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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review
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E d i t o r i a l
Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma rajneeshhammer@gmail.com
Associate Editor Swarnendu Biswas Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Abhishek Singh Rathore Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Director Sales Sanjay Anand Mobile: +91 9811136837 Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Mobile: +91 9810315463 Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 45093486, 25704103 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093 Ph.: 022-28395833 Telefax: 022-28388947
Website: www.fbrmag.com E-mail: info@hammer.co.in © 2016 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher. Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 302, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Swan Press, B-71, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110 028.
The summer is arriving at a fast pace and in the scorching summers of India the lovers or even aficionados of alcoholic beverages would love to have beer to refresh their jaded spirits time and again. So it is apt that we have focused on this perennially popular beverage in the Cover Story of this issue, a beverage which not only has a rich history but also has a bright future in India. Here we have not only focused on India’s long association with beers, and the recent trends flowing through the Indian beer business, but we have also done a comprehensive categorisation of beers and showcased this drink’s several healthy facets. We hope our readers would enjoy reading through this piece, and also get valuable information from it. The Feature section of the issue primarily deals with innovative themes in the Indian restaurant business. Besides that, one innovative restaurant business model and one potentially environmentally-friendly, hygienic and cost-saving operational process have also been discussed in the feature. Some of the interesting themes discussed here may inspire the enterprising entrepreneurs in the Indian restaurant business, especially those who believe in thinking out of the box, to foray into innovative themes, models and operational processes. The profitability of coffee cafes in India is often impeded by the exorbitant rents and the prevalent consumer perception in India about cafes. The slight repositioning of the coffee cafes and bakery cafes operating in the country is required to address these challenges effectively. The growth and challenges involved in the coffee café culture in urban India, which is brimming with potential, is being explored through our Beverage section, and in the Profile section, we have covered the restaurant business of the nationally renowned restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani. The influence of global food & beverage preferences on Indian eating habits has paved in for greater popularity of fusion cuisine during the recent years, across the Indian food service business. The sumptuous world of fusion cuisine in the Indian food service industry is being discussed in our Theme Cuisine section by some experts. These are only some of the interesting topics covered in this issue, and the insights and opinions aired in them are complemented by the comprehensive information package of our News, Report and Events section. Together we hope our readers, like always, can expect to get the right balance of information and perspectives from this issue.
Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs. 90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Editorial Policy: Editorial emphasis in Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing institutional food & beverage business. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.
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Contents
Cover Story
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Departments
Say Cheers to Beer
Feature
Event
04
News
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Report
26
Restaurant Review
54
Chef Voice
56
Operations
58
Product
62
Product Preview
64
Interview
68
34
Exploring Innovations in Food Service
Agri
38
The King of Fruits
Beverage
40
The Coffee Cafe Culture: Growth and Challenges
Profile
44
Not Just Another Restaurateur
Pub
48
Blend it Like Brewbot
Theme Cuisine
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The Age of Fusion Cuisine
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event
Aahar 2016:
A Significant Platform for the F&B and Hospitality
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ahar International Food & Hospitality Fair 2016 took place at its regular venue of Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. This was the 31st edition of Aahar. Aahar is regarded as the largest fair in the food & hospitality sector in South Asia. The mega show for the food & beverage and hospitality industry took place during 15th-19th March 2016, during 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. The event was meant exclusively for the business visitors during 10.00 am6.00 pm on its first four days, and also during 10 am-2pm during 19th March. The event was open for the business visitors and as well as the general public during 2.00 pm6.00 pm, on 19th March, that is on the last day of the event. The just held event was spread across halls 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 14, 15 & 18. Besides these halls, the show was also spread across four Hangars —7A, 7B, 27 & 28. Overall, the show was spread across an area of 60,000 sq. m.
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Aahar 2016 was organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), and was supported by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (Govt. of India) and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority(APEDA). The associates of the recently held mammoth event for the food & beverage and hospitality industry were Association of Resource Companies for the Hospitality Industry of India (ARCHII), All India Food Processors’ Association, Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers’ Association of India, Food &Hospitality Support Association of India, and Forum of Indian Food Importers. About 1,001 exhibitors from India and abroad showcased their products in the show, which was a marked improvement from the figure of 872 exhibitors, who took part in Aahar 2015. 75 foreign participants from Canada, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, New Zealand, Pakistan, Poland, Taiwan,
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Spain, Thailand, Norway, Turkey, and USA took part in the fair. Around 50,000 trade visitors were expected to have visited the fair. At Aahar 2015, the number of visitors was 44,665. The recently held event did have some new initiatives, which included ITPO offering space to new and young entrepreneurs from India at 50 percent rebate, in accordance with the T&Cs. Over 46 such entrepreneurs showcased their products and services at the fair. Aahar 2016 was demarcated into two separate but concurrent exhibitions. ‘Hospitality India’ covered hotel & restaurant equipment and supplies and ‘Food India’ covered food, processed food & beverage products. Aahar 2016, like its earlier editions, had an exhaustive list of products on display. Some of the categories of products in the exhaustive list included fresh produce & dairy products; bakery products &
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ingredients; frozen, canned & processed food; meat, poultry & sea food products; snacks & convenience food; food additives and preservatives; syrups, juices & energy drinks; wine & alcoholic beverages; nonalcoholic beverages; coffee & tea; cheese and fine specialty food; food preparation equipment & supplies; bar equipment & supplies; stewarding, tableware & glassware products; refrigeration / chillers / freezers; kitchen support equipment; housekeeping products & supplies; fitness & spa equipment; in-room technology & entertainment; linen, furnishings, textiles, fabrics & apparels; bathroom fittings & fixtures; lighting solutions; security & safety solutions; guest amenities; furniture & interiors among others. Besides facilitating business, Aahar also provides a platform of great opportunity for the food & beverage and hospitality industry to disseminate/gather relevant information and gauge future trends, which can greatly benefit many trade visitors at the fair. The mega event for the food & beverage and hospitality industry is regarded as an effective platform for importers, overseas trade delegations and Indian players in the food & beverage and hospitality space, and also to policy makers and media personnel to exchange knowledge and information. The 31st edition of the show is also expected to be no different in fulfilling these goals. Especially, in the backdrop of the impressive growth potential for the Indian food processing and Indian food services industry, and with the need for technology and innovation becoming increasingly relevant for the success of hotels in India, the significance of a fair of international significance like Aahar is perhaps more crucial for the food &beverage and hospitality industry of the country, than it was ever before.
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event EVENTS’ CALENDER
Honouring Kitchen Innovators
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ontinuing its decade-long tradition of honouring the forward-thinking innovators of equipment and technologies that increase efficiencies and productivity for back-of-the-house operations and benefit restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association recently announced the recipients of the 2016 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards. Since debuting over a decade ago, the Kitchen Innovations Awards programme has changed the way the food service industry looks at equipment and technology. The 2016 KI Award recipients reflect the trends and topics most important to food service operators today. The 25 selected innovations address operator concerns ranging from labour, energy and water efficiency to food safety, sanitation,
cross-functionality and space-saving. “KI Award recipients exemplify the advancements from food service industry professionals that solve the complex challenges of day-to-day back-of-house operations,” said Lisa Ingram, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2016 and President and CEO of White Castle System, Inc. “Recognition by our esteemed independent panel of judges, who have a wealth of combined institutional knowledge, underscores the true innovation of the award recipients and their contribution to making our foodservice industry even better,” she added. Each recipient and his/her product will be showcased in the interactive Kitchen Innovations Pavilion at the NRA Show 2016, to be held from May 21-24 at McCormick Place in Chicago, US.
The Innovators The 2016 Kitchen Innovations Award recipients are: Beverage Air — Versa Cool Portable Walk-In Cooler Blodgett — Hoodini Champion Industries — Ventless Conveyor Warewasher With Heat Recovery Detecto® — Dump Commander™ Duke Mfg. — Modular Production Center Ecomarks Plastics — Quick Flip Pan Follett Corp. — Horizon™ 1010 & 1410 Ice Machines Franke Coffee Systems North America — A600 Espresso Machine Goodnature — CT7 Countertop ColdPress Juicer Hestan — CircuFlow Sealed Burner Kitchen Brains® — SCK® Food Safety Manager Manitowoc Foodservice —
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Merrychef® eikon® e2s Manitowoc Foodservice — Multiplex® N2Fusion™ Beverage System Meiko — GreenEye Nemco Food Equipment — RinseWell® RATIONAL — KitchenManagement System Restaurant Technologies — AutoMist Star Manufacturing — Rolling Tortilla Warmer Strahman Valves — HydroSwivel Sweeper Taylor Company — Advanced Grill Controls Turbo Coil — 72” Chef Base With Glycol/R290/R404A Refrigeration™ The Vollrath Company — Stoelting AutoVend System Vulcan — ABC7 Combi Oven Steamer Vulcan — Low Water Energy (LWE) Steamer WP Bakery Systems — ITES Oven
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EDT Expo 2016 23-26 March 2016 Istanbul, Turkey http://www.cnredtexpo.com HOTELEX 2016 29 March -1 April 2016 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, China http://www.hotelex.cn/ Expo GastroPan 2016 7-9 April 2016 President Expo centre, Targu Mures, Romania http://www.gastropan.com/ FHA 2016 12-15 April 2016 Singapore Expo, Singapore www.foodnhotelasia.com ANUFOOD Eurasia 2016 14-16 April 2016 Tüyap Exhibition Center, Istanbul, Turkey http://www.anufoodeurasia.com Alimentaria 2016 25-28 April 2016 Fira de Barcelona, Spain www.alimentaria-bcn.com SIAL China 2016 5-7 May 2016 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai,China www.sialchina.com Travel Catering Expo 2016 9-11 May 2016 DICEC, Dubai http://www.travelcateringexpo.com/ Thaifex — World of Food Asia 2016 25-29 May 2016 Impact Challenger & Exhibition Center, Thailand www.worldoffoodasia.com
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FHA 2016 to Boost Hotel and Food Business Expansion in Asia Food&HotelAsia 2016 (FHA 2016) – one of the most established and comprehensive food and hospitality industry event in Asia – is the premier platform for businesses looking to enhance networks and collaboration with regional and international industry players, as well as share and exchange best practices and perspectives with industry experts and peers. Food and beverage businesses looking forward to tapping the opportunities in the emerging Asian markets can use this platform to capture a share of the market by staying ahead of the latest trends and acting on it swiftly to capture the hearts of their consumers. More than 3,000 exhibitors from around the world are slated to showcase a range of the latest products and ingredients,
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equipment and supplies, and best-of-breed services at each of FHA’s six specialised exhibitions – Food Asia, Hotel Asia, Speciality Coffee & Tea, Bakery & Pastry, Hospitality Style Asia and Hospitality Technology – during 12th-15th April. To get holistic experience from the exhibition, attendees could also participate in the intense, prestigious competitions targeting professionals from specific groups and sectors of the food and hospitality industry. Attendees could also explore the various self-guided trails and check out the new Halal Supermarket; to be launched at FHA2016 for the first time. Held in conjunction with the exhibition, the FHA2016 International Conference will discuss key new trends in the hotels and resort management, food services and
Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review
food manufacturing industries. Delegates will also have the opportunity to learn more about the latest issues from industry thought leaders and experts at joint plenary sessions. To enhance the learning environment, five new workshops and two site visits have also been incorporated into the 2016 agenda. Debut of ProWine ASIA 2016 The demand for alcoholic beverages is on the rise across the region and international exporters are looking at Southeast Asian markets to grow their product lines. To help address these industry trends and provide a ‘taste’ of the wine and spirits industry in Asia, ProWine ASIA 2016, the newest addition to the established ProWein series, will be held alongside FHA2016.
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SIAL China 2016:
10 Top Events to Mark Asia’s Biggest Food Show From introducing the world’s best value-for-money wines to bringing the top F&B experts face-to-face, the event promises to provide Asian food businesses not just an excellent sourcing opportunity but also a platform to expand business network
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ith Shanghai gearing up to host SIAL China 2016 – Asia’s largest food and beverage show – from 5th-7th May, thousands of exhibitors and visitors from across the world are slated to once again make the Chinese city the centre of sumptuous negotiations and delicious discussions about food. In fact, the orgainsers expect a whopping 2,900 exhibitors and 66,000 visitors to throng the Shanghai New International Expo Center during the three-day food show. Besides offering the professional buyers and visitors products best fitting their sourcing needs, the show would also witness 10 top class events. These 10 events are : SIAL Innovation Thanks to SIAL Innovation, visitors will discover the grand awarded products of this edition, and the most innovative 2014 2015 worldwide products of all SIAL shows awarded at each SIAL, within the ‘World Champions Tour’ area onsite. La Cuisine Endorsed by World Association of Chef Societies (WACS), La Cuisine will provide the visitors a chance to meet the famous Chefs and watch the culinary competitions. Eight teams from Italy, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing and Shenzhen will compete for the champion of “China International Top Chefs Invitational Competition by SIAL”. In addition, Poland, as the Guest Country of Honor, will present the cooking demonstrations with their quality food materials during the show. Retail & Hospitality Forum Top level retail operators, consultants and experts will be invited to present talks on the latest hot topics at the Retail and Hospitality Forum. World Tour Served as a window to the world of retail and consumption on a global level, World Tour will identify the trends in major markets in the world covering the topics of consumption drivers in different markets as well as the latest retail initiatives. C h i n a N a t i o n a l S p e c i a l t y Te a
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Brewer Cup Endorsed by Café Culture and Australasian Specialty Tea Association (AASTA), China National Specialty Tea Brewer Cup honors traditions with brewing skills and carry on tea innovations by organising competitions during the show. For this year’s edition, the event will witness 32 contestants using different materials to explore the essence of tea. In 2016, Tea Master Class will also be launched during this event. Seafood Fest Organised by SIAL China in association with China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Association (CAPPMA), Seafood Fest offers a great chance for both visitors and exhibitors to exchange their views over aquatic products. Seafood Fest 2016 will invite wine masters and chefs to discover new ways of associating seafood and wines. Chocolate World Chefs from five-star hotels and renowned restaurants will join this event and compete for the laurel of chocolate sculpture. This event is expected to become a visual feast and will offer opportunities for the audience to appreciate the contestants’ state-of-theart dessert skills. In 2016, 14 sessions will be conducted in three days, including some famous and popular activities, like ‘Chef Show’ and ‘Tailormade Play.’ Wine Innovation Forum Positioned as the best wine educational event, Wine Innovation Forum provides
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visitors insights into the main international grapes varieties originated from Europe, New World and premium regions in China. Master of Wine, Tim Wildman will be the keynote speaker for this event. Other world renowned wine educators and commentators who are scheduled to speak at the event include Master of Wine, Kenichi Ohashi from Japan and sommelier Nikhil Agarwal from India, among others. Best Buy China Competition Here a jury of Chinese market specialists will conduct a blind tasting of the wines entered by the exhibitors and make the selection. The jury this year is a multinational team led by Tim Wildman. Master Classes This event is a central place for wine experts and wine lovers to converge together. With dedicated tasting rooms, Master Classes will help wine lovers to cultivate their tastes for quality wines. Organised by Comexposium Group, SIAL China is an integral part of the SIAL Network, the leading global network of shows dedicated to the food and beverage industry, with seven shows (SIAL Paris, SIAL Canada, Montreal and Toronto, SIAL China, SIAL Middle East, SIAL ASEAN Manila and SIAL Interfood in Jakarta) that bring together 14,000 exhibitors and 330,000 visitors from 194 countries. Visitor pre-registration system for the event is now online at www.sialchina.com
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The Great Bear: New Microbrewery in the Block Fresh beer lovers from Chandigarh and neighbouring towns now have reasons to rejoice as The Great Bear, a new microbrewery, marks its foray into the city. Promoted by Amritanshu, who has experience of successfully running popular microbrewery Hops n Grains in neighbouring Panchkula, this new microbrewery promises an altogether new experience to beer lovers and occasional drinkers alike. On offer are beers ranging from Golden Ale, Weiss (wheat), German Bock, and Brewer’s Special, with each having a distinct taste of its own. On the opening of The Great Bear in Chandigarh, Amritanshu said, “Most of the expansion of microbreweries has happened in metro cities like Bangalore, Gurgaon, and Pune. In fact, only a handful of states give allowance to the concept of microbrewery in their excise policy. Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai have opened their policy in the year 2015-16.We are among the early birds in Chandigarh and going forward we hope to see more activity in this niche area.” Designed by renowned architect Arun Loomba, the ambience of this brewery is very cool and relaxed with spunky interiors resembling the wreckage of large industrial house where the beer is being produced in-house. The table tops are fitted over old
style sewing machine tops and plumbing pipes. Then there is a shutter which gives an illusion of walking into a dockyard. As one moves outdoors, a green wall on both sides lights up the whole space. Besides beer and yummy food, a wide choice in the form of domestic and foreign liquors, single malts, all time favourite cocktails, smoothies like Twix and Oreo shakes and imported wines too are also available.
