Food & Beverage Business Review (Aug-Sep 2016)

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

85

Feel A Sensation

VENUS INDUSTRIES Mfrs. & exporters of stainless steel cutlery hotelware & lifestyle products WZ-1, Basai Road, Moti Nagar, New Delhi-110015 Tel.: (91-11) 43163300, 45061071 E-mail: v_khurana@venusindustries.in Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review Aug-Sept ’16 Website: www.venusindustries.in

1

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 Abhishek Singh Rathore Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Director Sales Sanjay Anand Mobile: +91 9811136837 Director Operations Rajat Taneja Mobile: +91 9810315463 Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 45093486, 25704103 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: info@hammer.co.in © 2016 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 Swan Press, B-71, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 028.

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.

In India wine is showing impressive growth in consumption figures during the recent years and today there are a variety of Indian and foreign wines flowing through the Indian market. Though still wine is perceived as an elitist drink across many sections of the Indian society, but this erroneous perception is showing a marked shift.

The significant growth in disposable incomes in select but sizeable pockets of urban Indian society during the last decadeand-a-half, the growing awareness and fascination of many Indians towards global food & beverage trends, growing economic and social independence of women, and a demography heavily tilted in favour of young population have perhaps all contributed to the marked growth in wine consumption in our country, during the recent past. The fact that wine is good for health can also be attributed to the growth in market of wines in India during the recent years, as health consciousness is rising in the urban Indian society.

Moreover, the fact that per capita wine consumption in India is still very less as compared to global standards leaves lots of potential for the growth of the Indian wine industry during the coming years, in the light of the prevailing socio-economic scenario.

In our Cover Story, we have analysed the growing popularity of wines in India in some detail, which our readers are expected to find interesting.

The entrepreneurs entering the catering business have good business potential in the present day Indian food service industry. The fact that India is an essentially traditional society transitioning towards a modern one makes it even more attractive for catering business. Here weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and a galore of festive occasions are celebrated with fervour, which can translate into lucrative business opportunities for caterers.

However, several factors are needed to be taken care of to make a success in the catering business. Gauging the trends, selecting the suppliers, and investment on equipment and personnel need to be done quite prudently, especially if one enters the catering business with a modest investment. Keeping regular track of the bottomline can be quite challenging in the catering business. We have discussed many of the factors needed for success in the catering business in India, in our Business Story.

The theme restaurants are gaining in popularity in the Indian food service industry, and in this issue we have covered some restaurants/ cafes with interesting themes, for our Feature section. Reading about them can inspire many aspiring theme restaurateurs.

The popularity of mocktails among restaurant goers is a happening trend in today’s Indian food & beverage industry, which is being explored through our Beverage section. The Profile section deals with the vision and endeavours of a restaurateur, who has made it his habit to think out of the box.

These and many other interesting features, articles and Q&As can contribute towards making this issue an interesting and engrossing read. I expect our esteemed readers would find much reading material of relevance between the covers of this issue. I also wish them a wonderful and fruitful festive season ahead.

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.

2

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Contents

Cover Story

36

Departments

India’s Growing Love for Wines

Business

Event

04

News

12

Report

28

Food Processing

54

Restaurant Review

72

Chef Voice

76

Health

78

Product Preview

80

Interview

84

44

Catering to Success

Feature

50

Restaurants with Themes

Agri

56

Deliciously Healthy Seeds

Beverage

58

Cool Mocktails are Hot!

Profile

62

Guided by Passion and Vision

Theme Cuisine

68

Flavours from Punjab to Peshawar

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

3

Record Participation Expected by India at SIAL Paris

I

ndian participation at SIAL Paris 2016, the world’s leading food and beverage exhibition, is set to break all records.

The event is to be held during 16th to 20th October, in Paris Nord Villepinte. Over 190 Indian exporters will be showcasing food and beverage products at the exhibition, with almost 150 exporters participating under the India pavilion organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).

India will be amongst leading participants from Asia, alongside China, Korea and

Japan. Moreover over 1,500 Indian visitors, including a state-level delegation from Manipur, are expected to visit the exhibition to discover the latest in international food and beverage trends.

“The considerable increase in the size of India’s participation is an indicator of growth of the food processing industry and its allied sectors. The Indian food processing industry accounts for nine percent of the manufacturing GDP of the country and I compliment the large contingent of Indian companies, including SMEs, for featuring in India’s export scenario,” commented L C Goyal, IAS, Chairman and Managing Director of ITPO. Indeed the 2016 SIAL session is also set to be the largest in the exhibition’s fifty year history. 104 countries have now confirmed their presence, and over 160,000 professionals from around the world are expected to attend the five-day show.

“I invite the business fraternity of France as well as neighbouring European countries to explore the vast opportunities that India offers. The bilateral ties of both the countries have consistently expanded over the years and it is hoped that India’s participation in the event will be meaningful in further consolidating trade relations between the two countries,” Goyal further added.

Paris 2016 - The World Food Capital This year’s SIAL Paris coincides with the United Nations’ World Food Day. Representatives of the entire global food industry will therefore be in Paris on October 16, ready to find and share the solutions required to feed the world for the next 30 years. Arranged into food sectors and geographical regions, SIAL’s one-ofa-kind layout lets visitors customise their experience, and explore the exhibition according to their own particular needs.

“All eyes will be focused on Paris in October 2016,” said Nicolas Trentesaux,

4

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

SIAL Network Director. “The food industry is one of the most dynamic industries globally. By discovering new trends and business opportunities, participants will find the tools they need to achieve their growth and expansion objectives. Over 2,500 new products will be presented at the SIAL Innovation feature this year, inspiring the food and beverage industry even more than ever,” he stated.

India’s record-breaking participation at SIAL 2016 is all set to provide the Indian food and beverage industry with new opportunities for growth and expansion.

About SIAL Network SIAL Network is the leading global network of shows dedicated to the food industry, with seven shows (SIAL Paris, SIAL Canada Montreal, SIAL Canada Toronto, SIAL China, SIAL Middle East, SIAL InterFOOD Jakarta, and SIAL ASEAN Manila) that bring together 14,000 exhibitors and 330,000 visitors from 194 countries.

About Comexposium The COMEXPOSIUM Group, one of the world’s leading event organisers, is involved in more than 170 B2C and B2B events across 11 different sectors, including food, agriculture, fashion, security, digital, construction, high-tech, optics and transport. Comexposium hosts more than 3 million visitors and 45,000 exhibitors in 26 countries around the world. Comexposium operates across 30+ global economic growth zones, such as: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, the UK, USA. Contact: Nitya Aggarwal +91 22 6610 0402 naggarwal@promosalons.com

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

5

A Short Interview with Nicolas Trentesaux, Director, SIAL Network What are the main highlights/ features planned for SIAL 2016?

From 16th to 20th October 2016 at ParisNord Villepinte, SIAL Paris will showcase the food of today and invent the food of tomorrow.

We have many new events and highlights planned for this year. As innovation is the DNA of SIAL Paris, SIAL will continue to promote emerging food sectors by offering designated display areas.

This year, for the first time, there will be a ‘Gluten Free Zone’ – a section epitomising the way in which food markets are adapting to new needs, as consumers (ever-more educated and demanding) change their habits and expectations. We will also bring beverages to light through a new feature, called ‘Inspire Drink’, which will focus on cocktails, mixology, tea and coffee, with Chefs and barmen. There will also be an ‘Organic Products Sector’ to cater to the increasing demand in this area.

Thanks to MMM, the agency which organises the SIAL store tours, both visitors and exhibitors can make the most of their participation to SIAL PARIS 2016 by visiting 6 to 8 innovative points of sales among the most dynamic French banners and discover what is new in customer services, dramatisation, product range, layout, new technologies.

Lastly, SIAL Innovation, our flagship event for identifying the new trends in food and beverage, will also be partnering with Summer Fancy Food USA and will be Showcasing 28 outstanding products from the Specialty Food Association’s 2016 sofi™ Awards. This will be in addition to the many nominees and winners of the SIAL Innovation 2016 competition, who will be revealed during the exhibition. Paris will truly be the capital of food for five days !

How will SIAL play an important role in helping the participants in meeting industry challenges and opportunities?

Indian retailers will be able to find new

6

variety of products, product novelty as well as product experience. Processed food and beverage products are increasingly catering to a demand for healthful, traceable, sustainable and organic produce. Convenience and ease of use is also an underlying trend, especially in developing markets like India, where this is probably the most relevant theme in the mass market, along with a demand for gourmet ingredients in select locations.

SIAL will be releasing a detailed study on the topic of international F&B trends, in partnership with TNS Sofres, in September 2016 and all these themes will be discussed at the round tables and other SIAL TV conferences. SIAL is the undisputable marketplace for new food and beverage products with over 400, 000 products presented and with a gamut of innovations and global trends. products from over 100 different countries, discover new consumer trends, thanks to our unique content provided by TNS & XTC, and will discuss with their peers how to differentiate their product offerings to access new markets and increase their market shares.

SIAL Paris is a unique platform for stakeholders to test new markets, launch new products and meet today’s main players to discuss the challenges of the future. It’s also a sort of laboratory: R&D departments from around the world frequently finalise their products in time to test them in SIAL Paris’ alleyways.

What are the current trends in food & beverage processing, internationally?

How are they being played out in India?

The effort of all major international retailers in recent years has been to establish customer loyalty, experience and preference.

The variety and showcasing of the product offering, along with the price positioning, create a distinctive differentiation from the consumers’ standpoint.

SIAL has been focussing on providing solutions to international retailers in terms of

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Tell us about the conferences, seminars and workshops to be held at the event During the show, SIAL TV will broadcast 68 programmes including 48 round tables and interviews, five Daily News updates and eight ‘Innovation Breaks.’ A particularly dense programme, with reports, debates and analyses focusing on the entire world’s agribusiness sector! And SIAL TV can be watched on YouTube after the exhibition closes.

The In-Food Centre, located in the In-Food sector (hall 6), will provide a programme of conferences and business meetings on semi-processed food products, ingredients, food processing and equipment. In 2014, the In-Food Centre featured a series of presentations – 23 in total – for visitors.

Where does India stand in terms of food & beverage supply chain compared to other countries participating at SIAL? Traditionally, Indian participants at SIAL have showcased very traditional commodity products such as rice, spices and ingredients.

However, we are very happy to note that gradually processed and ready to eat products from India have also started to be presented in SIAL and we hope that this trend to showcase value-add products will develop further in years to come. The Indian processed food industry is coming of age with many new convenience foods, such as ready masalas and mixes, being developed for the modern consumers. Many of these products will also find buyers internationally if they were to be extensively presented at SIAL Paris.

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

7

event

TRAFS 2016 Impresses Exhibitors Nearly 10,000 visitors from 35 countries thronged the fourday food, hotel equipment, ingredients and supplies show in Thailand

EVENTS’ CALENDER Annapoorna World of Foods India- 2016 22-24 September 2016 Hall 6 , Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.worldoffoodindia.com International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 8-11 October 2016 Las Vegas Convention Centre, Nevada, US www.ibie2016.com SIAL Paris 2016 16-20 October 2016 Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.sial.fr

R

ecognised as the ideal business platform for manufacturers/importers/ distributors of food services and supplies for the hospitality industry, as well as chain and non-chain retail foods businesses, Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services (TRAFS) 2016 witnessed the presence of over 10,000 visitors from 35 countries, ensuring considerable business for participating exhibitors.

The 10th edition of Thailand’s biggest food, hotel equipment, ingredients and supplies show was held at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre from 4th -7th August.

Visitors from India were among the top 10 international visitors at the event that also saw participation in huge numbers from countries like China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Laos, and Vietnam.

8

“The over 150 exhibitors at the event were quite impressed with the quality of visitors from hospitality, food service and retail, coming from hotels, resorts, condominiums, serviced apartments, fine dining restaurants and other facets of the food service industry (coffee, bakery, ice cream, liquor and wine),” said Kavin Kittiboonya, Managing Director of Diversified Communications (Thailand) Co, Ltd. that organises the event.

“They (exhibitors) had received spot orders and a lot of enquiries which need to be followed up after the show. Many international exhibitors also had met with potential distributors during the four-day show,” Kittiboonya observed.

TRAFS 2016 was well participated by 150 exhibitors, showcasing their products/ services on over 300 booths, including three country pavilions from Japan, Taiwan and China.

The four-day show also featured comprehensive activities, including competitions among Chefs, Pastry Chefs, Bartenders and Housekeepers. Live demonstrations by renowned Chefs and seminars by hospitality professionals were also included in TRAFS 2016.

For the 11th edition of the event, to be held in the next year, the company plans to expand the exhibition space from 8,000 sqm. this year to 10,000 sqm, in response with the country’s tourism and hotel industry’s growth.

TRAFS 2017 is set for 13th -16th July, 2017 at BITEC.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

HOSTECH by Tusid 2016 2-5 November 2016 Istanbul Turkey www.hostechbytusid.com EquipHotel 2016 6-10 November 2016 Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris, France www.equiphotel.com Bakers Technology Fair 2016 11-13 November 2016 HITEX Exhibition Center, Hyderabad www.bakerstechnologyfair.com Emballage 2016 14-17 Nov 2016 Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.emballageweb.com Hotel Investment Forum India 2016 17-18 November 2016 JW Marriot Mumbai Sahar, Mumbai www.hifi-india.com Hotel Expo 2016 23-25 Nov 2016 The Venetian Macao, Macau www.hotel-exhibition.com

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

9

A Promising Platform for Young Pastry Makers

Winners with the Esteemed Jury, and Sanjay Tandon, President, Dabon International Pvt. Ltd.

I

n the recent past, a competition to award some highly talented junior Pastry Chefs from India was hosted at Academy of Pastry Arts India, Gurgaon. The name of the competition was aptly titled as Junior Pastry Indian Cup 2016. The event can be construed as a platform for young, enterprising and innovative Pastry Chefs to showcase their talent and skills before an august jury and the audience comprising expert industry professionals, and also for giving them international exposure.

Such events can induce the participants to choose the exciting career of pastry making, which can benefit the Indian bakery and pastry industry in the long-run as the

10

worldwide with service throughout India.

The event was organised by Bakery Review, which is published by Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd., in association with Rimini Fiera, Italy (the organiser of SIGEP show) & Academy of Pastry Arts India, Gurgaon. The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences was the hospitality partner for the event. The venue for the event was Academy of Pastry Arts India, Gurgaon.

The event, which attracted an impressive selection of important players from the food service industry, was also supported by Aksai Foodservice Products, Madhav Enterprises, Callebaut Chocolates, Jendah Ovens, KitchenAid, Rans Foodservice Equipment, and Solutionz Consulting.

The objective for Hammer Publishers to organise the recently held event was to offer opportunity to the Indian Pastry Chefs to get recognition at international platforms and to motivate the young generation to opt for pastry making as a serious career.

profession of pastry making is always in need of uncommon talent.

Elle & Vire presented the first edition of the Junior Pastry Indian Cup 2016 during 17th-18th September 2016, where 14 rising stars of India’s pastry business competed for the coveted title. Here it deserves a mention that Elle & Vire is a leading brand of cream-based dairy products from France, with impressive global presence.

The event was hosted by Dabon International Pvt. Ltd., a leading specialty food importer and distributor, Chef Ranveer Brar Presenting his Autographed Book, which has been sourcing products ‘Come into my Kitchen,’ to Winners

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Pavleen Gujral

Teams with the Esteemed Jury, Sanjay Anand & Rajat Taneja from Bakery Review

The theme of the competition The esteemed jury consisted was ‘Planet Fantasy,’ which was of renowned Chefs from across geared to comprehensively test India. The jury comprised Chef the skills of the participants.

Avijit Ghosh – Corporate Pastry The event acted as a platform Chef – Leela Ventures; Chef for the young Pastry Chefs Ranveer Brar, who is also a to showcase their talent renowned TV show host, a and skills through advanced judge of culinary shows and dessert and chocolate bonbon a food stylist; Chef Parvinder recipes, which were exhibited Singh Bali, Corporate Chef, along with highly technical Learning and Development with sugar and chocolate sculpted Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; Chef showpieces. The participants Niklesh Sharma, Managing were judged on the basis of Director & Executive Pastry aesthetic expression, technical Chef, Academy of Pastry Arts skills, professional ethics, Group –India, Malaysia, the hygiene, and of course, on Philippines. the basis of the taste of their According to Bali, “Especially products. for artistically inclined, creative Ms. Anna At the competition, and yet pragmatic persons with teams were shortlisted from the stringently love for pastry making, pastry making can screened candidates by the esteemed Jury, be an interesting career choice.” The jury, on the basis of their credentials, experience however, emphasised that the participants & achievements. The pastry event was needed to fine tune their presentation skills open to mass media, pastry professionals, and also pay more emphasis on hygiene. and students engaged in bakery and pastry “The Junior Pastry Indian Cup can facilitate making. learning and professional growth of the young Pastry Chefs. I am delighted to be part of this creative exercise,” pointed out Brar.

Winners of Special Category The competition was followed by dinner Reward & Recognition and cocktails and the awards ceremony, at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences.

Best Plated Dessert Team: Junior Pastry Indian Cup 2016 culminated Mohit Dudeja & Samuel Saka from with a grand presentation ceremony, which Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and was held on 18th September 2016. Arjun Pastry Arts, Bengaluru Gupta and Manjot Kalra from Academy of Best Chocolate Praline Team: Pastry Arts India were adjudged the winning Mohammed Shakir Sheikh & K Sailokesh team of the event. from The Leela Palace Bengaluru The presentation ceremony was done in Best Sugar Showpiece Team: the presence of Executive Chefs and other Arjun Gupta & Manjot Kalra from doyens of the pastry and hospitality fraternity.

Academy of Pastry Arts India A selection of media professionals also Best Chocolate Showpiece Team: graced the presentation ceremony, held at the Arjun Gupta & Manjot Kalra from hotel, where the winners were announced.

Academy of Pastry Arts India.

Pavleen Gujral, a Delhi-based actress

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

who acted in the recently released critically acclaimed film Angry Indian Goddesses, was anchor of the event, and saxophone played

by Ms Anna with grace and energy helped to infuse entertainment factor to the event.

At the presentation ceremony, Cocktails & ‘Lazy Susan Dinner’, hosted by Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences were too good to resist. They were followed

by Grand Dessert Buffet which consisted of Chocolate Theatre, Éclair Theatre, Macaron Theatre, French Pastry Theatre, and Interactive Ice Cream Theatre.

Three raffles were also drawn at the end of the event, offering VIP delegation packages for SIGEP 2017. The packages included four nights’ accommodation on single occupancy basis with breakfast in a hotel chosen by Rimini Fiera; free admission to visit the show; daily lunch at the fair ground; a copy of the fair’s catalogue with detailed listing of participating companies; transfer from airport to hotel and back; daily transfer from hotel to fairground and back for each day of the show.

Winner Team: Arjun Gupta & Manjot Kalra from Academy of Pastry Arts India.

The winners will represent India at SIGEP 2017 during Junior Pastry World Cup (Airfare & Accommodation Paid).

1st Runner up Team: Mohammed Shakir Sheikh & K Sailokesh from The Leela Palace Bengaluru.

They will get training each at Macaron Pastry Training Center in Bangkok in 2017 offered by Dabon International (Airfare & Accommodation Paid).

2nd Runner up Team: Mohit Dudeja & Samuel Saka from Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts, Bangaluru.

The runner up team got a complementary weekend stay in Executive Suite at The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences.

11

Hypercity Retail Adds One More Store in Bengaluru Hypercity Retail, part of K Raheja Group, has opened another store at the Orion Mall in Bengaluru, taking the total number of its stores in the city to four.

“We are delighted to launch our fourth store in Bangalore, one of the top three markets for us. Offering variety and convenience to our customers is of paramount importance. Our focus on regional connect is seeing encouraging sales, and our Bangalore stores contribute significantly to our overall growth pie,” said Ramesh Menon, Chief Executive Officer at Hypercity Retail.

Spread across 19,500 sq.ft. area, the store will sell products across multiple categories, which include grocery, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, kitchen appliances among others. The supermarket also has a different section for gourmet and regional foods, the company said.

With the new store in Bengaluru, the total number of Hypercity Retail stores in India has gone up to 20.

FSSAI Proposes Licence for Online Food Operators All businesses engaged in e-commerce food business may soon have to obtain licences from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). In its latest draft norms for ‘food business activities through e-commerce’ issued after a meeting with the stakeholders in March, the food safety regulator proposed that online food business operators should obtain licence from it for the entire supply chain.

