Food & Beverage Business Review (Aug-Sep 2017)

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’17

Feel A Sensation SINCE 1963

VENUS INDUSTRIES WZ-1, Basai Road, Moti Nagar, New Delhi- 110015(India) Tel: (91-11) 43163300, 45061071 E-mail: v_khurana@venusindustries.in Website: www.venusindustries.in

Aug-Sept ’17

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EDIT ORIA L

Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com

Associate Editor Swarnendu Biswas

T

he delectable marriage of the right food with the right beverage can make the dining experience heavenly. This is particularly true for the alcoholic drinks. Appropriate food and wine pairings are very much well-known, but pairings of whiskies, gins, vodkas or rums with appropriate food dishes are also needed be done after some thought, if one wants to get optimum enjoyment from her/his dining experience.

In this issue, we have covered the appropriate combination of food with alcoholic beverages, whose practice can facilitate the restaurants to garner more footfalls.

In today’s Indian hospitality industry, F&B has emerged as a major revenue earning avenue, and within it, banquets do play a crucial role.

Whether the hotel is hosting a wedding or a corporate meet or a seminar or an exhibition, there is every likelihood of a banquet accompanying these events. But to host successful banquets, special training of the staff in soft skills is a necessary factor, particularly in this age of discerning clientele. Successfully tackling the nagging problem of food wastage is also needed for facilitating profitable banquets.

In this issue’s Business Story, we have explored the different dimensions of the banqueting business for hotels, in the context of the Indian hospitality industry, through enriching inputs from various industry experts.

The nascent development in the Indian food service industry of having restaurants themed on a renowned personality has been covered through our Feature section. Here we have covered some renowned personalitybased restaurants and also explored the challenges of developing such a restaurant. We have also probed how these types of restaurants can attain their business objective in the long-run.

A Q&A on an entrepreneur who is bringing pure and healthy food to the table, a feature on the promising market for health drinks in India, a feature on the fascinating dishes from Kashmir, a feature on washing vegetables and handling of animal products in a hygienic way in commercial kitchens are only some of the other interesting topics discussed in this issue.

The News, Report and Event sections provide rich information base pertaining to the industry, which complements our insightful features.

With the hope that our readers would enjoy reading the issue as much as we have enjoyed developing it, I hereby wish all my esteemed readers a happy and prosperous festive season ahead.

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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 © 2017 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, edited, 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.

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.

Disclaimer: The editor and publisher believes that all information contained in this publication are correct at the time of publishing.

Content published not necessarily are the opinion or view of the editor and publisher. Editor and publisher declines any responsibility for any action taken based on the information contained in this publication, including liability for error or omission.

Annual subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and for overseas it is US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 for overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’17

Contents A U G U ST - S E P T E M B E R 2 01 7

Cover Story

26

Finding the Right Match

Business

Event 04 32

For Successful Banquets

Feature

News 10 Report 24

38

Profile 44 Restaurant 58

When Personality is the Theme

Agri

Departments

46

Chef Voice

60

Hygiene 66

The Spice of Life

Health 70

Bakery

48

The Delectable World of Cupcakes

Beverage

Product Preview

72

52

Health Floats in Drinks

Theme cuisine

56

The Aromas from the Valley

design

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Restaurants by Design

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Cover Pic: Barbeque Nation

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event

An Educative Conference I

ndian Federation of Culinary Associations organised the 7th IFCA International Chefs Conference during 1st-3rd September 2017, at Hotel Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, New Delhi. The last edition of the biennial conference happened in Chennai, in the year 2015.

The corridors outside the Peacock Hall of the hotel, where the event was being held, were quite large and had space for the partners to the event to have display stalls set up for them to promote their products. The culinary equipment, cooking ranges, processed and packaged food items and other paraphernalia were presented on the stalls.

The event attracted the presence of national and international personalities. Top rung culinary and hospitality professionals from India and abroad were there on the stage during the three-dayconference. 700 Chef-delegates converged at the mega culinary event.

The 7th IFCA International Chefs Conference was a wonderful opportunity for Chefs to update their skills from the renowned culinary artists who made presentations and conducted culinary sessions at the event.

Especially for young Chefs, the event came as a great learning opportunity.

C h ef M a n j i t S i n g h G i l l , President, IFCA delivered his Presidential welcome address which formalised the sessions to follow. Jean-Michel Casse, Chief Operating Officer, India & South Asia, AccorHotels, i n h i s i n a u g u ra l a d d re s s expressed his happiness to be present on the occasion of the international conference. He underscored the importance of the conference and how the Chefs in the country could benefit through the event.

Pawan K. Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India, the Chief Guest on the occasion, spoke how the conference could help FSSAI to channelise the initiatives that it was taking up.

Agarwal requested the Chefs in the country to take the food safety standards as sacrosanct. He wanted the Chefs to specially note the training programs that the institution was organising countrywide so as to ensure that food safety standards are strictly followed.

Dr. Chef Soundararajan, General Secretary, IFCA made a special reference to the Ministry of Tourism and of the support rendered by them. Incredible India, and the Pancha Boothas theme of the 7th IFCA International Chefs Conference, he said, went hand in hand.

In his presentation, Chef Thomas Gugler, President, Worldchefs spoke briefly as to how Worldchefs worked for the culinary professionals and the industry. He focused on the Worldchefs Certification and how it helped the Chefs of countries anywhere in the world. He spoke in detail as to how experienced Chefs could

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get their skills validated for different levels the WorldChefs have identified for certification. He also spoke about the certification process details.

T Kalyan Chakravarthy, Executive Director, Pan IIT Reach for India Foundation, representing Pan IIT Foundation, explained how they initiated ‘Nation Building Partnership for culinary education for underprivileged young women.

Jaspal Sabharwal of Tag Taste Foods Pvt. Ltd., titled his presentation ‘Chefs as Entrepreneurs’ and spoke about the challenges and opportunities faced by those aspiring to be entrepreneurs in different time periods.

Chef Sabyasachi, the Foodpreneur, and the President of Young Chefs Association of India, narrated the emerging challenges and opportunities for young Chefs in India. He said that training and mentorship, choosing the right path, knowledge of basics are very essential. He touched upon the role of attitude & communication skills in the young Chefs’ development.

On the day two of the conference, Chef Thomas Vaccaro, Pastry Dean, The Culinary Institute of America delved through the c h a n g i n g fa ce s of d e s s e rt s , i m p rove d p res e ntat i o n s , n ew trends, and the mirror glazed cakes.

3D confections & 3D printing, he said, were the current day delights.

Packaging, he pointed out, was now out to enlarge marketing leverage in greater detail.

The second day of the event a l s o w i t n e s s e d t h e Aw a rd s Ceremony. A dedicated team of judges scrutinized the nominations and selected the award winners, following ascertaining of their achievements. The awards ceremony was followed by a gala dinner, thrown by IFCA to all the delegates.

The third day of the event also witnessed various speeches and presentations by experts. On the final day of the event, Ranveer Brar, the celebrity Chef and television host, brought in different perspectives of Indian food, which attracted the attention of the audience.

Dr. Ganesh Bagler, Professor and Scientist in IIIT, spoke on ‘The Science of Indian Cuisine.’ He supported our age old systems in cooking and eating with the rationale our ancestors followed. He also touched upon how we could scientifically alter our diet to improve health. With several scientific postulates he explained the food that we ate historically and what we could now and in future do to be healthy.

These were only some of the wonderful and illuminating presentations made by experts at the three day conference, which on the whole, was an educative experience for the Indian food service industry at large.

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event

HostMilano 2017: Spotlight on Technological Innovation for Food Industry

I

n line with its long-held tradition, the 40th edition of HostMilano — International H o s p i ta l i ty Ex h i b i t i o n — t ra d e fa i r, scheduled to be held in Milan, Italy from 20th-24th October, is set to put the latest technological innovation in the food industry — from catering to coffee, from icecream to pastries, from cups to furnishings – under the spotlight.

Over the years, this event has become a benchmark for the Ho.Re.Ca. (hotel/ restaurant/cafe), food service, retail, largescale distribution and hotel industries.

T h e l a t e s t i n n o v a t i o n re g a rd i n g machinery, raw materials, semi-finished products, and services would be showcased at the Fiera Milano exhibition centre, not to mention the indications about the future of the hospitality sector.

Visitors to the event can expect a colourful experience, with the aroma of bread and pizza fresh out of the oven, or the aroma of the finest coffee, which could take them to a different world altogether.

A striking and educational event, where you can learn more about these products, discover new trends, and obtain useful information to upgrade your business and make it more profitable, would also take place.

International Trade Fair with Representation of 51 Countries With just one month to go to, HostMilano is already promising to further build on the success of the previous editions of the show. A total of 2,081 companies have already confirmed their attendance, including 1,255 Italian and 826 international firms, representing 51 countries. These figures show a general growth of the event

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compared to the 2015 edition of the show, which counted 2,010 companies.

The progressively international nature of HostMilano is demonstrated by new entries — Egypt, New Zealand, South Africa, Ukraine, and Uganda — which would be making to the event for the first time, while Canada would be back after several years.

Europe will be boasting the largest number of companies (71.4 percent), with Germany, Spain and France topping the list, followed closely by the USA, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, and Austria.

As fo r t h e p ro d u ct cate g o r i es represented by the companies, the food service equipment and bread, pizza, pasta would be the most represented macrosector equating to 43.7 percent.

Coffee, tea, bars, coffee and vending machines would be represented by 37.5 percent of companies, and furniture and tableware by 18.8 percent of the companies, at the show.

Thanks to the growing investment in profiling and the close collaboration with the ITA — Italian Trade Agency — the event would attract over 1,500 buyers from around the world.

All Food and Hospitality Sectors in One Trade Fair The five-day event is being organised i n t h e fo l l ow i n g t h re e m a c ro - a re as : professional catering with bread, pizza, and pasta; coffee-tea, with bars, coffee and vending machines, ice-creams and pastries; and furnishings and tableware.

Over 500 Events The 40th edition of HostMilano would

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host over 500 events, including workshops, training opportunities, round tables, and cooking shows. Professional visitors would be able to attend all events supervised by HostMilano, regardless of the sector they belong to. These events would focus on the hottest topics.

EXIHS, for example, is an art installation

by Davide Rampello and Dante O. Benini, which would put Italy’s long-standing hospitality tradition under the spotlight.

There will also be a space dedicated to the Cake Designers World Championship and the World Trophy of Pastry, Ice Cream and Chocolate in collaboration with FIPGC. As for catering, the APCI (Association of Italian Professional Chefs), through the Obiettivo Apprendistato (Apprenticeship Objective) training project, would see the most talented, newly-qualified young Chefs attend the fair after having been selected following a lengthy process.

The Identità Future space, organised in collaboration with IdentitàGolose, would see Chefs take part in compelling cooking shows that will highlight the role played by technology at the service of haute cuisine.

Once again, HostMilano would host the European Pizza Championships, organised

by Pizza e Pasta Italiana magazine.

In 'Magic of Mixology', mixologists and cooking masters would give industry professionals the chance to return to tradition and help them learn about the properties and benefits of natural herbs.

'Hub Coffee Science' would be a workshop to learn about the scientific principles at the base of a good cup of coffee.

In addition, plenty of competitions would also be hosted at the event.

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event

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA

Sets New Attendance Record Asia’s leading continental fresh produce show, which was held during 6th-8th September, attracted more than 13,000 trade visitors from 76 different countries; 16 percent more than the last year's edition of the show

M

ore than 13,000 trade visitors from 76 different countries entered through the gates of Asia WorldExpo in Hong Kong, to attend Asia’s leading trade fair for fruits and vegetables marketing — ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, which was held during 6th-8th September.

Some 70 percent of the visitors came from Asia, representing some 20 different markets across the Asia-Pacific.

The visitors were mainly from China, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan and Australia.

“We are delighted with the dynamic business activity on the show-floor during ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA this year,” said Wilfried Wollbold, Commercial Director of Global Produce Events, organiser of the show.

“The results underline ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA’s role as the leading continental trade exhibition for the fresh produce business in Asia,” Wollbold conveyed.

Visitors to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA found the show expanded by almost a third in terms of exhibition space, compared with that of the last year’s event.

A visitor from India, Parth Karvat of Yupaa Fresh said, “ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA gets busier and better every year.”

Exhibitor numbers increased by more than 150 compared with that of the 2016 edition. A total of 813 exhibitors from 43 different countries took part, while 24 national pavilions were featured at the event.

China remained the single-largest exhibiting country at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, with bookings and company participation expanding by more than 50 percent

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compared with last year’s event. The other leading exhibiting countries were Italy, Egypt and Australia, which ranked second, third and fourth respectively in terms of exhibitor bookings.

The show offered visitors a combination of business, networking and valuable information opportunities.

It all got underway with the ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS; Asia’s premier fresh produce conference event, which took place on 5th September, the day before ASIAFRUIT LOGISTICA opened its doors.

More than 400 high-level industry professionals from around 40 different countries attended the conference, which was addressed by expert speakers, covering a range of hot topics.

ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS also hosted the presentation of the Asia Fruit awards.

P res e nte d by As i af r u i t M a g a z i n e and ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA to celebrate excellence in Asia’s fresh produce business, the Asia Fruit Awards recognise Asia’s best companies in the fields of marketing, importing and produce retailing.

Major apple and pear cooperative Belgian Fruit Valley won the Marketing Campaign of the Year for ‘Truval Pears’, a long-running campaign to develop new markets for a new product across Asia.

Freshmart Singapore received the Importer of the Year Award, while the Produce Retailer of the Year Award went to Alibabainvested online-to-offline (O2O) retailer Hema Supermarket.

Visitors to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA found plenty of information opportunities on the show-floor with two Hall Forums this year.

Hall Forum One – the ASIAFRUIT BUSINESS

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FORUM – offered practical workshops covering topical subjects in the fields of packaging, marketing, and production and trade.

Hall Forum Two turned the spotlight on the worlds of hi-tech and logistics. Each morning, SMART HORTICULTURE ASIA explored data management and disruptive technologies at different stages of the supply chain. Each afternoon, COOL LOGISTICS ASIA offered practical workshops on cold-chain management covering a range of issues, from the future of container shipping to exporting to Asia by air.

The next edition of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA will take place during 5th-7th September 2018, at AsiaWorld-Expo Center in Hong Kong.

EVENTS’ CALENDER HOST 2017

20-24 October 2017 Fieramilano exhibition centre, Rho Milan, Italy host.fieramilano.it

Shanghai World of Packaging (swop) 7-10 November 2017 Shanghai New Int’l Expo centre Shanghai, China www.swop-online.com

Sigep 2018

20-24 January 2018 Rimini Expo Centre, Italy www.en.sigep.it

Europain 2018

3-6 February 2018 Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.europain.com

HOTELEX 2018

26-29 March 2018 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center Shanghai, China www.hotelex.cn

Alimentaria 2018

16-19 April 2018 Gran Via Venue, Barcelona, Spain www.alimentaria-bcn.com

FHA 2018

24-27 April 2018 Singapore Expo, Singapore www.foodnhotelasia.com

Aug-Sept ’17

Guitar Slicer

Chocolate/Paneer/Sweet/Cake Slicer

Useful to make equal size pieces of Pastry/Chocolate and Paneer used in Hotel-Restaurant Kitchen

Features :

Easily Interchangeable Stainless Steel cutting arms to get different sizes of pieces Totally made of 304 Stainless Steel, so hygienic Supplied with different size cutting arms.

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Aug-Sept ’17

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Paradise Biryani Enters North India Marking its entry into the north Indian market, Paradise, a six-decade old restaurant chain known to serve authentic Hyderabadi Biryani, opened an outlet in Gurugram on 28th August This restaurant with a total seating capacity of 130 is located at Raheja Mall on Sohna Road.

“Sixty four years ago, Paradise was conceptualised as a small provisional store cum café with the main intention of reaching out to the nearby cinema goers,” said Ali Hemati, Chairman, Paradise Food Court Pvt. Ltd. “From a small locality in Secunderabad, our vision has grown and with it our effort to reach as many patrons as possible across the country. As we bring this legacy to citizens here, our hope is that we win the hearts of our customers as much as we have in the southern part of India,” Hemati said.

The Gurugram outlet is Paradise’s 22nd outlet nationally. Following the tradition of a uniform menu across all Paradise outlets in the country, this outlet will serve dishes spanning from biryani and kebabs to desserts and Irani chai, to name a few.

“This is a landmark moment for us at Paradise today as we step into t h e N C R m a r ket , ” G a u ta m G u pta , C EO, Pa ra d i s e, s a i d i n a s tate m e nt .

Paradise also offers home delivery through its partners Swiggy, Food Panda and Zomato.

Borges Launches Apple Cider Vinegar Borges India, a leading market player in olive oil segment, has launched its Apple Cider Vinegar – unfiltered vinegar made from organically harvested apples.

Popular as an excellent health potion and often used as a detox drink, apple cider vinegar is made from apple or cider must or juice. The fermentation process to make this vinegar is carried out by live bacteria, which leads to the production of acetic acid in its natural form.

Being rich in acetic acid, vitamins, minerals and enzymes, apple cider vinegar is believed to be beneficial in treatment of acidity, indigestion, high cholesterol, headache and several other conditions.

The product is packaged in a glass bottle and can be used for up to 36 months. The glass bottle packaging lends a better shelf life and provides better product protection.

The product is available in Big Basket, Amazon.in, Godrej Nature’s Basket, Hypercity and in other regional chains, Borges India said in a statement.