Meet Mister Chai Shangri-La’s - Eros Hotel, New Delhi recently celebrated the launch of Mister Chai, a first-ofits-kind tea restaurant, situated in the heart of the city. A delectable selection of fusion street food in India such as MTDC, Butter Chicken Samosa, Colaba Fish Fry Sandwich, Vada Pao to name a few were paired with an assortment of signature beverages consisting of Cutting Chai, Orange Ginger Punch, Masala Cola and more, which were served throughout the event. Personalised tea leaf readings were conducted by Delhi’s renowned tea leaf reader Neera Sareen, adding an engaging and exciting element to the evening hosted by General Manager of the hotel, Parmeet Singh Nayar. “Unlike a conventional tea lounge, Mister Chai is a dining destination in its own right. Here popular Indian street food has been re-invented and presented in an exceptional style. The menu is a kaleidoscope of regional dishes with a modern twist. Mister Chai is the perfect place to relax and enjoy international tea selection, traditional Indian chai or a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Mister Chai is all set to provide guests an authentic local teashop experience in the heart of the city’s business and entertainment district,” Nayar said on the occasion.
International Sushi Training Workshop The second edition of the International Sushi Training Workshop 2016, held in February at the picturesque Club Mahindra Resort Virajpet, in Coorg, Karnataka, focussed on pushing the boundaries of sushi as we know it. Organised by the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA) and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), the workshop saw training sessions and live demonstrations conducted by global sushi ambassador, Master Chef Masayoshi Kazato. The sessions were interactive, and acquainted trainee Chefs with the nuances of authentic sushi-making. The event was attended by 80 Chefs from across the country. Along with trainee Chefs, the guests staying at Club Mahindra Virajpet also got a chance to attend the demonstrations and enjoy the amazing spread of Japanese cuisine created during the workshop.
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New Whisky Crafted with Care
Most Economical form of Deep Cleaning, Disinfecting, Sanitising & De-greasing using just water!
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Whiskin Spirits Pvt. Ltd., a producer of fine quality alcohol and spirits in India, has announced the launch of Whiskin Craft Whisky, a premium scotch blended whisky crafted in India with international flavours. A triple distillation process lends the whisky with velvety smooth taste, an official statement said. It has natural flavours of toasted dry fruits, honey and dark chocolate leaving a long, lingering taste and a smooth finish, characteristic of scotch blended whisky, the statement added. Announcing the launch of Whiskin Craft, Pranav Chawla, Joint Managing Director, Whiskin Spirits Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are delighted to offer a premium product at an affordable price to discerning customers. Distilled and bottled in India, Whiskin Craft Special Reserve Whisky has a blend comparable to premium scotch products. Attention to detail is given at all steps, starting from selection of the right inputs from the wide variety of ingredients, to the ratio of using them and the order and process involved in blending them together to create the desirable and unique tasting whisky, which is appreciated by all.” Founded in 2013, Whiskin Spirits introduced its products in the Delhi market in Oct 2014 and has recently launched its products in the state of Haryana. The product is available in three pack sizes -- 750 ml, 375 ml and 180 ml.
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Bengaluru-based Myra Vineyards recently announced an exclusive partnership with Crowne Plaza Bengaluru for the launch of its limited edition cuvee Misfit, an unfiltered red wine varietal for the Indian market. A fine blend of traditional Cabernet Sauvignon and fruity Shiraz, Misfit will be exclusively available at the Crowne Plaza Bengaluru Electronic City; in the South Indian region. Matured in French oak barrels for 18 months, the blend is smooth, medium-bodied and generous on the palate. Given this rare cuvee has been kept unfiltered in conception, the natural characteristics have been retained. All the profits from the sales of Misfit will be given to chosen charities via their foundation, an official statement said. Ajay Shetty, Managing Director, Myra Vineyards, speaking on the partnership said, “To unveil one of our finest offerings at our home base Bangalore is exciting and we are delighted to partner with Crowne Plaza to exclusively showcase Misfit. To us this partnership is symbolic of the perfection of taste and look that this very special cuvee portrays. We are confident our association with the world’s premier hotel group will be highly gratifying” “We have reached the pinnacle in the hotel industry and take great pride to associate with Myra Vineyards in their venture to support a charitable cause,” Raghu Nair, Director Food & Beverages, Crowne Plaza Bengaluru Electronic City, said.
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Thumbs Up for The Claridges at Times Food & Nightlife Awards The Claridges Hotel Group bagged top honours at the Times Food & Nightlife Awards 2016. Known for its Mediterranean fare, Sevilla at The Claridges, New Delhi won the ’Best Restaurant in the European Fine Dining’ category, and the Dhaba by Claridges, Saket won the ‘Best Restaurant in the North Indian Cuisine in the Casual Dining’ category for recreating the ambiance of a signature highway eatery. “We are glad to receive the prestigious Times Food & Nightlife awards for Sevilla & Dhaba by Claridges. It is extremely motivating for our team to win these awards as this recognition comes from the industry veterans themselves. We are extremely thankful to our diners for their continued patronage,” Atul Lall, Vice President Hospitality, The Claridges Hotels & Resorts said on the occasion. This was Dhaba by Claridges’ first Times Food Awards’ nomination and award and 10th for Sevilla, an official statement said. Named after Seville, the famous art and cultural capital of southern Spain, Sevilla at The Claridges, New Delhi has already made a mark in the capital’s culinary landscape with its new-style cuisine with European and Mediterranean influences.
Wendy’s Introduces New Snack Options Wendy’s, the world’s third largest burger chain, has introduced a new menu with snacking options that will cater to consumers looking for a quick bite between meal times. The delectable new menu consists of some delicious snacking options, for those looking for a quick bite. There are classics like the vegetarian Railway Cutlet - the nostalgic railway cutlet in a burger and Railway Cutlet Wrap (crispy Railway cutlet topped with a creamy onion & cabbage slaw grilled to perfection in a tortilla wrap). For non-vegetarians, a new addition is a Crispy Chicken – a crisp 100 percent chicken patty topped with freshly prepared onion and cabbage slaw. The light Caesar Salad — a light salad with fresh greens sprinkled with garlic aioli, parmesan cheese shavings and bread crouton, is customizable and consumers can add a protein of their choice – paneer or chicken. As temperatures soar, the new menu also brings some amazing frosty shakes.. On the launch of the new value menu, Jasper Reid, Director, Wendy’s India said, “We have expanded our menu, with these great new snacking options that are just perfect for consumers seeking good quality light snacking options. They are competitively priced as well. The new menu was developed after exhaustive consumer insight and research, and is part of our strategy to strengthen Wendy’s as an all-day dining restaurant.” Wendy’s was launched in India earlier last year with the first restaurant opening in Sector 29, Gurgaon followed by Sohna Road and DLF Mall of India. Globally, Wendy’s has more than 6,500 restaurants in 29 countries, including its home market.
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Radisson Blu MBD Hotel, Noida Wins Big at Culinary Art India 2016 Radisson Blu MBD Hotel, Noida took the culinary world by storm by winning the highest number of awards at the recently concluded Culinary Art India 2016 competition for Chefs. The four-day competition, organised by Indian Culinary Forum (ICF), was part of Aahar International Food and Hospitality Fair held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 15th-19th March. A total of 137 Chefs out of 300 were acknowledged for their culinary talent categorised in Gold, Silver Bronze and Merit. The competition was judged by WACS (World Association of Chefs Societies) certified Chefs and renowned culinary experts. “ICF is proud to host the 11th edition of Culinary Art India – a professional culinary excellence challenge held alongside AAHAR 2016 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The objective of CAI is to offer fellow Chefs a professional platform to showcase, exhibit, hone culinary skills and raise the overall Indian culinary art at par with international standards,” said Chef Devinder Kumar, President, Indian Culinary Forum. Formed in 1987, the Indian Culinary Forum is India’s association of professional Chefs of Northern India.
Proteus Brings Voli Vodka to India Headquartered in the United States, Proteus Trades and Commodities Inc., a leading company with strong presence in the commodity and trade business, has announced the launch of Voli Vodka in India in partnership with Venezia Food and Beverages Pvt. Ltd. Endorsed by American rapper Pitbull, Voli Vodka was founded in 2008 and is a privately held premier spirits company with offices in Miami, Florida. Voli is a delicate blend of superior grade Beauce wheat and natural Gensac spring water that is fivetimes distilled and non-chill filtered. Voli is an extra smooth vodka with a superb finish. Currently, Voli Vodka has national distribution and is available in all major markets throughout the United States. With Voli being launched in India, two variants of the premium brand -- Voli Vodka and Voli Light -- will be available in retail outlets from May, an official statement said. Speaking on bringing Voli Vodka for the consumers in India, Dorian Mullens, Chairman, CEO, and Managing Partner, Proteus Trades and Commodities Inc., said, “We view India is a dynamic market and one which has ample of opportunity yet to be explored. The launch of Voli Vodka is a start of a long-term relation we are looking at establishing.”
TWISS’s Sparkling Fruit Juices Launched in India Britain-based TWISS Drinks has officially launched its brand of quirky sparkling fruit juices in the country. Available in four variants — apple with a twist of black currant; mango with a twist of lime; lemon with a twist of mint and passion fruit with a twist of orange — TWISS Drinks contain real fruit juice, offering a unique blend of complementing fruits/ herbs to enhance the thirst quenching experience with fun and adventure.
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Nolen Gur Flavoured Ice-cream in the Offing Mother Dairy would introduce Nolen Gur or palm jaggery flavoured ice-cream for the Kolkata market, in April of this year. The product would be available in cups and tubs. Here it deserves a mention that nolen gur is a very commonly used ingredient in the sweet making business in Kolkata and also in other parts of West Bengal. Nolen Gur flavoured ice-creams are not a new thing in the niche segment of the unbranded ice-cream industry of India, but in the branded segment of the Indian ice-cream industry, this product can be regarded as a novelty. The nolen gur flavoured ice-cream with added condensed milk will be priced at Rs. 20 per cup of 90 ml and Rs.150 for a 750-ml consumer pack. According Subhashis Basu, Business Head – Dairy Products, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd., subsequently this flavour would also be test marketed in Delhi.
Tea Trails Opens its 10th Outlet in Mumbai Tea Trails, a fast growing tea café chain in the country, launched its first café in south Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda locality, thereby taking its total number of outlets to 10. Zone8 Tea World Pvt Ltd that runs Tea Trails brand cafes in the country is expanding fast and aims to be present pan India in the coming days. “Tea is the brew of choice for art lovers. With the launch of Kala Ghoda cafe, total number of outlets operated under Tea Trails brand has now reached double digit i.e. at 10, which is a milestone for us,” said Uday Mathur, Co-founder, Tea Trails.
New Range ‘Healthy’ Munchies Launched Icing On Top has created a brand new range of delicious and healthy munchies to satiate your desire for cookies and crackers while, at the same time helping you to maintain your health, as they are made from natural, unbleached flours like Ragi and Whole Wheat. “I have always wanted Icing On Top to be synonymous with wholesome treats that can be enjoyed by everyone. The addition of the range of guilt-free pleasures is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy the cookies and crackers but have dietary restrictions. The fact that they taste so delicious is just icing on top!” Ayushi Shah, Owner of Icing On Top, said.
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New Coffee Capsule for Espresso Coffee Machines Olive Tree Trading is all set to give you a caffeine kick with the launch of its 100 percent ground coffee in single-serve coffee capsules and compact, light weight Espresso Coffee Machines. Olea Europaea brings to you Espresso Coffee Machines which can be used with any Nespresso compatible coffee capsules. Olea Europaea’s Premium Espresso Coffee Capsules are self-protected and vacuumpacked, to preserve the freshness and aroma. The coffee capsules comes in five flavours: Ethiopian Single Origin, Full Roast, Dark Roast, Choc and Olea Europaea’s dual milk.
Discussing Culinary Trends for 2016 In the recent past, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu hosted 30 Executive Chefs across Marriott India properties to discuss the culinary trends for the year. Recognising the culinary innovation and evolving trends across the globe, Marriott International initiated the ‘Marriott India Chefs Workshop,’ which brings together the culinary wizards under one roof. “We are immensely excited to end quarter 1 of the year 2016 with the Marriott India Chefs Workshop, bringing together a powerhouse of talent that makes up the culinary team for Marriott India. We are looking forward to sharing new ideas and discussing food & beverage trends, through a series of fun interactive sessions, with the aim of taking the culinary repertoire for Marriott Hotels in India, a notch higher,” Toine Hoeksel, Culinary Director Asia Pacific, Marriott International said, “The Marriott India Chefs Workshop promises to be a larger-than-life culinary extravaganza, with 30 talented Marriott India Executive Chefs coming together to ideate and curate create an experience like never before with a specially curated lunch at the Lotus Café. We look forward to ideating on the culinary innovations and curating unique F&B experiences for our loyal patrons,” Chef Himanshu Taneja, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu said.
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News scan
Crabsticks for India Gadre Premium Seafood and the nationally renowned Chef Vikas Khanna have introduced crab sticks, which according to a press release, is a brand new product in the Indian food service segment. According to Gadre’s website, Gadre Marine is India’s first and till now the only brand to produce and retail crabsticks. Presently, the product is available across India in more than 20 cities. Crabsticks were first created in Japan in 1975. Over the last five years they have gained immense popularity in developed countries and are widely used in sushi, salads and other dishes. It’s time for India to stop being left behind when it comes to consumption of this delicacy. Crabsticks
are made from Surimi, which in Japanese means fish paste. However, crabsticks are not crabs but the best of the fish. Surimi for Gadre Premium Seafood’s crabsticks is made from the best part of the fish. It has less cholesterol than real crab meat. Crabsticks are low in calories and fat, which makes it ideal if you’re on a weightloss programme. Since crab sticks are cooked & pasteurised during the process, they are a ready to eat product and can be cooked too. The nature of crabsticks ensures that they can be served as finger food at parties, as an entrée preceding the main course or even as part of the main course itself. There are some don’ts while dealing with crab sticks. They are: Do not refreeze once defrosted; do not boil individual sticks; do not microwave individual sticks; do not cook again and again the ready-to-
Now, Enjoy Masala Oats without Guilt! Saffola Masala Oats has introduced the Chefs Choice range with two new delicious but ‘healthy’ variants — Chinese & Italian. A delightful treat for the taste buds, the Chefs Choice range was co-developed with Chef Kunal Kapur. These flavours were launched keeping in mind that consumers crave for these exciting and savoury flavours as part of snacks but feel guilty giving into the temptation of unhealthy munching. The newly launched Saffola Masala Oats Chefs Choice flavours were introduced to make snacking guilt-free. “Saffola Masala Oats is known for its delicious range of flavoured oats and has transformed the way oats are being consumed in the country today. It feels great to be a part of their innovation journey and co-creating the new Chinese & Italian flavours. These variants are sure to tickle taste buds and will provide for a delicious yet guilt-free snack for the entire family,” Chef Kunal Kapur said. Saffola Masala Oats Chefs Choice Chinese flavour has a spicy tangy taste which comes from a mix of juicy corn, crunchy French beans and capsicum, leaving you with an authentic Chinese flavour. Saffola Masala Oats Chefs Choice Italian flavour is a delectable mix of green capsicum, spicy red chilli flakes, oregano and a dash of pepper which gives it a cheesy taste with just the right amount of spice.
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eat crab sticks. Sharing his thoughts on the launch of this innovative product in India, Vikas Khanna said, “In today’s fast-paced world, food is expected to be on the go, but you shouldn’t skip on health and everyday nutrition too. I have explored the innovative crabsticks and other interesting products from Gadre and made few recipes which will change the way we eat seafood!” Here it deserves a mention that Gadre Marine Export Pvt. Ltd., which according to a press release, is the largest Surimi producer in India and the third largest in the world, has roped in Vikas Khanna, an award winning Indian Chef, as their brand ambassador.
The Beer Café Unveils South Mumbai Outlet Merging the best of pub tradition with Mumbai’s contemporary nightlife scene, The Beer Café recently opened its doors in the iconic Eros cinema building, Churchgate, for the beer connoisseurs of the neighbourhood. An up market venue with great food and music, this is a place for those who love their beer and more than that, love great conversations over beer. Inspired from traditional Irish pubs, this outlet reflects oldworld charm in a refreshing modern café setting. Rich woody browns, shamrock greens, deep ochres with cream accents create a warm and alluring ambience. Quirky wall décorfrom humorous framed posters, distressed mirrors, woodengraved quotes and gorgeous ferns impart cheerfulness to the setting, thereby enticing guests to explore the extensive menu — an intersection of hearty pub grub and tipples.
