedabad via the Global Distribution System. We will also have banner advertisements with Sabre, Amadeus and Galileo,” he added.

Shah said, “Despite the recent years of a contentious and challenging economic climate, it’s an exciting period to be a part of a fast-paced and evolving industry,

“We cannot miss out on marketing’s new mantra ‘Brands now act as publishers’, as avid travellers can now research, compare and read reviews of hotels, food & beverage outlets and meeting facilities” Sandit Shah Director of Sales and Marketing Novotel Ahmedabad

where travellers are in the nascent state of exploring new places which gives them the value for money. To suffice their needs, there are lot of new trends that we are witnessing, opening of the budget hotels like the Formule1, Holiday Inn Express, Aloft, etc.

Residential wedding business has always

overtaken the market business, and there lies a big opportunity for business in this segment. Over the last 12 months we have monitored a considerable increase in room requirements. As the local residents have travelled across the world, both for business and leisure, we perceive a demand for international dining options available in the strata of our hotels.”

chef talk

Gateway to

Indian cuisine FHRAI Magazine got the chance of a culinary tête-à-tête with celebrity Chef Rakesh Sethi, working as Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka. He is popularly known for his TV show Mirch Masala on Zee Khana Khazana.

Kanchan Nath

Q

What was the inspiration behind your career choice?

I had an inclination towards food from my childhood. I would try out new recipes every day and assist my mother in whichever way I could in kitchen chores.

My elder brother was pursuing a Hotel Management degree and it was he who got me enrolled at the Institute of Hotel Management in Pusa. Since then, there has been no looking back.

Q

You are coming up with a new restaurant at Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka. Tell us a bit about the same.

Gateway to India – Dvar is based on the concept of a door to showcase authentic Indian food in the heart of Dwarka. It will bring together regional and local favourites in Dwarka, aiming to establish an upmarket restaurant. It is an Indian dining restaurant and will add value to the neighbourhood culinary scene in Dwarka.

NCR has many restaurants serving popular world food.

When you serve what the customer wants, there is always a good chance of doing well

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Photo: Simran Kaur

chef talk

Q

NCR is now home to many new cuisines and restaurants. How would you describe this city foodwise? Where is the future of the restaurant sector in this city?

NCR has got many new trendy restaurants and is serving many different popular cuisines to the people.

All the popular food items have been brought together and the menu has been composed to cater to the tastes of guests from all walks of life. NCR has many such restaurants serving world food which has become very popular with today’s generation. When you serve what the customer wants, there is always a good chance of doing well. That is the reason restaurants are doing very well in NCR and have got a tremendous future.

Anyone who invests in restaurants, should see the demand and supply balance before taking the plunge. If the market is already at a saturation point, then it is not advisable to invest in that area, as the size of the pie is the same and only the consistent best-quality restaurants will take the bigger chunk of the revenue home.

Q

What trends do you foresee taking shape in the Indian diet pattern/cuisine culture? Which food items are ‘in fashion’ this year? What dishes are likely to become popular next year? Which destinations are people travelling to, just to enjoy food?

People travel any distance for the food they love. But this is applicable to a

TV STAR

Photo: Simran Kaur

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Media-friendly celebrity Chef Rakesh Sethi is a household name today with a huge fan following across India and abroad. His shows on air include: Mirch Masala, daily show on Zee Khana Khazana, Tea Time with Chef Rakesh Sethi, daily show on Food Food, Big Chef at 2 pm on radio at 92.7 BIG FM and Rasoi Ki Rani, on BIG Magic and Spark Punjabi.

chef talk

Recipe >> TANDOORI SALMON TIKKA INGREDIENTS

First marination Norway salmon fillet Ginger-garlic paste Lemon juice Oil Salt to taste White pepper powder

Gateway to India – Dvar is based on the concept of a door to showcase authentic Indian food in the heart of Dwarka

1 kg 40 gm 10 ml 30 ml 3 gm

Second marination Hung curd 100 gm Green cardamom powder 3 gm Lemon juice 5 gm Processed cheese 40 gm Cashew nut paste 30 gm Fresh cream 40 gm Green chilli chopped 3 to 4 nos

Fresh coriander root Fennel powder Salt to taste

30 gm 3 gm

METHOD Clean and cut salmon to cube-size pieces.