Bira 91 Emerges as Champion Beer Brand at World Beer Awards 2017 Indian beer brand Bira 91 pocketed four awards at the World Beer Awards ceremony held in London recently.

Described as the Oscars of the beer world, World Beer Awards recognise and promote the world's best beers to consumers and trade across the globe.

For identifying the best beer brands, a panel of over 100 judges reviewed 1,900 entries from 80 countries. Bira 91 swept through the awards and each of their four beers – Bira 91 White (Wheat Ale), Bira 91 Blonde (Lager), Bira 91 Light (Low Calorie Lager) & Bira 91 Strong (Strong Ale) won in their respective country categories, making it the only brand to have won four awards in the competition, and the only award winner from India.

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McDonald’s vs Vikram Bakshi: Some Outlets in Delhi Reopened The row between McDonald’s India Pvt. Ltd. and Vikram Bakshi of Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. (CPRL) — McDonald’s franchise for northern and eastern India — is far from settled as CPRL in September passed a resolution to reopen almost half of the 43 outlets in the national capital, which had stayed shut after the company failed to renew their licences.

On 21st August, McDonald’s India terminated its franchise agreement with CPRL, which had been operating 169 McDonald’s restaurants across north and east India.

With more than 32,000 local restaurants, McDonald's is present in around 130 countries and 70 percent of its restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent, local entrepreneurs.

The CPRL board on 17th September passed a resolution to reopen 21 outlets in the national capital for which licences had been received, Live Mint reported.

While the meeting was presided over by former Supreme Court judge G.S. Singhvi, who has been appointed as an administrator on the board of CPRL by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), representatives of MIPL on the board of CPRL did not attend it.

But according to the termination notice, Bakshi was supposed to stop using the McDonald’s name, trademarks, designs, branding, operational and marketing practice and policies and food recipes and specifications from 6th September.

Quoting an MIPL spokesperson, it added that the fast food chain will continue to take steps to exercise its legal and contractual rights (to enforce termination).

Fine Dining Icon ‘Indian Accent’ to Shift at The Lodhi Indian Accent, the award-winning restaurant at The Manor, New Delhi, is shifting to The Lodhi hotel by the October end in the space previously occupied by the restaurant On the Waterfront.

First opened in 2009 at The Manor, Indian Accent became the only Indian restaurant to feature on the list of 'The World’s 50 Best Restaurant' for the third time in a row – in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

The move to shift the restaurant to The Lodhi follows the suspension of alcohol service at The Manor for the past few months after the Supreme Court’s order to ban sale of alcohol within 500 meters of state and national highways.

The original location at The Manor will host a new restaurant soon.

“More details on the new concept will be shared soon. Indian Accent at The Manor continues to take reservations till then,” Indian Accent, a restaurant of Old World Hospitality Private Limited, said in a statement.

"The Manor has been an incredible setting and home for Indian Accent since its inception. The team is excited to open in a beautiful, larger space at The Lodhi,” said Rohit Khattar, Chairman, Old World Hospitality.

Once opened, Indian Accent at The Lodhi will be open seven days a week. The restaurant will seat over 100 people, including three private dining spaces.

“The new space will allow us to expand our food and vision to a wider audience and will also feature a ‘Chef's Table’ in the future where Chef Manish Mehrotra will explore themebased menus in an adventurous new format. We have exciting plans for Indian Accent's former space at The Manor too, with a soon to be announced concept," Khattar said.

"We are excited for Indian Accent's journey ahead at The Lodhi, where we will replicate the experience we are proud to have delivered to all our guests," Chef Manish Mehrotra, Corporate Chef, Indian Accent, said. As far its overseas expansion goes, after opening its doors to connoisseurs of Indian cuisine in New York in 2016, Indian Accent will also open in London in late 2017, Old World Hospitality announced.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’17

Since 1964 BASA

Pioneers in importing of Basa Fish in India, offering most premium quality Crystal White Fish.

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SUPPLY CHAIN

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Aug-Sept ’17

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Meat Retailer Fipola Opens Three Stores in Chennai Modern meat retail company Fipola, which aims to bring the best international practices in areas of procurement, processing, distribution and retailing of meat to India, has announced the opening of its first three retail outlets in Chennai.

The three stores, to be operational from 25th September, will be located at Anna Nagar, East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR).

“We are pleased to announce the opening of three retail outlets of Fipola in Chennai. We are committed to providing high quality fresh meat and seafood,” said Sushil Kanugolu, MD and CEO, Fipola.

“Fipola outlets are aimed at providing the best ambience for the buyer. We are proud to say that women and children will also find meat buying a pleasurable experience at our stores,” Kanugolu added.

Fipola said its stores would provide odour-free, hygienic, modern meat retail format, adding that its operations are backed by a 200-member strong team with industry, culinary and retail expertise.

“Fipola will also employ an e-commerce platform for online orders and call centrebased doorstep delivery,” the company said.

Aspri Spirits Adds Premium Chilean Wine Brand to its Portfolio Aspri Spirits, one of India’s leading wine importers and distributors, has added a premium Chilean wine brand to its portfolio.

Widely known as 'Devils Collection', the wine was made beneath the family home of Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, which was rumored to be haunted by devil to prevent the stealing of the wine. Today, the original Concha y Toro family estate, complete with its 'Devil’s Cellar', is Chile’s leading tourist destination.

Casillero Del Diablo is carefully crafted with Shiraz, Carmenere, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes; available in the Rapel Valley.

A dry red wine, Casillero Del Diablo has pronounced notes of black cherries, blackcurrants, plums, and a subtle touch of vanilla from the oak barrels. Also the delicate notes of black plums complemented by silky tannins make it an enveloping wine with well-balanced palate.

At the 2017 India Wine Awards, Casillero Del Diablo Devils Collection was judged as the best wine with Indian cuisine in the food and wine pairing category.

Veeba Launches Mayonnaise in Six Variants With an aim to give a delectable twist to the Indian palates, condiments and sauce maker Veeba has launched mayonnaise in six flavours — classic, burger, chilli, eggless, garlic and smart. So, be it a boring breakfast or mid-day snacks, Veeba mayonnaise will add that additional zing to your meal.

Veeba makes a wide range of sauces, dips and dressings in exciting flavours for the Indian palates.

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Great Indian Ice Cream Contest Focuses on Ethnic Twist The winners of the 'The Great Indian Ice Cream & Frozen Dessert Contest' (TGIIFDC) Season 6, which focuses on giving ethnic Indian twist to traditional flavours, will be awarded at a ceremony in Gurugram on 16th November, the science-based company DuPont Nutrition & Health, a business unit of DowDuPont Specialty Products Division, announced.

In 2017, TGIIFDC introduced ‘Sorbet’ as one of the award categories for the first time, to further endorse its popularity as a healthy fruit-infused frozen alternative in the ice-cream market.

“In Season six, we are encouraging participants to think of unique ways to add an ethnic Indian twist to their popular flavours and innovations,” said Parth Patel, Business Director, DuPont Nutrition & Health, South Asia.

DuPont Nutrition & Health boasts of over five decades of experience in solving the challenges that ice-cream and frozen dessert producers face.

Participants at the contest are competing for gold, silver and bronze titles in six award categories — standard vanilla ice cream; standard vanilla frozen dessert; best chocolate; most innovative; kool kids; and the new category, sorbet.

The last chance for registration in the contest was on 16th September. The jury panel will include renowned industry experts from leading dairy, beverage and food companies. A panel of approximately 15 children who are kids of DuPont Nutrition & Health's employees in India, will evaluate entries in the 'kool kids' category.

Tata Group to Venture into Online Grocery Retail

ConnectedCooking 2.0 The networked kitchen.

Made by RATIONAL. Arguably the biggest digital platform for professional kitchens.

ConnectedCooking.com

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With an aim to take on online grocery retailers like Amazon and Bigbasket, the Tata Group is venturing into the rapidly growing online grocery business under the Starquik brand.

Before rolling out the venture under Starquick brand, they will run a pilot program which will be run as an online channel for Trent Hypermarket. Here it deserves a mention that Tata Group has three formats under the ambit of Star banner, which are named as Daily, Market and Hyper.

A pilot venture will be rolled out within the next couple of months as an online channel for Trent Hypermarket, a joint venture between Tata and British retailer Tesco, the Economic Times reported on September 19 citing two people privy to the development.

The new venture is set to operate through Fiora Hypermarket (FHL), a subsidiary of Trent Hypermarket. Fiora Hypermarket was created to run Tata’s hypermarket stores in states that do not allow foreign investment in multi-brand retailing.

“FHL is also pursuing on a trial basis online retailing of food & grocery in limited catchments in the proximity of select Star banner stores,” Trent, which operates Westside, one of India’s largest and fastest growing retail chains; Star Bazaar, a hypermarket chain and Landmark, a family entertainment format store, had said in its latest annual report.

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Ne w s s c a n

Restaurants Service Charge Could be Taxed The hotels and restaurants that are still making their customers pay service charge, despite government directive to make the charge voluntary for consumers, may soon have to pay tax for the income generated through such charge.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has written to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to consider inclusion of service charge while assessing tax, said Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

In order to stop levying service charge compulsorily from consumers without their consent, guidelines were issued on 21st April.

Following this, a number of renowned hotels/restaurants have made service charge optional. But the National Consumer Helpline has also received complaints about compulsory levying of five percent to 20 percent service charge by some hotels and restaurants in the country.

To stop this unfair practice, hotels and restaurants in India have been asked either to leave the column of service charge blank or mention on the bill that it is optional, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a statement on 13th September.

Zomato to Charge No Commission from Restaurants There is good news for restaurant owners. As part of its '#MissionGiveBack', online food ordering and restaurant discovery start-up Zomato has announced plans to charge no commission for all food orders placed through its platform.

However, Zomato has listed some criteria for restaurants to be eligible for this scheme.

“To all our valuable restaurant partners, you are going to pay zero commission to Zomato if you qualify based on a set of pre-defined criteria,” Zomato's CEO, Deepinder Goyal wrote in a blog post on 18th September.

“Some of these criteria depend on the number of orders you process with us on a weekly basis, and whether your customers are happy with your food and service. If you are in the business of providing great food and service to our customers, we want you to make more money so that you can continue to do more of the same,” Goyal added.

The scheme is likely to cover 70 percent of Zomato's restaurant partners.

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Tarini Hygiene (India)

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a p p oi n t m e n t managing special events and ensuring revenue growth, Chef Shashidhar will oversee all aspects of running the restaurant.

Over a span of 17 years, Chef Shashidhar has worked with renowned hospitality brands such as Hotel Clarks Amer in Jaipur, Rajasthan; Clarks Inn, New Delhi; and Sunrise Resorts, Amritsar. Before joining Eastin Residences Vadodara, he served as the Executive Chef at Hotel I-Square in Solan, Himachal Pradesh.

Amit Raman Amit Raman is the new Food & Beverage Manager of Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group. Raman, an alumnus of Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition in Goa, brings to his new role over 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Prior to joining Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, Raman had worked with renowned brands including Holiday Inn Resort Goa; Cidade de Goa; The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino; The Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa in Goa; and Le Meridien New Delhi.

"We are delighted to have Amit in our team.

Amit’s strong understanding of flavours and fresh outlook towards food trends will help him to create wonderful delicacies for our guests at the hotel,” said Suraj Jha, General Manager, Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport.

Amit Kumar Dash Chef Amit Kumar Dash has been appointed as the new Executive Chef at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, Gachibowli. With over 13 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Amit brings to the new role expertise in the F&B department.

H e h a d p re v i o u s l y w o r k e d w i t h hotels such as Courtyard by Marriott at Mumbai International Airport; Vivanta

by Taj — Connemara, Chennai; and ITC Hotel Park Sheraton Towers in Chennai.

Chef Amit is recipient of several awards including Marriott International’s Award of Culinary Excellence in 2014. He also won the 2008 'Gold Medal' in Authentic Indian Regional Cuisine contest, organised

by IFCA (Indian Federation of Culinary Associations) at Chennai Trade Centre, in cleanliness and hygiene category.

Shashidhar Roka A seasoned professional with 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Shashidhar Roka has joined Eastin Residences Vadodara — a four-star hotel in Gujarat — as the Executive Chef. In his new role, Chef Shashidhar, who specialises in continental cuisine, will be primarily responsible for supervising the Glass House — an all-day dining restaurant at the hotel.

R i g h t f ro m m e n u p l a n n i n g , m e a l preparation, recipe costing and kitchen management to inventory control, staff management, providing customer service,

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Anshuman brings with him an array of skills, knowledge and expertise from t h e h o s p i t a l i t y a n d F & B i n d u s t r y.

After graduating from the Institute of Hotel Management in Lucknow, he began his career in 1999 with the Taj Group of Hotels, as a Management Trainee. In 2005, Chef Anshuman joined the Imperial Hotel in New Delhi. He later moved to the Oberoi Hotels and Resorts in 2006, where he worked for over seven years and was responsible for running multiple kitchens and restaurants. He was also proactively involved in promotional initiatives, business development and employee engagement.

Prior to his current stint with JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, he was responsible for kitchen operations with well-established hotels such as The Leela Palace Hotel in Udaipur, and Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai.

Anshuman Bali Anshuman Bali is the new Executive Chef of JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. With a career spanning over 16 years, Chef

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Santosh Rawat Santosh Rawat, formerly the Executive Pastry Chef at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, has been elevated to the position of Multi-Property Executive Pastry Chef, at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar and JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. Chef Santosh brings with him over 16 years of working with leading luxury and business hotels in India, and across various cities internationally.

As the Multi-property Executive Pastry C h ef, h e w i l l ove rs e e t h e p at i ss e r i e operations at both the five-star properties.

During his career, Chef Santosh has had the opportunity of being part of the pre-opening teams of eight hotels at international locations. He has worked with some of the finest hotel brands across the globe such as Hyatt and Shangri-La. One of the many masterpieces created

by Chef Santosh during his career was the first-ever life-sized replica of the beautiful chandelier made entirely from chocolate that adorned the lobby of JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. The chocolate chandelier was 15 feet in height and was made using 450 kg of chocolate.

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a p p oi n t m e n t house deli – and rest of the outlets in the hotel. Chef Javed will also be responsible for refreshing the bakery menu with his signature dishes.

Chef Javed had previously worked as a Pastry Chef with ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton in Mumbai. He was also the Pastry Chef at Novotel Mumbai Juhu and then, with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts.

He represented India in Asian Pastry Cup 2012, which was held in Singapore.

Javed Merchant Chef Javed Merchant has joined Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel as an Executive Pastry Chef. With over two decades of experience in the field of all things bakery, Chef Javed brings a dynamic perspective and accomplished skill set to the hotel.

Chef Javed’s key responsibilities at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre will be to bring innovation into the bakery and supervising the baking and dessert operations for Mumbai Express – the in-

Liew How Wai Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru has appointed Liew How Wai as the Asian Chef de Cuisine at their all-day dining, multi-cuisine restaurant, b Café.

Chef Liew brings to the new role close to two decades of culinary expertise, drawn from extensive travelling across the world.

As the hotel’s Asian Chef de Cuisine, he will work towards taking the hotel's culinary recognition to greater heights. Chef Liew is all set to delight guests by adding a

contemporary touch to food preparation, set up and presentation while preserving the authenticity and originality of the dishes.

“As a native of Malaysia his valuable experience and expertise in fusion Asian cuisine fits in perfectly with the profile of the multi-cuisine restaurant, b Café. I believe this will further allow us to provide a truly exceptional and exciting culinary experience with lasting memories for our guests,” said Andreas Streiber, General Manager at Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru.

Munnilal Tandoors Launches ‘Pride’ Brand for Non-premium Categories

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or over 52 years, Munnilal Tandoors Pvt. Ltd. has been serving a vast number of premium companies in the field of hospitality, particularly hotels, restaurants and catering segments, with its high-end tandoor products. Keeping up with the pace and growth in market demands for less-premium products that usually come from small enterprises, Munnilal Tandoors has launched its new non-premium offering— Pride, which has been positioned to address the remaining market that the company did not cater to earlier.

Speaking about the latest development, Munnilal, the founder and CEO of the co m p a n y reve a l e d , “ We h ave b e e n contemplating on extending our brand’s presence in the non-premium category for some time. Earlier, many small hospitality companies liked our range of products that matched their requirements, however, budget was the only constraint for them; they avoided investing for high-premium p ro d u cts t h at we h ave b e e n k n ow n for. Keeping their price concern at the top of our thoughts and planning, and simultaneously our will to serve them with quality indigenous products, we decided to launch this new range.”

The new business proposition of

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Munnilal Tandoor to launch the Pride brand not only gives its brand an extension, but also increases the opportunity to reach to a wider market that has not been tapped earlier. Hence, the step is a win-win situation for the company and for those who want quality tandoor products.

As per the company, while ‘Pride’ will be an economy range, quality aspects wouldn’t be compromised. Munnilal said, “We have come of age and our brand itself is a promise to our customers. Going by our consistent efforts to deliver on quality products and seamless customer services, the new range will come with a defined standard conforming to industry needs and specifications. Automation will play a key role in bringing out the best of quality for the Pride brand. We are extremely happy to launch this new range right at the beginning of the festive season when several companies make decisions on buying equipment.”

Customer demands are constantly

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changing. Hence, the company has been constantly launching new set of products for tandoors, which are uniquely different from the earlier versions, yet extremely efficient.