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APPOINTMENTS
Venecio Cadavida
presentation and delivery over the course of the day.
Venecio Cadavida has been appointed as the Japanese Specialty Chef at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. Born and brought up in the Philippines, Chef Cadavida, fondly known as Chef Don Don, is a Sushi master and is also known for his exquisite culinary skills that he has acquired over the past 11 years of experience across varying restaurant concepts. Having worked in hotels across the Philippines and India, Cadavida brings his Japanese culinary expertise to JW Marriott. He has trained at various hotels of repute across the globe namely ITC Hotels Grand Bharat Gurgaon, Louis Café and Restaurant, CASA Ysabel Caffe Restaurant, YABANI Restaurant, and Tokyo on the Rocks Restaurant, among others.
Prior to re-joining Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, he was profiled as Senior Sous Chef at JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar as a part of the pre-opening team. He was also associated with other prestigious brands like Taj, Bangalore and The Leela Palace Hotel and Resorts Mumbai.
Govind Singh Gaira Golden Tulip Hotels South Asia, part of the international hospitality chain – Louvre Hotels Group, recently announced the appointment of Govind Singh Gaira as Senior Sous Chef, Golden Tulip Chattarpur, New Delhi. As the Sous Chef, Gaira would oversee all culinary operations for the property. He would also oversee dining for banqueting, special events and guest cooking programmes.
Stuart Nielsen
“We are delighted to welcome Chef Govind and his mastery
FRHI Hotels & Resorts, operator of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, recently announced the appointment of Stuart Nielsen as Vice President, Food & Beverage, Middle East, Africa and India. Nielsen brings over 15 years of leadership experience in the food & beverage segment to this role. Throughout his hospitality career, Nielsen has held progressive management level positions in food & beverage at various global hotel brands. Most recently, Nielsen held the position of Founder and Managing Director at POD Hospitality. A leading luxury hotel management company, FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI) operates more than 130 hotels and branded residential offerings globally under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands.
over Indian cuisine to the hotel. Working together with the team, we are sure that his expertise will elevate learning and the dining experiences at the hotel,” Arun Yadav, General Manager, Golden Tulip Hotel, Chattarpur said. With more than 9 years of experience, Gaira has been associated with some of the renowned hotels such as the Park Plaza Ludhiana, followed by stints at The Landmark Hotel, ITC Classic Golf Resort & Sheraton, Park Premier Hotel, Cambay Spa & Resort, Zafraan Exotica and Hotel Crystal Palace, among others.
Chef Pavan Chef Pavan will be taking up the position of the Executive Chef at the integrated property, Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott located in the Outer Ring Road area of Bengaluru. The
Danish Merchant
two hotels, together form Marriott International’s first integrated
With an experience of nine years in the hospitality industry, European cuisine expert Danish Merchant has been reappointed as Executive Sous Chef at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel and Lakeside Chalet Mumbai -Marriott Executive Apartments. Chef Danish would be responsible for overseeing the entire kitchen operations including the alternative restaurants and the crew kitchen by initially monitoring all food preparation,
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complex in India. With a passion for culinary expertise, Chef Pavan is a wellknown name in the hospitality industry and has been a prodigy since his early professional career. In 2004, at the ITC Group he trained at the flagship ITC Maurya under the finest Indian Chefs from famed Bukhara, Dumpukht and Dakshin restaurants. He has worked over the years for several prestigious brands like ITC Kaktiya, ITC Maratha, ITC Maurya and JW Marriott.
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R e por t
SICA’s Chefs Connect, AGM 2016 Chefs Connect, AGM 2016 was conducted at The Raintree, St Mary’s Road, Chennai on March 22ndby South India Culinary Association (SICA). Many of the prominent Chefs from various hotels and institutions participated at the event. The programme included inspirational speeches & panel discussions. The programme commenced with the lighting of the kuthuvilaku, followed by a prayer song. The welcome speech was given by Chef Jugesh Arora, President — SICA. Dr. Bhuvaneshwari Shankar, Vice President (Dietetics) & Group Chief
Dietitian, Apollo Hospitals spoke on the topic titled as ‘Perfect pair for a healthy cuisine — Chef and Dietitian” Chef Manu Chandra, Chef-Partner, The Fatty Bao, and Monkey Bar, & Executive Chef — Olive Beach, Bangalore, spoke on the topic titled ‘Chefs Become Entrepreneur.’ He was followed by Chef Umashankar, Area Coach — Restaurant Operations, Yum! Restaurants India Pvt. Ltd., who spoke on the topic titled ‘Formula for Success.’ Thereafter, Rajesh Radhakrishnan, Regional Director & Acting
The SICA election was conducted and the new SICA Board is as follows: President Mentor President Vice President (Tamil Nadu) Vice President (Karnataka) Vice President (Kerala) General Secretary
Dr. Chef Soundararajan. P Corporate Executive Chef, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd. General Secretary — IFCA Chef Jugesh Arora Consultant, chefarora.com Mr. Bennet Director, School of Hotel & Catering Management, Vels University Chef Kasi Viswanathan Executive Chef / F&B Manager, Hotel The Atria, Bangalore Chef Ramu Butler Corporate Chef & F&B Manager, Ramada Resort Cochin Chef Sheetaram Prasaad Corporate Executive Chef, GRT Hotels & Resorts Joint Secretary Chef Hushmoin Patell Executive Chef, The Raintree, St Mary’s Road Treasurer Chef Mohana Krishnan AK Executive Chef, Hotel Savera Joint Treasurer Chef Ashok Kumar Executive Chef, Aloft Hotel Advisory Council Chef Elango Rajendran Resort Manager, Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay, Mamallapuram Executive Committee, Member – IFCA
General Manager, The Park Chennai, spoke on the topic titled ‘Chefs in Executive Roles — Hows and Whys.’ A panel discussion on ‘Food Trends in India’ took place. Chef Jugesh Arora, Chef Consultant & President — SICA, moderated the panel, comprising distinguished Chefs. Thereafter, Praveen Sikender, Food Critic, Indian Express, spoke on the topic of ‘Relevance of Food Critics.’ Next was another panel discussion on the ‘Role of Culinary Institutes in Developing Future Chefs.’ Dr. Chef Soundararajan. P, Corporate Executive Chef, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd. & General Secretary — IFCA, spoke on the topics ‘The factors that influence to succeed as an Executive Chef — Spot the bright spots & associations for professional success, and Importance of association for every ones benefit.’ And he also announced about Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2016.
SICA Executive Committee Chef Praveen Anand Executive Chef, Crown Plaza Adayar Park Chennai Chef Litwin Shanjit. A Executive Chef, The Raintree Hotel, Annasalai, Chennai Chef Jafar Ali Executive Chef, Vivanta by Taj – Connemara, Chennai Chef Achal Aggarwal Executive Chef, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Chennai Chef Selladurai. P Executive Chef, Hotel Keys Kattima, Chennai Skill Development Committee Chef Mark Crocker Corporate Chef, The Raintree Hotels Chef Umashankar Area Coach — Restaurant Operations, Yum! Restaurants India Pvt. Ltd. Chef Abhiram Gona Executive Chef, Radission Blu Hotel GRT Chennai Chef Raj Mohan. M.S HOD, Mary Matha College Event Committee Chef V. Vijayakumar Executive Chef, Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay Mamallapuram Chef Padmanabhan Anand Executive Chef, Hotel Hycinth by Sparsa, Kerala Chef Muruganandam. G Executive Chef, Confluence Banquets and Resort, Chennai Chief Co-ordinator (Junior Forum) & Election Officer Chef Kannan N Chef Consultant Vote of thanks was proposed by Chef Mohanakrishnan, Executive Chef, Hotel Savera & Treasurer — SICA.
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C OV E R S TO R Y
Say Cheers to
Beer
Summer is here and the desire to quench the unrelenting thirst with that golden pale, clear liquid of perennial popularity named beer, has again reared up. This desire makes many a person head for the nearby pub. There are not only several flavours of beer available now — ranging from raspberry and strawberry to cardamom, but there are also varied categories of beer flooding the market like crisp, hops, malt, roast, etc. Here Ashok Malkani finds that besides having a wide variety, beer also has (if consumed in moderation) varied health benefits. If you believe beer piles up LDL (bad cholesterol) and gives ‘beer belly’ then you are way off the mark.
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C OV E R S TO R Y
A
s the summer sets in the cool thirst quenchers are in hot demand. And among the front runners in the category of thirst quenchers is a chilled glass – or mug – of beer. Adam’s new ale, as the beer is referred to in a beer enthusiast’s parlance, is one drink that people around the world have always banked on to quench their thirst, and feel refreshed. After tea, beer is the second most popular beverage in the world. It can easily help you enjoy the best of two conflicting worlds — the world of intoxication and the world of sobriety. Despite its immense worldwide popularity, it should be noted that beer is also one of the most complex and varied of drinks. It can taste like lemons or smoke, coffee or coconuts, bananas or bread, chilies or ginger… Beer can be crisply acidic and earthy, or it can be bracingly bitter and spectacularly aromatic. There is a wide variety of beers to meet all the above-mentioned tastes.
Beer’s Indian Background India has a long long association with beers. The Vedas mention a beer-like drink called sura. Sura is also mentioned in the Ramayana. Megasthenes, the Greek explorer of the ancient times who visited India during the Maurya empire’s reign, had recorded usage of rice beer in ancient India. Kautilya had also mentioned two intoxicating beverages made from rice called Medaka and Prasanna. In India, traditional beer has been prepared from rice or millet for millennia. The European beer was introduced in the country during the 18th century, and for this the British should get the credit. By 1716, Pale Ale and Burton Ale were being imported to India from England. To protect the beer from spoiling during the long journey, it had to have high alcohol content and hops were added to it. This led to the invention of India Pale Ale in
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about 1787, by Bow Brewery. In 1830, Edward Dyer travelled to India and set up India’s first brewery in Kasauli. It produced the beer brand Lion, which is still available. In 1835, the Kasauli brewery was shifted to Solan, near Shimla. In 1885, it became Dyer Breweries. Later, H. G. Meakin bought the brewery and it came to be known as Dyer-Meakin & Company. The company was later restructured as Dyer Meakin Breweries. In 1949, N. N Mohan acquired all the assets of Dyer Meakin Breweries and added a few more units. In 1967, the company was renamed as Mohan Meakin Breweries. By 1882, there were 12 breweries in India, including the one in Rangoon, Myanmar. India produced 4,831,127 gallons of beer in 1892.
The Present Scenario Beer consumption has gained momentum in India during the last decade. Beer consumption, which once was considered as frivolous in India, now typifies a lifestyle choice. According to the report by NIIR Project Consultancy Services titled India Beer Market- Industry Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts (Upto 2017), which was published in 2014, although Indian alcohol industry has been dominated by stronger spirits (IMFL), but over the years beer has made a mark in the industry and has been able to make its presence felt. “Nowadays consumers are looking for choices away from whisky and it is not just the male populace that is enamored by beer but female population equally enjoys the drink,” observed the report. Today India has become a huge market for beer. No wonder you have several beer outlets springing up all over the country. Though presently, the overall Indian beer market has been growing at 5 percent per
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year, its growth potential in the future is huge. According to former Carlsberg India’s Managing Director, Pradeep Gidwani, who owns The Pint Room, imported brews will do to the Indian beer market what Café Coffee Day and Barista did to south Indian filter coffee. He says people are willing to spend a few extra bucks for a place with the right ambience and good beer, just the way they spend extra for a cup of coffee at a sleek café. In fact, beer bars serving imported beers are likely to do better than cafes simply because people usually have only one or two cups of coffee, while appetite for beer tends to be much larger. Gidwani claims that there are close to 300 establishments in the country that sell only foreign beer. India’s imported beer market currently stands at 3-4 lakh cases annually, and is growing at 40-50 percent every year. Around 35 brands have entered the country during the last 18 months. Fuelling the growth of beer in India are the changes in the liquor policy in states such as Kerala and Bihar where the call is to ban liquor with high-alcohol content such as whiskey and rum. According to Shobhan Roy, Director General of All-India Brewers’ Association, states like Kerala are moving towards beer and wine after the implementation of the new liquor policy. As opposed to a maximum alcohol content of only 8 percent in beer, hard liquor has 42.5 percent alcohol content which is becoming a big no-no for such states. Indian beer makers have demanded that all the state governments should delink the beverage from hard alcoholic liquors as far as levying taxes is concerned. “It is time beer should be delinked from hard liquor in terms of perception, taxation, availability and distribution,” Roy said.
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C OV E R S TO R Y But despite the fact that beer drinking in India has gained mainstream recognition, beer constitutes 20 percent of India’s total alcohol consumption, and imported beer forms a miniscule 0.04 percent of this segment. Thus the potential for growth of the beer market in India, in the backdrop of the changing socio-cultural dynamics in the society, is immense. Over half of India’s beer market is controlled by the UB Group, while SABMiller, which markets Foster’s, controls 30 percent. Carlsberg and regional brands make up the rest.
Frothy Trends It may be mentioned that not only the love for beer is growing in the country but what is also expected to change in our country is the type of beers we would love. Strong beer has been popular in India but now the beer is also becoming a flavoured drink. This new avatar of beer is expected to have wide acceptance in the fast evolving food & beverage market of India. SABMiller has introduced Indus Pride, a spiced beer for those who prefer ‘something different’. The then Managing Director of SABMiller India, Paolo Lanzarotti, while launching the new beer, had said, “Indus Pride is an Indian specialty beer bringing authentic Indian flavour and character to the world of beer. It captures a truly Indian taste profile and is a perfect pairing with Indian gourmet cuisine. Indus Pride is a beer brewed in India, for the people of India and the rest of the world. Hope that consumers will also appreciate the beer and experiment with the perfect Indian pairing.” Indus Pride has the distinction of being the first Indian beer to be brewed with spices and the choicest hops to create a taste that is distinctly Indian.
Akash Sahu
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Anand Morwani Available in four variants — Citrusy Coriander, Citrusy Cardamom, Spicy Fennel and Fiery Cinnamon — Indus Pride taps into the sensorial experiences of the consumers and is targeted to be the perfect pairing with Indian gourmet cuisine. “Each flavour is sharp and warm without taking away from the beerdrinking experience,” said Akash Sahu, former General Manager, Brand Communications, SABMiller India. Though the beers are brewed to be drunk in any season and with any cuisine, the coriander and cardamom flavours are the more “cooling”, citrusy options, while the fennel and cinnamon—indicatively tagged “spicy” and “fiery”, respectively—are the “warming” ones, according to Sahu. “The company looked at the compatibility of the spices with beer, the aroma and how they would sit with the Indian palate,” Sahu proffered. Another company, Carlsberg India, a unit of Denmark-based Carlsberg Group, has launched a fruit-flavored strong beer within its Tuborg Strong brand that is positioned for younger consumers. “Tuborg Booster Strong, enriched with natural fruit flavour, reduces bitterness and gives a smooth after taste,” says the company. Tuborg Booster Strong was the first fruit-flavoured strong beer in the Indian market.”Continuing with our commitment towards innovation and focus on building a strong beer portfolio in India, Tuborg Booster Strong creates a completely new and differentiated category of flavoured strong beer and strengthens our offering mix,” said Subodh Marwah ex- Marketing Director, Carlsberg India. Flavours like strawberry, raspberry and even cherry in beers have become popular. Then there is the growing popularity
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of craft beer. Anand Morwani, Director of Brewbot Eatery & Pub Brewery, a microbrewery in Mumbai, states that craft beer which his distillery brews, is free of all the unwanted ingredients that one gets in bottled beer. He claims that the malt and the hops are imported. Craft beer is savoured by millions around the world, and in India too, there are rising numbers of aficionados of craft beer. These beverages reflect the creativity of their maker and the complexity of ingredients. “It is a versatile beverage that not only enhances food when paired, but is also often brought into the kitchen as a cooking ingredient,” noted one website on craft beer. Morwani disclosed that the demand for craft beer was rising in India and there were about five microbreweries in Mumbai, which vouched for its popularity. The reason for the popularity of craft beer he said, “was because it tastes much better than the beer water that is mass produced and mass marketed by the big beer companies. Our beer tastes much better because we spend our time focusing on the quality of our beer rather than focusing on their marketing campaigns and stock prices. At Brewbot, we put our heart and soul, as well as lots of amazing ingredients into every beer we brew and don’t cut any corners in the production process.” With bottles of Bira 91, a craft beer from the NCR gaining recognition all over the country, it is believed that the market for craft beers is growing in the country. Navin Mittal, one of the three coowners and brewers of Gateway Brewing Company (GBC) in Mumbai, proudly displayed cardamom ale, which he has concocted in his microbrewery. He claims microbreweries are growing at a steady pace.
