Food & Beverage Business Review ( April-May 2015)

Food&Beverage Apr-May 2015 l Volume XIII Number 2 ` 90

Business Review

Business magazine for food service & food retail professionals

Business

Takeaway or Get it at Home

Feature The Tangible Cost of Time

Agri Raisin for Health

Bar Feel Sky High

Health More Health to Food Service

Theme Cuisine The Culinary Legacy of Japan

F&B Options to Beat the Heat Restaurant Review

Chef Voice

Dairy

Operations

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E d i t o r i a l

Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Associate Editor Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Narender Kumar Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Business Co-ordinator Pooja Anand Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription Sales Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 91-11-25854105 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093 Ph.: 022-28395833 Telefax: 022-28388947

Website: www.fbrmag.com E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net © 2015 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 302, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Age of Enlightenment Publications, Green Fields Colony, Faridabad, Haryana.

The summer is here with its full force and in this season our energy levels tend to dissipate. We also become more vulnerable to ailments. However, if we have food & beverages which are able to or at least facilitate to tackle the scorching summer heat successfully, then they can keep us refreshed and healthy.

The food service industry of India has been quite proactive in this regard.

Chefs in the Indian restaurants have been concocting innovative thirst quenchers and food to beat the summer heat. In this issue’s Cover Story, we discuss the guests’ food & beverage preferences to tackle the summer heat at some high-end food service establishments and also those establishments’ creative endeavours to meet the demands of their discerning guests. Recipes of some of the all time favourite and refreshing summer coolants are also being presented as part of the exhaustive piece.

The growth of the takeaway food and home delivery service, which are probably products of our increasingly busy lifestyles and growing number of nuclear families, is being explored through our Business Story. Tiffin services of some enterprising entrepreneurs are also being covered in the story.

The Feature section explores the tangible cost of time in the food service business. Many a time, the low paying guests spend too much time at the outlet which is not at all commensurate with their modest billings at the given food service establishment, which sometimes can even occur at the expense of high paying guests not getting their desired number of seats(and thus had to leave the outlet) because of the fact that the low paying guests taking too much time and occupying the seats for a long time. The potential and real loss as a result of such situations is probed in detail in this issue.

Coverage of a lounge bar which can give a panoramic view of the sights and sounds of Delhi, the culinary legacy of Japan, the role of uniform in food service business, and the exploration of the possibility of infusing more health in our food service industry are only some of the many other interesting topics covered in this issue. The opinions, analysis and perspectives are as usual, complemented with exhaustive news coverage of the recent happenings across the Indian food & beverage industry.

I am confident that our comprehensive coverage would give our esteemed readers a fruitful time between the covers.

Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Editorial Policy: Editorial emphasis in Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing institutional food & beverage business. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

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Contents

Cover Story

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F&B Options to Beat the Heat

Business

38

Takeaway or Get it at Home

Feature

44

The Tangible Cost of Time

Agri

52

Raisin for Health

Bar

54

Feel Sky High

Theme Cuisine

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The Culinary Legacy of Japan

Health More Health to Food Service

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Departments Event

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News

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Appointment

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Report

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Focus

26

Dairy

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Restaurant Review

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Chef Voice

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Profile

66

Operations

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Product Preview

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Interview

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EVENT

SIAL CHINA 2015

Scripts a Grand Success Story

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he 16th edition of SIAL CHINA was held during 6th-8th May 2015, at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. On May 6th, a delegation of ministers, ambassadors, consuls and trade officers participated at the opening ceremony of SIAL CHINA 2015.

The event was spread across 115,000 sq. m exhibition area, which was 20 percent more than that of the SIAL CHINA 2014. The event attracted 2734 exhibitors, which was 14 percent higher than that of SIAL CHINA 2014, from 61 countries and regions. SIAL CHINA 2015 garnered 61,296 visitors.

58 international pavilions and 21 Chinese provinces and association pavilions brought their high quality products to the visitors and buyers from all over the world. 89 percent of the exhibitors and 96 percent of visitors were satisfied with the show. The mega show had 21 product zones including meat, wine, dairy, fruit & vegetable and more.

For this year’s edition of SIAL CHINA, USA was the Guest Country of Honor. USA had a strong representation during the SIAL CHINA 2015 with more than 100 companies presenting pork and poultry in hall E3 and a great diversity and quality of American food, food ingredients and beverage products in hall E1. Heilongjiang was the Guest Province of Honor with 40 companies showcasing rice, edible fungus, blueberry wine and other health and organic products.

The Poland pavilion was located in hall W4, spread across a surface of nearly 1,000 sq m. It featured dairy products of high quality, traditional meat and poultry products, fruit and vegetable preserves, natural juices, alcoholic drinks and other beverages as well as confectionery products.

SIAL CHINA 2015 hosted many

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wonderful events. 94 innovative products from 56 companies, from 22 countries and regions participated at the SIAL Innovation competition. The SIAL Innovation finalists and the SIAL Innovation Gold/Silver/ Bronze awardees were selected by the juries to highlight the best of the best innovative products exhibited at SIAL CHINA 2015. This year the Gold Award went to LISE BACCARA from France for its ParfumCulinaire; the Silver Award went to BROOKLYN BREW SHOP from USA for its

Beer Making Kit; the Bronze Award went to TPT INTERNATIONAL GROUP (CHINA) CO., Ltd. from China for its range 3+3 Fruit Honey!

SIAL CHINA also hosted La Cuisine

by SIAL. The competition was endorsed

by World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS) for its 2ndyear. Under this event, keen competitions among 12 top international Chefs from USA, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand and 12 top national Chefs from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Zhejiang were held. During the award ceremony on 7th May, Malaysia team won the Special Gold award, and Thailand and USA won the Gold medals. The pavilion organisers from Poland, Japan, and USA also animated the La Cuisine by SIAL area with their excellent culinary demonstrations and products during the three days.

Retail & Hospitality Forum covered a range of topics from food innovation and trends to food safety, from private label to food quality, from organic food to imported food and many more. At SIAL CHINA 2015, World Tour by SIAL helped to understand the specific characteristics of the food market by geographic area.

Moreover, in this edition of the show,

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with the strong support from Café Culture Magazine and Australian Asian Specialty Tea Association (AASTA) and sponsored

by Brita Water Purification System, the first edition of China National Specialty Tea Brewers Cup Event was launched by SIAL CHINA successfully. At SIAL CHINA 2015, the 4th edition of Chocolate World saw 14 sessions being successfully held within three days, which attracted over 550 professional visitors.

The third edition of The Fresh – Right Seafood Right Wine was held together by CAPPMA and SIAL CHINA. 14 sessions within three days attracted 251 professional visitors and more than 40 journalists.

The 5th edition of SIAL WINE WORLD reached a new height by co-locating with SIAL CHINA 2015 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The show greeted 210 exhibitors from France, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Portugal, Greece, Russia,

Thailand, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and China, and 11,631 visitors, covering 6000 sq m exhibition area in hall W5.

The Wine Innovation Forum also attracted huge crowd. Wine Innovation Forum brought new perspectives to Chinese wine audience on its understanding of Chinese wine business and wine business in general.

In partnership with WINE100 — one of the most professional and authoritative wine rating agencies in China, Best Buy China Competition brought an effective platform to showcase exhibitors’ star products.

The grand success of SIAL CHINA 2015 is expected to be superseded by SIAL CHINA 2016. The next edition of the mega show on food & beverage will be held during 5th-7th May 2016, at Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

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EVENT

EVENTS’ CALENDER

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA:

Attracting Great Demand From Exhibitors

NRA 2015 16-19 May 2015 McCormick Place, Chicago, US www.show.restaurant.org/ Thaifex- World of Food Asia 2015 20-24 May 2015 Impact Exhibition and Convention Center, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com TRAFS 2015 16-19 July 2015 BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand www.thailandhoreca.com/ Asiafruit Logistica 2-4 September 2015 Hongkong Asia World-Expo, Hongkong www.asiafruitlogistica.com

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is enjoying record demand from exhibitors, as participating countries prepare to make an even bigger splash at this year’s event, which is to be held during 2nd-4th September in Hong Kong. ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is perhaps the only annual international trade exhibition for fresh fruit and vegetable marketing in Asia, which focuses exclusively on the fresh produce sector and related value chain for the whole Asian region. ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA offers great opportunity for you to find out what is happening in the rapidly changing world of fresh produce, make new business contacts and help you grow your business.

With almost four months to go before Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable trade show will open its doors, bookings for stand space have already exceeded last year’s final total by 15 percent.

Exhibitors from some 35 different countries are registered to take part. With 20 national pavilions already registered, many countries are investing to expand their presence on the trade show floor for the 2015 edition of the show.

Asian nations in particular are set for a strong showing. Taiwan has doubled its bookings for stand space versus this time last year, while registrations from Malaysia are up by 70 percent. China, traditionally the largest exhibiting country at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA in terms of exhibitor numbers, has booked 25 percent more

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space compared with the same period last year, with Chinese trading company Goodfarmer doubling the size of its stand.

But the space race is by no means limited to the Asian exhibitors, with strong demand registered from nations all over the world to exhibit at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. New Zealand is set to unveil an impressive national pavilion, which will be 80 percent larger than that of its last year’s one, and kiwifruit marketer Zespri has doubled the size of its presence within the pavilion.

Turkey has already booked double the amount of space it took at the 2014 edition of the show, while other nations registering sizeable increases in exhibition space at the forthcoming 2015 edition of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA versus this time last year include Egypt (+47 per cent), Italy (+50 per cent) and Spain (+50 per cent).

Visitors can purchase their tickets online at www.asiafruitlogistica.com/tickets and make a 40 percent savings on their entrance fee as compared with buying tickets on the door.

Overall, over 8,000 top level buyers and trade professionals from more than 60 countries are expected to attend the ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA during 2nd-4th September 2015, which is to be held in Hong Kong.

Here it deserves a mention that buyers from all over the world attend ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, of which on an average over 55 percent come from Asian countries.

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HOSFAIR Guangdong 2015 10-12 September 2015 China Imports & Exports Fair complex, Guangzhou www.hosfair.com IBA 2015 12-17 September 2015 Munich Messe München http://www.iba.de Annapoorna World of foods India- 2015 14-16 September 2015 Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.worldoffoodindia.com Horeca India 2015 16-18 September 2015 Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore Email: info@horecaindia.in The Hotel Show 2015 28-30 September 2015 Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai www.thehotelshow.com ANUGA 2015 10–14 October 2015 Cologne, Germany www.anuga.com Fi & Hi India 19 – 21 October 2015 Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, Mumbai www.fi-india.com

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IIDE:

Showcasing Technological Developments in the Dairy Industry

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he 2nd edition of India International Dairy Expo (IIDE) 2015 was held during 23rd25th April 2015 at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, in Mumbai. The event concluded on a high note. The presence of decision makers apart from the technical personnel from dairy cooperatives as well as private dairy product manufacturing companies was well appreciated by the exhibitors.

Total 107 exhibitors from India and abroad (including Europe Pavilion) presented their products and technologies at the trade fair. The IIDE is regarded as one of the best business platforms for networking & customised solutions for the Indian dairy industry. The organizers Koelnmesse YA Tradefair India Pvt. Ltd., the Indian subsidiary of Koelnmesse GmbH, also drew a positive balance.

Having leading technology solution providers to dairy industry like GEA, KHS, Inoxpa, Samarpan Fabricators, Repute Engineers, REDA, Milkylab, IDMC, Veripack, Kirloskar Pneumatics, Thermax, Isuzu, etc., and dairy product manufacturing companies like Gokul, Farmgate, Karnataka Milk Federation, etc. as exhibitors, and the presence of dairy farmers as visitors presented the complete value chain of dairy industry under one roof.

One of the notable features this time round has been the considerable increase in the number of exhibitors providing refrigeration and cold chain solutions. The concurrent seminar jointly organised by Indian Dairy Association – West Zone witnessed various discussions on new technologies for milk processing.

The concurrent seminar proved to be a great source for knowledge sharing with sessions on new technological developments for milk processing like technology in UV photo purification of milk; fortification in dairy industry; energy saving devices in milk processing; aseptic bottling, etc.

The next edition of IIDE will be organised during 16th-18th February 2017, concurrent to the 45th Dairy Industry Conference in Mumbai, jointly by Indian Dairy Association – West Zone and Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd.

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NEWS SCAN

US Cranberries to Explore the Indian Market With the aim to raise awareness and knowledge of US cranberries among industrial ingredient users in India, the US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) organised a seminar in Delhi, in the recent past.

Talking about the US cranberry industry and its expansion plans in India, Scott J. Soares, Executive Director, US Cranberries - US Cranberry Marketing Committee, said, “The Indian market offers enormous potential for US cranberries and is being considered one of the most important export markets for the United States. This seminar is our initiative to raise positive awareness of US cranberries among Indian trade.”

Sharing the Indian perspective, Keith Sunderlal, the Owner, SCS Group, stated, “The market for cranberry products in the country is currently limited to major tier-I cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Various surveys have shown the preference for cranberry juice in India, but users are still learning the multiple uses of the product. We are pleased to assist the US Cranberry Marketing Committee on their initiative to increase awareness amongst influential industrial opinion makers and encourage cranberry product innovation in India.”

Here it deserves a mention that the SCS Group is an agribusiness-consulting firm, specialising in marketing, international trade and communications strategy related to food, beverage and agricultural products. The firm has been engaged in organising the US cranberries’s trade seminars in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.

The seminar saw participation from over 100 established decision makers from the field of food and nutrition industry, key opinion makers from the ingredients industry and culinary experts. The seminar’s agenda included discussions, presentations and a cooking demonstration of Indian and fusion recipes with cranberry as the main ingredient.

“US cranberries are one of my favourite ingredients. Their sweet and tart flavour is a great addition to recipes, both sweet and savoury,” stated Chef Sabyasachi Gorai. “I have travelled the world and have always seen cranberries used in classic and modern recipes.

I love cooking with US cranberries for their exotic flavour to create some really wonderful fusion recipes. Now that cranberries are being made readily available in the Indian market, they are fast becoming a popular ingredient here,” he elaborated further.

Maggi in a Soup Nestle India Limited’s popular brand Maggi noodles has become embroiled in controversy. In the recent past, a routine test by the Uttar Pradesh’s Food Safety and Drug Administration on Maggi instant noodles revealed the presence of high levels of added monosodium glutamate (MSG), and lead content which is 7 times above the permissible limit. Initially, this finding resulted in the food inspectors directing Nestle India to recall a batch of Maggi noodles (two dozen packets of instant noodles of this batch made by Nestle India were containing high levels of lead and MSG in the test) from shops across Uttar Pradesh but then the incident triggered a nationwide alarm.

According to health experts, excessive intake of lead can result in the damage of kidneys, bones and nervous system. Excessive lead is especially harmful to children and can lead to learning disorders. MSG with long-term use, can harm the nervous system.

More recently, Delhi government also found that 12 of the 13 samples of Maggi noodles to be unacceptable. These specimens were tested in the Delhi government’s food safety lab.

Delhi government has slapped a ban on the sales of Maggi noodles for 15 days. Following tests, more states have banned the sales of Maggi noodles with the controversy gaining momentum. In fact, as on date, five states including Delhi have imposed temporary ban on the sales of Maggi noodles. The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration had filed a criminal complaint against Nestle India.

That is not all. India’s major retailer Future Group has also imposed a nationwide ban on sales of Maggi noodles across its retail formats. However, Nestle India, as is expected, all along maintained that the Maggi noodles are completely safe for consumption. Eventually, however, the controversy over its contents induced Nestle India to take Maggi noodles off the shelves, but not without the promise in a company statement that “the trusted MAGGI Noodles will be back in the market as soon as the current situation is clarified.”

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NEWS SCAN

A Strategic Partnership VKC Nuts, a premier nut & dried fruits company and one of the largest processors & exporters of Indian walnuts and morels, has announced a new strategic partnership with Reliance Retail Ltd., a subsidiary of Reliance Industries. This long-term collaboration would enable VKC Nuts to enhance the accessibility of its premium consumer brand Nutraj, while Reliance Retail could further strengthen its position in the whole foods segment through this collaboration.

Nutraj brand encompasses a comprehensive variety of superior Indian and imported products ranging from exotics like dried cranberry, kiwi, prunes and hazelnut among others to traditional favourites like walnuts, almonds, cashews and more, in plain, roasted and flavoured variants. Here it deserves a mention that over the past 90 years, VKC Nuts has cultivated an extensive trade network for exporting its superior quality walnuts to the world.

The collaboration would enable VKC Nuts to present the complete range of Nutraj products across more than 500 stores pan India. As a result of this collaboration, the Nutraj and Nutraj Signature range of products will now be available in more than 500 stores, across formats such as Reliance Fresh, Reliance Super and Reliance Mart, pan India.

Commenting on the association, Gunjan Jain, Managing Director, VKC Nuts Pvt. Ltd. said, “This association is part of our current focus to further strengthen Nutraj’s modern retail footprint in India.”

VKC Nuts has announced various deals on its Nutraj Signature range of products, including special combo pricing on purchase of select packs and a buy one get one scheme on others. These offers are only valid till 31st May 2015.

Intertek Receives Coveted Certifications for its Food Testing Laboratory Intertek, a leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide, has announced that it has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) for its food testing laboratory in Hyderabad. Here it deserves a mention that NABL is an autonomous body under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. The laboratory has also received accreditation from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

With this new certification, Intertek will now offer its food testing services to the southern part of India. Intertek has already made its presence felt in the northern region of the country. Intertek has presence in more than 100 countries across the globe.

Speaking about the twin accreditations, Rajesh Saigal, Regional Managing Director, Intertek South Asia said, “We are excited to announce the accreditation from NABL and BIS for our food testing laboratory in Hyderabad. The two accreditations are the ultimate benchmark, which will provide our customers the much needed assurance for our reliable testing and calibration services conducted at our laboratory. Intertek has already marked its presence in the northern region of India and with this new development, Intertek will now be able to serve its clients in the southern belt as well.”

Siya Ram Tiwari, Head-Food Services, Intertek South Asia said, “Our broad food testing capabilities enable our clients to effectively evaluate their spices and seafood at all stages of growth and production. We also have plans to get further approvals and recognitions for the Hyderabad lab like EIC Approval for serving seafood testing, NRC Approval for fruits & vegetable testing for grape sector, peanut and okra sectors, in the coming days.”

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NEWS SCAN

Another SodaBottleOpenerWala Opens with Fizz After Bengaluru, SodaBottleOpenerWala has opened its doors at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. The newly opened outlet can be construed as a tribute to the dying legacy of Mumbai’s Irani cafes. The Hyderabad outlet offers typical Parsi cuisine, some Irani specialties, and Bombay street food. The well-stocked bar with a range of heady cocktails will be operational from July 2015. This is the fourth SodaBottleOpenerWala outlet.

SodaBottleOpenerWala chain is part of the Olive Group of restaurants, coowned by AD Singh. The first SodaBottleOpenerWala outlet came up in November 2013 at the Cyber Hub, Gurgaon.

It was followed by another SodaBottleOpenerWala outlet at Khan Market, New Delhi, in October 2014. In the recent past, the third SodaBottleOpenerWala outlet was opened at Lavelle Road, Bangalore, in April 2015. Each SodaBottleOpenerWala outlet is complete with a bar and an outdoor space/balcony.

“I, with my partners Shaaz Mehmood and Shiraz Mirza, am delighted to announce that the fourth SodaBottleOpenerWala outlet finds a home in Hyderabad, at the heart of this city. I am very happy to bring on board partners who share my vision and

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endeavour to help resuscitate the dying legacy of the Bombay Irani café culture.”

“It is exciting to bring to Hyderabad an experience that I fondly remember growing up with during the course of my travels to Mumbai. The vibrant, eccentric and chaotic world of an Irani cafe is a much needed affordable casual dine-out and bar experience in Hyderabad,” observed Shaaz Mehmood.

“I am delighted that the fourth SodaBottleOpenerWala finds a home in Hyderabad, in the vibrant neighbourhood of Jubilee Hills, which is the beating heart of this city. As such it is a perfect spot for this concept. We hope Hyderabad will grow to love it as much as we do,” averred Shiraz Mirza.

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NEWS SCAN

Wendy’s Arrives in India The burger market in India is getting crowded with big players.

The US-based Wendy’s, the world’s third largest hamburger fast food chain, has arrived in the country. The first store in the country under the ambit of Wendy’s brand name came up on 6th May, at Sector 29, Gurgaon. Wendy’s franchisee in the country is Sierra Nevada Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between International Market Management (UK) and Rollatainers Ltd (India).

Founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas, the Wendy’s restaurant system now encompasses more than 6,500 restaurants in 30 countries. In India, Wendy’s is introducing a new menu, new restaurant designs and new approaches to customer service.

Within the evolving Indian F&B sector, Wendy’s seeks to differentiate itself by offering a casual dining experience at a QSR price.

