Catering News ME - October 2017

OCTOBER 2017

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY WEEK

Highlights from the event unprecedented in scale for the global hospitality sector

Connecting F&B professionals with industry knowledge

REVEALED: THE SHORTLIST

We uncover the individuals and venues in the running for the Leaders in F&B Awards

Out the

Gate

Jamie Naim Bissonnette Maadad, CEO of Gates and Ken Oringer Hospitality, one of Dubai’s most learnedsuccessful the ruleshomegrown of hospitality Spanish cuisine just to break investors, is ready to takethem.

London Meet the award-winning double by storm with the company’s act first behindinternational Dubai’s newventure Boston-founded, Barcelona-inspired tapas bar, Toro & Ko

On the web Keep up to date with all the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com

October 2017 // Issue #033

Contents

10

16

18

What's Cooking?

New places

Talent

38 The business

10 //

WHAT’S COOKING? The Salad Jar hits supermarket shelves; Chef Middle East launches Taste of Autumn; The countdown is on for Host Milan

16 //

NEW PLACES Chef brothers Jeff and Chris Galvin speak to Catering News about their newly opened concept Galvin Dubai on City Walk

18 //

TALENT Christopher Graham, executive chef at At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa, warns young chefs to pursue experience over money

32 //

COVER STORY Meet Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer, the award-winning double act behind Dubai’s new Boston-founded, Barcelona-inspired tapas bar, Toro & Ko

38 //

THE BUSINESS EASTERN PROMISES Hakkasan’s Middle East operations manager, Milos Zekovic, on the upcoming Riyadh venue

October 2017 Catering NEWS ME

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October 2017 // Issue #033

Contents 40 //

CHEF FOCUS RISING STARS Catering News speaks to the UAE chefs gearing up for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef regional final

48 //

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY WEEK Highlights from the event unprecedented in scale for the global hospitality sector

62 //

REAL GLASSY Catering News highlights the glassware products adding a sparkle to the region’s bars and restaurants

66 //

SPILL THE BEANS Bana Shomali, co-founder of ServiceMarket on why the company has added catering to its range of online home services

Managing Director Walid Zok Walid@bncpublishing.net Director Rabih Najm Rabih@bncpublishing.net CEO Wissam Younane Wissam@bncpublishing.net Group Publishing Director Diarmuid O'Malley Dom@bncpublishing.net Group Commercial Director Fred Dubery Fred@bncpublishing.net Group Editor, Hospitality Crystal Chesters Crystal@bncpublishing.net Contributor

Marouane Al Mandri Art Director Aaron Sutton Aaron@bncpublishing.net

40

Marketing Executive Mark Anthony Monzon Mark@bncpublishing.net Photographer

Hayder Al-Zuhairi

48 Chef Focus

62 Products

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E ditor's L etter

In good season

Crystal Chesters Editor

Autumn is nature’s sigh of relief after the heat of summer, but one place truly immune to this season’s decay is the Middle East, where we tend to have an eternal summer – in fact if anything, everything blossoms at this time of year.

As the first ever Dubai International Hospitality Week drew to a close last month (full review on page 48), we at Catering News turned our attention to our own roster of high profile events, which this year are both taking place on Monday 30 October at Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, as one super-sized celebration of all things F&B. First up is our Big F&B Forum, with the likes of Joe Isidori, chef owner of New York brand Black Tap, and Natasha Sideris, founder of Tashas, making special guest appearances, alongside a sparkling line-up of the region’s F&B experts and leaders, who will enjoy a morning of debate and networking. This year’s forum is already shaping up to be packed out, and we expect it to be an even bigger success than last year’s (page 30).

In the evening after the forum, we will welcome more than 400 guests to announce the winners of our coveted Leaders in F&B Awards, which celebrate the best talent and venues the Middle East has to offer. With gongs such as F&B Heavyweight, Rising Star and Leading Homegrown Brand up for grabs, this year’s crowning ceremony is not to be missed (page 24).

Another celebration of talent this month is the S. Pellegrino Young Chef Middle East & Africa final, which takes place in Dubai this year for the very first time. In this issue we speak to the three young UAE chefs gearing up to

compete in the event to find out more about what it means to them (page 40). Last year, Dubai’s Chef Gregoire Berger from Ossiano made it through to the global final, so we hope this year will see another Middle East chef take the prize.

Continuing to showcase those brands and individuals thriving in the region, we speak to recently appointed operations manager of Hakkasan Middle East, Milos Zekovic, to discuss the restaurant group’s big Saudi debut in 2018 with Chinese tea house brand, Yauatcha (page 38).

We also showcase big names just entering the region, with our cover story shining the spotlight on Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer, the chef partners behind Toro & Ko, a Boston-founded, Barcelona-inspired tapas brand. With big personalities and even bigger plans for their new venue, these guys are two to watch as they add another patch to the evermore eclectic F&B tapestry of our region.

But it’s only natural that as some arrive, others must leave. It’s my time to say goodbye to the Middle East as I head back to my home country of Scotland to pursue new roads untravelled (and some well-beaten paths). I’ve had an incredible few years in Dubai, having met some fascinating chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, colleagues and friends. I wish each and every one of you well in your future ventures in this incredible region, and I look forward to seeing you again some sunny day.

Best wishes, Crystal

Social Media /Cateringnewsme

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Catering NEWS ME October 2017

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W hat's cooking?

W hat's cooking?

P12: Chef Middle East launches Taste of Autumn // P14: Countdown is on for Host Milan // P15: The Tasting Class gets WSET approval //

What's cooking?

For all the latest News, Visit www.hotelnewsme.com Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute breaking news Read the latest edition on www.hotelnewsme.com

Expansion

The Salad Jar’s products hit supermarket shelves

T

he Salad Jar has partnered with Fine Fare Food to launch its products at Spinneys and Waitrose, marking its first move into retail, Catering News has learned.

The company, which specialises in directly distributing its jarred salads to customers via an app-based delivery service, will start by stocking its top six selling salad jars in the supermarkets, with the aim of expanding its recipe selection and product line in the near future.

The Salad Jar founder, Danielle Sallam told Catering News: “With excitement, The Salad Jar is embarking on our first retail partnership with Fine Fare Food and launching in select Spinneys and Waitrose stores this month.

“We’re really fortunate to have a diverse and agile team at The Salad Jar, and will be able to support this partnership with mostly existing operational infrastructure and team members. We’re confident that our partnership with Spinneys and Waitrose will add tremendous value to our overall brand identity.”

The company will manage 10

Catering NEWS ME October 2017

the partnership with its core team and existing infrastructure, and may add “a few key components dedicated to this partnership”.

Recently, The Salad Jar has taken on another administrative staff member and more delivery drivers in order to support

the continuous growth of the business.

“This will allow us to shift some of our most experienced team members and logistics crew to focus on this new and important part of our business,” said Sallam.

“We anticipate a positive

impact that may actually help to increase, not decrease, our delivery business. With this partnership, we’ll be expanding our footprint and reach well beyond our existing delivery zones, so we expect to experience meaningful customer growth.”

Wh at' s c ook i n g?

New opening

First phase of Al Seef tourism destination in Dubai Creek now open

The first phase of Al Seef, Meraas’ 1.8km-long dining, shopping and tourism destination in Dubai Creek, is now open to the public.

Adjacent to Al Fahidi historic district, the development tells the story of Dubai through architecture and experiences.

It covers an area of 2.5 billion square-feet and houses close to 500 shopping and dining outlets with global cuisine.

The second phase of the destination, scheduled for delivery at the end of the first quarter of next year, will comprise an authentic souq with retail and dining experiences of its own.

With a selection of floating restaurants, a marina for private yachts, a floating market and links to the Dubai water taxi network, Al Seef also celebrates Dubai’s maritime heritage and the role the creek has played in the city’s transformation.

The heritage area at Al Seef is patterned after old architecture in Dubai, while the contemporary area contains sleek architectural spaces.

Alleyways and walkways are packed with shops, cafés, restaurants, and an events plaza where activities will bring this area of the creek to life.

The destination has three hotels with a combined 550 rooms, each with its own appeal.

The 200-key heritage hotel offers an authentic Arabian hospitality experience that reflects life as it once was for those who lived on the shores of the creek, with rooms located in intimate surroundings above restaurants and shops in the heritage area.

The contemporary area will have two hotels with 200 and 150 keys each, allowing guests to experience Dubai’s past, while staying in an environment that represents the city’s modern lifestyle.

Residents and tourists will also be able to explore an open-air market of hand-crafted artefacts, textiles, accessories and more.

Al Seef is fully pedestrianised and has a multimodal transport system that links to key locations across the city.

Mfifififi Mfiddfifi fifist FZfi find fifrfififi fi Gfifid & fififififind fifirfi fi Shfi Zfiyfid Rdfifi fifififidfing fifi fiffififififififi fifififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififififi

October 2017 Catering NEWS ME

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W hat's cook ing?

Events

Chef Middle East launches Taste of Autumn

Events

New barista competitions in Dubai to offer $25,000 prize pot

Chef Middle East is launching Taste of Autumn, a unique platform for suppliers and customers to meet and interact, discuss the latest food trends, share industry insights, taste products sourced from all over the world and find out more about Chef Middle East, the one-stop solution for quality food and beverage requirements.

The one-day, invitation-only event, which follows three successful annual Vendor Shows, is exclusive to culinary and F&B professionals in the Middle East and will take place at La Ville Hotel & Suites on 17 October 2017.

Chef Middle East CEO, Steve Pyle, commented: “We are delighted to be hosting our Taste of Autumn event in La Ville Hotel & Suites on 17 October.

“The line-up of culinary talents for this event is very exciting and they are here to help us showcase some terrific ingredients in innovative dishes.

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Catering NEWS ME October 2017

“We look forward to greeting customers old and new to share the new Taste of Autumn.”

At Taste of Autumn, guests will have the opportunity to meet Pastry World Champion Julien Alvarez and discover his latest dessert recipes. Celebrity chef Vicky Ratnani will also be cooking up flavourful rice dishes with a twist and twoMichelin starred chef Philippe Garret will showcase his innovative foie gras recipes for the festive season.

The event is also the perfect opportunity for Chef Middle East to introduce its new syrup brand from France, 1705 by Cherry Rocher, and a new beverage portfolio following the company’s recent acquisition of local firm Limeline Premium Beverages.

For more information or to register for Taste of Autumn, contact the Chef Middle East team at marketing@ chefmiddleeast.com

The Dubai International Coffee Championships is set to launch this year as part of The Dubai International Coffee & Tea Festival (DICTF), taking place on 14 - 16 December at Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The competition, which includes the Dubai International Barista Championship and the Dubai International Brewers Championship, will this year offer a cash prize of $25,000.

Anselm Godinho, managing director of International Conferences and Exhibitions, DICTF’s organiser, said: “DICTF has been instrumental in raising awareness of specialty coffee in the region. We aim to support this exponential business growth with a relative and crucial focus on coffee as a profession.

“These championships will provide local and international baristas with an experience of a lifetime. We are not only building the level of confidence in the barista community by bringing the profession to the fore, but we are also providing competitors with a platform where their ingenuity, hard

work, and persistence will be highlighted and rewarded.”

Participants from the UAE and internationally will compete against each other in a test of skill, imagination, and creativity while preparing a series of beverages on-stage.

The competitions will be held consecutively to allow baristas to participate in both.

Certified Professional Coffee Championship judges from around the world will form part of the judging panel, and will evaluate performance based on the taste of the served beverages, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill, and overall presentation.

Godinho added: “For 2017, we raised the stakes by increasing the prize money and offering considerable opportunities for business and professional growth.

“We are confident that this year’s edition will be one of the most exciting in the event’s history, judging from the new features lined up and the overwhelming number of participants who have signed up already for the DICTF and the Championships.”

Glenfiddich

Struan Grant Ralph, global brand ambassador, Glenfiddich speaks to Catering News ahead of the latest instalment of its Experimental Events series, launching this month in Dubai What are Glenfiddich Experimental Events?

Tell us about the Glenfiddich World's Most Experimental Bartender competition?

The objective of the Glenfiddich World's Most Experimental Bartender competition was to seek out the best and most experimental bar-

How popular is Glenfiddich and whisky more generally, in Dubai?

What's very interesting in Dubai is the number of people new to the category who are more open to joining the journey Glenfiddich is taking them on, with a large number being unafraid to try it in a cocktail or classic Highball serve. We have our first Glenfiddich ambassador, which shows the brand’s demand amongst the consumer and industry. Dubai has a large expat community as well who have

a desire for products like Glenfiddich as it’s a slice of home. I find that the consumer is more interested in the origin of what they’re drinking in the same way people are starting to become more conscious of what they are eating.

What are you doing to educate bartenders better on Glenfiddich?