The draft guidelines were issued for inviting comments and suggestions from the stakeholders.

However, e-commerce entities providing listing/ directory services to sellers, restaurants, vendors, importers or manufacturers of food products may not require to obtain license/registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, FSSAI said in a statement.

4th Edition of SICA Culinary Competition Held The South India Culinary Association (SICA) oganised the fourth edition of the industry’s most premier culinary event, the SICA Culinary Competition and Exhibition 2016 from 15th -17th September at the Chennai Trade Centre, on the sidelines of the regional edition of AAHAR International Food Fair 2016, Chennai.

This event was supported by ITPO (India Trade Promotion Organisation) and TNTPO (Tamil Nadu Trade Promotion Organisation).

The primary objective of the SICA Culinary Competition and Exhibition 2016 is to establish a professional platform where culinary professionals in the subcontinent region can showcase their individual and collective skills, creative talent, learn and share best practices, and partner and network in a purely collaborative environment.

This year’s event saw the participants from top culinary institutions around the country as well as international professionals; a first for the competition and exhibition.

12

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

u Surat, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Vadodara

Aug-Sept ’16

Email : marketing@kingmetal.com / sales@kingmetal.com

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

13

METRO Cash & Carry Sets Foot in Uttar Pradesh After 13 years of operations in India, leading business-to-business wholesaler METRO Cash & Carry has set foot in Uttar Pradesh, opening its first outlet in the state’s capital Lucknow, on 8th September. This is METRO’s 23rd distribution centre in India; expanding its footprint to 14 cities and 10 Indian states.

METRO’s Lucknow store is located in BBD Green City, Faizabad Road. The 55,000 square-feet outlet brings to bear METRO’s considerable expertise in businessto-business wholesale across India.

METRO has invested approximately Rs. 60 crores in this store, which could provide close to 300 direct and indirect jobs to the local economy.

METRO sees great potential in the UP market and plans to have a greater presence here in the future, a company statement said.

“We are so confident about our offering to Lucknow’s businesses that we are backing it with a price guarantee — if a customer is able to find lower wholesale prices on the same product anywhere in the city, METRO will refund the price difference,” Arvind Mediratta, Managing Director, METRO Cash & Carry, stated at a press conference, while announcing the opening of the new store.

Govt Modifies Norms to Fix Prices of Packed Essential Items The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has made the necessary changes in the legal matrology (packaged commodities) rules to enable the governments to fix retail prices. The move comes close on the heels of wide disparity observed in the prices of pulses sold loose and in packets, recently.

“If the retail sale price of any essential commodity is fixed and notified by the competent authority under the Essential Commodities Act, the same shall apply,” according to the new modification.

So once the competent authority fixes and notifies the retail sale price, just putting essential commodities such as pulses, sugar, milk and edible oils in packets would not give retailers an excuse to charge higher prices.

Violation of packaged commodities rules can invite a fine of Rs. 5,000 and detaining of the entire stock, according to reports.

Gadre Marine Expands Operations in Goa Processed seafood company Gadre Marine Pvt. Ltd. already exports Surimi — a paste made from fish meat — and other fish products in large quantities to Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea and Australia, and the company now wants to expand its operations in Goa’s bustling hotels, restaurants and caterers (HORECA) segment, according to reports.

With this move the company appears ready to look beyond the retail market, which has been its traditional forte.

Besides Surimi, Gadre offers premium frozen and hygienically processed seafood throughout the year. It not only manufactures crab sticks, but a wide range of products such as crab claw, lobster bite, masala mackerel and a lot more to choose from.

14

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

15

News scan

Sea-Food Restaurant Opened at Mumbai Airport To please the sea-food aficionados, Mahesh Lunch Home opened its first outlet at Terminal 2, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. The Mangalore-based restaurant chain will now offer travellers an opportunity to enjoy sumptuous coastal dishes, while transiting through Mumbai.

Located at the international departures of the airport, the travellers, at this unique outlet, have the choice to sit in the ‘verandah,’ which is designed artistically with Rosewood and carved pillars, where mood lighting changes from day to night. Modelled after a ‘Nallu Kettu’, a typical single courtyard house, here guests can experience the exquisite coastal food from the city’s coastline, while sitting in the comfort of the airport.

‘Divine Food and Wine’ Bar Opened at Gurgaon A ‘Game of Thrones’ inspired restaurant — named DiVino Wine Bar & Kitchen — serving 50 varieties of wine and international cuisines, has opened its doors at Sector 29, Guragaon. DiVino in Spanish stands for divine food and wine.

The restaurant offers a large variety of wines from different countries like France, Chile, Australia, Italy, Argentina and the United States along with a wide array of lipsmacking cuisines from Mediterranean, Italian, Continental, European to French, curated by celebrity Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, popularly known as Chef Saby.

“We at DiVino want to give everyone an easy access to the incredible and fascinating world of wines. There is a large segment of people who relish a glass of wine with their food. At DiVino, you are assured of a sumptuous meal, great wines in an amazing ambience. There is something for all ages. Patrons can also buy their favourite international wines at wholesale prices from DiVino,” said Saurabh Mahajan, Partner, DiVino.

The restaurant is inspired by the cult television series ‘Game of Thrones,’ with its features greeting you across the three floors.

The restaurant is peppered with props like medieval war helmets, swords, gauntlets, helms among others.

Foodhall Celebrates Italian Food Foodhall, a premium lifestyle food superstore with presence in Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi, and Gurgaon, is celebrating Italian regional cuisine for a month.

Foodhall has an extensive global variety in every category – the offerings range from tomatillo (green tomatoes of Mexico) to gluten-free breads such as pizza dough, bagels to super-food options such as Greek yoghurts, fat-free organic milk, tofu, gourmet chocolates, oils and vinegars, smoked salmon, mock meats, specialty cold cuts, teas, fresh truffles and various food delights including a variety of Indian food.

From 6th September to 6th October, the Future Group’s ambitious venture is bringing for its customers the best of Italian regional cuisine.

16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

17

Hospitality Redefined

HyFun Foods Inaugurates Potato Processing Plant in Gujarat HyFun Foods, a venture of M/s Asandas & Sons, recently inaugurated a fully automatic plant for processing potato into frozen French fries and other potatobased snacks, at Ganeshpura, Gujarat.

M/s Asandas & Sons, one of the leading traders of potato and onion in Gujarat for over 50 years now, has ventured into this project with an initial investment of around Rs. 75 crores and sourced processing equipment from leading suppliers in Europe.

The former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel inaugurated the facility on 28th August, in the presence of a large number of prominent business leaders and policy makers.

Spread over 12 acres of land, the new unit will produce a wide range of products including French fries, crinkle cut fries and other potato specialties like aloo tikki, burger patty, smoky bites, cheesy potato shots, and potato wedges.

RoohAfza Ventures into Readyto-Serve Beverage Market Dabur’s Real and PepsiCo’s Tropicana now have a new competitor as Hamdard Laboratories announced its entry into the ready-to-serve beverage segment with the launch of ‘RoohAfza Fusion’, an extension of its flagship brand RoohAfza, in New Delhi, on 8th September.

The product offers a fusion of pure fruit juice with RoohAfza. It will be available in five flavours, namely lemon, orange, mango, pineapple and litchi.

“Fusion extends the brand to new consumers, while retaining our existing users and offering them an exciting variation of their favourite RoohAfza in fruit flavours,” said Mansoor Ali, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Hamdard Laboratories.

RoohAfza Fusion will be available in modern Tetra Pak aseptic packaging and will be offered at a convenient price point of Rs 20 for 200 ml pack, the company said in a statement.

“Juice-based drinks happen to be the fastest growing segment under the soft drinks category and are projected to grow by 2.5 times of its current size by 2020. So with RoohAfza Fusion we are entering the right segment at the right time, and with such a novel concept, we are confident that RoohAfza Fusion will surely prove to be a category shaker,” Amit Aneja, AGM Marketing, Hamdard, said.

18

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

19

1078 kg Dirt Cake Creates Guinness Book of World Records A mammoth 1,078 kg dirt pudding cake, created by four Bangalore-based bakers, has earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. The ‘Bangalore Baking Buddies’ as Danish Ali, Dr Archana Diwan, Nidhi Bagri and Poonam Ankur Shrishrimal call themselves, created the masterpiece over a span of 12 hours in the month of July.

“When you are passionate about something, there is only joy, the aspiration to meet the challenge. The euphoria of the achievement brushes away all the aches and pains,” Poonam Shrishrimal said on accomplishing the feat.

To create the more than thousand kilogram cake, the bakers used 220 kg cream cheese, 190 litres whipping cream, 550 kg crushed sandwich cookies, 65 kg sugar, 180 litres milk, 45 kg custard powder, 35 kg candy, 85 kg butter and 35kg garnish to give it a garden look.

What emerged as a result of the grueling 12-hours of work at the Park Hotel Bangalore was a delicious cake that the team distributed among the underprivileged children.

“The cake was distributed especially among children from the underprivileged backgrounds. One set of recipients were also blind children. The distribution part too was very satisfying for us,” Archana Diwan said.

Congratulating the four bakers, Rishi Nath, the presiding judge for the Guinness World Record, said in a statement released by the Bangalore Baking Buddies, “This is a tremendous achievement and it is certainly going to be hard for another team to break this record. The team started with the benchmark of 1000 kilos of dirt pudding cake but the weighing scale finally tipped to an even greater height of 1078 kilos.”

Hindustan Liquids to bring French Water Brand Perrier to India Mumbai-based Hindustan Liquids said it would be the sole distributor for the iconic naturally carbonated water brand Perrier, in India, which will be available in India by late 2016.

The brand will be available in the major metro cities — Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata — and in the state of Goa. “The addition of Perrier to the Hindustan Liquids portfolio of brands demonstrates the capability of the business to help global brands secure license agreements in India and, more importantly, our strategic and operational infrastructure to grow such iconic brands with a sustainable and responsible footprint,” said Vikram Dhall, Managing Director, Hindustan Liquids.

20

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

21

News scan

Britannia Introduces Nutrichoice Digestive Zero Britannia Industries has expanded its health portfolio with the launch of NutriChoice Digestive Zero, which has zero added sugar and zero maida (white flour) and is high on fibre.

“NutriChoice Digestive Zero is a perfect addition to our range of ‘power packed’ in- between meal options that will meet the nutrition needs of a diverse set of consumers who seek a healthier way of life,” said Ali Harris Shere, VP Marketing, Britannia Industries.

Britannia’s Nutrichoice portfolio has evolved over the years with unique offerings, catering to diverse segments of the population.

22

Lavazza Launches First Training Center in India Lavazza India recently launched its first training center in India. Spread across 800 sq. ft., this one-of-its-kind training centre in Chennai will provide training and information on the Italian coffee culture to baristas. It will also provide training on the perfect coffee preparation according to Italian tradition.

The training centre will showcase the art of preparing coffee in order to preserve the excellence of the product, both at the moment of preparation and consumption — at home or away from home. It will also offer coffee roasting workshops and seminars for baristas, bartenders and caterers.

The training centre will also organise various courses in coffee tasting, coffee cultivation and processing, espresso preparation, cappuccino, latte art and coffee design.

Commenting on the inauguration of the training centre, Mauro Mantovani, Group Chief Commercial Officer at Lavazza noted, “India is an important market for Lavazza, globally. We shall bring the world class Italian coffee culture of Lavazza to Indian coffee lovers.”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

23

News scan

New Pan-Asian Restaurant in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai Kharghar welcomed its first luxury pan-Asian cuisine restaurant, Chi Na Chi Ni by Royal Tulip Luxury Hotels recently.

The spacious restaurant overlooks the Mumbai – Pune Highway, and serves a variety of mouth-watering soups, dim sums, starters, main course & desserts. At Chi Na Chi Ni, one can savour the culinary mysteries of Asia as one’s taste buds travel across the continent and explore their way through the cuisines of China, Japan, Thailand and Korea, made by the Masterchef Rudra.

“Navi Mumbai is booming with exemplary restaurants. Chi Na Chi Ni is going to infuse additional glamour quotient to our food scene,” said Prerna Wadhwa Chawla, Managing Director of Royal Tulip (a unit of Sai Sharan Hotels).

Chi Asian Cookhouse Opens at DLF Mall of India, Noida After delighting Delhi with its Pan Asian offerings for almost a decade, Chi Asian Cookhouse is all set to weave magic with its new outlet at DLF Mall of India, Noida.

Chi Asian Cookhouse is a celebration of the best that Asia’s streets have to offer. Drawing from the street food culture of countries as diverse as Thailand, Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and China, the menu features exciting new sections such as Satay Station, Dimsum Cart, Kimbap and Hawkers Wok, which are expected to go well with bestsellers such as Bibimbap, Khao Suey, Hunan Pot and Malay Black Pepper Crab.

Food Service India Introduces New Range of Spices Food Service India Pvt. Ltd., a part of VKL Food Solution enterprise, has launched a complete range of spices exclusively made for HoReCa Chefs in India.

“We are proud and excited to launch our complete range of spices, which brings us one step closer to our vision of being the complete food solutions provider for our customers,” said S K Maratha, President, VKL Seasoning Pvt. Ltd. “Our spices are launched under two brands — Spicefield and Chef’s Art, to help Chefs cater to different taste profiles of their customers. Every product passes through stringent 40+ quality checks and uses technology that retains high volatile oil and aroma of spice,” Maratha added.

The spices are to be available in 101 packs to ensure a complete range of blended, ground and whole spices.

The blended spices are made from traditional recipes and processed to perfection for getting an authentic taste.

24

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

.

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

25

News scan

Park Inn Jaipur Opens New Italian Restaurant

The Claridges Celebrates 30 years of Dhaba

Park Inn Jaipur, a Carlson brand managed by Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, has introduced a new Italian restaurant named La Italia.

The rooftop restaurant offers authentic Italian food and an exciting selection of international wines and beverages, especially from Italy.

La Italia’s menu offers an exciting mix of colourful and delicious salads, freshly baked breads, thin crust pizzas prepared in an open wood-fired oven, and handmade pasta. A gorgeous range of desserts including the popular favourites Tiramisu and Panacotta are also on the offer.

Park Inn Jaipur has 76 rooms and a suite with business facilities including meeting rooms, conference halls and a 3,000 sq. ft. banquet hall. The hotel located in Bani Park, about 14 km from Jaipur International Airport, is at a 15-20 minutes’ drive from almost all tourist hotspots of the Pink City such as the Amer Fort, City Palace of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal and Nahargarh Fort.

The Claridges New Delhi has completed 30 years of one of its oldest outposts, the iconic Dhaba. Dhaba has been satiating its diners and patrons for three decades with its signature North Indian fare in a typical dhaba-style eatery, within a five-star hotel.

Dhaba first opened its doors in 1986 and today, after 30 years of excellence; its culinary perfection stands undisputed in the Indian hospitality industry. The restaurant stands on a legacy guided by the rich traditions of North Indian roadside eateries and is also inspired by the contemporary fine dining experience.

Cooking with Le Creuset a Unique Experience: Chef Ranveer Brar Cooking with Le Creuset cookware — the iconic French cookware brand famous for its cast-iron products — is an experience on its own, said Chef Ranveer Brar during a live gastronomical session at Select Citywalk mall, in New Delhi.

Chef Ranveer Brar curated recipes which were prepared in Le Creuset cookware, live in the central atrium of Select Citywalk mall where guests were able to interact with the Chef throughout the session.

“Le Creuset is an international leader in luxury cookware and I am absolutely pleased to be associated with this reputed brand. Cooking with Le Creuset cookware is an experience on its own and it’s a great opportunity to be able to share that with people who share the same interest,” said Chef Ranveer.

Established in 1925, Le Creuset has glamourised and redefined the contemporary kitchen all over the world. The company presently has five stores in India.

One of the most sought after Chefs of the country, Ranveer is popularly known for his television shows which include Breakfast Xpress, Snack Attack, Homemade, The Great Indian Rasoi, Health Bhi Taste Bhi, Ranveer’s Cafe, Food Tripping and Thank God It’s Fryday. He also recently appeared on Masterchef India as a judge.

26

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

27

REPORT

A New-age Purchase Management Solution

By Swarnendu Biswas

R

unning a restaurant is an exciting and challenging business in more ways than one. While running a restaurant, keeping the procurement costs of food items in check can often be a huge challenge. They can often run into unmanageable figures if not carefully controlled at every step.

In fact, one of the crucial factors of running a restaurant successfully in commercial terms in the long-run is to organise and monitor its purchasing of products. However, despite the paramount importance of purchasing solutions in food service business, most restaurants in India, especially the small restaurants, do not have a well-defined purchase process and there the orders are largely driven by estimation, leading to the possibility of loopholes in costing in the procurement process.

It is a common practice among many restaurateurs to make their day to day purchases via verbal commitments over telephone.

This informal system is primarily due to the unorganised nature of vendor’s market in the Indian restaurant business, where they generally do not maintain proper computerised inventory and previous order records.

A cloud-based purchase management solution named Zeffu, developed by two young enterprising entrepreneur brothers Sahib Gulati and Sahil Gulati, whose family is into the hospitality business,

28

is a praiseworthy attempt to bring precision in the procurement process of food services industry. Besides saving on costs of procurement process in food service outlets, the application of Zeffu can also lead to saving of valuable time. And in the fast-paced food service business, time is sometimes not money; often it is much much more than Sahib Gulati money!

“Despite the technological advancements, the Indian food service business is still dependent on the archaic methods of ordering, purchasing and accounting, where valuable time is often spent on calling to suppliers to place orders, for receiving orders and on tracking piles of bills,” opined Sahib, the Co-Founder of Zeffu Technologies Pvt. Ltd. He stated that through Zeffu, they wanted to change this old system which besides being unduly time consuming, is also prone to miscalculation and pilferage.

Being a technologically challenged person, I was naturally somewhat puzzled by Zeffu and requested the entrepreneur duo to explain its function. “Zeffu is an incredibly easy to use cloud-based solution that enables you to manage effectively the requisition & purchasing in the food services industry by making them streamlined. With Zeffu, you first need to create your purchasing list and map out the vendors from whom you purchase, which of course, is a one time set up process only. After that get rid of those pesky manual ordering system and let your smart phone do the rest,” elaborated Sahil. He told me that Zeffu can be very much useful for restaurants, bakeries, bars and cafes.

Of course, I needed more elaboration in this regard. “By using the Zeffu app, the kitchen staff or the personnel assigned for kitchen products’ procurement in food service outlets, can submit the purchase requirement using a web browser, tablet or mobile. After the submission of requirement, the app sends an automated requirement summary to the approver, who can be say a F&B Manager or a GM, or the proprietor herself/himself.

Now, the approver can approve, decline or edit the requisition.

Based on the approver’s decision, Zeffu sends an automated SMS (of requirement summary) to the vendor’s registered mobile. The same SMS can also be sent to any of the staff of the given food service outlet, as well,” Sahil elaborated.

If the order is approved by the decision maker/approver, and after the products reach the food service outlet, the store keeper just need to verify the items received from the purchase order. In case of any discrepancy, the

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

REPORT store keeper can also edit the items received, thereby facilitating transparency in the entire purchasing process.

“The items received automatically get stored in inventory and accounts, in-built in the app,” pointed out Sahil. This would enable the personnel making the requisition and as well as the approver/decision maker to know the exact status of the kitchen inventory just by clicks of their smart phones, and thereby easily gauge that what items are needed to be ordered the next time, and also in what quantities.

Zeffu also gives the provision to the vendor/s to select the time of delivery, which can eliminate ambiguity over the delivery time to a great extent. Ambiguity over delivery time can impede production process in food service outlets.

According to Sahib, Zeffu can and does have several advantages for the food services industry. “The automated solution has the potential for greater transparency and accountability from both purchasers and vendors than the conventional paperwork solution, at the stage of placing the order, approving the order and also at the stage of receiving the order. With the possibility of authorisation of all orders by the click of a button, there is greater level of control on the entire purchasing process,” he offered.

“Besides, when you have various persons responsible for making procurement decisions, there can be differences in what and how they

Barry Callebaut Opens New Chocolate Academy in Mumbai The Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of high quality chocolate and cocoa products, recently opened the door to its new, relocated Callebaut Chocolate Academy centre and sales office in Mumbai, India. The present center and sales office is relocation from its previous home, which opened in 2008.