Marinate salmon with ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, white pepper and oil for first marination. Keep aside for half an hour.

Prepare the second marination by adding the hung curd, cream, cheese, coriander root, green chilli, cardamom, salt and pepper, cashew nut paste and fennel powder. Keep salmon in marination for 3 hours. Cook in the tandoor. Serve salmon hot with mint chutney.

chef talk

Rapidfire

Chef Rakesh Sethi Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel, New Delhi Dwarka

À Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one else is around?

Yes, Indian sweets. À What ingredients can you not live without when preparing Indian dishes?

Ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. À What is the one trait that you think is imperative for a person who wants to be a member of your kitchen?

Hardworking. À Your favourite destination to travel to for food in India and abroad?

In India — Goa and abroad — Singapore. À What is India’s favourite food?

Indian and Indian Chinese. À Your last meal?

Dal, roti, chawal and bhindi.

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section of diners only, and that too on weekends and special occasions.

Normally, one prefers to dine nearby as the travelling time increases due to high traffic in the evenings.

Ever since Threesixty Degrees (restaurant at The Oberoi, New Delhi) opened in Delhi, a craze for Japanese delicacies such as varieties of sushi and sashimi, was witnessed in the true sense. The Japanese cuisine which was already getting popular became a super hit. This is going to stay for some time for sure.

Some trends come and go away quickly.

But those which are traditional and remain unchanged maintain their popularity for a long time.

With markets opening and the flow of ingredients into Indian markets becoming easier now, many more cuisines shall make their impact on the Indian diet patterns

chef talk

Chinese (oriental), Italian, Lebanese and Japanese are going to take a longer seat in the Indian diet pattern. With markets opening and the flow of ingredients into Indian markets becoming easier now, many more cuisines shall make their

impact on the Indian diet patterns.

Q

Kindly share some tips with hoteliers to make food more nutritive, yet cost-effective.

Sticking to some basics always helps to

make the food nutritive and cost-effective.

Keep it simple. Buy fresh, local and seasonal produce. Use healthy cooking mediums and plan your menus with ingredients that suit the cooking methods appropriately.

guest column

Water Husbandry: Forewarned is forearmed

Niranjan Khatri General Manager, Welcomenviron Initiatives, ITC Hotels

The key objective of this article is to understand the different nuances of the terminology applied to water management like supply/demand side management, water swap, water wisdom, water accounting and water balancing.

N

o socio-economic developmental activities can sustain without the basic resource - water. Large parts of India are already water-stressed. There is a yawning demand/supply gap. Growing pollution of water sources through untreated or partially-treated sewage and effluent is affecting the availability of safe water and more importantly causing environmental and health hazards.

A study done by USID, CII and Triveni Water Institute indicates that initially 20–30 per cent demand/supply gap can be reduced through simple cost-effective methods. Water experts suggest water pressure management, active leak control through pipelines and awareness generation. These steps may be termed

as low-cost savings approach in watermanagement and help save 20 per cent approximately.

Another 20–30 per cent reduction categorised as low/medium cost-benefit can be achieved through efficient faucets and fixtures, recycling treated waste water for landscaping and flushing needs.

With this brief preamble, we need to introduce some simple management practices in hotels, hospitals and malls.

To reduce the demand/supply gap, the following measures need to be undertaken: l

A compulsory water audit of all large establishments

water augmentation Augmentation of water resources

Reduce fresh water & increase treated water use in industries/ buildings

Three pronged approach

Reuse of treated municipal waste water in industries

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Growing pollution of water sources through untreated or partiallytreated sewage and effluent is affecting the availability of safe water and more importantly causing environmental and health hazards l

Systematic use of sewage-treated water for horticulture/agricultural needs of peri-urban areas.

In new projects, just as every resource is quantified in terms of number of cement bags used or tonnes of iron, it is important that water-use standards are also specified to the contractor to curb the misuse of water. Water accounting has still not been internalised in most projects and this could be a starting point.