The focus of the new brand will be on quality output and economic operations—which are of paramount importance for small and medium enterprises in the hospitality sector.

The new range is likely to take the story forward as it opens a new chapter for many other enterprises that have been dependent on local/unbranded or cheap alternatives. Pride brand will exploit this market opportunity. While the range will be priced competitively, it promises to give good value-for-money proposition.

As the kitchen landscape is expected to turn far more competitive in the times to come, Munnilal Tandoors is establishing its place as a strong kitchen equipment company. It is aiming to take its reach to a wider set of audience across the country and even to newer international destinations. “We have, over several decades, constantly creating new range of equipment to suit to the needs of the times.

Pride range reflects its name perfectly; people will be proud to use this range, which comes at a highly competitive price bracket,” summed Munnilal.

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The Right Application Center for the Bakery Industry

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argill Foods India processes, refines and markets a wide range of indigenous and imported edible vegetable oils, fats and flour for the food service industry and retail consumers.

Cargill Foods India’s brand for specialty bakery fats —NatureFresh Professional — provides bakery manufacturers with good quality bakery shortenings and margarines that help in making premium bakery products. Cargill Foods India has a comprehensive range of NatureFresh Professional bakery shortenings and margarines which can be used for varied applications.

Here it deserves a mention that the Cargill Foods India has an Application Center in Gurgaon for providing the ability to develop and scale up customer solutions. This application center can be of great help to the Indian bakery industry. Here all analytical work, from testing of raw materials to final quality control, can be carried out in-house, through the help of trained staff and innovative equipments. The state-of-the-art technology at the center is available to support new product evaluations, provide customised solutions, analyse customer samples and also solve the production problems. The application center is divided into five labs namely: • Analytical Lab for atta • Bakery Lab • Confectionary Lab • Convenience Lab • Sensory Lab Rotary moulded cookies & sheeted/ laminated cookies/ crackers, artisan cookies, cakes, bread, pizza, rusk, tortilla, puffs, croissants, khari, laminated cookies, breads, sandwich creams, aerated creams & fluffy creams, frozen dough are some of the products which can be produced and their market suitability tested and developed in this exhaustive application center.

Mouth feel, volume, stability, health & wellness, texture, water syneresis, shelf life extension, costing of the product are some of the parameters regarding which solutions are provided at the application center.

Texture analyser, water activity meter, planetary and aerated mixer, shelf life testing chamber, moisture analyser, rolls refiner, tempering machine & coating machine, deck oven, diosana mixer, homogenizer, colloid mill, high shear mixer, fry master fryer are some of the important equipments at the application center.

For the entrepreneurs in the bakery industry, the Bakery Lab at the application center can be of particular interest. The Bakery Lab is specifically designed to work with & for bakery customers.

It has a comprehensive range of competencies and equipments necessary to evaluate new ingredients, identify and develop new application opportunities aligned with consumer demands, and provide the backup required by the technical team.

The Application Lab works under sound supervision of food technologists, who give a boost to the development of creative solution in bakery products. Innovation in bakery products are backed up by a lot of data generated during research & trials, by universally acceptable analytical instruments like texture analyser, water activity meter, etc.

The shelf life chamber in the lab helps determine the life of a baked product, in a scientific manner. For piloting the large factory like production of biscuits, an automatic plant is installed in the lab. This is also helpful in demonstration and training to Cargill Foods India’s institutional customers.

To replicate the artisan baked products and the rich texture and mouth-feel, a set of dough mixers, batter mixers, sheeting machine, etc. are also functional here. These equipments are also used for stimulating activities like hands-on training, product improvement and for food safety trainings.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

Finding the

Right Match

The right combination of the food and drink can give you that ethereal feel. That is the reason why one must take a few moments to think about which drink will go with the food that is being consumed and vice versa.

If you like food it makes sense to improve it with your drinks. Flavours in solid form and liquid form come together to create a miraculous third set of delicious flavours which you wouldn’t have been able to taste if you had not tried them together. The pairing choice has to be a combination of contrasting and mirroring to bring about that blissful and divine feeling of contentment. Ashok Malkani explores what constitutes the appropriate combination of food and drinks in the realm of alcoholic beverages – not only in the case of wines but also for other alcoholic drinks, including cocktails.

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C OV E R S TO R Y

I

s pairing of food and drink a snobby affair? There are people who look on the concept of food and drink pairing with disdain but a perfect combination of the two can be a heavenly experience.

The perfect marriage of food and alcoholic beverages can enhance a dining experience and the wrong drink can spoil the enjoyment of the meal.

Melkohn Khosrovian and his wife Litty Mathew, of Modern Spirits and Tru Organic Spirits, in New Orleans, built their spirit lines around pairings and actually began creating alcohol to take to dinner parties with friends and family. If a pairing scheme that is more subtle is what you are looking for, Khosrovian suggests mixing up beer, wine, and cocktails on the menu.

Across the globe, pairing of different types of wines is normally done with appropriate food. The common concept is red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat. But there is more to pairing different types of wine with food than this. Food and wine pairing in today’s food services industry is much more complicated than pairing red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat.

Pairing Wines with Food Sudhir Pai, Executive Chef of Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport said, “Wines are paired with food to enhance the dining experience for guests.” “The turning point for wine and food pairing, as we know it today, can perhaps be traced back to the 1980s. Food magazines, reviewers, bloggers, Chefs and restaurants started suggesting wines that went with their signature dishes,” Pai elaborated.

“Food and wine are often paired in order to enhance the dining experience for guests. Wine has had a long history of being a fundamental feature at the dinner table. Over the years, the wine making and

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culinary traditions of various regions have evolved together,” averred Gaurav Magoo, F&B Director, Novotel Imagica Khopoli.

“For example, French Brie pairs best with the local tannic wine Beaujolais. Or lamb, a staple meat across Europe, is ideal with red wines from Bordeaux, Greece, Provence, and Rhone,” Pai proffered.

“Most gourmands and wine sommeliers believe that the most basic element of food and wine pairing is understanding the balance between the ‘weight’ of the food and the wine. Where heavy, robust wines like Cabernet Sauvignon can overwhelm a light and delicate dish, a light-bodied wine like Pinot Grigio overwhelms a hearty stew.

Beyond weight, flavours and textures can either be contrasted or complemented,” pointed out Magoo. He also stated that “At Novotel Imagica Khopoli, we believe in creating and enhancing guests’ dining experience through perfect pairing of food and wine.”

Peter Sethi, Beverage Manager, Sofitel Mumbai BKC, stated that one has to be aware of the fact that every bottle of wine has a different characteristic. These may range from the place of origin, the type of

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

grape, to the blend of the wine. The thumb rule for the same states that white wine goes well with white meats and red wine goes well with red meats.

“As white wine does not have any tannin, so it goes well with light meats such as seafood and chicken, as this does not overpower the flavour of the food. On the other hand, red wines contain tannin, and when paired with proteins such as beef and lamb, they create a harmonious pairing,” explained Sethi.

C h ef Vi n aya k Pat i l of t h e n ew l y launched Fish N Bait at Bandra BKC Mumbai stated that different white wines and red wines are paired with different food. “For example, Bouchard Aîné & Fils Bourgogne can be ideally paired with medium spicy, Pan Asian/Indian food, whereas DBR Lafite, Légende goes well with shell-fish like crabs and lobster, and Pampas goes well with oily fish and fried or baked fish with sauce or chicken. As far as red wines go, Maison Albert Bichot, Beaujolais Villages are excellent with fish dishes, crab & langoustine too; whereas Banrock Station works well with cheese salads as well as with pastas and bass or mid-weight fish dishes,” he elaborated.

“The process of pairing food dishes with wine has the purpose to enhance the dining experience. In recent years, the popularity and interest in food and wine pairings have increased and taken on new connotations.

Balance is the key word when it comes to perfect food and wine matches; neither wine nor food should overpower each other. Ideally, the flavour of the wine should be slightly stronger than the matching flavour of the meal. With dedicated Chefs and wine sommeliers working together to get the best food & wine complements at the outlets, one can indulge in ideal food

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Yogesh Bhatt and wine combinations,” declared Venkat Rao, Food and Beverage Manager, Grand Mercure Bangalore.

“Wine is an integral part of fine dining.

The right wines can accentuate good flavours of a meal, bringing out certain taste and nuances. A good match enhances the characteristics of both the food and the wines. A few classic but fundamental matches such as sparkling wine paired with egg, oyster and cheese (light and salty), white wine with creamy sauce, buttery fish and pasta salad will surely enhance your dining experience,” expressed Yogesh Bhatt, Food and Beverage Manager, Grand Mercure Mysuru.

Food with Spirits While pairing of wines with food is a common occurrence, this is not a rampant feature when one is consuming drinks like whisky, vodka, rum or gin. This is because there is an erroneous belief that any food goes with these drinks. However, culinary professionals believe that these drinks, including beer, have to be paired with appropriate food after deep thought in order to enjoy them thoroughly.

“Every drink has a distinct character.

The features for such specific character are the ingredients, methods of making, maturing, and storage which are specific and different for every beverage,” pointed out Magoo.

“Eventually, pairing of food with wine or with any hard liquor depends on an individual’s taste and the match one wants to enjoy. Wines can be perfectly paired with vegetables as well as fruits; however spirits are bit difficult to pair with food than wines as they are higher in alcohol content,” asserted Bhatt. ”Take for example, the case of gins.

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With the wide range of flavours in modern gins and tonics, it is easier than ever to fuse right food with the right gin. Some of the interesting food and gin combinations would include dishes similar to tapas, cured meats, and chili burgers,” Magoo stated.

He elaborated on this further. “In countries where people are deeply in love with vodka; such as countries like Russia and Poland, vodka is generally coupled with dishes like caviar, smoked fish, German and Polish smoked sausages, and creamy or salty cheese with dill. Whisky pairs wonderfully with either Indian or Italian food. Some other dishes that go well with whisky are sushi, smoked salmon, lamb roganjosh, pecan pie, and Roquefort cheese. Rum forms a great combination with starters like tortilla, small skewers of chicken breast with aioli butter, and crusty bread with compound butter,” opined Magoo.

“Nowadays most of our guests are well-travelled with an understanding of the nuances of food and beverages, and thus it calls for more creativity at all levels including food and beverages pairing. Some of the most unconventional yet interesting food and beverage combinations include the right food coupled with the right beer.

For example, a beer with some bitterness will nicely offset a sweet dish, or something salty will accentuate the taste of the beer,” conveyed Magoo.

“Spirits are a bit more challenging to pair with food than wines, largely because of their relatively higher alcohol content.

The flavour profiles and the sensation of ‘heat’ can overwhelm nuances in the food.

But that doesn’t mean it is impossible. As we learn to start tasting spirits, we can find that they tend to have a lot of complexity of flavours, which means there is lot of opportunity to pair spirits with dishes,” declared Rao.

Gaurav Magoo

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Peter Sethi “Many cultures have a tradition of drinking spirits with food. For example, the Greeks and Turks relish anise-scented ouzo and raki, mixed with water, which goes very well with an array of mezze such as olives, cured tuna, hummus and more. Hence one can say that what is true for wine is true for other spirits too,” averred Sethi.

“When talking about spirits like tequilas, Blanco tequila pairs well with guacamole, whereas a margarita goes well with ceviche or tacos. Light golden rum with lemon or a mojito made with Brazil’s cachaça goes really well with roast pork or a suckling pig. Whiskey with its unique characteristics can be a suitable substitute for Cabernet Sauvignon, and when taken neat, goes very well with a well-aged steak,” he elaborated further.

“Caviar, smoked fish or herring go very well with vodka. On the other hand, smoky baby-back ribs or smoked brisket, with a glass of bourbon or a well-made Manhattan form a lethal combination,” asserted Sethi.

Pai stated, “Let me start with gin. This drink is made of myriad recipes; some juniper-heavy, some citrusy or herbal, some cask-aged. The clear spirit infused with juniper and an intricate layering of botanicals plays well against the briny sweetness of a classic shrimp cocktail, chilled seafood platter or grilled prawns.”

“On the other hand, whisky matches well with red meat. Further, light golden rum with squeezed lime gives a peculiar flavour if eaten with salted fat of roast pork and suckling pig. Separately, like the Russian way, vodka can be served with caviar, smoked fish and herring. The Russians drink shots of icy vodka with caviar and zazuski spreads,” Pai affirmed.

“Pairing of food and spirits choices can be an amalgamation of similar and

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Venkat Rao varied elements to relish a holistic dining experience. To give an example, oysters with shots of tequila are a terrific setup. Also, there are regional drinks that infuse well with regional specialty food like feni from Goa,” disclosed Pai. ”Medium bodied single malt or Scotch premium and other rich whiskies aged in sherry or European oak cask go well with rich fruit cakes,” proffered Patil.

“Vodka is now being used by several Chefs and food connoisseurs for cooking.

It tastes great with caviar and smoked tomatoes. Cold cured smoked salmon, perhaps with a little spiciness, is a fascinating combination with gin & tonic.

For that little bit of sharpness, use a smidgen of lemon juice on the fish / seafood,” Patil pointed out.

“At our restaurant, Fish & Bait, we have herb-scented lobster, which goes extremely well with tequila,” Patil informed.

“Spirits like gin can be perfectly combined with tapas and cured meat.

There are some more such combinations of food and drink pairing. For example, whisky goes down well with cheese, chocolate, grilled chicken as well as with smoked salmon; rum which has a little sweet after taste, matches well with banana cake and pumpkin pie; bourbon whiskey accompanied with pickled vegetables brings out the best flavours. Food delights like smoked fish, potato pancakes, crab cakes, cured meat trays, salad Olivier blend well with vodka,” disclosed Bhatt.

fun and it may yield some fantastic results.

Cocktails can be invented and tweaked to match perfectly with a dish.

“Pairing cocktails with food can be a fun filled creative exercise for bartenders because, unlike wine, a cocktail can be tweaked to suit a dish. For instance, martini goes well with Chinese food. Also, Gin Martini gels with a shrimp cocktail. The layers of gin's botanicals heighten the briny but not too intense flavours of the shrimp. Further, a Mojito made with Brazil's cachaça goes well with roast pork dishes,” opined Pai. “Standard food combinations with cocktails are amalgamations like dry martini with sea bass, French martini with c h o co l ate m o u ss e, a p p l e s o u r w i t h steak, Dafne Martini with lemon pepper chicken breast and Lavender Lemonade Mojitos with goat cheese toasts with honey among others,” observed Bhatt.

“It is not that much about preference, as much as it is about getting the association of flavours correct. A cocktail can complement a dish by either matching or contrasting its flavours. For example, people who indulge in barbeque, will often pair their smoky flavour steaks with a smoky woody flavour spirit.

Something really hot such as a spicy tuna roll will go well when paired with something like a cucumber-watermelon Mojito,” stated Sethi.

“Some other well-known food and cocktail pairings include cheese and a Nigori, nachos and a margarita, oysters and a martini, sushi and French 75,” opined Sethi.

According to a website focused on cocktail, a tequila and grapefruit-based cocktail is a refreshing addition to spicy Mexican dishes, just as bitter and citrusdriven Negroni is great for cutting through the tasty fats of cured meats and sharp cheeses. On the other hand, the spice

Dished with Cocktails One needs to have a special knack for successful food and drink pairing and it can get complicated when we start working with cocktails because here the flavours are more complex. However, the experience of cocktails and food pairing can be a lot of

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Sudhir Pai

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Chef Vinayak Patil contained in Bloody Mary is a great match for pairing with sashimi, while the classic mint julep is an absolute no brainer for enjoying alongside a slow-roasted lamb..

Summing Up “The right drink can enhance the dining experience while the wrong drink can affect the enjoyment of a nice dish. There is a science behind food and beverage pairings that has to do with physiology, psychology, and sociology too. The beauty of a cocktail pairing is that you can match bold flavours with subtle food and vice versa,” pointed out Magoo.

“It is also essential to pair cuisine with the spirit origin; for instance a tequilabased cocktail pairs well with any Mexicaninspired meal, and brandy with any French cuisine,” Magoo iterated.

Succinctly, we can see that while food and beverage pairings can be highly personal, some food lend themselves particularly well to some given drinks.

Almost all connoisseurs of food are of the view that food and drink pairing is a scientific method of identifying which food and drink go well together. For attaining the perfect food and drink pairing perfect matching of flavours is required, which relies mainly on sensations of taste, touch and smell. On an average, only 20 percent of our flavour experience is due to taste and touch. Far more important in this regard is our sense of smell. Aromas are the key drivers of our flavour experience and therefore crucial for the synergy of food and drinks.

If you manage to perfectly complement the drinks to your food, your restaurant is likely to be the recipient of compliments on an enduring basis, which of course would reflect in impressive bottom lines for your restaurant. n

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BUSINESS

For Successful

Banquets These days F&B is an important revenue earning segment of the Indian hospitality industry. An important sub-segment of F&B, especially in large sized hotels, is banqueting. Banqueting in hotels and restaurants is usually done for occasions like weddings, private or official luncheon parties, cocktail parties, seminars, meetings, conferences, fashion shows, exhibitions, etc. Ashok Malkani takes a kaleidoscopic view of the banqueting segment in the backdrop of the Indian hospitality industry, and examines several aspects of it.