The center serves as a venue for the exchange of technical skills, training, dialogue and the sharing of love for all aspects related to chocolate and cocoa products. It is one of the 19 training centers managed by the company’s gourmet division, around the world, and one of the four in the Asia-Pacific, with other centers in Asia-Pacific being located in Singapore, Shanghai (China) and Tokyo (Japan).

Callebaut®, the Belgian chocolate brand of Barry Callebaut, is an important partner for kitchen and Pastry Chefs, chocolatiers, bakers and caterers.

“Callebaut is proud to have been a part of the Chef’s community for over 10 years and we owe our customers in India for helping us build our business. We want to provide locals and visitors with the best chocolate making experience and we look forward to serving them even better in this state-of-the-art Chocolate Academy centre and sales office,” said Dhruv Bhatia, Barry Callebaut’s Managing Director, India.

Aug-Sept ’16

purchase. With automation it makes easier for every department of the food service outlets to conform to company procurement standards,” pointed out Sahil.

That is not all. The analytics feature of Zeffu provides instant access on business expenditure, as well as comparisons against past expenditure, which can enable to gain insights into the Sahil Gulati food service outlets’ spending patterns that can thereby enable the entrepreneur to make more pragmatic business decisions.

Moreover, with Zeffu, the food service outlets can keep detailed record of purchasing solutions in paperless way, which in turn can not only save their costs, but contribute towards saving our fragile environment. “And it goes without saying that Zeffu can save on working hours of the purchasing personnel engaged in the food service business, which can be translated into earning greater revenues or giving greater value to the business,” pointed out Sahib.

The entrepreneur duo informed me that already Zeffu had garnered an interesting list of clientele in the Indian food service business and of course, they are not content with their early success.

For them, sky is hardly the limit, and they want to extend the reach of Zeffu beyond India too, though at present and in the near future, their focus is to gain more foothold in the Indian food services industry.

Longest Solo Cooking Marathon Chef M.S Raj Mohan from Tamil Nadu recently entered into the Limca Book of Records, India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records by dishing out 1204 dishes — 257 nonvegetarian dishes and 947 vegetarian dishes — in just 48 hours.

“I crossed first 100 dishes in three hours of time. A team of 35 people worked day and night to help me to achieve the feat and each one of them gave his heart and soul to this attempt,” Chef Raj Mohan, Hotel Management and Catering Studies, Mary Matha College at Nallakaruppanpatty in Tamil Nadu, said.

“The dishes are prepared with locally available ingredients. Through this event,our main focus was to promote the Indian cuisines by using the locally available ingredients in our region,” he added.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

29

APPOINTMENTS

Sandeep Biswas

Chef Myo Zaw Aung

Nisar Ahmed

Chef Kshitiz Shekhar

Chef Sandeep Biswas has recently been appointed as the Executive Chef at top destination spa, Ananda in the Himalayas. With humble beginnings, as an associate in the culinary department of Ananda in the Himalayas in 1999, Chef Biswas moved to the Four Seasons in Maldives, after five years at the property.

He has also worked with London’s Renaissance Chancery Court, Ista Bangalore and Novotel Kolkata, as an Executive Sous Chef. Completing his 17-year journey as a Chef, Chef Biswas has returned to the foothills of the Himalayas. His last tenure was at the Atmantan Wellness Resort in Mumbai as an Executive Chef.

Myo Zaw Aung is the new Executive Chef at one of India’s tallest rooftop restaurant, High Ultra Lounge. Chef Myo brings over 22 years of topnotch culinary expertise to his new post. Born and raised in Myanmar, Chef Myo graduated in Arts from the University of Rangoon.

At High Ultra Lounge, Chef Myo is responsible for overseeing the restaurant’s dining venues, catering and culinary events, as well as further enhancing the restaurant’s celebrated culinary offerings. He specialises in Japanese and Italian cuisines.

Chef Myo has earned a wealth of experience by working in some of the leading restaurants across the globe.

Nisar Ahmed has joined Mayfair Hotels and Resorts as Corporate Chef. Chef Nisar comes with over 27 years of experience in the industry. He would be the guiding force for the group’s cuisine development throughout the chain.

In his career spanning close to three decades, Chef Nisar had been instrumental and effective in streamlining the food production operations of many big luxury hotels.

Chef Nisar has also been a team leader for promotion of ‘Indian cuisine’ in Hilton Hotels of Izmir and Istanbul in Turkey.

He specialises in flavoured Indian cuisines like Awadhi, Hyderabadi, Kashmiri and Khybari.

Chef Kshitiz Shekhar has been appointed as the Executive Chef at Hotel Marine Plaza, a premium brand of Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, Mumbai.

His career spanning over a decade and half began as an Industrial Trainee at The Resort, Mumbai.

Before joining Hotel Marine Plaza Chef Kshitiz served as Executive Sous Chef for Intercontinental, Marine Drive, Mumbai.

He has worked with reputed international & Indian hotel chains like Intercontinental Marine Drive; Hotel Sahara Star; Sheraton Saint Louis City Center, US & ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton & Towers.

Chef Nishant Mitra

Chef Pradipt Sinha

Nishant Mitra is the Head Chef & Head of Operations at the gastropub Eddies in Bandra. He is a culinary expert with dynamic skills and an avid entrepreneur.

After working for various properties including Dish Hospitality-Aurus and Taj Lands End in Mumbai, he started his own Bed & Breakfast concept with Drifters Inn, in Manali.

The conceptualisation of Eddies took place on his return from Manali. Chef Nishant spearheads all operations at Eddies right from managing the staff, inventory and developing menus to serving guests in the kitchen.

Jaipur Marriott has announced the appointment of Chef Pradipt Sinha as the new Executive Chef. Chef Pradipt worked his way up in the kitchen and has perfected his art of culinary in many prestigious hotels such as The Oberoi Rajvilas, Park Hyatt Goa Resort & Spa , Hyatt Regency New Delhi, Hyatt Regency Pune, Intercontinental The Lalit Mumbai, Courtyard by Marriott (Pune) and at many more reputed hotels.

Before joining Jaipur Marriott, Chef Pradipt was working at Courtyard

by Marriott Pune City Centre as an Executive Chef. He has over 14 years of rich experience in the industry.

Chef Ganapathy Mallya Chef Siddarth Noronha Novotel Goa Resorts & Spa has announced the appointment of Executive Chef Ganapathy Mallya as the Director of Food. In his new position, Ganapathy will be in charge of the entire food and beverage department, overseeing the costs and control of food quality, and ingredients to achieve customer satisfaction, profitability of the outlets, planning of the menu and business and development.

Chef Ganapathy brings over 14 years of hospitality experience to his new role. Prior to joining Novotel Goa Resorts & Spa, Chef Ganpathy worked with Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach and J.W. Marriott Mumbai.

30

Novotel Goa Resorts & Spa has announced the appointment of Siddarth Noronha as the new Executive Sous Chef.

Hailing from Mumbai, Siddarth is a seasoned Chef and has experience of working over 12 years in some of India’s most eminent hotels. He began his career as a Chef Trainee with the Taj Group of Hotels, later moving into the Hyatt family. He is now a part of AccorHotels.

Chef Noronha brings with him an extensive array of expertise and a deep understanding of the unique and modern aspects of the F&B industry, which is critical to his role.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

31

APPOINTMENTS Narender Singh Sarovar Hotels has appointed Narender Singh as the Corporate Chef. Chef Narender brings with him stellar experience of 32 years in the industry. He specialises in international cuisines, banqueting & conventions, events and fine dining restaurants. Having showcased great skills in commissioning new food & beverage projects, he also puts emphasis on understanding latest trends and technology in the industry.

Prior to joining Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, Chef Narender was associated with Park Plaza Bangalore as the Director Culinary. His previous assignments include roles as F&B Director and Executive Chef at Hilton Mumbai; Corporate Chef at Hot Brands International in Dubai; Executive Chef at The Grand New Delhi; Executive Chef at Jaypee Palace Hotel and International Convention Centre Agra among others. He had also been associated with Marriott Marble Falls Texas, USA, Carnival Cruise Liner and Royal Caribbean Cruise Liner.

Chef Mahesh Padala Chef Mahesh Padala has been appointed as the Executive Chef at Bengaluru Marriott Hotel, Whitefield. Starting his career at Taj Residency in Vishakhapatnam, Chef Mahesh now brings with him over 10 years of industry experience during which he had worked at several prestigious properties including The Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Center; Courtyard by Marriott, Hyderabad, and Jaipur Marriott.

Chef Anthony En Yuan Huang Chef Anthony En Yuan Huang recently joined JW Marriott Bengaluru as the Executive Chef. With more than 20 years of experience in the culinary sphere, Chef Anthony specialises in Asian cuisine.

Before joining JW Marriott, he served as the Executive Chef at Kochi Marriott Hotel. In his earlier stints, Chef Anthony had worked with The Oberoi and Hyatt Hotels.

Chef Martin Kindleysides

Chef Ganesh Devadiga

The St. Regis Mumbai has announced the appointment of Martin Kindleysides as Director of Culinary.

During his career spanning over two decades, Kindleysides has worked with some of the most celebrated Chefs in the world.

Born and raised in Australia and having recently worked in Seoul, South Korea, Kindleysides’s ease in the kitchen comes effortlessly, thanks to a four-year apprenticeship under his brother — who is also a Chef — and years of experience in the industry.

Drawing his influence from fresh ingredients complimented by an intriguing array of flavours from around the world, his eclectic yet harmonious culinary expertise rings a dynamic perspective to classic techniques.

Before bringing his signature ‘fresh and simple’ culinary style to The St. Regis Mumbai, Kindleysides, known better as Chef Marty, was the Executive Chef at The Sheraton Grand Bangalore.

Chef Ganesh Devadiga has joined as the new Chef de Cuisine at Indigo Colaba Mumbai.

With over 10 years of culinary experience, Chef Devadiga brings with him an in-depth understanding of French & Italian flavours with authentic cooking styles, to pamper the Indian palates.

In the capacity of his current position, he will be taking care of the overall kitchen management, ensuring high health and hygiene standards in the kitchen and redefining the menu to introduce innovative dishes.

Chef Devadiga’s specialty is to refine original recipes with creative presentations and modern cooking techniques. Before making his way to Indigo, Chef Devadiga’s most significant stint was with the Taj Group where he served as the Chef De Cuisine at Taj Lands End, Mumbai for two years and as the Chef De Partie at Taj Coromandel, Chennai for three years.

Lifetime Achievement Award for Chef Devender Bungla Chef Devender Bungla, Corporate Pastry Chef, Hyatt Regency Delhi, was conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award for being an Exemplary Chef at the season-3 of the Top Chef Awards Delhi-NCR, held at The Claridges New Delhi on September 4.

Other highlights of the evening included A.D. Singh, Managing Director, Olive Bar & Kitchen, being conferred the Excellence Award for Restaurateur of the Year. This coveted award last year went to Riyaaz Amlani, CEO and MD, Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.

32

Recognising its indelible mark on Delhi’s culinary landscape, Dhaba at The Claridges New Delhi was awarded the Excellence Award for completing glorious 30 years of service.

The awards were presented by nearbuy (formerly Groupon India) — an online marketplace for vendors — and co-presented by The Claridges New Delhi, Lite Bite Foods and Ballantine’s Music CDs. The glittering award ceremony witnessed winners in 18 categories, voted for by more than 21,500 voters, as well 11 jury awards, who were honoured by their peers.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Chef Manish Mehrotra presents the Lifetime Achievement Award for an Exemplary Chef to Chef Davender Bungla, Corporate Pastry Chef, Hayatt Regency Delhi.

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

33

ONLY OLIVES FROM SPAIN PAIRING THE WORLD CUISINE

Photo Courtesy: Olives from Spain

V

ersatile in the kitchen and delicious to eat, chefs around the world have adopted Olives from Spain as innovative ingredients for use in their most creative recipes. Varieties such as Manzanilla, Hojiblanca, Gordal and Cacereña are well known in kitchens around the world. The Middle East, China, Mexico… Olives from Spain transcend borders, filling dishes with textures, colours, and above all, flavour.

F O U R V A R I E T I E S E AT E N AROUND THE WORLD Do you know why Manzanilla, Hojiblanca, Gordal and Cacereña olives are the ideal varieties used to make table olives?

These four types of olives are low in fat, have a high fruit to pit ratio, and a delicate flavour that is drawn out by the preservation and marination process. This fruit, which is the source of olive oil, grows on olive trees in warm climate areas. Olives are particularly abundant in southern Spain, a region characterized by its rich soil and dry climate.

These climatological conditions, common to the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura, nourish the soil and thus the olive trees with the elements required to produce excellent table olives.

Whether they are eaten as a snack or used as ingredients, Olives from Spain are the most prized olives in the world.

London, New York, Delhi… chefs are falling in love with Olives from Spain. Each day we find out about amazing new ways to use the key ingredient of the Mediterranean diet.

The creaminess and delicate flavour of a simple Lebanese hummus takes on a new dimension when Olives from Spain are added. In the same way, after just one taste it is clear that Mexican tacos and olives were made for each other. Asia sends us recipes for fried rice with Olives from Spain and daring shrimp and olive tempuras. Add some green or black olives in some delicious Chinese spring rolls, or give your fried noodles a special touch. Spanish olives perfectly adapt to the spice mixes and hints of chilly found in Asian cuisines without losing their personality, consistency, or flavour.

From China to southeast Asia and up through Japan, black or green olives are an easy way to add a surprising flourish to any recipe. Are you ready to give them a try?

For information about Spanish olives, visit www.olivesfromspain.in or join us on Facebook and Instagram @olivesfromspainindia for updates and more recipes.www.olivesfromspain.in

CONNECTING WORLD CUISINE Spanish olives are very versatile. The preservation process gives them their characteristic complexity, which includes the four basic flavours. It is this characteristic, along with their ability to adapt to different cooking methods and the distinct flavour profile they bring to all sorts of recipes, that has convinced chefs around the world to see olives as original and creative ingredients in their dishes. In

34

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Pimento Stuffed Green Olive Balchao - Goan Style Recipe- 1 portion, Serve 2

Ingredients Spanish pimento stuffed green olives

40 pcs

Shrimp, cleaned and deveined (small to medium sized)

1 ½ cups

Olive oil

2 Tbspn

Onion, finely chopped

1 large

Tomatoes, finely chopped

2 large

Garlic, minced

1 Tbspn

Fresh ginger, minced

½ Tbspn

Dried red chilies

6 pcs

1 tablespoon cumin seed

½ Tbspn

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ Tbspn

Cinnamon sticks

1 (2 inch)

Cloves

5 pcs

Sugar

1 Tbspn

Coconut toddy vinegar/White wine vinegar

¼ cup

Coarse sea salt

to taste

Method • Put the shrimp in a large bowl and sprinkle salt on them. Set aside.

• Roast the dry red chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cloves and cinnamon till they begin to release their aroma. Take off the fire and cool.

• Grind or blend the ginger, garlic and roasted spices into a smooth paste using the vinegar.

• Heat the oil on a medium heat in a wok style pan or frying pan.

Add the shrimp and stir fry till opaque (1-2 min). Remove from the pan and set aside.

• In the same pan, fry the onions till light brown (8-10 min). Add the tomato and fry till soft.

• Add the spice-vinegar paste, sugar and salt to taste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala.

• Add the shrimp to this masala, mix well and cook for 3 minutes.

• Stir in the Spanish pimento stuffed green olives and serve as a cocktail snack or tapas.

Spanish Olives Upma Recipe- 1 portion, Serves 2

Ingredients Spanish Black olives, sliced Semolina Olive oil Mustard seeds Curry leaves Onion, chopped Green chilies, chopped Water Salt

10-12 pcs 1 cup 3 Tbspn ¼ tsp 5-6 1 pc 2 pcs 2 ½ cups to taste

Method • Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the seeds splutter, add onion and sauté till lightly colored.

• Add semolina and stir. Add green chilies and stir. Add two and a half cups of water, salt to taste and mix. Add the olives and mix.

• Reduce heat, cover and cook till all the water is absorbed. While serving you can pack the upma in small moulds and un-mould them in serving plates.

• Garnish with some sliced olives.

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

35

C OV E R S TO R Y

India’s Growing Love for

Wines

Changing tastes of Indians in their drinking preferences has resulted in changing fortunes of the Indian wine industry. The indigenous wine industry is seeing a constant growth in demand in the country. One of the reasons for the increased wine consumption in India during the recent years is perhaps due to reports of wine being good for your health.

Today there is a variety of wines — Indian as well as foreign— available in the Indian market.

Ashok Malkani examines various aspects of this age-old but forever new beverage, which is becoming popular with the young and the old alike in the metros and mini metros of the country.

36

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

P

rice-wise, most other alcoholic drinks are not only cheaper than wines but also are more intoxicating.

This is a detriment in a country like India, where the market is largely price-sensitive and where alcoholic drinkers, by and large, prefer hard drinks which can give a good ‘kick’ of headiness. But despite all these, nowadays in urban India, we are increasingly seeing that not only the elites but also the laymen are consuming wines with increasing frequency.

Wine has been perceived as an elitist drink in India, but slowly and surely, this erroneous perception is undergoing change. The rise in disposable incomes in select but sizeable pockets of urban Indian society during the last decade; the growing awareness and fascination in the country towards international food & beverage trends, which again is fostered by increased exposure to Internet, television and overseas travel as compared to a decade before; a demographic ratio tilted heavily in favour of the young population; and growing economic and social independence of women have all contributed to the increasing wine consumption in the country. Perhaps the

Aug-Sept ’16

C OV E R S TO R Y

knowledge about the health connotation of wine intake has also contributed to this trend.

Wines in India With the growing demand and the increasing awareness for different kinds of wines, a plethora of wines are now being made in India. According to Cecilia Oldne, Global Brand Ambassador at Sula Vineyards, the different varieties of wines are Red Wine, White Wine, Rose Wine, Sparkling

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Wine and Dessert Wine.

Dr. Rajesh Patil, the Chairman & Managing Director of Pause Wines, said, “In India you generally get red wines such as Shiraz, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and white wines like Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. These are the different grape varietals which were originally found in Europe & other parts of the world. Indian wine makers have planted these varietals in India. These varietals show good growth in Indian soil and give great aromas & taste. Different varietals or type of wines add to the pleasure of drinking. Moreover, different wines go well / pair well with different type of foods and that is the excitement.”

“The grape varieties available in India for red wine are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel and Tempranillo while for the white wines we have Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Viognier,” averred Sumedh Singh Mandla, CEO, Grover Zampa Vineyards.

“The different grape varieties of wines which are available in India include Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz blend, Vionier, Muscat, Reisling, Chardoney, Merlot, Grillo, Sangiovese, and Syrah among others,” conveyed Pradeep PachPatil, the Chairman and Managing Director, Soma Vine Village.

“In India, we also have some wines fermented and/or aged in oak barrel to give them body, richness, roundness and balanced tannins as well as to add more

37

C OV E R S TO R Y

Arup Panda

complexity,” stated Mandla.

“A wide variety of wines ranging from Riesling to Pinot Noir are available in India. Almost all the varietals of imported wines are available in India now,” Anuj Soin, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon, averred.

Nishendra Kashyap, Director, Food and Beverage, Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore also stated that there were several types of wines available in India.

“Across the world there are about 1000 varieties of wines out of which India has around 20 varieties planted.

Based on climate and terrier, a lot of new varieties are in the process of being grown and with India being a tropical country, the scope for experimentation here is large. Experimentation in this regard will give rise to a plethora of wine varieties, each with distinct flavours and aromas,” opined PachPatil.

“Typically, French varieties of wines are easy to grow in any region of the world, whereas other varieties of wines are produced based on the climatic conditions of the country. In India, wine is also produced as per the taste and preferences of the masses. It’s good to have heterogeneity in wines so that people can taste the wines which they want to, develop a taste for it, start liking it and then fall in love with the wine and not with the brand,” aired Chef Matteo, Specialty Chef at Mezzo Mezzo, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu.

“Benefits of having different wine varieties are that wines can become pocket-friendly for the wine lovers and can cater to different taste buds. Also different types of wines can gel with different kinds of food,” observed Parvez Sheikh, F&B Manager, Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai.