“We have worked on the concept with the Wendy’s team for almost two years,” said Sanjay Chhabra, one of the Directors of Sierra Nevada. “During that period, we have talked with the Indian consumers and discovered that what they want is real quality and distinctive, great-tasting menu choices at affordable prices. While staying true to Wendy’s values, we are customising the brand experience to make it relevant to today’s India,” he pointed out.

The Wendy’s India menu includes Wendy’s classics like the Baconator (with chicken not beef) as well as salads, baked potatoes, chili and the frosty dessert. In addition, a whole new range of menu choices has been created using only superiorquality ingredients. Wendy’s has a wide vegetarian menu for the Indian market, with six new burgers including the Greek Falafel,

Spinach ‘n Corn and the Mushroom Cheese. For non-vegetarians, there is a wide range of chicken and mutton burgers.

Commenting on the Wendy’s India launch, Emil Brolick, Wendy’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “India is a growing, dynamic market, which is attracting the attention of leading brands around the world. Key to delivering brand excellence in India is an experienced and like-minded partner.

In Sierra Nevada, we have a partner with an international team, a proven operating track-record and the highest standards of governance. Over the last two years our combined teams have developed the basis of a long-term and fruitful collaboration. We are very excited about launching Wendy’s in India with Sierra Nevada, and look forward to partnering with them to deliver ‘A Cut Above’ restaurant experience that delights our customers and earns their loyalty and trust.”

Benihana to Expand in India

Lite Bite Foods Expands its Airport Presence

Benihana, the Japanese steakhouse and Sushi restaurant chain based in Miami, Florida, did make a foray into the Indian market in 2013. The restaurant chain’s first restaurant in India is located at Epicuria Mall, Nehru Place, New Delhi. It is run in joint venture.

Now Benihana is all set to expand its presence in India. After Delhi, it seems Mumbai and Bangalore are initial choices of Benihana in its Indian expansion route and thereafter gradually, other important Indian cities are also expected to have the brand presence of Benihana.

Here it deserves a mention that Benihana has global presence through its company owned and franchise restaurants. The restaurant chain was founded by Rocky H. Aoki, a pioneer in Teppanyaki dining, in New York, in 1964.

Cafe Delhi Heights, which already had five outlets across malls in Gurgaon and Delhi, has recently come up with an outlet at terminal 1D of New Delhi Domestic Airport. Here it deserves a mention that the Café Delhi Heights is operated by Lite Bite Foods and is owned by the restaurateur Vikram Batra.

Lite Bite Foods, an important player in the Indian F&B retail space, has also opened the airport outlets of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & 4700 BC Popcorn at Terminal 1D of New Delhi Domestic Airport. While Krispy Kreme will serve its signature glazed doughnuts such as Vanilla Cappuccino, Strawberry Shortcake, Éclair, and a variety of beverages to go with it, 4700 BC will offer its unique flavoured popcorns. The newly opened outlets of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & 4700 BC Popcorn are expected to give more choices to kids and youngsters who are looking for some interesting food options at the airport.

Rohit Aggarwal, Director, Lite Bite Foods, said, “We are delighted to add Krispy Kreme and 4700 BC in the list of our franchise outlets at the airport.

These outlets will add variety to the existing food options to the travellers and will open our market to youngsters and kids.”

“We are happy to associate ourselves with Krispy Kreme and 4700 BC. Our existing outlets at the airports are doing extremely well and we hope to generate similar business with these brands,” added Sharad Sachdeva, CEO, Lite Bite Foods.

Here it deserves a mention that Lite Bite Foods also operates various other brands at the airports such as Pizza Hut and KFC.

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NEWS SCAN

Burger King Outlet at McCafe Comes to South, Churchgate to Increase Nationwide Burger King has launched its largest outlet in India at Churchgate, Mumbai, in the recent past. It is a 250-seater restaurant. The QSR chain seems to be on a rapid expansion spree as far as its Indian operations are concerned. 13 franchise outlets of Burger King across Delhi, Mumbai and Pune have come up in less than six months of the QSR chain’s foray in the country.

Burger King is also eyeing expanding into Punjab and Bangalore in its next level of growth in India. In its next expansion plan in India, Burger King is targeting cities like Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Bengalore. There new Burger King outlets are expected to come up, in the future. However, in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Pune also Burger King brand is going to expand through more outlets in the future.

Recently, three McCafes have been launched in Bangalore.

McCafes are known for their aromatic coffees, flavoured teas and relaxed ambience. McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and drink chain, owned by McDonald’s. McDonald’s launched McCafe in India; its store-in-store format, some 18 months ago. Globally, 15,000 restaurants sell McCafe products.

“In a span of eighteen months we have been able to expand our McCafé network across 30 restaurants in six cities – Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Nashik, Aurangabad, Pune & Bengaluru,” averred Smita Jatia, Managing Director, Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. Here it deserves a mention that Westlife Development Limited is the owner of the Master Franchisee of McDonald’s restaurants in west and south India. Westlife Development Limited focuses on putting up and operating quick service restaurants or QSRs in India through its subsidiary Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. “We are extremely excited with the launch of our first McCafé in South India. The city of Bengaluru has great significance as a coffee hub and there is tremendous potential for growth,” stated Smita.

These three newly launched McCafes in Bangalore marks the introduction of McCafes in south India. McCafes are expected to cater to the growing coffee drinking culture in urban India.

McCafés use 100 percent Arabica coffee beans that are specially brewed by professionally trained baristas which are medium roasted to perfection, then freshly ground with every order to maintain flavour, quality and freshness.

According to Smita, they are well on track to launch 75-150 McCafes over the next three-five years.

Au Bon Pain to More Than Double its Outlets Au Bon Pain, the bakery café chain led by RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, has been envisaging to enhance the number of outlets across the country to 55 cafes, over the next 18 months. Till mid April of this year, there were 27 Au Bon Pain stores in India, which included 20 outlets in Bangalore, four in NCR and three in Kolkata. The bakery café chain’s expansion plans over the forthcoming 18 months would be focused on Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi. According to Avarna Jain, the Founder, Au Bon Pain, Mumbai and Goa will be covered in the second phase of the chain’s expansion.

The café chain has realigned its strategy. It is going for localising menus and exploring the franchisee route to expand.

All the 27 outlets of Au Bon Pain referred above are companyowned.

The café chain had posted around Rs. 17 crore revenues during the last fiscal. It is looking at revenues of Rs. 24 crore during the ongoing fiscal.

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NEWS SCAN

MTR Foods Brings New Sweetness in the RTE Segment MTR Foods, the renowned player in the ready-toeat and packaged foods segment in India, has recently announced its national launch of gulab jamuns and rasogullas in single serve dessert cups.

The delicious gulab jamuns and rasgullas in the new range of single serve packs are expected to be a hit with the customers. Each of these packs are self-contained with a spoon, and offer two pieces of rasgullas or gulab jamuns along with a microwaveable cup. The packs have a shelf life of six months, from the date of manufacturing. The product comprises portion packs of two rasgullas and two gulab jamumns.

This innovative product is now available in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata along with southern states, with all leading retailers. This

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product is expected to make a significant foray into the much-indemand ready-to-eat category of sweets.

Commenting on the launch, Vikran Sabherwal, VP Marketing, MTR Foods said, “MTR Foods is very excited about this new range of ready-to-eat single serve packs of gulab jamuns and rasgullas. MTR Foods has provided an innovative solution for Indian sweets which gives them easy access to consumers, anytime and anywhere. Now our consumers will never have to wait to celebrate their happy moments no matter how unexpected they may be.”

Carl’s Jr. to Enter India’s Growing Burger Market California-based burger chain Carl’s Jr., recognised for offering authentic American and premium-quality charbroiled burgers and freshly prepared, flavourful menu items, is coming to India. Carl’s Jr. is slated to launch in India in the month of July of this year, starting with Delhi/NCR. Earlier the burger chain announced its entry in India in April 2015, which has been rescheduled to July of this year. CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Carl’s Jr., has signed a development agreement with India’s Cybiz BrightStar Restaurants Private Limited, owned by CybizCorp.

The initial agreement is for up to 100 Carl’s Jr. premium burger restaurants in India.

“We have been preparing for an entry in India for more than three years, and after substantial diligence we decided to sign CybizCorp as our franchise partner in the country,” said Ned Lyerly, President International at CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. “We see tremendous potential in the Indian market, and CybizCorp’s proven track record in the franchise sector, in both real estate and F&B, gives us great confidence in the partnership and on our future success in the country,” he pointed out.

“The time is right for a premium burger quick-service restaurant chain such as Carl’s Jr. to enter India, as we are witnessing a ‘Burger Revolution’ in our country; a parallel phenomena that was witnessed in the pizzas and pasta category a decade back. The advent of multiple brands in the premium burger category in India in the recent past bears testimony to this trend. After successfully managing the Master Franchises of some of the most premium stand-alone outlets in the country, representing an iconic brand like Carl’s Jr will be an exciting proposition,” said Sam Chopra, Group Chairman & Founder of CybizCorp.

For the Indian market, Carl’s Jr. has developed a full line of fresh and flavourful, premium vegetarian options that can cater to Indian tastes and preferences. Many of these new items that are unique to the Indian market will be introduced by the burger chain in the country, in addition to several signature Carl’s Jr. menu items known and loved around the world.

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APPOINTMENT

Niren Chaudhary Yum! Brands, which has internationally renowned QSR chains like KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell within its ambit, has promoted Niren Chaudhary, its India head as President of KFC’s global operations.

In his new capacity he gets the additional charge of the fast food chain’s business in Thailand, Asia FBU (franchise business unit), Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. However, he would work from the company’s Gurgaon office only. Chaudhary has about 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, which includes a decade of experience with Yum! Brands. Chaudhary played a crucial role towards launching of the Mexican fast food chain Taco Bell in India.

Danish Merchant Chef Danish Merchant has been appointed as the Head Chef at the JW Café at JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. Chef Danish began his culinary journey in 2004.

He brings over a decade of experience in the industry to the table. His zeal towards food, his strong communication & interpersonal skills and extensive knowledge of culinary processes and procedures have helped him evolve into a versatile personality.

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During his career, he was responsible for kitchen operations at many prestigious hotels. Over the years of his culinary journey, he has gained thorough knowledge on different kinds of cuisines, on kitchen and staff operations, on modern culinary trends and techniques, and has learnt to cater to large events and special dinners and take on leadership roles.

Rungtiwa Sorlae Chef Rungtiwa Sorlae has been appointed as the Thai Chef at JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. Chef Rungtiwa Sorlae began her culinary journey in 2000. Her passion, zeal and familiarity towards Thai food at every stage have helped her evolve into a remarkable Chef in a niche culinary area.

Chef Rungtiwa Sorlae was responsible for several kitchen operations at many prestigious hotels and restaurants like Novotel Lotus Bangkok, Set’z in New Delhi, before entering the Marriott family in 2011. She joined JW Marriott Hotel Chandigarh in November 2011, where she was appointed as the Thai Sous Chef.

Over the years, she has gained thorough knowledge in Thai cuisine, on cold kitchen concepts, and has learnt to spearhead buffet operations. She is also an expert in vegetable carving.

Puneet Sharma Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon has announced the appointment of Puneet Sharma as its new Food & Beverage

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Manager. Puneet Sharma will be responsible for the day to day operations of the F&B unit, for achieving revenue targets and driving strategic food and beverage promotions in the hotel. Sharma comes with over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to this appointment, he was with Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield, where he worked as the Director of Events and was a part of the pre-opening team. In his career, he has had worked with many prestigious hotels.

Sharma has an understanding of international food and beverage trends, restaurant management and event operations, and is endowed with a multi-faceted approach and excellent communication skills.

Sahil Sabhlok Sahil Sabhlok has been appointed as the Executive Chef of The Claridges, New Delhi. Chef Sahil brings over a decade of experience in the hospitality and restaurant business, and he has experience across a variety of cuisines. Prior to this appointment, he worked as Executive Sous Chef at Taj Lands End, Mumbai.

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REPORT

An Initiative to Bolster Food Safety D uring the recent years, the role of food safety and food hygiene have thankfully gained much more importance in the Indian food service industry than they did perhaps ever before in the history of modern India. In this regard, not only the growing consumer awareness towards health and hygiene, and the immense power and reach of a vigilant social media are responsible, but also the proactive government legislation through Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 should get credit.

The net result is that the Indian food processing industry and the Indian food service industry are facing greater demand towards exacting food safety and food hygiene, a demand that is generated from the consumers and as well as the authorities.

To cater to this growing demand, the country needs the supply of more and more high quality food testing laboratories. Over the years, food testing has gained maturity as an industry in India, but still we have miles to go in this direction.

In fact, we have just began as far as food safety is concerned. Presently, the paucity of quality food testing laboratories is impeding the momentum of the growth of the culture of food safety and food hygiene in India and still unhygienic food proliferates in the food & beverage industry, often without check.

In this regard, the role of Edward Food Research and Analysis Centre (EFRAC), located at Barasat in Kolkata, deserves a

mention. EFRAC is an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation laboratory from NABL. EFRAC is a huge integrated food testing and research facility, which was launched into a welcome realty in May 2012. It has been built with an investment of Rs. 35 crore. The infrastructure of the building is laid on a land area of about 21,000 sq ft. EFRAC’s strength lies in the highly qualified and skilled scientists, highly sophisticated equipment and modern technology.

EFRAC offers independent, efficient and cost-effective research and analytical services that can facilitate reduction of business risk for all players in the food processing industry across the country. Using state-of-the-art facilities and technologies, EFRAC can easily offer retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers in the realm of food business an extensive array of quality, risk and safety assessments. EFRAC can come as a single-point solution provider for all quality assessment and testing related requirements in a dynamic food industry scenario.

Here it deserves a mention that EFRAC has independent laboratories for residue analysis, food and agro product analysis, microbiological analysis, environmental testing, water & waste water testing, metals & mineral analysis and plastic product testing. Advanced technology is one of the key drivers of EFRAC. Entire operations at EFRAC is supported by LIMS to streamline the collection, inspection and approval of data. All equipment are 21 CFR part 11 compliant and networked for maintaining operational integrity.

EFRAC’s comprehensive range of R&D activities include dissipation study of different pesticides in soil and water, in laboratory condition; photo degradation of some selected pesticides & herbicides; heavy metal contamination studies in fruits, vegetables and milk products; development of new organic farming methods; enhancing the shelf life of perishable fruits, vegetables and flowers, and product diversification and value addition for better profitability; establishing mutually beneficial research collaborations with academic and biotech companies to increase EFRAC’s visibility among others.

One can say that EFRAC is armed with the potential to strengthen food safety in India, especially in eastern India. More such praiseworthy infrastructural endeavours are needed to address the still not so encouraging scenario of food safety in the country.

The Intelligent Cooking Appliance A few months ago, Rational showcased to professional Chefs across the globe a cooking appliance that senses, recognises, thinks with the user and also learns and communicates with its user!

The SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses does not work according to pre-set programs. It intelligently adjusts all processes to the relevant product, its size and quantity.

The SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses controls the temperature, humidity, cooking time and air velocity 60 times a minute, so that at the end a dish tastes and looks exactly as the Chef has conceived and specified it. The appliance even recognises the condition of a product, and independently and optimally adjusts the conditions in the cooking cabinet

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according to the condition of the product.

“The art of cooking lies in achieving consistently good results, although the conditions are different every time,” stated Hiroshi Akai, Managing Director at Rational India. For example, sometimes the food products are larger or smaller; sometimes their quantities vary.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

“The SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses is intelligent enough to determine these differences,” pointed out Akai and added, “Unlike most models in the market, our appliance is not programmed to fixed processes. It considers the current conditions and determines what has to be done every time so as to ensure consistent quality.”

The new-age appliance is expected to garner great appreciation from the Indian food service industry. Take the case of Ramamurthy; Owner of Konark, Bangalore.

Like most of his colleagues, he is convinced that Rational has once again significantly raised the standard in professional kitchens.

His company has been selling catering equipment for more than 40 years.

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FOCUS

Infusing Music to the Palates

By Swarnendu Biswas

V

alue additions in the fast evolving Indian food service industry are gaining more and more importance among the discerning consumers.

Nowadays classy restaurants should not only be construed as havens for having great food and drinks; presented in an uplifting ambience. They can also be visited to have a wonderful musical night along with great food and drinks. This can afford guests the option to satiate one’s palate and soul at the same time, in case of soothing soul searching music, or can give them the option to let their hair down along with intoxicating drinks, in case of a loud rock band.

Of course, the genre of music to be presented should be determined according to the profile of the restaurant and also on the probable musical inclination of guests, which comprise its target group. But it can be safely said that inviting prominent musical artists and hosting musical shows featuring them at restaurants can be a savvy way to garner revenues, as this gives an additional value for money to the guests. In fact, the guests would not mind paying more than the regular rates for musical nights.

However, to host extravagant musical shows, the restaurant needs to have adequate space, and a good location in the city(so that the place becomes easily accessible to the guests, a factor which derives great importance when guests leave the restaurant at wee hours of the night, after attending the musical extravaganza). Both these pre-conditions are met by Ambrosia Bliss, the huge restaurant or rather the restaurant complex that can accommodate 300 guests at a time. The eating out

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destination which was launched in October 2014 is located at Connaught Place, the hub of the capital.

Especially its lounge bar, which is aptly named as Bliss,

at the more than fully packed lounge bar was exciting. It was indeed exhilarating with the predominantly young 30+ crowd crooning with the singers. In fact, crowd was much more than the total capacity of seats at the Bliss.

According to Praveen Patni, the VicePresident, Ambrosia Bliss, the majority of the crowd at the lounge bar are wellheeled professionals aged between 30-35 and not teenagers. The three-hour long musical shows are being held at Bliss from

brims with crowd during Saturdays, where Ambrosia Bliss hosts its weekly musical nights.

“Initially, we were hosting prominent bands only on every Saturday night to present memorable Sufi music to our weekend guests, which we term as Signature Sufi Saturdays. But due to the overwhelming surge in demand for such musical nights, we have included Friday nights too in our musical repertoire. We are hosting City Ka Theka night since 7th May with association with Radio City where RJ Aadi comes and meets all the guests who attend the City Ka Theka night at Bliss. Blockbuster Bollywood music is being played at the City Ka Theka nights.

Besides this, from 10th June onwards on every Wednesday, we would have Hiten Panwar , the famous rhythmist, enthralling our guests at the Lounge Bar at nights,” informed Rajesh Mohan Bhardwaj, the CoFounder and CEO of Ambrosia Bliss. Hiten is one of the rare instrumentalists who is known for his versatility and ability to play a variety of percussions.

On 16th May, I happened to chance upon the famous musical band Vedas, which was playing at the lounge bar of Ambrosia Bliss. Vedas is a versatile musical band, which can play Jazz , Pop, Raggae , contemporary rock to Indian semi classical & Sufi Music. It would have been an understatement to say that the environment or rather the in-vironment

9.30 pm-12.30 am.

However, the ultra loud music was making any meaningful conversation difficult, but who needs meaning amidst an environment of musical euphoria unleashed through the ambience? According to Bhardwaj, on Saturday nights, the lounge bar and its accompanying terrace, which together have a seating capacity of 130 — 80 in the lounge bar itself and 50 in the terrace adjoining it — generally garner up to a crowd of 200-250. No wonder, music is ringing music in the minds of the management of Felicia Entertainments Pvt. Ltd., whose unit is Ambrosia Bliss.

Here it deserves a mention that besides Vedas, Astitva, a multi-genre music band since 2007, which has been singing in Hindi and Urdu, and Madhyam, a band which has been playing popular Bollywood-Sufi numbers, also gave guests musically memorable night outs on the Saturdays, at the Bliss. And they are expected to enthrall the guests in the future. Salman Khan, the lead vocalist of Astitva, sounded very excited to get the opportunity to sing before the evolved crowd at the lounge bar.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

F&B Options to Beat the Heat As the mercury goes soaring, you know that the summer is here. With the thermometer hitting high notes, you find yourself sweating and fretting, to find a respite from this torturous weather.

However, this is also the season when the Chefs and F&B departments of restaurants work overtime and tax their brains to come up with summer coolers that will help you stay refreshed and perky throughout the day.

Ashok Malkani finds that the fruits available during this season also help the Chefs concoct drinks like Aam Panna that invigorates you and peps you up to tackle the scorching summer. Now cocktails and mocktails are specially conjured to help fight the malaise of dehydration.

The special desserts tailored with summer in mind too leave you craving for more, which include special treats with mangoes, lychees and figs. With these treats the guests can afford to care a fig for the weather around.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

S

ummer season is quite hot in most parts of India.

Hot winds and scorching Sun are the two most inseparable constituents of Indian summer. During the weather changes, many people overlook the body’s changing nutritional needs. Maintaining a healthy diet during summer is a concern for most individuals in the modern world. During the hot and humid season, don’t be left sweating.