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C OV E R S TO R Y “India is already seeing very good growth; from two micro breweries in 2009 to about 65 today,” affirmed Mittal. Currently, the laws of alcohol consumption in the country do not allow businesses with a microbrewery license to bottle beers.
Categorisation of Beers For a beer connoisseur, it may be mentioned that there are seven flavour categories of beer. They could be categorised thus: 1 Crisp: These beers are light, clean in flavour, and crisply refreshing. Their range of colours varies from straw to amber. They have low to medium abvs, and are light to medium in body. While not particularly malty or hoppy, these types of beers show a bit of fruit flavour due to the employment of ale yeast. 2. Hop: These brews are all about the delicious aromas and pronounced bitterness derived from generous additions of hops. Though typically endowed with some malt richness, hops in these beers do provide intense flavour contribution. These beers range from medium to full bodied, vary from yellow to brown in colour, and have low to high abvs. 3. Malt: Malt-driven flavours dominate the flavour profiles of these brews; in each of them expect a degree of sweetness and deep malty notes of nuts, toffee, caramel, toast, and fruit. These beers range from copper to dark brown in colour, vary from light to full bodied, and are low to high in abvs. 4. Roast: These brews employ highly roasted malt grains for coffee and cocoa flavours. They have rich mouth feels, and very dark appearances. They can be medium-light to full bodied, from deep copper to black in colour, and are low to high in abvs. 5. Smoke: Brews that incorporate malts smoked over various wood fires, or aged in Single Malt Scotch Whisky oak barrels. These beers range from mediumlight to full bodied, can be deep amber to dark brown in colour, and may be medium to medium high in abvs. They could be described as typically milder brews, were it not for the often dramatic smoky flavours. 6. Fruit & Spice: The flavour profiles of these beers are most notable for the bold fruit and spice flavours they possess; fruits and spices are sometimes added to
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Pradeep Gidwani further accentuate such flavours. These brews may be sweet, semi-dry, or dry, but are never overtly bitter. Abvs range from low to high; body is low to high and their colour ranges from golden to dark brown. 7. Tart & Funky: These are the sour brews that show rustic, earthy and winey notes. Some are rather light and elegantly acidic; some are darker and vinous, while others are exceedingly funky and sour. They can be light to medium-full bodied, range in colour from straw to dark brown, and may be extremely low in alcohol content or be even quite strong.
Healthy Facets The main objection to drinking beer is the oft repeated phrase “It has disastrous health effects.” There is a popular theory in India that all alcoholic drinks are bad for health. But like most so called popular theories this one too is short of scientific reasoning. Long ago, Thomas Jefferson said, “Beer, if drank with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit, and promotes health.” And he didn’t require a scientific study to back his candid opinions. Good beer is probably one of the most beneficial things you can drink, provided you drink it in moderation of course; depending on your size, metabolism,
Navin Mittal
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etc. Then too much of anything is bad, whether it be beer or water or salt. Beer made from dark malts contains antioxidants that are easily absorbed by the body. Beer contains b-vitamins, minerals & proteins. Beer is also low in calories, low in carbohydrates and has no fat or cholesterol. The average beer has about 12 grams of carbs per 12-ounce serving. Hops in beer also promote mental awareness & fight viruses. Moreover, drinking beer regularly and moderately is likely to shift your HDL/LDL cholesterol ratios in a healthy way. Beer power-flushes the system and improves the HDL or the good cholesterol levels. According to some studies, as little as one beer a day can boost your HDL by up to 4 percent. That is not all. Beer has high levels of B vitamins, particularly folic acid, which is believed to help prevent heart attacks. Beer also boasts significant levels of magnesium and potassium. Beer can also facilitate in preventing cancer. Beer has hops, which has a flavonoid called xanthohumol. Xanthohumol is a potent antioxidant that inhibits cancer-causing enzymes. It is “much more potent than the major component in soy,” according to Dr. Cristobal Miranda of the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at Oregon State University, USA. This xanthohumol stuff is so good for you that the Germans have actually brewed a beer with extra levels of it. Beer also does not contribute to pot belly or beer belly. A study done by researchers at the University College of London and the Institut Klinicke a Experimentalni Mediciny in Prague in 2003 showed no connection between beer drinking (in moderation) and pot belly. Besides these health attributes, beer can also boost your metabolism. Some people may warn you by saying that beer is loaded with additives and preservatives. You may listen to them but don’t forget to ignore them. Beer is as natural as a pomegranate juice or a glass of orange juice for that matter. As beer has alcohol and hops, both of which are natural preservatives, beer does not need any additional preservatives. Beer is only ‘processed’ in the sense that bread is; it is cooked and fermented, then filtered and packaged. So it is about time to say cheers to beer ! Just remember to drink in moderation. n
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FEATURE
Exploring Innovations in Food Service By Swarnendu Biswas
Kaidi Kitchen
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ith the increasing numbers of discerning guests with considerable awareness towards global food & beverage trends, now the role of innovation in the Indian restaurant business is perhaps more critical than it was ever before. Nowadays there is an ever increasing universe of guests for whom a visit to the restaurant, especially a visit to a fine dining restaurant is much more than having great food & beverage in an uplifting but conventional and predictable ambience. Many of them want a novel experience or novel experiences from their restaurant visit/s, which would be part of their future memories. Therefore there is a growing need among restaurateurs operating in urban India, especially those operating in metropolitan India or other tier-I cities of the country, to think out of the box. Nowadays for restaurateurs operating in metros or other tier-I cities of India, especially among those restaurateurs who prefer to operate in the fine dining segment in metros or other tier-I cities of India, finding the right location for their restaurant/s, providing great food, having great ambience and décor(which should also be matching with the culinary character of the restaurant), having efficient staff and the right ingredients and getting the costing right are not always sufficient to stay ahead of the competition.
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They are necessary factors but not always sufficient to stay ahead of the competition in the fast evolving Indian restaurant business. Often to give their guests something ‘extra’ restaurants and bars in the upper-end segment of the Indian food service industry are also needing innovative themes, models and operational processes, which can facilitate them to stand out from the clutter of competition. “Given the evolution of hotel and restaurant guests in India over the past few years, the market potential of themed restaurants has increased exponentially over the recent years, in the Indian food service industry,” observed Faisal Nafees, Director Operations, Hotel The Royal Plaza.
Themed to Succeed No wonder, nowadays we are seeing many restaurants with varied themes, emerging in the milieu of the Indian food service industry. Here we would be discussing some beyond the run-of-the-mill themes for restaurants and bars. Take the case of Kaidi Kitchen, which has two outlets in Kolkata and one in Chennai. In these outlets a jail like ambience is simulated, with the restaurants’ staff dressed as prisoners or jailors! Here one can dine in opulent ‘prison cells.’ Kaidi Kitchen’s menu features a motley of diverse cuisines; North Indian, Thai, Mexican, and Italian. There is much to choose from the outlets’ list of mocktails.
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Then there is a Bollywood theme restaurant in Hyderabad named Ohri’s Eatmor 70mm, where one can relive the spirit of Indian cinema. At this restaurant, Bollywood is an integral part of the ambience and décor. Here the walls and ceilings are adorned with pictures of film stars. One must also mention about Freeze Lounge at Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, where you can get to savour food and drinks within icy interiors at its Ice Bar, and where seats and tables are also made of ice. Guests are provided winter coat and cosy gloves to enter the Ice Bar, where there is temperature of -10 degree centigrade. Here ice glasses are used to serve drinks. This is a great place to be to forget the scorching summer of Delhi, which is arriving at fast pace. Presently, the Ice Bar is closed since December for
Alice in Wonderland Themed Restaurant in Tokyo
renovation purposes and it would be opened in May. The Bar Stock Exchange, Sakinaka in Mumbai is another example of a wonderful idea of a theme bar translated into reality. Here the ambience simulates a vibrant stock exchange. At this theme bar the prices of drinks fluctuate in proportion to their popularity; based on real time demand and supply. The more popular a drink is, greater would be its price. In Delhi also a multi-cuisine restaurant on similar lines has come up in the recent past. Café Dalal Street, located in Connaught Place, also operates on the modus operandi of a stock exchange. Here the prices of drinks fluctuate according to their demand and
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FEATURE supply. Here stocks are the drinks. Though the guests can’t sell them but can buy them. CDS has screens all over the pub where one can see the prices of drinks going up and down. CDS Exchange lists all the drinks on the menu. The higher demand a drink garners, higher would be its price and vice versa. And sometimes the market crashes too allowing you to sip single malts and the finest cocktails at throw away prices! At CDS crashing the market is lucky for the guests.
Restaurants as Tourist Destinations? These are only some of the many innovative themes which the Indian food service business has been experiencing. However, largely themes used in the Indian food service business are focused on entertainment value. It is now about time to explore some themes in the Indian food service business, which have edutainment (educational and entertainment) value. This would help our restaurants to emerge not only as eating, drinking and fun destinations but also as tourist destinations in their own right. Restaurants can become tourist destinations if they get figured in the tourists’ itinerary of the cities where they are located in. In this regard, restaurants with the central
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Praveen Patni
theme of history can be a good option. For example, some adventurous restaurateurs in India can introduce restaurants where the theme of ancient Greek civilisation can be aesthetically and realistically showcased. According to this concept, the restaurant can simulate an in-vironment like that of an ancient Greek village or city-state. Here the waiters, other staff and managers of the restaurant should ideally be dressed in similar garments and in similar manner to what the people in ancient Greece used to dress, and the walls of the restaurant should ideally have important accounts/incidents of ancient Greek civilisation through signages,
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as part of the décor. The music played at the restaurant should also be similar to the music played in ancient Greece. Of course, in this case the focus of the cuisine should be Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Similar restaurants with theme of Indus Valley Civilisation or ancient Egyptian civilisation or any other important ancient or medieval civilisations can be created. They can provide great food and drinks along with great food for thought. Of course, these types of historical themed restaurants cannot only be developed through creativity and money. They also need to be backed by solid research. These types of restaurants require involvement of creative fashion designers and inputs from renowned historians too, in order to give them an authentic feel. Restaurants with literary themes can also be a wonderful option. Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant in Tokyo is an apt example in this regard, where the fantastical world of Alice has been wonderfully recreated. That can be a great inspiration for our restaurant business. We can also create sizeable numbers of restaurants inspired by the wonderful world of Tintin, Asterix or our very own Chacha Chaudhary, with illustrations of their myriad adventures being part of the
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FEATURE ambience and décor. These restaurants can be of particular interest to children. I am not sure whether these themes are already being explored in the Indian restaurant business or not, and I am never claiming my ideas are pioneering even in the context of the Indian food service business, but I am only suggesting that even if restaurants with historical and literary themes are being developed in India, they are extremely few and far between. We need more of them. We need more restaurants in India which can provide great edutainment, along with great food and service. This can also enhance the tourism appeal of the place/s where these historical themed restaurants, literary themed restaurants and comic themed restaurants would be located. Similarly, restaurants with the concept of Solar System can also be another interesting option. These restaurants can also generate great interests among children. Here the entire décor of the restaurant can be made in dark sky blue colour (representing the night sky); dotted with models of tiny stars. The ambience of these types of restaurants should ideally also have eight spherical zones in varying colours, located at some distance from each other, representing the eight till now known planets of the Solar System. Each spherical zone should have a fixed number of covers. Inside the spherical zones, one can have elegant rectangular spaces for guests to comfortably sit and dine. Each of these spherical zones would ideally move slowly around a large luminous spherical zone, which would represent the Sun (I am very much aware that planets move around the Sun at great speed, but that is not possible to replicate in this make believe setting). In reality, the Sun in our Solar System themed restaurant could ideally comprise of the restaurant’s kitchen/s and offices. Small bridges could be used to traverse for the staff to move from the ‘Sun’ to the ‘planets.’ The slow moving ‘planets’ should only momentarily (or for some moments) stop when the guests would need to leave or come in. Ideally, restaurants adhering to this concept should take in a given number of guests at one go per session, which can ideally last between 45 minutes-1hour. Of course, this concept needs the details to be right. The spherical zones representing Jupiter or Saturn would have to be considerably larger than the other spherical zones representing other planets. Similarly, the spherical zone representing Uranus should not only be considerably
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Rajesh Mohan Bhardwaj
larger than the spherical zones representing Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune, but it should also be considerably cold (but nowhere remotely near as unbearably cold like the real Uranus of course; one should be realistic only to the extent till it is not uncomfortable to the guests), requiring the donning of overcoats and gloves. Likewise, the spherical zone representing Mercury should have a slightly hot invironment (but not at all unbearably hot; the environment within this spherical zone should be comfortable like all the other spherical zones) as compared to other spherical zones, and would be the smallest spherical zone, as Mercury is the smallest of the planets in the Solar System. Within each spherical zone; representing a given planet in the Solar System, interesting and uncommon information about the given planet should be showcased. The spherical zones would also be coloured appropriately; reflecting the colours of the planets in popular imagination. The restaurant/s adhering to this concept should ideally be open only during twilight and night, otherwise different ambience or environments have to be created during morning, noon and afternoon, which in any case would be a cumbersome process and may impair the creativity of the concept. This way the guests can savour food & beverage, enjoy the ambience and also gain interesting information about the fascinating world around us.
Eat While You Travel However, restaurants can not only infuse innovation only through cuisines, ambience, décor and themes, but also through out of the box models, and very creative operational processes. As far as models go, I think the concept of mobile restaurants or mobile cafes also needs for more exploration in the Indian
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food service business. Mobile restaurant is already a familiar concept in the western world. Some years back a double decker bus cum mobile restaurant was introduced in Chennai. By mobile restaurants or cafes, I am meaning luxury buses or coaches with inbuilt cafes or QSR set up within them. These buses or coaches can travel across various tourist locations within a city or town, and thus the guests can enjoy snack food & beverage and do leisure travel of tourist locations at the same time. These types of mobile restaurants can have great appeal for the guests and as well as for the Indian tourism industry. However, it is not likely to be feasible to have elaborate dining options within these mobile restaurants. These luxury buses/ coaches cum restaurants can at most offer sumptuous snacks and cool, refreshing beverages. It would be more pragmatic if the mobile restaurants or mobile cafes have tie- ups with formal restaurant/s near the tourist locations in the cities, which would afford the guests to have lunch or dinner at these formal restaurants at concessional rates. At the same time one must consider the practical problems in moving this concept towards reality. One of the important bottlenecks towards actualisation of the mobile cafes or mobile restaurants is our not so encouraging tourism and hospitality infrastructure. According to Faisal, “Though mobile restaurant or mobile café is a wonderful concept, I don’t think such a concept would be commercially viable in India. The simple reason for this is the lack of quality infrastructure in the country. Our roads and highways, within cities and between various tourist destinations, are too rough and inconsistent to be able to handle these kinds of mobile restaurants or mobile cafes. Presently, it is not feasible to seamlessly prepare and serve beverages and gourmet cuisine onboard buses/coaches in India as there would always be a fear of spillovers and unpleasant accidents due to the unreliable roadways.” Faisal opined that unless the condition of our roads improve drastically, the mobile cafes or mobile restaurants are not likely to be viable business options in India. According to Praveen Patni, the VicePresident of Ambrosia Bliss, a huge 280-seater restaurant or rather a restaurant complex at Connaught Place, there are other lacunae towards implantation of this idea in India, especially in Delhi. “For example, in Delhi’s Connaught
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FEATURE Place, which is a very important tourist destination of Delhi and as well as of India, tourist buses are not allowed to enter. Then there is the parking problem for such huge buses, which can be a disturbing reality in many Indian big cities,” Patni noted. “There is no licensing provision for mobile restaurants in Delhi, which is lamentable,” averred Rajesh Mohan Bhardwaj, the CoFounder and CEO of Ambrosia Bliss. So we can infer that though the idea of mobile restaurants and cafes needs exploration in India, but their transformation from idea to reality requires improvement in our roads’ infrastructure and more flexibility in our legislations pertaining to the restaurant business.