38

Anuj Soin

Wine Growing Regions Arup Panda, Outlet Manager — Studio-The Pan-Asian Galerie (Wines), Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences, while listing all the different types of grapes for different wines, added, “The majority of India’s wine regions are concentrated in the south-western part of the country, primarily in the state of Maharashtra as well as in Karnataka.

The slopes of the Sahayadri mountain range, which forms the ‘Western Ghats,’ have been identified as the most suitable place for viticulture, due to high altitudes and a correspondingly mild macroclimate. Some of the most well-known wine-producing areas in Maharashtra include Nashik, Sangli, Sholapur, Satara, Ahmednagar and Pune. In the state of Karnataka, the best viticulture sites are situated on the foothills of the Nandi Hills, on the outskirts of Bangalore. Other notable grape-growing areas are found in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir. A few areas in the north-east are also attracting attention due to their high location and cooler climates.”

“While a large portion of the Indian subcontinent is not ideal for viticulture, the large diversity of climate and geology of India does cover some areas with suitable terroir for winemaking to thrive.

Pradeep PachPatil

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Cecilia Oldne

Vineyards in India are planted at higher altitudes along slopes and hillsides to benefit from cooler air and for some protection from wind,” Panda asserted, while pointing out, “The altitude of India’s vineyards typically range from around 660 ft. (200 m) in Karnataka, 984 ft. (300 m) in Maharashtra, 2,600 ft. (800 m) along the slopes of the Sahyadri to 3,300 ft. (1000 m) in Kashmir.”

Analysing Popularity “From ancient times, wine has always attracted people with its beneficial quality and taste. Globalisation has increased the popularity of wines, from place to place. Wines have become part of people’s diet, especially in European and American countries where wines are cheaper as compared to that of in India,” affirmed Dr. Rajesh.

“Now more and more Indians have started developing the taste for wines.

People have realised the goodness of drinking wine and its health benefits.

Thus consumption of wines has increased in India as well, during the recent years. Rising awareness with growing disposable incomes in India during the last decade has resulted in growing demand for wines. More and more Indians are now travelling worldwide and getting acquainted with good quality wines. Now you often see wines on dining tables, at Indian restaurants too. Wine consumption in India is growing at around 10 to 15 percent per year, on an average,” he added further.

“Wines have always been popular in traditional wine producing nations, particularly in Europe. They are now becoming popular all over the globe. In the last 20 to 30 years, New World wine

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

39

C OV E R S TO R Y

Chester Osborn

Dr. Rajesh Patil

Nishendra Kashyap

producing countries have also gained strong foothold in the global wine market. Rising number of wineries and marketing initiatives has led the local population in those countries to also embrace wines,” declared Mandla.

“The rise in the awareness of the health benefits of wines is a very important reason for the gaining of popularity of wines. There are numerous initiatives taken by association of various wine producing countries in generating awareness of their wines. However, still in many Asian countries with rising income levels, wine is seen as an elite drink and associated with status symbol and refinement of choice,” Mandla maintained.

According to Mandla, “In India, where wine is becoming increasingly popular, the market for Indian wines has grown well during the last ten years.

At present, wine drinking is popular in metros and mini metros of India.

Though the consumer base for wines in India is still low, the impressive economic growth, expanding middle class people with higher incomes and increasing number of people travelling abroad have contributed to this trend of growing market for wines in the country.

Besides, wine producers, wine clubs and related bodies in India have taken initiatives to educate the people about benefits of wine consumption.”

“During our wine appreciation sessions, we see a lot of enthusiasm among the attendees, who are eager to learn more and more about wines.

Active wine tourism in India has also contributed towards wines gaining popularity in the country. Grover Zampa Vineyards has wineries and vineyards in wine producing regions of Nashik and Nandi Hills where guided tour and tasting programs are run by qualified

professionals. It serves as a perfect weekend getaway or an engaging day trip,” informed Mandla further.

“Wine is already the preferred alcoholic beverage in many countries —and its popularity is increasing around the world. The average wine consumption is highest in Europe, followed by the US. In India, traditionally wine has been a drink much favoured by the section of the upper crust of India’s population. The changing drinking habits of the people of India have changed the fortune of Indian wine market, which is witnessing a positive growth. Higher disposable incomes during the last decade, growth in foreign tourists and Indians aspiring a western standard are some of the reasons attributed towards wine becoming popular in India. The fact that many women in the country are having wines as their preferred alcoholic beverage is also adding to the growth of consumption of wines in the country,” averred Cecilia.

“Wine is an integral part of culture across the globe. Wine drinking has been flourishing since the 15th century.

Current surveys state that in European countries the per capita consumption of

wine is as high as 35 litres, whereas in China it is around 5 litres. Observing the recent surveys in India, we can say that the per capita consumption of wines in India was 5-6 ml in 2000, around 10-12 ml in 2010 and presently in 2016, around 16 ml. This shows, statistically, the wine consumption has been on a steady rise each year in India, and the demand for wines will only keep growing. People enjoy the wide variety of wines available in the Indian market. The quality, finesse and the taste of wines change with each wine maker, which, in turn, makes it a unique experience for the wine aficionados when they try new brands,” iterated PachPatil.

“From a health perspective, drinking wine has many benefits which make it a preferred leisure time drink. For example, Resveratrol, which is found in the skin of red grapes has been shown to be a potent biological agent that may offer protection against cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease,” pointed out PachPatil further.

“Wine is also having increasing social acceptance in India. Women in India, who were hesitant to hold a glass of alcohol in social circles, find comfort in the fact that wine is looked upon as a drink of the classes,” he observed.

Chester Osborn, Chief Winemaker, D’Arenberg Wines, South Australia, believes that wines are becoming popular in India and have become a part of every celebration. “The reasons are growth in international tourism, the increasing number of new restaurants opening up in India and the changing food trends.

The increase in disposable incomes during the last decade and exposure to international customs are some of the

40

Sumedh Singh Mandla

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

41

C OV E R S TO R Y

Parvez Sheikh

Maynard D Costa

Chef Matteo

other reasons, for the growing popularity of wines in the country,” he expressed.

“Wines are becoming popular all across the world since the connectivity from places to places and region to region has improved due to economic growth in Asian countries and in Australia. The demand for wines in India has been drastically improving. Secondly, many wine producers see open market for wines in the Indian sub-continent due to impressive growth in hospitality & tourism sector in the region,” affirmed Sheikh.

Maynard D Costa, Bar Manager, Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, informed, “Wine has become a very trendy drink during the recent years. Also since there is a belief that a glass of wine offers health benefits, more and more people are preferring it. Wine is gradually becoming a part of the urban Indian lifestyle. India ranks 77th in terms of wine consumption in the world.”

“The reason for wines becoming popular is the availability of various labels of wines across continents. Since most of the countries are producing wines locally and the number of global travellers has increased over the years, so popularity of wine labels is spreading by word of mouth. Also, wine is good for health; the calorie content is low in wines as compared to beer, whisky or rum. This has also contributed to the growth in popularity of wines in our country. Wine has seen a phenomenal growth in India, also because of the rise in tourism segment. This has given the hotels in India an opportunity to explore their wine lists more and more and cater to varied wine demands from guests. Mezzaluna at Movenpick Hotel & Spa, Bangalore has a huge list of wines with over 3.5 rating, which makes the outlet a favourite haven for the wine

connoisseurs,” analysed Kashyap.

“Wine has a global industry which today represents over 230 billion USD of trade. Wine culture is today very much prominent in India. Our preferences may differ due to extreme climate but yes, we have varietals of wines available from around the world.

We have extensive Pinot Noir to match your palate during your dinner and you may use our Riesling to kill the summer.

Moreover, I must mention that buying a vintage bottle of wine is not difficult in India, anymore,” proffered Panda.

“Wine, especially the red variety, is said to be extremely good for health if consumed in moderate quantity.

This is one of the major reasons for the popularity of wines, in the post-modern India. Drinking wine may increase one’s life span, reduce depression, improve mental health and also cater to heart related issues. As per the forecast, by 2017 India will be the fourth largest

Asian spirits importer, ahead of Thailand.

This is mainly because of wine education penetrating in the country. People are getting educated about wine’s benefits and its consumption patterns, which is perhaps one of the main reasons behind the beverage’s popularity,” explained Soin.

42

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

The Overall Indian Wine Market “In India, the overall wine market is growing and wine consumption is growing tremendously. Red wine is more popular mainly due to some added health advantages such as reduction in risk of depression, preventing colon cancer, anti-aging properties, preventing breast cancer, preventing dementia, protecting from severe sunburn, preventing blinding diseases, preventing liver disease among others,” Soin pointed out further.

Kashyap, however, felt that wine market in India was small. “The annual per capita consumption of wine in the country is a mere 9 milliliters, approximately 1/8000th of that of France. This in spite of the fact that viticulture has a long legacy in India, dating back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, when grapevines were believed to have been introduced from Persia.” He is right. However, though the Indian wine market is small as compared to western standards, but given the present socio-cultural dynamics, it has tremendous potential to grow.

India’s blossoming wine industry has gone from strength to strength during the last 20 years with the number of vineyards doubling over the last one-and-a-half decade. Is there a market for so many wine brands and varieties of wines, now? The intricacies of pairing different wines with food, particularly with several Indians being veggies, and more, will be discussed in the next issue of the publication.

Aug-Sept ’16

w Hangers w Kitchenware / Pizzawares w Food Display w Housekeeping Products w Beverage & Cereal Dispensers w Trays w Baskets (SS Wire) w Security Products w Bar Items & Accessories w Buffet Enhancement Products

Plastic Hangers

Cheese Cup

Dough Roller

Satin Hangers

Pan Girpper

Pizza Cutter

CPWCH 01

CPWCH 02

TGWCH 01

LHWCH 01

TOWCH 01

TOWCH 02

TOWCH 03

LHWCH 02

Pizza Tray with Hard Coating

Pizza Tray

Red & Green Spatula

Spoodles

Cone Dispenser

Pizza Showel

Coat Brushes & Shoe Horn

Stainless Steel Wire Baskets / Products

D K G Sales Pvt. Ltd.

DKG

72/5, IInd Floor, Gali No. 3, East Moti Bagh, Sarai Rohilla, Kishan Ganj, Delhi-110007 INDIA, Phone: 23696742 Mobile: +91-9999826782, 9810007063

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review Aug-Sept ’16 43 E-mail : dksalescorp@rediffmail.com, jalaj.gandhi@yahoo.in, sales@dkgspl.in ¤ Website : www.dksalescorp.com

Catering to Success The fast evolving Indian F&B industry offers opportunities galore for aspiring entrepreneurs. From farm to fork, it provides you various business options to suit your tastes and desires. You could become the supplier of raw materials or ingredients or venture into the field of satiating the appetites of folks by becoming a restaurateur, or a caterer for private parties. Events like weddings, birthdays, anniversaries or festive occasions like Durga Puja and Navratri all offer ample scope for caterers.

Here Ashok Malkani suggests on how one can successfully enter the catering business in India and also run it successfully.

T

he festive season is upon us and this is the time when events galore take place. Whether it is party or pooja, one of their essential requirements can be catering to the relatives and friends that one invites.

Most of the Indian families prefer to celebrate occasions like birthdays, marriages, anniversaries, pooja (at the time of Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Pooja and other festive occasions)

44

or get together in a great fashion.

In India, no event is considered as complete without proper arrangement of food and beverages. However, cooking for a large gathering is an onerous task and the easiest way out is to assign this task to a professional caterer.

“People prefer to outsource their catering needs when hosting both small and large events in an open area. More

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

often than not, people prefer to host events in open areas or private halls,” affirmed Krishna Rao, F&B Manager at the Corianthans Resort & Club Pune.

“Customers now prefer outdoor venues due to the price factor and also because open air venues provide more space to hold larger events without the venue looking cramped or too full. Moreover, it allows the aroma of the food to spread around and

Aug-Sept ’16

BUSINESS not get caught within four walls,” he elaborated.

“However, the movement of trend from indoor to outdoor catering was a whole new ball game for caterers. They now have to arrange events on a larger scale without the amenities of a fully functional hotel kitchen to fall back on,” Rao observed. According to him, the idea of outdoor catering has gained popularity in today’s urban India, especially in Indian weddings.

Indoor & Outdoor Catering “Outdoor catering is more personal than indoor catering as you are in the customer’s private property, be it a house, a boat, a garden or a terrace. It is an art which can only grow on you with experience. You must understand your client and be able to adapt to her/his surroundings as you are there to provide good food and service no matter what the situation or time it may be. You must fit in the ambience like a piece of old furniture. In addition, one has to keep a hawk’s eye on the catering staff and their behaviour and be meticulous to not break or damage anything in

Aug-Sept ’16

the property,” elaborated Nikhil Chib, Executive Chef & MD, Busabong & Co. Pvt. Ltd., while talking about the challenges involved in outdoor catering.

So what is the difference between throwing a party in the hotel and holding it outdoors with the help of private caterers?

Krishna Rao declares that when the occasion is celebrated in a hotel, the

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

property’s infrastructure is available to depend on. Outdoor caterers, however, need to go fully prepared for eventualities.

Outdoor events, as well as catering in small private halls, have a completely different set of requirements than from hosting that event in a hotel. Among the many challenges faced by the outdoor caterers in the country, paucity

45

BUSINESS of infrastructure and high rates are possibly the biggest.

Over the years, with the growth in the number of professional banqueters and event organisers, some issues related with logistics, etc. are being addressed smoothly. However, maintaining the quality of food and services offered at a venue far from the production facility still poses its own problems, in India.

• People management skill • Self confidence Remember catering is not just all about preparing food and drinks and serving them to the guests. It’s also about making the events successful while serving these food and drinks in a distinct manner that can touch the heart of the guests.

Licensing and Menu

Required Skills One of the questions which are the main concern of an enterprising entrepreneur is the question of profitability. According to reliable sources this could vary from 30-50 percent, in the realm of catering business in the country. It may be mentioned that catering is one end of the food industry where an ever changing list of variables based on each event, can serve to cloud the big picture. For a caterer it is absolutely imperative to cost each event separately, based on the criteria of the event itself.

In a restaurant with consistent customer base, keeping track of the bottom line is not that challenging, but in catering it is. A caterer’s job is like setting up a restaurant for one evening or for one day, whether indoors or outdoors.

The caterer needs to have a firm and sustained grip on the logistics and costing for every event that she/he organises. Even a slight miscalculation of costs on the part of the caterer can make the difference between profits and loss.

One of the fundamental requirements for being successful in the Indian catering industry is a careful

Krishna Rao

understanding of the logistics involved in the delivery of your catered dishes.

Keep a proper check on the logistics to facilitate success in the catering business.

But the challenges in catering involved should not discourage aspiring caterers. One is reminded of hotel management students of Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE), who, some years back, began outdoor catering to earn some extra bucks and ended up earning so much that many of them could not only easily pay their college fees from the income but also saved enough to purchase expensive gadgets like mobiles.

However, you have to remember that catering service is different from that of event management. In order to start a catering service business, it would be better if you are a good Chef. But that is not all. You also need to have: • Sales skill • Persuasion and negotiation skill • Accounting skill • Marketing skill

To venture into this business, initially you will have to get the permits and licenses necessary for starting the business. You would require a health permit, a business license, etc. as per the requirements of government and local municipal corporations.

After having secured the necessary permits and licenses, your next concern would be preparation of the menu.

As far as the menu is concerned, you should include different types of cuisines, particularly since the clients nowadays consist of people who are now aware even of international cuisines and would like a few Thai, Mexican, Vietnamese dishes included in your culinary repertoire besides, of course, Chinese.

Food on the menu should also include a variety of fruits, vegetables, and meats. Caterers should be aware of which ingredients are in season and adjust their menus accordingly. The greater variety that a catering company offers in its menu options, the greater would be the chance to earn lucrative revenues. With limited menu options, the company will not be able to grow and expand to meet the needs of a variety of clients and their diverse tastes.

Equipped to Grow The next step after preparing the menu would be to get the equipments; not only for preparing the items listed on the menu but also to cater to the guests attending the party. This is where the main investment liabilities arise.

Depending on the guests that you are willing to cater to, your investments will differ. If you are investing a small amount to start the catering business, then you can start cooking onsite.

For this you can hire the cooking equipments. Many of the successful caterers in India have started their business in this manner.

First of all, a caterer should write

46

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

BUSINESS down the items she/he needs to begin catering. Inventory is the name of the game. You have to take stock of what equipments you will need to start the catering business.

Some of the equipments you would need are as follows: • Knives • Utensils • Blender • Chopping boards • Food storage containers • Mixers • Pans, spoons • Dispensers • Gloves • Tubs for dirty dishes Meticulous planning in catering business is essential.

At the initial stage of your catering business, especially if you have started with a small investment, you may need to rent some utensils, tables, kitchen facilities, chairs, serving equipments and flower vases from the market. After catering for a few events, if you are business savvy and if fortune favours you, you could have collected enough money to buy these equipments.

Aug-Sept ’16

Nikhil Chib

Hence the initial investment could be restricted to an affordable amount. This is one of the main reasons why several people are entering this field, as far as the Indian food services industry is concerned.

In fact, one of the taxing questions for several small caterers in India is whether they should buy the equipments or rent them, as the catering business in India is not for 365 days of the year.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Some of the advantages of renting the catering equipments are: Short-term Affordability: Good quality catering equipment doesn’t come cheap. There are times when you find that you are running short of some of the things needed and so you have to borrow those items. Renting allows you access to equipments that you do not have or can’t afford at present.

Cash Flow Management: When you start your catering business, you are still new in the business and might not have enough patronage to keep the cash flow you need coming in but if you rent equipments only when you need them, you will be able to manage your cash flow better.

Catering to the Trends: Trends keep changing and you cannot afford to keep replacing the equipments with the latest designs. At the same time, you do not want to be left behind by the others.

Renting can help you get the latest catering equipments, affordably.

But renting has its disadvantages too.

They could be listed thus: Long-term Costs: In the long-run, renting catering equipments could

47

BUSINESS employees to provide the type of service you would want to offer to your clients.

Pricing It is believed that pricing can make or mar a business. This is true. Pricing does play an important role in making your business a success. But whether you intend to offer your products at a low price or high price, you must first understand your market and strategise accordingly to its demand and income level.

Learning how to create a competitive product pricing strategy in business is crucial, especially if the goal of your marketing plan is to increase market share and survive and thrive in a very prove to be more expensive than their outright purchase.

Disappointments: Sometimes the vendors are not able to supply you with the required equipments on time. This could affect your reputation.

Discomfort & Risk: You would have to go to the vendor/s every time to select the equipments and also to return them. Also, in case you damage any equipment, you would have to pay the damages.

Gauging the Trends; Selecting Suppliers Besides investment in equipments, there are other issues to be addressed before embarking on a catering business in India. Before you start the catering business, you would have to research the food catering market in India and observe what the trends are. And then decide how you can be unique. Plan where you can get maximum possible business. Align your plan as per the industry standards and the competition in your market. A good research prior to starting your food catering business is very important.

Locating and finalising the food suppliers is also needed. Price is a key consideration, especially in tough trading times, but it should not be the only factor for choosing a supplier.

Consistent product quality is critical to ensuring the future success of your catering business, and keeping that in mind, other factors such as the level of customer service and delivery lead times should also be considered to ensure suppliers fit in with the way

48

you operate. It is especially important that the products you buy from the suppliers have been stored, processed and handled safely.

Hiring Rightly Catering is a venture you can’t handle alone as there are a lot of tedious tasks to be done; ranging from cooking, serving, cleaning, etc. So you will definitely need helping hands.

When hiring staff for your catering company, it is always pragmatic to have employees with previous experience in the food service industry. Prior relevant experience reduces the cost and time that it takes to train new employees.

Decide what kind of staff you will need to help you with food preparation, delivery, and service. At the initial stages of your business, instead of hiring regular staff you could also use a temp agency for your cooks and servers; at least until you build up your business. Also give careful consideration to what type of uniforms you would want your serving staff to wear. Moreover, train your

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

competitive environment.

However, along with affordable pricing, your food has to be of good quality and your service has to be outstanding.

In Conclusion Succinctly, to stay consistently profitable through all times a caterer has to keep her/his customers consistently happy. For this a caterer should keep track of what her/his competitors are offering. Improvise your market strategies regularly, as customers need change.

Yes, indeed, if tasty tapas, enticing entrĂŠes, and delectable desserts whet your career appetite, then catering could be an interesting profession to explore upon, in this promising and fast evolving Indian food services industry. But remember, in addition to being a virtuoso in the kitchen, you also have to be a good event organiser, in order to become a successful caterer.