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ood & beverage has become an important revenue earner for the Indian hospitality industry. According to HRAWI, the food & beverage segment contributes to nearly 50 percent of the hotels’ earnings in the Indian hospitality industry these days. The industry experts are of the opinion that in the Indian hospitality industry of today its food and beverage can easily be the deciding factor behind many a hotel’s success or failure.

And wedding receptions, celebrations for special occasions as well as business meetings, which require banqueting hall facilities, account for a substantial part of the F&B earnings of hotels in India.

Today, banqueting facilities form a sizeable revenue generator for the Indian hotel industry. That is one of the major reasons why you find several hotels in the country having huge banquet halls.

The word banquet is derived from the French word ‘banque’. It refers to

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a gathering of people. The history of banqueting can be traced to sumptuous feasts held in honour of a monarch or a visiting host.

Impressive Revenue Generator Sujeet Kumar, General Manager, Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway, stated, “Though it is true that rooms are the major source of income for hotels, along with being the product with a high profitability margin, the banquets also form a significant part of hotels’ earnings.

The banquet spaces at Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway cater to a variety of corporate as well as social clientele and contribute approximately 25 percent to the hotel’s business. Banquets operate with the highest profitability margin in the food & beverage segment of the Indian hotel industry, with a profitability percentage of 65-70 percent.”

Pawan Sharma, Food & Beverage

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Manager, The Mirador Mumbai, contends that the trend of rooms being considered the major revenue earners for hotels is no longer valid. “At our hotel, the overall revenue for F&B, if we compare with rooms, is almost 45 percent,” he asserted.

“Gone are those days when room revenues used to be holding 60-70 percent of the hotel’s income. Nowadays, many of the guests book the hotel on the reputation of food and service available in it. Revenues from F&B in hotels in India these days is either at par with the room revenues or even surpasses them in some cases. Banquet’s contribution to the hotel’s revenue at Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway is about 20 percent,” disclosed Varun Kumar, F&B Manager, Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway.

K r i s h n a Ra o, F & B M a n a g e r, Th e Corinthians Resort & Club Pune, said, “Though it is believed that major revenue comes from the hotel rooms, the scenario

Aug-Sept ’17

BUSINESS at our place is very different. The share of revenue generated from the overall F&B segment at our hotel is more than 50 percent and in that banquets’ contribution is almost 55 percent.”

“Banquet space also helps in room sales as companies also book hotel rooms to organise residential conferences and people book for residential weddings. The design of our banquets is so flexible that it attracts and suits everybody’s needs,” offered Santosh Jori, Director of Food and Beverage at The Westin Mumbai Garden City.

Gaurav Agarwal, Director of Catering, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, is also of a similar view. “Room revenue is the highest revenue contributor for most hotels in the country but banquets also constitute a substantial portion of it. Being a convention center hotel, our banquets contribute 25 percent of the total hotel revenue,” he affirmed.

Staff Training However, banqueting, though a good revenue earner for the Indian hospitality industry, is not an easy task to perform

successfully. Special training needs to be provided to the staff for hosting successful banquets. It may be mentioned that a Banquet Server performs all tasks ass o c i ate d w i t h s ett i n g u p, s e rv i n g , and breaking down of function rooms where banquet food service activities are performed. He / she is responsible for the prompt, courteous, smooth and efficient service of food and beverages to guests

during banquet and outdoor functions.

“At our The Westin Mumbai Garden City hotel, the operations team is trained on different types of setup, whether conference or social event. They need to be well aware of the trend in the market and always be innovative with the setup.

They are also trained in soft skills which help them interact with the guests and anticipate their needs. They are trained

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BUSINESS

Varun Kumar on the menu compositions so that they can plan the buffet setups accordingly, especially the live counters,” claimed Jori.

“The catering sales team is equally trained in soft skills. This can only be possible by training them on knowing the product (banquet space, audio visual arrangements, different licenses for different events, dos and don’ts). It is very important to close the deal covering every aspect of the event requirement. The same is detailed and handed over to the operations team,” he elaborated further.

“Operations team and catering team are also trained on the importance of team work as they are dependent on each other to contribute towards the success of any event,” averred Jori.

“At The Corinthians Resort & Club Pune, continuous training and development is in place. Most of the parameters are set on how you deal with the client. The first point of contact is giving comprehensive training to ensure that they supersede the expectations of the guests,” stated Rao. “The operations team is responsible for the execution of services. With regards to training, every associate in the system is trained and groomed before we send him/ her on the floor,” Rao pointed out.

“Training plays the most crucial role for driving banqueting revenues. It is imperative to have all areas of banquets, represented by sales, events, banquet operations, banquet kitchen, kitchen stewarding, kitchen purchasing, F&B controller, etc. to undergo its role specific trainings to drive sales and customer satisfaction. For example, the banquet sales team needs to be trained on product knowledge and negotiating skills while the events team needs to be trained on event detailing and upselling techniques. Hence each associate contributing to banquets, at the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre

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Hotel, has to complete necessary trainings to enhance the customer experience,” declared Agarwal.

“Training is necessary for the banquets staff. At The Mirador Mumbai, they are specifically trained in product knowledge, salesmanship, maintaining quality and standards of service as well as on being p o l i te a n d to a ct w i t h h u m i l i ty a n d honesty,” averred Sharma.

“Continual training is mandatory for the success of any organisation, both in terms of operations and sales. It is a competitive market with many key players experienced in handling both social and corporate events. We need to analyse market trends to know the competition’s strengths and weakness and make strategies to train staff accordingly,” proffered Varun.

“Trainings vary from property to property as per the need. Be it guest interaction, which is often neglected in banquets, innovative themes and concepts for business meetings, upselling of packages like snacks, beverages and audio-video equipment. At Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway, we provide specific training in all the above segments,” he pointed out.

“Banquets is a dynamic vertical of the hotel operations, with varying degree of client requirement and expectations. The banquet associates, in turn, need very special training to deal with varying nature of events and guests. They need to be equipped with overall hotel knowledge along with a flair for flexibility to accommodate the guests on ground. Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway ensures that the staff is given adequate training to provide a commendable service to the guests,” asserted Sujeet.

Tackling Food Wastage There is a strong belief that banquets

Santosh Jori

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Sujeet Kumar result in wastage of food. Jori, however, insists that there is not much wastage of food in banquets anymore. “This is because the banquet kitchen team nowadays is a specialised team which anticipates the food requirement based on the nature of the event i.e., whether the event is a social event or a conference working lunch or a cocktail dinner,” observed Jori.

“For example, in a social event, there is always a difference in the number of guests attending the event in proportion to minimum guests guaranteed. In this case, we usually promote live counters which helps in controlling the wastage as the food is prepared ala minute. It also creates a wow experience for the guests attending the event as they get to eat the food as per their likings and taste,” he explained further.

“For a working lunch, food is usually light and comfort food. It is prepared in small quantities and refilled as per the flow of the event. For cocktail dinner, more emphasis is given on pass around snacks and buffet is laid as per the minimum guarantee, which does not change much like social events,” Jori elaborated.

“Food wastage actually is inversely related to staff training. With the correct training and experience, banquet kitchen Chefs cook food based upon the information provided to them by events and banquet operations about the minimum number of guests attending the event. If the relevant information is passed correctly, food wastage can be reduced considerably,” explained Agarwal.

Krishna Rao is also on the same wave length. “Wastage of food is inversely proportional to the quality of your culinary team and its planning. At our place we have a Chef who has more than two-anda-half decade of experience. One needs to understand the clients’ requirement. In

Aug-Sept ’17

our case, food wastage is almost close to zero since we try and do mostly live cooking, which reduces wastage,” he stated. “ Fo o d w a s t a g e i n b a n q u et s i s n ot ve r y c o m m o n . H o w e v e r, i t ca n n ot b e co m p l ete l y eliminated. There are a few events where we have food wastages. Currently, we do not give away the leftover food. However, Gaurav Agarwal we a re ex p l o r i n g t h e opportunity to enter into partnership with NGOs and local food and catering companies, where the food can be made available to certain sections of society who do not get enough food,” conveyed Sujeet.

Varun however, differs from this point of view. “The belief that there is rampant wastage of food in banqueting in the Indian hospitality industry is completely erroneous. And if it exists in any property then it should be considered as mismanagement of resources. Excess food leads to high wastage and eventually high food cost. These days hotels’ banquet food is prepared in batches similar to that of restaurants for ensuring good food quality, freshness and low or nil wastage,” informed Varun.

Pawan too stated that “At our hotel, we have great control on food.”

The Challenges in Banqueting Operations Banqueting is favoured by several hotels these days and many of them boast of the large banqueting halls they possess for occasions like weddings, etc. But having this facility in the hotel poses its own problems.

“Any last minute requirement is a big challenge in terms of manpower, especially during odd hours. In this case, time effective decision making is very important,” disclosed Rao. “There are times when we have corporate event in the day time, and in the same day’s evening we have a social event like wedding reception or anniversary party. So there is very little time to turn around the place as the set up and the look need to change completely for these two events. At times, the conferences finish late which further reduces the time to do the turn around,” disclosed Jori.

“With the growing competition in the market, more choices and varied USPs (unique selling points) available in banquets and restaurants, it is getting very difficult to target and differentiate the product. That is another challenge in banqueting operations,” stated Sujeet.

It has been observed that since the charges at banquets are normally on per plate basis, sometimes two people are seen partaking their meals from the same plate. Or, the same guest lifting same types of plates (for different sections of food in banqueting there are different types of plates) off the rack twice. This is another problem affecting the Indian banqueting industry, which can lead to enhancement in operational costs.

Varun disclosed that they averted this problem by taking a guest count and by comparing it to the plates count to make sure there is no duplication. “Hospitality industry is not just a revenue

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BUSINESS generation business but an industry which runs on loyalty and trust. Guests are comfortable in sharing the same plate only during social events and it is not a great concern if it remains under 1 percent. If the percentage of sharing increases it affects the revenue and reputation of the property.

Hence, we need to communicate the same to the host politely,” he disclosed.

“It is a general industry practice to charge the guests per plate and is one of the easiest ways to close a banqueting event’s billing. However, due to incidents such as guests’ sharing plate or the same guest using multiple plates of same types, with mutual consent of the host and the property concerned it is advisable that an event entry procedure is put in place where the property and host’s representative provide coupons or wrist bands or head counts, wherever possible. But this works in corporate set up kind of events,” averred Sujeet.

“It is possible for such instances to take place and this is where minimum guarantee comes into being. Usually for corporate events there are reception desks set up for registration. These helps us to counter check the number of guests attending the event and inform the host prior if there are more guests than minimum guarantee,” said Jori.

“For social events, there is usually a representative from the host side who keeps a check on the plate count. For both social and corporate events in banqueting, different courses are divided into different sections and every section has different types of plates. This helps us to estimate the guest count,” Jori elaborated further.

Agarwal is of the view that these instances are rare in branded hotels and high-end banquets in the metros and in other urban areas. “Guests are more than willing to pay once the rate is negotiated and they also get value for money. Also, to avoid unpleasant and embarrassing situations, clients do not encourage and indulge in such malaise. Moreover, the hotel staff considers the count as per the number of plates utilised and counter check the same with the contract signed for the event,” he proffered.

“We rarely get some clients who do this.

Our team has been briefed to handle the situation very carefully since the guests and the host should not feel insulted. If such an instance occurs, our team gets in touch with the host or the coordinator of the event just to update about the meal sharing situation. If it is just one case we

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Krishna Rao ignore it,” Rao puts across.

Impact of GST The new Goods and Services Tax, which was recently introduced, has a beneficial effect on banqueting business in the country, according to the industry.

“For the Indian restaurant industry as well as banquets, GST will have a positive impact as the guests will benefit, which in turn will create more footfalls. With these changes, the repetition of drinks at restaurants will surely see a boost, as well as an increase of 10-15 percent in the average spend,” pointed out Sujeet.

Varun affirmed, “Guests now get a great advantage on pricing perspective as the taxes have come down by almost 5-6 percent and this will allow them to spend more. This, I believe is a win-win situation for both parties.”

The Major Markets The hosting of a banquet can be a glamourous and momentous event, often ce l e b rat i n g co r p o rate a c h i eve m e nt , wedding, marriage anniversary, success in business, etc. So who are the clients who

Pawan Sharma

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

normally host these events?

“For a given year, we have a mix of corporate and social events. Our focus, at The Westin Mumbai Garden City, is to promote our open area called Westin Woods for weddings while focusing on socials at the banquet ballroom,” declared Jori.

“We have an interesting mix of corporate clients surrounded in the vicinity, and a galore of exhibitions in this part of Mumbai keeps us busy throughout the year,” he added further.

“At the Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway, we cater to a varied list of clientele, ranging from corporates to social gatherings,” stated Sujeet.

“For Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway, corporates play a key role in meetings and conference bookings.

We have hosted several residential and non-residential corporate events such as seminars, annual days, trainings and team get together. We have been receiving great reviews and feedback from corporates who have conducted their events with us.

The main comeback points for them is the quality of food and beverage and the service standards Holiday Inn brand has on offer,” elaborated Varun.

“Holiday Inn Chennai’s beautiful hall is also perfect for weddings and social events.

Some of the events that we have already conducted are birthdays, anniversaries, kid’s first birthday, pre-wedding functions and so on. People are booking us because of the extra effort our team puts in to make guests’ event extra special. We have dedicated resources to take care of guests’ needs. There have been instances that a guest attends a relative’s event and has come back and booked us for their events.

One of the reasons for choosing us is also that we are a new venue, which many people have not seen. Our guests love the ambience and the overall experience at the hotel,” he noted further.

“At The Corinthians Resort & Club, wedding is our major source of revenues from banqueting. We are known for destination weddings. This is followed by the corporate sector and MICE,” disclosed Rao. Yes, banqueting is becoming more popular across the Indian hospitality industry, but one cannot be laidback in its operations. It is vital to keep up with the current food trends while focusing on quality of ingredients and on perfectly executed cooking methods to make banqueting business in India a success story. n

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f e a ture

When Personality is the

Theme

By Swarnendu Biswas

can come from different walks of life) are being showcased in the ambience and décor of the given restaurant to generate interest among the consumers in general and among the renowned person’s fan following in particular.

Succinctly, in a personality-based restaurant, the ambience and décor should reflect the market image or work or memorable events and/or items or all of them together associated with a given personality. Ideally, the market image and/or work and/or memorabilia of a renowned person in a personality-based restaurant should not only be reflected in the ambience and décor of the restaurant, but also in its menu, in its live performances

T

he Indian restaurant business is complex, nuanced, challenging and interesting. The Indian food service business these days is not only hopping from one exciting trend to another, but is also imbibing different and often conflicting trends at a given point of time. This reflects not only maturity but also hugely diverse nature of restaurant guests in our country, which of course, is natural, considering diversity is an integral part of India’s essentially pluralistic cultural fabric.

One of the interesting developments that we are witnessing to germinate in the fast evolving Indian food service business, and which has immense potential to develop as a full-fledged trend in the industry in the near future, is the reality of personalitybased restaurants.

Projecting the Image It is not easy to define a personality-based restaurant, but here I would like to make

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an attempt towards a rough description.

Personality-based restaurant can be construed as a restaurant where the market image and/or work and/or memorabilia associated with a renowned person (who

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

if any, and in other facets of the given restaurant, if possible. In the personalitybased restaurants, the central theme is the personality of the renowned person who could be a celebrity too.

Aug-Sept ’17

Creating Kitchens with

Finest Equipments Best International Brands Under One Roof This is a very nascent development in the Indian restaurant business. Two such apt examples of personalitybased restaurants in the context of the Indian food service industry a re t h e two G a ra m D h a ra m Dhaba Te Theka outlets, located in Connaught Place and Rajouri Garden. Both these localities are in Delhi.

Umang Tewari

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Innovative Developments

Garam Dharam restaurant brand is inspired by the renowned Bollywood star of yesteryears, Dharmendra, who was splendid at action roles and also good at loud 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. In 2015, when the first Garam Dharam outlet came into being, it was hugely uncommon in the Indian food service industry to have a restaurant themed on a Bollywood personality. It still is.

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

Movie posters and dialogues and records of popular movies of Dharmendra are part of the décor, as is the replica of the famous Sholay motorbike with side car. The rustic and down-to-earth ambience reflects the projected image of Dharmendra in most of his films. The cuisine on focus at Garam Dharam, as expected, is pure north Indian.

As discussed before, there is another Garam Dharam outlet at Rajouri Garden, which also 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 decor.

Some of the interesting names of the items of the menu of the restaurant chain are also reminiscent of Dharmendra’s films.

The family naan is named as the Mai Balwan Family Naan, the Shalgam Gosht dish is named Mere Humdum Mere Gosht, Masala Tandoori Jhinga is named Jheel ke Uss Paar, and Makki di Roti Sarson da Saag seasonal dish is named Mera Gaon Mera Desh. The restaurants also serve desi mocktails.

The Connaught Place outlet of Garam Dharam was opened in September 2015 and the Rajouri Garden outlet became reality in 2016.

Then there is Calendar’s Kitchen by Satish Kaushik in Ra j o u r i G a rd e n , w h e re t h e popular Bollywod comedian and director Satish Kaushik’s screen personality has been showcased as the theme of the restaurant.

In the popular so called sci-fi film of 1987, Mr.India, Satish Kaushik Praveen Patni

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f e a ture

played a memorable comic character who was called in the screen as ‘Calendar.’

The still images of Satish Kaushik’s many screen roles are part of the multi-cuisine restaurant’s ambience. When this writer visited the outlet, he tasted lip smacking Murgh Malai Tikka, Dahi Ke Kebab and Mutton Rogan Josh. The mocktails were also delightful.

