Food & Beverage Business Review by Food & Beverage Business Review

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) Sub-Editor Tapapriya Lahiri Correspondent Parminder Kaur Khehra Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Narender Kumar Photographer Mahendra Singh Mehta Production Controller Vinay Goel Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Advertising Sales Delhi: Kunal Gujral Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre Subscription sales Dattaram Gangurde Director Sales Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1202, Pragati Tower, 26, Rajindra Place, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 45084903, 25854103 Telefax: 25854105 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400093 Ph.: 022-28395833 Telefax: 022-28388947

Website: www.fbrmag.com E-mail: hammerpublishers@vsnl.net © 2011 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. No article can be reproduced in part or as whole without prior permission of the Publisher. Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 302, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Age of Enlightenment Publications, Green Fields Colony, Faridabad, Haryana. 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.

With greater global exposure and increasing disposable incomes, Indians, especially the elite and upwardly mobile Indians in metros, are becoming more adventurous with their drinks than they were before. Nowadays limiting oneself to beer or single malts, or tried and tested fruit juice is a boring thing in the partying circuit. This greater adventurism in drinking habits can be attributed to greater awareness about both the hard and soft drinks, because knowledge helps in removing the apprehensions towards novelty. We can say that this trend, which like all trends is percolating from higher strata of the society to the lower via the middle strata, is resulting in the maturation of the drinking habits in our socio-cultural fabric at large. And with greater consumer awareness about cocktails and mocktails gathering momentum, can innovation in bartending afford to be left behind? No, it can’t. Thus the adventurism in drinking habits is frequently getting manifested in the presence of hitherto uncommon amalgamations in the world of cocktails. The selection of unusual ingredients and taking into account of regional nuances are finding greater emphasis in the preparation of cocktails than ever before. So we are having green chili, tamarind pulp, guava juice and mango panna playing creative roles in the customised cocktails; much more than it was there in our days. The adventurous cocktails are complemented by innovative mocktails, where from kiwi and melon juice to coconut water to chocolate syrup to coffee… everything can have their individual roles in creation of truly ‘different’ taste to the non-alcoholic drinkers. In the Cover Story of this issue, we have attempted to explore the world of cocktails and mocktails in an exhaustive manner, which can interest the bartenders and other industry players. The restaurant business in India is witnessing great many stupendous success stories, which are inspiring tales of innovative entrepreneurship. A number of enterprising restaurateurs in India are no longer content to have healthy profits with local presence. And quite a few of them are undertaking brand-building exercises and are envisaging for a nationwide and even overseas presence, often across a range of innovative formats. The nationwide success stories of once upon a time small locally-based food outlets can be accounted by the pluralistic and continually evolving tastes of India, which are reflections of its five millennia old pluralistic heritage, but for overseas expansion even the successful national restaurant chains need to tweak their offerings according to the western and oriental tastes. We recount some of the success stories in our business feature in capsuled format, which we hope can inspire many more restaurateurs in India to dream beyond their local client base. Besides these, the story exploring the possibility of increased FDI in food retail, in the light of the recent Cabinet decision, the emergence of café coffee culture, and all our regular features are also geared to ignite the interest among the readers. I am hereby signing off, while wishing our valued readers a Merry Christmas and a very happy new year in advance.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

CONTENTS

Cover Story

Departments

A Short Tale of Cocktails and Mocktails

Business

Event

News

Report

Retail

Pub

Bartender Watch

Restaurant Review

Chef Voice

Equipment

Product Preview

Business Opportunity

Interview

Indian Restaurants on an Expansion Spree

Dairy

Whipping up the Cream

Focus

Savouring the Flavours of Bengal

Meat

The Perennial Taste of Kebabs

Beverage

Wafting Trends of Cafe Coffee Culture

Theme Cuisine Hot, Spicy and Delightful

Oct-Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11

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EVENT

Thaifex – World of Food Asia 2012

haifex – World of Food Asia is the Asia’s leading food and hospitality trade event set to present over 50,000m2 worth of gastronomic immersion to serve up the platter of 13 trade shows under one roof. Thaifex will showcase its aura from 23rd to 27th May 2012 which is scheduled to be held at the IMPACT Exhibition Center in Bangkok, Thailand. The show will be an expanded array of the latest products, services and technologies from food and beverage players across the globe. Thaifex – World of Food Asia will feature more than 1,000 exhibitors from over 25 countries. Thaifex – World of Food Asia 2012 is set to welcome over 23,000 visitors from key markets such as Brunei, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and United States. Organised into 13 focused segments covering the entire food and beverage industry value chain, the 9th edition of Thaifex – World of Food Asia 2012 will continue to spotlight key trends and technologies in markets across the region. Visitors at Thaifex – World of Food Asia will be greeted by more than 1,000 suppliers in the food services industry, offering an extensive range of products for the food and beverage, food service, and catering industry in South East Asia.

The only regional trade fair to spotlight Asia’s growing Halal segment With more than 225 million Muslims in the region, South-East Asia is fast becoming an important and competitive regional market for Halal products, catering to the rapidly growing number of Muslim consumers around the world. Thaifex – World of Food Asia continues to provide opportunities for players in this dynamic segment to further its reach in the region and globally. Thaifex– World of Food Asia will feature a dedicated Halal zone which will gather Halal food producers as well as equipment and technology for Halal food production.