The water used for curing walls may be sourced from sewage treatment plants (STP). In case fresh water is used for curing, gunny bags must be put on the wall, so that the water retention on the wall is enhanced. The water which flows down and stagnates can be sucked into a basic filtration system, for reusing the excess water, for curing once again. This is an example of demand-side management

guest column

Water Training Training and awareness

Develop water balance

or symbiotic relationship. The practice of using STP water has been in vogue in ITC hotels for many years.

and discharge points; helps in developing water conservation opportunities at various points; and helps in calculation of baseline consumption.

It is important that each hotel develops water balance data about water use in different departments - kitchen, housekeeping, horticulture, engineering, restrooms and leaks and effluents.

In management, it is often said ‘what is measured is monitored’. Breakdown of water use in the above illustrative form will help management to try and find new ways of using water optimally.

Training is a very essential component of water management. Therefore charts on topics such as unintentional wastage of water and how to carry out water harvesting, needs to be displayed in the back of the house and staff restrooms.

With deeper engagement with associates, conservation is deepened in the respective organisations from the ‘doorman to the chairman level’.

Benefits of water management are that it helps to map various consumption

Rajasthan, a state which has been waterdeficient for many years, has come up

Optimize fresh water use and increase treated water use with many simple ways of conserving water. The finest anecdotal example is in Churu district where a guest is offered a glass of camel milk, as opposed to the conventional practice of offering water.

However, if the guest is an important person, then that person is given a glass of water taken out of a locked room in the house!

How do we imbibe this water wisdom in the modern service design? “The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”

(Views expressed are that of the author, Niranjan Khatri, General Manager, Welcomenviron Initiatives, ITC Hotels)

report

India Hotel Market Review The report provides a performance overview of key markets across India. It also analyses occupancy and room rate metrics, distinguished between weekdays and weekends for three key markets - Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi. The report is based on hotel performance statistics from STR Global and its analysis by Horwath HTL – India.

YTD Sep’12 YTD Sep’13 Variation Occupancy 56.5% 56.9% 0.4 pt Average Daily Rate Rs.5,989 Rs.5,761 -3.8% RevPAR Rs.3,381 Rs.3,276 -3.1%

Q3 2012 Q3 2013 Occupancy 52.2% 53.8% Average Daily Rate Rs.5,412 Rs.5,244 RevPAR Rs.2,826 Rs.2,819

Variation 1.6 pt -3.1% -0.2%

Key Takeaways

u Improved occupancy, on YTD basis and for Q3, is the biggest positive; almost flat RevPAR for Q3’13 compared to Q3’12 may look like clutching at straws – but these small changes in market performance cannot be ignored.

India Hotel Market Review – Vol 7 Page 2

v On YTD basis, Bengaluru, Goa and Pune continue to outshine the other markets; Jaipur returns dramatic quarterly results. a. Bengaluru achieved over 6 pts rise in occupancy, on YTD basis and also for Q3; while ADR has continued to decline, the city achieved 7.8 per cent YTD RevPAR growth. b. With near stable occupancy levels, hotels in Goa were able to improve ADR (YTD) by 4.8 per cent, with almost matching RevPAR growth; in fact, monsoon promotions continue to be beneficial with sustained demand levels and ADR growth of 9.7 per cent in Q3’13 over Q3’12. c. Pune posted 3.5 per cent YTD RevPAR growth, led by occupancy increase of 3.1 pts, although YTD ADR has declined by 1.9 per cent. Room rates continue to remain under pressure resulting in RevPAR declining by 2 per cent in Q3’13 (over Q3’12).

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d. Jaipur has clearly established its primacy as a MICE destination reporting occupancy and ADR growth in Q3’13 (gaining 6.7 pts and 5.9 per cent respectively), causing RevPAR increase by 23.6 per cent Q-o-Q. w Ahmedabad hotels are struggling with 7.2 pts occupancy decline; while ADR is up 3 per cent, RevPAR is down 9.7 per cent on YTD basis. The city is already feeling the impact of supply growth, with several big hotels yet to open. Its true growth story will be tested as it recovers from the supply glut, in the manner Pune has done. x Mumbai YTD occupancy improved by 3.2 pts; but RevPAR declined by 1.4 per cent due to `500 drop in ADR. y Business for hotels in Delhi NCR, Gurgaon (as a sub-market) and Chennai continues to suffer with double digit RevPAR decline on YTD basis.

report

z Kolkata continues to lead the occupancy rankings and is the only city to cross YTD occupancy of 70 per cent; however RevPAR has dropped 2.2 per cent. { However, Q3’13 has seen either gains or slower decline of occupancy, ADR or RevPAR in several key markets, compared to Q3’12.

Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Jaipur and Hyderabad. b. Q-o-Q occupancy decline in Ahmedabad has been sharp; 4.9 pts, 7.1 pts and 9.2 pts for the first three quarters; in Chennai, the occupancy decline of 10 pts in the first two quarters has steadied to 5.9 pts decline in Q3. c. Four markets have reported RevPAR growth for Q3.

a. All India occupancy was up 1.5 pts, with growth in Mumbai,

Performance Analysis – Weekday vs Weekend We present our first analysis of hotel performance distinguishing weekdays and weekends; per STR Global reporting standards, weekday is defined as Sunday through Thursday while Friday and Saturday comprise the weekend. º Weekend occupancies in Mumbai are clearly struggling, particularly in June and July. Typically, average weekend occupancy in YTD 2013 was 11 pts lower compared to the weekdays (68.1 per cent). º The ADR variation is somewhat more limited - average weekday ADR was higher than the weekend by only 2.7 per cent and 3 per cent in 2012 and YTD 2013 respectively. º Can joint initiatives between hotel industry and entertainment, fashion, retail sectors work to incentivise greater weekend business? Can aggressive weekend rates attract association events? º Bengaluru witnesses the largest variation between weekday and weekend occupancy and RevPAR compared to other two markets, possibly impacted by lack of conference and wedding facilities and demand. º Average weekend occupancy was lower than on weekdays by 17.6pts in 2012 and 19 pts in YTD 2013, likely exacerbated by the supply growth. It is noteworthy that average occupancy for Sunday is 3 to 4 pts higher than on Friday. º Average weekend ADR trailed weekday ADR by 2.2 per cent and 2.9 per cent for 2012 and YTD 2013 respectively. º Should the city reach out to the leisure sector? Will rate discounting on weekends help increase RevPAR? º Note that this data is only for New Delhi and not Delhi NCR. º From a point of near equality in January and February 2012, there has been a steady variation between weekday and weekend occupancies – importantly, the degree of variation in occupancy and RevPAR has been the narrowest for New Delhi compared to other markets. º Average weekday and weekend occupancy have declined by 2.2 pts and 4.6 pts respectively between 2012 and YTD 2013;

what needs to be watched is whether the gap will continue to widen due to lack of conference facilities in Delhi-based hotels; the development of newer hotels and lack of corporate growth in Delhi city are factors that could significantly impact Delhi hotels going forward. º Average ADR on weekends has varied from average ADR on weekdays by only 2.9 per cent in 2012 and 3.2 per cent for YTD 2013; is there scope for greater weekend revenue management? Does the city need to think up some promotions?

restaurant review

Succumb to

! s e b i V i s e D In a time when most crave for Chinese, Thai or Japanese cuisines, this restaurant in Noida maintains the spunk in Indian cuisine that customers crave for.

Promoting Indian cuisine, the fame of Desi Vibes’ delicious fare has spread far and wide.

Ramya JS D’Rozario

S

tarted in 2005, this 80-seater family restaurant covers near 1,500 sq ft. area and specialises in Indian and Mughlai food. The other brands they hold are Kaffiia – Italian café and lounge (opened in 2007), Nysha – Bar & Grill (2011) and Nysha Concept catering (2012).

The entrance is a traditional heavy set door, and as you enter through a narrow set of stairs you are transported to an era of the bygone days. The walls are adorned with trinkets and real antiques. Some of the tables also have a hollow box with glass over it, with antique betel cutters placed inside for you to admire before your food is served. There is even a makeshift well made on the first floor.

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restaurant review

The upper floor has a more lounge-like ambience and the ‘mud-caked’ walls with white tribal art proves that attention has been paid to the details. With jharokhas and puppets up on the wall, the décor is guaranteed to add to all the fun.