In Bandra, Mumbai, there is a Salman Khan inspired restaurant named Bhaijaanz.

It is probably the first famous personalitybased restaurant in India. Of course, the décor of the restaurant has immense influence of Salman Khan’s screen persona, with stills and posters from his movies being an integral part of the character of the restaurant. Currency notes with their serial numbers corresponding with Salman’s films’ release dates can be construed as an interesting facet of the restaurant. A balcony at the restaurant simulates the star’s balcony at his home, where he comes out to greet his fans.

is inspired from their idol,” explained Umang Tewari, the Chairman and Founder of Big Fish Ventures. Big Fish Ventures has several restaurant brands within its ambit, which includes Garam Dharam among others.

According to him, the success of Garam Dharam has been greatly contributed by Dharmendra’s enduring popularity across the country.

“Garam Dharam outlets have become popular dining out choice for Delhites.

Both the restaurants generate an average footfall of about 200 per day. The unique concept has been appreciated by many,” Tewari observed.

“We are taking the Garam Dharam brand further to enhance our presence in the market. We are planning to open a dhaba version of Garam Dharam in Murthal in Haryana, on the very famous GT Karnal

road,” informed the savvy entrepreneur.

However, many in the Indian food service industry are not very much enthusiastic about the idea of the personality-based restaurants, particularly if they are not backed up by great food and great service.

“Restaurants based on personalities & not on food tend to have a very short life,” asserted Rajesh Khanna, F&B Head, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa. “Furthermore, there is lot of money involved in opening of these types of personality-based restaurants, and though their ROI in the beginning is likely to be impressive but after 2-3 years, it has potential to drop with the decrease in the craze of these types of restaurants. Only the quality of food and the service can make the restaurants’ image enduringly good or bad in the market. If you want to have a restaurant with long life; good service, good food, good ambiance, and good marketing are few tools to keep the restaurant moving ahead,” Khanna elaborated.

Praveen Patni, the Vice-President of Ambrosia Bliss, the huge and classy 280seat restaurant in Connaught Place, also sounded his critical views about restaurants where a given personality is the focal theme.

“The idea needs more detailed execution,” he said. Patni rightly believes that for personality-based restaurants to achieve its business objective among today’s savvy consumers, the direct interaction of the personalities concerned with the guests is necessary. “Just the presence of the images of celebrities in terms of ambience and décor would not suffice to draw additional crowd after a point of time,” Patni pointed out.

Of course, showcasing various facets of

Gauging the Potential One can say that if personality-based restaurants are carefully and exhaustively developed with the right amount of detail and with active involvement of the personalities concerned, without compromising on the quality of food and service, then they have chances of being enduring success stories in the fast evolving Indian restaurant business.

“Associating a famous name with your restaurant brand can have positive impact as people can instantly connect with that famous personality and moreover, fans naturally get drawn to visit the place that

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f e a ture the personality or her/his works through the restaurant’s ambience and décor is a necessary condition for personalitybased restaurants, but by no means it is a sufficient condition for the enduring success of personality-based restaurants.

such an adventurous enterprise.

Extending the Purview

Direct Involvement O f co u rs e, a cco rd i n g t o Pat n i , t h e personality-based restaurant would draw its own set of guests if its food, service and ambience are great, but in the same breath he maintained that “the restaurant would not generate extra crowd due to its association with a celebrity after a point of time, if the involvement of the celebrity’s persona is only confined to the ambience and décor. However, the royalty cost, over and above the other day-to-day costs of running the personality-based restaurant, would continue.”

And how the direct involvement of the celebrities can take place? For example, tomorrow there comes a restaurant themed on Madhuri Dixit. Ideally, in that restaurant (let us name the restaurant as MD), the Bollywood diva should not only be represented through stills of her movies, and film posters and huge cut outs, but from time to time (say once a month), the great Madhuri Dixit should also ideally come to the restaurant concerned too and chat, laugh, eat and overall mingle with the guests.

It is better if the dates of her coming to the imaginary restaurant are not announced beforehand, as then everyday people would be induced to visit the place with the hope of meeting and personally interacting with the diva. The personality-based restaurants should tailor their contracts with the celebrities in such a way that the direct interaction of the celebrity with the guests is part of the guest expectations.

Challenges Offered One of the challenges of developing a personality-based restaurant, according to

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Rajesh Khanna Patni, “would be to match the ambience and décor of the entire place with the stature of that personality.”

“The restaurant has to exude the essence of the renowned personality concerned. It should be evident in a single look that who the inspiration is behind the concept, and getting that right does get challenging,” affirmed Tewari while adding, “attention to detail is fundamental for the success of any personality-based eating out venture.” He elaborated in this regard. “Take the example of the replica of motorcycle from Sholay at Garam Dharam. Little details that remind of that famous personality is a must to incorporate into the overall theme of the place,” he expressed.

Furthermore, different celebrities may be idolised by different segments of people. For example, the universe of people who would be besotted with the raw sexuality of Sunny Leone is expected to be different from the universe of the people who would idolise the nuanced acting talent of Shabana Azmi, though there is every likelihood that there may be many people who would belong to both these distinct universes.

What I mean to say is that the former universe would be much greater and have mass appeal, and the second universe is only likely to have market appeal among classy and aesthetically inclined people.

In this regard, Patni pragmatically suggested that entrepreneurs or would be entrepreneurs thinking of coming up with personality-based restaurant/s “should do considerable prior R&D to clearly gauge which particular segment of the population they are catering to.”

The ambience, décor and food should of course, be also dependent on the guests’ profile and not only on the basis of the concerned renowned person’s personality. This is another challenge that the entrepreneur or the future entrepreneur needs to keep in mind before embarking on

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

It is seen that the few personality-based restaurants which have come into being in the Indian food service industry till now, only showcase living personalities. One can also have personality-based restaurants on deceased iconic personalities like Tagore or RD Burman, etc. where their pioneering works can be showcased through the ambience and décor. The scope of live performances is also there in such restaurants.

Fo r exa m p l e, i n a Ta g o re t h e m e d restaurant, eminent literary figures and Rabindrasangeet singers can be invited from time to time by the management of the restaurant concerned. They can host erudite discussions on Indian literature, do poetry recitals or give musical performances. Of course, such a restaurant would attract only a refined type of crowd, and it is preferable that such a restaurant be a fine dining restaurant focusing on authentic Bengali cuisine.

Similarly, in a RD Burman themed restaurant, talented young singers who are wanting to make it big in Bollywood can be invited to perform RD Burman’s songs.

This type of restaurant could be a fine dining or a casual dining one, as this type of restaurant would attract mixed crowd.

However, it is preferable if such a proposed restaurant is a multi-cuisine one, with focus on Mumbai food.

Conclusion Overall, we can infer that personalitybased restaurants do have potential to succeed as people in India have a strong tendency to hero worship and they shower their adulation on their idols liberally and consistently. However, they can succeed only if the food and service of these restaurants are great or at least good and are in line with the theme and guest profile of these restaurants concerned.

Without great food and service no amount of fancy concept can salvage a restaurant project in today’s India. And even if the food and service are impeccable, the concerned personality-based restaurant is not likely to draw additional crowd solely because of its personality-based theme in the long-run, if the influence of personality concerned in the given restaurant is only reflected through its ambience and décor, without any live interactions with the guests. n

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PROFILE

Presenting Pure Food from the Earth

By Sharmila Chand

Nilesh Palresha is the Executive Director of VTP Group, a business conglomerate operating for three decades. It is renowned in the construction industry. He spearheads three verticals i.e. VTP Realty, VTP Foods and VTP Ventures.

Nilesh is a Mechanical Engineer from Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (VIT) Pune, and he also has a MBA degree in Family Managed Business (FMB) from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai.

A homegrown company, Earth Food, an entity of the VTP Group, has taken the concept of ‘Farm to Fork’ seriously to make it into reality. The company aims to change the concept of farming, leading to residue free environment.

Earth Food is producing its own ‘residue free’ vegetables. The company has 206 acres of land near Pune where this farming is done.

Earth Food makes its produce reach the end-users in the hygienic and healthy way. Earth Food offers an impressive range of fruits and vegetables that are grown in the pure form, without the influence of harmful chemical fertilisers or pesticides, and they are sold to the customers without adding preservatives and synthetic food enhancers.

The company offers both exotic and Indian vegetables like iceberg lettuce, broccoli, Pok choy, zucchini, French beans, lady finger, green chilli, etc. The excerpts of the interview follow:

What are the distinguishing features of Earth Food?

Earth Food is known for residue-free products, minimally touched by human hands. The long time lag between the harvest and the buying time, transportation in unhygienic conditions, multiple human touches are the problems that VTP Foods is t ry i n g to a d d ress w i t h t h e i r b ra n d

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Earth Food.

Earth Food’s fruits and vegetables are harvested, inspected and get packed on the same day. Moreover, they are transported in a hygienic manner, and involve minimum travel time.

Earth Food has been using latest technology for farming, where there is less of manpower and more of technology.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

What is the business model like?

We have established a farm to fork business model involving minimum human handling of the produce. We maintain the top quality that we promise. At Earth Food, we take our produce very seriously. All our vegetables and fruits are grown at our own farms that follow healthy and most hygienic practices for the entire year.

Aug-Sept ’17

PROFILE

We are highly affordable for all the classes. We are present in all leading retail outlets across Pune and also offer home delivery service of our produce.

Please tell us about the technology involved in Earth Food’s production From easing workload of farmers to saving them from venturing into challenging conditions to monitor crops, technology is changing the way we do agriculture.

At Earth Food, we have adopted modern technology like green house, mulching paper, drip irrigation system, fertigation, ifm-integrated fertilisers management, ipmintegrated pest management, residue free production, packaging material,global gap standard pack house, trace-ability code, reefer van, round the year production, rain water harvesting, high density plantation, contour farming, waste land utilisation, bio diversity, farm management software, farm waste management, etc., all of which are facilitating us to maintain our quality and serve customers healthy, wholesome and nutrition rich food for a good lifestyle.

Aug-Sept ’17

Please highlight your production process

What is the crop selection strategy of Earth Food?

We have designed a production process that complements our farm to fork policy.

Our entire process of production and distribution of produce involves crop selection, land preparation, seed selection, seed sowing, irrigation, crop growth, h a rves t i n g , g ra d i n g a n d p a c ka g i n g , transportation and reaching of retail outlets/customers. During production, we practice GAP or Good Agricultural Practices for farming and post harvest the produce is sorted, graded and packed hygienically in our pack house and transported in the reefer van (where temperatures between 2 degree to 10 degree is maintained). This way we ensure the quality control and the freshness of our produce.

Crop selection is majorly dependent on the season and on the demand for a particular crop. Lately we have observed that people are willing to experiment with exotic fruits and vegetables, thus causing an increase in their demand. Climate and season play a major role in deciding the crop for sowing as certain crops can be grown in a particular climate and temperature only.

What is the pricing strategy you have adopted?

We have allotted the pricing at par with the Pune’s grocery market and we feel we are reasonably priced while at the same time positioning ourselves as a premium brand.

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What are the market expansion plans of the company?

Recently, we have acquired 200 acres of land at Belwandi, which is 100 km away from Pune. We are planning to expand from 300 to 1000 acres in the coming three years. In our expansion plan, we will dedicate 50 percent land to fruit plantation and 50 percent to vegetable plantation. Additionally, we h ave re ce nt l y s te p p e d i nto re g u l a r vegetables and masalas, where we want to expand more.

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AGRI

The Spice of Life

By Swarnendu Biswas

W

ithout spices, the art and science of modern cooking cannot be comprehended. They can be construed as the edifice and as well as facilitator of a plethora of dishes. Dried form of any plant substance, which can be seed, fruit, root or bark or other parts of the plant, which are used primarily for flavouring, colouring or preserving food, fall under the definition of spices.

Black pepper, asafoetida, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, clove are some of the important spices having extensive culinary applications. Saffron is the most expensive spice on earth.

Many spices are also endowed with antimicrobial properties and their usage in food can prevent many infectious diseases.

In the realm of food & beverages, spices can mask unpleasant smells in food and can help preserving the food and also in promoting its health quotient. Especially in the days prior to refrigeration and cold storage, the role of spices was even more crucial towards preservation of the flavour of food.

The Aromatic Legacy The recorded history of spices can be traced to 2500 BC, and by 2000 BC, the spice trade developed throughout South Asia and Middle-East. In ancient Egypt, in Mesopotamia, in ancient India and in ancient China we can find the reference of spices in written records. In Rig Veda we find reference to various spices. According

46

to McCormick Science Institute, papyri from ancient Egypt in1555 BC classified coriander, fennel, juniper, cumin, garlic and thyme as health promoting spices. In fact, one of the reasons for India’s economic affluence during the ancient times can easily be attributed to its huge reservoir of spices.

Since time immemorial, India was considered as the haven of spices. For many millennia, the Arabs controlled the spice trade till the Portuguese discovered a sea route to India, in the late 15th century.

In the Europe of the middle ages, spices were much in demand and were extremely expensive.

Soul of Indian Cuisine The rich history of spices is complemented by its promising present and future.

According to Wikipedia, the application of spices in cooking can take various forms; they can be chopped, ground, roasted, or used whole, they can be sautéed, fried, and be used as topping.

It is common knowledge that the role of spices is not only essential but is central to Indian cooking. Indians have been using spices and herbs for millennia, for both culinary and health reasons. Spices are the soul of Indian cuisine. Without black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and other many spices we cannot even conceive many traditional Indian dishes. In India, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are

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the major growers of pepper and Jammu & Kashmir tops the list among the saffron growing states of the country.

The widespread culinary applications of spices in Indian cuisine range from a plethora of curries to beverages to desserts.

From rogan josh to butter chicken to khicri to kadhai panner to kheer to lassi the use of spices in Indian dishes is virtually omnipresent.

Let us take the example of saffron. Only a pinch of saffron can make a perceptible difference to many Indian dishes. Saffron can enhance the quality of two wonderful Indian dishes – biryani and kheer. In fact, rice pudding with pistachios, cashews, raisins and saffron in the right measure can make for a heavenly dish. The taste of halwa can be enhanced through sprinkling of saffron. Saffron lassi can also be a delicious beverage.

Besides extensive usage in main courses around the world, spices are also used in the preparation of soups, barbecue sauces, and pickles.

Myriad Health Benefits Spices not only facilitate taste, flavour and preservation of food but many of them are also spruced with several health benefits.

In fact, the health benefits of spices are too extensive and exhaustive. Here we would talk about some of the many health generating spices. For example, anise seed has antioxidant properties and is a good

Aug-Sept ’17

AGRI source of vitamins and iron, potassium, copper and manganese. It also facilitates in boosting the immune system and in improving the skin quality.

Ca rd a m o m a l s o h e l p s i n l owe r i n g blood pressure and facilitating digestion.

It is also spruced with healthy dosages of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, iron, manganese and potassium. Black pepper, the most popular spice in the world, can contribute towards reducing inflammation and controlling blood pressure.

Its antioxidant properties facilitates in preventing cancer. Fenugreek seeds have healthy dosage of minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients and dietry fiber, which make their infusion in dishes a healthy proposition.

Saffron can boost immune system and effectively tackles wound infections. It facilitates red blood cell formation and can play its role in reducing blood pressure.

Saffron comprises many plant-derived chemical compounds which are known to possess anti-oxidant and health promoting properties. The carotenoids present in saffron are shown in studies to have anticarcinogenic properties. Saffron is a good source of copper, potassium, manganese,

Of course, these are only a few of the healthy facets of these spices. Moreover, there are many other healthy spices, spicing up the dishes since ages.

Spice it Up! iron, calcium, selenium, zinc and magnesium.

Re d u c i n g i nf l a m m at i o n , m a n a g i n g diabetes, improving heart health, and facilitating in preventing cancer are some of the health benefits of cinnamon.

Turmeric has an active ingredient named curcumin, which according to studies can facilitate to prevent cancer, decrease inflammation in the body, and have other beneficial impacts.

According to a website on nutrition, clove is a good source of vitamin-K, vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), vitamin-C and riboflavin. It also has impressive amounts of beneficial minerals which include iron, potassium, manganese, selenium and magnesium. Furthermore, intake of clove in right dosages can help get relief from indigestion and constipation.

Clove is also spruced with vitamin A and beta-carotene in good quantities.

In these health conscious times, Indian restaurateurs should encourage the usage of spices in their food and dispel the prevailing misconception among some niche elite sections of our society that Indian food with its influence of myriad spices, is by and large, not good for health.

Besides accruing other health benefits from spices, chillies used in spicy food can help you reduce weight, facilitate in preventing cancer, and in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. They can also facilitate you in lowering the blood pressure. Of course, like in everything else, moderation in the use of spices too is necessary for preserving health.

So it is about time for many more Indian restaurants to come up in the Indian food service industry by highlighting their creative usage of spices as part of their marketing policy. They can also be aptly named like Cinnamon or Coriander. Is the industry listening? n

We supply wide varieties of Imported and Indian Dairy products like Grana Padano, Parmigiano, Gouda, Edam, Feta, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Emmental, Mozzarella, Whipping Cream and all type of Italian and French Cheeses.