Summer is a season in most parts of India where energy levels tend to be low, appetite tends to be low average and the slightest activity can cause the sweat to flow off your back and face. Life goes on and it is very necessary to cope with the heat to avoid the usual and potential problems of dehydration, heatstroke and a feeling of lethargy. The best way to beat the heat is to eat the right food and drink the right drink that is appropriate for summers. Eating the right type of food that is suited for summers can make the summer pleasant and enjoyable.

India is rich with various spices, herbs, veggies and fruits and many of them are unique to a particular area or region. Thus each region has some specialty drink. In Bihar, for example, drinks made from sattu (roasted chickpea + barley flours) are had during the summers. In the western and southern regions of the country, coconuts are easily available and thus coconut water is frequently partaken to beat the summer heat.

In the north India, lassi is frequently enjoyed to tackle the summers. In fact, ragi-based drink and lasssi are life savers for many Indians during the summer season. Ragi is rich in iron and calcium, which can make for a very enriching drink. This drink made with ground ragi (finger millet or red millet) and buttermilk is a popular drink for many Indians. Jal jeera, nimbu paani, chaas are other common drinks that are consumed during the Indian summers.

Chefs’ Concoctions Summer may be a long and tiresome period for the layman in India but for those involved in the F&B sector, it is a challenging time. During summers, the F&B Managers and the Chefs have to plan their menus meticulously so that the food and beverages help the guests to feel refreshed and re-energised.

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Chefs in the Indian food service industry have been concocting some original and innovative thirst quenchers and food to beat the summer heat.

Reginald Fernandes, Director-F&B, Hyatt Regency Pune, stated, “Summer is the time when guests want something refreshing, which would make them feel rejuvenated. We have seen a great liking for vodka and gin with energy drink, tonic water or fresh juice. Outlets normally tweak their beverage menu with cocktails or mixed non-alcoholic drinks made of lime, lemon grass, litchi, oranges, apple, plum, raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, and fruit flavoured milk shakes and smoothies.”

“Summer days are quite hot and humid, as such a lot of guest requests are for drinks which are cool, refreshing and also, at the same time, drinks which would help in keeping them hydrated.

Guests prefer long drinks, cocktails with

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

a juice base or beer,” informed Vishi Oberoi, F&B Manager at Ramada Powai Hotel and Convention Centre.

“We have a lot of special guest demands coming in during the summer season. We therefore craft a menu looking mostly at beverages which are thirst quenchers and are suited for the summers. We try to focus on the seasonal offerings. Using ingredients like mint, lemon and lemongrass solves the purpose.

To top it up, we have an ongoing promotion at our deli/patisserie, BBCSorbet Promotion. While concocting the sorbets, we have used all kinds of juices, fruit-based and vegetable-based drinks.

We make the sorbets fresh on the site and they include flavours such as mango, lemongrass, rose, pomegranate, etc.,” declared Chef Surjan Singh Jolly, Director Food and Beverage at JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru.

“During summer, guests prefer

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C OV E R S TO R Y to have a variety of coolants, thirst quenchers and salads. Their option for lunch is to have something light,” averred Pradeep Kurup, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel.

Cocktails or Hard Drinks With the sweltering summer Sun what quenches the thirst of the guests at the high-end food service outlets? Do they prefer cocktails or do they opt for a hard drink? The general consensus among the experts whom this writer spoke to, seems to be cocktails during the day time.

“In the day time, our guests prefer cocktails and chilled beers over hard drinks, but in the summer evenings the preference is for hard drinks,” Pradeep stated. “However Renaissance Mumbai being a convention hotel has different clientele for the weekdays and the weekends, so do their preferences,” he added.

Reginald disclosed that generally guests preferred cocktails. “But,” he said, “I feel Pune is an exception during summers as it is pretty pleasant during summers, especially in the evenings.

There is always a stiff competition between the cocktails and hard drinks, but cocktails always have been the preferred choice over hard drinks, especially for women. When thoroughly scrutinised, we can identify a pattern which clearly shows that people tend to stay away from hard drinks during summer,” observed Reginald.

“I truly believe that the whole trend is shifting more towards cocktails as compared to hard drinks. The generation now is moving towards trying out something which is concocted uniquely and is also healthy. Mocktails are also gaining popularity these days; it is not always liquors that guests are looking forward to. While a certain percentage of guests still enjoy a hard liquor of their choice, we have a lot of guests who are now shifting towards cocktails,” pointed out Surjan Singh Jolly. During summers, the demand for cool cocktails is expected to be more pronounced in the Indian food service industry.

“I think that the Gen Y is more directed towards mocktails and juices. I think it all comes from the fact that they are always looking for something new or different. The drink being ordered also depends, though, on the state of the mind

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Pradeep Kurup

of the guest,” he elaborated further.

“To meet the guests’ needs, we have got our daily specials and seasonal specials. At Alba, our Italian restaurant, the Chefs pick up recipes based on seasonal sourcing of produce. Based on the seasonal ingredients, our bartender prepares beverages with cucumber, watermelon, lime, local oranges and pomegranate, adding flavours of crushed mint, etc.,” Jolly explained while talking more specifically about his hotel’s beverage offerings during summer.

New-age Cocktails With people at high-end eating out outlets preferring cocktails and mocktails to beat the summer heat, the bartenders are encouraged to try their hand at mixing up new concoctions. Vishi said, “During summer we have designed a few cocktails, which are very popular with our guests. They are Watermelon Passion (a concoction of watermelon, pineapple, mango with white spirits), Mandarin Mojito (mojito flavoured with Thai oranges), Mangorita (mango flavoured

Chef Surjan Singh Jolly

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Margarita) and Tall Dragon (cocktail with cucumber & dragon fruit with either vodka or white rum).”

“We keep experimenting with seasonal produce and summer is a brilliant time to concoct some wonderful cocktails. Using ingredients like watermelons, pineapples, peach, cucumber, lemon we create some of the coolest drinks that our guests can savour. At Hyatt Regency Pune our most popular drinks are Waitan Cooler (lemongrass, vodka, ginger, lime, and litchi juice) and Blue Berry Martini (gin, sweet vermouth, lime juice, and blueberry syrup),” articulated Reginald.

“We have special cocktails, and our barmen are specialised in making cocktails of guests’ choice, by knowing the base or the spirit the guest would prefer, which fruit flavour guest likes, and how it should be made,” disclosed Pradeep.

Chef Surjan Singh Jolly states that guests come up with special requests due to the hot inclement weather. “But,” he affirmed, “these demands are mostly in the early evenings and late nights, not much during the day time.”

Wines in Summer While cocktails are believed to be the preferred alcoholic beverage in the summer in the Indian food service industry, Ranjit Surve, Wine Expert, Pause Wines, claims that wines go well in the summer heat. “Crisp white wines are great for quenching your thirst in the summer, but slightly chilled, easydrinking red wines are perfectly suitable too for the summer,” opined Ranjit.

“One can make cocktails with wine, which are extremely delicious,” he added.

Two of his favourites are: Cucumber Mint Sauvignon Blanc Sparkle Ingredients: Sauvignon Blanc (White Wine) 1 oz Cucumber water ½ oz Lime juice 2 Teaspoons sugar Pinch coarsely chopped mint (optional) Instruction: Add cucumber water, Pause Sauvignon Blanc, lime juice, sugar and mint to a cocktail shaker. Shake it with ice. Strain into a serving glass and garnish it with mint leaves.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

Ranjit Surve

The Red King Ingredients: ¾ cup Pause Shiraz (Red Wine) ¼ cup Lemon-lime soda Ice Lime wheel (for garnishing) Instruction: Combine ingredients in a glass filled with ice. Stir and garnish with a lime wheel.

“Contrary to the belief that wine is high on sugar content, as it is made from grapes, the fact remains that fermentation process in wine making converts sugar into alcohol. A five-ounce glass of red, white, or rosé wine has about 100 calories per glass. Only sweet or dessert wines are high in sugar,” Ranjit informed while talking about the health benefits of wine.

“Wine is considered a heart healthy drink (especially red wine), as it contains resveratrol, the antioxidant compound linked to heart health benefits. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends 1-2 four-ounce servings of wine per day,” he added further.

The Summer Food Like the drinks, the preference in food too changes during summer. One must realise that the body needs light food in this scorching season, and staying hydrated is also of utmost importance. Very often we don’t realise that excessive sweating or dryness can lead to dehydration in this weather.

The fresh vegetables available during this season are rich sources of minerals and water, which help in combating dehydration. Seasonal fruits too help an individual to beat the summer heat. As the mercury level rises, the Chefs and F&B Managers do come up with menus that can help the guests tackle the temperature rise without any ill effects.

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“During summers, people are more careful about overly spiced food and oily food. In summers, intake of grilled, steamed and stir-fried food dishes increase. Since guests prefer lighter food in summers, the stress is on salads, steamed dishes like dim sums and dishes with less oil and less spice,” observed Vishi. “Special menus are being created for our guests to beat the heat, which includes cold soups, summer salads, summer coolers and ice golas,” he informed further.

Chef Surjan Singh Jolly concurs with this, and added, “I have observed that during summers, people prefer food which is less greasy. They really want to go for something which is not fried. There are lots of dips and salsas and chutneys which are taking over the heavy sauces and other bits and pieces. People love to sample bite size appetisers rather than larger portions.”

“Since people prefer eating grilled food and salads during summer, the options available at our outlets are therefore fruitier rather than heavy Indian food. I think it is the appetite which decreases during summers which direct guests towards food which is lighter and less greasy,” Surjan Singh Jolly proffered.

“Guests normally prefer nice light panAsian salads. With drinks, they do not opt for fried snacks, but go in for mini snacks which are fruit-based,” Pradeep offered, while adding “Food wise, we feature more salads on our buffets, more seasonal items on the menu, for example lychees, mangoes, etc. Vegetarian food is on the upswing. Simple plain, flavourful grills are in.” These healthy trends are expected to induce the guests more during summers.

“Cold snacks are preferred during summers. Bruschetta, cold cuts with melon, mixed lettuce salad in variety of dressings or cheese go well with wines and cocktails during summers,” Reginald opined.

Vishi Oberoi

“With beers or liquor, guests prefer kebabs from the mud clay oven (tandoor),which are mildly spiced like Murgh Zaffrani, Hara Bhara Kebab, Dahi ke Kebab, grilled fish, chicken or tofu.

We have also seen a trend whereby guests consciously avoid eating fried foods such as French fries, potato steak fries and fried papadams, but choose baked or other healthier options. Red meat is something which is not preferred during this season,” he elaborated further while discussing eating out trends in the Indian food service industry during summers.

While the menu for the summer has focus on dishes which are light, for avoiding sweat and perspiration, are there any changes in the ingredients used?

“Yes, we do change the ingredients as per seasons. The use of ingredients is probably the most difficult element in preparing a dish hence we have to be careful. Also, the types of spices used vary with seasons as well – for instance, small cardamom and the big cardamom. Big cardamom is to be consumed during winters and small cardamom is a coolant so it is good for summers. Similarly, clove and cinnamon are mostly used in winters, as these are the more heavy spices,” explained Surjan Singh Jolly thoughtfully.

Desserts for the Summer

Reginald Fernandes

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Summer is the time when watermelon, plum, lychee, fig, peach and of course the most delectable mangoes rule the roost.

To beat the heat and to make you drool with delight these fruits are used not only for desserts but also in mocktails and cocktails.

“Mango is an important ingredient which is used in non-alcoholic beverages during summers. Some of the local favourites include mango and peach smoothie, mango lassi, mango and strawberry milk shake, Mango Mastani

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C OV E R S TO R Y (a local favourite of Maharashtra) and a refreshing cooler like aam panna, which is made of raw mango puree with roasted cumin. Aam Panna is good for avoiding fatigue and dehydration and a must try in summers,” informed Reginald.

“Mango and mascarpone tart, mango and Malibu panacotta, chilled mango and sago pudding and mango mousse cake are ‘must have’ desserts, during summers,” he added further.

Mango is also used to concoct creative cocktails during Indian summers. Vishi disclosed, “We promote cocktails, which are made with fresh mango like Mangorita, Mango Martinis and Mango Mojitos. We also have a mango promotion which has desserts like Mango Cheese Cake, Mango Rasgulla and Amrakhand Tarts.”

“During this season we have desserts like Mango Marquis, Mango Bavarois, Mango Cheese Cake, etc, which are very

popular,” averred Pradeep.

Yes, summer is a season in India that generally leaves you perspiring and sweating; a season that leaves you exhausted and could cause you dehydration. But this is also the season when Chefs dream up new concoctions in their menus to help you tackle the weather with flamboyance and exuberance. Their cocktails and mocktails perk you up, while their heavenly desserts could rejuvenate you even in a desert! n

Recipes of Some Summer Coolants Chaas Ingredients Curd: 1 cup, thick and beaten smooth Water: 2 cups, chilled Salt: 1/2 tsp Black salt: 3/4 tsp Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps (finely chopped) Method 1. In a bowl, beat the thick curd with a wooden churner or hand blender. Add water and mix well.

2. Add black salt and salt and mix well. Pour into tall glasses, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Shikanji, Indian Lemonade Ingredients Lemons: 3, medium sized. Squeeze juice and set aside Sugar: 4 tbsps (adjust) Water: 4 cups Black salt: 1 tsp Roasted cumin powder: 3/4 tsp Salt: pinch Mint leaves: 4-5 (optional) Ice cubes: 6-8 Method 1. In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup water and sugar and mix till the sugar dissolves completely.

2. In a large pitcher or jug, add chilled water including sugar water, roasted cumin powder, salt, black salt and lemon juice. Mix well to combine. Strain the prepared lemonade into another vessel.

3. Pour the strained lemonade into the jug and refrigerate till time of serving.

4. At the time of serving, pour shikanji into tall glasses, garnish with mint leaves and lemon slices. Add ice cubes and serve.

Aam Panna or Raw Mango Drink Ingredients Raw green mango: 1 large or 2 medium sized Roasted cumin powder: 1 1/4 tsps Black salt: 1 1/4 tsps Sugar syrup or jaggery syrup: as required Black pepper corns: 15-20 Mint leaves: 25-30 Chilled water: as required

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Method 1. Boil mangoes in 3 cups of water or pressure cook the mangoes till they are soft. Cool and remove the soft mango pulp from the seed and skin. Grind to a smooth paste.

2. Prepare sugar syrup by boiling 1/4 cup sugar in 3/4 cup of water till it is completely dissolved and then simmer for 4 more minutes. Turn off heat, cool and store in the fridge.

3. In a blender, add 4 tbsps of mango pulp, 2 tbsps of sugar syrup, 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1/4 tsp of black salt, 3-4 black pepper corns and 6 to 7 mint leaves and blend to combine well. Add 1 1/4 cup chilled water and continue to blend for a few seconds. This will lead to one tall glass of aam panna.

4. Pour into a tall glass with crushed ice and serve.

Thandai Ingredients Almonds: 1/3 cup Cashew nuts: 2 tbsp Poppy seeds: 1 tbsp (khus khus/ gasagasalu) Melon seeds: 2 tbsp Fennel seeds: 2 tsp Green cardamom: 5 Black peppercorns: 3/4 tsp Sugar: 8 tbsp (adjust according to taste) Milk: 1 1/2 lts Water: 3/4 cup Rose essence: 1/2 tsp or dried rose petals (1 tsp) Saffron: few strands (kesar/kumkum puvvu) Pistachios: fistful, crushed.

Method 1. Soak almonds in water for 2 hours. Soak melon seeds in water for 2 hours, soak poppy seeds in water for 2 hours.

2. Boil milk, add sugar and allow to dissolve. Once the sugar is dissolved, turn off heat and allow to cool. While milk is boiling, peel almonds and place in a bowl 3. To this bowl, add the drained melon seeds, drained poppy seeds, cashew nuts, fennel seeds, pepper corns and green cardamom.

4. Grind all these ingredients to a paste. Add 1/4 cup of water and grind further to a smooth paste.

5. Add the ground paste to the milk-sugar mixture and mix well.

Place lid and leave aside for 15 minutes.

6. In a large bowl, strain the mixture. Keep the strained liquid aside.

To the residue (almond spice mixture) add 1/2 cup water and strain again into the large bowl.

7. Add saffron strands and dried rose petals or rose essence to the strained liquid and mix. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

8. At the time of serving, pour into serving glasses. Top with crushed pistachios, slivered almonds and one or two saffron strands.

9. Serve the thandai chilled.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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BUSINESS

Takeaway or Get it at Home

The food service sector in India comprises of two distinct market segments — organised and unorganised.

While the organised segment accounts for only 16 percent of the industry and is worth about 2 billion USD, the unorganised segment accounts for the remaining 84 percent of the industry.

The Indian food service market is huge, comprising of fine dine, casual dine, fast food, and the takeaway and home delivery service. In fact, there is also the burgeoning tiffin service, a unique type of home delivery service, which is perhaps germane to India. Ashok Malkani explores the takeaway and home delivery markets in India.

T

akeaway food is now playing a major role in the Indian F&B sector. In the US, there are special takeaway outlets, which are open till late at night. In Mumbai, McDonald’s has a drive through, takeaway counter at the Hub Mall. The Indian takeaway food sector however, does not begin or end at drive through fast food restaurants. It can even extend to delivery of food to your doorstep.

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Yes, one can say home delivery is the extension of takeaway food service.

There are ample opportunities for entrepreneurs in India to enter the ready-to-eat food segment. In the ‘take home’ food sector the investment is low, as you need very little space.

This suits the new entrant in the food service sector. The provision of supplying daily meals – for lunch and dinner –has ample opportunities.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Truly this ‘takeaway’ food sector is a golden opportunity for the small scale enterprising entrepreneur.

The takeaway trend has become quite popular during the recent years.

For example, the Biryaan in Mumbai has become the rage with biryani lovers.

You order it by weight; and it delivers it to your place.

In fact, in India there are very few drive-ins or drive-throughs as far as

Apr-May ’15

BUSINESS takeaway food goes. What is more popular in India is the ‘parcel service’.

Today you can order not only by telephone but also online. There are a number of small entrepreneurs who sell biryaani by kilo. If you have a party at home, there is no need to go through the ordeal of planning what to cook and worrying whether the guests would appreciate your cooking prowess or not.

All you have to do is pick up the phone and place your order for biryaani and/ or other delectable dishes (including desserts) from small players. There are numerous small entrepreneurs who are out to cater to your needs of readily cooked food, and they can deliver at your doorstep.

Krishna Rao, Director of Operations, McRonnie’s Foods Pvt. Ltd. declared, “Demand for home delivery/takeaway meals has been steadily increasing in India since 2009, with value sales reaching nearly Rs. 2.2 billion in 2013.

Fast food has become highly palatable to the teens and consumers in their early twenties. In fact, the demand for takeaway and home delivery services has swelled over the years across all formats

Apr-May ’15

and cities in India, driven by factors like increasing time poverty, long travel times, increase in the number of working women and a consequently greater dependence on prepared food, a younger population, higher disposable incomes, increasing all-round efficiency of the delivery business in India in terms of the order-taking process, the packaging, the delivery time, coverage and value offers, and the growth of online channels.”

“Since the investment is low and the space required is limited, the take home business in the realm of food service is becoming the preferred option for the small scale entrepreneurs,” added Rao. “The commercial benefits of a purely takeaway/delivery-focused format have tempted operators to invest their time, money, and energy in this direction.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Among these benefits is the lower initial investment required in terms of rentals, interiors, furniture, etc. to launch such a format. The fixed costs of such an operation are also lower, with such expense heads as CAM, labour, and utilities seeing considerable reductions.

Most crucially, there is lower dependence on quality real estate, which comprises a major cost for restaurants,” Rao elaborated.

The revolution of takeaway food in the Indian food service sector began with McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, Subway and Yo!China among others setting up shops in the country.

Since then, the takeaway food market has been continually growing in India.

It has been found that the concept of readily cooked food for sale is closely connected with urban development.

The takeaway and home delivery segment of food in India is evolving, with growth estimated in the range of 30-40 percent over the next five years.

Opportunities in the Back-end Markets The increasing number of outlets

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BUSINESS Presence of Delivery Models in the Organised Food Service Industry in India City

Ahmedabad Bengaluru Chandigarh Chennai Delhi/NCR Hyderabad Indore Jaipur Kolkata Lucknow Ludhiana Mumbai Pune

No. of food service outlets

Food service outlets with delivery service

Percentage of total no. of outlets

2163 5457 1169 3804 9790 3458 834 1135 2701 847 579 9972 3726

727 2608 549 2187 6006 1301 312 372 1313 265 194 7783 2179

34 percent 48 percent 47 percent 57 percent 61 percent 38 percent 37 percent 33 percent 49 percent 31 percent 34 percent 78 percent 58 percent

for take home food also provides opportunities in food service from back-end like vending ingredients, supply of merchandise, packaging, etc.

As far as ingredients are concerned, there has been an increasing demand for domestic, international and exotic ingredients. However, there are not many such entrepreneurs present on the supply side who can offer competitive uniform price, uniform quality, uniform quantity, back-end integration and exacting hygiene standards. This has led to a gap in the supply side of ingredients for outlets engaged in takeaway food business and home deliveries.