Varun Khera, Director, Bean Tree Coffee said, “We have collected our artifacts and not bought them from retail shops. We visited many philatelists and requested them to part with some of their stamps. We travelled to various cities like Jaipur, Ajmer, Mysore, etc., to collect some of the rare pieces. Some of the coins are my personal ancestral property which has been in the family for more than 100-200 years.”

Recreating the opulence of the East, the food is the main attraction. Offering a massive range of delectable offerings, the vast range of the menu is bound to astound you. From shorbas to kebabs, Gosht Handi, Murgh Handi to biryanis, the number of items offered will ensure you keep coming back again and again. Their popular and signature dishes include: Hari Bhari Mirch ki Kadhi, Bhutta Methi Palak, Murg Akbari, Bano Tikka and Murg Rara. The Shorba needs special

mention. They even serve a variety of pickles to go with the appetising papads and main courses.

“We try to serve our customers seasonal flavours. However, there are few which are an all time favorite of customers, such as Baingan Chutney, Apple Chutney Navratan chutney and Dela Pickle and many even get them packed,” he said.

Apart from the delicious food served and the beautiful village theme, the best part of the entire experience is the service. That is one of the many aspects the customer is sure to take home. Right from the welcome drink, Shikanji, the staff is so welcoming and warm, it adds volume to the experience.

With social media an important link with customers, Khera believes that having an online presence is a must, as a major chunk of the target audience wants to connect. “Also being online makes it easier to update the target market with any information that we want to communicate, or introduce anything that’s new. Therefore

keeping this in mind, we focus a lot on our online presence, through Facebook, Twitter, etc., and we hold lots of contests and be in touch with them regularly.”

Regarding further expansion, Khera added, “We have very aggressive plans for the future. We have already started

Being online makes it easier to update the target market with any information that we want to communicate, or introduce new things

franchising Desi Vibes and Kaffiiaa.” Desi Vibes also offers take-away and home delivery. Be it with family, friends or even business lunches, Desi Vibes is perfect for any occasion.

Grabbing eyeballs at F1

“Catering at F1 was a one-of-its-kind as an experience,” said Khera. “It was grand, diverse and massive in scale, and has taught us countless things.” The key aspects while designing the menu was a ‘Meal in a Box’ format. Also, they had less than a minute to serve approximately 10 people. “So the menu had to be easy to serve and eat as well, not to forget great in taste too. We made sure we serve quality food as well as the food should be value-for-money so that people don’t feel cheated.”

Products&Services

products & services

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FCS Rainbow Solution - Colour Your Life

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stablished in 1982, FCS has evolved through the years and is known as a leading global provider of comprehensive hospitality guest services applications and solution design services for individual hotels, international chain hotels and integrated resorts.

With three decades of experience, FCS has provided extensive solutions to more than 5,000 hotels with over 8,000 installations in 32 countries.

Snoozer beds for a comfortable night’s sleep

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With over 30 years of expertise in delivering comprehensive hospitality solutions, FCS Rainbow is the industry leading integrated solution that helps hoteliers to streamline their daily operations with enhanced guest services management - guaranteeing total service satisfaction with maximized productivity while reducing costs.

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noozer has been the pioneer manufacturer of spring mattresses in India & repeatedly preferred by the luxury hotel chains and discerning hoteliers since 1995.

Snoozer Beds have built a legendary reputation as one of the most comfortable & longlasting among domestic & imported brands. Supplies are custom-manufactured to the hotel chain’s latest specifications & timely delivered under EPCG. The latest Presidential Suite Bed Set incorporates the best of contemporary bedding technologies.

products & services

Sturdy ironing boards from OZONE@HOMZ

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ZONE@HOMZ introduces a whole new range of sturdy and handy ironing boards for ultimate comfort in ironing clothes. These ironing boards are small, portable and foldable with a heat resistant surface. Available in different sizes and types with advanced features, these ironing boards are especially designed for users’ convenience. The pro-style ironing boards from OZONE come with an easy-to-reach rack for keeping ironed clothes and a cord holder to keep the cord out of way. These ironing boards are made with a metal mesh board padded with 7mm fibre foam covered with 100% cotton fabric for smooth & steady ironing experience. The tubular frame construction offers maximum rigidity and stability. These ironing boards are equipped with height-adjustable and locking mechanism feature for the convenience and safety of the users. OZONE@HOMZ offers a 5 year warranty with these trendy, stylish and user-friendly ironing boards.