We also offer varieties of Frozen Meat products.

uesobest

K-316/8, Lado Sarai, New Delhi - 110030 Phone: 011-41771687, Mobile: 8512834040, 8826368992 Email: sales.quesobest@gmail.com Web.: www.quesobest.com

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BAKERY

The Delectable World of

Cupcakes

C

upcakes, as the name suggests, are delightful cakes presented in cup form. “Cupcake is a small cake designed to serve one person, which is baked in a small thin paper with icing and topped with other decorations,” said Rijo George, Bakery Chef, The Chocolate Room Ahmedabad.

Sanjay Browne, Executive Sous Chef, The Grand Vasant Kunj, New Delhi said, “A cupcake is a small cake baked in a cup, shaped and served with different flavoured icings such as vanilla, chocolate and red velvet.”

“These days cupcakes are offered in varied tastes and textures and hence, one cupcake is far different from the other one.

The Chocolate Room has a lot of variety of cupcakes to offer such as Banana Cup Cake, Rich Chocolate Cup Cake, Chocolate

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By Sharmila Chand Chip Cup Cake, Oreo Cup Cake, Red Velvet Cup Cake, Kit-Kat Cup Cake, Vanilla Cup Cake, Strawberry Cup Cake, Orange Cup Cake and Fern Cup Cake,” added Rijo George.

Ingredients What exactly makes a cupcake? Undoubtedly, the basic ingredients comprise flour, a rising agent (yeast, baking powder, or baking soda), and eggs. Each of these ingredients bears a specific significance to the cupcake’s structure and preparation. If you want them light, then Chef Nilesh Kumar, Sous Chef (Pastry), Park Hyatt Hyderabad suggests to use curd instead of

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butter while preparing the batter for the cupcake.

“One of the key aspects of a n y c u p ca ke i s maintaining the r i g h t text u re of the cake itself,” he emphasised.

“The cake must be moist enough so that it doesn’t taste dry in the mouth. The level of sweetness should be just right to better complement its frosting,” affirmed Nilesh Kumar.

“The cupcakes prepared in our bakery

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BAKERY

“I feel fondant cupcakes are making their way into the realm of cupcakes even though fondants have been prevalent over a decade for baking cakes. Apart from sweet flavoured cupcakes, people are now interested in savoury cupcakes which can be had during breakfast and dinner as well.”

Sanjay Browne, Executive Sous Chef, The Grand Vasant Kunj, New Delhi are made from T65 grade (one of the finest grades of flour used for baking) flour, which is imported from France. The variety and flavour of our cupcakes are unique and something that one would not find anywhere else in the city. We offer 7-8 varieties of cupcakes which include, red-velvet, salted-chocolate caramel, chocolate fudge, chocolate nougat and a few more,” Nilesh Kumar explained further.

“The flour forms the weight of the cupcake and brings in the spongy texture. The egg binds the ingredients together. The rising agent is crucial to bring about the right form. These are the basic ingredients which are essential for the vast majority of cupcake preparations. If you wish to create interesting variations, then you need other ingredients as well. For example, a red velvet cupcake has a complete different flavour, richness and texture. Moreover, the frosting on the red velvet cupcake is flavoured with cream cheese rather than the usual frosting with vanilla extract,” Nilesh Kumar expressed.

Challenges in Making Cupcakes “​ Baking perfect cupcakes can be a challenge if proper attention to details is not given. Also, while baking cupcakes people might find it deflated post baking, that happens due to over mixing. One must not ‘over do’ the batter and should keep the consistency of the ingredients intact,” said Sanjay Browne.

“The challenge is to get the right proportion of each ingredient

“Give a gap of at least an hour between the time you take out cupcakes from the oven, and the time you need to frost them. Even if they feel cool on the top, they could still be retaining heat on the inside. Any residual heat in the cupcake can ruin your perfectly piped frosting.”

Nilesh Kumar, Sous Chef (Pastry), Park Hyatt Hyderabad

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BAKERY and set the batter right. The temperature of the oven is also crucial. It has to be accurate or else the cupcakes can collapse when they come out of the oven. Too high temperature of the oven or too much baking soda can also cause problems​ while making cupcakes,” explained Rijo George.

For Nilesh Kumar, it is the baking temperature that is the most important yet the most challenging aspect of getting the perfect cupcake. “No matter how perfect portions are and how fine your ingredients are, if the cupcake is not baked in the right temperature it will become heavy and form a crack on top of the cake. One also needs to be careful while pouring the batter in the tray to ensure you get the perfect size, shape and texture and to avoid over or under cooking,” he proffered.

Frosting and Other Tips

“The trick is to let all ingredients come to room temperature before baking.

All ingredients incorporate into batter much more easily if they are at similar temperatures.”

Rijo George, Bakery Chef, The Chocolate Room Ahmedabad

“Wait till the cupcake cools down. Many

cupcakes are ruined when you apply the frosting too soon after removing the batch from the oven. To retain the moisture of the cake, you need to ensure that the entire top of the cake is covered by simply dipping the cupcake upside down in a bowl of frosting. If you want to try the swirly frosting, you can use cheese cream instead of butter cream. To get the right flavour, consistency & texture, equal portions of cream cheese and whipped cream have to be blended with the desired flavour of the cream,” elaborated Nilesh Kumar.

“While baking cupcakes, it is essential that we follow some instructions in order to bake those perfect cupcakes. We should use the best available ingredients, we should not over mix the mixture, we should pre-heat the oven, and we should always try to bake in the centre of the oven,” asserted Sanjay Browne. n

Recipe by Chef Sanjay Browne, Executive Sous Chef, The Grand Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Margarita Cupcake Ingredients: 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp lime zest ¼ Cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 medium limes) 2¼ Cups cake flour (not self-rising) 1¼ Cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder 1¼ Tsp salt ½ Tsp baking soda 1 Cup buttermilk 1 Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 2¼ Cups sugar 3 Eggs Method: 1 Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners and set aside.

2. Zest the limes and set zest aside. Juice 1/4 cup lime juice and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

4. Combine the buttermilk and lime juice in a large measuring cup with a spout. Set aside.

5. Combine the lime zest, butter, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat them at low speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy; for about 1 minute if the butter is soft. If the butter is cool, it will take longer. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping the bowl after each addition, and waiting until all

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traces of each egg have disappeared before adding the next one.

6. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with adding the wet ingredients in two parts. Keep the mixer at the lowest speed, and mix each time just until the ingredients are combined. When everything has been added, scrape the bowl and paddle one more time, and stir the batter just until it’s smooth. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes and stir gently before using.

7. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full and bake until the tops of the cupcakes are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center of a middle cupcake comes out with just a few crumbs; for about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pans before removing to a rack to cool completely.

8. Decorate with butter cream and garnish with citrus candy.

Tequila Lime Butter Cream 3 Teaspoons of lime zest 6 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 3 Cups unsalted butter, at room temperature 6 Cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 6 Tablespoons of tequila 2 Teaspoons of lime oil ½ Cup sour cream 1. Zest the limes and set zest aside. Juice limes and set aside.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Start with the mixer at the lowest speed, and then gradually increase the speed, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl as needed, until the butter is

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light in colour. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth.

3. Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix at the lowest speed. When all the sugar has been added, scrape the paddle and the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the tequila, lime juice and zest, and lime oil, and beat them at low speed for 15 seconds. Increase the speed to as high as you can without making a mess and whip the butter cream until the mixture is perfectly smooth, creamy, and light; for about 5-7 minutes.

4. Keep in the refrigerator to settle down and set. When you are ready to use it, let the butter cream come to room temperature.

For Candied Citrus Peel: Peel limes and cut into ½-by-2-inch strips.

Place peel in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain and rinse with cold running water. Repeat the process two more times, using fresh water.

In a separate saucepan bring the sugar and water to a boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add the blanched citrus peel. Bring syrup and peel to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook peel until tender and translucent in colour; for about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Cool slightly; remove peel with a slotted spoon or tongs.

Lay peel on a wire rack to cool—placing a cookie sheet or parchment paper beneath the wire rack for easy cleanup—then toss in sugar until well-coated. Transfer candied peel to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 20-30days.

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51

bEVERAGE

Health Floats in Drinks

By Swarnendu Biswas

I

ndia’s health drinks market is showing impressive potential. Growing health consciousness and the increase in disposable incomes in the urban Indian society during the last decade can be attributed to this trend. The fast-paced lifestyles of this post-modern age have also contributed to the need for health drinks, drinks which can give you energy and health and can even refresh you, without taking too much of your time.

Th e i n c re as i n g c ra ze fo r f i t n e s s , w h i c h i n c l u d es g row i n g d e m a n d fo r weight management solutions and a growing interest for an active lifestyle too, especially among the upwardly mobile section of urban India, has also fostered the demand for protein drinks in the country. The growing health consciousness in India is reflected

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by the fact that overall, India is among the fastest growing markets for health drinks.

A Buoyant Market In India, malt-based beverages, which are fortified with nutrition, are also commonly known as health drinks. No wonder, in 2015, India was the largest market in the world for malt-based hot drinks.

“The focus on functional health benefits has allowed India to become the world’s largest market for malt-based hot drinks with 1.1 billion USD retail sales during 2015, with room for additional growth,” noted Euromonitor International in its report.

“By 2020, India is expected to account for 47 percent of global malt-based hot drinks retail volume sales, up from 41 percent in 2015,”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

the report noted further.

Marketing initiatives such as age segmentation, combined with continued g row t h i n G D P a n d p o p u l at i o n , a re expected to contribute to an 8 percent retail volume CAGR for malt-based hot drinks in India during 2015-2020, up from the 7 percent CAGR for 2010-2015, the report stated.

According to the report titled ‘India Malted Health Drinks Market Overview,’ which was published in May 2016, the malted health drinks market is one of the rapidly growing dynamic markets in food services sector in India.

According to the same report, India's malted drink market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 17.4 percent for the next

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bEVERAGE

based health drinks floating in the Indian market, Horlicks has major share.

In fact, India’s association with health beverages is not that recent. Horlicks, the renowned malt-based health drink, a product from GSK Consumer Healthcare Ltd., was introduced in India as a dietary supplement by the British, towards the end of World War-II. Some other important players in the health drinks segment in India include Danone, Nestle, Mondelez, and Amul. six years. “Owing to urbanisation and increased income of people, south India has the largest market share in malted drinks, followed by east and north,” observed the report presented by Research & Markets. Furthermore, according to the report of a renowned portal, the maltbased drink market in India has grown by 10 percent in 2016 over its previous year and by 22 percent from the 2014 figure.

Karnataka and West Bengal account for around 22 percent of the health food drinks market in India. Among the malt-

Detailed Segmentation India’s health drinks market or more specifically nutritional supplement drinks market not only shows huge potential but is also tailored to various consumer preferences. In the retail market, one can find health drinks targeted at the kids, health drinks for adults and also health drinks for the whole family. For example, PediaSure and Junior Horlicks

are targeted at the kids; according to the website of GSK Consumer Healthcare, Junior Horlicks was launched in India in 1995, and it is scientifically designed to meet the specialised nutrition needs of toddlers between 2 to 6 years of age.

In fact, Junior Horlicks offers tailormade nutrition in two stages — Stage 1 for fussy toddlers and Stage 2 for active nursery going children, in both chocolate a n d va n i l l a f l avo u rs . S ta g e 1 J u n i o r Horlicks has nutrients known for brain development and weight gain, and Stage 2 Junior Horlicks has key nutrients for height gain and immunity. According to Abbot's website, PediaSure is a nutritional drink that complements a healthy diet for kids who are behind in growth.

Wo m e n ’ s H o r l i c ks i s focused on women above 30, Bournvita is a general health drink, Horlicks Lite is more suited for

Refreshing Juice, Fresh Feel Bold & Spicy like Last Night

Newch Laun < Made with premium, quality ingredients

160 ml

200 ml

300 ml

600 ml

< Pack of twenty four, 160 ml. per can

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

< 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, Jam etc.

SHAMSONS FOODS 100% Vegetarian

An ISO 9001 : 2008 Certified Company

RAI.No. : 10015064000531

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

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

Formely

Dealers Enquiries Solicited for Institutions

Aug-Sept ’17

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53

bEVERAGE

adults. Protinex Grow from Danone India is specially targeted at the kids and adolescents, whereas Protinex from the same company is targeted at the adults.

The recently launched Protinex Grow has been specially formulated for second growth spurt in an individual that occurs between 8-15 years. It contains nutrients for a healthy height gain, weight gain and immunity.

This segmentation in the market for health drinks in the country is the sign of its maturity. It also indicates the evolution of the overall retail consumer behaviour in India.

A Happening Scenario Of course, health drinks need to be spruced with the essential nutrients to attract the discerning consumers of today’s day and age. For example, Protinex from Danone India is a high-protein and low fat nutritional supplement with vital nutrients to support immunity, lean body mass and good health for adults.

According to Danone India’s website, Protinex is fortified with the right amounts of carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and zero trans fats. Furthermore, Protinex is also easy to digest and is rapidly absorbed by the body.

Lately the market for health drinks in India is showing lots of action. MILO, from Nestle, has made a re-entry in the recent past in a ready-to-drink format. It entered Indian market in 1996 and was discontinued a decade ago. MILO in its new avatar is a ready-to-drink cocoa-malt milk beverage, crafted specially for growing children. In its first innings in India, MILO was introduced in powdered form.

Speaking on the launch of MILO, Arvind Bhandari, General Manager, Dairy, Nestlé

54

India Ltd. said, “The MILO brand encourages participation in sports from an early stage in life. MILO believes that sports help children imbibe life values that are critical for personality development and help set the foundation for a successful future.”

France-based Danone SA also did come up with Protinex Grow in February of this year. On end February of this year, Danone announced expansion plans in India’s family health-food-drinks (HFDs) segment with the launch of Protinex Grow — a health drink especially formulated for people between 8-15 years.

As was ex p e cte d , P rot i n ex G row was launched initially in India in the markets of Karnataka and West Bengal.

Danone SA is aiming for more than Rs. 250 crore revenues from its family health drinks business, in the next three years. In fact, Danone India is expecting to garner 5-10 percent of the family health drinks market in India.

Commenting on the launch, Rodrigo Lima, Managing Director, Danone India said, “The launch of Protinex Grow is a unique innovation in the family health fo o d d r i n ks ’ s e g m e nt t h at addresses the specific protein requirements of children during the second growth spurt.”

Besides highly renowned brands like Horlicks, Boost, Complan, Maltova, Bournvita, Amul Pro, Protinex, there are now a plethora of other brands crowding the health drinks segment in India. Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. has also entered the health drinks segment with Powervita. Sri Sri Ravisharkar's Ojasvita is another player to watch out for.

Succinctly, with more competition coming from Nestle and Danone SA, the leadership position of Horlicks brand from GSK Consumer Healthcare in the fast evolving India's health drinks market may

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face some challenge in the near future.

Role of the Industry This is the opportune time for the food service industry of India to explore the growing demand for health drinks in the country, and provide malt-based drinks w i t h n u t r i t i o n a l s u p p l e m e nts at t h e restaurants in a big way, in a dedicated manner. These malt-based health drinks shouldn’t be confused with fruit juices, w h i c h a re ra m p a nt l y s e rve d a c ro ss restaurants. There can easily be a section in more and more restaurants’ menus across India, dedicated to healthy maltbased beverages.

Of course, Chefs need to prepare different kinds of malt-based hot health drinks than Horlicks or Boost or Protinex, etc., with different recipes, for the food service outlets. The consumers would not be interested to come all the way to a restaurant to have the same or even similar health beverages as they can get in a retail shop. And of course, the health drinks served at the restaurants need not only be healthy, but taste delightful too. It would be better if healthy maltbased beverages across restaurants in the country cater to diverse age groups, and are not much costlier than their retail counterparts.

In fact, the time has come for good fine dining restaurants, whether they be stand-alone properties or housed within five-star or four-star or three-star hotels in the country, to come up with the concept of health bar; bars which would only serve hot and healthy malt-based beverages, spruced with nutritional supplements.

Ideally, the restaurants should have some drinks especially tailored for the needs of the diabetic and obese clientele too, without compromising on the nutrition factor.

These types of bars could run parallel to the regular bars in restaurants, and this writer is quite sure that they too would attract sizeable clientele like the regular bars, in our increasingly health conscious India. In fact, many of the guests who do not have alcoholic beverages may opt for these malt-based health drinks instead of a regular mocktail. n

Aug-Sept ’17

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;17

Winterhalter India Pvt Limited Plot No. 269, Sector 7, IMT Manesar 122050, Haryana.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review Toll Free 18001035913 www.winterhalter.in info@winterhalter.in

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THEME CUISINE

The Aromas from the Valley

By Sharmila Chand

K

ashmir is not only known for its breathtaking scenery but also for its mouthwatering cuisine. Kashmiri cuisine stands apart in its taste as well as in its presentation.

Spices like cardamom, fennel, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and saffron are essential elements of Kashmiri cuisine. Dry fruits are also used extensively in different Kashmiri dishes, especially in preparing curries.

The liberal use of spices infuses warmth and flavour to Kashmiri curries. There is a kind of pungency in the taste due to the use of mustard oil. Also desi ghee is liberally used in preparing dishes from the valley. In Kashmir, curries have curd as one of their primary ingredients. Curd is also used as a marinade for kebabs in Kashmir, which adds lot of depth in the flavours.

What makes many Kashmiri dishes distinctive is the fragrance of spices like saffron and anise. The famous Kashmiri red chillies are less pungent than the regular ones but they have the potential to perk up many a regular dish.

from fish, chicken and lamb.