As far as the packaging sector goes it may be mentioned there are a few essential things that the food industry desires from the packaging sector. One of these is sustainability and biodegradable packaging and secondly light weighing, easily transportable packaging. Take-out food in India are generally packaged in paper, paperboard, corrugated fiberboard, plastic or foam food containers. Aluminium containers are also popular as take-out food packaging options due to their low cost.

One may mention that today there are only 600-700 packaging machine manufacturers of which 95 percent are in small and medium sectors and located all over the country. So there is a huge gap between the demand and supply of food packaging materials.

takeaway and home delivery food go.

It may be mentioned that among factors which have contributed to the growth of the take-home food service in India, there is the ease of communication. This has spurred the demand for takeaway and delivery channels, and has in turn encouraged operators to trigger formats that are purely focused on maximising revenues earned through these channels.

Perhaps the lucrative profitability potential of takeaway/home delivery formats has encouraged even fine dining and casual dining formats to get a larger share of the takeaway/ home delivery market. More and more restaurants are taking orders for home delivery. Deliveries help these food service outlets realise higher revenues per sq. ft., better economies of scale, overcome the ‘seat constraint’ during peak times, and enhance existing consumer loyalty.

While the domestic players are beefing up their position to grab their bite of the growing market, the global players are eyeing the takeaway food

Growth in Takeaway and Home Delivery While there are bright prospects of growth in the back-end market, one must not forget that there are opportunities galore in the cooked meals segment too, especially as far as

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Kiran Nadkarni

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Anuj Jodhani

market in India through the QSR model. Although QSRs have expanded exponentially, their share of the entire Indian foodservice industry continues to be low. Thus there is immense scope for further penetration of QSRs through the takeaway route.

Bengaluru-based fast food chain Kaati Zone offers a range of quickto-eat kaati rolls and other on-the-go assortments. CEO Kiran Nadkarni has expressed interest in taking Kaati Zone’s existing franchise model to the next level and aggressively pursuing it.

The Daily Tiffin Service Some enterprising entrepreneurs have also taken to dabba (tiffin) service. They supply your meals on a daily basis. Take the case of Shonali Sabherwal, who has been making lifestyle and dietary recommendations and supplying meals for more than four years in Mumbai.

It all started, she says, with her attempt to help her father fight cancer.

“I chanced upon the macrobiotic philosophy and went to the US to help my father,” asserted Shonali while talking about her venture, Soul Food.

Her offerings are healthy. Doctors recommend citrus fruits, which contains flavanoids, an essential nutrient that lowers the body’s production of cholesterol, and inhibits blood clot formation. Lemons and grapes are especially welcome during summers. Salmon is another food recommended by doctors, as they are a rich source of essential Omega-3 fatty acids. Shonali’s meals contain these and more.

Moreover, they are all gluten-free and contain no dairy, no sugar, no artificial sweetener, no yeast, no processed or preserved food and no genetically modified ingredient. In fact, Shonali says

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BUSINESS

her meals are 85 percent organic and diabetic friendly. “Even the ingredients and cooking styles provide digestive enzymes and restore pH balance of blood,” she informed. But choice and quality come at a price. Her dabba is considered to be the most expensive one in the city.

Another such innovative entrepreneur who is contributing towards making dabba service a sleek and tasty affair is Pratik Jain. Often the dabba service providers have repetitive menus and at times include food items that are often disliked. This demerit is attempted to be eliminated by Jain through Yummy Tiffins. “My aim was to bridge the difference between a restaurant and tiffin service provider,” Jain articulated.

As India’s first online customised tiffin service, it was important for Yummy Tiffins to develop a user-friendly website.

According to Yummy Tiffins’ website, at Yummy Tiffins one gets to choose food according to one’s preference for one’s next meal using the unique e-menu facility; the menu does not feel repetitive and one gets a tasty well balanced affordable meal.

A distinguishing factor about Yummy Tiffins is that the food has a home cooked feel to it. The Chefs ensure that the food is prepared in a healthy way with minimum use of oil, salt and spices, with no influence of pre-cooked gravies, preservatives or artificial colours.

At Yummy Tiffins, hygiene is given adequate importance. The food is packed in disposable containers, placed in a disposable bag to keep it fresh and away from the possibility of internal or

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external contamination.

“We understand that your busy schedule demands that you need to have a well balanced meal to maintain your health and well-being. We follow strict quality and health standards to deliver meals which would help you to keep on going for those tiring long hours at work,” averred Jain.

His tiffin service has had a very positive response and is being liked by many people.

Then there is Sushi and more, which is a Japanese takeaway. Its owner says this is India’s first takeaway Japanese food store. Sushi and more started its exotic culinary journey in 2009 with the intention of bringing fresh Japanese food to India. Sushi and more is a division of Maido India, which is into the business of bringing Japan closer to India through food, art and culture.

Sushi and more is engaged in delivering

Pratik Jain

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

fresh authentic and affordable Japanese food at people’s doorstep.

“In May 2011 we launched our first store in Breach Candy, Mumbai. The concept was simple. Prepare fresh, authentic, affordable Japanese food and spread more awareness about Japanese cuisine in India,” explained Anuj Jodhani who heads the enterprise.

Despite the fact that Japanese food has still not attracted widespread popularity across Mumbai, according to Jodhani, Sushi and more has many regular customers. “Our aim is to popularise Japanese cuisine and also to make it more accessible and affordable,” he averred.

“We have been very lucky and have been supported through our journey by the Japanese Embassy, Consulate, well wishers and of course, our customers,” observed Jodhani. Apart from their retail business, Sushi and more provides Japanese food at house parties, weddings and corporate gatherings.

Future of Takeaways and Home Deliveries According to a report by Euromonitor titled 100% Home Delivery/Takeaway in India, busy consumer lifestyles propelled demand for home delivery services, especially in major cities like Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bangalore and Delhi where traffic jams are a part of daily life. Late working hours and congested road with traffic jams are fostering the revenues of takeaways and home deliveries.

Takeaways and home deliveries are expected to increase in popularity over the years, as urban Indian consumers are looking for convenient options to have readily cooked food. In addition, with more and more Indians attending late night parties and ordering food when they get home from office, sales of home delivery and takeaway are expected to gain momentum in the near future.

At the same time, takeaways and home deliveries also work well for food operators as they are cost-friendly options of food service. So one can say that the future of takeaway food and home delivery is bright in India, with the market full of potential for enterprising entrepreneurs to enter and explore. n

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FEATURE

The Tangible

Cost of Time

By Swarnendu Biswas

L

et us begin by assuming a situation.

A young man and a young lady in their teens or twenties together enter a crowded restaurant, in a big city, in a busy twilight. It is the restaurant’s peak hour. Almost all seats are full. They take two seats and two cups of coffee — the lowest priced coffees in the menu.

And they spend an hour with them, giggling and talking sweet nothing with each other, without ordering anything else.

After an hour when the exasperated waiter asks for the seventh time if they want anything more, they order two more cups of coffee — again the lowest priced ones in the menu. And they spend another one hour giggling and talking sweet nothing with two cups of coffee.

In the meanwhile, a family of four which was eager to formally dine out at the same restaurant, with starters, main course and desserts, waited for half an hour for the seats, and eventually left after waiting, without getting their desired seats; getting irritated and dejected in the process. A slice of their much planned evening was lost in waiting in hope, and in vain.

There are chances that the family members of the family of our story would now be reluctant to visit the same restaurant together, unless of course they have no other choice, which is unlikely.

And if the two seats of the lover couple were used, the family of four could have been comfortably seated, as two other seats got vacant after the family had waited for only five minutes.

Such a scenario doesn’t sound very much unfamiliar in the food service

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industry, especially if we take examples of food service outlets of busy and big cities of India, in the peak hours. It is not only a case of lover couples. Sometimes people arrange official meetings or interviews in coffee cafes and bakery cafes and QSR outlets, and spend hours by ordering minimum amount of food & beverage.

And such a probable scenario entails the possibility of loss to the food service establishments on three counts.

The Hidden Losses Firstly, there is the sure potential loss of revenues for the food service establishment when low paying guests take too much time in the restaurant and have a modest billing that is not at all commensurate with their time spend in the food service establishment; then the sure real loss of revenue for the food

Vineet Wadhwa

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

service establishment in case if there are high paying guests who do not get entry because of the fact that low paying guests are taking too much time and thus occupying the seats in the establishment, and then the probable potential loss of revenues in the future, as many irritated high paying guests may not visit the food service outlet in the future where they couldn’t get their seats after waiting for a considerable period of time. These sure and probable hidden losses (both real and as well as potential) are seldom thought of seriously by the food service businesses in India at large, though they deserve serious thought.

Though the above-mentioned situation happens more in case of casual coffee cafes and bakery cafes, but its possibility of happening in formal fine dining restaurants can also not be ruled out.

But Rishi Kumar, General Manager, Rodeo, the renowned Tex-Mex restaurant at Connaught Place, New Delhi seems to be quite benevolent towards his stance towards the guests. “Customers of today are well travelled, and have great dining experience. They give respect to fellow diners more often than not,” he asserted.

Here it deserves a mention that Rodeo is a brainchild of Shervani Hospitalities.

However, during my dinning experiences I have seen numerous insensitive and even boorish diners, even in fine dining outlets across big cities of India. That is not surprising for Indians do not score particularly high on civic sense and sensitivity towards others’ needs. Moreover, not all guests coming to restaurants in urban India

Apr-May ’15

FEATURE are well travelled and have great dining experiences, only a select few of them are endowed with such experiences, though the number of those select few have increased in the recent years.

Therefore, the above described situation does happen and have all likelihood to happen not infrequently, in the future too, across food service establishments in India. Now the question is how to address this issue of real and potential loss to the food service establishments from customers whose billings are much less as compared to the time they spend at the restaurants or at coffee cafes and bakery cafes?

Experts Suggest Of course, even suggesting to tell low paying customers who take long time to bluntly leave the premises of a food service outlet after a certain point of time is a deplorable act in the food service industry. Vineet Wadhwa, Chairman & Managing Director - VW Cuisines Pvt. Ltd. is extremely uncomfortable with the idea of pushing out guests and I am sure the same view is mirrored by the entire Indian food service industry. Therefore, some creative methods must be employed

Apr-May ’15

Rishi Kumar to tackle the situation.

“When it comes to spending lots of time over two cups of coffee or a small meal at a particular food service outlet by these kinds of customers, their actions do have an impact on the other guests. The situation should be addressed tactfully by the restaurant staff,” stated Rishi.

“Some establishments even impose a cover charge to avoid this particular

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

scenario. A cover charge is a fixed amount sometimes added to the bill of a customer at a restaurant for entertainment or service. Several restaurants charge it for several reasons according to the services they offer,” pointed out Rishi.

“Furthermore, the restaurants should keep educating the potential customers about the reservation system on a regular basis so that they don’t have to wait for a seat. In this way, the situation can be dealt in a much better way,” he elaborated further.

Vineet Wadhwa also has a pragmatic solution to address this issue. He opined that for busy coffee shops there should be a base line on the menu card or a tent card stating the suggested time limit that the consumers should ideally spend for a cup of coffee and/or a small snack in the given food service establishment. For conventional restaurants having dinning and lounge spaces, he said that people who are having only coffee can be politely and firmly suggested to be served in the lounge rather than in the dining area.

Pragmatic Evaluation I also have an idea to tackle this problem, which is somewhat similar to the

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FEATURE solution of imposition of cover charge by restaurants. However, here I have tried to tackle the problem in a more detailed manner. This can be done by keeping a close tab on the comparison between the time that the guests spend at the food service outlets and their billings. The management of food service outlets should also evaluate the average billing per hour for a guest at their outlets. For example, let us assume that it is ascertained by comparing the statistics that an average guest’s spend per hour in a given restaurant (say restaurant A) is Rs. 500.

Now if a group of persons enters the restaurant A with their laptops, occupy two tables and five chairs for two hours, have a heated meeting without sensitivity to the waiting queues of guests, and incur a bill of only Rs. 500 then it can be easily ascertained that their billing is nowhere commensurate with their time spend at the restaurant A. This can be frustrating for the concerned restaurateur and the restaurant’s managers.

Ideally, five persons for two hours (considering an average guest spends Rs. 500 in an hour in the restaurant A) should have a billing of Rs. 5000 at the restaurant A. During these two hours, let us assume a likely case of three middle class or upper middle class families returning after waiting for 15-20 minutes each as they couldn’t get the requisite number of seats. Let us also assume that the expected billing by the three families would have been about Rs.5000-Rs. 6000, which is likely.

Here the hidden loss to the restaurant A is not only the potential loss of Rs. 5000-Rs. 500 = Rs. 4500, that is incurred by these above-mentioned five guests, but also the huge real loss. The real loss is the loss of the billings of those three families, whose total billings were expected to be around Rs.5000-Rs. 6000. Add to this again the potential loss due to the fact that these three families are expected to avoid restaurant A in their future family outings, and now the amount doesn’t remain negligible. In fact, it can assume frightening proportions, if such a scenario takes place even ten times a month at the restaurant A.

Addressing the Loss These hidden potential and real losses can be addressed to some extent by charging a guest whose billing is less than half the average billing per hour per guest for

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a given food service establishment, for the time he/she had spend at the food service establishment. This charge for time should be in addition to the charges incurred for the product/s he/she has ordered. So in our example of restaurant A, the above-mentioned five guests who have thought of using five seats and two tables of restaurant A also as a meeting place without incurring any extra cost, could also be charged a certain amount for the sizeable time they have taken for their modest billings.

The point is the guests whose billings are nowhere matching their time spend at the food service establishments should be charged on the basis of the time spend too, besides the item/s they order during their visit to the food service establishments.

However, this amount charged for the time could be decided upon by the food service outlets depending upon the location of the outlet, the time of the day(whether rush hour or not), the day of the week( whether weekends or not), and the time of the year(whether festive season or not) and can vary from one food service outlet to another. Succinctly, the amount charged for huge time(as compared to the billings) should depend upon demand for the seats at the food service outlets at a given point or over a period of time.

I am not suggesting that people should not use restaurants and cafes as points of romantic rendezvous or as professional meeting spaces. I am only modestly suggesting that managers or owners of food service outlets should ensure that the revenues accruing from their guests should reflect the time spend by them at their outlet/s in almost all cases, if not in all cases. It is because in food service business, like in almost all other businesses of our post-modern age, time costs money, often in tangible terms. In fact, in today’s business, time is money.

By adhering to this exercise meticulously, the food service outlets can increase their revenues and profits, which in the long-run could translate into better ambience and décor and more affordable pricing across restaurants and cafes.

However, at the same time this exercise should not be carried too far, but should be used only as a preventive measure to stop extreme misuse of time by guests in a food service outlet. For example, a couple who spend two hours

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

and have a billing of Rs.1200- Rs.1300 at our restaurant A, which turns out be Rs.300- Rs. 325 per hour per guest(the amount here is slightly higher than half the average billing per hour per guest for the restaurant A) should preferably not be charged anything extra for their time spend. Similarly, this exercise should not be carried out for any presence of 30 minutes or less by the guest/s at the food service outlets. Neither this exercise is valid for food service establishments dealing only with take aways and/or catering.

The Case of Non Serious Guests Here it deserves a mention that many of such customers whose billings are not at all commensurate with their time spend at the food service establishments (like the examples of a young man and a lady, and the group of five persons) can be termed as non serious guests. Their main objective to come to the restaurant/cafe is not to have food & beverage, but to have a private tete-e-tete, or to have an informal official meeting or to have a one-on-one official interaction/interview, etc. However, a person who is a non serious guest in one day can become a serious guest in the same food service establishment, on another day.

But as a non serious guest, if a person or persons has/have to pay for the time in a restaurant/café, there are chances that he/she/they may avoid the restaurant/cafe altogether, unless he/she/they chooses or choose to come to the given restaurant/ cafe for the clear purpose of dining and drinking and having a good time. But that would be beneficial for the busy food service outlets in the long-run, as by discouraging non serious guests, the management of food service outlets can indirectly offer more space for the serious guests, who intend to visit them primarily for dining and drinking.

However, for near empty food service outlets, or food service outlets which are struggling to attract footfalls, the above described exercise to discourage non serious guests should be avoided.

They should of course, encourage all guests, as for them seats are never scarce, or at least not scarce at most of the time. In other words, this above story has relevance only for busy food service outlets, and especially has more relevance for busy restaurants and cafes during peak hours. n

Apr-May ’15

Announced the Food And BeverAge InnovAtIon AwArd recIpIents The National Restaurant Association announced the recipients of the Food and Beverage (FABI) Award, which recognizes progressive food and beverage products that will make a significant impact in the restaurant industry. Representing the largest number of products to date in the awards’ five-year history, the 28 winners represent today’s leading food trends from new takes on gluten-free and vegetarian alternatives to local sourcing initiatives, including a revolutionary technology to freeze fruits and vegetables for up to three years.

An independent panel of experts, representing a variety of both commercial and non-commercial industry segments, selected the FABI Award recipients based on their exciting benefits to restaurant operators as well as the end consumer. The award recipients will be showcased throughout the exhibit halls at the NRA Show 2015 on May 16-19 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Some of the 2015 FABI Award winners are: BRANDS OF BRITAIN, LLC | Fever-Tree Hand-Picked Elderflower Tonic Water Artisan-crafted in glass bottles to ensure premium freshness and high levels of carbonation, Fever-Tree Hand-Picked Elderflower Tonic Water uses only the best natural ingredients— handpicked elderflower from the UK, real quinine from Africa, and pure cane sugar—making its refreshing floral flavor both light and subtle in character, a true standout among mixers.

HEINEKEN® USA | BrewLock Draught Beer System This revolutionary, 100% recyclable draught system for Heineken Lager and Newcastle Brown Ale provides brewery fresh taste and perfect carbonation from the first pour to the last. It also eliminates the need for mixed gases to dispense the beer and its 20-liter kegs weigh in at 25% less than steel sixth-barrels and boast a 99.9% yield, considerably more than traditional draught systems and, therefore, more profitable.

NICE FRUIT | Nice Fruit The result of 10 years of research, Nice Fruit allows locally produced fruits and vegetables to reach any country in the world at any time of the year via a 100% physical process that allows the foods to be frozen without damaging their cellular structure, thus maintaining the vitamins, flavor and organaleptic properties of fresh-picked produce for up to three years.

EXPLORE ASIAN INC. | Organic Black Bean Spaghetti Offering foodservice operators another way to reach the growing consumer audience looking for healthier meals and gluten-free dishes, this delicious Black Bean Spaghetti cooks to al dente in just 7-8 minutes, delivering an organic, vegan, non-GMO and kosher experience packed with 25g of protein and 12g of fiber per serving.

For more information about the FABI program and to get to know the other award recipients, visit http://show.restaurant. org/Exhibit/FABI-Awards.

Apr-May ’15

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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DAIRY

The Cool and Hot Market

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

here are a few man made creations in the world, which have almost universal acceptance across humankind.

Ice-cream is in that chosen category. This dessert, which is mostly made of dairy products, and which often comes in a variety of pleasing flavours, is not only popular among the children but can bring the hidden and long lost child in all of us…

Legacy and History Ice-cream’s legacy dates back to the 4th century BC, and the precursor to our modern ice-cream was popular in ancient China, around 200BC, where a frozen mixture of milk and rice was consumed.

Alexander the Great enjoyed snow and ice, which were flavoured with honey and nectar. In the Persian empire, people would pour grape juice concentrate on snow, and this bowl of dessert was considered a delicacy in those days, in Persia. In around 400 BC, the Persians developed a chilled dish made of rose water and vermicelli, which was enjoyed by the royalty during summers.

During the end of the thirteenth century, the famous Venetian traveller, Marco Polo, returned to Italy from the orient. He had with him a recipe from China that closely resembled what is now called sherbet. According to many food

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historians this recipe eventually evolved into ice-cream, during the 16th century.

The modern ice-cream as we know it was introduced in Italy or in England, during the 16th century. ‘Cream Ice’ regularly graced the tables of Charles I in England, during the 17th century. There is a saying that Charles I even rewarded his icecream maker with a lifetime pension for keeping the recipe a secret. The objective was to keep ice-cream a treat reserved for royalty, which by today’s standards of morality, can be termed simply outrageous.

The Favourite Dessert But thankfully, today ice-cream is no longer a royal treat but is enjoyed by all and sundry. The development of modern refrigeration has transformed ice-cream from luxury to affordability. However,

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ice-cream’s extremely long legacy and rich history is complemented by its sweet present.

According to the report from Research and Markets, titled Global Retail Ice Cream Industry 2013-2018: Trends, Profits and Forecast Analysis, the global retail ice cream industry’s revenue is estimated to reach 74 billion USD by 2018. According to a portal named Statista.Inc, which has statistics and studies from more than 18,000 sources and claims to be one of the leading statistics companies on the Internet, the estimated size of the ice-cream market worldwide in 2013 was 49.4 billion USD, whereas in 2016 it is expected to rise to 54 billion USD.