Top 5

trends in hotel technology

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ith technology adoption on a rise, the expectations of travellers have also increased manifolds. Thus a hotel’s technology offerings play an important role for guests when they are booking an accommodation. eRevMax, the leader in hotel online distribution and channel management solutions, has unveiled an infographic to assist property owners around the world to know about the latest technology trends topping the charts this season.

Accordingly to the infographic, 38 per cent of the guests reported that Wi-Fi was the priority factor while booking a hotel. Also, a whopping 85 per cent of travellers said they wanted access to free Wi-Fi in hotels. eRevMax’s TigerTime with leading OTAs proved to be a hit at WTM 2013. The sessions generated significant interest among the travel industry with a ‘standing room only’ turnout. WTM 2013 witnessed TigerTime participation from Agoda, GTA and Ostrovok- all part of the eRevMaxChannel Ecosystem - who delivered relevant presentations to hoteliers looking for superior connectivity, new distribution markets and updates on new technology developments.

Effective pricing strategy for hotels

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evGain Price Optimisation helps revenue managers develop a more effective pricing strategy for their transient business segment. RevGain is built to meet the demands of a rapidly moving marketplace. All the information

a hotel needs for price optimisation of the transient segment is easily available in an intuitive calendar layout. When the hotel is ready to implement the recommended rate decisions, RevGain links to a variety of other hotel systems

(CRS/PMS) so that the process can be automated. It’s also fully integrated with RateGain’s suite of hospitality tools to provide a complete solution for market intelligence, online reputation tracking and distribution management.

appointments

new faces

appointments

within the hospitality trade Aseem Kapoor Area Director North Hyatt International

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed Aseem Kapoor as Area Director – North India supervising Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, Hyatt Regency Delhi, Hyatt Ahmedabad, Hyatt Amritsar and Hyatt Regency Ludhiana from 2014. This is in addition to his existing role as General Manager, Hyatt Regency Delhi. Kapoor began his hospitality career in 1989 as a Management Trainee with Holiday Inn Mumbai. He joined Hyatt in 1995 as Assistant Director of F&B at Hyatt Regency Delhi and was subsequently promoted to Director of Food and Beverage in 1997.

In July 2001, he joined Hyatt Regency Mumbai as EAM - F&B and subsequently promoted to Hotel Manager in 2003. In 2005, he transferred laterally to Park Hyatt Dubai and in 2008 was promoted to General Manager at Hyatt Regency Mumbai.

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Sunjae Sharma

Jai Kishan

Area Director South Hyatt International

General Manager Operations NHCC and HICC

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed Sunjae Sharma as Area Director- South India supervising Hyatt Bangalore, Park Hyatt Chennai, Hyatt Regency Chennai, Hyatt Regency Kolkata, Hyatt Place Hampi & Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. This is in addition to his existing role as General Manager, Hyatt Regency Chennai. Sharma has been associated with the hospitality industry for over 24 years and possesses a diversified experience panning across several hotel brands.

He has been associated with Hyatt International for over a decade and has handled multiple roles at Hyatt’s properties across the country, the most recent one being Area Director for Bangalore, Chennai, Hampi, Kathmandu and Kolkata.

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Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) have appointed Jai Kishan as a General Manager Operations for the entire complex. In his current role, he will be responsible for managing all aspects of operations across the entire complex with focus on increasing revenues, optimizing profits, developing the team and enhancing brand standards.

Kishan brings with him more than 17 years of work experience in hospitality industry spanning India, Switzerland, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia. Prior to joining the Accor Group, he was at The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, India as the Executive Assistant Manager.

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Louis Sailer General Manager, The Leela Palace New Delhi The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts appointed Louis Sailer as the General Manager of The Leela Palace New Delhi. He brings to his new role nearly 30 years of experience in the industry. Sailer has worked with the finest hotels across the globe, including Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, Raffles Hotel, Singapore and Hilton & Conrad International and many more. He is an alumni of the first-ever Cornell program in conjunction with the reputed business school, Nanyang, Singapore. Prior to joining The Leela Palace New Delhi, he led the pre-opening and opening of the London’s newest luxury hotel, Café Royal.