Edible Cutlery One of the innovative, potentially environmental-friendly, hygienic and cost saving operational processes that can help a food service business stand out from the crowd is the usage of edible cutlery. Hyderabad-based Bakeys Foods Private Limited has already come up with edible cutlery. You can eat with these cutlery’s help and then can eat them too. The edible cutlery from Bakeys is made of
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Faisal Nafees
various flours. Flavours can be added as per consumer’s choice like hot n spicy, onion and tomato, garlic, ginger, spicy or sweet. Being edible, manufacture of these products is governed by the regulations laid under Food Safety and Standards Act. The nutritional compositions of this edible cutlery vary as per proportions of grain chosen. It is about time many other enterprising entrepreneurs in India come out with options of edible cutlery for the institutional segment. There is a high likelihood that restaurants and their guests would love it. Succinctly, the time is now more opportune than before to be innovative in
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the Indian food service business. In fact, being innovative is fast transforming as a need in the Indian food service business of today. This innovation can come through uncommon out-of-the-world themes; through less explored business models; through creative operational processes and also through many other means. But the underlying idea for enduring success in today’s Indian food service business seems to be ‘being different with pragmatic business sense.’ Without innovation it is becoming increasingly difficult for the restaurant business in metros and tier-I cities of India to thrive through long-run, for their guests are becoming more and more evolved and demanding. However, for those restaurateurs and would be restaurateurs who are extremely passionate on innovation(which is great), there is a word of caution. Never compromise on the basics like good food and immaculate hygiene and efficient and smiling staff, for if the basics are not right, the best of the innovative themes or models or operational processes would not fetch the desired revenues for the restaurants concerned. With inputs from Ayonendu Biswas
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AGRI
The
King of Fruits By Swarnendu Biswas
M
ango is the favourite fruit of a great multitude among us. But not many among us know enough about this healthy and tasty seasonal fruit, which often comes with great fragrance too. This juicy stone fruit or drupe belongs to the genus Mangifera. Its scientific name is Mangifera Indica. Though mango is native to South Asia, its taste has gained worldwide fame over the millennia. More precisely speaking, mango’s origins can be traced to areas in north-east India, Burma and Andaman Islands.
Background Mango grows on mango tree, which grows in tropics and grow, on an average from 35-40 m. The external colours of mangoes can be green, greenish-yellow, yellow, orange, red and even purple. However, its juicy flesh or its mesocarp is either yellow or orange or orange-yellow in colour. A mango fruit generally has a length varying between 5 to 15 cm and width ranging between 4 to10 cm. The taste and texture of mangoes varies across cultivars; its most predominant taste is sweet with a mild tartness. Mangoes were cultivated in South Asia since time immemorial; from South Asia the fame of mangoes travelled to East Asia during the 4th-5th century BC. Thereafter there was a long long gap, as far as the travel of mangoes’ global fame is concerned. Thanks to Persian traders, middle-east and Africa got introduced to the heavenly tastes of mangoes. By the 10th century AD, the cultivation of mangoes began in East Africa. From there
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the fragrance of mangoes spread to Brazil and Mexico. Mangoes entered European lexicon since the early 16th century. Cultivation of mangoes in the US began in the late 19th century.
The Indian Connection In India, mango is widely cultivated and it is known as the ‘King of Fruits.’ It is one of the most cultivated fruits in the tropics. Mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines. Mango’s Indian connection is very ancient. In fact, the etymology of the English word mango is believed to be originated from the Malayalam word manna. Whereas, some experts trace the origin of the word mango from the Tamil word mangkay or man-gay. India is the largest producer of mangoes in the world. China is the second largest producer of mango among the world’s countries. According to Apeda, India contributed 40.48 percent of the total world’s production of mangoes in 2010. In India, almost all states produce mangoes, but Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal are the major
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mango producing states in the country. Alphonso, Sindhuri, Langda, Chausa, Dasheri, Fazli are some of the important types of mangoes which are savoured in the country. In India, March-May is the time for the harvest and sale of mangoes. Alphonso mangoes are among the most superior varieties of mangoes found in the country. They are also more expensive than other varieties of mangoes found in India. Alphonso mangoes have rich, creamy texture and they have low fiber content. Alphonso mango was introduced in India by the Portuguese colonisers and they are primarily grown in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Nowadays, according to Wikipedia, mangoes are cultivated in most frost-free tropical and warmer subtropical climates. This great fruit is produced in more than 90 countries across the globe. Mangoes comprise close to 50 percent of all tropical fruits produced in the world.
Wide Usage Mangoes are not only savoured raw, but have wide variety of culinary applications. It is common knowledge that unripe green mangoes are used in chutneys, amchur and pickles. In Gujarati households one can find Chunda, which is a sweet and sour grated mango pickle. In some parts of South-east Asia, mangoes are pickled with fish sauce and rice vinegar. Mangoes are also used to make murabbas in India. Our scorching summers would have been much more unbearable without aam panna and mango lassi – the two most common beverages made from mango,
Feb-Mar ’16
AGRI
in India. Mango shakes are also common features across juice counters in north India, and aamras, a thick juice made of the pulp of mangoes, where sometimes ghee and milk are added, is partaken with chapatis and pooris. Sugar is often added to the aamras for adjusting the sweetness of the delectable dish. Mangoes also play their role in our very own fruit chaats. Mango jam and mango jelly can also be delightful additions to the breakfast tables. And of course, mangoes often do have role in smoothies, ice-creams and fruit bars. In bakery production, mangoes can play important roles. Mango cakes, mango muffins, mango breads can add value to a bakery’s repertoire. Then there is the delicious mango pudding. In the gastronomic realm, mango can not only play the main protagonist’s role extremely well, but can also effectively play side roles. Mangoes can add value to salads. Mango cashew salad and mango pineapple red bell pepper salad can be wonderful side dishes to a sumptuous affair. As far as the traditional Indian sweet dishes go, mango burfi and mango kalakund with almonds could be innovative additions to the restaurants’ menu. Mangoes can also be used to develop some innovative cocktail recipes. Two such examples are the pineapple and mango rum cocktail, and mango, coconut and orange vodka cocktail.
Endowed with Health Besides endowed with great taste, mangoes are also spruced with many health benefits. According to recent research, mango can safeguard against breast cancer, colon cancer, leukemia and prostate cancer. Moreover, mango is a good source of Vitamin A and has impressive quantities of flavonoids like alpha-carotene, betacarotene and beta-cryptoxanthin. 100 g of fresh mango provides about 25 percent of the daily recommended levels of vitamin A, which is good for eyes, for bone growth, and for having healthy skin. Besides these, mangoes are rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber and minerals like potassium. Mangoes also have adequate Vitamin C, Vitamin E and have impressive dosages of potassium. 100 gm of fresh mango gives 156 mg of potassium. Potassium facilitates in checking blood pressure. Mangoes are also rich in folate. Folate or folic acid is a B vitamin spruced with several health benefits. Sufficient amount of folic acid in diets is needed for healthy pregnancy. Deficiency in folic acid in pregnant women can lead to miscarriage. Moreover, dried mango skin and its mango seeds have applications in Ayurvedic medicines. Furthermore, mango peel has enough level of phytonutrients like carotenoids and polyphenols. So we can say that in these health conscious times, the Indian food service industry would do better if it has more innovative application of mangoes in its culinary renditions.
Feb-Mar ’16
Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review
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bEVERAGE
The Coffee Café Culture:
Growth and Challenges By Swarnendu Biswas
T
here is no denying the fact that the change in lifestyles in urban India has given a fillip to the coffee café culture in the country. The changes in lifestyles in turn can be attributed to the growing influence of globalisation among significant sections of urban India — this influence is not only limited to the metros of India but has percolated to the tier-II and tier-III cities of the country – and also due to the fact that significant sections of urban India, which is having more and more nuclear families, do not have the time to cook elaborate meals at home. They wouldn’t mind having a lunch of a snack and a coffee at one of the mushrooming coffee cafes to save on lunch time, provided the coffee cafes position themselves wisely. The increase in disposable incomes in select but sizeable pockets of urban India since the last decade-and-a-half and significant
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increase in coffee consumption in the country as compared to that of the last decade has also perhaps contributed to giving momentum to this continuing trend. Today cafés of important coffee café and bakery café chains operating in the country have emerged as hubs for students and corporates alike. These sleek places are being viewed as ideal havens by many for romantic rendezvous and as well as for business parleys. According to TechSci Research’s report titled ‘India Coffee Shops / Cafés Market Forecast, Consumer Survey and Opportunities, 2021’, coffee shops /cafés market in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 11 percent during 2016-2021, on account of the growing coffee culture among young population, increasing urbanisation, rising disposable income levels and changing eating and drinking
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preferences of consumers. Changing work patterns of business executives is also driving demand for such coffee shops / cafés, as some of these outlets are also offering services such as free wi-fi, entertainment zones, etc. The fact that the coffee drinking culture is in developing stage make it brim with potential. “In India, coffee shops/cafés market is in developing stage, with majority of demand for coffee beverages emanating from urban centres such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. In addition to metros and tier I cities, new companies and leading market players are targeting expansion to tier II and tier III cities too. This coupled with implementation of various government plans to develop smart cities, etc., is projected to drive growth in Indian market for coffee shops/cafés over the next five years,” said Karan
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bEVERAGE Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research-based global management consulting firm.
The Expanding Chains This growth of the coffee café culture in India is reflected in the expansion plans of various coffee café chains. Coffee Café Day, which can be credited with kickstarting this growth in coffee café culture in urban India way back in 1996, is going to make an investment of Rs.400450 crore over the next three years for opening 400 outlets in the country. According to the Chairman of Café Coffee Day, VG Siddhratha, 70 percent of these new CCD outlets would come in cities where CCD already operates and the remaining would be set up in new cities and highways. Here it deserves a mention by end of June 2015, the country was already having 1538 Café Coffee Day outlets, spread across 219 cities and towns of India. In the recent past, Tata Starbucks Private Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Corporation and Tata Global Beverages Limited, opened the 75th Starbucks store in India. The store located in Mumbai at Bandra, also marked the opening of the 27th Starbucks store in the city of commerce and glamour, and the third Starbucks outlet in the buzzing locality of Bandra and Santacruz. Starbucks entered the Indian market only in October 2012 and till 23rd July 2015, there were 75 Starbucks’ outlet in India. Till the third week of February 2016, the total number of outlets of the chain in India stood at 79; just barely 42 months after the chain entered India. The impressive growth of Café Coffee Day and Tata Starbucks in the Indian market reflects on the growing demand for coffee cafes and bakery cafes in urban India.
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Ashish Chanana
Costa Coffee Envisages Steady Growth The UK-based Costa Coffee, which entered India in 2005 through an exclusive master franchisee tie-up with Devyani International Ltd., making it the first international coffee chain to start operations in India, has also been envisaging steady expansion plans for the Indian market. It seems the chain has put behind the turbulent times it had experienced in the Indian market during its past years. “We are operating 96 outlets in India at present, and we are planning to have 100 outlets in the country, under the ambit of Costa Coffee India, in about four to five months,” stated Ashish Chanana, Chief Operating Officer, Costa Coffee India. The outlets embodying Costa Coffee’s brand name in the country are spread across a range of formats covering high street, shopping malls, airports, hospitals, business hubs & highways. With the growth of coffee café culture in the country, the Indian consumers’ tastes of coffees have also undergone marked evolution since the last decade. These days, many of the young and even the not so young crowd in the sleek coffee cafes across urban India are seen sipping Americano, Mocha, Cappuccino and many other exotic styles of this invigorating brew, which not so long ago were foreign to the then comparatively conservative tastes of India. Here it deserves a mention that in the recent past, the UK- based Coffee chain did launch its bestselling international coffee, the Flat White in India. The Flat White, originally
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made famous by its runaway success in Australia and New Zealand, is a threeshot Espresso and flat no-froth milk, which takes coffee drinking to a new high. It uses more espresso coffee than a cappuccino or latte. “Further, it is milkier on the taste than your regular coffees,” informed Chanana. The coffee came at this writer’s table with an impression of a liquid leaf (made of steamed milk) on top of the coffee. I saw Baristas at the Costa Coffee outlet at South Extension-II simulating teddy bear with steamed milk, on top of the Flat White filled cups; to be served to the discerning guests. The introduction of a high-end coffee like Flat White in the Indian market itself speak volumes of the marked evolution in the coffee café culture in urban India, especially during the recent years. Speaking on the occasion, Virag Joshi, CEO & President, Devyani International Ltd., said, “Costa is India’s first international coffee brand and India is one of the most exciting markets for Costa Coffee. We have learnt that the Indian customers are always willing to try new offerings and with the popularity of the Flat White soaring elsewhere at Costa stores globally we think it is the right time to give our patrons a taste of this wonderful new coffee.”
Challenges Towards Expansion However, most of the outlets of Costa Coffee in India are located in north and south India only. Delhi-NCR and other parts of north India together have 70 of the 95 Costa Coffee outlets. According to Chanana, the huge cost of supply chain logistics is preventing Costa Coffee to expand aggressively in the east and west India. “At the same time, the market of Costa Coffee has not yet matured in the east India, as yet,” stated Chanana. “For example, presently the cost of transporting our products and ingredients from Delhi to Kolkata, and the investment towards setting up a new production unit in east India could not be justified by our expected revenues from the Kolkata and other east Indian markets,” averred the corporate honcho. West India has a comparatively better ready market for the products of a high-end coffee café chain like Costa Coffee than east India, but in west India, according to Chanana, the cities which are/can be good markets for Costa Coffee are not very near to each other, which
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bEVERAGE again poses a logistics problem for the chain. “For example, the two important markets for Costa Coffee in west India — Mumbai and Ahmedabad — are not in close proximity to each other,” pointed out Chanana. “In north India, major cities, which are/can be good markets for Costa Coffee, are close by and thus logistics problem while expanding in north India is very minimal,” iterated Chanana. However, Costa Coffee is not in a huge hurry to rapidly expand its footprints in India. Taking a pragmatic approach, the chain is focusing more on making its already operational outlets in India profitable rather than just increasing the store counts. “Location is the key, and the business model should be viable for us,” affirmed Chanana while explaining the main factors that are being considered for opening a Costa Coffee outlet in India. Overall, we can say that coffee café culture in urban India is gaining force. This growth of the coffee café culture should inspire many other small Indian entrepreneurs to come up with their own version of sleek coffee cafes or bakery cafes, as this model has caught the fancy of a significant section of urban Indians, especially young urban Indians. The markets in tier-II and tier-III cities in the country are less explored as compared to that of the Indian metros, but many of them are also showing highly impressive potential for the growth of coffee cafés. Coffee parlours are getting increasingly popular in tier-II and tier-III cities of India.
The General Factors The growth of coffee café culture in India should ideally lead to greater demand for bakery products like doughnuts, sandwiches and burgers as many of these cafes serve these items along with a wide selection of beverage options. In fact, it is difficult for a café in India to earn profitability just by retailing coffee. Despite increase in coffee consumption during the recent years, coffee in itself still doesn’t generally generate huge sales in the country. Thus cafes need to emphasise greatly on burgers, pizzas or
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sandwiches to garner impressive profits, on a long-term basis. Otherwise despite growth of coffee café culture in the country, a huge multitude of our cafes would find profitability elusive in the long-run.
Need for Repositioning In order to earn sustained profitability, the café chains also need to re-position themselves slightly. Presently, there is a general perception among many Indian people that cafes are primarily places for socialising and/or for holding business meetings, and not as places to have great food and beverages to satiate one’s hunger. This perception is an impediment to the profitability of the cafes, for this perception can (and most probably does) lead to smaller billings for coffee cafes and bakery cafes, in comparison to quick-service restaurants, on an average. This consumer perception needs to be changed by the coffee café and bakery café chains operating in India, and in this context, both media
and advertising can play crucial roles. Steep rental is another serious problem for coffee café chains operating in India as there is an underlying assumption here that coffee cafes and bakery cafes need to operate in prime locations. Coffee café chains struggling with high rentals had been common features of our food service industry in the recent past, and most probably things have not changed substantially in this direction. It is because in India, despite their mushrooming across urban India during the recent years, the coffee cafes and bakery cafes still have a sophisticated and up market connotation associated with them. Rentals comprise a major
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chunk of operating costs for coffee chains in the country, which challenges their profitability. This can be countered to a greater extent if the coffee cafe and bakery café chains operating in India channelise their expansion more towards the tier-II and tier-III cities and less on the metros than they are doing at present, as rentals can often be and usually is prohibitive in the prime locations across metro cities of India. At the same time, these chains should open more cafes in the middle class commercial localities of the Indian cities, where the rent is comparatively affordable. Succinctly, the coffee café and bakery café chains operating in the country should also focus beyond the premium locations of the cities/towns to keep their operating costs in check.