A Promising Scenario India also mirrors this global trend,

Apr-May ’15

DAIRY Indian culture. Indian consumers are turning into regular patrons of ice-cream parlours, helping to fuel greater interest in packaged offerings in the country.

Presently, the size of the India’s icecream market is estimated to be worth Rs. 3,000 crore, which includes both the organised and the unorganised segments of the industry. Sodhi noted about a year back that in value terms, the organised

ice-cream market in India is very much tilted in favour of north and west India, which needs to change.

The organised segment of India’s ice-cream market is dominated by brands like Amul, Kwality Walls and Mother Dairy. Vadilal, Cream Bell, BaskinRobbins are other important players in India’s growing ice-cream market. In the organised segment of India’s ice-cream industry, Amul is the market leader, accounting for more than 35 percent of the market share of the organised ice-cream market in the country.

The Perceptional Shift

segment of the ice-cream market in India was growing at 19.5 per cent per year, for the last five years. About 65 percent of Indian ice-cream market can be slotted within the organised segment. If the growth trend continues for two- three more years, which is likely, then we can say that the organised segment of Indian ice-cream market holds a lot of promise.

However, at present the consumption of

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despite its low per capita consumption of ice-cream, per year. RS Sodhi, Managing Director, GCMMF, the company which markets milk and milk products under the Amul brand, stated about a year back that India’s per capita consumption of ice-cream was 400 ml per year, whereas the global average of per capita consumption of ice-cream was 2300 ml per year. This figure however, reflects huge untapped potential growth for the ice-cream market of the country. It is heartening that ice -cream is slowly but surely gaining popularity among urban Indians.

According to a report by Canadean, during 2013, the consumption of icecream for each person in India was the lowest across major global markets.

But this consumption is set to rise fast as consumers in India have come to associate ice-cream with fun experiences shared with friends and family.

According to the finding based on Canadean’s report titled ‘Understanding Consumer Trends and Drivers of Behaviour in the Indian Ice Cream Market,’ India is the most rapid growing ice-cream market globally, with icecream treats fast becoming a part of

Even some years back in India, ice-cream was perceived as an occasional treat to be savoured during summers. But now with the mushrooming of ice-cream parlours here, there and everywhere in urban India, this perception is showing a perceptible shift.

Nowadays, more and more Indians are enjoying ice-cream throughout the year and having ice-cream as take home products. Ice-cream in urban India is also making a transitional shift from an impulse purchase to a habitual purchase,

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DAIRY though impulse purchase of ice-creams in the organised ice-cream market of India is still the dominant consumption trend. Besides the mushrooming of icecream parlours in urban India, the other important reasons behind this consumer shift in perception towards ice-cream is the steady increase in disposable incomes and change in lifestyles across pockets of urban India, during the last decade-and-a-half.

The above-mentioned report by Canadean noted that Indian consumers’ desire for fun sharing occasions would cause sales of take-home ice cream to rocket; growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.5 percent during 20132018. Presently, the Indian ice-cream industry is growing between 12-15 percent annually.

The Flood of Flavours Besides increase in ice-cream consumption, India is also experiencing more evolved preferences in terms of its ice-cream choices. Now Indians are having a profusion of flavours to choose from in their ice-cream options, which was not the case a decade earlier. And what is more, many of these flavours are unusual, and far removed from the conventional strawberry, vanilla, chocolate or mango. Hitherto uncommon flavours like litchi, blueberry and black currant have made presence in the Indian ice-cream market during the recent years.

Take the case of Pabrai’s Fresh & Naturelle, a premium ice-cream brand, which has an array of flavours like sitaphal(custard apple), rose sandesh, anjeer, cinnamon, tender coconut, orange basil, wasabi and ginger in its repertoire.

They have also come up with Nalen Gur ice cream. Here it deserves a mention that Nalen gur happens to be a type of delectable molasses from Bengal.

If you think of ice-cream flavours, chances are your thought may be drifted to Vadilal. Among the various organised players operating in India’s ice-cream market, Vadilal is believed to have the

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being used. Moreover, as they do not use canned fruits, their fruit ice-creams are seasonal. That is not all. The non-fruit ranges of Pabrai’s Fresh & Naturelle are also made from only high-grade natural ingredients.

The Premium Segment

largest range of ice-creams in the country with 150 plus flavours, and they are sold in a variety of more than 250 packs and forms. The range includes cones, candies, bars, ice-lollies, small cups, big cups, family packs, and economy packs among others.

Baskin-Robbins is also basking in the trend of exotic flavours. Black Currant, Rum Punch, Papaya Pineaaple, and Mint Milk Chocolate are only some its 34 flavours for the Indian market.

Healthy Choices Ice-creams for the health conscious have also arrived in the Indian market. In January 2007, Amul introduced SUGAR FREE & ProLife Probiotic Wellness Ice Cream, which can be construed as a healthy initiative by the leader in India’s organised ice-cream market.

Mother Dairy has also introduced Dietz ‘Sugar Free’ range of ice-creams for the diabetic patients and calorie conscious consumers. Dietz ‘Sugar Free range of ice-cream is low on calorie and high on dietary fibres; meeting around 20 percent of recommended daily allowance (RDA) with per serving of 100 ml. These ice-creams have also has high protein content and less fat content. In fact, according to Mother Dairy’s website, the milk fat content in Dietz Sugar Free range is 75 percent less than that of in regular ice-creams, making it ideal for weight watchers. Dietz ‘Sugarfree’ range of ice-creams is available in two flavours, namely Natural Vanilla and Kesar Almond.

Even lesser known players like Ahmedabad-based Havmor Ice Cream Limited also has a range of sugar less ice-creams in its portfolio. Then take the case of the fruit range of Pabrai’s Fresh & Naturelle ice-creams, which is made from 100 percent natural ingredients, where no artificial colour and no artificial flavour is

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Another cool trend in the Indian icecream market is the invasion of the premium players like Pabrai’s Fresh & Naturelle, Häagen Dazs and London Dairy. In fact, the premium segment of the Indian ice-cream market is expanding. This market is pegged between Rs. 250-300 crore. Even the mass market ice-cream players are coming with premium ice-cream offerings.

In April 2013, Hindustan Unilever, which is an important player in the mass market ice-cream products in the country, introduced Magnum to the Chennai market. Magnum bar is priced at Rs. 90 per stick and is available in Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi markets. Amul has already launched Epic ice-cream in Delhi and Mumbai markets, which is again a premium product. Mother Dairy has also rolled in its high-end stick named Belgiyum in Delhi.

According to Euromonitor, the premium end of the ice-cream market in India accounts for only 10 percent of the Rs. 3620 crore Indian ice-cream industry. But the fact remains that it is growing really fast. In 2008, the premium ice-cream brands accounted for only 5 percent of the Indian ice-cream market.

Challenges Remain Overall, the Indian ice-cream market seems cool and yet hot and happening.

But despite the promising growth indicators, India’s ice-cream business is not without its share of challenges. Poor cold storage infrastructure and poor transportation infrastructure are only some of them. Tapping the rural India in a big way, which is often characterised by erratic power supply, still remains a challenge for the Indian ice-cream manufacturers.

Moreover, the fact that transportation of milk products has been brought under the purview of service tax in the recently held Union Budget of 2015-16, is likely to hamper the growth of the ice-cream market in India, as this may make icecream costlier in the country. n

Apr-May ’15

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Apr-May ’15

Europe: Koelnmesse GmbH Christina Solbach Tel: +49-221-821-3619 c.solbach@koelnmesse.de

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AGRI

Raisin for Health

By Swarnendu Biswas

R

aisin is simple to define, great to taste and is good for health.

Raisins are dried grapes. Raisins are produced commercially through drying of harvested grape berries. Raisins can be produced through Sun drying, shade drying, or mechanical drying.

However, drying is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the transformation of grapes to raisins. In the commercial production of raisins, the drying process should be preceded by pre-treatment process, and should be followed by post-drying processes.

Raisin’s varieties depend on the type of grape used, and raisins come in different sizes and colours. Raisins generally come in golden, green, yellow and black colours. The golden coloured raisins are treated with sulfur dioxide after drying, which endows them with the golden colour. There is a variety of seedless raisins, which are dark, small and tangy in taste. These raisins are known as currant.

It is believed that these raisins were first produced in Corinth, Greece, from which their present name is derived.

accidentally when they were found in the vines. In the ancient times, Phoenicians and Armenians were important traders of raisins, and Greece and Rome were the major consumers of raisins.

Today US, which was introduced to raisin only during the 18th century, is the biggest producer of raisins in the world, followed by Turkey and China. Iran, Chile, South Africa and Afghanistan are other important producers of raisin.

These days, raisins are consumed all over the world.

India has been a commercial producer of raisins since 1983. Maharashtra is the major raisin producing state in India.

And Sangli district produces maximum raisins in Maharashtra. Solapur, Satara, Kolhapur and Nashik are other important raisin growing districts of Maharashtra.

During 2012-13, the raisin production in the country was 172900 MT. Today, India exports raisins to 80 different countries around the world. In many places, raisins are bleached or dipped in oil, with the objective to improve their appearance and taste.

Background

The Role of Raisin

The history of raisin can be traced to the early days of human civilisation, that is to around 2000 BC. It is believed that these delicious dry fruits were discovered

The role of raisin in the food & beverage industry is fairly widespread. It is used in cooking, brewing and baking. They add great value to the desserts. Raisin cake

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

can be a wonderful delicacy as can be the cinnamon raisin buns. Oatmeal raisin cookies are also delightful. Raisins can have application in puddings, muffins and salads too.

Besides several roles in the bakery and confectionery industry, raisins can add to the taste of a formal non-vegetarian dish like chicken biryani. Golden raisins can add value to the vegetable biryani.

Raisins can infuse a piquant flavour to mutton, chicken and lamb dishes. In Indian desserts like kheer and halwa, the role of these tiny delicacies should not be underestimated.

Of course, raisins are also eaten raw.

The high concentration of sugars give raisin its sweet taste. Raisin contains 30 percent fructose and 28 percent glucose by weight.

Spruced with Health Raisins are not only great to taste but are endowed with wonderful health benefits. They are high on energy, low on sodium and are devoid of cholesterol.

For mountaineers and backpackers, these dry fruits are added into highenergy food supplements. Their rich carbohydrate content has the potential to make them a good post-workout snack. If you want to put on some healthy weight without getting laden with unnecessary

Apr-May ’15

AGRI cholesterol, raisins should be the part of your diet.

Moreover, raisins can prevent or give relief from constipation as it is a good source of dietary fiber, and can counter anemia. Raisins are rich in iron and potassium.

A handful of raisins can give you healthy dosages of B vitamins, iron and potassium. Potassium can reduce the blood pressure and tension of blood vessels and iron can fight anemia. Therefore it is not surprising that recent scientific findings have shown a positive correlation between reduced hypertension and consumption of raisins.

Furthermore, as said before, raisin is an excellent source of dietary fiber. Approximately 100 gm of raisins provide 3.7 gm or 10 percent of the daily requirement of dietary fiber.

It is believed that the dietary fiber in raisins also contributes towards reducing hypertension.

Moreover, the raisins are endowed with high copper content, which facilitates in the formation of red blood cells. Research indicates that raisin consumption might also contribute towards reducing the risk of diabetes. Raisins may also reduce the risk of some heart diseases. Furthermore, raisins have high levels of catechins. These polyphenolic antioxidants can prevent cancer.

Raisins are also one of the best sources of boron, a micronutrient. Boron is crucial for proper bone formation and efficient absorption of calcium. Therefore one can say that adequate intake of raisins on a daily basis can help one develop strong bones. Boron also greatly facilitates in preventing osteoporosis that is caused by menopause. Thus for growing children and women who have passed through menopause, raisin can be greatly helpful. The fact that raisins also have potassium in impressive dosage also contributes to this delicious dried fruit’s capacity to strengthen bones.

However, there is a flip side towards excessive raisin consumption too. As raisins are high in calories, more than the sufficient consumption of raisins can lead you to weight gains. Succinctly, we have to remember that like everything else in life, raisins should also be partaken in moderation.

More Use for Raisin Considering the impressive health quotient of raisins, the Indian food service industry should make proactive and innovative efforts to make more extensive use of raisins in their food preparations.

And why only raisin’s application be largely limited to food? Why not we should have more beverage concoctions, where raisin plays a crucial role?

The renowned and late cookbook writer Tarla Dalal talked about a ‘Raisins and Saunf Drink’ at her website, which according to her website, besides its taste can give one pimple free skin. Saunf in English is fennel seeds. According to the website www.tarladalal.com, consuming this drink regularly even after pimples disappear, will help you to gain a glowing complexion. More such wonderful measures to popularise raisin’s application in the realm of beverages is needed in the Indian food service industry. It is about time that raisin-based beverages in India attract mainstream popularity.

It is because by having more extensive use for raisin, the industry would be raising a toast to health, which many restaurant goers of today are likely to appreciate in these health conscious times. n

Apr-May ’15

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BAR

Feel Sky High

By Swarnendu Biswas

S

ky Lounge Bar & Grill at Hotel The Royal Plaza, located in central Delhi, can attract amazement even from those worn out, over the hill, and a little frustrated journalists. At least it did so in my case and I have long forgotten the number of bars I have visited and reviewed during my unimpressive career. My close friend Anupam

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Banerjee, who happens to be working in a renowned publishing company in a senior marketing position, and has frequented many bars and pubs in Europe, seemed to be no less(or perhaps more) overwhelmed. Here it deserves a mention that Sky Lounge Bar & Grill is also informally known as the ‘SKY.’ According to Faisal Nafees, the Executive Assistant Manager, Hotel The

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Royal Plaza, SKY is the capital’s highest lounge bar. It is located on the rooftop of the hotel, on the 19th floor of the five-star property. The place provides a fascinating experience to have drinks and dinner under the starlit and moonlit skies, irrespective of whether you are with family, lover, friends or alone.

Space with a View On a clear sky, the place does afford a panoramic 360 degree view of this fascinating city of great past and promising future. This view does often include Jantar Mantar, Lotus Temple, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Qutub Minar among the significant landmarks.

SKY bar has entered India’s food service industry on November 2014.

“The SKY is our endeavour to bring to this magnificent city a venue that celebrates its spectacular beauty and heritage, and to provide to our guests a space to relax and reconnect with friends and family, while indulging in our exclusive offerings in a truly splendid setting,” elaborated Faisal, while explaining the business objective behind

Apr-May ’15

BAR

this ambitious exercise.

It would not be an overstatement to say that SKY is the brainchild of Faisal. The enterprising and innovative manager conceived the idea when the rooftop of the hotel was having nothing much besides a water tank and a dish antenna.

“What a space, and what a waste of space!” was the first thought that struck like a lightning in his imaginative mind, when he first saw the place. Soon the potential of converting the huge empty space at the rooftop of the hotel into a huge, happening and crowded lounge & bar took shape in his mind.

Before the idea became an obsession and got burst(like many failed ideas of mine and sadly, of millions of others), he took the idea to Mr. Ashok Mittal, the Chairman of Hotel The Royal Plaza, who didn’t take more than a few minutes after the presentation to give a go ahead. According to Faisal, besides the inspiration, imagination, vision and months of perseverance, the place took a sizeable investment of Rs.50 million to become a happening reality or rather a realty in the form of Sky Lounge Bar & Grill, which is informally known as the ‘SKY.’ The place is spread across 18,000 sq. ft. and has a seating capacity of 240, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many guests prefer to have a drink while roaming around and soaking in the panoramic scenario. “Positioned as a premium lifestyle food service destination, SKY encompasses state-of-the art facilities and amenities, which can be used flexibly for hosting a variety of small and large scale events,” averred Faisal.

Apr-May ’15

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www.anuga.com TASTE THE FUTURE Décor and Music

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Larger than life projection screens, soothing water bodies, and an advanced viewing telescope to view the moon and the stars can contribute to the charm of the SKY. The well-stocked bar of the spread out lounge bar also reflects consideration towards careful design, as does the rest of the place. “To add to the décor of the bar, we have used semi-precious stone Onyx, which is the purest form of marble. One of the properties of Onyx is to release the positive energy to the atmosphere,” observed Faisal. The water bodies that flow through the space also help to keep the partying mood refreshed.

SKY, as expected, is already garnering impressive footfalls. “Though our weekdays are comparatively quiet affairs, but on weekends we are getting an average footfall of 450-500 on a given day,” informed Faisal, with a proud smile.

Like the scenario, the music on offer at the lounge bar is also varied, and is perhaps aimed at catering to the many moods of the guests. “On Wednesday, we present Sufi music; on Thursday we go for retro; on Friday we have Bollywood and R&B(Rhythm & Blues); and from Saturday to Tuesday there is electronic music devoid of lyrics,” explained the manager with strong streaks of innovation. While listening to the loud electronic music, which I understand and appreciate little of, I made it a point to visit the place again, on some day on Friday, with the hope of listening to some of my favourite Bollywood numbers.

A Heady Affair Of course, SKY has a galaxy of beverages to offer, which can attract varied profiles and age groups. From hitherto unheard of cocktails to classic single malts, via a range of vodkas and gins, rums and tequilas, whiskeys and beers and other heady offerings, the exciting journey through the spirits at the SKY can give a high for the novice as well as for the connoisseurs of alcoholic beverages. Here the classic romance with Glenlivet 18yrs and Talisker 30 yrs, and the new-age flings with innovative cocktails like Black Hole, Milky Way and Asteroids are not out of place.

Here it deserves a mention that though SKY offers a host of inebriations under the sky, but its plethora of cocktails simply makes it stand apart from the competition.

And most of these cocktails on offer are highly innovative concoctions. What is more, a section of these cocktails are presented around the theme of universe and celestial bodies. “Some of our signature cocktails are named as Big Bang, M81, Orion, Weapon of Mass Destruction, Atomic Trigger, Zero Gravity, etc., which add to the fun,” informed Faisal with a laugh.

I queried the latent entrepreneur within a manager about his favourite range of cocktails at the SKY. “Cloud on the Rocks, Fatal Radiation, Weapon of Mass Destruction and Orion are my favourite cocktails at the SKY,” informed Faisal. He rates Orion as “one of the finest concoctions of our mixologist.” According to him,

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Apr-May ’15

BAR choice we remained committed to our love for Johnie Walker Black Label. But before that each one of us had a glass of Heineken beer each. The vintage drink of Johnie Walker Black Label went very well with Jheenga Kali Mirch (prawns marinated with hot Indian spices, black pepper corns & cooked in clay oven) and Chicken Winglets.

A Gastronomic Journey

Faisal Nafees

it is “Just like a beautiful constellation in the night sky.”

All total, SKY has an impressive range of sixty-five cocktails and a variety of other alcoholic beverages in every category, including a well explained section on wines. “The beverage menu has about eight wines available by the glass,” informed Faisal.

Faisal, who had also designed the bar menu, told me that along with the postmodern concoctions, the bar also serves classic cocktails like Bloody Mary, Sex on the Beach and Screwdriver too on demand from the guests, though their names are not present on the beverage menu of the lounge bar. Except Cosmopolitan, I didn’t find the mention of any of the classic all time favourite cocktails on the menu.

Both me and Anupam are old school drinkers and despite being flooded with

While sipping our drinks, we had a word with the Executive Chef of SKY, Atul Shankar Mishra. He urged us to taste an array of his culinary creations. He was at his hospitable best. “You must try our Mushroom Cappuccino Soup, Crunchy Chicken, Vegetarian Indian Platter, Non-Vegetarian Indian Platter, Shepherd’s Pie, Ravioli and our Wood Fire Pizza. Our guests love them so much,” he gushed excitedly.

Despite Mishra’s gentle persistence and cajoling, we could only sample a few of his recommendations, as both me and Anupam have only one stomach each.

The Wood Fire Pizza and the Crunchy Chicken tasted delicious. “Thanks for suggesting SKY to me. It seems that your taste is improving. I would surely bring my wife to this place, soon,” said Anupam, while munching through the prawn. I was pleasantly surprised, for my friend can fit into the classical definition of a discerning gourmet, who is seldom satisfied with the eating out options in the city. And his better half happens to be even more discerning!

Here the multi-cuisine options for

Atul Shankar Mishra

formal dinner are also widely varied and tempting, as are the snacking options.

From traditional Indian sumptuous delicacies like Butter Chicken, Gosht Rogan Josh, Dum Biryani, Paneer Makhani, Tandoori Aloo, Dahike Kebab to the typical British dish of Fish n Chips to the all time Italian delights like Chicken Ravioli and Spaghetti Bolognaise, to the oriental fares like Thai Curry Red/ Green and Noodles( of prawns/mixed seafood/ chicken/egg/ vegetable varieties), the gastronomic trip at the SKY spans a huge geography of tastes, and can cater to divergent palates. Of course, as the readers have guessed, the names of the dishes referred here are in no way exhaustive and only manage to give a glimpse of the holistic eating out options offered under the stars.