The Head Chef supervises the entire preparation and is called vasta waza who is assisted by a team of Chefs called wazas.

The term Wazwan is derived from two words, waz meaning cook or cooking and wan meaning shop in Kashmiri language.

Some wazas carry forward their family tradition of cooking Wazwan.

The meal starts with the ritual of Tash-tnaer that is washing of hands of the guests with the attendants taking around a jug and a basin. The Wazwan platter is supposed to have seven mandatory dishes.

Ta b a k h m a a z o r Q a b a r g a a h — Barbecued lamb ribs prepared with milk,

Elaborate Wazwan One of the highpoints of Kashmiri cuisine is a multi-course elaborate dining extravaganza called Wazwan. It is said to have as many as thirty-six courses comprising both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The non-vegetarian items are usually prepared

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Chef Firdous Ahmad Dar

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

butter and ground spices.

Rista — A spicy gravy preparation of meat balls where the ingredients of the gravy include fennel, saffron and paprika.

Damiwal Korma — A preparation of lamb roasted with spices, onion puree and yogurt and garnished with coriander leaves.

Rogan Josh — One of the signature dishes of Kashmiri cuisine, it is a lamb gravy, ingredients of which include asafoetida, Kashmiri chilies, yogurt, ginger and bay leaves.

Goshtaba — A preparation of meatballs in spicy yogurt gravy.

Marchhwangan Korma — A preparation of chicken thigh or leg pieces that is cooked with a spicy onion sauce.

Aab Gosh —A chunk of lamb prepared with thickened milk, cardamom and fennelbased spice mixture.

Besides these seven delightful dishes, Yakhni, a mild dish of yoghurt-based mutton gravy, predominantly seasoned with cardamom seeds, bay leaves and cloves, which is savoured with rice; Shab Deg, which is prepared out of meat and turnip simmered overnight; Dum Olav or Dum Aloo, a luscious potato dish prepared using yogurt, fennel, different hot spices and ginger powder; and a purely vegetarian dish called Lyodur Tschaman made out of cottage cheese that is prepared in creamy gravy based on turmeric, are some of the

Aug-Sept ’17

THEME CUISINE

Recipe

By Master Chef Firdous Ahmed Dar at The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi Nadru Yakhni Serves 6

other culinary highlights of Kashmiri cuisine.

Traditional Breads of Kashmir The scenic valley is renowned for a number of traditional bakery products. One can find at least one traditional bakery shop, which is known as as Kaandar or Kandur in every colony or locality of Kashmir.

Bakery shops across Kashmir have different kinds of breads for different seasons. They have golden brown crusts and are topped with sesame and poppy seeds.

Two popular breads of Kashmir, which are flaky and crisp and topped with sesame and poppy seeds are Tsochvoru and Tsot.

They are small in size and round in shape.

Other popular breads from Kashmir include kulcha, which are small, round, dry, hard and crumbly breads that are embellished with a peanut in the upper middle part; lavasa or lawaas, a large, thin, unleavened flat bread made with maida which can be either crispy or soft; sheermal or krippe, a dry crumbly bread generally served with kehwa; and roth, a huge bread of around 1 m in length and 2 ½ m in width, which is more like a Kashmiri dry fruit cake.

A Kashmiri Bakerkhani is very special and is generally eaten hot, as a breakfast item. It is a spiced, thick, roundish flatbread having almost a biscuit like texture that is crisp with a hard crust; layered and

Menu Planning

By Master Chef Firdous Ahmad Dar at The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi Soup Mutton yakhani shorbha Starters Non-veg Tabak maaz Mutton seekh Chicken shammi kebab Trout fish (fish fry) Vegetarian Nadru ke gular Tandoori chaman (paneer) Chutneys Pyaz ki chutney Akhrot ki chutney Pumpkin chutney Main Course Mutton rista

Aug-Sept ’17

Nat yakhani (mutton) Mujh gard (fish) Kukad dhaniya korma Tamater paneer Nadru yakhani Haak saag Kashmiri rajma Rice Mutton biryani Kashmiri gucchi pulao Desserts Suji halwa Phirni Meetha pulao Drinks Zaffrani kahwa

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Ingredients Lotus Stem 500 gm Yoghurt 500 gm Cardamom, big 15 gm Cardamom, green 10 gm Cinnamon 15 gm Onion paste 50 gm Desi ghee 30 gm Saunth powder 10 gm Dry ginger powder 10 gm Water 250 ml Method: • To make the onion paste (pran) chop onions and fry it with some salt and grind the paste once the onion is browned and cooled • Peel the lotus stems and cut them to small pieces. In a pan, heat some ghee, add cardamom and cinnamon and then the lotus stems. Add water and cook the stems.

• In another pan, heat the remaining ghee and add saunth powder, ginger powder, cardamom and onion paste.

Saute on slow fire to cook spices.

• Add the yoghurt and let the curry come to a boil. Now add the cooked lotus stems, salt and cook for 5 minutes, and yakhni is ready. sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Teas from Kashmir Kashmiri tea has an exclusive touch to it.

Kashmir has two types of teas namely noon chai or sheer chai, and kahwa. The former is the most popular beverage of the Kashmiris who drink tea heavily.

The noon chai where noon means salt in Kashmiri language, is made of black tea, salt, milk and bicarbonate of soda. The tea gets its pink colour from the distinct style of its preparation and of course due to the use of soda. This tea with breads is a part of the breakfast of many Kashmiri households.

Kahwa, a popular drink of Kashmir, is a green tea prepared with different spices, walnuts or almonds, and saffron. There are more than twenty varieties of kahwa. It is customary to serve this tea at religious places, festivals and at marriages. n

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R est a ur a nt

Tastes for all Seasons

By Sharmila Chand

S

easonal Tastes, a signature all-day dining restaurant at The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi, offers an array of global cuisines featuring oriental cuisines from Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Thailand, and also Continental and Indian dishes.

Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner and ala carte dining all-day at this pleasing destination. Seven live cooking stations, an interactive open kitchen and live juice bar are well equipped to keep the guests entertained as custom made-to-order requests are prepared by the Chefs.

The restaurant has also introduced revamped Bubbalicious Sunday Brunch with an array of global cuisines, unlimited flow of sparkling champagne and foot-tapping entertainment.

Kashmiri Food Festival The restaurant is hosting an exclusive Kashmiri Food Festival where one may find

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Master of Wazwan Master Chef, Firdous Ahmad Dar brings with him an extensive culinary experience in Kashmiri cuisine.

Firdous belongs to a family which is popularly known for its culinary art in the Kashmiri cuisine. With over four generations of expertise, the family’s forte lies in the artistic cooking of Wazwan.

Owing to the family tradition, Chef Firdous learnt the art of Wazwan cooking from his forefathers while he finds his true inspiration in his mother’s recipes.

His best signature dishes include rogan josh, rista, goshtaba and shammi kebab. He thoroughly enjoys cooking gucchi (morels), a rare and expensive Kashmiri ingredient that is mostly prepared on special occasions.

Chef Firdous and his family’s culinary authenticity and strong knowledge of Kashmiri cuisine has led them to curate menus and feasts for high-profile guests and events, which include Bollywood celebrities, politicians and diplomats.

Chef Firdous still loves indulging in food like rajmah, chaawal, baingan, saag, nadru, mutton, halwa and meetha chaawal specially prepared by his mother. He is also a firm believer in exceeding expectations of his guests without compromising on the quality of the food.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Aug-Sept ’17

R est a ur a nt “It is the richness in taste and the authenticity of the ingredients that make this traditional cuisine so exquisite. Kashmiri Food Festival at Seasonal Tastes in The Westin Gurgaon promises to take guests on a culinary voyage where we look to create an exclusive experience curated by Chef Firdous. He comes from a family popularly known for its culinary art in the Kashmiri cuisine; having an age-old tradition of Wazwan cooking.”

Chef Deepak Bhatia, Complex Executive Chef, The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi & The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa

aromas and tastes wafting from the valley of Kashmir. The festival is titled Dawat-EWazwan and it is being held during 7th-20th September 2017. Renowned Master Chef, Firdous Ahmad Dar of Kashmir, along with his two Chefs, takes the diners on a culinary voyage to experience the authentic taste of the Kashmiri cuisine.

Master Chef Firdous crafted a signature menu of Kashmiri delicacies for this food festival. He used authentic ingredients and spices such as saffron, cloves, fennel, Kashmiri gucchi, shallots, and Kashmiri red chilies.

Innovations That Will Change The Way You Cook

One of the most popular preparations at the food festival is the Wazwan, which is known to be a multi-course meal. Its preparation is considered a culinary art.

Wazwan is a high point in Kashmir’s rich culinary legacy.

The food festival offers an extravagant buffet with multiple non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes to choose from. The traditional feast includes some of the best signature Kashmiri dishes like Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Rogan Josh, Haaq Saag, Yakhani Gosht, Touz and Goshtaba; specially curated by the Master Chef.

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“The Kashmiri food festival at Seasonal Tastes of The Westin Gurgaon has a lot to offer for the guests. The delicacies have been prepared with ingredients that have been sourced from the heart of Kashmir to give an authentic experience to our guests. What sets Kashmiri food apart from other cuisines is its preparation process that is nothing less than an art.”

Ashwani Nayar, Multi Property General Manager, The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi & The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa

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Aug-Sept ’17

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59

che f voice

Connecting Through Tastes

By Sharmila Chand

Chef Mark Philipose, the Executive Sous Chef at Sheraton Grand Pune Bund Garden Hotel, began his career with The Oberoi Group and then went on to work with the Jaypee, and Clarks Group of Hotels.

During his continually distinguished career, he has had the distinction of also working with renowned hospitality properties like Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Thailand among others. He also has experience of working in Canada, at The Raging Olive, a Mediterranean restaurant. The excerpts of the interview with the seasoned Chef follow: What inspired you to enter the culinary field?

I was born and raised in Kolkata where a culturally diverse upbringing inspired my love for cooking from a very young age. I grew up eating my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional South Indian dishes.

Since high school, I began gaining interest in food and its cooking. My elder brother was a Chef with the Taj Group of Hotels and that inspired me to become a Chef as well.

I was 17 when I decided to pursue my passion for cooking by enrolling in IAM Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata.

What is your philosophy of cooking?

I believe that food is the best way to connect people with each other. My passion is for healthy, simple and yet delicious cooking. I love sharing food-related stories with people around me.

What has been the most rewarding moment in your career?

There have been quite a few rewarding moments but the one memory that comes first to my mind is that of a regular guest at my hotel who used to very often relish & devour my food. He handed over a Blue Label Whiskey bottle to me as a token of appreciation on his last day in India. It was a pleasant surprise & I felt greatly rewarded & acknowledged at that moment.

Kindly talk about a challenging situation in your career that you tackled successfully Once we had an outdoor catering for 8000 people, where we had eight counters.

There was an accident where the trolley toppled and seven of our stations were left with no food. None of the dropped food could be salvaged. At that point we faced a huge challenge, but we had to overcome it. All the Chefs rendered a hand and we were able to make the food again & in time.

What are the most important factors

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for a thriving career of a Chef?

Sheer commitment to work and faith in your company will help you thrive long in your career.

What is your definition of success, professionally?

Combi oven is my favourite equipment.

Who is your favourite diner?

Every guest is special to me.

What is your hot selling item?

Grilled salmon served with bernaise sauce and fondant potatoes.

It is something you feel proud of having achieved with sheer hard work & commitment. Once you attain success, money will come.

I believe that being busy at work can spark creativity.

What is/are your professional strength/s?

Talk about an important lesson learnt in the kitchen

My family in the hotel & my family back at home. Both drive me towards delivering and being my best.

Expect the unexpected and be ready for a busy day.

What would you count as your professional weakness?

Being emotional is not always the best thing.

How do you de-stress yourself?

Sipping cups of green tea, and spending time with my family help me to de-stress.

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

I think sincere is the word which defines me best.

How do you perceive your journey as a Chef?

I learn something new every day, as learning is limitless.

What is favourite cuisine?

Lebanese cuisine is my favourite.

What is your favourite spice?

It is cinnamon.

And what is your favourite dish?

It is Lebanese mezze.

What is favourite equipment?

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

What is your philosophy of work?

If it were the last meal on earth, what would you choose?

A home cooked meal.

Where would we expect to see you 10 years from now?

Hopefully, then I would be dishing out food from my own restaurant.

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

Chefs in India have begun to gain popularity. Television shows and increasing live interaction with Chefs in restaurants have given us some recognition.

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

Getting quality ingredients, working with inexperienced entry level associates and achieving targets on time are some of the important challenges in our industry.

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

I wo u l d re co m m e n d u nwave r i n g commitment and perseverance in achieving a successful career in this field.

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;17

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61

D ESIGN

Restaurants by Design

By Sharmila Chand

I

t is well-known that today’s high-end eateries in the Indian food service industry need more than great food and excellent services to make a lasting impression on their customers. This is not only true for fine dining restaurants but also for casual dining restaurants across the Indian food service industry, especially those outlets which are located in metros and other big cities of the country.

Classy restaurants should provide not only pleasant but also wonderful experiences which can remain in the memories of patrons for a long time to come. And in this endeavour, design of the restaurants plays a crucial role.

Let us have a look at some top restaurant design trends in the Indian food service industry, which are making huge impacts in contributing to the dining experience.

decorated in a contemporary Japanese manner, creating a visual effect of serenity and relaxation. The artistic integrity of this world-class Japanese restaurant facilitates the guests to a spiritual and a purifying experience; involving all the senses,” affirmed Khanna. “ O u r ce l e b rat e d w o r l d c u i s i n e restaurant Zing is young and bright, with a poolside view. It serves international cuisine. It is our all-day world cuisine restaurant featuring an international platter,

Designing Excellence “Every aspect of restaurant’s ambience and decor, including walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, lighting, and even the music can contribute towards the dining experience,” stated Rajesh Khanna, F&B Head, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa. “Our Japanese restaurant Sakura is

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Rajesh Khanna

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

set to tantalise the taste buds,” he pointed out. He informed that Zing had live cooking stations.

“At our Banjara, the multi-cuisine re s t a u ra n t , d e co r b l e n d s w e l l w i t h cuisines. It has a 22 ft. high ceiling with a hundred and sixty-degree view to curate a memorable dining experience,” informed Sanjay Solanki, F&B Manager, Goldfinch Hotel Mumbai.

Prevailing Trends Khanna cited a few trends, which according to him, are some of the top restaurant design trends pervading through the Indian food service industry. “Innovative design concepts not only place restaurants distinctly from the crowd but they give customers a wonderful experience from the moment they step in at the restaurant to the moment they leave with memories,” proffered Khanna who believes that the design of the restaurant should relate to its culinary focus.

“A beautiful painting, an intriguing sculpture, a dramatic mural, digital art, graffiti or a famous quote on a wall—these are eye-catching design elements that tell a story and cause memorable emotional

Aug-Sept ’17

D ESIGN

Gautam Chaudhry responses which are expected to help in engaging customers,” Khanna offered.

“Furthermore, ambient lighting such as pendant lamps, recessed mood lighting, and customised lights create a sophisticated and alluring atmosphere that attracts customers and add to their dining experience,” aired Khanna.

Khanna also voted for open kitchen.

“This trend of open kitchen is several years old and still going strong, in the realm of Indian food service industry. It blurs the lines between the front and the

back of the house. An exposed kitchen has nothing to hide & also serves as a source of entertainment for patrons, who get to see how a restaurant kitchen operates and how their food is being made,” he elaborated.

Acco rd i n g to S o l a n k i , a m o n g t h e restaurant design trends that are making huge impacts in contributing to the dining experience in the Indian food service

International Food, Drinks & Food Service Exhibition

industry is concept-based restaurants, where the cuisine served in the restaurant and the interior of the restaurant gel well.

“Use of ambient lighting, which is very important while dining, use of simple technology in designs and at the same time having casual and chic design in restaurants are some of the prevailing restaurant design trends in the Indian restaurant business,”

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Aug-Sept ’17

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D ESIGN

Solanki stated.

Tushar Jain, Co-Founder, The Minnions Café, Delhi, also talked about some hot and happening restaurant design trends in the Indian food service industry. “Themed outlets, unique and creative idea of serving, catchy spots at the outlets and unique cutlery and crockery are some of the trends which are making impacts in contributing to the dining experience in the Indian food service industry,” he conveyed.

Gautam Chaudhry, Managing Director, Demiurgic Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. also gave his expert observations on restaurant design trends, which are pervading through the Indian food service industry. “Usage of soft colours is an ongoing restaurant design trend in the Indian food service industry.

Soft colours are soothing and create a pleasing atmosphere. Another happening trend is ambient lighting. Surroundings in the restaurant can be made more lively with the use of ambient lighting. It helps establish a co-relation between aesthetic and food,” he elaborated.

According to Chaudhry, themed or concept furniture is another important restaurant design trend of the Indian food service industry, of the present times. “It provides an opportunity for the restaurant to showcase the theme properly.

Furniture is usually planned keeping in mind the comfort of the customer,” Chaudhry averred.

According to him, appropriate music in sync with the theme of the restaurant, and staff uniform reflecting the theme and image of the restaurant are other

64

Tushar Jain happening trends in the Indian restaurant business that are contributing to the design element of the restaurants.

Pragmatic Tips Khanna also gave a few tips to enhance restaurant’s design and décor. “It is crucial to create an atmosphere in your restaurant that is conducive to the type of food that you serve, as well as to the types of customers that you attract. Every detail in your action should contribute to the restaurant’s ambience,” opined Khanna.