I N A N UTS H E LL

Glenfiddich Experimental Events is a concept that we activate all over the world to showcase the brand’s maverick personality and to define Glenfiddich’s brand heritage. The brand is a family-owned whisky and has been evolving over the years and we too are evolving by creating unique experiences for our customers. The Glenfiddich Experimental Series (the whiskies) were launched in the UAE last September and we’re launching the latest instalment in the Experimental Events series in October giving the Dubai consumer a totally immersive experience.

tender in the Middle East, who will be taken to Scotland to the Glenfiddich distillery for the global final. An experimental bartender is someone that isn’t afraid to go that extra mile and embodies the maverick spirit of the Glenfiddich. This year, we again saw a rise in talent and expression – seeing Angelo Van Rooyen from Carnival by Tresind, Burj Daman Building named the winner.

Our Glenfiddich ambassador programme allows us to travel the world, educating the F&B industry and bartenders about Glenfiddich, which is a great tool in itself. We also run projects, such as the Glenfiddich World's Most Experimental Bartender, which is an industry-led event, as well as the Experimental Series, which is targeted at consumers. People’s perception of Glenfiddich is changing and we can see this through our activations with the Experimental series around the world. The consumer and the industry are positioning the brand as more modern with elements of fun and creativity.

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October 2017 Catering NEWS ME

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W hat's cooking?

$367mn deal signed for China-UAE Food Industrial Cluster Dubai Food Park (DFP) has signed a AED1.35 billion ($367mn) investment agreement with Ningxia Forward Fund Management Company to build a China-UAE Food Industrial Cluster in Dubai. Spanning an area of 4.38 million ft2, it will be home to 30 food plants, including two Chinese catering companies and two advanced manufacturing plants for food packaging materials. The project will comprise six major components: meals processing, packaged food processing, cold chain

storage, production of food packages, e-commerce and commodities exhibition and bio-safety disposal of wastewater and wastes. It is expected to consolidate China’s stake in the Middle East food industry and further expand bilateral relations.

Fourth Gulfood Manufacturing to focus on automation Gulfood Manufacturing, the Middle East’s biggest ingredients, processing, packaging, and logistics exhibition, will shine the spotlight on how automation is revolutionising the world’s food supply chain. Returning for its fourth edition on 31 October – 2 November at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the show will span 80,000m2 of exhibition space across 13 halls, and automation

will be one of five dedicated sectors at the show. Industry leaders will demonstrate the latest automation innovations alongside the food and beverage solutions reshaping the global food manufacturing industry. Exhibitors from more than 60 countries will be showcasing their latest innovations, including 30 national pavilions, with firsttime participation from Poland and countries across the CIS.

Tobacco and fizzy drinks taxed from this month Details of the new excise tax that came into effect in the UAE on 1 October, were revealed at the end of September at a press conference. It was announced previously that excise tax would be imposed on tobacco and energy drinks at 100%, carbonated drinks at 50% and tobacco products at 100%. The government believes this will help to reduce the consumption of harmful goods in the country.

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Catering NEWS ME October 2017

At a press conference, Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director-general of the Federal Tax Authority, said: “With the launch of the excise tax, we celebrate a new milestone in our journey to achieve the visions of our wise leaders for the future of the UAE.”

Events

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR THE 40TH EDITION OF HOST MILAN Taking place this month, Host Milan promises to build on the success of the previous edition with 2,081 companies already confirmed to attend compared to 2,010 during the 2015 show.

There will be 1,255 Italian and 826 international firms from 51 countries in attendance at the biennial show, to take place at Fiera Milano on 20 – 24 October.

Simona Greco, Fiera Milano’s art, fashion, hospitality and travel exhibitions director, said: “With a 3.5% increase compared to the same date in 2015, figures confirm Host’s leading position among international trade fairs, and are very promising for this 40th edition.

“Host is the perfect marketplace where Italian and international manufacturers can present their technological innovations and trends in the hospitality industry, also thanks to Fiera Milano’s continuous scouting to select high-profile buyers. And this year, there will be over 1,500 of them from all five continents.”

The progressively international nature of HostMilano is demonstrated by new entries such as Egypt, New Zealand, South

Africa, Ukraine, and Uganda.

Canada will be back after several years and Europe will boast the largest number of companies (71.4%), with Germany, Spain and France topping the list, followed closely by the USA, the UK, Switzerland, Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, and Austria.

The event will focus on this edition’s target areas – the Middle East, Canada and the USA – and various activities have been organised in these areas to attract visitors.

One thousand five-hundred hosted buyers from all over the world will attend the show thanks to a collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA).

Buyers will come from Europe (10%), the Mediterranean (6%), the Middle East (15%), North America (23%), Central and South America (8%), Russia (18%), South Africa (1%), Asia and Oceania (19%).

In addition, more than 500 events are taking place over the course of the event, including workshops, training opportunities, roundtables, and cooking shows.

To find out more, go to www. host.fieramilano.it.

Wh at' s c ook i n g?

Education

Dubai’s The Tasting Class gets coveted WSET approval Dubai-founded The Tasting Class has become the first approved programme provider in the region for consumers for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).

WSET is the largest international provider of wines and spirits qualifications, offering globallyrecognised qualifications through 750 approved programme providers across the world.

Led by international industry expert and experienced sommelier, Lindsay Trivers, The Tasting Class offers a broad range of tasting events.

These range from social blind tastings with games and prizes to cheese pairings, fine dining and classroom-style lessons, which attract a broad clientele.

Trivers commented: “As Expo 2020 looms, the UAE is striving to deliver the best visitor experience the world has to offer. The Tasting Class will contribute to this by giving the hospitality sector the tools it needs to provide world-class service in anticipation of this great event.

“What is most exciting, though, is now these courses will be offered to anyone interested to learn more about what they are drinking. Everyone is welcome to attend!”

The Tasting Class will offer WSET’s Level 1 Award in Wines and Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits from Friday 20 October 2017.

The courses are designed to give a hands-on introduction to the world of beverage in an interactive and relaxed atmosphere.

The WSET Level 1 Award in Wines covers the basics of different types and styles through sight, smell, and taste, and how

to store and serve it and pair food with it.

The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits digs deeper to explore the major grape varieties and the styles of beverage

they produce, as well as important production regions in which they are grown.

Participants also learn about key classifications and labelling terminology and are given a basic overview of the key categories of spirits and liqueurs.

In addition to WSET courses, The Tasting Class offers training, consultancy and both private and public tasting events throughout the UAE, with regular scheduled events at a host of popular venues – including Jones the Grocer, Boca and Sofitel Dubai.

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We can provide everything to create great coffee including a range of market-leading coffee machines and equipment, all coffee related consumables and training for staff as well as machine servicing and maintenance.

Above all, we deliver a seamless and 360 degree approach to coffee solutions to ensure customers always receive the highest quality coffee they come to know and expect.

Talk to us today: cater@coffeeplanet.com coffeeplanet.com T: +971 4 341 5537

Expansion

Arby’s opens first of 25 restaurants in Kuwait and KSA American sandwich restaurant brand, Arby’s, has opened its first restaurant in Kuwait, as part of plans to roll out at least 25 restaurants across Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

The new restaurant is owned and operated by Al-Kharafi Global for General Trading & Contracting Company-WLL (Kharafi Global).

Paul Brown, chief executive officer of Arby’s Restaurant Group (ARG), said: “We’re proud to be working with Kharafi Global to bring the Arby’s brand to Kuwait.

“They’re a team of proven operators who know how to develop strong-performing restaurants throughout the Middle East.”

The first restaurant is located in Jabriya, with two more to open in Abu Al-Hasaniya and Al Kout Mall later this year.

The new restaurant is one of 126 franchised Arby’s restaurants outside of the US, with others located in Qatar, Turkey, Canada, Japan and South Korea.

Brown added: “The success of our brand in the US has generated a great deal of excitement abroad. We’ll continue to work with growth-focused franchisees to bring Arby’s to more locations in the Middle East and select global markets.”

In 2016, the Arby’s global system achieved six consecutive years of same-store sales growth and since 2013, the brand’s global system sales have grown 20% to $3.7billion.

Founded in 1964, Arby’s is the second-largest sandwich restaurant brand in the world with more than 3,300 restaurants in seven countries.

October 2017 Catering NEWS ME

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New places

Galvin Dubai

Chef brothers Jeff and Chris Galvin, speak to Catering News about their newly opened concept, Galvin Dubai on City Walk Please describe the concept of the venue in your words?

Galvin Dubai offers the best-of-British served with Mediterranean Basin flair; or how we like to call it, the 'flavours of the sun'. The concept offers an elevated dining space and lounge that creates a captivating laid-back glamour and highly social environment.

What are the signature items on the menu?

The lamb tagine is our signature dish.

What is interesting about the beverage offer?

At Galvin Dubai we carry our own unique brand of champagne and red and white grape.

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Sean Connolly at Dubai Opera

Toro & Ko

Eat Artisanal Bakery

Emaar Hospitality Group opened new restaurant concept Sean Connolly at Dubai Opera last month. Managed by Emaar Hospitality Group’s Lifestyle Dining division, the restaurant marks the regional debut of world-renowned chef, Sean Connolly. It is the third operational outlet under the Lifestyle Dining division, joining At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa, and La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie in Vida Downtown. Sean Connolly at Dubai Opera will feature the chef’s trademark culinary experiences in an informal ambience, with capacity for 339 diners.

Barcelona-inspired tapas bar Toro & Ko has opened at City Walk’s licensed dining destination, The Square. The concept, from award-winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, has locations in Boston, New York and Bangkok. Toro & Ko Dubai will bring to the UAE the Spanish dishes the chefs are known for, with a focus on local ingredients from the surrounding markets. The restaurant will also feature a Barcelona-inspired cocktail menu. For the full story, go to page 32.

Eat Artisanal Bakery, a subsidiary of Al Tamimi Investments, has opened its doors in Bay Square, Business Bay Dubai. GM Tamer Qeblawi is behind the concept, which offers pasties, galettes, soups, bread, sandwiches and Raw Coffee in cosy surroundings. A number of savoury dishes are on the menu for lunch, including baby chicken stuffed with freekeh, slow braised lamb shank served with garlic mash or vegetable lasagna. Eat Artisanal Bakery is open Saturday to Thursday from 7am to 7pm.

LOCATION: Dubai Opera OPENING DATE: September 2017

LOCATION: The Square, City Walk OPENING DATE: 23 September 2017

LOCATION: Bay Square, Business Bay Dubai OPENING DATE: 7 September 2017

Catering NEWS ME October 2017

New places

Who designed the interiors and how do they reflect the concept?

The interiors were visualised and designed

by DesignLSM, Brighton, London.

How will the venue compete in Dubai?

We will humbly be a part of an amazing tapestry; we have to earn our place among the best, so do keep your eye on this space!

Date opened: September 2017 Chef: Chris Galvin Restaurant manager: Eric Handtschowercker Fun fact about venue: Chris and Jeff Galvin have never shared a cross word with each other during their entire careers.

Omnia Baharat

Coffee and Cake

Fish Market

Omnia Baharat, located in Mall of the Emirates, has re-launched following a refurbishment. Introducing new interiors and an Indian street food menu, the restaurant has been renamed Omnia Baharat Indian Kitchen. The re-launch was celebrated with an event for more than 70 foodies with Omnia Baharat celebrity chef, Silvena Rowe, who created the restaurant’s new menu. Omnia Baharat Indian Kitchen is located on level 2 expansion, Mall of the Emirates, Barsha 1, Dubai and is open daily from 9am to midnight.

Zulekha Healthcare Group’s sister company, Coffee and Cake, has expanded operations with a third café opening in the Sharjah Municipality facility. The brand first launched in 2013 with venues in Zulekha Hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah.

The new Sharjah venue marks the next step in the company’s expansion, with more outlets to roll out across the Emirates. Serving hot beverages, cakes, pastries and savoury treats, Coffee and Cake is committed to sustainable practices.

Fish Market has re-opened following a complete refurbishment with a fresh look, an updated menu and a new logo. While retaining favourites such as fish curry and lemon butter prawns, three new menus have been introduced – a wine menu, a cocktail menu and a new food menu with seafood, bar bites and vegan dishes. The new fish market has added its own oyster shucker, dessert mezzes, a wine cellar with 100+ bottles and two large sharing tables.

LOCATION: Mall of the Emirates, Dubai OPENING DATE: 17 September 2017

LOCATION: Sharjah Municipality facility OPENING DATE: 17 September 2017

LOCATION: Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek OPENING DATE: 20 September 2017 October 2017 Catering NEWS ME

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Talent

Something in the Atmosphere Christopher Graham, executive chef at At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa, warns young chefs to pursue experience over money

Describe your first ever role in the F&B industry?

After leaving school, my first full-time job was working as a kitchen porter in a nursing home. It was exciting to work in a restaurant and it set my career path in a clear direction. As a result, I then decided to attend catering college and eventually start an apprenticeship.

Who has inspired you most in your career?

Work Experience October 2016 - present: Executive chef, At.mosphere Burj Khalifa, Dubai May 2015 - October 2016: Group executive chef, FoodFund International, Dubai August 2013 - May 2015: Executive sous chef, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

My father – he was a chef too! Throughout my career, following in his footsteps and making him proud has always been my biggest motivation.

At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa still holds an irresistible draw for diners demanding only the best from their F&B experience.