Operating your catering business can be rewarding but not without sustained hard work and careful planning. n

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

49

f e a ture

Restaurants with Themes

By Swarnendu Biswas

water of the waterfall; a unique hospitalthemed restaurant named Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas, US, which serves high calorie items with deliberately provocative names(like Bypass Hamburger); where waitresses are dressed as nurses and where each guest has to don a clothing simulating a hospital gown before ordering; where wine is served in IV bag…

Then there are blindekuh restaurants (comprising two restaurants) in Switzerland, located in Bassel and Zurich. They are dark themed restaurants, where no light is allowed. The guests are served by blind or visually impaired personnel. Both the restaurants host readings and concerts; all in the dark. These dark restaurants are a project of the Blind-Liecht (which is Swiss German for blind-light) foundation,

Holy Smoke

D

uring the recent years, the expectations of diners from restaurants in the Indian food services industry have become more broadened in character. Nowadays, more and more diners in urban India are expecting more than good food and presentable ambience and décor from their restaurant visits. Many among these discerning diners with more than decent disposable incomes and often significant exposure to global F&B trends, whose numbers are increasing in the Indian food services industry, are expecting to have holistically wonderful experiences from their restaurant visits, that can add to their fond future memories to cherish on.

These increased expectations among discerning diners have induced many new and evolving trends in the Indian foods services industry, during the recent years.

One of them is the growing popularity of themed restaurants, where a particular theme is run through several parameters or facets of the food service outlets, which can create a lasting impact on the minds of the diners.

Serving Fascinating Experiences More uncommon the theme of the restaurant is, greater interest it is expected to generate among the young upwardly mobile section of restaurant goers in urban India, who are getting inclined towards

50

being experimental in their food & beverage; ambience and décor choices. However, simply conceiving a great theme in sync with the guest profile of the food service outlet concerned is hardly enough; the real challenge lies in executing that theme through the food & beverage, menu card, personnel’s uniform, choice of music being played, and of course, through the food service outlet’s overall ambience and décor as vividly and as realistically as possible.

When talking of themed restaurants some wonderful theme restaurants across the world must be mentioned. They include the Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant in Tokyo, Japan; modern toilet themed restaurant chain in Taiwan, where food is served in bowls which simulate toilets and bathtubs; Villa Escudero Waterfalls Restaurant at San Pablo City in the Philippines — an outdoor restaurant with bamboo made tables, located at the feet of Labasin waterfall, where guests can enjoy traditional Filipino buffet lunch while getting their feet wet in the running

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

What a Comic Show

which endeavours to generate employment opportunities for the blind and visually impaired. Ithaa, the undersea restaurant in Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, in Maldives, which is located 5 metres below sea level, also presents a fascinating dining option with underwater view.

These are only some of the wonderful themed restaurants making their impact in the global F&B industry. India too is having its share of some fascinatingly themed restaurants. The Black Pearl in Bangalore is a wonderful pirate themed restaurant, where wooden flooring represents a ship’s deck. Then there is the Silver Metro, the unique metro themed restaurant, also in

Aug-Sept ’16

f e a ture Bangalore, whose interiors resemble that of a metro train.

One also needs to mention the UFO themed revolving restaurant in Mumbai, which can give a being in a spaceship like experience, and the Kaidi Kitchen, the jail themed restaurant in Kolkata, where the restaurant is designed like a prison and waiters are dressed as convicts or police officers. 1857@ Ohris, Hyderabad, a theme restaurant whose ambience and décor reflects the Nizam era of Hyderabad of the mid nineteenth century along with an awesome view of Hussain Sagar Lake also deserves special mention in this context, as should be the Ciclo Café in Chennai, which is a bicycle themed restaurant, where tables and chandeliers are made of bicycle parts.

Here cycles of different time periods are also showcased and are available for sale too.

These are only a few of the wonderful theme restaurants in India. Of course, there are many, many more. One can say that the trend of theme restaurants is gaining currency in India.

informed Pooja.

The charming little restaurant hosts theme parties like Halloween Party, Super Hero Costume Parties, etc. from time to time, and screens movies which feature famous comic book characters. “We have been generating impressive footfalls and have already attained break-even point,” stated Pooja nonchalantly.

Nice Comic Show

Dining with the Stars

Very recently, I also had the opportunity to visit a few theme restaurants in Delhi-NCR. One of them is a cartoon themed cosy little restaurant named What a Comic Show, located in Hauz Khas. This new-age theme restaurant with 50 covers (including both indoor and outdoor seating arrangement) was launched by food lover and comic world fan, Pooja Moirangthem, in October 2013.

She has had been in the travel industry for almost a decade but her latent wish to open a unique food joint induced her to say goodbye to travel business and become a restaurateur. However, she credits her travel job of the opportunity to travel the world and experience various cultures and cuisines, which facilitated her present enterprise in the restaurant business.

The cuisines served here are Continental and oriental, along with American fast food.

Though my insularly Indian palate was not particularly delighted at the authentic Chinese dishes served to us at the restaurant, but I found the ambience and décor which were replete with images of favourite comic characters, quite interesting.

A number of comic books were also there for the guests’ reading pleasure. One of the menu cards was innovatively shaped like Batman. “We have names of some of our cocktail and mocktails dedicated to comic heroes e.g. Phantom Punch, Hammer of Thor, Wonder Women’s Kiss to name a few,”

Aug-Sept ’16

Mumbai Matinee

Then in Shahpur jat, New Delhi, we visited a Bollywood themed casual dining restaurant named Mumbai Matinee: The Bollywood Café, some time back. Here the posters of old and new films of Bollywood, and also the pictures of a galaxy of Bollywood stars across different eras are part of the décor.

However, the focus of ambience and décor is more on the Golden era of Bollywood, which spanned during 1950s to early1970s.

The interior walls of the restaurant are decorated with rare pictures of Bollywood stars of the bygone era. We found that the ambience had a predominance of red light.

A relaxed air permeated through the in-

Baldeep Sabharwal and Pardeep Jajoria

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

vironment of the restaurant.

The restaurant is pretty small; it is spread across an area of 1000 sq.ft; if it were of a bigger size, elaborate live stage performances by talented performers belting Bollywood songs having evergreen popularity, or enacting famous Bollywood scenes which have attained a cult following among the masses, could have been introduced on a grand scale.

This Bollywood-themed restaurant with seating capacity of 40 at a time was started by Prateek Gambhir and Seep Gambhir — the husband wife entrepreneur duo, who are both avid Bollywood fans. “Both Seep and I used to watch a lot of Bollywood movies and are still big followers of Hindi cinema. Our love for Bollywood induced us to have a Bollywoodthemed restaurant,” Prateek stated.

“The idea of a Bollywood inspired cafe germinated during our college days itself, when just like many other youngsters, we used to spend much time watching movies and dining at restaurants. We had always aspired to weave the two together and in our view, Mumbai Matinee is a great place to do that,” pointed out Seep.

The restaurant, which was launched in March 2016, has its culinary focus on Mexican and Italian dishes. This seemed surprising for a Bollywood-themed restaurant, which in my view, should have emphasis on modern Indian cuisine, since Bollywood is an integral part of modern India’s cultural cosmos. However, there are a few Indian dishes like Keema Pao and Chicken Tikka on the menu too, which me, my wife Jhuma and my son Ayonendu liked very much. Chicken Risotto and Grilled Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce were also delightful.

“We want to include more Indian dishes in the coming months, into our menu,” averred Prateek, who emphasised that one of the strong points of their restaurant is

51

f e a ture its pocket-friendly prices. The simple and classic menu is filled with shots of Bollywood celebrities and includes café style delicacies.

According to Prateek, on an average day, Mumbai Matinee garners a footfall of 25 plus, and on an average weekend, its reaches up to 30-35 covers.

Slaughter House as Theme Then there is Holy Smoke, an abattoir themed restaurant, located in Cyber Hub, Gurgaon, which was opened in September 2015. The interiors of the restaurant have been designed to simulate a sleek slaughter house. The dark art painted on the walls in black; the furniture, simulation of 28 goat carcasses holding up the bar, a suspended wine rack made of twisted rebar, and the peculiar steak hooks suspended on the butcher rail, all add up to the uncommon ambience for a food service outlet. The restaurant is spread across an area of 1700 sq. ft.

The restaurant can be construed as a dream come true for meat lovers. The culinary focus of the restaurant is on steaks and sliders. “Here the meats are smoked or barbequed using different types of wood like pecan, hickory, maple and apple; each lending its unique flavour. Dry rubs, the blend of herbs and spices, impart the distinctive crust on our smoked meat,” asserted Rohan Jaina, the Proprietor of the Holy Smoke, who also happens to be heading the culinary team at the casual dining restaurant.

“Meat dishes of all varieties, specially the grilled ones, always fascinated me the most and this urge for creating new & innovative meat dishes has inspired me to start Holy Smoke, and keep the theme of its interiors in sync with a slaughter house,” proffered Jaina.

The highlight of the menu at Holy Smoke includes steaks, sirloin and tenderloin, BBQ chicken, roasted quail, bacon jam, deep dish pizzas, arugula and pear salad, liquid marshmallow among others.

The restaurant has a seating capacity of 75

Londoners Bistro and Pub

52

Prateek Gambhir

at a time, and the standup bar can add another 20 percent of the guests. “We have been receiving a decent footfall since our opening.

During weekdays, it is more of corporate clients, and we get around 60 percent occupancy, and on an average weekend the occupancy goes up to 80–85 percent in the evenings, with the increasing presence of families and friends,” affirmed Jaina.

Perhaps the success of Holy Smoke in Gurgaon has buoyed his expansion plans.

“We are coming up with a new restaurant in Goa and there we would follow the same concept of abattoir theme. We are planning to follow the same pattern in terms of interiors, menu, and other services,” informed Jaina.

British Fare Me and one of my school friends also visited Londoners Bistro and Pub in the recent past, a classy multi-cuisine restaurant located in Greater Kailash –I, spread across three floors, which includes a rooftop dining option. However, London’s vibrant cultural potpourri doesn’t come across very well through the décor of the restaurant.

From Shepherd’s Pie to Fish & Chips, to Ploughman’s Platter to Water Chestnuts in Chilli Plum Sauce, here one can get quite a few famous British dishes to enjoy. Butter Chicken Pie at Londoners Bistro and Pub is a perfect amalgamation of Indian and British culinary culture.

“Londoners Bistro and Pub brings in every aspect of the real Brit food to India.

From the perfect Shepherd’s Pie to Fish & Chips; and from the peasant like jacket potato & mashed pea to Water Chestnuts in Chilli Plum Sauce, Londoners is the answer for all those patrons who want to go down the memory lane of their past visits to the UK. Keeping the Indian populace in mind, we have tweaked a small bit of menu but not without sprinkling it with the Brit

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

seasoning.” articulated Paritosh Mittal, Promoter, Londoners Bistro and Pub. Here the British and British-Indian fare are of course complemented by your pizza, pasta and spring rolls.

Every signature cocktail at Londoners is named after a famous street in London and according to Mittal, here the cocktails aim at catching the vibe of the streets of London by their ingredients and recipe. Few of the signature cocktails at Londoners Bistro and Pub are named as King’s Road, Bakers Street, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, and Portobello Road.

Café as Canteen A few days back, we also went to a college canteen themed café cum restaurant at Satya Niketan, which is built on a modest scale. It is named Canteen Till I Die. The uncommon name is inspired from the popular Bryan Adams number 18 till I Die. The walls of the place have been deliberately slashed to expose bricks, which give a realistic college canteen like feel. Low wooden chairs and a grey wall embellished with mirrors and smart one-liners add to the ambience of the college canteen. “Our check holders come with actual book covers,” informed Baldeep Sabharwal, the Co-owner of Canteen Till I Die. Just above the kitchen area of the outlet there are books folded in such a way that the folded pages read ‘canteen’.

This café cum restaurant offers tasty food at temptingly affordable prices, and is targeted primarily at the students, who generally have a tight budget. We found the thick shakes, the keema pao, the Canteen Chicken Burger and chicken pizza quite delightful and feeling at the same time.

Maggi Masaala Bowl is also sumptuous and affordable and is likely to be lapped up by the students. Among the mocktails on offer, Paan Gulkand takes the cake.

“We felt there was a huge gap in the Indian food service industry for budget-friendly cafés for students which provides tasty food with

Canteen Till I Die

Aug-Sept ’16

f e a ture sizeable food portions, and with Canteen Till I Die, we have endeavoured to fill this gap,” articulated Baldeep Sabharwal, the Co-owner of Canteen Till I Die. The outlet was launched in June of this year, and according to Baldeep, already the café cum restaurant is attracting an average footfall of 200 per day.

Baldeep Sabharwal and Pardeep Jajoria, the Co-owners of Canteen Till I Die are ambitious with their expansion plans. “We are planning to open six Canteen Till I Die cafés by mid 2017 and is endeavouring to have18 of these cafes by the end of 2018,” Jajoria conveyed further.

In Conclusion Overall, by going through a selection of theme restaurants in Delhi-NCR, the impression that theme restaurants in urban India have good business potential can get further reinforced. However, no amount of innovation and adventurism in themes can lead to repeat visits and impressive revenues in the long-run if the food and service do not match the preferences of the concerned food service outlet’s target guest profile.

The food service business must always keep in mind that its basics must be strong enough in order to sustain and thrive its

Aug-Sept ’16

Rohan Jaina

innovative exercises. Moreover, given the constraints of funds and space, the theme restaurants should also make every effort to make their themes as pronounced through every aspect of their ambience, décor, uniforms, dishes and events as possible.

For example, in none of the five themed food service outlets in Delhi-NCR this writer recently visited the themes came across vividly through the personnel’s uniforms. Also, according to this writer, the overall ambience and décor of none of these five food service outlets did reflect the themes with such power and energy which could enable to bowl the

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

guests over and over again… However, all the five outlets explored uncommon and really intelligent themes.

We can infer that conceiving a great theme for a food service outlet is only 1/10th of the job; the real challenge lies in out-ofthe world execution of the given theme across ambience, décor, uniforms, dishes, events, promotions, etc., while taking into constraints of funding and real estate. Like a gripping story, themed restaurants or themed food service outlets should adhere to their theme/s as much as possible, and not waver from it/them.

For example, in a comic themed restaurant if waiters serve dressed as comic characters or if in an abattoir themed restaurant if the waiters and other personnel move about donning liveried uniforms with deep red stains, it would be doubly interesting.

Similarly, the food & beverage served at the themed food service outlet should gel or at least relate with the theme of the outlet.

Similarly, the events and promotional programmes hosted at the food service outlet from time to time should embody the food service outlet’s theme, wherever they are feasible. What a Comic Show should deserve special mention in this context. n

53

f oo d p rocessin g

Catching the Indian Spice Market S pices are synonymous with the Indian culinary tradition. Indian spices lend a sense of wonder, taste and flavour which are perhaps unique from all other culinary traditions across the globe. Be it in the delicious vegetarian cooking or the rich meatbased dishes, spices are integral to the flavours and aroma of Indian cooking.

There are some spices which lend a special aroma and/or colour to any dish.

They uplift a dish, making it unique and exotic. The typical Indian masala box is like an artist’s palette from which myriad tastes can be created to stimulate taste buds and satisfy all the five senses.

Continuing with the rich culinary tradition of Indian spices, Catch Salt & Spices brings the best of Indian spices together in a bouquet of irresistible offering of sprinklers, straight premium spices, blends & asafoetida. Catch as a brand is committed to maintaining the highest quality in all its products, with each ingredient checked stringently for quality and procured directly from fine sources.

The advent of Catch Spices dates back to 1987 with the launch of the table-top Catch Salt & Pepper dispensers, which ushered in a new era as salt and pepper

54

moved from the kitchen to the dining table. Easy to use & free flowing, Catch salt and pepper remain market leaders in India, till date.

By 2001, Catch Salt & Spices had launched its range of spices, promising unmatched purity, aroma, and taste.

With the use of the finest ingredients and advanced technology, Catch Spices offer an exhaustive range of pure and blended spices.

It has a wide range of products in its

OP Khanduja

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

repertoire in this segment; consisting of more than 170 skus, which are tailormade for the most exquisite Indian cuisines. With an extensive distribution network across the country supported by sustained marketing efforts through mass media and on-ground activations, Catch has positioned itself as a truly pan-Indian brand in the trade and as well as in the consumer mind space.

Today Catch Spices has footprint in kitchens across the country.

Catch Blended Spices was introduced to help Indian cooks prepare perennial favourites like sambhar, Punjabi chhole or dal makhani with more ease. The Blended Spices range of Catch makes perfect recipes for elaborate dishes, without the help of maids and mixer grinders. Some of the popular Blended Spices of Catch include Garam Masala, Sambhar Masala, Meat Masala, Chhole Masala to mention a few.

Then there are Catch Straight Premium Spices, which are a collection of hand-picked spices that are known for their special touch. The range includes Catch Dry Ginger Powder, Catch Kashmiri Mirch, Catch Kasuri Methi to name a few.

The latest in Catch portfolio to create

Aug-Sept ’16

a buzz is Catch Hing. Hing or asafoetida is a tempering product, used across India from the times immemorial, be it in sambar in the southern parts of India or for tadka in dal in UP or for dal kachoris in West Bengal. Strong, aromatic, pure, Catch Hing gives traditional Indian dishes and snacks a strong pungent flavour, which is needed for these dishes.

Catch Hing is making giant strides in the branded hing segment and is already amongst the top players in the Indian market, in this segment. In order to increase the brand’s retail penetration and induce more trials by consumers, Catch Hing has been introduced in Rs. 1 sachets, which is the first of its kind in this category. The benefit to the consumers is that one sachet is enough for a dish cooked for four people in a household.

Similarly, its Rs. 5 sachets of pure & blends spices make Catch’s sachet portfolio one of the most exhaustive in the industry. This has helped increase the geographical reach of Catch brand to small upcountry towns of India, where sachets have high acceptance levels.

Overall, innovation in product and packaging remains in forefront of the brand’s offerings to the consumers in order to keep pace with the growing aspirations, changing lifestyles and tastes of different geographical segments.

With its array of products, Catch has the right mix to cater to the needs and evolved tastes of the discerning Indian women of today and tomorrows.

In the last one year, Tea Masala, Panipuri Masala, and Tandoori Masala have been added to the existing blends portfolio of Catch, and a few others are in the que for launch.

According to OP Khanduja, Associate Business Head at DS Group, “Apart from wide retail presence in general trade, Catch products today are also present in most of the modern trade chains across the country and are experiencing higher than industry average growth rates.

We have a dedicated institutional team that connects with the HoReCa sector and today we are serving the most prestigious hotel and restaurant chains in our country. Due to the freshness, taste and aroma that Catch Spices add to any food type, they are preferred by the well-known names and celebrity Chefs in the Indian food services industry.” n

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

55

AG R I

Deliciously Healthy Seeds

By Swarnendu Biswas

P

omegranate tree is a deciduous shrub, which bears a fruit of the same name. The small tree belongs to the Lythraceae family, and its height ranges between 5 and 8 m.

The pomegranate fruit can be botanically defined as a berry, and its number of seeds varies between 200 and 1400. The fruit’s size varies between 5-12 cm in diameter. The delicious fruit has edible red or crimson seeds inside a reddish or reddish orange leathery skin. The sweet seeds are edible while the skin is not. The pomegranate seeds are also called arils.

Rich in History The origin of pomegranate can be traced from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India, and the fruit has been cultivated in the Middle-East, South Asia and the Mediterranean region for several millennia. Later the pomegranate plant and its fruit were introduced to the orient through the famed silk route.

Pomegranate is regarded among the first five fruit crops to be domesticated by humankind.

The fruit finds its mention in the Egyptian mythology and art, and in Babylonian Talmud, and also has Biblical references. The pomegranate fruit was regarded as a symbol of prosperity and ambition in the ancient Egypt. In the ancient Persian culture too pomegranate was regarded as the symbol of fertility.

The fruit also has reference in the Book of Exodus.

In the ancient times, desert caravans carried the fruit, and used its juice as a thirst quencher of sorts. In Latin America, the fruit was introduced in the late 16th century. However, the US was introduced to pomegranate only in the late 18th century, by the Spanish sailors.