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appointments

Rizwan Shaikh

Sarat Valsraj

Bandish Mehta

General Manager Fairmont Jaipur

General Manager The Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resorts & Spa

General Manager Novotel Pune

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has appointed the new General Manager, Rizwan Shaikh at Fairmont Jaipur. In his new capacity, Shaikh will be responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the hotel. He brings with him over 17 years of luxury hospitality experience. He started his career in 1995 as a Management Trainee with Sterling Holiday Resorts, Ooty, India. He joined Holiday Inn, Goa, India in 1997 as Duty Manager. In 2005, he was appointed Executive Assistant Manager with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts at the Trident Hilton Bhubaneswar, India. In 2010, he joined the first Four Seasons Hotel in India, at their property in Mumbai, as the Hotel Manager and moved on to Four Seasons Hotel Singapore in 2012.

Sarat Valsraj has recently taken charge as the General Manager of The Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa. With over 17 years of hospitality experience, Valsraj brings with him keen managerial and strategic insights. Valsraj joined The Zuri Hotels & Resorts as the Food and Beverage Manager in the year 2008. He has worked at all properties of The Zuri Hotels & Resorts, both domestic and international. Following a 11-year stint at The Leela, Valsraj moved to The Sahara Star, Mumbai. He is certified in Strategic Management from the reputed Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, and holds a certificate in International Trade from the Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning.

Novotel has appointed Bandish Mehta as General Manager of Novotel Pune. Mehta brings with him 16 years of leadership experience with the Accor Group across Asia Pacific. As General Manager, he will work closely with the team to ensure total guest satisfaction at the hotel. An Australian citizen, Mehta started his professional journey with the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre where he worked for 9 years before moving to the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

In October 2007, he joined Novotel Hyderabad Airport as the Resident Manager, after which in June 2009, he moved to Mercure Lavasa and Lavasa International Convention Centre as the General Manager.

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Sahdev Mehta

Amit Chand

General Manager DoubleTree by Hilton, PuneChinchwad

Executive Chef Novotel Pune

Sahdev Mehta has been appointed as General Manager – DoubleTree by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad.

Mehta joined the hotel in August 2012.

He is currently steering hotel operations on all fronts, and also preparing for the grand launch of this exclusive property.

Mehta has more than 14 years of experience in hospitality management in India, USA, France and Malaysia. His most recent assignment was leading the food production team at Marriott International, in the capacity of an Executive Chef.

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Novotel has appointed Amit Chand as Executive Chef for Novotel Pune.

Chand brings more than 13 years of hospitality experience to his new position as Executive Chef at Novotel Pune, where he will direct and oversee the hotel’s culinary experience across all its Food and Beverage outlets. He comes highly experienced in menu planning and menu engineering, specialises in developing new restaurant concepts, managing banqueting operations, purchasing inventory, price structuring and food/ labour costs. Chand’s culinary vision will guide all of Novotel Pune’s food and beverage outlets.

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Rohit Chopra Director of Sales & Marketing Novotel Pune

Novotel has appointed Rohit Chopra as Director of Sales & Marketing at Novotel Pune. He has 15 years of experience with leading hospitality chains in India and will take charge of maximising the hotel’s revenues with his meticulous strategy and planning to provide the best value and service to its guests through accommodation, meeting and leisure facilities available at the property.

He will work closely with corporates to promote the property as a MICE destination.

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events

their recent India visit. The hotel had also hosted Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh back in 1997. The hotel, in the recent past, has played host to various Heads of State like Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Crown Prince of Bahrain and a range of dignitaries from various walks of life.

A royal visit in Kochi

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ivanta by Taj Malabar, Cochin played host to Charles, Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during

The Prince of Wales was presented with a birthday cake and a birthday card

by Suman Dutta Sharma, General Manager, Vivanta by Taj Malabar, Cochin, signed by all associates of the hotel. The royal couple cut the cake and complimented the hotel team for their spirited hospitality.