How do you view the F&B scene in the region?

What is the biggest challenge of your role?

I view the F&B scene in Dubai as competitive and booming. With so many renowned dining establishments opening in the region, Dubai now has a wide array of exciting restaurants of different cuisines run by international professionals. However, 18

Catering NEWS ME October 2017

My biggest challenge would be the high volume of operation at our fine dining restaurant. We provide breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner from just one kitchen!

However, I do find this can be a lot of fun as every day becomes an enjoyable challenge.

What is the best aspect of your role?

I enjoy the creative freedom, which allows me to develop new ideas and pass them onto my team. Luckily, my freedom is supported and encouraged by a great management team who want to see At.mosphere grow as much as I do.

If you could work in any restaurant in the world, which would it be?

I would say Eleven Madison Park in New York City. From attentive and friendly staff, to an excellent culinary experience with creative dishes, working at Eleven Madison Park would be a fascinating experience.

What tip would you share with new staff starting out in the F&B industry in the region?

Always follow the experience, not the money. It is important to know your way around an industry that is constantly developing and expanding. While this takes time and effort, the pay-off is always worth it.

Tale n t

New chef joins Cucina at Freedom Pizza hires Courtyard by Marriott Dubai director of operations

Courtyard by Marriott Dubai Green Community has hired Artyom Hakobyan as the new chef of Cucina, the hotel’s Italian eatery.

Originally from Armenia, Hakobyan joins the Marriott family with seven years’ experience and a love of molecular gastronomy.

His experience in the Middle East includes working as demi chef de partie at Porto Bello, the Italian restaurant at Grand Millennium Al Wahda, and a position as chef de partie at Mazina at The Address Dubai Marina.

Freedom Pizza has appointed Chris Daniels as director of operations. Daniels from the UK, has more than 20 years of experience in the F&B industry, most of which has been spent working with Domino’s Pizza where he began as a delivery driver and was promoted through the ranks to become a business partner and then part-owner of the Domino’s Pizza franchise. He also worked at Kout Food Group where he managed the Burger King franchises in the south-east of England.

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Mint Leaf of London appoints executive chef

Pradeep Khullar has joined Mint Leaf of London in Dubai as executive chef, bringing a decade of experience working at restaurants in Dubai and India. In his new role, he will oversee all aspects of the restaurant and lounge and will overhaul the menu, with a focus on contemporary Indian cuisine. He commented: “We are revamping the menu to showcase the significant change at the restaurant which will be the cornerstone for the brand going forward.”

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How millennials are changing the face of THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY Elmar Pichorner, partner, Atelier EPG explains why image-obsessed millennials are the most disruptive generation yet for the F&B industry

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illennials, also known as Generation Y or the Net Generation, are the next cohort following Generation X, made so famous for their rebel-without-a-cause attitude. However, as with all cycles, millennials exhibit their own unique characteristics and behaviour patterns – they have grown up in a society where the internet, smartphones and social media are essential components of daily life. To fully understand their impact upon the F&B industry, one must first understand what a millennial is.

Although definitions vary, the term ‘millennial’ typically applies to people who reach adulthood in the 21st century, which is generally anyone born between 1980 and 1994 (after which we move into Generation Z). This demographic has grown up as digital natives, surrounded by electronics and technology in contrast to previous eras where more traditional pursuits such as treehouses, plastic toys and nature were the hallmarks of childhood.

Taught to be seen and not heard and to respect their elders, those born prior to the 1980s have a more grounded and respectful approach and are often defined as the silent generation. The millennials on the 20

Catering NEWS ME October 2017

About the author Elmar Pichorner holds a Bachelor of Arts in hospitality management from Bad Hofgastein Hospitality Management School in Austria and has accumulated 28 years’ experience in the hospitality and foodservice industry. He worked with the Kerzner International Development team from 2001 and later launched Zuma in 2007. His other conceptual development and design facilitation projects have included La Petite Maison Dubai and Wafi Hotel Dubai.

other hand, flaunt a mantra of “follow your dreams, you are special!”

This mantra easily translates to a millennial love of authenticity and all things digital – and an ever-growing fascination with food, particularly of the healthy variety.

The phrase, ‘you are what you eat’ is taken to an entirely different level with millennials. For them, food isn't just about good nutrition – what a person eats says a lot about their identity.

Millennials are keen to establish trust with food providers and young consumers are expected to continue this trend in future years. Interestingly, more than threefifths of millennials say they are willing to pay more for organic, natural, sustainable and locally-sourced food.

This mentality has stimulated the growth of quality food and beverage restaurants with a near 20% price increase on their predecessors – a trade-up so to speak.

What was traditionally perceived as premium, millennials expect as commonplace.

This shift will largely benefit the smaller, more bespoke player rather than the conglomerates, with a particular sway towards the local purveyor.

Both millennials and Generation Z love to share their food experiences on social media and an estimated 69% of this audience take photos of their meals prior to eating. This means that both the restaurant and the food need to have Instagramable qualities and be shareable – the visual sense is now a much bigger driver than in previous years.

So, in order for restaurants to flourish and survive the scrutiny of a millennial’s camera lens, restaurateurs need to take a holistic approach to the concepts they create, specifically paying attention to the minuscular details that comprise a social dining journey – from the impact of the arrival to the beauty of the food on the plate.

As millennials come into their own, there is a perfect storm on the horizon for many industries – and the food industry could be in the eye of that storm. The younger consumer is one of the most disruptive on record, with expectations of credible, authentic and somewhat real brands much higher among them than their predecessors.

Millennials want non-packaged food that is less processed and offers providence and DNA. Simply put, they want the authentic, the sustainable and the real.

O pinion

Raising the bar for nursery catering services Michel Bayoud, founder and CEO of Boecker® Public Health, explains why food safety is essential for the ever-growing number of catering companies serving childcare facilities

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he demand for caterers serving daily meals to nurseries has been growing rapidly over the last few years. This has resulted in an unprecedented expansion of catering centres, paving the way for better food safety monitoring.

Owners of childcare centres acknowledge the importance of providing delectable and nutritious meals to children and the inherent responsibility of offering a broad range of choices as youngsters begin to develop their personalities and preferences. The most essential element of catering to young consumers, however, is serving safe food. This is especially urgent for children under five years of age who are the most susceptible to the risks of foodborne illnesses and related health complications because their immune systems are still developing.

The Dubai Health Authority sets clear regulations for catering companies that provide school canteens with ready meals.

Catering companies must meet all safety and hygiene requirements and apply a food safety system that is based on the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system.

Ensuring the safe and hygienic delivery of meals to nurseries is also governed by strict regulations. In fact, during the transportation of meals, handlers must properly cover food, ensure that it is stored at the right temperature, and secure clean and chemical-free delivery trucks.

But safe delivery of meals is only half the journey. At the premises, catering companies must ensure that nurseries are equipped with sufficient space for food supply and should communicate clear instructions for the safe handling of delivered items – including safe storage, reheating, and hot holding and cold holding requirements. Safe storage, preparation and dissemination of food is as important – if not more important – in childcare programmes as serving a balanced diet.

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About the author Michel Bayoud is the founder and CEO of Boecker® World Holding, the mother company of Boecker® group of companies across the Middle East. He is also an associate to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, UK and an advisory board member of the newly formed Institute of Food Safety Integrity and Protection (TiFSiP), UK. Bayoud has carried Boecker® from Lebanon, where it was first launched in 1994, to Jordan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, providing world-class services in pest management, food safety and professional disinfecting.

The most essential element of catering to young consumers is serving safe food. This is especially urgent for children under five years of age who are the most susceptible to the risks of foodborne illnesses and related health complications because their immune systems are still developing” Boecker® is paving the way for safer childcare facilities. As a leading pioneer dedicated to safeguarding communities against public health concerns, the company has developed an array of services to cater to growing needs. Food safety is one of the main Boecker® pillars, with

services extending to kitchen audits and training sessions for food handlers.

As the nursery catering business expands, the company also offers the ideal solutions to ensure that facilities are compliant with the relevant governmental regulations. The Safe ChildCare™ (SCC™) programme from Boecker® provides effective safety systems and procedures to certify nurseries, kindergartens and pre-schools for best practices in safety and hygiene. The SCC™ is an exhaustive programme, certified by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEHUK), that addresses both staff and parent needs regarding the health and wellbeing of children. It also includes a thorough disinfection service for further protection.

During the programme, childcare staff are trained and consequently audited on the basics of food monitoring and safety, storage and temperature regulations, as well as proper documentation of the different food handling measures, amongst many other requirements. Boecker® consultants also enquire with the nursery’s caterer about proper food handling practices to ensure safety and hygiene across the entire process.

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E v ent pre v iew

The Shortlist

Catering News Middle East uncovers the talented professionals and outstanding venues that have made the prestigious shortlist for the Leaders in F&B Awards, taking place on Monday 30 October in Dubai

C

atering News Middle East has revealed the highly anticipated shortlist for the Leaders in F&B Awards, set to take place on 30 October at Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi. With more than 350 entries to this year's awards, the competition was tough and only those candidates lucky enough to be shortlisted will be in with a chance of winning a prestigious Leaders in F&B Award later this month at our glittering ceremony. Celebrating the best talent and concepts in the competitive Middle East F&B industry, this year’s 18 categories include Best Newcomer, Leading Homegrown Restaurant brand and the highly coveted F&B Heavyweight.

Best Newcomer

Healthy Restaurant Award

• The Copper Lobster, Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort • Flow • Café 302 Abu Dhabi • Black Tap Dubai • Gunaydin Dubai • Peyote • Lima Dubai • Lucky Voice Dubai • Folly by Nick & Scott • Ruya

• Flow • The Cycle Bistro • Wild & The Moon • Intersect by Lexus • Slices School Food Experts

Sustainable Restaurant Award • The Copper Lobster, Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort • Skye & Walker, Marriott Executive Apartments Dubai Creek • La Farine, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai • Wild & The Moon • The Coffee Club

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#FNBLeaders Leading Homegrown Restaurant Brand

Disruptor of the Year

• Okku • Cuisinero Uno • Operation: Falafel • Sumo Sushi & Bento • Tresind

• Sugarmoo Desserts • Urban Seafood • Plotos • ChefXChange

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Eve n t previ ew

Now quality has a number.

The judging panel for the awards is comprised of leading food and beverage industry experts who combine years of experience across various aspects of the industry.

Helen Morris

Executive chef / senior lecturer, Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management

Leading Casual Dining Restaurant Sunjeh Raja

• Aroma, Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski • Couqley • Galeries Lafayette • Clinton St. Baking Company • Eggspectation • The Daily, Rove Hotels • Luciano's, Habtoor Grand Hotel, Dubai • Zanzibar, Kempinski Hotel Ajman • Crisol Restaurant & Lounge, Sharjah • The Terrace on the Corniche, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi

Director & CEO, International Center for Culinary Arts (ICCA Dubai)

Sarah Hawilo

Chief executive officer, SerVme

Leading Fine Dining Restaurant • La Cantine Du Faubourg • Kiyi, Fairmont Ajman • Bateaux Dubai • Cipriani Yas Island • Indego by Vineet

Leading Nightlife Venue • McGettigan's JLT • Lock, Stock & Barrel • Boa Bar & Lounge • Estrellas Rooftop Lounge, Melia Dubai • The Backyard, Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay • Pure Sky Lounge & Dining, Hilton Dubai

Ralph Homer

CEO, Restaurant Secrets

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Chef of the year • Alain Gobel, Fairmont The Palm • Nicolas Smalberger, JA Resorts & Hotels • Colin Clague, Ruya Dubai • Munier Al Sallaq, The Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana • Francois Roldan, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club • Ben Tobitt, Jumeirah Restaurant Group • Aijiro Shinoda, Atisuto • Naruemol Poolkuan, Benjarong, Dusit Thani Dubai • Maxime Le Van, Via Veneto • Rajiv Ranjan, Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai

Leading Hotel F&B Manager • Nick Patmore, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai • Jimmy Lopez, Palazzo Versace Dubai • Wissam Al Shater, Centro Capital Centre • Marco Rosado, Atlantis The Palm • Pieter Liebenberg, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek

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Young F&B Leader • Karolina Graham, Solutions Leisure Group • Kamran Shaikh, Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche • Tim Groeneweg, JW Marriott Marquis • Marvin Coelho, Taj Dubai • Jodie O'Meara, Jumeirah Restaurant Group

Eve n t previ ew

Best Service Team

F&B Heavyweight • Manhal Nasser, co-founder and CEO, AWJ Investments • Emma Banks, GM, Jumeirah Restaurant Group • Hiba Kosta, owner, Sho Cho Facilities • Naim Maadad, chief executive, Gates Hospitality • Paul Evans, CEO, Solutions Leisure Group

• Qwerty, Media One Hotel • Catering & Events Service Team, Jumeirah Beach Hotel • F&B Service Team at Al Wadi Desert, RAK, a Ritz-Carlton partner hotel • Jodhpur Royal Dining • Nola

Leading Restaurateur • Natasha Sideris, managing executive, Tashas restaurants • Kunal Lahori, founder and CEO, Create Hospitality • Tom Arnel, co-founder and MD, Bull&Roo • Bhupender Nath, CEO and MD, Passion F&B Management • Salem Bin Dasmal, founder and CEO, Silver Spoon Investments • Yunib Siddiqui, CEO, Jones the Grocer

The judging panel for the awards is comprised of leading food and beverage industry experts who combine years of experience across various aspects of the industry.