For example, the design of the restaurant should also be extended to its menu. “Take a look at your menus. Do they reflect the atmosphere of your restaurant or just words written on a paper?” questioned Khanna with relevance.

Similarly, cutlery and crockery of the restaurant should be part of its design

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

elements. “The dishes, silverware and linens, etc. at the restaurant should add to the restaurant’s ambience and decor.

Using mundane white plates and polyester napkins will contribute towards dampening the atmosphere. Think about what types of plates and glasses would support your restaurant concept and add something different to the dining experience,” he elaborated further.

“A restaurant should understand its guests' sitting requirements, for example, whether they are comfortable sitting in open space or private tables. Sitting makes a huge difference while dining,” proffered Solanki.

He also rightly emphasised on cleanliness.

“No matter whichever design and decor we use until cleanliness is not our priority then nothing could be highlighted through design in the restaurant,” Solanki noted.

Chaudhry also gave some tips to enhance restaurant’s design and décor. “There should be a touch of green in the restaurant’s decor; it gives a feeling of freshness and serves as an essential part of the décor. Use of wood should be there in the restaurant design.

Wood has the potential to absorb noise and gives a soft feel to the space. And most importantly, the restaurant’s design should do justice to its concept. The restaurateur needs to provide a link between the concept of the restaurant, food, theme and décor,” he elaborated.

Jain gave three tips on enhancing the restaurant design. “Focus on simple elegance, have some quirky elements in the design, and make it youth-friendly,” he asserted. n

Aug-Sept ’17

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65

HYGIENE

The Recipes for Safe Food

By Jyotismita Sharma

From having the right equipment and sinks in the kitchen to preventing pest infestation and washing the ingredients in the right manner, maintaining hygiene in the kitchen and offering food safe for consumption demands attention to small details and sticking to a great deal of routine and discipline 66

J

ust having recipes and all the ingredients necessary to prepare sumptuous food may mean nothing for a commercial kitchen unless one adds the ingredient of food safety in generous measures.

In fact, to avoid food contamination, one needs to create a complete safety eco-system in the kitchen. From having the right equipment and sinks in the kitchen to

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

preventing pest infestation and washing the ingredients in the right manner, one needs to pay attention to small details and maintain a great deal of routine and discipline every single day to ensure food safety in kitchens. A small error of judgment in following the scheduled routine can result in food contamination and loss of loyal customers for a commercial kitchen.

In India, the issue of food contamination

Aug-Sept â&#x20AC;&#x2122;17

Planning to Installation Commercial KITCHEN & REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENTS

has high potential of emerging as an unwelcome reality time and again, largely due to general lackadaisical attitude towards lack of proper hygiene and infrastructure here.

“Commercial kitchen requires a minimum 2,000 sq. ft. space for production and delivery, which is missing from most of the restaurant kitchens in the Indian food service industry. It is important for the kitchen staff to understand the issues linked to safety,” said Ashutosh Jha, Associate Vice President, F&B, R&D & Implementation, TGI Fridays India, an American casual dining restaurant chain.

And can the restaurants in India be expected to maintain impeccable hygiene in the kitchen when they are found wanting in keeping even the bathrooms clean? The answer is no, according to Ashutosh Garg, Director Operations, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pune-Chinchwad.

Ashutosh Jha

Aug-Sept ’17

But those who are serious in the food business cannot afford to ignore the food safety measures for they know that guests come to the restaurants not only to eat good food, but also to feel good, not otherwise. Taking note of the poor hygiene standards, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already made clear its intention to make restaurants follow hygiene norms without fail.

H e re we wo u l d fo c u s o n h yg i e n e standards which need to be adhered to while washing vegetables and hygiene standards which are needed to be maintained while handling animal products.

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Washing Vegetables Washing vegetables in the right way could be key to serving healthy and hygienic food in a restaurant. According to Garg, vegetables also pose a risk of crosscontamination.

The Food Safety Information Council, a not for profit organisation in Australia, explains that cross-contamination can happen when bacteria from the surface of raw meat, poultry, seafood and raw vegetables (such as unwashed potatoes and other root vegetables), are transferred onto ready-to-eat food products, such as leaf and vegetable salads, rice or pasta salads, cooked meats, poultry, seafood, or even fruits.

But that does not mean one should wash vegetables with soap and detergent.

Instead, the kitchen staff should follow the process of washing vegetables with clean filtered cold water.

A vegetable brush can be used to help wash away hard-to-remove microbes

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

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HYGIENE

Ashutosh Garg from vegetable produce having thick skin.

Vegetables with nooks and crannies like broccoli, cauliflower, or lettuce should be soaked for one to two minutes in cold clean water.

“Use only clean potable cold water to wash vegetables,” Jha cautioned, while adding that water rinse method is effective for all fruits and vegetables. “However, s o m e ty p es of ve g eta b l es , i n c l u d i n g broccoli, lettuce leaves, or spinach, often require additional attention and cleaning,” he pointed out. “ H oweve r, i f yo u h ave p a c ka g e d vegetable produce labeled ‘ready-to-eat,’

‘washed’ or ‘triple washed,’ there is hardly any need to re-wash such vegetables,” he informed.

For fruits and vegetables that have a skin, it is better to wash them before the peeling process. Also, do not forget to remove the stickers on fruits and vegetables before washing even though they are made of edible paper. It is recommended to remove them to ensure that the part underneath the stickers also gets cleaned.

However, the whole exercise can go waste if you do not keep your hands clean.

Use warm, soapy water to make sure that your hands are clean before handling any vegetable produce.

“Cut away any damaged or bruised areas of your vegetable produce. Bruises and cuts can allow pathogens to enter the fruit or vegetable,” Jha said.

Having different sinks for vegetables and animal products is also an important facet of maintaining hygiene in the kitchen.

Similarly, cutting boards for vegetable produce, raw meat, fish and poultry should be all separate. Moreover, you should also keep your counter top, cutting boards, and utensils free of dirt and dust.

to grow. Bacteria can also quickly spread between the food handler’s hand and meat.

So when it comes to preparing any type of meat, fish, or poultry, washing hands frequently is a must.

To prevent the spread of bacteria, it is also important to use different cooking material while preparing meat. One should also be careful about not placing readyto-eat food on a surface used to keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. In fact, all work surfaces, not just equipment and utensils, should be cleaned and sanitised after each task involving raw meats, poultry or sea food.

According to Jha, it is better to separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other food products after receiving and placing them in sealed containers/plastic bags to prevent their juices from dripping

Handling Animal Products It is important to safely handle and store all types of meat as they can provide the perfect platform for many types of bacteria

Food Contamination in Brief According to Jha, food contamination happens when something gets into food that should not be there. While several circumstances might lead to food contamination, most of the food contaminations fall under one of the four categories — biological, chemical, physical and cross-contamination.

Biological Contamination: Biological contamination happens when bacteria or toxins contaminate food. Bacteria can be found everywhere and therefore biological contamination is a common cause of food poisoning and food spoilage. A food handler has to control the spread of harmful bacteria by maintaining food safety. Some of the most common places for bacteria to grow are: • The human body • Dust • Raw meat • Pets and pests • Air • Kitchen cloths; and • Food handler's clothing Chemical Contamination: Chemical contamination occurs when food comes into contact with harmful chemicals.

Physical Contamination: Physical contamination can occur due to deficiency or absence in personal hygiene. Sometimes when a food is physically contaminated, it can also be biologically contaminated. This is because the physical contamination might harbour dangerous bacteria, for example a fingernail.

Cross-Contamination: Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria and/or pathogens are transported from one object to another.

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

onto other food. Their raw juices may contain harmful bacteria. The same rule should be followed while storing them in the refrigerator. Using cutting boards of different colours for different produce could be an easy but effective way to prevent cross-contamination.

While handling raw meat, poultry or seafood, food handlers should also maintain strict personal hygiene. They should wear clean clothes and should not keep any wound, however small it may be, open.

Practices like proper hand washing, hand care and glove use are as important as reporting illness, and covering wounds.

However, washing vegetables and fruits the right way or following all the rules necessary for safe handling of raw meat, poultry and sea food alone may not prevent food poisoning. One must pay equal attention to other measures such as pest control and using water free of any contamination. These issues need separate exploration… n

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69

HEALTH

Contamination of Eggs in India Dr. Saurabh Arora

G

enerally speaking, most poultry farms in India follow poor rearing practices.

There is every likelihood that many of them could be using contaminated feeds or using feed ingredients without any knowledge of their nutritive content which can eventually negatively influence the quality of egg production. Unhygienic rearing practices and neglect of quality control measures in poultry farms can easily lead to egg contamination. It is not just the poultry farmers but traders, exporters and even the end consumers in the country are often unaware of the lesser known health risks of egg contamination.

Developed countries take measures t o s t e r i l i s e t h e e g g s u r fa c e f ro m contamination, especially from Salmonella Enteritidis. In India, such measures have widespread absence and thus the risk of egg contamination is high in our country.

I n d i a h as b e co m e a l e a d i n g p o u l t ry producer but the potential to make an impact in the global markets with its poultry products is not very bright as the quality of its poultry products in the country often does not meet international standards. Indian eggs are often rejected for export because of the presence of chemical residues on egg shells.

Recently, a number of eggs in the domestic market were collected and tested and were found to contain large amounts of salmonella, both on the shell and inside the egg. However, fresh eggs collected from farms indicated less salmonella contamination. Since most consumers in India buy eggs from retail outlets, their chances of contacting salmonella infection is far from negligible. Rampant lack of food safety procedures, improper storage facilities and poor transportation are some

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of the other causes of deterioration in eggs' quality in India.

The FSSAI has proposed standards for fresh eggs in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2017. These standards will come into force once they are approved. The FSSAI has laid down parameters, which state that the eggshells must be free of blood rings, must not be soiled or have faecal matter and they must not be cracked or leaking. FSSAI has laid down the amount of water, protein, fats and carbohydrates that eggs must contain as also the hygienic parameters and hygienic controls, like time and temperature that must be observed during production,

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processing and handling, which includes sorting, grading, washing, drying, treatment, packing, storage and distribution to the point of consumption.

Furthermore, FSSAI has laid emphasis on the storage conditions like moisture and temperature so as to reduce microbial contamination as microbial pathogens are a risk to human health.

Having Safe Eggs A number of surveys have been conducted which suggest that consumers have less awareness of food safety risks of eggs as compared to other food products. Many people will follow the hygienic practices when handling chicken, meat and fish but

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HEALTH

will overlook the recommended hygienic practices for eggs.

It is not a wrong observation that people in general do not wash their hands after handling eggs or even after breaking raw eggs when cooking. This is probably because of the simplistic perception that eggs are generally safe. They could be safe to intake only if they have been cooked properly, which means that they must be cooked till their yolks and whites develop firmness. Dishes that contain eggs as ingredients must reach an internal temperature of 160 degree Fahrenheit. It is the requisite temperature for destruction of salmonella through cooking.

Besides cooking eggs thoroughly, there are other food safety practices that you need to follow when handling eggs, in order

to prevent cross-contamination. Some of which are following: • Egg handlers must wash their hands with soap after handling raw egg/s and also clean surfaces and utensils with soap which have come in contact with raw egg/s during their handling of egg/s.

• Containers that have been used to process raw eggs must not come in contact with other ready-to-eat food • Segregate eggs in the grocery bags

when shopping and in the refrigerator when storing them • Temperature of the refrigerator must be maintained at 33 to 40 degree Fahrenheit for storing eggs • If eggs are left outside after refrigeration then they need to be used within two hours or else they need to be discarded • Refrigerate eggs only after they have been washed • It is advisable not to eat raw eggs.

About the Author Dr. Saurabh Arora has invented a patented nano technology based delivery system for curcumin; the active constituent of turmeric. He has a number of national and international research publications and patents to his credit.

Heading the testing laboratory and research business at Arbro and Auriga for close to 10 years, he has designed and set up four state-of-the-art testing laboratories in New Delhi, Baddi and Bangalore.

He has also established Food Safety Helpline (www. foodsafetyhelpline.com), a one-stop solution for the people in the food industry to stay up-to-date with, and understand and implement the requirements of the Food Safety and Standards Act and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

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product previe w

Kitchen Cleaners

Facilitating Wine Storage

Inter Clean Solutions Pvt. Ltd. is one of the most proficient manufacturers, traders and suppliers of chemical products. Since its inception in the year 2013, the comany has been offering a wide range of quality chemical products like Hand C l e a n s e r, Ca r p et Care, Glass Cleaners, M a r b l e C l e a n e rs , K i tc h e n C l e a n e rs and many more.

Dish Cleaner of the company is concentrated liquid detergent for dish washing. Use it for quick and gentle cleaning of any utensil or food preparation products. All your crockery, cutlery and utensils will be left clean and sparking with the application of this product.

Multi Purpose Cleaner, another product of the company, is a concentrate multi-purpose cleaner, which can be used for hard surfaces in kitchen, walls, panels, tables, dishwashing, etc. It is extremely versatile, doing the job of various specific use cleaning products.

Inter Clean Solution Pvt. Ltd. ashish@interclean.in

KitchenAid has launched its much awaited Wine Cellar in the major appliances segment. Wine is the perfect partner for good food, and a KitchenAid wine cellar is the ideal tool to enhance the dining experience. This unique appliance brings all the features necessary for the perfect storage of up to 46 special bottles of wine.

In this wine cellar, three different t e m p e rat u re z o n e s allow you to store, cool and chamber different kinds of wines at the ideal temperature, in the same wine cellar.

These wine cellars are equipped with a special system that p rote cts a g a i n s t vibrations to guarantee optimum storage conditions. This system creates a barrier that prevents your bottles from experiencing any harmful vibrations, which could compromise their correct storage.

Moreover, in the in-vironment of this wine cellar, filtered air circulates continuously around your bottles to prevent mould growth and unpleasant odours.

The newly launched wine cellar of KitchenAid is endowed with UV-ray protection feature. This protects your bottles from sunlight, and its UV rays in particular; rays which can rapidly and irreversibly harm your wines through the oxidation of tannins. The automatic humidity control feature of this wine cellar monitors the hygrometric level to ensure the humidity remains constant inside the wine cellar.

The price of KitchenAid wine cellar starts from Rs. 2, 89, 990 and is available at select stores across India.

KitchenAid swati_j_oberoi@whirlpool.com

DESON for Hospitality Since the establishment of DESON brand in 2001, it has been innovating to provide highly superior quality products for the hospitality industry.

DESON’s range of products consists of three segments— live cooking stations, banquet furniture, and buffet display items.

Live cooking stations are customisable to the customers’ requirement to provide modules that can help cook and serve food and create a unique experience. Banquet furniture items include everything from tables and chairs to dance floors, trolleys, and lobby supplies.

Buffet display items include coffee cabinets, nesting tables, display units, mobile bars, buffet table articles, and much more.

Renowned hospitality chains like Hyatt, Marriott, Shangri-La, St. Regis, Ritz Carlton, Accor Group, Hilton and many more have understood, appreciated, and implemented the DESON range of products into their hotels.

DESON’s vision is to be creative and to make ideas into reality.

For this, DESON is continually modernising and have already patented multiple designs since its inception. DESON’s operations principle is to be professional, sincere, innovative, and original. With a team of knowledgeable professionals, DESON has the ability to understand what its customers require, build upon their ideas, add many creative elements to those ideas, and deliver a final product that becomes the focus of any hotel’s banquet.

DESON also provides after sale services to help train the hotel staff regarding maintenance and all related matters, pertaining to their products.

The brand believes that simplicity is beauty.

Soft Sensations Pvt. Ltd. raman@softsensations.net

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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 f l aw l e s s s h e e n , which can leave t h e o n l o o ke rs 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

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A d v e r t i se r ’ s Company

Page No.

agro pure capital foods pvt. ltd. bic akasa international 59 allied metal works 39 alimentaria 63 apple bakery machinery pvt. ltd.

10 aries acryware 14 awk steelwares private limited 05 BMS ENTERPRISES 43 cremica food industries ltd. FIC danfross 23 dhampure speciality sugars ltd.

11 fha 2018 71 food service (india) pvt. ltd.

61 FOOD SOLUTION INDIA LIMITED 07 hindustan refrigeration Stores 45 hotremai 69 jawla advance technology pvt 19 KING METAL WORKS 09 metal craft 15 METINOX INDIA 37 mkn india 33 MM FISHERIES PVT. LTD. 13 MOD KITCHEN EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD. 41 munnilal tandoors pvt. ltd.

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I n de x

Company

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nagpal brothers (regd) 29 neena enterprises 18 perennial Foods 24 pl & sons 73 plastindia foundation 65 quesobest 47 rajkiran kitchen equipment 67 rans technocrats (india) pvt. ltd.

31 remington steel arts 74 rational international india p. ltd.

16 SAVENCIA FROMAGE & DAIRY INDIA PVT. LTD. 17 servewell household appliances 21 shamsons foods 53 shapes products pvt. ltd.

76 soft sensations PVT. LTD. 51 solutionz consulting PVT. LTD. 75 STEC hotelware 49 TARINI HYGIENE (india) 18 The new india electric & trading co.

75 tropilite foods pvt. ltd.

35 unitas foods pvt. ltd.

12 VEEBA FOODS bc venus industries 01 winterhalter india pvt. ltd.

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