56

The Indian Connection In India, the nutritive and medicinal value of pomegranate has been a part of the popular culture; there is a tradition in the country of offering pomegranates to the ill persons or persons recovering from illness.

In India’s ancient and yet modern system of medicine, Ayurveda, pomegranate is abundantly used as an ingredient in remedies.

Today, India is the largest producer of pomegranates in the world, followed by Iran. Other important countries in the field of pomegranate production include Turkey, the US, Afghanistan and Spain.

Maharashtra is the leading state in India in terms of pomegranate production, which accounts for approximately 70 percent of the total pomegranate production in the country. Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are other important states in the country, as far as pomegranate production goes. According to ICAR, during 2003-04 to 2013-14, pomegranate production in India had increased by 102.43 percent.

According to a report by Indian

Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR), which was published in July 2015, although India is leading in pomegranate area and production, its average productivity in 2013-14 was 10.27 t/ha.

This happens to be not a very impressive figure. Increase in the productivity of pomegranates in the country is the need of the hour; not only for exports but also for the India’s growing food service industry.

Cultivation and Storage Pomegranates are drought tolerant and can be grown in semi-arid areas. The pomegranates are also drought tolerant.

However, for commercial cultivation of pomegranates, regular irrigation is necessary. They can be grown in hot, dry summer and winter conditions. In fact, sustained hot and dry climate is required for the growth of pomegranates.

Humid climate is harmful for the cultivation of pomegranates. In wetter areas, pomegranates are susceptible to root decay as a result of fungal diseases.

However, they are tolerant to moderate frost. Pomegranates can be grown up to an altitude of 1800 meters. Presently, there are about 760 varieties of pomegranates grown throughout the world.

As far as storage of pomegranates goes, they can be stored up to three weeks at room temperature. You can keep them refrigerated for up to 2-3 months.

Culinary Applications The fruit’s arils or seeds are not only partaken in raw. Pomegranate has wide culinary applications. Perhaps the most popular application of pomegranate fruit is the pomegranate juice. It is widely popular in Europe, Middle-East, USA, India and China. Pomegranate seeds are used in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Pomegranate

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

AG R I seeds can be tasty sprinklings to the plain old raita and can play their role in salads. Pomegranate seeds can also play important role in mutton and chicken biryanis. Rack of lamb marinated in pomegranate juice can be a delicacy.

In Turkey, pomegranate sauce is used as a salad dressing or to marinate meat. In Azerbaijan, a sauce is derived from pomegranate juice, which is named as narsharab. It is generally served with fish and tika kebab. In fact, this sauce can complement many meat and fish dishes.

Pomegranate jam and jelly can also be enjoyed at breakfast tables. It is about time pomegranate jam and/or jellies become more abundant in the Indian bakery & confectionery industry.

Similarly, though pomegranate juice is commonly known but restaurants can surprise the guests with pomegranate shakes.

Infusing of bananas in this uncommon shake would add to its taste.

Pomegranate smoothie is a delightful beverage. Pomegranate juice can be used to make delicious cakes too. Dried pomegranate seeds can have application in granola bars, or can be used as a topping for yoghurt and ice-cream. And yes…pomegranates can be used in alcoholic beverages too.

Fruit with Benefits Pomegranate seeds are spruced with several health benefits.

According to Wikipedia, a 100 gm serving of pomegranate seeds provides 12 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, 16 percent of daily value for vitamin K and 10 percent of daily value for folate.

Besides that, pomegranate seeds are richly endowed with dietary fiber and have moderate calories. Dietary fiber facilitates digestion.

What is more, pomegranate arils are devoid of cholesterol and saturated fats. Pomegranate in diet can facilitate weight reduction and keep the cholesterol in check. Regular intake of pomegranate gives an impetus to your immunity.

Punicalagin, a potent antioxidant, is found abundantly in pomegranates and pomegranate juice, which is probably the most striking health benefit of this delicious fruit. Pomegranate juice has three times the antioxidant activity of red wine and green tea.

This antioxidant Punicalagin can reduce the risk of heart disease by eliminating harmful free radicals. In fact, several studies point to the fact that pomegranates can tackle heart disease. Pomegranate also safeguards LDL cholesterol from oxidative damage. It deserves a mention that besides antioxidant properties, pomegranates are also endowed with antiviral and antitumor properties.

The antioxidant property of Punicalagin also gives pomegranate a strong anti-inflammatory character. According to a renowned website on nutrition, test tube studies have unearthed that pomegranate can lower inflammatory activity in the digestive tract, and also in breast and colon cancer cells. That is not all. Regular consumption of pomegranate juice can reduce blood pressure levels too, thereby lowering the possibility of heart attacks and strokes among people with high blood pressure. Intake of pomegranate seeds also facilitates in maintaining healthy blood circulation.

Pomegranate is also endowed with anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, which can be helpful in preventing common gum diseases.

Given the different health benefits of pomegranate, it is about time our food service industry takes a proactive stance to make more extensive and creative usage of pomegranates in its myriad dishes. This measure is sure to be appreciated by the growing numbers of health conscious eating out crowd in the urban n Indian society.

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

57

b E V E R AG E

Cool Mocktails are Hot! Pic Courtesy: Hyatt Regency Gurgaon

By Swarnendu Biswas

T

hey are colourful, they are fruity, they are sweet, they can be tangy, and overall, they are extremely refreshing, especially in a tiring scorching summer day. They are mocktails, which are not much dissimilar to cocktails, in the sense that both are concoctions of different ingredients. However, the difference lies in the lack of alcohol content.

Mocktails can be described as a blend or concoction of only non-alcoholic beverages. Fresh fruit juices, syrups, cream, herbs, spices, honey, and aerated drinks can go into the making of mocktails.

Yes, we all know that mocktails are devoid of alcohol, but that is not hampering their popularity in today’s Indian restaurant business. Mocktails cannot make you heady, but they can make you refreshed and ready…to face the challenge of the next hour.

58

Nowadays mocktails have become integral part of the Indian food services industry. These days it is hard to find a quality restaurant in a big city of India not having mocktails on its menu.

“Mocktails are becoming popular choice among a section of people dining out in the restaurants, in India. They are often packed with fresh fruits and other nutritious ingredients, which are relevant for these health conscious times. We are also seeing that there are some people who are moving away from alcoholic beverages and adopting a healthy lifestyle. For them mocktails can be preferred drinks of choice, while eating out,” affirmed Supreet Roy, F& B Manager, Hyatt Regency Gurgaon.

According to Ram Chopra, Manager –Operations of Ambrosia Bliss; a huge 280-seater restaurant or rather a restaurant complex at Connaught Place, in these health conscious times, fruit-

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

based mocktails are gaining currency in the Indian food services industry.

Gauging the Market The popularity of mocktails in the Indian food services industry can be perhaps attributed to the huge numbers of women restaurant goers in today’s India as compared to say one or two decades back. It is sad that even today, women drinking alcoholic beverages still have an element of taboo associated with them in the post-modern Indian metropolitan society, though thankfully this taboo is eroding fast.

Therefore, still quite a few women in India have to bear the burden of discomfort while consuming alcoholic beverages (which is lamentable) and thus they are not socially induced to try alcoholic beverages in India. For them mocktail can be a nice refreshing alternative, in case they feel a sense of

Aug-Sept ’16

b E V E R AG E in for the popularity of mocktails. Now the question arises that what types of mocktails are garnering more popularity than the others, among the fast evolving eating out crowd of urban India?

Fresh and Innovative

Ram Chopra

discomfort while consuming alcoholic beverages.

For example, one of my friends named Jyoti likes to have a glass of wine or whisky once in a while, but due to social pressures has to opt for mocktails, while dining out with her conservative friends and colleagues at office parties, or while dining out with her conservative family, once in a month.

The popularity of global food & beverage trends in the Indian food services industry has also perhaps paved

The growing craze towards experimentation among the young and the affluent (or the upwardly mobile) restaurant goers in urban India in turn has lead to the growing popularity of mocktails with innovative concoctions.

In turn, Chefs and bartenders across restaurants in urban India are coming up with novel mocktails to cater to their guests, many of whom are keen on trying something new. Moreover, with trendy mocktails being aired on television these days, restaurant guests, on an average, are now more aware of the mocktail trends than they were a decade before. Their discerning mocktail needs need to be satisfied by today’s bartenders across Indian food services industry.

The growing health consciousness in the upwardly mobile urban Indian society has also lead to the popularity

Vijay Sharma

of mocktails with healthy ingredients, across the Indian food services industry.

“Bartenders in the Indian food services industry are now experimenting and creating unique signature mocktails for their diners. A lot of bartenders are using fresh ingredients like mint, basil, lemons, which have been grown in their own garden. Also new techniques like smoking and foaming are becoming very popular in the realm of mocktails,” explained Roy, while discussing mocktail trends in the Indian food services

Fresh New Look, Fresh New Taste Bold & Spicy like Last Night

Newch Laun < Made with premium, quality ingredients

300 ml

200 ml

Ready to Serve Drinks- Available in Different Flavours < Lemonade < Aam Panna < Mango < Strawberry < Litchi < Mixed Fruit < Mojito < Mango Black Currant < Tomato

< Pack of twenty four, 160 ml. per can < Non-Alcoholic Drink < A crisp snack of celery garnish < Fresh squeezed taste of ripe tomatoes < Dash of real lemon juice, coarse black pepper and a pinch of salt

These small cans of Bloody Mary Mix stay fresh and are ready when you have company or just for yourself.

Manufacture & Exporters of Jams, Pickles, Murabbas, Tomato Ketchup, Sauces, Mango Panna (Aam Panna), Squashes, Syrups, Juices, Canned Fruits & Vegetables. Now Also offering Portion Packs/Single use Sachet for Salt, Pepper, Sugar, Tomato Ketchup, Pickles etc.

SHAMSONS FOODS 100% Vegetarian

An ISO 9001 : 2008 Certified Company

B-39, Lawrence Road Industrial Area, Delhi-110035, India Phone : 011-47062838, Mobile: 9810783838, 9810117239 Factory: 564 Food Park, RAI, Dist. Sonepat, Haryana.

E-mail: anubhav_005@yahoo.com Website: www.shamsonsfoods.com

Lic.No. : 10015064000531

Formely

Dealers Enquiries Solicited for Institutions

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

59

b E V E R AG E industry.

Using vegetables in fruity mocktails is another interesting option to enhance their health quotient and thereby increase the popularity of mocktails among the health conscious crowd. For example, how about a beet-root based mocktail for the diabetics? “The blends of different fruits, vegetables and seeds as a single drink are getting very popular in the Indian food services industry.

Homemade syrups or cordials are also getting immensely popular as these have freshness and at the same time are costefficient,” Roy pointed out further.

Roy believes that in the context of the Indian food services industry, mocktails have been changing for a couple of years now. “No longer it is acceptable for restaurants and bars to serve mocktails by just mixing a few juices. Nowadays many restaurants are claiming to have craft mocktails on their menu, which is largely due to the efforts of creative bartenders,” he observed while adding, “Mocktail pitchers are getting immensely popular among families dining out.”

“Mocktails made out of fresh ingredients like fruits, herbs, tea, and botanicals are more popular. People no longer like the regular syrup based mocktails, unless these syrups are made from fresh ingredients. A mocktail prepared with fresh ingredients with less sweetness and more flavours are more in

Supreet Roy

demand,” stated Vijay Sharma, Assistant Restaurant Manager, Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon, while discussing the ongoing mocktail trends in the Indian food services industry. Here it deserves a mention that as far as Connexions Bar and Lounge of the hotel is concerned, the buck stops at Sharma.

“Nowadays bartenders in the Indian food service industry are using their unique homemade concoctions in preparing mocktails. Sometimes they have to cook some of the ingredients to use it as their mystery ingredients in mocktails. In order to present a unique mocktail they often use best quality ice, unique glass and edible garnish,” pointed out Sharma.

Drinks for All Ages Sharma however, doesn’t believe that in high-end restaurants in urban India mocktails are popular only among women and underage restaurant goers only. “The consumers for mocktails can be found among people across varied age groups, visiting bars or restaurants during lunch or evening. When a group of 10 or more dines at our bar or restaurants, we always find two or more than two people who prefer to have mocktails,” he informed.

Roy also believes that “there is no particular age group which can be earmarked as the consumers of mocktails; these drinks which are often trendy, healthy, easy to make and refreshing are nowadays consumed across diverse age groups.”

By Popular Choice Pic Courtesy: Ambrosia Bliss

60

I queried Roy on one of the most

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

popular mocktails across Hyatt Regency Gurgaon’s F&B outlets. According to him, it is “Watermelon Aqua Fresca, which happens to be a combination of watermelon, mint and cinnamon. It is one of the most popular beverages amongst our guests.” “This beverage is rejuvenating and has a distinct flavour.

The refreshing taste of watermelon, lime and mint is enhanced with the pinch of cinnamon, which makes this mocktail a perfect choice,” he elaborated further.

According to Sharma, “Kiwi Cooler and Homemade Ginger Ale are the most popular mocktails across the food & beverage outlets at Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon.” Both of these mocktails, informed Sharma, are made from fresh ingredients and are rich in terms of flavours.

Chopra sounded quite passionate while talking about the three signature mocktails at Ambrosia Bliss, which are My Berry, Twist@Bliss, and Ambrosian Twist. My Berry has raspberry puree, blackberry puree and peach puree, and cranberry juice; Twist @Bliss comprises fresh orange chunks, cranberry juice, passion fruit juice, strawberry crush and lemon juice; and Ambrosian Twist comprises fresh mango puree and strawberry puree. According to him, these three mocktails are most popular among the guests of Ambrosia Bliss.

Overall, one can say that mocktails are nowadays a popular segment of beverages in the Indian food services industry, and among mocktails, those mocktails which have innovative and uncommon concoctions and taste great at the same time, those mocktails which use fresh ingredients and taste great, and those mocktails which are spruced with healthy ingredients but taste great at the same time, are likely to garner the most popularity in the mocktails sub-segment of the Indian food services industry.

“Bars and restaurants offering low calorie drinks, healthy fresh fruit concoctions, flavours extracted from botanicals, or using local ingredients will keep the mocktail lovers engaged.

Pairing up your mocktails with the type of food you offer are likely to add to the revenues and footfall,” proffered Sharma.

“The future of mocktails in the Indian food services industry seems fantastic as long as the recipes are healthy and most importantly, if they are easy to make,” n concluded Roy.

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

61

PROFILE

Guided by Passion and Vision

By Swarnendu Biswas

U

mang Tewari is a restaurateur spurred by ambitious vision, which he feeds with his mammoth endeavours. The Chairman of Big Fish Ventures, who seemed a bit reluctant to talk about himself, has come up with six new restaurant brands within his company’s ambit, within a span of barely two years!

They are The Vault Café, GaramDharam, The Junkyard Cafe, 3 Pegs Down, Café OMG, and Band Stand. He seemed to be a man in great hurry… The Vault Café was the first of these brands to become a reality. The outlet of The Vault Café was launched in Connaught Place, New Delhi, in November 2014.

Out of these six restaurant brands, Garam-Dharam presently has two outlets in Delhi —one in Rajouri Garden and another in Connaught Place; and The Junkyard Café has three outlets in the capital, with presence in

62

Rajouri Garden, Connaught Place and Saket. The other four brands have one outlet each, all within Delhi only. “All of these outlets are company-owned”, stated Tewari.

It seems that he has made a big impact in Delhi’s vibrant culinary scene all of a sudden, but behind this

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

new found success is the passion and preparation of many years. In fact, his forays into the food service business can be demarcated into four stages.

Oxygen and Others From his early days of youth, Tewari was inspired by the food and music

Aug-Sept ’16

PROFILE scene which led him to venture into the food service sector. In fact, hailing from a business family involved in the construction business, Tewari’s foray into the restaurant business begun way back in 1998, with a restaurant named Rudra Castle, which was and is still located at Shankar Road, New Delhi. “The outlet is still running,” he asserted. At that time, he didn’t even complete his academics.

Thereafter, while doing his MBA in the UK, he worked in a café, and this exposure ignited his latent passion to become a restaurateur with a difference.

Despite facing initial opposition from his family, Tewari began his second innings in the restaurant business by launching Oxygen, which was a multicuisine restaurant cum cafe that also doubled up as a night club. It was a reflection of his inherent passion towards restaurant business. Oxygen was launched in 2001, and it was a success.

However, the nature of the outlet demanded lots of time at odd hours from Tewari, which began affecting his personal life.

“There were days when I was working till 4am-5am in the dawn, in

Aug-Sept ’16

industry, which began in 2009, can be summed up in four stand-alone restaurant ventures, which he did set up in partnerships. They are Out of the Box, a multi-cuisine restaurant; Raas, a restaurant focusing on Indian and Pakistan’s cuisine; Fork You, a multicuisine restaurant; and Skooter, an outlet focusing on finger food. Out of these four, Raas and Skooter have closed down, whereas in Fork You, he is no longer the partner. In Out of the Box, Tewari is still the partner, but this business is outside the purview of Big Fish Ventures.

Dine Within a Vault Umang Tewari

order to run the show,” recollected the entrepreneur. According to him, his erratic work schedule with Oxygen, which had been severely compromising his personal life, eventually induced him to close Oxygen in 2004. “I returned to family business, only to emerge again in the maddening excitement of the unpredictable restaurant business, five years later,” he affirmed.

His third innings in the food service

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

His fourth and most significant innings in the food service business till date began in 2014, which till now has been reflected in the mushrooming of six interesting restaurant brands. What is more interesting is that most of these six restaurant brands have explored the concept of theme restaurants, a concept which is gaining currency these days in the fast evolving Indian food services industry.

The Vault Café, the maiden venture of Big Fish Ventures, presents a vintage

63

PROFILE

industrial ambience; visualised as a storehouse of British East India Company. The dining experience in indoors is provided in a darkish ambience, with red light flooding in, within spaces which simulate as private vaults. There are five differently sized private vault like spaces at the restaurant, where groups from 8 to 22 people can dine together, at a time. This writer went through a heavy iron door to enter a vault like space, to interview Tewari.

The busts of Queen Victoria looking down from the shelf add to the colonial mood of the restaurant. Iron chains as part of the décor, perhaps reinforces the theme of pre-independent India. “The ambience of this theme restaurant also successfully reflects the war times of long gone days, when civilians used to hide in underground bunkers, which were then called vaults,” Tewari elaborated further on the theme of the restaurant.

Apart from the ‘vaults’ the multicuisine restaurant has a dining area and an open terrace sitting. The restaurant can accommodate up to 250 to 275 persons at one time. The diverse cuisines on offer include north Indian, Mediterranean, oriental and Continental offerings.

Whether you like your Chicken Cordon Bleu or Thai Curry or Kathi Roll or Amritsari Kulcha and Chhole or dimsums, you would like it here.

renowned Bollywood star of yesteryears, Dharmendra, who was good at action roles and also occasionally, at comedies.

He went on to gain enduring nationwide popularity. He is still popular across several generations, and his popularity has been explored to develop this restaurant brand. It is extremely unique in the Indian food service industry to have a restaurant themed after a Bollywood personality. At least, this writer hasn’t come across any restaurant before, having a celluloid hero as a theme, in his long and insignificant career.

The casual dining outlet at Connaught Place with its rustic ambience effectively masquerades as an opulent dhaba, with images of Dharmendra adorning the brick walls.

The replica of the famous Sholay motorbike with side car is also part of the ambience. The rustic and down-toearth ambience reflects the projected image of Dharmendra in most of his films. The cuisine on focus at GaramDharam, as expected, is pure north Indian.

As discussed before, there is another Garam-Dharam outlet at Rajouri Garden, which also, of course, embodies the same theme, with posters of the movies of the popular actor being integral part of the restaurant’s décor, and walls showing the actor’s popular dialogues. The Rajouri Garden outlet too has a replica of the famous Sholay motorbike as part of the ambience.

One wall of the Rajouri Garden outlet has the name of the iconic film Sholay inscribed on it.

The Garam-Dharam outlet at Connaught Place was opened in September 2015, and the GaramDharam outlet at Rajouri Garden was launched in 2016.

Junk as Décor The Junkyard Café is no less innovative in its concept and design. Here the theme is junk. The Junkyard Cafes derive their inspiration from junkyard.

Yes, junk or disposable items have been creatively used as part of the décor of this multi-cuisine restaurant chain. In these three outlets of the chain, the furniture is also made of junk and the servers are dressed as mechanics!