Catering to Local Flavours Moreover, in order to gain enduring popularity in India’s locally global markets, the foreign coffee café chains and as well as the Indian coffee café chains and stand-alone coffee cafes and bakery cafes should make continual endeavours to tailor their baked offerings and other snacks to cater to the local Indian taste preferences. For how much global an average Indian consumer may become he/she is not likely to dispense with his/ her local palate preferences. Peppy Chicken Roll, Tandoori Paneer Sandwich and Tandoori Chicken Sandwich of Café Coffee Day, The Original Tough Guy Veg burger, Crunchy Joe Veg burger from Dunkin’ Donuts are examples of products which can appeal to Indian tastes. Simply catering to the general Indian taste requirements won’t be helpful when the competition among the café chains heats up further; for example, the menu of a coffee café operating in Chennai should be slightly different from the menu of a coffee café in Kolkata or Mumbai, at least in terms of the ingredients in their baked and confectionery products, so as take into account of the specific regional preferences of a country of diversified tastes like India. Already the players operating in the country have taken some proactive steps in this market savvy n direction.
Feb-Mar ’16
Feb-Mar ’16
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PROFILE
Prithvi Café
Not Just Another Restaurateur By Swarnendu Biswas
R
iyaaz Amlani doesn’t carry the weight of his reputation on his unassuming personality. The President of National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and the CEO and Managing Director, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. is a young dynamic restaurateur whose rapid rise to fame and success seems like a fairytale. However, like many things in life, here also what seems to be true is not true. His story is not a fairytale but a true account of sheer hard work, sheer passion, and the ability to think out of the box.
Smoke House Deli, Bengaluru
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In Flying Colours He began his journey in the topsyturvy world of restaurant business in 2001, and within 15 years, he has 37 restaurants and cafés across 15 cities. This runaway success in such a short span of time in the highly competitive Indian restaurant business has exalted Riyaaz to somewhat of a celebrity status, in the realms of Indian food service industry. “In 15 years of operations Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. has created concepts ahead of the curve in virtually all segments of the Indian food services market. From coffee shops to high-end fine dining, from casual dining cafes to a kiosk-based F&B model, we have done all!. Our vast and varied experience along with a high focus on innovation and design, and a customer first philosophy, gives us a unique edge in the Indian food services market,” he elaborated, while discussing his stupendous success. It is true that Riyaaz believes in creating trends rather than following
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them, and probably this attitude is the main reason behind his success story, which has been reflected over the years, both in terms of revenues and recognition. His restaurants have got awards in India, and also garnered international recognition. Another is probably he never let his failures get the better of him. For example, the closure of Salt Water Grill in Mumbai, in 2008, which ran from 2005 to 2008, didn’t deter him to open a serious gourmet café like Salt Water Cafe, which furthered the food philosophy of Salt Water Grill. And over these 15 years, his ambit of food service solutions has ranged from uber luxury dining to kiosks to catering. “We began our journey in the business of food service with Mocha in December 2001, which was opened in Churchgate, Mumbai,” said Riyaaz. It was followed by two more Mocha outlets; one each in Goa and Bandra, Mumbai. Then there was another Mocha outlet in Juhu, Mumbai. Soon there was no looking back for the young entrepreneur.
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PROFILE Mocha and Others Delhi’s maiden outlet of Mocha came up in GK-I, in 2004. Today his brand Mocha is spread across 13 outlets, which are spread through 12 cities of the country. Mocha thrives on high volume, low margin model. “The success of Mocha can perhaps be attributed to the fact that with Mocha we created a whole new category, which was then a novelty in the Indian food service business; that of a coffee lounge with a hookah bar,” explained Riyaaz. Of course, Mocha was only the beginning of his success story. Presently, his other chains in the realm of food service industry are Salt Water Café, Smoke House Deli, and Social. Besides these chains of outlets, Riyaaz is heading the show at some fine stand-alone restaurants also, which come under the ambit of Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. The stand-alone restaurants of Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. are Stone Water Grill, Prithvi Café, and Tasting Room. Stone Water Grill is present in Pune whereas Prithvi Café and Tasting Room are located in Mumbai.
Feb-Mar ’16
Riyaaz Amlani
Kolkata and they provide singular café experiences. Smoke House Deli opens early morning and works hard till late night. Some of the offerings of this brand of European casual dining café chain, which focuses on continental food, include pancakes, noshes, pastas, burgers, desserts, and specialty cocktails. The irreverent decor with intimate ambience complements the sumptuous journey offered to the guests, at the Smoke House Deli’s outlets. Presently there are 10 Smoke House Deli outlets with three outlets in Mumbai, four in Delhi, two in Bangalore, and one outlet in Kolkata.
The Two Chains
Social Heralds a Trend
Salt Water Café is a contemporary take on traditional European cafés serving fresh breakfast, lunch, dinner and all-day menus. “The focus of the menu is on technique and high quality ingredients, paired in surprising contrasts; allowing for refined eating in a casual ambience,” explained the savvy entrepreneur. Presently, there are two Salt Water Cafes in Mumbai. Smoke House Deli has presence in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and
Then there is Social. The brand presents next generation cafes in India, which combine all day café and bar and workstation, all under one roof. Here the guests can easily mix business with leisure, which is a demand of these multitasking times. Yes, here you can work and play with help of fun drinks and comfort food. “Social aims to create a revolutionary platform for guests to interact, engage and collaborate both online and offline, where people from diverse communities based on
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PROFILE
Salt Water Cafe, Churchgate
common interests and passions can and do come together,” affirmed Riyaaz. Social has nine outlets, with presence in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. As the readers may have already guessed, Social’s outlets can be ideal havens for freelancers or for creative souls. “Social’s outlets are open 18 hours a day, from breakfast at 8 am to 1 am. With this model Social is effectively able to sweat its assets to its optimum capacity,” asserted Riyaaz. Moreover, according to him, “At Social, we are also being able to provide expensive office spaces at a very competitive price of Rs. 5000 a month, which can be redeemed for food and drinks.” Presently there are nine Social outlets under Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. with four outlets in Mumbai, three outlets in Delhi and two outlets in Bangalore. Here it deserves a mention that except Mocha all other chains under Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. comprises owned outlets. Only in Mocha the company has introduced franchising option. Riyaaz told that the aim of stringent adherence to quality of food & beverage, décor and ambience has prevented him to take the franchising option for Salt Water Café, Smoke House Deli, and Social. According to him, among the four restaurant chains under his company’s ambit, only Mocha could be extended to franchisee options without tagging an element of risk towards setback in its quality of offerings, and hence of the brand image.
The Road Map However, despite having such an impressive portfolio of food service
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options, Riyaaz, as has been expected of him, is not resting on his laurels. Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. is planning an ambitious expansion plan for Social. “We would have 10 more outlets of Social within 2016 itself, which would be spread across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. And from 2017onwards, we would explore the expansion of Social across tier-II and tier-III cities of the country,” elaborated Riyaaz, the compulsive entrepreneur. Each of the forthcoming outlets of Social which are expected to become realities during 2016 is expected to incur an investment to the tune of Rs.2-2.5 crore, on an average, which according to Riyaaz, would be financed through a mix of debt and internal accruals. “We expect to have another 15 outlets of Social in the next two years from now,” he disclosed. Then there are plans to expand the footprint of Smoke House Deli. I queried him on why he has refrained from expanding Salt Water Café in an ambitious manner. “The food and drinks offered in Salt Water Café is Chef-led, and of extremely fine quality. This kind of culinary offerings still doesn’t have wide acceptance in India and will find favour only in limited pockets of the country, while Social and Smoke House Deli are expected to have a much wider appeal and acceptance,” answered the creative restaurateur candidly.
The Industry Issues Besides being a restaurateur who has a predilection to think out of the box and come up with something innovative, Riyaaz also has the additional responsibility of being the current President of NRAI. He is extremely earnest
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about the Indian restaurant industry getting infrastructure status. “The Indian restaurant industry has been a significant contributor to the country’s overall economy. It contributes seven times more than the hotel sector in the country’s GDP. It is the third largest contributor in the service industry after retail and insurance. For sustained growth of the industry over long-term, it is important for the government to recognise the industry’s increasing contribution and give it an infrastructure status,” he elaborated. Furthermore, the lengthy rigmarole of licenses and clearances is another serious issue that is impeding the potential of growth of the Indian restaurant business. The procedure for opening a restaurant in India needs to be simplified from what it is now. “We need up to 35 different NOCs, clearances and licenses from various government bodies. Acquiring and renewing these licenses is a massive and daunting task in itself,” maintained Riyaaz. He also lamented on the huge tax burden imposed on the Indian restaurant industry. “The National Restaurant Association of India has taken up issues related to taxation on the Indian restaurant industry with the Finance Ministry several times, and has had meetings with officers at all levels. However, the issue has remained unresolved,” he informed, with a sense of tiredness creeping in his voice. About the recently announced Union Budget, Riyaaz put forward mixed reactions. “The Union Budget 2016-17 was largely agrarian in nature and the F&B sector was looking forward to some impetus. We had also hoped for some announcement on the implementation of GST. The Indian restaurant industry will be impacted to a limited degree by the increase of service tax, through the introduction of 0.5 percent agri cess,” he proffered. The recently held Union Budget had proposed to impose Krishi Kalyan Cess at the rate of 0.5 percent on all taxable services, which would make the effective service tax reach 15 percent from the new financial year. But there is something good in the budget too for the Indian restaurant industry. “The decision to circulate the Model Shops & Establishments bill to state governments for voluntary adoption is a welcome move. We hope to see some traction on it,” he expressed, while ending on a positive note. n
Feb-Mar ’16
Feb-Mar ’16
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PUB
Blend it Like Brewbot
Surrender your inhibitions, and Brewbot Mumbai will conquer the world of senses to please your palate with the perfect pairing of craft beer and food By Ashok Malkani
F
irst microbrewery of Mumbai’s Andheri suburb, Brewbot Eatery & Pub Brewery offers you a perfect pairing of beer and food to turn your evenings into delightful nights in this Maximum City. The sight of huge brewing pots behind the sleekly designed bar are sure to take your breath away, and remind you that what you are about to taste is genuine crafted beer brewed with the best malt and hops. No wonder Brewbot has become the favourite haunt for youngsters across the city not only for its brave choice of beers but also for its sumptuous food, and particularly the Sunday buffet brunch. The highlight of the first floor décor of this brewery and eatery is the huge LED TV which becomes the centre of attraction during sporting events like T20 cricket matches. On this floor too, there are huge brewing vats. Indeed the length of the entire microbrewery is lined with steel pipes and the enormous vats. Brewbot is spread across two levels – one enters through an al fresco area into the main bar and seating, and then stairs lead up to the second level.
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The spacious eatery has a lavishly designed outdoor seating arrangement for you to enjoy the delicious food and beer under the starlit sky, with the cool wind gently blowing across the place. From here you get a complete view of the interiors of the microbrewery. During the day you could dine on the ground floor level. The private event arena on the second level provides you with luxurious seating accommodation. The food at the eatery is out of the world perhaps because all the three partners of the place – Anand Morwani, Ketan Gohel and Ansh Seth – decided to meld their expertise in the hospitality segment and come up with something
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extraordinary. Educated at Les Roches, International School of Hospitality Management, Switzerland, Morwani is a Swiss Hotel Association diploma holder. Following this he did his Bachelors in Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and International Hospitality. He then specialised in cuisine and pastry at Le Cordon Bleu, London. Gohel earned a Swiss Higher diploma in Hotel Management from International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (IHTTI) in Neuchatel, Switzerland and further went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Hospitality and Tourism Management from Bournemouth University in England. Seth has earned the Swiss Hotel Association diploma from Les Roches, International School of Hospitality Management, Switzerland. He specialises in financial management and is a bachelor degree holder in International Hospitality & Finance. All three of them have ample handson experience in the hospitality industry. Morwani believes that beer has to be paired with food, like wine. “This makes
Feb-Mar ’16
PUB your dining experience perfect,” he said. “The entire menu, in fact, has been designed to enable you to enjoy this perfect pairing experience,” he pointed out. And if you are unable to do so, you could seek the advice of the attendant. In case there is difficulty, Morwani’s help could be handy. The trio – Morwani, Gohel and Seth – are dedicated to making this baby a place for connoisseurs of food to visit regularly and recommend it to their friends. Morwani, who handles the entire kitchen, and is often found creating new dishes, has succeeded in making several dishes with beer. “Finicky” in his own words, Morwani would not allow the beer to be served unless it has completed the required time in the vats. The food too has to be cooked perfectly. He bakes his own breads, and stirs up an original barbecue sauce. His four-anda-half years of research and planning, and training at Le Roche, Switzerland and Le Cordon Bleu, makes you unable to resist the delicacies on the menu.
Anand Morwani, Ansh Seth and Ketan Gohel
Among the appetisers you could try Chicken Rotollino (chicken, mozzarella, chicken ham, basil roasted pepper sauce, pine nuts) or Fish Cakes (fish blend, onions, garlic, lemon nest, lemon juice, parsley, potatoes and bread crumbs). For the vegetarians there is the Cottage Cheese Phyllo Rolls (cottage cheese,
garlic, shallots, chilli flakes, spicy tomato sauce, parsley, ariracha aloli). Among the main dishes you could try the Muchroom Risotto (house mushroom blend, garlic butter, Arborio, parmesan, mozzarella), Pulled Chipotle Chicken Sliders (chipotle chicken, grilled onions, peppers, cheddar and greens), BBQ Chicken Pizza (pulled chicken, BBQ sauce, bell peppers, garlic, house cheese blend and jalapeno) or eggplant involtini (eggplant, zucchini, marinara sauce, feta dressing and fried basil). And for the desserts you have yummy delicacies like Stout & Chocolate Brownies or House Special Cheesecake. For the diehard ice cream fans they also have few select ice creams. Though this place is a little difficult to locate, (Morya Landmark One, near City Mall on Andheri Link Road), it is worth your effort. An array of craft beer, lovingly brewed under the strictest vigilance of Morwani, Gohel and Seth, combined with the delectable fare, is sure to make you visit the place again and again. n
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Feb-Mar ’16
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t h e m e cuisi n e
The Age of Fusion Cuisine By Sharmila Chand
T
he palate for new-age cuisines is catching up. Thanks to globalisation and technology, the global cuisine is increasingly being seen on our dining tables. Nowadays we find that there are increasing numbers of discerning diners, who are well-travelled. They want to explore dishes from other parts of the world, and dishes that are generally not feasible to make at home. Hence, we are seeing that both fine dining and casual dining restaurants in urban India have introduced dishes which have global influence, along with their classic recipes, in their menus, in a big way. The good news is that the diners are getting matured. Many of them are fairly acquainted with the tastes and flavours of different exotic cuisines. Moreover, they are eager to have authentic cuisines. At the same time, they want the Chefs to surprise them by presenting to them something totally unexpected. This has paved the way for new-age cuisine. For example, Zorawar Kalra’s newly opened restaurant in Mumbai named Masala Library is serving Pesto Kebabs with
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Parmesan Papad, Quinoa Biryani, Rissoto Khichdi and Poha Paella — the last one an Indian take on the Spanish Valencian rice dish with Calamari, clams and sea food. Who would have found takers for such dishes 10 years ago?
No Rules for Fusion Food Today, many Chefs are innovating and fusing different ingredients from different culinary traditions to create a refreshingly different cuisine. The only rule for fusion
cuisine seems to be ‘No Rules.’ One need not be surprised if a Chef of today’s Indian food service industry presents Tandoori Chicken marinated with exotic spices, cooked in a clay oven and served with Mexican sauce. In the realm of new-age cuisine, the humble samosa is transformed into a chocolate and mint molten lava! It seems fusion cuisine has finally arrived in India. “Fusion cuisine to me is any fare that blends the culinary traditions
“
Contemporary fusion cuisine is the new-age trend. We want to see usual and familiar cuisine that is close to our hearts; being packaged in a fresh way. The trend seems to catch up big time as there are restaurants showcasing a contemporary format.
”
— Manu Chandra, Chef and Partner, The Fatty Bao and Monkey Bar, and Executive Chef, Olive Beach Bangalore.
Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review
Feb-Mar ’16
t h e m e cuisi n e of two or more cuisines or cooking styles to create innovative dishes; sometimes dishes that confound your senses – in a pleasant way. For instance finding that well-loved local paan flavour in your tiramisu when you are expecting coffee can be a delicious jolt to the taste buds,” proffered Anupam Gulati, Executive Chef, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa. “Or it could even be the modern interpretation of a traditionally classic dish. But I firmly believe in an underlying mantra – make it contemporary yet keep it attached to its roots. For instance, getting inspired by a Chicken Xacuti could be doing a Smoked Chicken with Xacuti sauce. The idea is to look modern but taste authentic, so that the essence of the dish is maintained,” he elaborated further. “At the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, we have a young, enthusiastic team and we frequently experiment with food & beverage, like Prawn Balchao Bites on Mini Sannas. My signatures would be Slow Braised Lamb Shanks with Rogan Josh Jus, and for the sweet tooth I would do a Banana and Chocolate Jalebi or an Aamras Cheesecake,” Gulati affirmed.