Mapping the Sky The place is open seven days a week, between 1900 hrs till 0100 hrs. Faisal told me that the young hip partying crowd and corporates comprised the major clientele of this happening lounge bar. From the second year of its operations, there are plans to expand the ‘SKY’ brand further to other cities of the country.

“Under the ambit of the ‘SKY’ brand, we have plans to open an outlet each in Mumbai and Dubai in the next year,” proffered Faisal. I queried him on when the present outlet is expected to break-even. “We are already experiencing brisk sales, and we think we would break-even within the next 12-18 months,” stated the enterprising young man who conceived the idea of this fascinating realty. n

Apr-May ’15

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THEME CUISINE

The Culinary Legacy of

Japan

By Sharmila Chand

E

xploring the culinary culture of Japan can be an experience of a lifetime. Japanese food is as much about the presentation as of preparation.

Presenting the food is an art in Japan where every dish is carefully plated.

The focus of Japanese cuisine is on fresh seasonal ingredients. The Japanese Chefs don’t like to overcook so as to bring out the authentic colours and flavours.

To add colour contrast to the food, simple condiments are often infused to enhance the flavours eg. light dipping sauces, citrus, miso, wasabi, pickles, and soy sauce, in the realm of Japanese cuisine.

Though the individual servings are small, traditional Japanese meals called Kaiseki that include several courses, does make the meal wholesome and delicious.

A Typical Japanese Meal The typical Japanese meal consists of a bowl of rice (gohan), a bowl of miso soup (miso shiru), pickled vegetables (tsukemono) and fish or meat. While rice is the staple food, several kinds of noodles like udon, soba and ramen are very popular for light meals.

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Japanese take great pride in their seafood. A wide variety of fish, squid, octopus, eel, and shellfish appear in all kinds of dishes from sushi to tempura, in Japanese cuisine.

Seafood in Japan is undoubtedly very popular. Also meat is increasingly becoming a part of the everyday Japanese diet, with yakitori (grilled chicken), yakiniku (Korean barbeque) and gyudon (beef bowl) being popular.

The edifices of Japanese cuisine are being discussed below:

Rice and Noodles Sticky, short-grained rice is the staple food in Japan. Uncooked rice is called kome.

There are several varieties of rice grown in Japan, with koshihikari and akitakomachi being among the most popular.

Rice has a wide variety of culinary applications in Japan. Rice is also used to make mochi (rice cakes), senbei (rice crackers) and sake (rice wine). In Japan, rice can also be cooked with red beans (sekihan), seafood and vegetables (takikomi gohan) or as a kind of watery porridge seasoned with salt (kayu).

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Onigiri are rice balls with seafood or vegetables in the middle, usually wrapped in a piece of dried seaweed (nori). They are traditionally part of a packed lunch or picnic in Japan. Individually wrapped onigiri, usually of triangular shape, make a good snack and are available at convenience stores in Japan.

Noodles are another important food in Japan. Udon noodles are made from wheat flour. They are boiled and served in a broth; usually hot but occasionally cold in summer, and topped with ingredients such as a raw egg to make tsukimi udon, and deep-fried tofu aburaage to make kitsune udon.

Soba are buckwheat noodles, which are thinner and of a darker colour than udon.

Soba is usually served cold (zaru soba) with a dipping sauce, sliced green onions and wasabi. When served in a hot broth, it is known as kake soba.

Ramen are thin egg noodles which are almost always served in a hot broth, flavoured with shoyu or miso. This is topped with a variety of ingredients such as slices of roast pork (chashu), bean sprouts (moyashi), sweet corn and butter.

Ramen is popular throughout Japan and different regions are known for their

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Size:T 56mm H E M xE254mm CUISINE variations. Examples are corn-butter ramen in Sapporo and tonkotsu ramen in Kyushu.

Instant ramen to which you just add hot water, has become very popular during the recent years.

Soy Products The humble soybean (daizu) is used to make a wide variety of food and flavourings in Japanese cuisine. Soybeans and rice are used to make miso, a paste used for flavouring soup and marinating fish.

Together with soy sauce (shoyu), miso is a foundation of Japanese cuisine. Tofu is soybean curd and a popular source of protein, especially for vegetarians. These days, even tofu donuts and tofu ice-cream are available.

Popular Tastes from Japan Now let us have a look at some of the most popular items in Japanese cuisine. (i) Sashimi and Sushi Sashimi comprises thin slices of raw

Recipe Miso Cod

By Chef Vikram Khatri Ingredients Cod fish supreme For marination Japanese white miso Egg yolk Mirin(Japanese sweet wine) Sake Breakfast sugar

150gm 200gm 1 no 80ml 40 ml 40gm

Preparation 1. Make the marination, mixing all the ingredients in a bowl to a smooth paste.

2. Pat dry the fish. Ensure no water is there in the fish.

3. Add the fish to the marination, making sure it gets covered from all the sides.

4. Wrap it & keep it inside freeze for at least 36 hours.

Cooking & Finishing 1. Remove the fish from marinate and place it on a baking tray.

2. Cook it in a pre-heated oven at 220 degree Celsius, for eight minutes.

3. Serve hot.

Apr-May ’15

fish or other seafood served with spicy Japanese horseradish (wasabi) and shoyu, while sushi consists of the same, served on vinegar infused rice, but it also includes cooked seafood, vegetables and egg. (ii) Domburimono These dishes consist of a bowl (domburi) of rice, covered with one of a variety of toppings such as boiled beef (gyudon), chicken and egg (oyakodon), deep-fried shrimp or deep-fried pork cutlet and egg (katsudon). They are often eaten with miso soup and pickles. (iii) Tempura Seafood or vegetables dipped in batter and deep-fried, tempura is served with a dipping sauce and daikon. The word tempura comes from the Portuguese word tempero (gravy or sauce) and this dish dates from the mid 16th century, when Portuguese and Spanish culture was first introduced to Japan. Tempura can be served with a side bowl of rice and soup or on a bowl of rice or noodles (tempura udon, tempura soba). (iv) Sukiyaki This is a savoury stew of vegetables and beef, cooked in a large nabe and dipped in a bowl of beaten raw egg. The vegetables usually used are green onion, shiitake mushrooms and chrysanthemum leaves (shungiku). Also added are tofu and gelatinous noodles (shirataki) and the ingredients are cooked in a sauce made of soy sauce, sugar and sweet cooking sake (mirin). (v) Shabushabu For this dish, there is the requirement to dip paper-thin slices of beef in a pot of boiling water and stock for a few seconds and then dip the cooked beef in sesame sauce (goma dare) before eating.

Later, vegetables such as enoki mushrooms and Chinese cabbage, tofu and shirataki are added. When cooked, these are dipped in a soy and citrus sauce (ponzu). After the beef and vegetables have been finished, udon can be added to the pot and eaten with the broth. Other flavourings used include crushed garlic, chives and daikon. (vi) Okonomiyaki Best described as a savoury Japanese pancake, for its preparation, chopped vegetables and meat or seafood are mixed with batter and cooked on a griddle. Like a pancake, the okonomiyaki is flipped over and cooked on both sides. It is then topped with a special sauce and

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THEME CUISINE mayonnaise and sprinkled with nori and dried fish flakes (katsuobushi). Variations include adding a fried egg or soba. (vii) Yakitori Yakitori itself means broiled chicken.

Various cuts of chicken, including heart, liver and cartilage, are cooked on skewers over a charcoal grill. Also cooked this way at yakitori restaurants (yakitoriya) are an assortment of vegetables such as green peppers (piman), garlic cloves (ninniku) and onions (negi). They are flavoured using either a tangy sauce (tare) or salt (shio). Yakitoriya are usually laidback places where the food is a snack to accompany drinking. (viii)Yakiniku The term translates literally as grilled meat, and it consists of bite-size pieces of beef (and to a lesser extent pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables) which are grilled at the diner’s table. Though overseas it is usually called ‘Japanese barbeque,’ in Japan it is often translated as ‘Korean barbeque.’

Love for Drinks It is said that the third century Chinese records describe the inhabitants of Japan as being fond of their liquor and this

scenario hasn’t changed much today.

Consumption of sake was overtaken by that of beer around the beginning of the 20th century. In the recent years, beer and its cheaper relations happoshu and the so-called ‘third-category beer’ account for over 75 percent of alcohol consumption in Japan.

Happoshu (low-malt beer) has become more popular recently, mainly due to the fact that it is significantly cheaper than regular beer. We discuss below two popular alcoholic beverages from Japan. (i) Sake In Japanese, the word sake is also used as a generic term for alcohol. The correct term for refined Japanese rice wine is seishu, or more commonly nihonshu.

Here it deserves a mention that sake is not usually stored for more than a year.

Good sake is produced all over Japan and with thousands of small breweries, finding one to suit your palate shouldn’t be too hard, when you are in Japan.

Rather it would be a cakewalk of an exercise.

There are different grades of sakes, depending on the milling process used on the rice and the additives used, if any.

The production cycle takes about one

year.

Autumn rice is used in the brewing process, which starts in winter and ends in the spring that follows the winter.

The sake matures during the summer and is eventually bottled in the autumn.

Sake has an alcohol content similar to wine, around 16 percent. It can be served either warmed or chilled. The cheaper varieties are usually served hot (atsukan), straight into the glass in low cost drinking establishments like izakaya or yakitoriya. Otherwise, it is served in an earthenware bottle (tokkuri) and poured into small cups (sakazuki). (ii) Shochu Shochu is a distilled liquor from Japan, made from grain, and averages around 50 percent proof. Although there are large variations depending on the ingredients and region. It is most commonly partaken in a mixture with ice and oolong tea (oolon-hai) or citrus juices (lemon-hai). These drinks are available readymade in cans.

Readymade cocktails have also become popular in Japan, recently. Whiskey and other distilled liquors tend to be popular among the middle-aged men in Japan. n

Menu Planning

Summer Menu at Guppy by ai

By Chef Vikram Khatri Sakura Wood Smoked Pumpkin Soup served with crispy pumpkin seed and sanso dust Seaweed and Mesclun Salad Young mustard, seaweed and fresh baby greens served with house made plum vinaigrette Tofu and Water Chestnut Motoyaki Japanese silken tofu and water chestnut, baked with umami rich sauce Assorted Vegetable Tempura Batter fried seasonal natural and exotic vegetables served with warm ginger dashi and green tea salt Salmon Tartare Sashimi salmon, diced and marinated with fresh avocado, served on cucumber slivers with house made tobiko and bonito mayo Cold Smoked Kampachi Sashimi

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Cured yellowtail, smoked in-house with sakura wood and served with yuzu khosho and soy ponzu Tuna Nigiri Salmon Nigiri Yellowtail Nigiri Aburi Salmon Nigri Futomaki Sushi Roll Large sushi rolls with fresh salmon, tuna, tamago and crab Tofu and Exotic Vegetable Curry Rice served with mushroom, atsuage tofu and steamed rice Eel Yanagawa Fu Braised Japanese eel with egg on a bed of burdock root and seasonal grilled vegetables Parchment Baked Market Fish with a house made Yuzu Sake Glaze. Ask the server for the catch of the day.

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Zaru Soba/Udon Noodles Cold soba/udon noodles served with tanuki, scallion, wasabi, ginger and cold bonito soy broth Hiyashi Tanuki Cha Soba Chilled green tea soba served with tanuki, scallion, wasabi and chilled soy flavoured broth Hiyashi Somen Japanese thin angel hair noodles served on ice with ginger soy dashi Hiyashi Chuka Chilled ramen noodles topped with prawn, crab stick, fresh cucumber and wakame seaweed, served with sesame flavoured vinegar soy broth Macha Pudding Green tea pudding served with house made toffee sauce

Apr-May ’15

CITIE

Guangdong·China 2015

The Largest Hospitality Exhibition in the World

The 13th China (Guangdong) International Hospitality Supplies Fair 10-12 September, 2015 China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou

600,000+ sq.m 70+ countries and regions 4,000+ exhibitors 61,088+ professionals gathered

Official Website

Contact us: Guangdong Xinji Huazhan Exhibition Co., Ltd. Tel：+86-20-85645910 E-mail：hosfair@hosfair.com Web：www.hosfair.com/en Organizers: People's Government of Guangdong Province China Hotel Supplies Association Kitchen Utensils Chamber of Commerce of

Apr-May ’15

All-China of Industr y and Commerce

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RESTAURANT

Eating in the

Guppyland

By Sharmila Chand

Anshu Arora has recreated a playful wonderland in a modern setting. Here every element has been carefully designed with original custom fabrication by artists and vendors from around India.

comfortable, casual seating around it. It has touches of studio designed and customtailored kimonos on the walls.

The area also boasts of two specially sculpted metal lion fish lights and Japanese kokeshi dolls, vintage cameras, old tiffin boxes and more such Japanese memorabilia scouted from antique shops.

A feature water body with a stream of metallic Guppies strung together like a stream of a river make for an unusual water installation. The charming courtyard has an anime-inspired sculpture, small tree light boxes, a huge mural, candle lighting and casual seating centered around a tall Frangipani tree; reaching for the skies.

As you enter the bar, the eyes are attracted by a wall representation of the artist’s take on Mickey Mouse. Balanced by a beautiful water body installation, the bar and the courtyard together make for a trendy space for an evening with an intimate group of friends.

Another World

G

uppy by ai is not merely a classy restaurant. It can be construed as a playful wonderland in a modern setting, that is evocative of a different land with a charming courtyard and a bar.

Spread over 2200 sq. ft., noted designer

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Most iconography at the restaurant is anime-inspired and translates into the fabric, sculptures, murals and lights. Around this Anshu has worked a stunning play of colours.

Evocative of a different land, there is detailing in every piece put together be it the ceramic rose knobs or custom-made tiles for the pillars, to the fabric on the banquettes.

A manga artist has worked on the murals, window art and column figures.

From the solar fired heart shaped tiles to the lighting and fixtures in the property, almost everything has been custom made and designed for Guppy. There is clever use of origami (Japanese paper art) and metal to make lights.

The dining area focuses on a sushi counter and a big community table with

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“At Guppy by ai, we present the food in a playful wonderland of a setting that is truly like none other in the city.”

— AD Singh, Owner, Guppy by ai

Apr-May ’15

RESTAURANT Truly at Guppy by ai, you could taste the spicy, the tangy, and the exotic all in one bite. Here the culinary style embodies four essential elements of cooking — harmony, tradition, wisdom and balance. Most dishes, from mains to the condiments, are made from scratch here.

Menu Embodying the Hanami Festival

Sumptuous Seafood and Others For the connoisseurs of exotic cuisines, it should be remembered that the place is not just about Japanese seafood. But here one can relish a wide range of delicious vegetarian food as well. The emphasis is on freshness and ingredient quality.

Popular dishes include the Snow Peas, Beans and Wood Ear Mushroom Salad in Walnut Dressing or the Gluten- free Mushroom and Asparagus Gyoza, Rock Corn Tempura, Chilli Lime Dressed Agedashi Tofu, and the Karashi Vegetable Casserole.

There is more to savour. Eat your way through a special udon noodle soup or fresh seafood salad, the delicious slow braised pork belly, and the signature Miso Black Cod, an unusual chicken casserole or a spicy tenderloin with maybe some bacon and garlic fried rice.

At the gastronomic helm of Guppy is the award winning Chef Vikram Khatri who I personally regard a lot for his immense culinary talent. Chef Vikram is passionately devoted to freshness, hygiene and technique. His culinary creativity at Guppy by ai are inspired by Japan’s culinary legacy. “ Gu p p i b y a i o f f e r s g u e s t s a n internationally acclaimed style of contemporary Japanese cuisine, while keeping full respect for the authenticity of flavours and food tradition. Most part of the menu offers a sophisticated cuisine philosophy inspired by the informal Japanese dining style called Izakaya,” explained Vikram Khatri, Executive Chef, Guppy by ai.

Apr-May ’15

Bringing in the Japanese culture in all its essence, the spirit of Japan permeates across Guppy by ai.

Here the menu is composed to create an exciting symphony of authentic flavours. Here each dish narrates art and taste. Guppy by ai’s experience unfolds in many layers, creating a canvas that is multi-dimensional.”

— Chef Vikram Khatri, Executive Chef, Guppy by ai “In the hands of our award winning Chef, Vikram Khatri, the menu has bold, intense flavours which transcend the boundaries of culture and country. With us you may taste the spicy, the tangy, and the exotic all in one bite. Many people believe Japanese cuisine is just about raw seafood. That is like saying Paris is just about the Eiffel Tower or Indian cricket is just about Sachin,” expressed AD Singh, the Owner of Guppy by ai.

“Firstly, try our range of vegetarian food with the emphasis on freshness and ingredient quality. Next eat your way through our signature Pork Belly, Prawn Goyza Pot Stickers, Rock Corn Tempura, Udon Noodle Soup and Spicy Tenderloin,” Singh elaborated further.

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Hanami season in April comes when the cherry blossom trees all over Japan come in to bloom and people hold outdoor parties to marvel them. Hana means ‘flower’ and mi means ‘to look’, in Japanese. This is a great time of the year in Japan as the weather is ideal and heralds the end of a harsh winter and celebration of new beginnings with spring.

Chef Vikram Khatri is presenting his spring-summer menu, inspired by the cherry blossom viewing festival of Hanami.

Chef Vikram has used fresh and seasonal ingredients like cherry blossom flowers, tokasa seaweed, kobocha, yellowtail, angel hair somen noodles, and water chestnut to enhance his spring-summer menu. One can say that he embodies the spirit of Hanami in his new menu at Guppy by ai.

Savour sakura, wood smoked pumpkin soup, seaweed and mesclun salad, salmon tartar, cold soba or udon noodles served with bonito soy broth, chilled ramen noodle topped with prawn and crab stick, hiyashi somen, tofu and water chestnut motoyaki, yellowtail nigiri and many more of such delicious offerings at Guppy by ai, which are there to delight the culinary connoisseurs in this season.

To sum up, the festival is not only about great Japanese food but it presents the Japan’s rich cultural kaleidoscope. Here one can enjoy Japanese art, Sushi making class, a pop up shop by Anime Pop Mall and a quirky cosplay night. n

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C H EF VO I CE

In Pursuit of

Culinary Perfection

By Sharmila Chand

With 14 years of solid experience in the hospitality industry, which includes association with luxury and upscale hotel chains like The Oberoi Group, Hyatt, The Claridges, Eaton Smart, and Radisson, Chef Diwas Wadhera, Exceutive Sous Chef, Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida, brings a combination of finesse, variety and functionality.

A specialist in Indian and continental cuisine, Diwas was born and brought up in Delhi. He began learning cooking at the age of 14. His interest in cooking soon turned into hobby and subsequently into a profession.

Regional specialties have now become his culinary forte.

In continual seeking of perfection, he continues to excel in his profession with the latest and updated trends in gastronomy techniques and fusion cooking styles.

Chef Diwas believes that food hygiene, in today’s context, is as important as the food’s taste and its presentation. “I believe that we should work safely and in a healthy atmosphere,” Chef Diwas asserted. The excerpts of the interview follow: How do you define yourself?

I would define myself as a combination of finesse, variety and functionality. Food has always been a passion since my childhood. I began learning cooking at the age of 14 out of interest, and soon it graduated to a hobby and then subsequently into a profession.

I love cooking and exploring the regional recipes of India. I also love to travel and would want to explore undiscovered regions of India.

try to redefine the dishes with my own touch. Fusion cooking is the advanced version of it.

Had you not been doing this then what would you have been?

If I were not a Chef, then I would have become a photographer as photography is my second interest, after cooking.

Who is your source of inspiration?

It is my passion and I want to cook till I die.

My mother always inspires me to achieve great heights. She always taught me to believe in myself and try to do what I like without hurting the Mother Nature.

What is your philosophy of cooking?

What is your definition of success?

What would you like to say on your work?

I like to explore the ingredients and

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Definition of success for me is to

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achieve greatest heights on professional front; climbing the ladder with honesty and dedication.

What are you passionate about ?

I am passionate about cooking and photography.

What would you consider as your strength?

The urge to do better and the attitude to look for success are my strengths.

What is your greatest desire, professionally?

It is to meet an unsatisfied customer and let him go satisfied.

What is your most important leisurely pursuit?

It is to spend quality time with my son.

Apr-May ’15

What is your favourite holiday destination?

Las Vegas or Bora Bora Island.

How do you de-stress yourself?

By going out on holidays with family and cooking for them.

How do you rate yourself as a Chef?

I am tough to handle but gentle to be connected.

What is your favourite cuisine?

Italian cuisine is my favourite.

What is your favourite spice?

It is star anise.

And what is your favourite dish?

Five-Spice Chicken is my favourite dish.

Which would you rate as your favourite equipment?

It is Pacojet.

What would you consider as your favourite gadget?

The iphone is my favourite gadget.

Who is/are your favourite diner, that is the kind of guest/s you like to feed?

Dilip Cherian, Sid Khullar, Marryam H Reshii, Osama Jalali and the one name that goes without saying is Sharmila Chand.

What is your hot selling item?