Sarah-Jane Grant

Director, LXA

Uwe Micheel

Director of kitchens, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek and president, Emirates Culinary Guild

Bartender of the Year • Nikola Pulcheski, Pure Sky Lounge, Hilton Dubai The Walk • Waldo Gaston Fusco, Casa de Tapas and Cielo Sky Lounge • Joaquim Manuel Fernandes, Voda Bar, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray • Sherine John, Tresind • Raven Rudolph, Folly by Nick & Scott

Anis Harb

Regional GM, Deliveroo

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WHERE? The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina WHEN? Monday 30 October 2017, 7pm – late SPONSORSHIP / TABLE BOOKINGS: Contact fred@bncpublishing.net / james@bncpublishing.net

Pastry Chef of the Year • Ryan Harris, Demoiselle by Galvin & Galvin Dubai • Martua Sakti, Kempinski Mall of the Emirates • Ludovic Audaux, Grosvenor House Hotel & Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa • Shashwat Shivam, Jodhpur Royal Dining • Sanjit Gupta, Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa

Leading F&B Investor • Manhal Nasser, co-founder and CEO, AWJ Investments • Turab Saleem, owner/ founder Perfetti and ToroToro • Mohammed Tayem, founder and managing director, entourage marketing & events, Tayem Group

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SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Now quality has a number.

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By sponsoring the Leaders in F&B Awards your company will gain valuable exposure in front of more than 300 of the region’s most influential F&B professionals. Various packages are available and these can be tailored to your company’s specific requirements. To find out more, contact fred@bncpublishing.net or james@bncpublishing.net

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E v ent pre v iew

The agenda has been set for the third edition of The Big Food & Beverage Forum, to take place on Monday 30 October at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina. Join us for an informative morning of debate and networking The Big F&B Forum, hosted by Catering News Middle East this year welcomes speakers from across the industry to discuss the major challenges and opportunities on the horizon for F&B professionals in the region as we move ever-closer to 2020.

Last year’s forum received unprecedented interest, with more than 250 F&B professionals from across the region in attendance, and the 2017 event looks set to achieve even greater success.

Sponsoring The Big F&B Forum are some of the most prominent suppliers on the market, including Unilever, TSSC, Boecker Public Health, Pulsar Foodstuff Trading, Lavazza Eurocoffee, Debic and Al Rawdah.

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EVENT DETAILS

WHERE? Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina WHEN? Monday 30 October 2017, 8am- 2.30pm SPONSOR: Fred@bncpublishing.net / James@bncpublishing.net SPEAK: Crystal@bncpublishing.net / Patrick@bncpublishing.net ATTEND: Mark@bncpublishing.net

Commenting on why the food safety and pest control specialist is supporting the event, Abdulhadi Chalak, country manager of Boecker Public Health, said: “We are a proud partner of BNC publishing as we strongly believe The Big F&B Forum is a great platform to discuss ideas with our clients and industry peers, pay tribute to achievements, celebrate excellence and meet with some of the best in the business.”

Stefan Hoonhoud, business development manager at Debic, which is launching three new cream products to the Middle East market at the forum, adds: “Debic has chosen to partner with BNC Publishing’s

Eve n t previ ew

Big F&B Forum because of their expertise and reputation in the market. It is the perfect platform to gain exposure to key decision makers in the industry.

“Debic wants to highlight the unique qualities of our Debic cream with live demos showing chefs how the product is best used and allowing them to experience the European quality and taste it brings to the plate.”

The major trends, topics and challenges concerning the region’s vibrant and competitive food and beverage industry will be up for discussion, with a morning of panel debates, presentations and networking.

With registration starting at 8am, the forum will include expert sessions on how regional governments are supporting the F&B industry in the run up to 2020, and how best to capitalise on the growth of the flourishing food delivery market.

The first panel session of the day, ‘Necessity is the mother of innovation’, will explore the barriers to local F&B innovation, and how the government, landlords and educational institutions can better support entrepreneurs to elevate the standards of the Middle East’s F&B concepts.

‘Chewing the VAT’, an expert session on how the impending introduction of value added tax will impact the F&B industry will follow, before we move on to tackle the talent crisis in the region’s hospitality sector, with a panel entitled, ‘The Middle East has got talent?’

Taking a fresh approach to a long-debated issue, the panel will explore how the UAE compares to other regional countries when it comes to service; if the introduction of the Michelin Guide could attract better talent to the region; and whether we’re bringing up a work-shy generation of millennials.

The final panel of the day, ‘Producing the Goods’, will discuss how good our local produce is, how suppliers can work better with businesses to offer quality, value and traceability and why we must act now to increase our sustainable credentials with regards to produce, packaging and materials.

A networking lunch with interactive workshops will take place from 12.50pm, allowing attendees the opportunity to meet with peers and learn more about the latest products on the market.

To register for the Big F&B Forum, contact Mark@bncpublishing.net.

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Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer learned the rules of Spanish cuisine and then broke them to create something new. Crystal Chesters speaks to the award-winning double act behind Dubai’s new Bostonfounded, Barcelona-inspired tapas bar, Toro & Ko

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en Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, the duo behind Bostonfounded tapas restaurant brand, Toro, describe themselves as ‘risk-takers’, who like to do things differently. The James Beard Award-winning chefs first teamed up when Bissonnette joined Oringer’s Boston Toro in 2008 and the pair went on to collaborate on two more brands – Italian enoteca, Coppa, and 34

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tapas restaurant, Little Donkey.

The opening of Toro & Ko in Dubai last month marked the second international location after Bangkok for the eclectic brand, which is inspired by the chefs’ shared love of travel and doesn’t cling rigidly to any particular rules. The menu takes inspiration from a Barcelona tapas bar but in each location, the chefs do something different and encourage creativity and collaboration.

“We’re not afraid to break some rules,” says Oringer. “We like to honour the traditions of Spain, but also do some interesting things – Spain and chefs like Ferran Adrià really encourage the creative side of food.”

Bissonnette adds: “Our inspiration came from the love of food and a love of the culture of Spain and communal eating – eating a little and often – and the energy you experience when you’re in a tapas restaurant.

C over Story

Toro & Ko is inspired by multiple cultures, not just where we live or where we open a restaurant but from our travels. We like to learn the rules of what Spanish food is and then change them to make the food our own, whether it’s inspiration from Dubai or Jordan or Bangkok or even Spain” - Jamie Bissonnette Toro & Ko is inspired by multiple cultures, not just where we live or where we open a restaurant but from our travels.

“We like to learn the rules of what Spanish food is and then change them to make the food our own, whether it’s inspiration from Dubai or Jordan or Bangkok or even Spain. We’re always tweaking and changing things as we travel – our inspiration comes from everywhere.”

Last month, Toro & Ko opened its doors on Dubai’s City Walk at The Square, a licensed area of the development, which is also home to names such as the Galvin Brothers (Galvin Dubai) and Virgilio Martínez Véliz (Lima Dubai), whom the Boston pair are “honoured” to sit alongside.

“Toro & Ko brings a fun, energetic vibe,” says Bissonnette. “We take what we do very seriously but we don’t take ourselves very seriously. I think being here with Lima and Galvin and all the other amazing restaurants will be fun.”

In addition to its fast-growing culinary scene, the chefs appreciate Dubai’s “energy”, which is much like that of New York, Boston and Bangkok. “We chose Dubai because the culture here of food is so passionate – it’s a place we wanted to come and explore and be part of and it’s just really exciting,” says Bissonnette.

“We have brands that are very urbaninspired and we love the energy and we always have restaurants in cities where we love the energy,” says Oringer. “Obviously, Boston and New York have great energy, and Bangkok is a huge city with an incredible culinary scene and in Dubai, the love of food and hospitality made it a natural fit.”

The Dubai venue has two floors with a casual upstairs area and space for up to 80

guests, and a ground floor area that seats 100, featuring a Martini bar and communal seating. Although it is similar in size to the New York outlet, Toro & Ko Dubai has more outdoor space, which according to Bissonnette, makes it perfect for enjoying paella in the sun. “You can imagine people sitting on the patio when the weather is nice, eating these amazing paellas and drinking sangria, living that nice, glamorous life of sitting out in the sun with Spanish food,” he says.

One fundamental aspect of Toro is its focus on sustainability and Bissonnette and Oringer are still learning about how to maintain this element of the concept in Dubai and are doing their research through other chefs in the city – including Miss lily’s executive chef Adam Schop, a friend of theirs from New York. While some key ingredients will be sourced from Spain, the chefs are looking to procure locally too.

“Even from Boston to New York, we like to take the influence of different local markets, whether it’s a farmers market or a fish purveyor or something unique to the area,” says Bissonnette. “When we opened in Bangkok, we didn’t think we should import every ingredient from Spain or the States so we decided on a certain olive oil and a certain rice, but other than that, we wanted to be able to use local products to express the Spanish spirit of tapas in that area.

“It’s the same thing here in Dubai – we’ve come up with the idea of using certain spices and ingredients but then we will find new things we want to express on the menu.”

An asset to the team is head chef Oscar Poquet Bigord, who has been working in the region for the past eight years and comes from two hours north-west of Barcelona. “He has more energy than anyone I’ve met in my life and a passion for food, so it’s great to have someone else on the team that’s like-minded,” says Bissonnette.

The pair appreciate creative collaboration, so while Chef Bigord went to the States to train with the team, he has also been encouraged to pursue his own strong vision for the menu. Oringer comments: “We decided some dishes were classics so we would keep them but Oscar had a vision of putting his stamp on it, so we worked together and we changed some things and even have some dishes we’re going to put October 2017 Catering NEWS ME

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on the menu in the States, so it’s just been a beautiful collaboration – he’s a really creative guy. Sometimes you don’t want to stifle the creativity of a chef – you want to encourage collaboration instead,” he adds, highlighting Asado de Huesos (roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade) and Pulpo a la Plancha (grilled octopus), among the signature dishes on the menu. “The octopus is our number-one best-seller in New York and one of those dishes I’ve never gotten sick of eating,” he says.

Now that Toro has made its Middle East debut, the question is whether there is room for Coppa or Little Donkey, or perhaps another Toro in the region?

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Sometimes you don’t want to stifle the creativity of a chef – you want to encourage collaboration instead” - Ken Oringer

“Right now, I think we’re just taking it one step at a time,” comments Bissonnette.

“Coppa is a very special, unique little neighbourhood restaurant and Little Donkey is just a year old so it’s not even at the ‘terrible twos’ yet! But who knows what could happen in the future? I would like more reasons to be in the Middle East because I truly love it here.”

Oringer adds: “Working with people like Meraas really gives us an amazing opportunity. You never know – hopefully things go well here and we’ll see what happens.”

In the meantime, the chefs are firmly focused on getting Toro Dubai up and running and will be back in November for the official launch of The Square at City Walk.

T he Business

Ea s t e r n

promises Catering News speaks to Milos Zekovic, the recently appointed operations manager of Hakkasan Middle East about the company’s upcoming Riyadh venue and staying relevant in a market flooded with contemporary Asian concepts Having been in the UAE for 10 years now, Milos Zekovic, the recently appointed operations manager at Hakkasan Middle East, takes pride in his regional experience and his six years with the brand, which has allowed him to watch Hakkasan’s Middle East portfolio grow and develop with inspiration and innovations from the brand’s restaurants across the globe.

In 2011, a year after Hakkasan’s regional debut in Abu Dhabi, Zekovic joined the upscale modern Chinese brand on the preopening team for the Dubai venue as senior restaurant manager, attracted by the company’s big expansion plans for the region and worldwide.

“I knew Hakkasan from my past travels to Abu Dhabi and I felt it was the right fit for my experience – I had been here for four years before joining and I had done some pre-openings before,” the Serbian national tells Catering News during an interview at the Dubai outlet.

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With venues in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha, the next regional ports of call are Riyadh and Bahrain. Hakkasan’s sister brand Yauatcha – a contemporary dim sum tea house concept with a Michelin-starred venue in London and outlets in India, Hawaii and Houston – will make its Middle East debut in the first quarter of 2018 in the Saudi capital.

“We’re mainly focusing on Saudi Arabia and the next project will be Yauatcha,” says Zekovic. “It’s our sister brand and it’s quite interesting – we are working with full speed and pace toward this project in order to meet the timeline for opening.”

Yauatcha will be launched in partnership with Al Khozama Management Company, which owns and operates hotels and real estate developments in the kingdom. Situated on Olaya Street, within the company’s Al Faisaliah Mall, the restaurant will be the first alcohol-free Yauatcha.

“It’s quite challenging yet interesting to

develop other sides of the beverages, which are non-alcoholic,” Zekovic comments.