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me the kitchen is a fantasy “andTopresents opportunity to mix
ingredients and techniques, fished from every corner of the world. Food is a language and the more one evolves the more it will be used and appreciated. The task of a good Chef is to give it a right combination of flavours and colours.
”
— Chef Armando di Filippo, Chef de Cuisine, Mezzaluna, Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore
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Chef Manu Chandra, Partner, Monkey Bar (Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai) & The Fatty Bao (Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai) and Executive Chef, Olive Beach Bangalore is another exponent of new-age cuisine. He is a lover of slow cooking Chandra leans towards painstakingly cooked things, a process that enables one to extract flavours and textures. On the other hand, he is also fond of incredibly fast cooking, which keeps the integrity of ingredients and freshness intact. Being a minimalist, Chandra is of the opinion that removing an ingredient rather than adding one usually improves the flavour of a dish. “I avoid staying strictly within cuisine parameters when it comes to ingredients, since terroir should have some role to play in it too,” he affirmed. Extreme variation in ingredients use, and the revival of many a forgotten produce has become integral part of his culinary repertoire. “At The Fatty Bao, we offer a menu firmly anchored in fresh Asian flavours, served in a comfortable, yet, edgy space to match. A yin and yang of sorts, it brings
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t h e m e cuisi n e
Menu Planning By Chef Nimish Bhatia, Owner of Nimisserie, Bangalore
cuisine to me is any “fareFusion that blends the culinary
traditions of two or more cuisines or cooking styles to create innovative dishes, sometimes dishes that confound your senses in a pleasant way.
”
— Anupam Gulati, Executive Chef, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa together modern interpretations of the Bao and a yuzu-laced mojito,” informed Chandra. “Here soulful Chasu Ramen, melt in the mouth Pork Belly, Spicy Scallop Nigri, Char Siu Bao, Wild Mushroom and Truffle Oil Dumpling, Fatty Oysters Broiled with Mushrooms, Soy and Chorizo, Miso Cod, Salmon Carpaccio and Japanese Cheesecake sit comfortably on the menu alongside some all-time favourites,” he pointed out to substantiate.
Appetisers Smoked Salmon with Chilli Ginger Bhakarwadi, Aam Papad Tartare, Raita Drops Smoked Young Chicken Breasts & Arugula, Marigold Flowers, Basil, Dehydrated Pineapple Murmura Crusted Prawns with South African PeriPeri Spice, Citrus Dust & Santra Dip Dukkah Spiced Duck on Indi Nacho & Sunflower Microgreens Methi Thepla Cigars with Philadelphia Cheese, Paneer & Chilli Oregano Dust Coco-Tofu Pakodi with Guava Chutney, Caramelized Onion The Kebebarie Chicken Tikkkaree Guntur Chilli & Mountain Garlic; Sour Cream & Onion; Date Teriyaki New World Veggie Tikkaree Curried Pesto Baby Corn; Cheese Chooranmushroom; Sour Cream & Onion Broccoli Prawn Tikkkaree Periperi & Mexican Cheese Dust; Sour Cream & Onion; Oriental Spice, Gari & Wasabi Mains Flame Fired Lobster with NimbuMakhan Foam, Moilee Cream, Dehydrated Pineapple Shavings Char Grilled Prawns with Spicy Wayanad Pepper, String Hoppers, Onion Crisps Curried Fresh Crab with Green Chilli
Delight in Being Adventurous
Fusion cooking is a delight as “it creates magic by combining a number of cuisines in one meal; catering to a new generation of adventurous food lovers.
”
— Chef Thomas Joseph, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Bengaluru Electronics City
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“Fusion cooking is a delight as it creates magic by combining a number of cuisines in one meal. It is catering to a new generation of adventurous food lovers. With fusion cuisine, Chefs get to create new tastes, and there is more acceptance of a fusion meal in today’s Indian food service industry than it was there a decade before. However, I feel it is a one-time indulgence and eventually classic, authentic and traditional preparations dominate food preferences in India,” expressed Thomas Joseph, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Bengaluru Electronics City. One of his signature dishes in the genre of fusion cuisine is Grilled
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Tapenade, Jodhpuri ChoorChoor Parantha Fishy Affair With: Kasundi Grilled Snapper; Gooseberry Chutney Tuna; Curry Leaf Pesto Seer; Curry Lemon Foam Sous Vide Chicken Thigh with Achari Punjabi Masala, Bundelkhandi Bharta, Pheni Paratha Bihari Pithi Pockets Stuffed with Spinach, Cottage Cheese, Flax Seed, Dal Sauce with Crisps Tasting of Delicatesse Mushrooms: 3 Ways — Quick Flipped Babycorn Spears, Aerated Makhani Cream, Truffle Oil Kulcha The Naanaree Truffle Oil Naan Beetroot, Rosemary & Goat Cheese Kulcha ChoorChoor Naan Apricot and Chilli Kulcha Trio Galore of Dals with Textures Dal with Spicy Chaat and Citrus Flavors; Dal & Toasted Pine Nuts Khichadi; Just Tempered Dal with Sundried Pomegranate; Whole Wheat Phulka Pockets Layered with Mascarpone Cream Desserts ChocoNuts, ‘Nimisserie Cru’, Tastes & Textures Tarte Tatin Mishti Doi Crème Brulee, Candied Fruits & Petals Chlorophyll Panna Cotta with Curacao Pearls Lemon Jasmine Sorbet
New Zealand Lamb Rack with Chickpea Sundal. This dish has raw ingredients from different parts of the globe and adopts cooking techniques from different cuisines. The lamb rack from New Zealand is cooked on a grill in a French style and served with chickpea sundal — a preparation from Andhra using chickpea and grated coconut with mild spices, served with a smooth Hyderbadi curry sauce which has a strong flavour of mutton and spices. n Nimisserie is located at the centre of Bangalore at 120 Brigade Road, just off Wood Street. For reservations contact 080-40988989.
Feb-Mar ’16
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R estaura n t
The Aspects of Nimisserie
By Sharmila Chand
C
entrally located at 120 Brigade Road, Bangalore, just off Wood Street, is the newly opened Nimisserie restaurant. It is not just an eatery. Nimisserie is actually a reflection, a dream, an idea that Chef Nimish Bhatia has curated over decades of understanding and while exploring the subtle nuances of culinary tastes & textures. One can say that Nimisserie is the translating of this dream of Nimish Bhatia; in brick and mortar, and also in aroma and flavours, into a welcome reality. It is a place where the essential culinary character is a continual creative process. Nimisserie can be construed as an anthology of Chef Nimish Bhatia’s presentations from his impressive culinary repertoire of fine smart-dining. The minimalist interiors of the restaurant in red, white and gold are elegant and inviting. The seating arrangement spreads from ground to upper level. Nimisserie greets you with a glass-clad wine cellar entrance. Surrounded on all sides of the restaurant’s glass-clad wine
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cellar entrance, Nimisserie also boasts of three tastefully decorated private dining spaces that can seat from six to twelve guests. They are the ideal places to sip and celebrate memorable personal and professional occasions. These secluded private dining spaces are in addition to the open seating arrangement at the restaurant. Adding to the fervour are the emblematic creations or open viewing stations, conceived by Chef Nimish; The Kebaberie — a
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rotator tandoor suspended horizontally, The Naanerie – a wood fired oven, dishing out breads & bruschettas & The Tawakerie – an open Aspect-inspired take on the flat grill. Here discreet and knowledgeable staff will recommend dishes without pretension. Overall, the place, besides giving a great gastronomic experience to the food connoisseurs, induces them to ask questions and evolve their palates further on every return to the place.
Feb-Mar ’16
R estaura n t Aspect Cuisine
Signature Dishes
Nimisserie aspires to create a serene dining enclave in the IT city. It is a great combination of smart casual & fine dining experience, reflecting progressive Indian cuisine. Here the food served is defined as ‘Aspect Cuisine’. To put it simply, Nimisserie presents the amalgamation of the best of Indian and western cuisines for its discerning guests. Here you get Indian food; influenced by the world. Nimisserie presents stylish Indian food, fused with modern culinary philosophies. The place and the food engage all the senses. From the sounds to the colour to the aroma to the texture, to the mouth-feel, the place provided undiluted joy to this writer. “The Aspect Cuisine is probably the main reason why we enjoy cooking and serving here. We cook what orchards, seas, farms and forests provide and we do so by using the accumulated experience of many, many years in the kitchen and at the table,” proffered Nimish Bhatia. “Aspect Cuisine at Nimisserie is an eating path of experience; a path strewn with histories, aromas, textures, flavours, memories, desires and numerous
“I have personally crafted the menu with a lot of love where the entire menu is my signature,” asserted the Chef. Nevertheless, he gave special mention to some of his signature culinary creations. They are: Murmura crusted prawns with South African peri peri spice, citrus dust and Santara dip. Coco tofu pakodi with guava chutney and Madras gunpowder. Mix max bhel of micro greens, flowers, avocado oil stirred baby idli crisp. Truffle oil chicken tikka with dheele atte ka paratha and aerated makahni cream. Sous vide lamb chops & fine mince kofta with jasmine bread. Amaranth furrowed mille file of potato, Benarasi sauce, paan butter kulcha and a ginger bhakarwadi crisp Bihari pithi pockets filled with sattu, flax seeds and spinach; served in a dal sauce. Bacon kulcha, apricot and chilli kulcha. Tart tartin mishti doi crème brulee. n
other pleasurable stimuli. Here sensory harmonies, emotions, and culinary messages lyrically intertwine,” he pointed out further. The Chef has designed some indigenous equipments and techniques to facilitate this interactive gourmet escapade where the recipes are tailormade for each guest. The dishes are served morsel by morsel to grow on the taste buds and allure the guests into a gastronomically sensuous affair.
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c h ef voice
A Passion to Simply Cook By Sharmila Chand
Vikash Prasad, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road, is the alumnus of Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development. During his career, he has worked with renowned brands like Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, The Imperial, New Delhi, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, The Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts, and IHG. He also has the distinction of working at Michelin-star awarded French fine dining restaurant named Restaurant Petrus at Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong. Among overseas locations, he has work experience in Hong Kong, China, US, Dubai, and Muscat. The excerpts of the interview follow: How do you describe yourself? I consider myself as a cook. I would describe myself as a professional who ‘lives to eat and cook.’
What is your philosophy of cooking? It includes knowing your guests, knowing your cultural location, respecting the local dishes, ensuring authenticity and never compromising on freshness. Cooking simple, getting it right, working honestly from the heart are other important elements of my work philosophy. I also believe in not being afraid of food while cooking. I also believe that guests are your biggest judge; their feedback will make you a better Chef. Besides, never promise a dish if you don’t have the requisite ingredients and if you don’t know the dish. Besides all these, I am a tough task master for myself as well as for my team.
Had you not been doing this then what would you have been? I would have been trying to be a Chef.
What is your source of inspiration? The smile and happiness I see on the faces of guests after they eat my food is
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the best motivation and inspiration for me.
competition, a Chef needs to plan in advance and recruit for specific skills.
Mention the major highlights of your career
What is your definition of success, professionally?
I have hosted two Chaîne des Rôtisseurs events in Dubai, and Sultanate of Oman. Besides I have got numerous citations from heads of states and dignitaries.
My guests’ feedback about the food is the only barometer of success for me.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your career so far?
What is your strength as a Chef? The fact that I don’t compromise on quality, freshness and authenticity of dishes are my professional strengths. I believe in giving the guests what they want without complicating too much, and that I think is another of my professional strengths.
To pinpoint a particular one is a difficult task as I have experienced quite a few rewarding experiences. However, when I do get engaged in openings of new hotels, then right from the equipment stage to the first dish being served to guest experiences, I get a series of some of the most amazing moments.
How would you define yourself in one word?
What are the major challenges for Chefs in the Indian food service industry, these days?
How do you rate yourself as a Chef?
Challenges that Chefs in the Indian food service industry face these days are essentially two-pronged. One is the paucity of quality ingredients and another is the shortage of quality professionals. To ensure you stay one step ahead of
Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review
How do you de-stress yourself? When I am not cooking, I am with my family. We go on long drives.
Passionate.
I think I am still learning.
What is/are your favourite cuisine/s? Classical French and Indian cuisines are my favourites. Passion to excel is the
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common factor to attain expertise in both of these cuisines.
What is your favourite spice? I would rate black pepper as my favourite spice. I rate black pepper as the king of spices.
What is your favourite dish? Pan-fried duck breast with baby spinach, sautéed grapes with cinnamon and orange jus is my favourite dish.
What is your favourite equipment? Cast iron heavy bottomed saute pan is my favourite equipment.
What is your favourite restaurant or food joint? Restaurant Petrus in Hong Kong is my favourite one.
Who is your favourite diner that is the kind of guest you would like to feed? Demanding diners who share my passion for the best in food, are my favourites.
What is the best compliment that you have received so far? I was called by a guest by the poolside. After we exchanged the pleasantries his four-year-old daughter shyly came forward and said, ‘Thank you Chef for the best Spaghetti and Cupcake I ever had’, and then she quickly hid behind her father. I will never forget this compliment and it still makes me fondly smile even after 10 years have passed since that incident.
If you are having the last meal on earth then what would you choose? It would be Laal Maas definitely.
Where do we see you 10 years from now? You would see me still cooking, and learning and enjoying it.
What are your future plans? It is to get the next generation of Chefs ready. Teach them what I have learnt and make them ready to take over my mantle.
What is the position of Chefs these days, in India? Chefs in India are doing great. They are becoming the face of hotels and they are playing a huge role in making guests decide whether they will buy your food & beverage products or not.
What is the best career advice you have received? ‘Do cooking from heart and everything will come to you’ is the best advice of my career.
What would you recommend to someone interested in working in your field? Be passionate, do the right thing. Learn, take your time and persevere.
Feb-Mar ’16
Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review
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OPERATIONS
What is on the Menu? By Sharmila Chand
T
he just ended 2015 had been an incredible year for the entire food & beverage industry across the globe. The hopes are higher for 2016. As far as the Indian food & beverage industry is concerned, 2015 saw a growing interest towards modern Indian food and local cuisines. In the year gone by, we saw both diners and Chefs in the Indian food service industry showing keen interest in exploring various indigenous ingredients. They accepted new dishes with an open mind rather than wanting to bet their money on international cuisines. According to a recent survey, more Chefs have reported a growing interest in African and Middle-Eastern flavours, artisanal beverages, and ethnic cuisines and condiments. On the other hand kale, quinoa, underutilised fish and gluten-free food are losing in popularity. Recently I got to interact with some renowned food service professionals in the industry, which facilitated me to gauge some F&B trends for the Indian
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food service industry, for the near future.
Sahil Sabhlok, Executive Chef, The Claridges, New Delhi
Whether it is blended tea or wines, you will be amazed by the creative fusion of flavours, flair and uncommon taste.” When it comes to nutrition trends, this year the Indian food service industry is expected to see several comebacks. At the same time, experts predict that new trends like power bowls (a bowl full of food that charges you up) and spiralized vegetables (vegetables that are cut using spiralizing machines to avoid chopping) will also make a mark in 2016. Soups will be more than just appetisers this year. Small plates or ‘dishes for sharing’ will be popular in restaurant menus in India, which are expected to offer diners a refreshing experience. “The ongoing year is expected to see an increase in the consumption of quinoa whereas gluten-free craze will reduce and pastas will lose their importance,” affirmed Sahil Sabhlok, Executive Chef, The Claridges, New Delhi. “There has been a growing interest in going back to the history of food with
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Feb-Mar ’16
Evolving and Future Trends While discussing future F&B trends, Vinesh Gupta, GM, Movenpick Hotel & Spa Bangalore pointed out, “The craft of blending will reach a new height.
fast food options are “ Healthier the way to go for this year. ”
a number of restaurants promoting the lost recipes, and I feel 2016 would definitely be a year where this trend would gather momentum in the Indian food service industry,” iterated Suprabhath Roy Chowdhury, Executive Chef, Eros Hotel Nehru Place New Delhi. “Comfort food is back on restaurant menus with focus on qualityThe craft of driven casual dining. blending will reach a 2015 has been a year of new height. local ingredients. With stringent check on food Vinesh Gupta, imports, future of food is GM, Movenpick Hotel & dependent on high quality Spa Bangalore local ingredients,” Roy Chowdhury elaborated further, while discussing the consumer trends pervading through the Indian food service industry. Vishal Atreya, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar stated that “Greasy, fried and heavy food will be out. Recipes laden with cream, butter, cheese have definitely lost currency.” “Asian cuisine will continue to dominate the palates of customers owing to their use of light and fresh ingredients,” asserted Atreya, while talking about the eating trends in the Indian food service industry. That is not all, as far as the evolving and future trends in the Indian food service industry goes. “Fast food concepts would see a major change with new dynamics in the market. Demand for regular pizzas and burgers should see a challenge with the gourmet options being introduced by big names in the market. Moreover, cost and quality equations will see a major shift with
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OPERATIONS
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Comfort food is back on restaurant menus with focus on quality driven casual dining.