Pizza and pasta are my hot selling items.

What is the best compliment you have received?

The ones which I would rate among the best compliments are the ones which I received from few Indian cricketers, and Salman Khan.

What is your philosophy at work?

Work with passion and whole-heartedly. Put your heart and soul to your work.

Where we can expect to see you ten years from now?

You can expect to see me cooking. Shall love to cook at whatever level I shall be.

What are your future plans?

I would want to open a modern Indian cuisine restaurant.

What is the position of Chefs these days, in India ?

I sincerely thank Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and some of the initiatives like Amul MasterChef, which brought Chef and cooking into mainstream popularity. We have now reached a stage where the kids today love to say that they would become a professional Chef.

Apr-May ’15

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65

PROFILE

Fostering Culinary Excellence with Eatbud

By Sharmila Chand

Vidur Kanodia, the CEO & Director of Eatbud Food Private Limited is an engineer by training. He hails from a business family and is a first generation amateur Chef, carrying forward his father’s passion for food and culinary perfection.

He began his culinary journey with his father’s recipes.

Vidur was mesmerised by the dainty intricacies in the kitchen notes he inherited from his father. The whirling dervish of innovation got him experimenting at home — selecting, preparing, and mixing unique spice blends.

A sheer desire to excel in the hospitality industry, a dynamic approach, and with his father’s support behind him, he developed his own ideas for a F&B business. And soon translated those ideas into enterprising realities.

Vidur has been instrumental in getting the Shiv Sagar restaurant brand from Mumbai to New Delhi. Eatbud Food Private Limited is the brand’s master franchisee.

Furthermore, he has played a key role towards opening two new restaurant brands — SS ONN THE GO and Zamozza — World Kitchen & Bar. The excerpts of the interview follow:

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Apr-May ’15

PROFILE

First and foremost, please spell out some key challenges which need to be taken into account for opening a restaurant in India One needs to have the correct team.

The restaurateur also needs to ensure that the work planned is properly executed within the given timelines. Achieving the perfect balance of flavour during the food trials is also needed.

What according to you are the most tricky issues to tackle these days in the Indian food service business?

They are attaining overall customer satisfaction, finding the right location with parking facilities, ensuring a great ambience, attaining excellence in service, and providing good quality food & beverages at reasonable prices.

What would you like to say on the current restaurant business scenario in Delhi & Mumbai?

A study conducted by FHRAI suggests that about two new restaurants are opening in Delhi and Mumbai every week, which makes it as 100 new restaurants in the year, in these cities. Furthermore, higher disposable incomes among Indian consumers, particularly in these two cities, and the growing trend towards eating out supplemented by growth in organised retailing have fuelled the growth in the food service sector in India.

International and domestic multi-unit restaurant groups/brands are expected to drive the expansion in the Indian restaurant industry in the cities which you have referred to.

What are the leading trends in the Indian restaurant business?

Among the leading trends in this regard include the expansion of quick

Apr-May ’15

service restaurants, emergence of fusion eating out concepts, restaurants with a focus on entertainment, and ethnic and regional cuisine restaurants.

Bottom line is that restaurants with a good product, if marketed well, is highly expected to garner impressive ROIs. However, owner’s day-to-day involvement is a must for successful restaurant ventures. Going by the recent trends it is very important for the restaurants to develop the concept & menu in a way that they speak for themselves. Restaurant & bars which are focused on sports, music, fresh vegetables & infused beverages are on the rise for sure.

What has helped you the most in image building of your brands?

For the Zamozza brand, the menu conceptualisation, personalised service & gigs that we plan on doing on weekly basis have perhaps contributed the most towards its image building.

What do you enjoy the most about being in this business?

Tackling the day-to-day challenges, motivating the team, anticipating & catering to the guests’ needs, giving our guests a strong reason to be back with us, achieving operational excellence are the facets which I enjoy the most in this business.

What do you dislike the most?

I dislike it when guests expect quality without willing to pay for the same.

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What kind of pressures you have encountered at work?

The pressure of exceeding guests’ expectations every time, and maintaining consistency in food quality are challenges.

What are the top three traits or skills you look for in your Head — Food & Beverage Manager?

She/he must take ownership and accountability, should be pro-active, and should have leadership skills.

Is it getting difficult to hire good trained manpower these days, in the Indian restaurant business?

Getting honest, trained and responsible manpower is definitely becoming difficult.

Can you suggest any tips or insights to strengthen the teams in the restaurant business?

Having frequent meeting and sessions can be of great help.

What are your future plans to expand your brands?

Zamozza, which is focussed on authentic flavours, has signed up to open another outlet in Mumbai. Apart from this, we have already launched a new brand called SS ONN THE GO and have opened its first outlet at Select Citywalk, Saket, New Delhi where we have got a tremendous response. SS ONN THE GO is a pure vegetarian fast food restaurant brand, specialising in Bombay & Delhi street food like the Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav, Sev Puri, Chole Bhature, Bermi Aloo, etc.

Our parent company, Eatbud Food Private Limited, has also started with outdoor catering for all our brands.

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OPERATIONS

Uniform Matters in Food Service

By Sharmila Chand

R

estaurant staff in smart uniforms can be a great tool for making the food service business look and feel more professional.

When guests arrive at a restaurant, they wish to see a sense of order and cleanliness. Dressing employees appropriately in matching uniforms can influence the making of the first impression about the place.

Uniform is one of the means to inculcate a sense of equality in the team, which in turn can enhance the team spirit and hence productivity. This is true for the restaurant business too.

I had discussions with some experienced professionals in the Indian food service business and got their viewpoints on the latest trends in uniforms in the Indian restaurant business and also about the various challenges in selecting the right uniform

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and other related issues.

Facilitating Branding and Impression “While restaurants’ staff uniforms do not directly influence the actual operations of the restaurant, but the uniform plays a major role in marketing and promoting the restaurant’s concept by word of mouth through guests, as the restaurant server in the uniform can contribute to the first visual impressions among the minds of the guests. And the visual recall goes a long way in brand perception and retention,” affirmed Hamesh Shetty, F&B Manager, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. “Uniforms lend a definite theme and character to the restaurant,” stated Abhishek Dhar – EAM, F&B Services, Alila Bengaluru. “Staff takes pride with a great uniform which defines the personality of the restaurant,” he

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

added further. He went on to give a fine example of the Tuxedos at Raffles Hotel in Singapore, which promotes the finesse and elegance of the restaurant.

“As far as the first impressions go, a staff member’s uniform becomes an important part of the customer experience. Customers want to see clean and well-dressed staff, not untidy or uncoordinated outfits. A set uniform style is very important for a restaurant as it helps in reinforcing the branding and image of the outlet. With a professional uniform styling, restaurants can boost their business as the attire of the staff can create a strong impact on the guests. Last but not the least, it helps the guests to recognise the staff in a busy restaurant,” emphasised Gaurav Mehra, General Manager, High Ultra Lounge, Bangalore.

Apr-May ’15

OPERATIONS “One of the most dynamic tools for registering the tone of a good upscale establishment could be the uniform its staff wear,” asserted Garima Nagpal — Executive Housekeeper, The Imperial, New Delhi. “As the point of first contact, it should be welcoming and yet make an impact. When food is being served, uniform should portray cleanliness, hygiene and good style,” she added.

“In the foodservice business, the uniform reflects the image and brand of your restaurant. The right uniform can communicate a restaurant’s brand position and can reflect credibility,” opined Elton Hurtis, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal as he added, “And yes, it also enables customers to easily identify the employees of the restaurant.”

“Apart from the food and beverage and the ambience, the ambassadors (employees) of the restaurant do make a powerful impact on the customers’ minds. Each ambassador in restaurants at Sofitel Mumbai BKC wear his/her uniform with pride, which creates a great impression. Uniform plays a vital role in restaurants’ overall operations, right from the hostess standing at the entrance of the restaurant who makes a first impression on the guest when she welcomes him with her stunning uniform and warm smile, to the food and beverage team serving dishes to the guests. Uniform becomes a crucial part of the restaurant for its promotion,” expressed Shilpa Kosambia, Executive Housekeeper — Sofitel Mumbai BKC. “Uniform allows our staff members to be the brand representatives for a

specific restaurant. Overhauling and investing in staff dress is a major part of creating an image. Restaurants’ uniforms not only compliment the restaurants’ atmosphere, but also contribute towards reinforcing the brand images in the minds of our guests,” articulated Reetha Thomas, Executive Housekeeper, Radisson Blu Hotel Noida.

Other Uniform Usages “The uniform in restaurant plays a critical role in the look and feel of the outlet. The uniform design has to be practical to use. A very complicated or over the top design will hinder the employee from working comfortably,” pointed out Neha Gairola, Rooms Division Manager at Mövenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore.

And of course, uniforms not only can enhance efficiency by helping to foster team spirit and togetherness, they also contribute to the employees’ morale. “It is a scientifically proven fact that we are more efficient when we feel confident about ourselves. A well designed and fitted uniform contributes significantly to the employee’s morale,” pointed out Neha.

“The uniforms exude a positive attitude regarding the employees’ role.

Crisp and well-fitted uniform makes the staff feel empowered,” Reetha pointed out further.

Factors to Consider Gaurav Mehra

Apr-May ’15

obviously vary from restaurant to restaurant, and they vary according to the location, concept, etc. While a formal trouser, shirt and apron may suffice in a particular restaurant, another may require a waistcoat, or maybe jeans, t-shirt, cap or special shoes,” explained Hamesh.

Hamesh believes that “Uniform standards for a restaurant needs to be clearly defined as they help in marketing and building the restaurant’s concept.”

“The fabric of the uniform needs to be selected while taking into account of the level of physical activity of the employees concerned,” averred Gaurav.

“We need to ensure that the fabric is easy to wash and maintain for having that spotless starched look. Another major factor is to make sure that the colour, style and theme of the uniform reflect the general branding and theme of the outlet,” Gaurav elaborated further.

“The style of the restaurant, that is whether it is contemporary, modern, period, etc. is important to consider while designing restaurant uniforms.

“Restaurants’ employees’ uniforms

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

“The uniform must stand out if the background is staid or subdued or it may merge into the atmosphere.

Restaurant uniforms must be a part of the whole experience and not be so overbearingly ostentatious that it makes the diner feel uncomfortable. At all times, the uniform must be clean and in good condition.”

Garima Nagpal — Executive Housekeeper, The Imperial, New Delhi

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OPERATIONS

“It gives a sense of belonging when the entire workforce wears the same uniform. I very strongly believe that uniforms in general are integral part of our industry. Every service industry, whether they be hotels, department store, restaurants or hospitals, demand that the workforce look more united and eager to serve the customer. So the role of the uniform becomes very important in a service industry like ours.”

Reetha Thomas, Executive Housekeeper, Radisson Blu Hotel Noida The restaurant uniforms must be a part of the whole story and depict the character of the restaurant,” observed Garima.

“Comfort level, durability of the fabrics, colour fastness also need to be checked, before arriving at a choice of the uniform,” Garima pointed out. However, choosing the colour of the uniform is always not that simple. “We should keep in mind that the colour of the uniform must enhance the skin of the wearer.

Thus a light lilac uniform on a dark skinned person may not be the right choice, even if the restaurant demands a very light colour. However, you can never go wrong with black or white,” voiced Garima.

“While choosing the uniforms for the restaurant, one must consider factors like theme of the restaurant, the culture of the guests visiting your restaurant, and which cuisine/s the restaurant is serving.

Apart from that we need to consider the wash cycle for that material, wear and tear of the material, new trends in uniforms, and the practical aspect of carrying the uniform while serving the

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guests,” elaborated Shilpa, by giving a holistic perspective.

Neha also points out some of the key factors in designing uniforms for restaurants. “We need to consider, whether the restaurant is an indoor or an outdoor outlet. The local weather conditions should also be taken into account. For example, in a place where there is high level of humidity, linen fabrics work well,” she explained. “One needs to take into account the theme of the outlet and the brand’s personality in mind while designing uniforms.

The uniform should be in sync with the brand ethos and positioning of the restaurant,” averred Neha further.

Besides taking into account of the theme of the restaurant, for whom the uniform is going to be designed should also be given great importance. “For example, if the uniform is for stewards, they should be comfortable performing their day to day operational tasks such as lifting or bending, doing setup, etc. while donning the uniform. One should clearly understand the daily tasks of the people for whom the uniform is being designed while designing the uniform,” Neha proffered.

“Furthermore, it is good to take into account of the architectural design and look and feel of the outlet, what are the colour schemes used at the outlet, etc.

“Today a lot of thought is given when hotels design the uniform for their restaurants. It is easier and more effective to keep it simple when it comes to design sensibilities.”

Neha Gairola, Rooms Division Manager at Mövenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

“People are the most important asset of any organisation. Presenting them rightly and setting the right environment at the restaurant is the key to success. It requires a lot of effort and planning to present them with elegance. It is all about showcasing our best as we represent our organisation as ambassadors.

Thus comes the requirement of a well presented uniform.”

Abhishek Dhar – EAM, F&B Services, Alila Bengaluru For example, a dark ambience of the restaurant means it would be good to use lighter uniform shades,” aired Neha further.

She had a few more pertinent points.

“The age group of the wearer and budgets have to be also kept in mind, and it is needed to ensure that the design and overall look of the uniform is respectful of local religious and social sentiments,” observed Neha. She feels that while choosing a restaurant’s uniform, it is important to ensure that the uniform is universally suitable across various age groups, cultural sentiments and physical appearances.

Reetha Thomas also elaborated some key factors, which she believes need to be considered while selecting the restaurant uniform.

“Durability of the fabric is also vital to avoid extra/unnecessary cost. Moreover, as restaurant uniforms should be spic and span, it is highly recommended to get wrinkle or shrink resistant material for the uniforms,” elaborated Reetha.

Apr-May ’15

OPERATIONS “Our guests are well-travelled and they definitely notice when there is thoughtfulness put into the uniforms.

It is best to research and look at what the current trend is, but adding a local touch is even better. The uniform should be well-fitting and original.”

Hamesh Shetty, F&B Manager, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa

Challenges in Choosing There are of course, challenges in choosing the right uniform for a restaurant, but they can be addressed with pragmatism. According to Hamesh, “There shouldn’t be any challenges in choosing the right uniform if the restaurant’s concept, the image that the restaurant needs to portray and functionality required are clear. Perhaps the only factors to take note of are to choose materials that are easy to clean or more resistant to stains, considering the demands of the day-today working environment.”

However, Gaurav Mehra states that “There are a lot of challenges in choosing the right uniform for a restaurant. To start with, one needs to make sure that the fabrics used for the uniforms of front office staff and the kitchen staff take into consideration the heat and the flame they will be exposed to.“ “Very often, the colour which accentuates the design and style of the restaurant may not be available or is available in the fabric which is not suitable. The design may look good on the drawing board but may not translate into a good uniform; an uniform which can make the staff look smart

“A clean and proper uniform can speak a lot about the restaurant itself. If the entire staff is wearing the same uniform, it gives an impression to customers that the restaurant is aware of its image. The uniform completes the package of the restaurant’s image and the customers’ expectations. It should be a comfortable and functional piece of garment, as well as a vehicle for building a sense of team spirit.”

Elton Hurtis, General Manager, Courtyard

by Marriott, Bhopal

Apr-May ’15

and elegant. Moreover, the dress may be so complicated that it may not be able to be made in all shapes and sizes,” reasoned Garima.

“Challenges come with choosing the right vendors to understand your requirement and also in finding the right designs and materials that would look good on all your employees and at the same time will be operationally easy to manage,” viewed Elton.

Neha Gairola would not term them as challenges, but rather as critical factors. “The laundry should be able to effectively help maintain and upkeep the shelf life of the uniforms on a continuous basis. If the laundry is not able to support it, we would incur huge expenditure in terms of replacement costs,” Neha asserted, while stating that laundry support is a critical factor behind restaurants’ uniforms.

“Some fabrics get shrink or bleed colour during regular washing. Thus it is essential to ensure that the fabric does not shrink and does have good colour fastness,” Reeta informed, while talking about the challenges in choosing uniforms for restaurants.

“It is advisable to set an overall budget and determine the number of uniforms needed over a time span. This makes it easier to get the best value for money as well as the highest possible quality,” Reeta observed further.

The Uniform Trends in F&B “Elegance and style blended with wellpresented theme is the key to the success of a well designed uniform,” Abhishek noted.

“Advances in fabric technology has given uniforms a new trend all together. This new technology allows uniforms to be less constricting, more stain resistant and easier to clean and breathe. Now uniforms are built to last with special details like bar-tacking, breathable lining and stain resistant fabrics,” added Elton.

“Recent trend with regard to restaurant uniforms in India is to have a blend of a traditional look with a modern touch,” expressed Shilpa.

“New designs with Indo-western fusion concepts are in. Moreover, keeping the uniform simple is the trend. Earlier restaurants in hotels kept the uniform designs flamboyant, but today simplicity is the key,” pointed out Neha. n

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HEALTH

More Health to

Food Service

By Swarnendu Biswas

W

ith the growing health consciousness in the urban Indian society, healthy eating is gaining momentum across urban India.

Food products endowed with health quotients are crowding the supermarket shelves in the country, in more numbers than they did a decade before. Healthy and fortified snacking options are very much visible among urban India’s snacking preferences.

Whole wheat breads, multigrain breads, and gluten-free breads are gaining popularity in India, and many Indian consumers are shifting preferences from carbonated drinks to fruit juices. Fruit juices are fast making space in middle class household menus.

‘Juice Market in India 2014,’ juice bars are an emerging concept, which are helping to make juice in India more popular. The fitness trend that is evergrowing in India has helped popularise the concept. This has lead to more companies introducing new and unique flavours and using various strategies to try and popularise their products. Juice bars in major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad are getting popular.

Furthermore, the probiotic market in India is also gaining currency. According to a report by TechSci Research named India Probiotic Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2019, “The probiotic

A Visible and Growing Trend According to a recently published Technopak report titled ‘The Packaged Juices Market in India,’ the rising number of health-conscious consumers is giving a boost to fruit juices; it has been observed that consumers are shifting from fruit-based drinks to fruit juices as they consider the latter a healthier breakfast/ snack option.

India’s fruit juice market is being regarded as one of the fast growing categories in the Indian beverages industry. It is growing at a CAGR of over 25-30 percent over the past decade.

According to a Netscribes’ report titled

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market in India is projected to register a CAGR of 19.80 percent during 201419, in revenue terms.” According to the report, probiotic functional food and beverages is the largest segment in the Indian probiotic market, in terms of revenue share. The market for probiotic functional foods and beverages is expected to witness significant growth during 2014-19 due to rising popularity for these products among the youth, the report observed. The report was published in 2014.

Succinctly, from these research findings one can easily infer that Indian consumers, especially the urban Indian well-heeled consumers, are making a perceptible shift towards healthy or healthier food and beverage preferences.

However, this demand for healthy food and beverages across urban Indian society should be reflected in the Indian food service industry in a more indepth and widespread manner than it is happening now. The Indian food service industry can cater to the demands of the health conscious consumers in a more widespread and proactive manner by initiating various creative endeavours.

Experts Speak

Dr. Ritika Samaddar

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Dr. Shikha Sharma, the Founder of Nutri -Health Systems (P) Ltd., feels that food prepared in restaurants in India, in general, contain more salt and

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HEALTH oil, which in long-run can contribute towards increasing the cholesterol and blood pressure . “People have now become health conscious and they are beginning to realise that in the long-run sustained intake of restaurant food can lead to health problems,” she expressed.

We are seeing the trend of people asking for roasted, grilled and baked preparation in restaurants in the country. In this scenario, restaurants dishing out healthy food are expected to have a market edge.

According to Dr. Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head, Dept. of Clinical Nutrition, Max Healthcare Institute Ltd., the QSR segment of the Indian food service industry can not only introduce more healthy fillings and ingredients in their pizzas and burgers but can give opportunity to the guests to chose/ customise their own healthy fast food with their own choice of healthy fillings and/or ingredients and/or salads. In fact, the health aspect of QSR outlets in India dishing fast food needs more control.

McDonald’s has already reduced salt and calories in its Indian menu, and it is about time the entire Indian QSR industry adheres to more healthy offerings.

Ritika thinks that the lack of sufficient health quotient in the Indian food service industry today is basically a supply side problem. She rightly believes that if guests can have more say in the food that they are being served in the QSR outlets, they are expected to choose healthy options.

“The Indian food service industry should also show a shift towards multigrain rotis and multigrain breads, and should more extensively use whole wheat grain as the base for cakes,” averred Ritika, while also pointing out that “For frying purposes, oat crumbs should be preferred by the industry over bread crumbs.” She also calls for avoiding trans fat. Here it deserves a mention that trans fat increases our risk of heart disease by increasing the bad cholesterol or LDL, and also by lowering the good cholesterol or HDL in our blood. She opined that through these comprehensive healthy exercises, the taste factor would not be necessarily compromised.