“We’ll be working on some interesting mixed drinks and the market will be interested to find out more once we’re closer to the date of opening.”

The upcoming venue is part of Hakkasan Group’s ambitious plan to open five outlets in the next five years in the kingdom – including the Hakkasan brand. Meanwhile, there are plans for a restaurant in Bahrain also, but the brand has not been decided upon yet.

Zekovic says: “At the moment we are still considering what brand we will put in Bahrain so that project is a little way off but I think some time in 2018 we will have better clarity on moving forward with the Bahrain project.”

There might be opportunities for Yauatcha elsewhere in the region, he says, but that depends on whether the modern Asian market is oversaturated in the UAE, or not.

“At the moment, we are still exploring the

The bus i n ess

We’re mainly focusing on Saudi Arabia and the next project will be Yauatcha.

It’s our sister brand and it’s quite interesting – we are working with full speed and pace toward this project in order to meet the timeline for opening” - Milos Zekovic

market and whether that is something that would fit in Dubai because we already have Hakkasan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and a second similar concept would be a question of whether there is still growth of the market to make that profitable,” he says.

Since Hakkasan first appeared on the Middle East market seven years ago, competition has ramped up considerably for modern Asian concepts with many having replicated the sophisticated, dark and glamorous appeal Hakkasan is known for.

It’s no surprise then that Zekovic’s new role comes with its challenges as he focuses on maintaining the success of the Hakkasan brand in the region. “There are many [competitors] and it continues to evolve – the market hasn’t stopped. At Hakkasan, we focus on having the best product. Our consistency and delivery in terms of F&B is spot-on and the guests always come back because of that," he says.

“At the same time, it’s making sure we have engaging service that isn’t intrusive to customers and which brings them back.

Taking into consideration how many regular guests we have, I think we are very competitive on the market in terms of the other places offering similar cuisine.”

For example, while there are several ‘signature’ dishes available at all Hakkasan outlets around the world – such as the bronzed Peking duck with crispy skin paired with salty caviar – one of the things that keeps the brand locally engaging is it’s ‘Only At’ menu, which celebrates each venue’s local culture and cuisine. “It gives the chef the opportunity to be more creative and use local influence and products, while creating the dishes representing that unique space,” says Zekovic.

Having completed 10 years in the region, Zekovic looks forward to spending the foreseeable future here, believing this will be beneficial for his career as he develops his knowledge and skills with the Hakkasan Group. Looking ahead, he is excited about the company’s pipeline and what he can contribute to this.

“We’ll be focusing on upcoming projects because there are many of them, which makes this period exciting, yet challenging,” he says. “We need to make sure we’re all in line within the operations and obviously to keep on the successful running of the existing ones.”

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RISING STA RS The three UAE semi-finalists of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Award speak to Catering News ahead of the regional final on 16 October, which is being held for the first time in Dubai

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C hef F ocus

T

hree chefs from the UAE have been selected among the 10 Middle East and Africa S. Pellegrino Young Chef semifinalists to compete in the regional semi-final, which is taking place for the first time in Dubai on 16 October.

Thousands of applications were submitted by young chefs from more than 90 countries, and 10 semi-finalists were chosen in June from each of the 20 regions taking part. The UAE semi-finalists are: Aditya Kumar Jha from Tamba Abu Dhabi, Mario Christianto from The Exchange Grill in Dubai and Nigel Lobo from The Eloquent Elephant in Dubai.

Ahead of this month’s competition, which will see one chef from the region go forward to the finals in 2018, the three UAE semi-finalists catch up with Catering News to discuss the dishes they will showcase and what they are most looking forward to at the event.

What have you been doing to prepare for the semi-final?

Nigel: When I was informed about be-

ing selected for the semi-finals, I planned a short trip to my village where my roots are. I wanted to be inspired by the fresh produce and inherent flavours. I stumbled upon some intensely flavoured dried shrimp, which I picked up from the local market and hope to showcase in the competition. I am practicing a lot and as the day comes nearer and nearer I feel nervous yet very excited!

Aditya: I have been working on a number of things to prepare for the finals. I am practicing my dish in the kitchen regularly and having my close circle try the dish to give me feedback and their thoughts. I am trying to make it the best it can be, and with the help of a pottery expert I have created my own crockery to add that special touch. The uniqueness of the crockery will enhance the presentation of the dish.

Mario: I’ve already prepared a lot of things since being selected. I keep balancing the time between my regular work in the kitchen and my preparation for this event. It is not just about physical practice but mental effort, to think beyond what is usual and to push creative boundaries to a greater extent – that is what makes a chef stand out.

I exchange thoughts with my peers and mentors to help me be creative.

What dish will you showcase?

Nigel: Steamed Patagonian toothfish,

spiced lobster mousse, moilee sauce, ‘sukha javla’. I hail from Mangalore and at an early age I relocated to the UAE. Since then, annual trips have made up my memories of a place I call ‘home’ but visit seldom. I wish to reflect these memories by way of this composition. I have used a Patagonian toothfish for its purity, succulence and a clean flavour that I see as my canvas supporting the other parts of the dish. I have added a layer of complexity with a ginger spiked lobster farce in the middle and I’m steaming it gently at 65°C. The punch of the dehydrated prawns needs no support and is sprinkled generously with an earthy curry leaf dust. Completing my picture is the silken turmeric laced coconut emulsion making my Mangalorean memories come to life. I see this dish as a reflection of the past, enriched by the experiences of the present and the road to the future.

Aditya: I’ll be showcasing the Banjara Gosht, which has been developed from a dish that is close to my heart – its connection to my childhood is what makes it so special to me. My mother used to prepare this dish for me as a child and it was certainly one of my favourites. All elements of this dish are very traditional, but what I have done to take it up a notch is use a very modern cooking technique.

Mario: I will be presenting sous vide duck breast with tamarind sauce, orange purée, apple licorice and foie gras. Duck meat makes an ideal candidate for sous-vide and the intent is to cook the item evenly, ensuring that the inside is properly done without overcooking the outside, and to retain moisture. For this dish, I chose Magret duck as it has a rich, distinctive flavour. Its authentic taste with an Indonesian touch will form a great combination.

What are you most looking forward to at the event?

Nigel: San Pellegrino Young Chef is a plat-

form to showcase my culinary talent and I hope I can make the most of the opportunity. However, I also look forward to meet-

S.Pellegrino Young Chef Award Now in its third year, the

S.Pellegrino Young Chef Award is an opportunity for culinary talents to demonstrate and strengthen

their skills and gain visibility on an international stage. Each young

chef’s application and signature dish was evaluated by experts

at international educational and

training centre for Italian cuisine, ALMA, in adherence with five

‘Golden Rules’ – ingredients, skill, genius, beauty and message, in

order to select the 10 semi-finalists.

The other semi-finalists competing

in the October MEA event are Jorge Alexis Falcon Valera from Cantina Kahlo in Bahrain and seven chefs

from South Africa. These are: Ianca Stryom, Garth Rauben Heimer, and Paul Prinsloo from The Restaurant at Waterkloof; Georgios Spandos, Palm Hotel & Spa; Sheldon Raju, Sheldon Raju Cosultancy and

Vusumi Ndlovu, The Saxon Hotel Villas and SPA. By the end of

December 2017, 21 finalists from

around the globe will be confirmed to attend the final in June 2018.

Each finalist will be assigned a chef mentor from their regional jury, who will provide support in preparation for the international finals.

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C hef F ocus

Mario Christianto

Each young chef’s dish is evaluated by a panel of experts

The Exchange Grill Restaurant, Dubai Dish: Sous vide duck breast with tamarind sauce, orange puree, apple licorice, foie gras

What are you expecting from the other competitors?

Nigel: Fierce competition! It will also

ing fellow young professional chefs and fostering friendships and collaborations – I expect it to be an enriching exchange.

Aditya: I am excited to meet the judging panel, which is made up of some of the best culinary talents from around the world. I am also very excited to meet the best chefs of the region and of course I want to plate the best food for the judging panel within the given time frame, also highlighting my creativity.

Mario: I'm looking forward to fierce but healthy competition put up by all participating chefs, making it a true challenge.

Secondly, it is the experience that matters most. Cooking under extreme pressure and amidst fierce competition strongly contributes to the all-round improvement in the skills required for the hospitality industry.

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be a learning experience where I will be able to learn from the other competitors about the history and culture of food in their countries.

Aditya: These are some of the best chefs in the world, which is why they have been nominated as San Pellegrino semi-finalists.

Everyone is extremely talented and I’m sure the candidates will be performing to the best of their ability. The spotlight will be on each and every one of us to deliver the best dish. There will be a lot of creativity and amazing dishes, but I think we will also have fun showcasing our creations and highlighting our talents.

Mario: I believe whoever got selected from each region for this event will show their best performance and will be a great rival.

Every one of them only has one goal, which is to win.

What are the key challenges young chefs are facing in advancing their careers?

Nigel: The opportunity given to showcase

young chefs and their talent is seldom done

and this is where San Pellegrino Young Chef plays a crucial role. Yes, no doubt you will need mentors, guidance from time to time and the kitchen is a tough place to work. But over the last couple of years, there has been a wave of progressive young chefs who are not given the opportunity to showcase their talent and live up to its true potential. It’s very rare, (if not impossible) to find an executive chef who is under 30 years of age.

Aditya: The kitchen is a very busy place, especially when service begins, so there’s not always time for young chefs to come out of their shells and showcase their ideas and creativity. Young chefs are often in the background keeping their heads down and agreeing (‘yes Chef’) with senior chefs. I believe that young chefs should be given the chance to put their creations forward and senior chefs should embrace them and welcome new ideas, whether it is coming from trainee chefs or a sous chef.

Mario: Lack of motivation is one of the biggest things for anyone in the culinary world. Some people think that to be a chef or cook is very simple but in reality, it is tough to get the title of a chef. I have known many who started to drown and gave up.

C hef F ocus

Gregoire Berger, head chef at Ossiano Dubai won the Middle East & Africa semi-final last year

They need motivation to keep their spirits up and once they cross that initial phase, it becomes a day-to-day challenge anyone would face in other careers.

How do you expect participating in the S. Pellegrino Young Chef competition to impact your career?

Nigel: Participating in the San Pellegrino

Competition means a lot. It will put me on the world map and is a great foundation to start my dream restaurant some day. Even though there is only one winner, I think the journey will enrich me and make me a better chef. As one of my mentors always told me, 'Excellence is a journey, not a destination!'

Aditya: I believe the SPYC will give all 10 semi-finalists a platform to become recognised within the culinary industry. It will raise our awareness and add excitement for when guests come and experience our dishes. It gives us all a chance to showcase our talent and creativity, cementing our place among some of the top chefs in the world.

Mario: To be a great chef, one has to learn

and learn. The competition provides me with a great opportunity to learn from my participation and from what other chefs have to present. It’s the best platform to exchange knowledge and further enhance one’s skill-set. Plus, the exposure we are getting as young chefs through this competition is a great deal for us – we are exposed to deeper training and skill building which helps hone culinary excellence.

Aditya Kumar Jha Tamba, Abu Dhabi

Dish: Cryo Fried Banjara Gosht

What are your career ambitions?

Nigel: Food has always been a part of my

upbringing and this went to a different level when I enrolled in catering school, graduated from the Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development and worked with the likes of Ben Shewry, Paco Perez, Thomas Buhner, Mateu Casanas and currently Jitin Joshi.

I’ve learnt techniques, developed my papillae, enhanced my repertoire and evolved a style I now showcase at The Eloquent Elephant. As a chef I see myself running a successful restaurant operation or having my own F&B set-up, which reflects my style, shows my passion and brings me happiness on a daily basis. I want to be able to live my dreams through my food and not just for October 2017 Catering NEWS ME

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personal satisfaction, but also to have a following of patrons who would appreciate and enjoy my creations.

Aditya: I want to take Indian cuisine up a level. It has so many flavours and variations that can be played with and each region in India has a different taste profile, yet the world only recognises a few. There is so much more that can be done with Indian cuisine and I am excited to explore this further. Also, India is the second largest population in the world and we currently only have one Indian cuisine restaurant in the San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants.

My ambition is to have my restaurant in the list – it is the best recognition for any chef.

Mario: I want to be a restaurateur and I wish one day I could bring Indonesian food to Michelin-starred level.

Nigel Lobo The Eloquent Elephant, Dubai Dish: Steamed Patagonian toothfish, spiced lobster mousse, moilee sauce, ‘sukha javla’

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Catering NEWS ME October 2017

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E v ent rev iew

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY WEEK Catering News rounds up the highlights from the inaugural Dubai International Hospitality Week, which took place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 18 – 20 September

L

ast month marked the launch of Dubai International Hospitality Week (DIHW), a mega-event for the hospitality and foodservices sectors, combining six trade shows.

Dubai World Trade Centre’s owned and organised events, GulfHost 2017, The Speciality Food Festival, Seafex Middle East and Yummex ME – organised jointly with Köelnmesse GmbH – took place alongside DMG Events’ The Hotel Show and The Leisure Show at Dubai World Trade Centre from 18 – 20 September 2017.