Varq at Taj Mahal Hotel celebrates its 5th anniversary

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arq at The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi celebrated its 5th anniversary with great élan and elegance. Chef Hemant Oberoi, who has been instrumental since the inception of the restaurant, was present at the occasion. Chef Oberoi also launched the new menu for Varq amidst celebrations. Visually spectacular in every way, this 80-seater elegant Indian restaurant, including a private dining room for 14, is located at the lower lobby level overlooking the hotel’s beautifully manicured gardens.

Varq at The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi offers the finest modern Indian gourmet dining experience with authenticity of taste and artistic presentation created by Chef Hemant Oberoi. Varq is a perfect example of marriage of fine dining with art. The spatial ambience comfortably engulfs the diner, immersing them into a lusciously rich experience surrounded by artifacts and treasures. The restaurant retains the existing artworks by

p Renowned artist Anjolie Ela Menon, Chef Hemant Oberoi and Satyajeet Krishnan, GM, The Taj Mahal Hotel unveil the new menu

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celebrated artist Anjolie Ela Menon. This work has been carefully restored and sits comfortably within its new contemporary designed interior.

Speaking on the occasion, Oberoi said, “Varq is the unfurling of luxury in all aspects - a combination of sophisticated dining discreet service and exquisite interiors. With Varq, we have retained the secrets of Indian traditional cuisine while presenting in an innovative and contemporary way. We are honored that guests have extended their support to Varq over the years and have become a part of this great culinary journey with us.

We are proud to carry on this legacy today and look forward to serving our patrons for years to come.”

events

‘Children’s Day Out’ at Rodeo

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odeo Delhi organised Children’s Day celebrations on November 14, 2013 and offered a special kids menu and a free milkshake to all children. The kids menu included fish and chips, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, choice of pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine or pasta topped with delicious sauces), kid’s lasagne, cowboy famous ice-cream (mango pulp with assorted ice-cream topped with cream, chocolate sauce and nuts).

Dhaba by Claridges opens in DLF Place, Saket

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wenty-nine years after establishing the iconic Dhaba by Claridges, the Hotel is set to recreate the same magic again.

The Claridges has now brought this very unique dining experience outside the fold of the Hotel. The Dhaba by Claridges has been unveiled in DLF Place, Saket.

successfully emulated the ambience of the archetypical rustic highway eatery and continued to regale loyal patrons and lovers of good food over the years. The menu is divided into three parts - tawa, tandoor and patila and includes typical rustic dishes like Kanastari Baingan (Baingan ka Bharta served in a copper canister), Dhaba Chilli

Complete with a truck mural, rustic interiors and servers dressed in traditional Punjabi costumes, every inch of the Dhaba by Claridges oozes with a special rustic feel. The wooden tables and chairs upholstered in vibrant traditional Phulkari work, natural flooring, thatched ceiling, traditional lanterns and walls replicate the uneven mud painted texture of a village hut. It has always been a delightful experience for truly desi food lovers to dig into scrumptious and authentically prepared North Indian cuisine while old Bollywood melodies play in the background on a radio set.

Chicken, Golgappe ki Chaat,Vada Pav, Keema Pav, Pav Bhaji etc. The beverage menu comprises favourites like Kulhar Lassi, Aam Panna, Jal Jeera and Mango/Ruhani Lassi. The entire pleasure

The Dhaba at The Claridges, ensconced in the peaceful and charming diplomatic area of New Delhi, has been an iconic landmark of the city’s food scene since its inception in 1984. The idea behind the restaurant was to recreate the quintessential Dhaba experience in a five-star setting. The Dhaba

of dining at the Dhaba by Claridges is complete only with signature desserts like Bailey’s Kulfi, Pista Kulfi and sugar-free ice-creams. The meal is rounded off with Desi Paan made by the famous Panditji, whose shop outside The Claridges Hotel is as iconic as the hotel itself.

There is also a modern twist to the décor of the Dhaba by Claridges in Saket. The truck has expanded to accommodate a private dining experience, and truck art adorns the walls. The Nalka chandelier, Gramophone, Canister Basin, NimbuMirchi lights, are all reminiscent of a roadside dhaba. But these elements have been modernised to infuse a chic and fun element.

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 12-12-2013