Ritika also advocated the highly healthy items in the restaurant’s menu should be promoted/advertised. One of the ways to do this is by marking the remarkably healthy food and beverage items in a different colour than the

Apr-May ’15

Ishi Khosla

other items in the rest of the menu and also lucidly writing the constituents/ ingredients of those remarkably healthy food items below their names. This would not only enhance awareness about the healthy food products among the consumers, but can also improve the restaurant’s reputation.

Ishi Khosla, the nationally renowned clinical nutritionist & Founder,www. theweightmonitor.com, Founder, Whole Foods India & Founder-President — Celiac Society for Delhi, firmly believes that the allergen status of food items which have potential to cause allergy should be mentioned in the restaurants’ menu. This would safeguard people vulnerable to allergies to certain types of food.

At the same time, she suggested that in the light of the fact that gluten intolerances among the Indians getting rampant, the restaurants should have

Dr. Shikha Sharma

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

a selection of food products for people afflicted with gluten related disorders. It would be better if menu for people with gluten related disorders are highlighted in a distinctive manner. Of course, such exercises are likely to require the advise/ help of the nutritionists and dieticians.

In fact, in this new-age of health conscious consumers in urban India, it is desirable for the reputed food service businesses to have time to time consultation with renowned nutritionists and dieticians. Both Ritika and Ishi supported my view, when I suggested that restaurants which are focused on serving healthy food should get their menus evaluated or endorsed by nutritionists and dieticians of repute.

“This can be a healthy exercise and it can facilitate restaurants to stand apart from the crowd and position themselves as outlets offering both healthy and tasty products,” proffered Ritika, whose market savvy intelligence amply complements her immense knowledge on nutrition.

Both Ritika and Ishi firmly believe that healthy food does not necessarily have to compromise on the taste factor.

I requested Ishi to highlight some ingredients which can satiate the people with gluten related disorders without causing health problems. “Rotis with jowar, bajra and ragi should gain more popularity across urban India’s food service establishments, which can be helpful for people with gluten intolerances,” advised the nutritionist.

She called for brown rice, red rice and soya flour for diabetics and weight watchers thinking of eating out.

Ishi said that restaurants should opt for more vegetables in the meal and should give precedence to jackfruit and other fruits, honey and jaggery over sugar in the dessert preparations. For QSRs in India, Ishi rightly and wisely prescribed more vegetables and less mayonnaise in the fillings. As expected, she called for cutting back on the infusion of salt in the food service establishments across country. “As far as oils go, I would prefer the restaurants to make creative use of mustard oil, desi ghee, virgin coconut oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil, and of course extra virgin olive oil,” she observed.

As far as the oils are concerned, Ritika gave vote for more extensive usage of rice bran oil, soybean oil, olive oil and canola oil across Indian restaurants. Of course, as expected, she also believes in restricting

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HEALTH the usage of preservatives, salt and sugar in the restaurants’ dishes. “Even by not using these three things more than what is necessary, and using them only when they are absolutely necessary, restaurants can prepare tasty dishes which can comfortably attract their guests,” opined Ritika.

At the same time, the creative medical practitioner advised the restaurants and other food service outlets to use natural ingredients and natural colours more extensively as compared to artificial ingredients and artificial colours. Ritika also advised the dessert makers to give more preference to natural sweeteners over sugar. Molasses, honey, stevia and maple syrup are some examples of natural sweeteners.

How does healthy food in restaurants can take into account of the affordability factor? According to Ritika, the issue of affordability could be addressed in a ‘healthy way’ by going for indigenous ingredients and through extensive usage of seasonal vegetables and fruits in the restaurants’ menu.

Some Healthy Options I requested Dr. Shikha to suggest three healthy dishes that restaurants in India could introduce or promote in a big way, without compromising on the taste factor. According to her, Ragi Dosa, Barley Yogurt Salad, and Quinoa Salad can be among the ideal healthy options which food service outlets sensitive towards health consciousness can promote in a proactive manner.

“Ragi helps in weight loss, as tryptophan present in ragi helps in curbing appetite. It also keeps the stomach full for a longer duration,” explained Shikha. “Furthermore, ragi can increase the bone strength as it is loaded with lots of calcium. Ragi can control diabetes as it contains high level of dietary fiber and polyphenols . Ragi also contains amino acid lecithin and methionine which helps in lowering cholesterol,” she pointed out further. Here it also deserves a mention that ragi is a great source of natural iron thus ragi-based food in the restaurants can help people afflicted with anemia or low hemoglobin.

I probed the nationally renowned diet maven on the health benefits of Barley Yogurt Salad. “Barley reduces bad cholesterol LDL and increases the good cholesterol HDL. It also helps in reducing high blood pressure and reduces the risk

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of cardiac diseases. The antioxidants in barley help in decelerating the signs of ageing,” asserted Shikha, while elaborating that “Eating barley is particularly beneficial for diabetic patients as it facilitates in stabilising the blood glucose levels.

This is because the beta-glucan fiber found in this whole grain has the ability to slow down the body’s absorption of carbohydrates from food, leading to a reduction in glucose and insulin levels.”

Realising that soon I would ask the obvious and stupid question about the health attributes of Quinoa Salad, the knowledgeable lady rattled on. “Quinoa contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fiber. Moreover, quinoa is glutenfree, and is perfect for people with lactose intolerance. It is high in protein; spruced with the essential amino acids. Moreover, quinoa has low glycemic index , so it is good for diabetics. Quinoa also contains lots of antioxidants,” asserted the expert.

Tailored Choices While conversing with Shikha, an important figure in the field of nutrigenetics in India, I became very much interested in exploring the possibility of restaurants offering food according to the body constitution, genetic make-up or blood group of the individual.

“There are specific food groups, which are compatible to specific blood group,” Shikha educated me. I queried her further on this regard. “For example, people with blood group O respond well to high animal protein like chicken. Apart from high animal protein their bodies also respond very well to kalachana (chickpeas) and brown rice. Similarly, people with blood group A respond very well to vegetarian diet, cereals and lentils like wheat, green moong, and yellow moong . Their bodies also respond well to soya and tofu. The people with blood group AB respond very well to fermented food and cereals, while people with blood group B respond well to dairy products like paneer and egg,” explained Shikha.

As people are generally aware of their blood groups, the scenario of Chefs advising the dishes to the guests on the basis of their blood groups could be a realistic possibility in the food service business in India, in the near future,

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

provided there is a willingness to translate this idea into a business reality.

Shikha also suggested that to attract more and more people afflicted with certain types of health issues, restaurants can make special menus as per medical issues of individuals for eg. diabetic menu, hypertensive menu , dyslipidemia menu, etc.

A Suggested Measure Perhaps one effective way to make Indian restaurants choose healthy options in their preparations or make a shift towards more healthy eating out choices, and thereby contribute towards lowering the society’s huge costs for lifestyle and other diseases is by giving tax concessions to restaurants serving healthy food and slapping additional tax liability to restaurants serving unhealthy food. These tax concessions or additional taxation should preferably be valid across all states like the service tax, and not be state specific like VAT. Of course, this idea can be actualised only through appropriate state intervention. Whether the restaurant is serving healthy food or unhealthy food or average food in terms of health can be certified by a panel of nutritionists and dieticians.

At the same time, a select few restaurants which show remarkable excellence in terms of health, taste and affordability (this again needs to be evaluated by a panel of nutritionists, dieticians, food writers, renowned Chefs and renowned F&B Managers across the nation) in a given year, should be bestowed with a huge financial reward/ incentive each.

This award/incentive can be instituted by the Union government/ state government or any private bodies associated with food service business or as a private-public partnership, but the need for such an award or awards seems long overdue to make Indian restaurant business more accountable in terms of its health offerings, to the eating out public at large. n

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PRO D U CT PR E V I E W

SPACECOMBI

Many professional Chefs appreciate the multifunctionality and user friendliness of a modern combi steamer. However, some of them don’t have sufficient room in their kitchen or they need their combi steamers situated suitably for front cooking and at serving stations, where every centimetre counts. With the space saving SpaceCombi models, MKN offers a professional solution which is specially geared to these conditions.

The SpaceCombi is only 55 cm wide, yet still comparably equipped to larger models. The state of the art MagicPilot touch & slide operating concept with information steps and Favourites function, the automatic cleaning system WaveClean and the consumption display GreenInside are just a few examples of user-oriented features which make the SpaceCombi a high performance professional appliance.

In addition, despite its slim width, it offers astounding capacity: 6 x 1/1GN in SpaceCombi Compact and 6 x 2/3 GN in SpaceCombi Junior.

Analogous to the FlexiCombi, the SpaceCombi is also available in the MagicPilot and Classic versions. So every user can decide for himself whether he wants to operate his combi steamer similarly to a smartphone using easy touch and swipe gestures, or if a classical control system is preferred.

MKN India mdas@mkn-india.com

MOMOS BY UNITAS

Unitas Foods Pvt. Ltd. is a privately held company, which was incorporated in 2004. UFPL‘s journey began with the setting up of a restaurant in Gurgaon, in June 2004. This was followed by the setting up of a food processing plant in 2008, for the manufacturing of ‘momos/dim sums.’

Unitas Foods Pvt. Ltd. is perhaps the first player in the organised retail business in India to produce momos/dim sums. The company claims that its YUM!YUM!DIMSUM is till now India’s only manufacturing facility for dim sums. The company’s momos have an impressive demand, with their clientele spanning across major five-star hotels, malls, multiplexes, schools, and hospitals, throughout India.

The company ’s momo manufacturing plant is a ISO:22000 ( H A C C P ) c e r t i f i e d f a c t o r y, producing thousands of dim sums every day. The dim sums are handmade with utmost care and then frozen at -18 degrees C to preserve freshness and nutrition.

Apart from dim sums, the company supplies a range of frozen snacks such as wontons, spring rolls, satay, chicken lollipops, etc. to the F&B industry in India. The company has market presence in Delhi/NCR, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bhopal, Gujarat and Bangalore among other places. The company’s products are available in 250 gm and 1 kg packs under the brand name ‘YUM!YUM!DIMSUM’ across major retail chains like Walmart, Metro Cash & Carry, Food Hall (Future Group), Modern Bazaar, Le Marche, Needs Supermart, Godrej Nature’s Basket and GPI (24 x 7) stores.

Unitas Foods Pvt. Ltd. unitasfoods@gmail.com

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FACILITATING SOUS VIDE COOKING

Vacook™ can make cooking sous vide food at low temperature easy. This thermo-circulator allows preparing delicious sous vide recipes in just few steps and save both time and money. In this way, the food remains very soft and keeps its organoleptic and nutritional properties unchanged, which are usually scattered with the traditional cooking.

In addition, sous vide cooking facilitates you to propose lighter recipes without renouncing the taste. Moreover, sous vide cooking entails significant time savings in the kitchen management, because this type of cooking does not require the intervention of the Chef during its various stages, thus enabling him to devote himself to other operations.

Vacook™ has a stainless steel structure and heating capacity up to 50 litres of water. The temperature control of the equipment varies between 20-100 degree centigrade.

Auto protection switch off and universal clamp support are other technical features of the product. The equipment is endowed with a water heating depth of 165 mm. What is more, it can save energy.

Mish Horeca Services mishhoreca@gmail.com

A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF DAIRY With a rich expertise and experience of twenty years, Enhance Proteins Ltd. is offering milk ingredients, milk formulations, milk protein concentrate, milk powders & milk fat, whey powders, dairy whitener and milk proteins. These are processed using quality raw materials and are widely appreciated owing to their high nutritional content, purity and hygienic processing.

Apart from offering specialty milk ingredients and whey proteins, Enhance Proteins Limited also provides various FMCG products, which are widely used in households, hotels, restaurants and canteens. The company offers pure ghee, which has pleasant aroma and flavour, and it can infuse a unique specialty to cooked food. It is also been used as an ingredient in the preparation of processed food.

The company is the recipient of several awards for export leadership position in India, and Frost and Sullivan has awarded the company for best marketing of whey protein concentrate in India.

Enhance Proteins Limited

info@enhanceproteins.com

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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PRO D U CT PR E V I E W

DISPENSING JUST JUICE TFPL, a trusted name in the bakery and food ingredients, has launched 100 percent pure fruit juice without any added sugar and preservative, which can be served from a cold dispenser. The brand name of the cold dispenser from which a range of pure juices will be served is Just JooSsss.

This is an innovative concept in India.

This 100 percent pure juice concentrate packed in 1 litre UHT pack can be diluted by water to get 100 percent pure juice.

The juice served is free from any added sugar and preservative, and thus it is healthy, besides being great to taste.

The juice concentrate is made from fresh juice from fruits by evaporating water and then packing it under UHT treatment. The water that gets evaporated is added at the final stage before

consumption.

Because of the UHT pack, the concentrate has a shelf life of nine months under ambient condition and is also easy to handle as it needs only water to be added in the dispenser to get the final juice.

Also it prevents the hassle of handling fresh fruits though the juice made from concentrate is as good as squeezing juice from fresh fruits. As Indian people are asking for more and more health drinks, this can come across as an apt solution for the food service industry to serve its customers with a healthy beverage, which has no additive besides fruit.

Just JooSsss is available in three variants, which are Orange Juice Concentrate, Apple Juice Concentrate

FRUITS & VEGETABLES WASH

It has always been made to understand that Vegetables and Fruits are the best form of nourishment over other food sources. This is now a fact proven by Modern Science & Medicine. Humans are advised to consume vegetables and fruits in their natural form to get maximum nourishment & benefit from these food sources.

Unfortunately, the fruits and vegetables that we consume can also be a source of many diseases, even Cancer, as these vegetables and fruits are exposed to many contaminants.

VegWash Plus is a scientifically proven natural cleaner that gently cleans toxicants present on the surface of fruits and vegetables ,which cannot be cleaned and last longer without decaying. VegWash Plus is tested by major multinational laboratories to clean 99% of all toxicants, such as pesticides, fungicides, weedicides , oil, wax artificial ripeners kill 99% of all germs present on the surface of fruits and vegetables, that are harmful for human consumption. It leaves no residue. The packs available in 1 Ltr and 5 Ltr. Autoydnamics Engineering Pvt. Ltd. info@autodynamics.co.in

and Mixed Juice Concentrate.

TFPL has already done a soft launch of Just JooSsss in Feb 2015 in Delhi market and got positive response and feedback from the soft launch. Now the company is planning to install the juice dispensers with the branding on the dispenser itself.

TFPL projects to install 100 dispensers in Delhi & NCR markets in Q1 of financial year 2015-16. Thereafter after achieving its target pertaining to Just JooSsss for the Q1 of financial year 2015-16, TFPL envisages to expand the Just JooSsss brand pan India with the support of its huge sales & distribution network.

Tropilite Foods Pvt. Ltd info@davars.com

THAI CURRIES AND SOUPS

‘That’s Asia’ is a renowned brand for food for Pan Asian cuisine, offered by the house of “Singha” Beer. ‘That’s Asia’ has tied up with “Rodaaji Company” for its presence in the Indian Market. ‘That’s Asia’ was launched in India lately offering readyto-eat pouches of authentic Thai dishes, including spicy curries and soups. The products are perfectly blended to be fit in foodservice market as well. It has unique and authentic Thai flavours offering complete gourmet satisfaction. The products are tested with Indian chefs who have given their approval on the liking of the taste by Indian palate. All products by ‘That’s Asia’ are free of Gluten, MSG, Preservatives, Shrimp Sauce, Fish Sauce, Soy Bean Oil. Rodaaji Company contact@rodaaji.com

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

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COMPANY

A D V E R T I S E R ’ S

PAGE NO.

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COMPANY

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ADANDE INDIA

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MM FISHERIES PVT. LTD.

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AKASA INTERNATIONAL

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MOD KITCHEN EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD.

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ALLIED METAL WORKS

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MUNNILAL TANDOORS PVT. LTD.

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ANNAPOORNA 2015

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NEENA ENTERPRISES

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ANUGA 2015

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NRA SHOW 2015

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APPLE BAKERY MACHINERY PVT. LTD.

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PACIFIC MERCHANTS

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BMS ENTERPRISES

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P LAL & SONS

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CREMICA FOOD INDUSTRIES LTD.

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RANS TECHNOCRATS (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

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DABON INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.

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REMINGTON STEEL ARTS

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DS SPICECO PVT. LTD.

BC

ROSHAN LAL TANDOOR WALA

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EDWARD FOOD RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS CENTRE LIMITED

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SHAMSONS FOODS

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FIHI 2015

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SKYRA PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT PVT. LTD.

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GENNEXT LOGISTICS PVT. LTD.

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SOLUTIONZ CONSULTING PVT. LTD.

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GRALIT INDIA BIOTECH PVT. LTD.

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STEC STAINLESS STEEL PVT. LTD.

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HICARE SERVICES PVT. LTD.

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THE NEW INDIA ELECTRIC & TRADING CO.

HORECA INDIA 2015

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THE SCS AGRIBUSINESS CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD.

HOSFAIR GUANGDONG 2015

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TRAFS 2015

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IFB INDUSTRIES LTD.

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TROPILITE FOODS PVT. LTD.

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KANHAIYALAL TANDOOR PVT. LTD.

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UNITAS FOODS PVT. LTD.

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KING METAL WORKS

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VANYA INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENTS

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KITCH’N SOLUTIONS

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VENUS INDUSTRIES

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PRODUCT PREVIEW

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LOOM CRAFTS FURNITURE (INDIA) PVT. LTD. MANISHA INTERNATIONAL

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INTERVIEW

Facilitating Holistic Dining Experiences

By Sharmila Chand

Harjeet Wasan, Vice President, Tux Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., a venture of Shipra Hotels Limited, brings with him around 23 years of experience in the hospitality sector. He began his career at The Imperial, New Delhi as a Trainee Assistant Manager.

He has diverse range of expertise in the Indian hospitality industry which include operations, general management, client servicing, quality assurance, marketing, strategy planning, project development & pre-opening among others.

Since 2013, he has been associated with the Shipra Hotels team and is the key force behind the enhancement and development of the group’s hotel properties. Harjeet is currently the Vice President at Tux Hospitality, the new venture of Shipra Hotels. Succinctly, his present tenure entails the responsibility of enhancing the image of the hospitality organisation through directing the operations, and focusing on establishing Tux Hospitality as the main choice among the leading hospitality management companies in India. The excerpts of the interview follow: First and foremost, please spell out some key challenges in opening a new restaurant in India

The major challenges in opening a new restaurant in the country are the expenses with regards to leasing or buying of the space for the restaurant, which are often very high. Another key challenge is to decide on what cuisine and concept one has to do.

What according to you, are the most tricky issues to tackle these days in the Indian food service business?

As we are aware that competition is tough, and there are high overheads, one has to balance the quality of food and service and value for money for the guests, which is a challenge.

Moreover, in the restaurant business, it is a real task to come up to the expectations of your guests in all the criteria like food quality, service, value for money, ambience, etc. amidst a wide range of guest preferences.

What would you like to say on the current restaurant business scenario in urban India?

Restaurant business in the Indian metros is thriving as people are keen to eat out, explore new flavours and have a good time.

It is not just about eating out but having a holistic experience in dining, which is the trend in the Indian restaurant business these days. These days, restaurateurs have to gear up to meet the connoisseurs’ expectations.

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As a veteran in the hospitality industry, please comment on how the eating out trend has changed over a period of time, in the country

In old days, we were primarily sticking to just Indian restaurants and some regional cuisines. Now restaurants focusing on various international cuisines are opening in huge numbers and are doing well. In the past, emphasis was only on food but now it is also the concept and theme of the restaurant which play a major role.

What has helped you the most in image building of your brand?

Our consistency in the quality of food and service plays a major role in our image building. Our efforts are always on to keep innovating different drinks and dishes.

What do you enjoy the most about being in this business?

It is a pleasure to see a satisfied guest.

What kind of pressures have you encountered at work?

Like any other industry, one most important pressure in the hospitality industry is of the bottom line, i.e. profits.

Other pressures are of long working hours, being busy when others are holidaying / enjoying and the pressure to make more and more efforts to have maximum possible guest satisfaction.

How important is it to have good interiors in the restaurant?

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

How much significance you give to the décor and ambience of the restaurant as compared to its food?

As I have mentioned earlier, now trends in the Indian food service business have changed. Ambience and concept/ theme of the restaurant play a very important role in attracting guests.

Nowadays the interiors and decor of the restaurant have to go with the food. We give equal importance to the interiors and the food in our food & beverage outlets.

What are the top three traits or skills you look for in your Head — Food & Beverage Manager?

The F& B Manger has to be a people’s person i.e. she/he needs to be extremely guest-centric. She/he should also be innovative and a good sales person and should be cost conscious.

Is it getting difficult to hire good trained manpower these days, in the Indian restaurant business?

Yes. And equally difficult is to retain the trained manpower.

Can you suggest any tips or insights for strengthening the teams at food & beverage outlets?

The mantra is having a healthy and cordial atmosphere at work. Personnel should be recognised, rewarded and respected at all times.

Apr-May ’15

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Feb-Mar ’15