Industry Champions

42 / ONBOARD HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2021

MEET OUR 2021 INDUSTRY CHAMPIONS

As the industry navigates its way out of the pandemic, Onboard Hospitality wanted to celebrate and share the stories of individuals and teams that went the extra mile to reshape the future and support recovery. In this free-to-nominate category we identified nine Industry Champions... Industry Champion 2021

MERIT AWARD WINNER: SATS’ EXECUTIVE CULINARY TEAM

Passenger volumes fell over 98% in Singapore during COVID but the team at SATS demonstrated resilience and grit in response, supporting national initiatives and pivoting operations to support and grow its non-aviation business while still protecting the workforce and aviation core. Support included catering 45,000 meals daily for quarantined workers as well as meals for delivery drivers maintaining commerce with neighbouring Malaysia. The team launched new products and service concepts for Singapore Airlines – inflight, in lounges, and for the at-home market, and pivoting towards non-aviation businesses helped grow revenue and protect the workforce through retail and ready-meal developments. The Executive Culinary Team led the transformation of the company’s kitchens so they could evolve from a specialised inflight catering facility to one that is now able to support institutional catering and manufacturing activity.

RETAIL INMOTION – ENTIRE TEAM

Retail inMotion implemented three onboard retail programmes during the pandemic through virtual teamwork. The Austrian Melangerie, Lufthansa Onboard Delights and SWISS Saveurs project team had to find new and collaborative ways of working with all stakeholders, embracing modern communication technologies, effective working systems, team set-ups and multilayered exchanges. A set of guiding principles were established for hospitality, sustainability, regionality, premium positioning and brand, across the group. The team had to overcome new challenges, including risks of infection and increased hygiene regulations onboard. Special features, such as cashless payment, antibacterial printed menu cards and additional digital menu cards were developed and implemented for each programme.

MONTY’S BAKEHOUSE – ENTIRE TEAM

Despite the drop in customer demand for inflight food solutions during 2020, and while facing an uncertain future for themselves, the team at Monty’s Bakehouse recognised there were people in its local community who needed their support. The team applied their resilience and commitment to their social responsibility and set out to donate their hot snacks and meals to local families, the homeless and NHS staff. The team has donated over 1.3 million light meals and snacks.

ROBERT SMITHSON, GENERAL MANAGER CULINARY, DNATA CATERING

With 25 years experience in dnata catering, Rob heads up the Culinary and Development team as general manager culinary. Rob and his team were hit hard during COVID. Rob worked hard to make sure his people were ok. Utilising technology and the few limited flights flying out of Australia, Rob devised a way to hold virtual menu presentations