The DWTC-organised events were inaugurated by Dr. Rashid bin Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology.

Speaking at the event launch, Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, exhibitions and events management, DWTC said: “Dubai International Hospitality Week is a reflection of the rapid growth of the hospitality and food sector across the region.

“The platform provides opportunities for sourcing, buying and networking across six co-located trade shows at a critical time for the industry. We are honoured today to have Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad officially inaugurate the shows, as we bring the best in hospitality to the region.”

Welcoming tens of thousands of visitors across 80,000m2 of exhibition space, DIHW brought together over 2,000 international exhibitors, including industry leading brands from around the world.

Over 50,000 visitors were expected to attend the event, including C-suite de46

Catering NEWS ME October 2017

cision makers and buyers from a broad spectrum of organisations within the hospitality industry.

The Hotel Show Dubai and The Leisure Show Dubai were opened by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports,

Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group.

More than 700 local and international suppliers from 44 different countries were expected to take part in the shows, which showcased the latest innovations set to impact the region’s hospitality and leisure industries.

Eve n t revi ew

Speaking on the final day of The Hotel Show Dubai and The Leisure Show Dubai, Ray Tinston, portfolio director of the DMG Events Middle East, Asia and Africa hospitality portfolio, said: “The spotlight is firmly on the hospitality industry in this region, particularly the UAE. We have welcomed more regional

and international guests to our events this week than ever before in our 18year history serving this market, some of which have massive expansion plans for the region, covering hundreds of hotels.

“Some of the business deals orchestrated at our shows this week have been unprecedented, and this just goes to illustrate once

more how continually forward-thinking and how constantly growing the hospitality market is in this part of the world.

“With experts revealing that hotel openings are going to galvanise the market from 2018, we are set to provide the industry with an even larger showcase of the best products and insights.”

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Boecker

Boecker unveils new pest control solutions for hotels

Croust’wich

A Product for freshlyassembled sandwiches arrives in Middle East Croust’wich, a new product from France that creates freshly assembled sandwiches, was on show at GulfHost. The patented concept, which is not a franchise, is expanding globally with 1,400 points of sale worldwide. Sophie Fry, export sales manager at Orequip, the company behind the concept, said: “It’s a new way to manage the sandwich activity and make it easier to produce and make attractive sandwiches. You display your fillings on one side and then you display next to it slightly warm bread and you let the customer see, choose and then you assemble the sandwich in front of them in two seconds.

“The name Croust’wich is the beginning of ‘croustillon’, which means ‘cripsy’ in French, and the end of ‘sandwich’.

You can offer crispy bread because it’s not in the fridge with all the ingredients so you avoid the bread getting soggy.”

Abdulhadi Chalak, country manager (UAE), Boecker Public Health reveals details of the company’s new bird control system and training certification for F&B outlets What are your products and services for the hospitality industry?

Today in the UAE alone we are managing more than 35 five-star hotels. We provide them with our premium pest management services, along with our food safety services and bio-security services (professional disinfecting), typically on demand. Today, in addition to our portfolio of electric fly killers, we are introducing a new solution for bird control, which is harmless to birds and extremely cost-effective compared to existing solutions and won’t impact the aesthetics of your hotel. We are also trying to promote our biosecurity portfolio to our hospitality clients. With medical tourism, bio-security (disinfecting) becomes a must.

What training services do you offer?

We provide a lot of consultancy and training in certain areas. The first niche we have identified is for small- and medium-sized food establishments. We have developed our certification and re-certification programme titled QPA – Quality Platinum Award. We act as the consultant and the certifying body through a series of audits, trainings, and close follow up with the management just to make sure that standards are held high and reputations are conserved for our clients. We are also introducing something called OHS light, a lighter version of health and safety certifications that was tailor-made to service the F&B industry.

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Print2taste

3D food printing system on show at GulfHost Gerd Funk, CEO, Print2Taste unveils his company’s 3D food-printing system, and why he is exhibiting at the first ever GulfHost What products are you highlighting at the event?

We are offering 3D food printing system, the Bocusini Pro 3.0 and the associated foods as well as the software environment needed to make successful food production on the customer side.

What’s innovative about the system?

It’s the first time the customer can individualise and personalise food on a very sophisticated level so this is the level where handcrafted items don’t work anymore.

Is that a trend across the market?

Definitely. Every company is looking for their logo and corporate ID – this is starting with text messages and is going up to visualised products in food. For example, a bridal couple might be created in almond paste on their wedding cake.

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Interested? For more information or an introductory offer go to www.quooker.ae or call 800-Quooker (7866537).

E v ent rev iew

Hp

HP promotes interior design solutions Ernest Azzam, regional business manager, large format printing, HP Middle East Mediterranean & Africa explains why latex printing is perfect for interior design What products are you promoting today?

What we are showing is what we can do with HP latex printing, which was designed originally for outdoor advertising and signage, but can be used perfectly safety indoors.

We have also started to focus on interior decoration and what can be done with these products. Because you can print on a wide range of media like wallpaper, stickers, textiles, synthetic leather and so on, interior designers are finding it easy to design whatever they want and it looks professional.

How does HP latex printing work?

Long-lasting prints often use a solvent or eco-solvent ink. HP came up with a technology that is safer and more environmentally friendly, which is water-based ink plus latex particles. The latex melts on the materials to lock the ink down without any hazardous chemicals. Because of this, we can use it indoors without having any problems or smell and that’s why it has become popular in interior design applications.

Inoksan

Inoksan invests “heavily” as export market booms

Turkish company Inoksan is investing heavily in new machinery and products as it witnesses a boom in the local and export market. Speaking on the sidelines of GulfHost 2017, the firm’s export manager Umut K. Akkaya discussed the wide range of products being promoted to GCC buyers at the show.

“We are showcasing our cooking line, refrigeration, open buffets, combi-steamers, donner kebab machines and dishwashers. We’ve been producing this equipment since 1980 in Turkey and we are exporting to five continents and more than 80 countries.

“The Middle East is one of our major markets and 30% of our exports are going to this. Apart from this we are exporting to the US, Europe, Africa and south-east Asia as well.”

The latest launch from Inoksan is a combi-steamer, with automatic cooking and self-cleaning features making it the company’s “next generation oven”.

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Insinkerator

Insinkerator highlights food waste solutions at GulfHost Insinkerator’s food waste technology was on show last month at GulfHost

With food waste disposers, the Waste Xpress system and the Power Mix in its portfolio, Insinkerator offers a wide range of food waste solutions for the foodservice industry, explains Mohamed Karam, senior business development manager, Insinkerator Middle East & Africa.

He comments: “The food waste disposer grinds the food and sends it to be treated – you can also turn the food waste into fertiliser or biogas. The second option is the Waste Xpress system, which grinds the food and takes the water out for waste reduction of up to 85%.

“We can increase the hygiene and have more efficient operation.

The third product is the Power Mix, which cleans the dishes using 50% recycled water, reducing the consumption of water used for dishwashing by up to 50%.”

@FaemaOfficial

@faema_official

E v ent rev iew

Xeros

New Xeros washing machines use 80% less water At The Hotel Show, Xeros highlighted the energy saving properties of its commercial washing machine system, which uses 80% less water than a conventional machine. Marketing manager Danielle Fothergill explained that revolutionary polymer laundry beads are at the core of Xeros’ washing machine technology.

She commented: “We replace a lot of the water with polymer beads and as well as saving water, this gives a higher quality wash. The polymer beads act like a handwash – it’s as if a million little hands are washing your clothes. The beads are a lot gentler on the fabric than water, so for example, if you’ve got towels they will stay fluffier for longer, and whiter and cleaner.”

Polymer bead technology is popular in countries with water shortages, according to Fothergill. The company has just signed a distributor in Dubai and has plans to expand across the Middle East.

Silentnight

Silentnight unveils latest mattress trends Silentnight managing director Chris Gourdie highlights spring technology and the mattress products exclusive to the Middle East What products are you showcasing at The Hotel Show Dubai?

We are showcasing three new models featuring exclusive spring units, which we bring in with Leggett and Platt, America’s largest spring manufacturer. They are Pocket Sprung Soft Touch, Ergo Coil and Verticoil – these are exclusive to the Middle East region.

What are the latest trends in mattresses?

Spring technology is the latest technology. We’ve been running it now for just over a year and it features now in about 75% of our range.

What’s your company news?

We have teamed up with Jay-Be on their folding beds, which we bring from the UK and market through the studios and online out of contract, so this is a new product for us as well. We are also looking at developing more fire-retardant products.

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Inaugural GulfHost Innovation Awards Crowns winners The inaugural GulfHost Innovation Awards on Monday 18 September, recognised the F&B companies leading innovation in the industry at Armani Hotel Dubai. Organised

by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the GulfHost Innovation Awards were judged by an independent panel of industry experts, and endorsed by GulfHost’s Strategic Partner, the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA).

The evening event included a competitive cook-off with award-winning chefs including Silvena Rowe, Jason Atherton, Colin Clague (Ruya), and Robert Nilsson (Viceroy Palm Jumeirah). Silvena Rowe was crowned champion with her winning signature dish.

GulfHost Innovation Award Winners 2017 included: • Best Back of House Equipment Innovation (Hot): Rational Kitchen and Catering Equipment Trading FZCO – for Connected Cooking, a solution to connect and control kitchen appliances remotely •

Best Back of House Equipment Innovation (Other): Gebr. Echtermann GmbH & Co. KG – for Stainless Steel Sensor Tap, allowing kitchen users to wash their hands without a need to touch the tap

•

Best Bar or Coffee Equipment Innovation: Santos – for the Nutrisantos #65, an easy-to-use cold press juicer

•

Best Front of House Equipment Innovation: La Marquise International – for Gelato Popapp, an innovative gelato dispenser

•

Best Green or Eco-Friendly Equipment Innovation: Heko – for Energy Manager, a smart kitchen solution to manage energy efficiencies

Eve n t revi ew

Table & Beyond

Table & Beyond Promotes Japanese tableware Catering News catches up with Ghizlane Benzakour, managing partner, Table & Beyond to find out more about the tableware and linen ranges the company is championing What products are you showcasing here today?

Today we are showcasing all the brands we represent, so we’re starting from Noritake, which is Japanese porcelain and bone china and then we do Pinti Inox cutlery and we also have a nice amenity range from Italy – Marie Danielle. We have a partnership with Rivolta Carmignani, a company for bed linen and table linen and we’ve also started working with Bormioli Rocco, a glassware made in Italy.

What is your latest launch?

The latest one is Noritake. They have some very nice ranges, including Colorwaves, Colorscapes and ColorTrio, which is the new trend – it’s very rustic and colourful with a matte finish.

Assa Abloy

Mobile key is the future for hotels says Assa Abloy

Assa Abloy, a global supplier of intelligent lock and security solutions, has been working on making mobile key technology more user-friendly over the past three years, and believes this is the future of guestroom keys.

Manit Narang, vice president Middle East & Africa, Assa Abloy, said: “We are promoting our mobile access and are putting a lot of focus on this right now because we see that soon the hotel keycard will be replaced with mobile key.

“It’s like you see in the airline industry with the boarding pass and even hotel bookings are done with mobile phones, so we see the mobile key as the future of the hotel industry and we will have all our products compatible with mobile key.

“This is the first show that for the demos we are not using a plastic card but a cell phone.”

Alto-Shaam

Alto-Shaam introduces multi-cook Vector oven Gabriel Estrella Talentti, director Middle East & Africa, Alto-Shaam introduces the company’s new Vector oven

What products are you promoting?

The Vector oven is a multi-cook oven and the first one of its kind.

It has up to four different chambers and each of them can cook at a different time, temperature and fan speed. You can put different products in so you can be cooking fish in one chamber and baking a cake in another and there will be no smell transferred between the items.

What are your plans for the Middle East?

Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia are our main markets in the GCC and we think they are great markets to be in, not just for the events but the GCC is also a great destination for people to come and take a look and see how it is.

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Honeywell

Honeywell presents new security solutions Honeywell presented a range of new solutions for surveillance cameras at The Hotel Show Dubai to provide more extensive security in hotels without intimidating guests.

Fahmi Jabri, strategy and marketing director Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Africa, said: “Security is a necessity for employees and guests and we need to strike a balance between inundating customers with cameras and still protecting them.

“We’re coming up with innovative solutions such as the 360-degrees camera or the multi-sensory camera, which cover a wide area – so you’re still getting the security you require but it’s less intimidating.”

In addition, the company is looking to roll out analytics technology in the next six to 18 months to increase the efficiency of security surveillance, particularly in large properties.

DFMC

DFMC unveils gel memory foam mattress

Dubai Furniture Manufacturing Company (DFMC) introduced a gel-infused memory foam mattress from American brand Serta International at The Hotel Show Dubai.

Sundar Rajan, CEO Dubai Furniture Manufacturing Company, commented: “Serta have researched this and developed a product, which is gel-infused memory foam and this dissipates the heat generated on the surface, thereby maintaining a constant temperature, unlike normal memory foam.”