I was amazed to see that disposed tyres, disposed radio and TV sets, discarded barrels and drums, empty beer bottles, truck and car parts have

Hero as the Theme Garam-Dharam is inspired by the

64

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

RAFAEL NADAL , S PA N I S H T E N N I S P L AY E R .

olivesfromspain.in Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

olivesfromspainindia

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review olivesfromspainindia

65

PROFILE

been intelligently used to develop the unusual décor and art installations at the Connuaght Place outlet of The Junkyard Cafe. In the same outlet of The Junkyard Café, I saw the frame of a very old TV set housing wine bottles. “At The Junkyard Cafes, we have created aesthetic expressions with the items people throw away,” explained the soft spoken but seemingly reticent entrepreneur.

At the Connuaght Place outlet, I was amazed to see that junk was being used to simulate an image of the world famous painting, Monalisa. “In the Rajouri Garden outlet of The Junkyard Café too, we have simulated the image of Monalisa with junk, and in the Saket outlet of The Junkyard Café, we have developed an image of Michael Jackson with junk products,” informed Tewari.

Heaven, Hell and Cowboys The OMG(Oh! My God) Café at Connaught Place has two distinct zones, termed as Heaven and Hell. The ‘Heaven’ has a much more enlarged area, has a bright ambience with gold and red colours dominating the décor, whereas, the ‘Hell’ is dark and holds a little space in OMG Cafe. The café is spread across 6500 sq.ft.

This writer has not heard or seen any food service outlet in the country with such an out-of-the-world theme.

With servers dressed as cowboys at your service, with ropes hanging around, tungsten bulbs and bat-wing doors; complemented with a selection of TexMex fare, the ambience and décor at 3

66

Pegs Down at Saket, New Delhi, give a feel of being in the wild wild west.

The replica of a huge bull adds to the character of the place.

Band Stand, located at Aurobindo Market, New Delhi, doesn’t have a specific theme as such but plays live bands from 9pm to 12 pm. The multicuisine restaurant cum bar has a focus on fast food products like burgers, French fries, pizzas, and doughnuts, etc.

Future Growth Tewari seems to have achieved a lot in so little time, which was funded through a combination of internal accruals as well as through outside investment support. “All the outlets under Big Fish Ventures are working perfectly well. We plan to provide our customers with what we believe in, which is the finest of food, entertainment and overall experience. Our restaurants are receiving overwhelming response from the customers,” proffered Tewari. “We keep on coming up with new themes and concepts for our restaurants,” he added further.

But he is not resting on his laurels.

Moreover, the expansion plans of Big Fish Ventures goes beyond the capital of India. “We are coming up with another Garam-Dharam outlet in Murthal, in December 2016, and also with three more outlets of The Junkyard Café in Mumbai within the next seven months.

Besides these owned outlets, we are coming up with two franchise outlets of Garam-Dharam shortly, which will be located in Chandigarh and Mohali,”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

asserted Tewari.

Big Fish Ventures is also coming up with another multi-cuisine casual dining restaurant brand named Local. The first outlet of Local is expected to be launched in Connuaght Place, New Delhi, in November 2016. “It would be a huge 14,000 sq.ft. set up, with the capacity to house close to 500 people at a given time.

Local will offer great food, ambience and service at extremely pocket-friendly prices,” elaborated Tewari.

There is more on offer. Big Fish Ventures is coming up with a multicuisine restaurant named Junction, which is expected to be launched very soon, in end 2016. Junction would be located in Aurobindo Market, New Delhi. “I try to execute my visions in different ways rather than following the same norms. However, I am blessed to have a great team that helps me to execute my work in the best way possible,” Tewari explained in a matter of fact manner, while talking of his fastpaced success story.

The Digital Edge Despite having so much on his plate, Tewari could find time for a mobile application. Here it deserves a mention that Big Fish Ventures also launched a mobile application in the month of February of this present year, with the endeavour of increasing both sales and visibility for its businesses. Big Fish Ventures’ mobile application provides seamless booking and simple online payment option to its customers. Till now, the app. has been servicing 60,000 customers every month, across every outlet of Big Fish Ventures.

The mobile application can also be utilised for the launch of loyalty benefit programs for Big Fish Ventures’ clients.

It can be also used for reservations of seats in all food service outlets of Big Fish Ventures, and people can also get information about the upcoming events and offers at the food service outlets of Big Fish Ventures through this app.

“This app can also enable the consumers to get attractive discounts from Big Fish Ventures’ outlets,” offered Tewari. The app also features a food blog which is called Big Foodie, in which one can have discussions on food, ask questions, exchange recipes, share experiences with top food bloggers and run contests as well. n

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

67

t h e m e cuisine

Flavours from

Punjab to Peshawar

By Sharmila Chand

I

t is interesting to note how Chefs are crafting their menu with a specific theme in mind. It has made the dining experience more meaningful and enjoyable. However, for this not just presentation of good food and service is required but also knowledge about food and its origin is needed.

One such theme-based culinary experience was recently offered by Eros Hotel New Delhi, Nehru Place at their classic Indian restaurant named Singh Sahib. Known as ‘Jashn-e-Fateh,’ it was meant to celebrate the journey of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa’s incessant victories.

The food festival took place during 1st September-10th September of this year.

every successful conquest.” He served as the Governor of Kashmir, Peshawar and Haripur during his command.

“At Singh Sahib, we commemorated the incessant victories and the legendary journey of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa as we paid a culinary tribute through

The Culinary Concept Chef Suprabhath Roy, Executive Chef, Eros Hotel New Delhi, Nehru Place said, “Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa — the Commander–in–Chief of the Sikh empire under Maharaja Ranjeet Singh — was known for his valour, which led to the glory of the erstwhile Sikh empire. Equally famed were the celebratory feasts, which followed his

68

Chef Suprabhath Roy

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

an extravagant buffet which was a celebration of flavours from Punjab to Peshawar,” affirmed Roy. The food offering consisted of three live counters, highlighting the traditional dishes from the three areas which Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa governed.

Buffet selection featured food from the regions conquered by Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, in the conquests of Kasur, Sialkot, Attock, Multan, Kashmir, Peshawar and Jamrud.

One of the dishes on offer was Katwa Gosht from Haripur. Haripur was founded by Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa in 1822. Katwa Gosht is one of the traditional recipes from the Chaach valley, where meat is cooked in an earthenware pot on a wood fired cook top, made with clay.

This flavoursome and robust meat dish is eaten with leavened bread, which is broken into small bits and then steaming hot gravy is poured on top of it. It is a must have for all the important occasions throughout this region.

Namak Mandi Sigri from Peshawar

Aug-Sept ’16

Recipe by Chef S u p r a b h a t h R o y, Executive Chef, Eros Hotel New Delhi, Nehru Place Katwa Gosht Serves Four Recipe Ingredients Ingredients Goat Meat, Cut into Chunks Ginger and Garlic Paste Sliced Onions Salt Red Chilli Powder Turmeric Powder Coriander Powder Water Beaten Curd Fresh Coriander Roots, Chopped Ghee Roasted Cumin Powder Khameeri Roti

Unit Quantity Kg 1 Tablespoon 2 Nos. 4 Tablespoon 2 Tablespoon 3 Tablespoon 1 Tablespoon 2 Ml 200ml Cup 1 Bunch 1/2 Tablespoon 2 Teaspoon 1 Nos. 4

Method • Wash the meat properly and put it in an earthenware pot.

• Fill it up with water which is just enough to submerge the meat, and add salt.

Cover the pot and put it on fire lit by wooden pieces, over a clay chulha.

• Once the pot liqour comes to a boil, add ginger and garlic paste and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

• Now add in the sliced onions and powdered spices. Let it cook while covered on slow fire for 40 to 45 minutes or till the meat has almost cooked.

• Add beaten curd and let it cook for around 20 minutes. Add in the coriander roots and continue stirring at regular intervals till cooked.

• Once the meat is cooked add roasted cumin powder and keep hot over low heat till service.

• To serve, break khameeri roti into small bits and put in the serving bowl. Pour steaming hot gravy and meat on top of it to enjoy the meal. was another dish on offer at the unique food festival. Peshawar’s famed food street, Namak Mandi, came alive at Singh Sahib. Namak Mandi is an exceptional food centre where you can have a wide variety of meats, cooked live on sigri. At Singh Sahib, two famous

Aug-Sept ’16

kebabs from this food street, namely Murgh Sajji and Gosht Chaap were presented.

Sajji is whole chicken marinated in spices, and then cooked on a sigri, similarly the Chaap is the whole rack of baby lamb cooked on a sigri. Both

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

69

t h e m e cuisine these kebabs are then carved as per guest preference. Cooking large joints is an art which the Singh Sahib’s Chefs have mastered.

Kulcha Kalahrhi from Kashmir was another highlight of the fest. Kalahrhi is traditionally ripened Himalayan cheese, indigenous to Udhampur in Jammu & Kashmir, made of cow or goat milk. It has a stretchy and dense texture, with a mild mozzarella-like flavour. This cheese is also called the milk chapatti or maish krej in Kashmiri, and is a specialty of the Dogra community.

Widely consumed in the area as a street snack, flattened kalahrhis are salted and sautéed on a hot griddle. After sautéing, the cheese develops a crisp golden layer on its exterior but retains a soft, creamy, gooey molten interior.

Served hot as a sandwich between soft kulchas, it is topped with chopped vegetables and served with spiced chickpeas.

“We have researched lost recipes, spoken to families from the region that belonged to the Sikh empire in those days and have come up with a

few winning recipes. The most notable among them have surely been Katwa Gosht and Kalahrhi Kulcha. Katwa Gosht is a meat curry from the Chaach Valley in Haripur. It is cooked in earthenware pots over clay chulhas and wood fire.

Kalahrhi, a specialty of the Dogras and also known as Kashmiri Mozzarella, is a cheese which many of our patrons had neither heard of nor tried. We served it grilled with soft kulchas and a side portion of braised chanas, in the style of street side vendors from Udhampur,” elaborated Roy. n

Menu Planning Jashn-e-Fateh 1 Live Stations Kashmiri — Kalaahrhi Kulcha Pan grilled leavened bread and ripened cow’s milk cheese, served with spiced chickpeas.

Peshwa — Namak Mandi Sigri Barbeque Station Selection of meats and vegetables cooked on sigri, in the style of the Pashtus from the food street of Peshawar

Gosht ki Chaap Murgh Saaji Namak Mandi Paneer Tikka (vegetarian) Surkh Mushroom (vegetarian) Haripur — Katwa Gosht A traditional meat curry cooked in earthenware pot; embodying a unique culinary tradition from Chhachh Valley

Jashn-e-Fateh 2 Live Stations Kashmiri — Kalaahrhi Kulcha Pan grilled leavened bread and ripened cow’s milk cheese, served with spiced chickpeas.

Peshwa — Namak Mandi Sigri Barbeque Station Selection of meats and vegetables cooked on sigri, in the style of the Pashtus from the food street of Peshawar

Gosht Boti Tikka Murgh Saaji Namak Mandi Paneer Tikka (vegetarian) Surkh Mushroom (vegetarian) Haripur — Katwa Gosht A traditional meat curry cooked in earthenware pot; embodying a unique culinary tradition from Chhachh Valley

Jashn-e-Fateh 3 Live Stations Kashmiri — Kalaahrhi Kulcha Pan grilled leavened bread and ripened cow’s milk cheese, served with spiced chickpeas.

Peshawa — Namak Mandi Sigri Barbeque Station Selection of meats and vegetables cooked on sigri, in the style of the Pashtus from the food street of Peshawar

Gosht Boti Tikka Murgh Saaji Namak Mandi Paneer Tikka (vegetarian) Surkh Mushroom (vegetarian) Haripur— Katwa Gosht A traditional meat curry cooked in earthenware pot; embodying a unique culinary tradition from Chhachh Valley

Soups Gosht Shorwa Aloo Shorwa

Soups Gosht Shorwa Aloo Shorwa

Soups Gosht Shorwa Aloo Shorwa

Main Course Chicken Handi Pashtuni Gosht Pulao Tali Macchhi Kasuri Paneer Malai Bendai Pahari Aloo Palda Peshawari Cholley Dal Kandhari Tamater Tehri

Main Course Tawa Chicken Gosht Keema Biryani Tali Macchhi Paneer Kadhai Masala Bonjan Auriya Kaddu Rajmah Dal Kandhari Chanay ka Pulao

Main Course Murgh Kichada Cholistani Gosht Pulao Tali Macchhi Paneer Achari Qorma Bhey ki Subzi Saag aur Mushroom Chana Madra Dal Kandhari Aloo ki Tehri

Desserts Burfi Khatai Chukundar ka Halwa Seviyan Makhadi Halwa Fruit Custard

Desserts Burfi Khatai Chukundar ka Halwa Seviyan Makhadi Halwa Fruit Custard

Desserts Burfi Khatai Chukundar ka halwa Seviyan Makhadi Halwa Fruit Custard

70

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

71

R est a ur a nt

A Wonderful Culinary Journey at Dhaba

By Sharmila Chand

I

was thoughtfully crafted by its first Head Chef, Chef Tafsil. Here you will find the same Balti Meat and Dal Makhani, whose

72

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

have always been a fan of the iconic restaurant ‘Dhaba’ at The Claridges, New Delhi, both for its décor as well as for its food. As the restaurant celebrates 30 years of its establishment, what better time to go through the gastronomic journey at this signature North Indian restaurant, located in the heart of Lutyens Delhi?

Dhaba first opened its doors in 1986 and till date stands for its culinary perfection. As the name suggests, it gives a complete highway dining experience. One can describe Dhaba as a specialty restaurant serving authentic Punjabi cuisine, in a truly rustic style!

Resplendent with elements that make up for the archetypical highway eatery, Dhaba takes you to the by-lanes of Punjab with its signature dishes.

The credit for conceptualisation of this Dhaba goes to Rashmi Khanna who visited over two hundred roadside stalls to bring her dream come true. The menu

recipes date back to the first day of this high-end dhaba, located within a five-star hospitality property.

The remarkable décor of the restaurant is inspired by a typical North Indian eatery around the highway with rustic wooden tables and chairs, natural flooring, thatched ceiling, traditional pickle containers, and an old radio playing Hindi filmy songs from the black and white era!

The menu of the outlet has signature items like the Kanastree Baingan, Balti Meat, and Tiffin Chicken. Murgh Seekh Kebab, Lawrence Road ke Tikke, Mahi Tikka Ajwani, Amritsari Paneer Pakoda, Dhaba Mutton Curry, Anda Curry, Langer Wali Dal, Highway Paratha from Murthal are some of the popular dishes at the restaurant. According to one of my friends and food connoisseurs, sometimes it becomes difficult to rattle these names without the mouth watering.

Aug-Sept ’16

R est a ur a nt A Unique Food Festival Dhaba is presently celebrating the Grand Trunk Road Festival, which began on 22nd July 2016. Along the massive length of GT Road, the iconic roadside eateries had served weary traders, colonial officers, freedom fighters, and now they are serving present day travellers.

These dhabas are a reflection of the province they are situated in, providing glimpses into the nuances of the cuisine of the area.

Here it deserves a mention that the Grand Trunk Road is one of Asia’s oldest and lengthy roads and covers a distance of over 2,500 km. It connects the eastern and western regions of the Indian subcontinent since more than two millennia.

It runs from Chittagong in Bangladesh to Kabul in Afghanistan, crossing important destinations like Howrah in West Bengal, Delhi, Amritsar in Punjab, and Lahore in Pakistan among others.

To celebrate three decades of Dhaba at The Claridges, New Delhi, the Chefs take you through this fascinating culinary journey covering diverse tastes and flavours, which are associated with many destinations across the GT Road, over a

Aug-Sept ’16

Menu of the Third Phase of Grand Trunk Road Festival, Curated by Sahil Sabhlok, Executive Chef of The Claridges, New Delhi Murgh Seekh Kebab Chicken mince flavoured with green cardamom, cooked in tandoor Lawrence Road ke Tikke Mutton chunks marinated with ground spices, cooked in tandoor and tawa Mahi Tikka Ajwani Fish chunks marinated with curd; yellow chilli flavoured with carom seeds Tandoori Soya Chaap Soyabean chunks smoked with chilli powder and ground whole spices Amritsari Paneer Pakoda Deep fried cottage cheese coated with gram flour Dhaba Mutton Curry Slow cooked mutton curry, flavoured with Indian whole masala Anda Curry Whole fried egg simmered in onion tomato masala Paneer Tikka Masala Tandoor cooked cottage cheese tossed in onion, tomato and cashew nut gravy Aloo Gobi ki Subzi Deep fried cauliflower florets and potato

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

tossed in Chef’s secret masala Mix Vegetable Green pea carrot cauliflower cooked together in onion and tomato Kadi Chawl Gram flour and yogurt gravy simmered with deep fried dumpling, served with steam rice Langer Wali Dal Mix of lentil tempered with ginger, garlic onion and tomato Highway Paratha from Murthal Choice of potato, onion, cauliflower, paneer, served with white butter curd and pickle Mutter Pulao Rice and green pea cooked together, tempered with cumin.

Desserts Malpua Rabri Deep-fried dry milk pancake, soaked in sugar syrup Cham Cham Sugar syrup poached dumpling, layered with dry milk.

73

R est a ur a nt

Chefs Behind the Show

“It is a matter of pride to see Dhaba with its unique highway dining experience stand the test of time. We have obviously gained a loyal following over the years, and we thought there was no better way to celebrate this milestone with our guests than having a culinary road trip through the Grand Trunk Road.

Divided into three phases, ‘The Food Chronicles of GT Road’ at the Dhaba aims to cover tastes and flavours associated with every major stop the Grand Trunk Road has within India.”

Sahil Sabhlok Executive Chef - The Claridges, New Delhi period of two months. Divided into three phases, Dhaba’s Chefs aim to cover tastes and flavours associated with every major stop the Grand Trunk Road has within India, in culinary terms.

The first phase of this food festival, which is named as The Food Chronicles of GT Road, was held from 22nd July to

74

Chef Sweety Singh Chef Sweety Singh has been conducting Punjabi food festivals for the last 15 years. With his expertise in cooking for the past 20 years, he has brought about many unique blends in the Indian cuisine and has also won many accolades for the same.

Singh has conducted Punjabi food festivals with reputed hotel brands and food chains since 1999.

The Corporate Chef of the ITC Hotels, Chef Manjeet Singh Gill, discovered Chef Sweety’s culinary talent after tasting his food continually for a week at the Dhaba, and gave him the opportunity to conduct food festivals at the ITC Group of Hotels. Singh conducted his first food festival at ITC Sheraton, Chennai, in 1999 and since then this Chef has not looked back.

Chef Sweety has shared some of his famous Punjabi food recipes on a show called Rhodes Across India by Gary Rhodes, broadcasted on Discovery Channel. He has also been a part of various culinary shows such as Feeding Frenzy on NDTV Good Times and Khana Khazana on Zee Network.

Sahil Sabhlok, Executive Chef - The Claridges, New Delhi Drawing inspiration from his mother’s cooking, through recipes handed down by generations, and with a resolve to bring together diverse cuisines, Chef Sahil marries all three into a divine culinary experience with every meal at The Claridges, New Delhi.

Right since his childhood, he was instinctively drawn to the kitchen. He drew inspiration from greats like Thomas Keller, Marco Pierre White, and Gordon Ramsey.

Following a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, and further honing his skills with Management Training Programme in Food Production, Chef Sahil worked at numerous famed hotels including Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur, Taj Lands End, Mumbai, and The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace before joining The Claridges, New Delhi. His culinary passion finds form with his innovative menu concepts and a constant zeal to explore and push boundaries with recipes that are not only flavourful and rich but also excite the palate. In his own words, “As a Chef, I love the adrenaline rush and the feeling you experience when diners leave happy.”

Since his journey with The Claridges, New Delhi, he has been instrumental in planning, implementing and overseeing the diverse and unique menus across award winning restaurants, with an aim to make The Claridges, New Delhi a culinary hub.

31st July. It covered the culinary character of Kolkata, of the railway colonies of Mughal Sarai, and of Allahabad among others. During this phase the gastronomic highlights were Paturi Machh, Litti Chokha, the flavours of Varanasi, and Allahbadi Tehri.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Phase two covered culinary journey from Kanpur, Agra and Delhi, where one got to taste varieties of chaats and jalebis, with the main course of Mughlai curries.