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Suprabhath Roy Chowdhury, Executive Chef, Eros Hotel Nehru Place New Delhi. introduction of low cost alternatives with great value proposition,” pointed out Roy Chowdhury. “Mediterranean and Asian cuisines will continue to be crowd pullers. However, a new cuisine to watch out for in the Indian food service industry would be the Peruvian cuisine. Known for its rich heritage and freshness of produce, the cuisine of Peru is sure to attract Delhiites,” opined Roy Chowdhury. “I feel the diners would like to see more bar style food, i.e. quick bites and small portions. There are no particular ingredients as such which diners would prefer but a balance of all ingredients is the key,” proffered Chef Rohan Beliappa, Owner and Executive Chef, I & Monkey, Bangalore. Beliappa believes that Mexican cuisine will lose popularity in 2016, and “Asian cuisines like Japanese, Indonesian, Philippines’ cuisines to name a few will gain in popularity among the eating out crowd in the country.”
Focus and Suggestions I also talked with the Chefs to find out what they will focus in their menu for 2016. “Our diners will see more of middleeastern or African and Mexican flavours and ingredients in the menu,” said Sabhlok. “This year we have planned to bring in more vegetable dishes in our menu and also we will be experimenting with our beverages by introducing artisanal beverages in our menu,” he elaborated
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further. I queried Atreya on what specific types of cuisines and ingredients are his diners want to see more on their menus during 2016. “The focus in 2016 continues to be healthy food. Super food products such as berries, kale, oat meals, quinoa, spinach, chia seeds, broccoli, lentils will be used innovatively in different cuisines,” he observed. “The focus will be on food that provides more nutrients, fibre and are packed with vitamins,” he maintained. I requested Sabhlok for tips to create successful menus in today’s Indian food service industry. “Have a good balance of healthy dishes in the menus. By healthy do not confuse with fat free and unnecessary addition of low fat ingredients. Concentrate on dishes which provide required nutrients and antioxidants,” he stated, while adding that “Custom made menus/dishes should be concentrated on and healthier fast food options are the way to go for this year.” “Use fresh local ingredients; innovate but avoid fusion; give emphasis to flavours, which are the key to a good dish; and keep the dishes well balanced,” advised Atreya while throwing light on the criteria for creating successful menus for today’s Indian food service industry. “Consistency of product is the key to sustaining a profitable business and that is necessary. Moreover, focused innovation is needed to see the desired results are met. Then there is need for going back to basics, and ensuring that
simple. Innovate but “Keep itavoid fusion. ”
Vishal Atreya, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar the smallest details are taken care of,” said Roy Chowdhury while giving his suggestions for a successful food service business in today’s times. “Location, a good Chef who understands the ingredients and his/ her consumers’ palates, and clear vision & theme are crucial factors to run a successful food service business these days,” surmised Beliappa.
Resolutions for 2016
While discussing his new year resolution for his guests, Sabhlok stated that he would provide them with cleaner menus, which include food free of chemicals/ GMOs. “Furthermore, I will strive to make menus with as much locally sourced ingredients as possible,” he averred. As for 2016’s resolution for his guests, Roy Chowdhury believes in “Continuous improvement in product and services with the mantra of change being the only constant!” “I will endeavour to bring them the highest possible quality of food, using the freshest of ingredients and will keep the dishes authentic, in terms of origin and flavours,” affirmed Atreya, while talking about the resolution for his guests for 2016. “My resolution for 2016 is to offer more personalised services to consumers Overall, I would like to bring in which would in turn help me to push myself to explore and experiment with new flavours on to the table. the dishes. Overall, I would like to Rohan Beliappa, Owner and Executive bring in new flavours on to the table,” Beliappa informed. n Chef, I & Monkey, Bangalore.
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PRO D U CT
Heavenly Dessert ice-creams are heavy on the cream. Gelato, by comparison, uses more milk than cream; it doesn’t have nearly as much fat as ice-creams. Most good icecreams contain 14 percent to 17 percent milkfat, whereas gelatos should contain anywhere between 3 percent to 8 percent milkfat. By statute, gelatos in Italy must be endowed with at least 3.5 percent butterfat. Therefore, gelatos tend to give you a more intense flavour than ice-creams, since they do not have much cold fat that
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hat exactly is a gelato? According to Wikipedia, in English this word commonly refers to varieties of ice-cream made in an Italian style. Gelato can also be simplistically described as an ice-cream with less fat. But like all simplistic definitions, it doesn’t have completeness. Though gelato is often erroneously referred to as the Italian word for icecream, but there are differences between gelato and your conventional ice-creams. Many a time people can’t make out the difference between gelatos and regular ice-creams. However, though Indians are largely ignorant of the nuances of gelato, but that doesn’t stop them from appreciating its heavenly taste. Gelato can be prepared with milk, cream, various sugars, and fresh fruit and nut purees. Gelato and conventional ice-creams are different in terms of nutritional value. Gelatos come across as more dense than ice-creams and they have less calories, fat and sugar than your average ice-creams. Here by ice-cream we are referring to your average ice-cream available on the kiosk next door, and not some special healthy tailor made ice-cream. One can also define gelatos as special and healthy ice-creams.
Less Air, More Dense One important difference between gelatos and ice-creams is the difference in their air content. Ice-creams are churned
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fast to infuse a great deal of air, which is facilitated by the high proportion of cream in the base, whereas gelato is churned at a much slower speed, which brings less air into the base. Gelato has only 35 percent over run which means it has more product and less air content than industrial icecreams, thus yielding a denser, more compact silky consistency as compared to mediocre industrial ice-creams, which have 50-90 percent over run. It is sold by weight and not by volume. More air in ice-creams give them a smooth and fluffy texture. Conversely, less air is also the reason why gelatos taste more dense than ice-creams. Gelatos, on an average, have less air than other frozen desserts, and they also generally have more flavouring than other frozen desserts.
Less Fat, More Taste Moreover, commercially available regular
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impedes the taste to transmit. In other words, the flavours of gelato transmit directly and is not unduly blocked by the baggage of fat, which can be the case in ice-creams. Besides these differences, gelatos generally have less egg yolks, which the custard-based ice-creams are normally endowed with. Some gelatos are made without yolks. Besides, gelatos are made of natural ingredients and are devoid of synthetic flavours or preservatives, which cannot be said essentially of ice-creams. Succinctly, gelatos have more substance, give better taste and flavours, and have less air on an average, than ice-creams.
Why it is Soft? But one thing which may intrigue the reader is that if gelato has less fat and less air than your regular ice-cream, why it is not hard? Here the temperature plays a key role. Ice-cream is ideally served at around 10°F; whereas gelato cases require
Feb-Mar ’16
PRO D U CT a warmer temperature. Gelato counters are kept a little warmer than the icecream counters, which enable the gelatos to remain soft. This prevents gelato from becoming a sweet brick and enables it in retaining its soft, elastic texture. Here it deserves a mention that sugar in gelato is balanced with water to act as an anti-freeze, which prevents it from freezing solid. Generally, gelato also has a stabilizer base. Moreover, as gelato does not have the freezing effect on the mouth, one can savour its flavours better than that of an ice-cream. That is another reason why gelatos tend to taste better to the average consumer of frozen desserts than ice-creams.
Gelato in India After redefining the dessert savouring culture across the globe with its natural, fresh, nutritious and delectable offerings, gelato is also making its cool and sumptuous presence felt in the predominantly hot climate of our country. We have to also keep in mind that gelatos having less fat, less sugar and less
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calories than the average industrial icecreams make the former a comparatively healthier option to indulge in during summers and otherwise. With health consciousness gaining currency in the urban Indian society, gelatos, if marketed well, can garner much popularity in the niche markets, despite their comparatively higher prices than your average ice-creams. Our bakery & confectionery industry can also include gelatos in its repertoire in a more proactive manner. One of the effective routes to market a new-age product(in the Indian context) like gelato is to market it creatively through the social media, as it can be safely assumed that most of the consumers of gelatos in India are expected to be not only conversant with but are also frequent users of the social media. Across urban India, it is not only the upwardly mobile youth with exposure to international food & beverage trends who are expected to savour gelatos more in the near future; this ethereal dessert can have a real market among all age groups of the urban Indian society, who are having decent disposable incomes. In India, Gelato Vinto is an important
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player in the gelato sub-segment of frozen desserts. Here it deserves a mention that Gelato Vinto opened its first gelato parlour at M-69, Greater Kailash-I in New Delhi, on 5th May 2005. Gelato Vinto currently has 23 outlets in DelhiNCR & Punjab and is planning to open outlets in other cities. Gelato Italiano is another important player in the niche gelato market in India. The all time favourite flavours of Gelato Italiano include Swiss Chocolate, Fer Rocher, Madagascar Fine Chocolate, Yogurt Wild Berry, and New York Cheesecake. With over 78 outlets across seven cities, Gelato Italiano seems to have made a sizeable impact in the Indian gelato market. Gelato Italiano offers 98 percent diet lite sugar free options and 99.9 percent fat free sorbettos. However, since India is still a pricesensitive society, the players thinking of entering the nascent gelato sub-segment in India should make a conscious effort to make their gelatos more affordable to the end consumers, without compromising on quality. This would give this dessert mainstream popularity in urban India, in the near future. n
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Crafting Impeccable F&B Equipments
User-friendly Operations
KMW Hot Water Boiler from King Metal Works is available in 10 and 20 litres. It is endowed with many user-friendly features. There is on/off switch on boiler for facilitating easy operations, there is provision of cool touch plastic handle with safety locks. The machine is endowed with glass tube scale to show remaining capacity. The equipment also has indication lamp to alert cleaning of sediments and is made of 304 stainless steel grade. KMW Hot Water Boiler also has easy removable parts which can enable fast cleaning. The equipment has great utility for the hospitality industry. King Metal Works sales@kingmetal.com
Skillfully Roasted with Passion Tandoor being an integral part of kitchens in hotels & restaurants, specially for serving Indian & Middle-Eastern cuisines, cannot be ignored in terms of its quality and make. Kanhaiyalal Tandoor offers tailor-made solutions for tandoor needs in any kind of foodservice establishment. The company has years of experience in offering solutions to multiple needs of tandoors. With more than 31 years of expertise in manufacturing and marketing tandoors, Kanhaiyalal provides quality tandoors, made in different sizes & shapes, in various
institutions. Made with strict adherence to high quality and precision, the tandoors are available in copper, stainless steel, mild steel, and brass. There are also simple clay tandoors in the portfolio of the company. Kanhaiyalal Tandoor Pvt. Ltd sales@kanhaiyalaltandoor.com
Kumar Equipment (India) Pvt. Ltd. is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial kitchen, refrigeration and bakery equipments in India. Its product range includes hot and cold equipments, bakery equipments, bar equipments, beverage equipments, dish washing equipments, cake pastry and ice-cream displays, salad display, racks, storage equipments among others. Kumar Equipment (India) is a certified ISO 9001: 2008 and a ‘Trust Passed’ accredited company. KEI specialises in complete technical details of F&B equipments for commercial kitchens, canteens, bakeries & messes, etc. on turnkey basis as well as on individual product basis. The company’s services also extend to designing, layout and installation of exhaust and fresh air systems as well as LPG pipeline, for facilitating the safety and economy of the projects. KEI has been associated with kitchen equipment industry for well over two decades, and has been successfully providing its expertise to hospitality industry, residential schools, learning institutes, hospitals, messes of Armed Forces, industrial canteens, clubs, cafeterias, etc. Its operations not only spans across India but is also extended abroad. KEI has two manufacturing units in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan well equipped with latest state-of-theart plant and machinery. Robust infrastructure, highly skilled and dedicated workforce, and sound R&D are the company’s strengths. Kumar Equipment (India) Pvt. Ltd. info@kumarquipment.net, kumar_equipments@yahoo.co.in
Creating Designer Products SKI established itself in 1984 i.e. over 30 years ago, with a group of well-qualified and competent professionals, comprising hotel executives and engineers. Today the company has modern well-equipped plant to produce quality products, varied spectrum of design for customised usages and timely delivery. The company’s range of products includes banquet table & chairs, cocktail tables, stage blocks, parquet dance floor, buffet tables, tray jacks, partitions, mobile bars, trolleys, food warmers and outdoor furniture. After sustained hard work and continual research and development the brand SKI, which is known for its quality, durability, reliability and environmentfriendliness, was created. The company has a long list of clients in India & abroad. Repeated orders from clients prove that SKI’s range of products is one of the finest available. All products manufactured by SKI are engineered to exceed consumer expectations. S K International sanjay.skinternational@gmail.com
The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
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i n tervie w
In Pursuit of Culinary Excellence By Sharmila Chand
Driven by a passion for excellence, Chandan Thakur Director, Food & Beverage, Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road, continues to establish prominent positions for the hotel’s restaurants and bars within the local and regional markets. Thakur began his career in the hospitality industry as Food & Beverage Assistant in 1999 at The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, before joining Le Royal Meridien Mumbai. During his distinguished career, he has also worked with The Westin Pune Koregaon Park and Le Meridien Kochi. In 2004, Thakur was a part of the pre-opening team with Grand Hyatt Mumbai and launched Celini – the Italian restaurant at the hotel. Overall, Thakur has contributed towards brand launching and successful opening of Le Royal Meridien Mumbai, Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Westin Pune & Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road. The excerpts of the interview follow: What do you enjoy most about being a Food & Beverage Director? The thing which I enjoy the most is interacting with my guests and attending to their F&B needs during their stay. I enjoy training my team members and mentoring them to enhance their knowledge and passion in food and beverage. What also interests me a lot is analysing revenue numbers in food and beverage and driving our IHG’s Winning Metrics like HeartBeat which is our guest satisfaction metric. I like facilitating employees’ engagement& food and beverage revenue in the hotel where I am engaged in.
Is your profession challenging? Can you point out five challenges? Yes of course, it is, but without challenges our profession will be very dull and boring. Here I would try to enumerate some of the challenges that an F&B Director in hotels faces or tend to face in the Indian food services industry. The fact that every time your team changes, it takes a lot of effort to build a new team, by ensuring understanding among a new set of individuals, which is very important for the proper functioning of the department. Moreover, the hotels are always asking for the best possible quality in F&B and then at the same time we are required to keep our costs down all the time. This is a challenge. In the food services sector across Indian hotels the rates are getting competitive, which leads to price and profitability war
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among the hotels. This makes it quite challenging for the hotels’ F&B Director to retain and gain new business. Then there is the issue of managing people. Managing people is a key part of our business, be it our valued guests who give us our revenues or our associates who facilitate in doing the same. It does get overwhelming at times to manage different temperaments, but at the end one feels contented, when the desired results are delivered. Besides, the paucity of skilled and talented manpower across all levels is increasingly becoming a challenge and needs to be addressed by all hotels in the Indian hospitality industry, in a concerted manner. This problem pertains to F&B segment of the hotels in the country too. The time bound and deadline related pressures are always there. Though they are manageable, they are challenging.
Can you suggest any tips or insights to F&B Managers or F&B Directors to strengthen their team? The key to a good team is hiring people with the right attitude, who have passion and curiosity to learn. Nonetheless, what is also equally important is to coach and continually mentor the team to sustain the service culture of the organisation.
Finally, how is your experience at your present job? What are the challenges of working here? How is it different from other places? What
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excites you the most here? My present tenure has been for over a year now but what touched and touches me the most are the warmth and the genuineness of our team. So far I have worked and trained in quite a number of hotels therefore I can easily figure out whether the feeling is genuine or not. Jaipur being a popular leisure tourism and MICE destination of India, attracts many hotel chains to open up here, which in turn attracts a lot of competition for the hotels in this city. But the most exciting part of working in Rajasthan is its rich cultural heritage and the fact that each place in the state has its own distinctive culture and cuisine, which makes it an interesting place to work and learn about my country.
Kindly talk a bit about your F&B outlets / brands At Crowne Plaza Jaipur Tonk Road we have five food & beverage outlets, which are Sirocco, our all day dining restaurant, House of Han – the Chinese specialty restaurant, The Lounge, Connexions Bar, and Aire - Sky bar & Grills. We offer an amazing variety of cuisines, ranging from Chinese, Mongolian, Indian and global cuisines, which together facilitates to ensure that all our guests, be they in-house or visiting diners, have something to look forward to in terms of food & beverage. Through our food & beverage outlets, we can cater to a comprehensive range of taste profiles.
Feb-Mar ’16
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