David Bauman, director, global hospitality, Serta International said: “We see a lot of growth in Asia but the Middle East is a key area for many of the brands we deal with. I manage the global contracts, but I need to come to the region to be in touch with the people handling the supply and procurement in each region to make sure the products and services are right for them. We see nothing but a bright future for the hotel business in this region.”

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Johnson Health Tech

Johnson Health Tech launches group exercise experience

Nasser Obeid, managing director Johnson Health Tech Middle East speaks about the Matrix and the MX4 Training System

What are you launching at The Leisure Show?

We are launching our new MX4 programme, which combines four products – the Krankcycle, the Rower, the Performance Treadmill, which is self-powered, and the Connexus – with the programming.

On top of that we have our certified personal trainer so when we sell our product, he goes in to train the staff and even the customers too.

What are your company’s plans for the next year in the region?

We’ve set up a direct operation here in the UAE – we have branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The plan is now to get into Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Jordan to have representing offices in those territories to spread our Matrix premise across the Middle East, while still keeping our focus on the UAE, which is the biggest market in our portfolio right now.

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Dream master

Dream Master opens gallery in Abu Dhabi Al Maha wins big at Middle East Hospitality Awards Dream Master, a supplier of Italian mattress brand Boxmistral, is launching a retail gallery in Abu Dhabi next month.

Products on show at The Hotel Show included the Pillow Top Mistral and the Bernini, which are manufactured in Italy and assembled in Dubai.

Mohammad Abuukaz, managing director, Dream Master, commented: “We are focusing on hotel projects in Dubai and we have done many projects and signed contracts, and then we are going to start with retail business in our new gallery in Abu Dhabi, which will open at the start of October.

“We are a family of team workers and we have good products and do the best to serve our clients well. We also have very good prices.”

Dubai desert retreat, Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort was crowned the region’s prime holiday destination after scooping three prizes at this year’s Middle East Hospitality Awards (MEHA) on 18 September at Palazzo Versace Dubai.

The collection of private villas in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, was named Resort of the Year and GM Arne Silvis was named Hospitality Leader of the Year.

Silvis commented: “Our team lives on-site and being a smaller property, we are able to provide a personalized experience to guests. I am incredibly grateful to the team who are so loyal, they have stood by me the past 15 years, and they make Al Maha what it is. The three awards we have won this evening are a tribute to their hard work.”

The annual awards celebrated the achievements, innovations and excellence of the Middle East’s ever-expanding hospitality industry over the past 12 months across 18 categories.

Hartmann Tresore

Hartmann Tresore introduces master key tracking device Reiner Kaltenback, general manager, Hartmann Tresore Middle East spoke at The Hotel Show on the German company’s in-room safes, mini-bars and a tracking and auditing device for guestroom master keys What products and services do you offer for the hospitality industry?

We have in-room safes, mini-bars, as well as the complete set-up for administration and we’re one of the only companies on the market that is offering both product lines under one brand.

We’ve been based in Dubai since 2012, we have a showroom in the Gold & Diamond Park and we have a sales team. We also have an after-sales service and we provide the installation, the delivery and the maintenance.

What products are you exhibiting at The Hotel Show?

We have a drawer-type mini-bar and a top-open safe for more convenience for the client. We are also looking at bringing in a key management system for proper auditing and tracking of the master keys that are used, not by the guests, but by back-of-house to provide higher security.

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La Marquise

La Marquise launches gelato pizza at GulfHost Catering News Middle East speaks to Olga Cassidy, La Marquise marketing manager about the company’s latest innovations

What products are you showcasing at GulfHost?

I would highlight the top three, starting with an innovative concept called gelato pizza. The machine from Carpigiani cristalises the gelato and makes the liquid more like a sauce so you spread it on a frozen sponge cake and then you do the decoration and it looks like a gelato pizza.

Tell us about your other innovations?

One of them is the Gelato Popapp, a gelato kiosk. When you open it, it’s 5.5m2 and when you close it, it’s only 3.5m2 which makes it very compact and affordable to operate. The Popapp gives you an opportunity to save money on the location rent and it gives you a business from day one.

The other innovation is the Folletto Latte Art Printer, which prints 3D images in full colour on the surface of a latte.

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OS&E

OS&E shines with European foodservice equipment OS&E showcased its Dag Style range from Italy at GulfHost this year, with sustainable menus and table-top accessories.

The company also had Alfi flasks, porcelain from Eschenbach, Zieher cutlery and buffetware, a polycabinet from Glassforever and hollowware from Richard Ginori on display at its stand.

Preetish Elias, area manager, OS&E International said: “We are excited about Dag Style from Italy. Then we also have Eschenbach, our German porcelain maker, which has pots and inductor pots that can be used on ovens and grills and in microwaves".

Explaining the company’s plans for the next 12 months, he commented: “We’ll keep in touch with all our existing hotels and there are many hotels that have opened up, and so we need to give our services to those clients also.”

Rational

Rational rolls out full suite of kitchen innovations Simon Park-Davis and Alexander Wimmer of Rational speak on the sidelines of GulfHost

What products are you showcasing at GulfHost?

Simon Park-Davis: Today we have the new CombiMaster Plus, the new SelfCooking Centre, the VarioCooking Center and our ConnectedCooking 2.0. Today is our first chance to showcase this in the Middle East – we’ve had seven innovations between last February and September this year. This year we launched the CombiMaster Plus and the XS version and we are promoting the VarioCooking Center, launched in January last year.

What are your plans for the region?

Alexander Wimmer: We want to understand local needs and offer solutions therefore we established a team of 13 experts – we basically set up the infrastructure with the local office to give customers the opportunity to test-drive our products.

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You bed

The industry wakes up to You Bed The CEO of You Bed, Mattias Sorensen, was at The Hotel Show Dubai and told us why he believes his company's product will revolutionise the industry What are you promoting at The Hotel Show Dubai?

We are promoting a Swedish innovation – the first bed with adjustable firmness and customisation for each guest. What’s important for a good night’s sleep is a comfortable bed. The problem is that all the different users have various comfort preferences. With our technology, it is actually possible for hotels to deliver what they most of all like to have.

What are your plans for the future?

Brands like Movenpick have already installed this innovation in all their hotels, guaranteeing a really comfortable bed based on their individual needs. It is time for us to go outside of Europe – we have big plans, we plan to expand really quickly to new markets. We already have 150 hotels signed up in just a year.

Al Diyafa

Al Diyafa eyes serviced apartments and midscale segment

Hotel and catering supplier, Al Diyafa, recently moved into the hotel apartment sector and is eying the mid-market segment for its buffetware and tableware products. Adam Rahmani, director, Al Diyafa Hotel & Catering Supplies, commented: “We plan to continue serving new projects in the region. Our main focus is on UAE, however we’re also looking to serve new projects across the GCC region.

“We’ve moved into the hotel apartment sector in recent years, so we can see the growth in that sector as well as the mid-range sector. We see there is perhaps an oversupply in the five-star sector so we anticipate more demand for our products in other sectors depending on market conditions.

At The Hotel Show, Al Diyafa showcased a wide range of quality kitchen utensils, buffetware and tableware, including Porland porcelain from Turkey, Pinti Inox cutlery from Italy and cast-iron cookware from Lava.

Diversey

Diversey to target foodservice segment Somer Gundogdu, president, Middle East & Turkey, Diversey outlines plans to move into the foodservice and healthcare sectors

Are there any new products the market should be aware of?

We’re promoting a new range called Clax Advanced for laundry, which works at a lower temperature, therefore saving energy for the customer. The second one is a dosing platform for handwash, which is connected to the internet so we can provide insights to customers about their wash results, about the cleanliness of their employees and how competitive they are. The third product is on the machine side – we are promoting two vacuum cleaners, which give the same suction power but at a much lower voltage, providing ROI to clients.

What are your plans for the future?

We are expanding our footprint into foodservice and healthcare, so we will continue to occupy a leading position in hospitality and will have a strong market share in the other sectors I mentioned.

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Dometic

Küppersbusch

Küppersbusch unveils Dometic shows off three tiers of products 800°c steak grill Marc-Oliver Schneider, CEO at The Hotel Show Küppersbusch speaks to Catering News at GulfHost 2017 about the company’s latest launch – an 800°c steak grill that cooks meat perfectly

Dometic was showcasing a range of products to suit all budgets at The Hotel Show Dubai. The company highlighted its mini-bars – including its newly-launched noiseless mini-bar – alongside safe boxes and wine cellars, which are available at a range of prices.

Mohammed Muwafi, regional sales manager lodging MENA commented: “We have different ranges we are exhibiting at the same stand, which we’re showing to the end-user. We have a variety of products for whatever product budget you have.”

Kester Petersson, managing director, Dometic Middle East added: “We basically have three different product tiers and these are well matched to different needs on the market. We’re not only seeing four- and five-star hotels, we’re also seeing a reasonably large volume of three-star hotels being ready for the Expo 2020 and we’re looking to meet their needs as best we can.”

What are you highlighting at the show?

We have mainly cooking products for professional kitchens and serve restaurants, hotels and also larger kitchens for catering and airlines – Etihad is one of the biggest clients we have and they produce up to 100,000 meals a day.

What’s your latest launch?

We have one special product we are promoting, which is an 800°c steak grill. We’ve had very good feedback from potential clients who have said it’s a great product. We see a trend for high-end, high-quality meat and usually the guest would like to see how it’s prepared. BeefCraft, which is the name of the product, is just right to prepare meat but also fish and vegetables.

High quality French produce displayed at GulfHost A number of high quality French products were showcased at GulfHost, including water, oysters and butter from La Charente Maritime and Jolival French spring water from Oval Group.

Sylvie Marcilly, deputy chairperson of the general council, La Charente Maritime told Catering News: “It’s very important for the administration to make the promotion of local products, which is why we’re here. Dubai is located in the middle of a lot of interesting countries for us. We’ve seen people coming from Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, so it’s very important for us and I think it’s a very good show here.”

Commenting on why Oval Group is exhibiting at GulfHost, Eric Lefevre, director general, said: “We have a very pure product and people in this market are starting to be aware of the complexity of food and water. Our products are very natural and organic. Here we are near the desert, so it’s very old and people are drinking a lot of water… they are looking for a new, pure product.”

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Specifico

Specifico launches food safety mystery shopper service

Specifico, a provider of complete food and personal safety solutions in the Middle East, has introduced a mystery shopping service. Rita Abou Obeid, managing partner said: “We are promoting some of our new services, one of them being mystery shopping. We do mystery shopping for food establishments, restaurants, hotels, etcetera.”

Another part of the company’s training and consultancy division is kitchen inspections and food safety management systems for restaurants, while the other side of the business is focused on food safety products, explains Elie Raad, managing partner.

He comments: “In the Middle East we represent around 12 brands and we have them all at GulfHost. We have a big portfolio of whatever you require in food and safety.”

Specifico is now launching in Bahrain and has also secured a partner in Kuwait to distribute its products.

Stylis

Stylis to mark grand opening of Dubai showroom in 2018

Stylis Hotel Solutions, which manufactures and supplies furniture for the hospitality industry, is gearing up to celebrate the grand opening of its showroom in Dubai’s Jumeirah Lakes Towers at the beginning of 2018. The showroom, which has been operating since 2016, features six mock-up rooms.

Paulina Kabat, marketing manager, Stylis said: “After a decision made in 2016 to expand our operation, Stylis acquired the prestigious office and showroom location on the 35th floor of the JBC 3 Y Cluster, JLT in Dubai.

During the course of 2017, the focus has been on finalising the showroom with intentions for the grand opening to be scheduled towards the beginning of 2018.”

In Saudi Arabia, Stylis has just completed the installation of Aiana Hotel in Makkah, the Radisson Blu in Jeddah and Emaar’s The Views Hotel in King Abdullah Economic City. In Dubai, the company is working on Safeer Projects, part of Barcelo Hotel Group.

Tssc

TSSC promotes recycling service for glass bottles

TSSC was promoting its recycling service for glass bottles at GulfHost 2017. The company introduced PEL waste reduction technology to the UAE after signing a deal with Irish firm Orwell in 2015. Rashid Bahar, business development manager, TSSC, said: “We’re doing a recycling programme for glass bottles. Any bottles used in the industry are crushed in our PEL glass crushers made in Ireland. We transport the glass cullets to a facility in the UAE and we process them and turn them into new bottles by supplying them to bottle manufacturers.”

The company has been providing foodservice equipment to the UAE horeca sector for 25 years and selected its most innovative products to showcase at GulfHost.

One of TSSC's USPs is its after-sales service, and it is also working on streamlining the business and using more automation.

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E v ent rev iew Foyer

Foyer Decor's Hotel Show of strength

Foyer Decor general manager Tamara Mehyar speaks about the company’s space-saving furniture What is your company showcasing this year?

We are launching a line of space-saving furniture products because we see there are a lot of spaces that are becoming smaller – not just in Dubai but all over the world. In one unit, you can have your beds, your cupboards and your display cabinets.

What are your plans for the next 12-18 months?