The second phase commenced on 19th August and ended on 28th August.

The culinary journey of the final phase of this festival began with the flavours of Karnal. Starting on 9th September, the festival then took you through the tastes of Ludhiana, Jalandar and finally to Amritsar. The staple flavours of Punjabi cuisine – rich, thick and spicy – were evident in all three stops. The Food Chronicles of GT Road ended on 18th September.

The celebrations of 30 years of Dhaba will culminate with a showcase of Chef Sweety Singh’s signature menu.Chef Sweety Singh will showcase an array of authentic preparations from the rustic Punjab region, using his secret blend of spices, in October. n

Aug-Sept ’16

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

75

c h e f voice

Reinterpreting the Indian Cuisine

By Sharmila Chand

For more than ten years, Milind Sovani has been the face of Indian cuisine in Singapore and Malaysia. Master Chef Milind Sovani and his restaurant The Song of India have acquired a revered position in the culinary realm of the island nation of Singapore.

Born in Mumbai, Sovani came back to India in 2012 to start his enterprise of fine dining chain of restaurants named April Rain in Pune, that presents world cuisine and modern Indian cuisine. At the same time, his success in Singapore continues. Sovani is the Chef/ Partner of April Rain chain of restaurants.

Chef Milind is recognised among the most creative and innovative Chefs in the Indian food services industry and is credited for revolutionising Indian cuisine presentations.

Chef Milind was the Executive Chef and the Food and Beverage Manager of Centaur Hotel, Juhu for 10 years. He is also credited for promoting Malvani/ Konkani cuisine, which is now a popular cuisine in Mumbai.

Chef Milind arrived on the Singapore food scene in 2002, as the Group Executive Chef of Singapore-based Rang Mahal Restaurants. He has since then worked consistently to give a new look and dimension to Indian cuisine.

He also launched the Modish Indian dining concept at the Vansh restaurants in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Chef Milind is also the Director/Chef of Hospitality Innovations Pte. Ltd. a venture focusing on F&B innovation, in Singapore and India.

Chef Milind has done several food promotion shows across the world. He was the member of the Prime Minister’s catering team during the tenure of late Indira Gandhi and late Rajiv Gandhi.

Chef Milind has won the Best Asian Cuisine Chef –2009-2011 at Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards and Asian Chef- top 3 at World Gourmet Summit 2009, 2010, besides other top culinary awards.

His cookery shows on television have been extremely popular. He has written and published a cookery book titled, 5 Star Recipes.

The excerpts of the interview follow:

How do you describe yourself?

I describe myself as a restless Chef who wants to create something new every time. I get bored of my own presentations after a while.

What is your philosophy of cooking?

I believe cooking should be done with your soul involved in it. Every dish should be visually beautiful first and then, should obviously be tasty. While cooking, I believe in being conscious of the health factor of my guests and cooking responsibly.

Besides, making guests happy and to be always prepared for hard work is my success mantra.

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

I would have joined theatre.

What is/are your source/s of inspiration?

I get inspired by several things happening around me, which include

76

lovely paintings, colours and ingredients that the Mother Earth has given us.

Kindly talk of any of your award/s or recognition/s achieved My Singapore creation, The Song of India restaurant got the coveted Michelin Star.

What has been the most rewarding moment in your career?

There have been many exciting moments in my long career. Serving late Indira Gandhi and then late Rajiv Gandhi as PM’s Chef Team tops the list among them. I recall serving modaks to Nelson Mandela in South Africa. That was also a hugely rewarding moment.

What attributes helped you to find success beyond your challenges?

This business throws challenges at you every hour. Precise planning, detailed execution and readiness to change are factors which helped me to succeed.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

What is your definition of success?

Success to me is to be able to do what you want to do and win appreciation for it from the connoisseurs.

What would you consider as your strength?

It is my innovative mind.

And what would you consider as your weakness?

It is my restlessness.

How do you de-stress yourself?

By eating new things and watching a movie with my family.

If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it have been?

I think creative as a Chef would be best way to describe me.

How do you rate yourself as a Chef?

I am always eager to learn, even after

Aug-Sept ’16

32 years in this profession.

What is your favourite cuisine?

My favourite cuisine is the French cuisine. And in Indian cuisine, I love the Malvani style the most.

What is your favourite spice?

It is cumin.

And what is your favourite dish?

Honestly speaking, it is home cooked rice with daal, with a dash of lime and ghee!

What is your favourite equipment?

My knife is my favourite equipment.

Who is/are your favourite diner?

They are guests who are ready to try new things.

What is/are your hot selling item/s?

Oregano cheese sticks is one of my many hot selling items.

What is the best compliment you have received so far?

It happened when one of the top Chefs said to me, ‘Chef your Indian food is very light and refreshing. It is unlike Indian food prepared by many others, which is so heavy that it puts you to sleep!’

How do you sum up your work philosophy?

It entails team work, follow-up and follow-through.

Any important lesson/s learnt in the kitchen?

I have learnt that with great team work, too many cooks will never spoil the broth.

Where would we see you 10 years from now?

I hope to open many restaurants worldwide in the future, and create cuisine styles that others would love to follow.

What are your future plans?

My future plan is to give my innovative mind more challenges and help people set up gourmet restaurants with innovative food and presentations.

What is the position of Chefs these days, in the Indian food services and hospitality industry?

Chefs in India are doing great.

What are the problems and challenges faced by Chefs in India?

Huge expectations of consistent product all the time, loads of hard work and lack of skilled manpower are some of the challenges we face.

What would you recommend to someone interested in working in your field?

I would say enjoy your work; do it with passion.

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

77

h e a lt h

For Our Plates and Palates

By Dr. Ritika Samaddar

N

owadays, we keep on hearing about power food or health food, though I doubt whether many who use these smart jargons have a clear idea about what can quantify as power food or health food. Power foods contain some ‘magical nutrients,’ which have made them the hot new superstars on the health horizon.

You can get these nutrients from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. And you do not need to go far away seeking them. The secret to youthful skin, healthy bones and disease prevention can be found in your kitchen itself.

However, you need to have the power of information to know about the different benefits of these magical nutrients. It is likely that even if you are diligent about your diet, you are likely to fall short of some critical nutrients called the micronutrients and antioxidants.

Though popping a pill is an option but there is nothing better than getting your daily dose of healthy nutrients from food. Here is some relevant information for some of the wonderful power foods, which are spruced with a spate of healthy nutrients.

Flaxseed Flaxseeds(Linum usitatissimum), also known as common flax or linseeds, are small oilseeds that originated in the Middle-East, thousands of years ago.

They are nutty seeds, which have an earthy aroma. Lately, they have been gaining popularity as power food.

This is due to their high content of heart­healthy omega­3, rich fiber content, and other unique plant compounds.

A tablespoon of flaxseed is all that is needed to provide the recommend dose of omega 3 fatty acids to fight inflammations, heart diseases and obesity, which has made the ancient flaxseed become our miracle food in this post-modern age.

However, there is a lot of debate on how to consume flaxseeds. It is true that flaxseeds, when not chewed properly, can go undigested, thereby getting flushed out of your system. Hence ground or milled flaxseed is a better choice or opt for flaxseed oil in your cooking. Add a teaspoon or two of flaxseeds in your salad or breakfast cereal or add to your raita, or even toss your salads with flaxseed oil.

Oat The oat (Avena sativa), is a species of cereal grain, grown for its seed. Over

78

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

h e a lt h

the past few decades, this whole grain power food is being regarded as a very popular healthy addition to the breakfast tables. Oats are loaded with dietary fiber (containing more than any other grain) and have a range of healthy cholesterol­ lowering properties.

Furthermore, oats are rich source of many nutrients and phytochemicals including soluble fibre, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. So make oat an integral part of your breakfast as it is not only convenient to prepare but is also nutritious and heart-friendly.

Soybean Soybeans or soya beans (Glycine max) are a species of legume, native to eastern Asia. Key benefits of soya are its high protein content, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Besides, soybeans are loaded with phytoestrogens called isoflavones, which are helpful in reducing the risk of breast cancer and preventing most menopausal symptoms.

Taking soya protein daily protects our heart due to its high phytosterols. But remember that soybeans are a common

allergen and also contain a substance called Goitrogens, which interferes with thyroid activity. Hence soybeans are to be taken with precautions in some health conditions.

A common myth that soya should not be consumed by men. Like most myths, it is also far from science and hence, truth. Soyas are a rich source of antioxidants and all should consume 1 to 2 servings of soybeans daily for boosting heart health.

Almond Almond is the seed of the fruit of the almond tree, and is known as the powerhouse of nutrition; they are flooded with protein, fiber and Vitamin A & E. A handful of nutrient rich almonds daily helps promote heart health, prevents weight gain and fights against diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Add a punch to plain yogurt by mixing in some chopped almonds or apply a teaspoon of almond butter to your toast or to your milkshake.

Make them a regular habit. Almond milk is another healthy option, especially for lactose intolerant and vegans.

popular fermented dairy products in the world, made by adding live bacteria to milk. Curd is a rich source of protein, and also loaded with calcium, Vitamin B12, phosphorus and vitamin B2.

Yogurt also contains probiotic bacteria ( probiotics), which have many beneficial health effects including enhancing immune system, improving digestibility, protection against diarrhea and constipation, reducing cholesterol, etc.

So a bowl or two of yogurt daily is excellent for your digestive system, besides being a good source of protein and calcium too. But move over regular yogurt, going Greek is in. Removing the whey protein, sugar and lactose from the regular yogurt, gives the thick and creamier consistency, which is healthier too. It is called the Greek Yogurt. It is high in protein, and low in fat and carbs as compared to the regular yogurt, and hence is ideal for weight watchers.

It is about time, our food services industry introduces these power foods in its menu on a more extensive and intensive scale than it is doing at present. This endeavour by our food services industry can not only lead to more healthy profits for the industry in these increasingly health conscious times, but can also facilitate the industry towards adding to the health quotient of our society, where lifestyle diseases are rampant.

So it is just about time our restaurants translate the concept of power food to an everyday reality, much more seriously and proactively than it is doing now.

Quinoa Quinoa, a pseudo cereal, has become popular among health conscious, and is rightly called the super grain, as it is gluten free and packed with proteins, fiber and various vitamins and minerals.

Quinoa contains heart healthy omega­3 fatty acids too, hence making it as one of the healthy cereals. When cooked, quinoa is soft and fluffy and can be taken as a breakfast cereal or salad.

Yogurt Yogurt or curd is one of the most

Aug-Sept ’16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

The author is the Regional Head — Dept. of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi.

79

p ro d uct p revie w Cooking Advantages with Vacook

Baking Consistency Delivered Impeccably

Thanks to Vacook™, cooking sous vide food at low temperatures has never been easier! This thermocirculator allows to prepare delicious sous vide recipes in just few steps and can save both time and money. In this way the food remains very soft and keeps unchanged its organoleptic and nutritional properties, which are usually scattered with the traditional cooking.

In addition, this type of cooking allows you to avoid adding extra oils and fats and enables to propose lighter recipes without renouncing the tastes.

Among the other advantages of vacuum cooking there is a considerable reduction in the weight drop of food, which goes from 30 percent in the normal cooking, to 7 percent in the vacuum. Moreover, there is significant time savings in the kitchen management in sous vide cooking, 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.

Mish Horeca Services mayank@mishhoreca.com

BAKERLUXTM humidity convection ovens are ideal for professionals who require an extremely productive oven without any redundant feature.

Developed by UNOX to optimise the results of the most common and simple baking processes, BAKERLUXTM ovens combine effectiveness and essentiality. They are effective as every detail has been studied to guarantee maximum possible baking uniformity in every environment and with any load condition. And they are essential as they have been designed to give you everything that you are looking for in a professional oven, without any unnecessary extras.

The dynamic version with a digital control panel is the perfect solution for baking of bread and frozen pastries in supermarkets and convenience stores.

The manual version with an analogic control offers the perfect combination of performance and simplicity.

Top-end bakeries are using this model since many years, with complete satisfaction.

Reliable Equipment reliableequip@gmail.com

Steel of Substance Metinox India was established in the year 2015. The company is one of the principal exporters of kitchen utensils that are designed with precision by the experts. These kitchen utensils are popular for their attractive look and flawless sheen, which can leave the onlookers impressed at the very first glance. Premium quality stainless steel is used in the manufacturing of these utensils to make them long lasting. Since the kitchen utensils from Metanox India are 100 percent rust-proof, they are hygienic to use.

Metinox India sales@metinoxindia.com

Facilitating Quality in commercial Kitchen Operations Techmate Industries is among the top manufacturers, exporters, importers, wholesalers, retailers and suppliers of a wide assortment of premium quality pantry and baking equipments. The comprehensive range of products on offer under the ambit of Techmate Industries includes softy making machine, deck ovens, and food display counter among others.

The products on offer

by Techmate Industries involve the usage of high quality raw materials and top-notch technology. Here it deserves a mention that Techmate Industries is presently importing high quality fully automatic coffee machines, which can be helpful for the coffee shops.

The products on offer by Techmate Industries are also well-known for their excellent performance, compact design, high mechanical strength, easy operations and minimal maintenance. The company has a sophisticated and sound infrastructure unit that has the capability to fulfill bulk orders.

Techmate Industries techmateindustries@gmail.com

Virgin Mojito in a Bottle Bottled Virgin Mojito, a lime & mint-based carbonated beverage, has emerged as a popular choice among many people in Delhi-NCR, with its consumers increasing at a fast pace. The bottled beverage is currently available with select retailers, based in Delhi-NCR. The product is manufactured & marketed by Gurgaonbased company, Virgin Waters.

Mint, a commonplace ingredient in Indian kitchens, contributes to the dominant flavour of the beverage and makes the product easily identifiable with the Indian consumers; at the same time providing a refreshing respite for people from the heat. It is a completely non alcoholic beverage.

Priced at Rs. 50 for a 600ml bottle, this packaged Virgin Mojito has the potential to infuse more zing to the Indian beverage pitcher. The product has already garnered impressive market response.

Virgin Waters info@virginmojito.in 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.

80

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

81

82

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

ASK FOR YOUR

2016 Hotel & Institutions Buyers’ Guide

TODAY!

The 2016 Hotels & Institutions Buyers’ Guide provides comprehensive information on more than 8000 products and over 5000 companies. It is the only editorial driven guide, providing latest updates and trends on the products & services. To get your 2016 Hotels & Institutions Buyers’ Guide contact our branch offices or e-mail us.

Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 45093486, 25704103 E-mail: info@hammer.co.in

A d v e r t i s e r ’ s Company

Page No.

I n d e x

Company

Page No.

AGGARWAL GLASS CENTRE

20

mod kitchen equipments pvt. ltd.

akasa international

77

MOSAIC HOUSEWARE PVT. LTD.

41

allied metal works

63

munnilal tandoors pvt. ltd.

22, 24, 26, 28

apple bakery machinery pvt. ltd.

12

neena enterprises

22

aries acryware

18

pl & sons

49

BMS ENTERPRISES

31

rans technocrats (india) pvt. ltd.

67

bunge india pvt. ltd.

25

RELIABLE EQUIPMENT

55

cremica food industries ltd. fic

remington steel arts

83

dkg sales pvt. ltd.

43

SEIMENS LTD. BC

ds spiceco pvt. ltd.

23

shamsons foods

59

EXCEL HOUSEWARE PVT. LTD.

33

solutionz consulting PVT. LTD.

81

fcml DISTRIBUTORS PVT. LTD.

61

STEC hotelware

57

FOOD SOLUTION INDIA LIMITED

07

suresh kumar & co. impex pvt. ltd.

17

fortune gourmet specialities pvt. ltd.

09

symega savoury technology ltd.

45

hindustan refrigeration Stores

73

TARINI HYGIENE

47

HOSPITALITY APPLIANCES PVT. LTD.

69

TECHMATE INDUSTRIES

82

hostech tusid 2016

71

The new india electric & trading co.

81

ifb industries ltd.

21

tropilite foods pvt. ltd.

53

inquve business development

65

unitas foods pvt. ltd.

14

kalka metal udyog

16

venus industries

01

king metal works

13

vkl seasoning pvt. ltd.

27

MANISHA INTERNATIONAl BIC

winterhalter india pvt. ltd.

19

metinox india

39

PRODUCT PREVIEW

80

mm fisheries pvt. ltd.

05

business opportunity

81

* F I C - F R ONT I NSI DE C O VER

Aug-Sept ’16

15

* B IC - B ACK INSID E CO V E R * BC - B ACK C OV E R

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

83

intervie w

Making Friends Out of Guests

By Sharmila Chand

Bijoy Bailung is the Restaurant Manager of the DLF Promenade outlet (located in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi) of Café Delhi Heights. Café Delhi Heights is a popular cafe chain with impressive presence in Delhi.

Café Delhi Heights was introduced in the Indian food service industry, five years ago. Presently, Café Delhi Heights has brand presence across eight outlets in Delhi-NCR. Out of these eight outlets, seven are company owned, and one outlet carrying Café Delhi Heights’s brand name, which is located at the domestic airport of New Delhi, is a franchised outlet.

Bijoy believes in a leadership role that is supportive and encouraging, rather than dictatorial. Bijoy is extremely passionate about F&B industry. “I joined the F&B industry because I love making new friends and meeting people,” he affirmed.

With nearly a decade’s experience behind him, he likes to ensure the highest levels of guest satisfaction.

“I believe that hard work and passion have no substitute for excelling in any area of life, more so in the hospitality industry,” he opined. The excerpts of the interview follow: What do you enjoy the most about being a Restaurant Manager?

To feed a person is to feed a soul.

As a Restaurant Manager, I am able to achieve the same. Many times while sorting out queries for our guests we end up being friends. Most of our regular customers know us on first name basis.

Whenever they visit us it feels like we are meeting old friends. The opportunity that my position gives to satisfy my guests and make them friends is what I enjoy the most as a Restaurant Manager.

business you must keep cool at all times even if the situation goes awry. That is another challenge of our profession.

Most importantly, customer’s personal satisfaction is a must in our profession, and creating a memorable experience for them to cherish is often a huge task.

Moreover, timing plays a major role in the F&B industry. At peak hours, we have to attend to around 50-60 customers simultaneously. Getting their orders right in the given time frame is a pressure that we often encounter at work.

Is your job challenging? Can you point out five challenges?

Can you suggest any tips or insights to improve guest satisfaction?

I believe every field of work has its own set of challenges and so does the F&B industry. We have long working hours. This is a challenge of our profession. Many a time we work on national holidays too because that is when the customers come out for a meal in hordes.

Moreover, there is very frequent innovation in the industry, and we need to keep up with the ongoing trends and accordingly make changes.

When you are in the food service

84

I believe, in our profession everything becomes special and memorable once you add a personal touch. We must try and give customised individual experiences that our customers would cherish for life.

Finally, how is your experience at the present job? What are the challenges of working here? How is it different from other places? What excites you the most here?

I have been working with Café Delhi Heights for almost three-and-a-half years

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

and the entire team is like my family.

Every now and then we have new boys joining the team and it only makes our team stronger.

Here every day is a new day for me and has different things in store for us.

Even after all these years, I still feel the same excitement that I felt on my first day at Café Delhi Heights.

What is the USP of your F&B outlets/brand?

Our USP is that we aim to give our patrons a valuable experience which they can cherish for a lifetime.

What is your take on the hospitality business in India, in general?

The hospitality business in India is a very fast growing industry with out of the box innovations happening time and again.

In this business, once you reach a certain mark you not only have to be consistent to maintain that quality but also put in all the more efforts to keep coming with something new and interesting without compromising on quality.

Aug-Sept ’16

DELENG/2005/14944

The intelligent choice for your automation tasks

SIMATIC Controllers

Engineered with TIA Portal

Siemens offers the right controller for all automation requirements through scalability and consistency of its functions. The SIMATIC Controller portfolio includes Basic, Advanced, Distributed and Software Controllers: • The SIMATIC S7-1200 Basic Controller for small to medium-sized applications • The SIMATIC S7-1500 Advanced Controller for medium-sized to complex applications • The SIMATIC ET 200SP Distributed Controller for distributed applications • The SIMATIC S7-1500 Software Controller for PC-based applications For more information, call us on 1800 209 1800 or visit us at www.siemens.com/controller For life cycle support for products, systems and solutions, call us at 1800 209 0987 or email us at ics.india@siemens.com

siemens.com/controller

86

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’16