We have recently been awarded two new hotels in Dubai, so our vision is to continue in the fit-out business, which continues to grow in Dubai. We see it is going to be successful in the coming years so we are thinking in that direction and expanding as we always want to be producing new products.

School for butlers

Isukoshi

Isukoshi expands across the Middle East Aamir Jan, business development manager at massage chair specialist, Isukoshi Healthcare, reveals his company's plans for the region

What are you promoting at The Hotel Show Dubai?

Last year we launched our hospitality service, which means we are tying closer links with the hotels. Since the beginning of this year, we have launched two specific products for the sector.

What are your new products?

We have just launched Royal Prince and Royal Emirates, which are specifically for five-star hotels as well as three-star and fourstar properties.

What are your company's plans for the future?

In addition to the new products, we will be looking at new markets across the region. Oman in particular is an area we will be focused on.

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School for Butlers looks to the Middle East

Vincent Vermeulen, principal of the Belgian-based School for Butlers explains why the company is looking to set up shop in Dubai

What are your services for the hospitality industry?

We offer training for hotels and private butlers in our school in Belgium. What we can offer is training for different profiles in a hotel, for example, housekeeping training or front of office. Obviously, we also provide training for a butler service; whether you call them butlers or not there is always a VIP level of service, which really needs that dedicated customer experience.

What are your plans for the future?

We are very interested in the Middle East. We are in talks to see if we can set up an office here in Dubai and that would be the hub to go to south-east Asia.

Products

Real Glassy

Catering News highlights the glassware products adding a sparkle to the region’s bars and restaurants

1765 GEMINI One of 1765 Gemini’s latest glassware product launches is ‘Power’ from Stölzle Lausitz. A flat goblet bottom, an imperceptible curve to the stem, and a long, drawn-out funnel are the distinctive features of Power, which primarily consists of a red wine glass, a white wine glass and a champagne glass. Following the successful launch of the stem glasses, Stölzle additionally designed two tumblers which are usable as wine glasses as well as for non-alcoholic drinks like water or juice. The glasses in the Power range are characterised, not only by their attractive form and their high suitability for the drinks they are designed for, but also by their reliable robustness, which makes them ideal for use in hotels and restaurants as well as on the table at home. Moving forward, the company is launching some new concepts throughout the remainder of the year and has a new website and a brand-new showroom.

ZIEHER

Hisham Hasan and Dorea Osman, owners and international distributors, Ice Chiller - The Glass Froster

ICE CHILLER – THE GLASS FROSTER German-made and quite literally super cool, the Ice Chiller freezes any type of glass to -40°C within five seconds. Perfect for creating an ice-cold pint of beer or a frozen margarita, this easy-to-use and safe device works with CO2 and provides a show of its own. There are various models in shapes of LED black concrete blocks and illuminating skulls, cool enough to satisfy all amateur as well as professional mixologists. The Ice Chiller regional headquarters (covering the GCC, MENA and APAC) is run with Maui Investments LLC and based in the heart of Dubai.

T: +971 4 323 6651 E: ice-chiller@maui.ae

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Eddy, the decanter, is Zieher’s latest glassware product. The basic material used is extremely robust and high-grade borosilicate glass, which stands out due to its dense structure, extraordinary transparency and hardness. With swirl elements, the glass features an interplay of light and wine to create visually interesting colour reflections and almost graphic effects. With a filling of up to 1.5 litres, the extension of the wine’s surface becomes as large as possible. Due to the flattened bottom, the decanter stands up safely and straight, and an optionally available base made of matt black silicone also allows for an inclined positioning.

T: +49 9273 9273 68 E: n.dietz@zieher.com W: www.zieher.com

Products

RENARTE Renarte has recently launched the Raindrop collection in Union Victor Glassware, a mixed collection of glassware in various shapes and sizes and a multitude of colours, meaning they can be mixed and matched. Raindrop has been designed with the changing pace of the F&B industry in mind and each design is hand-sketched to offer an innovative approach to tableware. By transforming the liquid substance into a shape, the subsequent stages of reheating, firing and annealing a design must be followed. Nevertheless, the final product maintains its own individuality, depending on the blower, and this is what is represented in the new collection. Renarte has introduced these brands strategically to the market to offer a wide variety of affordable designs and products. Looking to the future, Renarte has been expanding its footprint globally, with Renarte Canada seeding its presence to target the North American market.

T: +971 4 435 6994 W: unionvictor.com/ renartellc.com

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Raising the bar

The region’s suppliers unveil their best-selling bar equipment for the hospitality industry

MUDDLE ME

Suraj Anthraper, manager, Muddle Me bar division presents the company’s new glass chiller

Ma rk e t plac e

What is your best-selling bar equipment product?

One of our best-selling categories is our CO2 related products such as JetChill, CoolBar and Articube, all of which use food grade CO2 to create theatre and enhance guest experience. One of the newest brands in this category is the Le Verre de Vin preservation system from Bermar Collection.

What is unique about it?

The Articube is designed to adapt to any surface, taking up minimal space and able to be deployed wherever required according to the needs of each occasion. Moreover, its manual and automatic system make it practical and easy to use, which is important in high-volume businesses. Of course, its ‘coolest’ feature is that it can chill glasses to -39°c in five seconds.

What is the most important feature of the perfect bar equipment?

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consistent, can deal with a heavy demand and that are user friendly. Buying quality brands with solid warranties and a good after-sales service support is integral to ensuring seamless operations day after day.

What are the latest trends in bar equipment?

It’s all about adding that extra touch of drama to enhance a customer’s experience. As the bar community and mixology scene here has exploded, we have noticed more and more bartenders experimenting with unique equipment like the Sonic Prep – an amazing machine that uses sound waves to infuse products – to create their own infusions, essences and oils.

Tools to enhance presentation, such as our personalised heat and ice stamps have also grown in popularity, as establishments move towards signing their own creations.

T: +971 55 584 0042 E: s.anthraper@muddle-me.com W: www.muddle-me.com

LA MARQUISE

Vladimir Sipov, brand manager – cold beverages line showcases the best-selling automatic cocktail machine, GiGPro15 What is your best-selling bar equipment product?

Our best-selling bar equipment is the GiGPro15 cocktail machine, an innovative, automatic dozer that works with an integrated tablet. It provides more than 70 pre-programmed cocktails and allows you to customise as many additional recipes as desired. Elegant and smart, the GiGPro15 adds an attraction to the bar station and allows you to dispense the precise measurements needed for each drink and to extract every single milliliter, so you have zero wastage and deliver the promised cocktail size/ volume to the customer.

dispensed into a shaker to save the bartender time on mixing the base. The decoration and final touches can be performed by the bartender in front of a client for an additional, engaging experience.

What is unique about it?

The GiGPro15 has a wow effect. It is consistent, flexible and easy to use and has a quick preparation time, which translates to a profitable and smooth bar operation. Once calibrated, GiGPro15 will serve every single cocktail in five seconds with a consistent taste, quantity and visual design. With GiGPro15, the bartender can connect up to 15 liqueurs, juices, purées or syrups through completely separate pumps. Cocktails can also be

What are the latest trends in bar equipment?

Today, bars are striking, not only to impress their customers with the cocktail taste but also with cocktail presentation and overall experience. So, in trendy bars you may find smoking guns, dry ice machines, live ice carving and other tools that help to create a mesmerising visual experience for the customer.

What is the most important feature of the perfect bar equipment?

Any F&B manager would tell you that cost control is one of the most important and challenging tasks in bar operations. The ability to reduce waste and have full control over ingredients consumption is the key to a bar’s profitability, and GiGPro15 offers just that!

T: +971 4 343 3478 E: info@lamarquise.ae W: www.lamarquise.ae

Supplier

Welbilt uncovers the Garland Xpress Grill at GulfHost Leonard Parot, regional sales manager, Middle East at Welbilt spoke to Catering News on the sidelines of GulfHost, where the company was showcasing the Garland Xpress Grill for the very first time

What were you showcasing at GulfHost 2017?

Welbilt is a global leader in foodservice equipment solutions so we are leading in the hot side with many cooking solutions, and on the cold side and the beverage side. Overall, we have 12 brands that are leading across the categories and we are promoting innovation. We are excited to exhibit at GulfHost because it is an original and international platform for us and it’s a very important meeting to connect with all the foodservice operators across segments. The fact that it’s part of DIHW is extremely important to us because the foodservice industry is so diverse, so it enables us to interact with customers and be attentive to the trends.

What products are you launching?

We have a lot of innovation this year at GulfHost. The first is the Garland Xpress Grill and this is the first time we have demonstrated it in the region. It’s a clam shell product, so the idea is cooking both sides of patties, scallops, chicken, or whatever you have. It’s especially targeted at QSR restaurants, and it’s extremely efficient and easy-to-use. We have an easytouch display, which is a touch screen that we share across our platforms, and which enables the operators to engage without the language barrier. We also have a preview of the Garland Induction. We have a new line coming up and GulfHost is the first time we have showed it to the public and we will bring in the full range of the Garland Induction a bit later in the year – people have been coming to our booth and taking a sneak peek of this product.

Last but not least, is Nitro coffee. Coffee in the Arabic world is extremely important as part of the culture, and coffee chains and foodservice operators across segments

Leonard Parot, regional sales manager, Middle East, Welbilt at GulfHost

CONTACT: T: +971 4 326 3313 E: info.me@welbilt.com W: convotherm.com / welbilt.com

are looking at ways to increase revenue with new innovations and products. With Nitro, we bring a new twist to the cold brew, so we bring a coffee that is smoother and richer in taste and that directly impacts the bottom line.

What trends are you seeing in the market?

We are seeing the trend for a reduction of footprint in the kitchen and reducing the cost as well, whether through reducing the amount of labour required or reducing the energy needed for kitchen equipment.

What we have fits right in this trend, for

The Garland Xpress Grill is particularly targeted at QSR restaurants example with the combination oven, we have the most versatile piece of equipment you can have in the kitchen today. So with a very small footprint, you are able to expand your menu and prepare a whole variety of dishes – you get a smaller kitchen that’s more versatile.

What are you plans for the next 12 – 18 months?

We just hired a demonstration chef dedicated to the Middle East – Chef Nick – so he is doing a lot of engagement with customers across the GCC and the Levant, especially with Convotherm, our combiovens, which is best-in-class, as well as Merrychef, our speed ovens. These are platforms that are very new to this market and have a big growth potential over the next couple of months. We will continue to expand and grow with our central base in Dubai and we will continue to bring new innovations.

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Bana Shomali, co-founder of ServiceMarket (previously Movesouq.com), explains why the company has added catering to its range of online home services Why did you decide to add catering to ServiceMarket’s offer?

ServiceMarket is constantly looking for ways to make residents’ lives easier. We recognised that although there are many catering companies in the UAE, the process of finding the right one was both time consuming and confusing. It was hard to get an understanding of the quality provided by the different catering options, and calling up multiple companies to get quotes was inconvenient. We added catering to ServiceMarket to allow customers to easily get multiple quotes from companies within their budget, and enable them to read vetted reviews of the companies before they make their choice.

At the same time, catering companies often struggle to get their name out there and reach more customers. ServiceMarket allows catering companies to list their services and menus, and immediately get access to thousands of UAE residents who are looking for what they have to offer.

How do your catering services differ from other providers in the market?

What we offer is a flexible and customisable approach to catering, and easy access to multiple caterers providing different cuisines within all budgets. Our customer care team are there along the way to offer guidance. Customers submit their requirements online and are then contacted by catering companies with a quote. They can also request quotes directly from the caterers they shortlist.

What brands have you partnered with on your catering offer?

There are already many big names on-board such as Dish Catering & Events, National Catering Company, Royal Catering, and Wafi Gourmet. We are constantly adding new partners to our platform, so if you own a catering company that is looking to grow its business, get in touch!

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How have you ensured the ordering process is simple for users?

Customers simply provide us with the event details and we take care of all the nitty-gritty work behind the scenes.

The customer can either choose specific catering companies to get quotes from, or allow us to match them with multiple companies that serve the type of food and service they are looking for. We will call up the different catering companies, discuss the requirements, and then the company will contact the customer directly with a quote. The customer care team are on hand to answer any questions the client may have and customers can read vetted reviews in advance to make sure they are picking the right caterer.

How successful has your catering division been since the launch?

Since the launch earlier this year, the catering division has received lots of positive feedback from both customers and catering companies. We have helped thousands of people get quotes for

all sorts of events, from small family gatherings at home, to kid’s birthday parties, to large corporate events spanning weeks. On the other hand, we have helped our catering partners find potential customers easily, without them having to spend a fortune on marketing themselves.

Catering companies are finding that just by registering on our site they get immediate access to new customers.

What are your plans for the future of the catering services?

We are expanding the catering services we offer every month by continuously adding more caterers to the site. We want to ensure that we cover all possible cuisines and food types, for all budgets.

We are also in the process of getting hotels involved. For many events in Dubai, such as weddings, people opt to host the event in a hotel venue.

Therefore, we want to combine the venue and catering aspects to make it even easier for customers to get quotes and see what options they have for their event.

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