Promoting Asia’s exports to the world The trend that will reflect in Thaifex – World of Food Asia, which will see participation from seafood exhibitors doubling from 2008. Reflecting the region’s focus in growing its seafood and fishery exports market, the

seafood zone at Thaifex will feature pavilions hosted by fisheries associations from Korea, Malaysia, and Philippines. The segment will also continue to feature a wide array of the latest products and innovations from leading seafood players, covering fresh, frozen packaged and processed seafood. Asia is also fast becoming the world‘s leading processed food producer. The Asia-Pacific canned food market generated a total revenue of US$14.5 billion in 2010 and the market is expected to reach US$18.1 billion by the end of 2015. As the largest platform for major food exporters to congregate and keep updated on advanced technologies and best practices in the preparation and packaging of processed food, the food technology segment at Thaifex – World of Food Asia is expected to include more than 1,000 exhibitors from key food exporters and importers across the globe.

Combining culinary art and science According to Unilever Food Solutions’ 2011 World Menu Report, an estimated 500 million people in South East Asia dine out at least once a year. Together with over 1.3 million food outlets across South East Asia, the food service industry represents enormous sales potential for food service operators in this region, with restaurant concepts and management set to take the lead in 2012. Further capturing the vibrant landscape of the food and beverage industry in Asia, Thaifex – World of Food Asia will also feature events aimed at engaging Asia’s culinary talents. The annual Thai Chef’s Competition, as well as the Fruits and Vegetables Carving Competition will be back again, pitting the skills of industry-leading chefs from across the region. Michael Dreyer, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Koelnmesse said, “Thaifex – World of Food Asia is set to present a gastronomic experience to our visitors and participants. As the largest gathering of leaders in the food and beverage industry, Thaifex – World of Food Asia has established itself as the premier marketplace for the world’s food and beverage buyers and sellers. We are delighted to join hands with the Department of Export Promotion (DEP) and Thai Chamber of Commerce once again to showcase Asia’s food and beverage innovations to the world.”

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Get Ready for SIAL China 2012

he 13th edition SIAL China promises hospitable, revolutionary and fundamental events for business. SIAL 2012 show is going to welcome 40,000 professional visitors, 1,800 exhibitors from all over the world. SIAL is organized by the group COMEXPOSIUM, the number 1 events organizer in France SIAL will showcase exclusive Wine & Gourmet World which will bring to the buyers the largest Wine & Spirit, Gourmet offer in China. SIAL China has successfully become the unique meeting point in the HoReCa industry of China. 2011 HoReCa will quintessentially stand for “ Hospitalier, Révolutionnaire and capital”. HoReCa visitors had exceeded 16% overall. Special dedicated area for hotel, restaurant & cafe industry. Popular Events are La Cuisine+Asian Young Hope Chef Competition, new events team trophy contest, hospitality & retail forum, coffee trends area in SIAL China, The Exhibitors from the past 10 years, SIAL China has been the leading event for the Chinese food market. Domestic and international producers and manufacturers of food products, wine and spirits, and food service equipment contributed to make a success of this main Asian event. The unique trade show with 50% international exhibitors and 50% national exhibitors is a foremost reason to visit SIAL 2012.

Oct-Nov ’11

EVENT

Alimentaria 2012: An International Platform for the F&B Industry

limentaria, an international food and drinks exhibition, will return to Barcelona, Spain, on 26-29 March 2012. The slated event will focus on competitiveness, international expansion and brands in the food and drinks industry. Alimentaria 2012 will introduce two new exhibition halls at Fira Gran Via venue and expects to provide product offerings and culinary, business and innovation activities, spread across close to 95,000 sq m. The International Pavilion is geared to become one of the hot spots of the show. Its new location will be in Exhibition Hall 2, next to autonomous community groups. It will occupy more space than it did in the previous edition of Alimentaria. With a spectacular audio-visual set up, the Alimentaria Hub will serve as the show’s great public square. It has been conceived as a gathering place where exchange of ideas, reformulation of knowledge and exploring the future discussion points for the food and drinks industry will take place. The Alimentaria Hub, which will be spread across 4000 sq m in Exhibition Hall 7, is intended to focus on seven conceptual themes, which are product innovation; research, development and technological innovation; nutrition, health and wellness; international expansion and globalisation; distribution and retail; marketing and communication; and corporate social responsibility. The event is expected to attract the presence of 4000 companies, with one third of them from abroad. The event is also anticipated to attract14000 buyers, with 25 percent of them being international. The 2012 edition of Alimentaria, like its previous editions, will once again feature delegations

from all over the globe, which include the presence of institutional stands from Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Turkey, Cyprus, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and the US. Iran, Japan, China, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, and India are some of the Asian countries which will have a presence at Alimentaria 2012. China will be doubling the space occupied by its institutional delegation in comparison to the previous editions of the show. One of the major new features incorporated into Alimentaria 2012 is the creation of the ‘guest country’ category. For this edition of the event, the guest country will be Mexico, which is expected to play a major role in the entire show. Since its beginning more than 30 years ago, Alimentaria has embodied a desire to be a major macro exhibition with a firm commitment to meet the industry’s needs. To this end, its division into separate shows and the highly specialised range of product offerings make this singular trade fair endow with an extraordinary ability to facilitate business for the professionals who attend this event. “Alimentaria’s success is based on its great professionalism, significant knowledge of the sector and the experience gained over its long history,” informed JosepLluis Bonet, the President of Alimentaria 2012 Organising Committee. Alimentaria 2012 will be comprised of 12 shows. They are Organic Food; an organic food show, Congelexpo; a frozen foods show, Expobebidas; water, soft drinks, beer, must and cider show, Expoconser; preserves and semi-preserves show, Intercarn; a show of meat and meat products, Interlact; milk and dairy

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

products show, Interpesca; a show of fish and seafood, aquaculture and farmed fish products, Intervin; wine and spirits show, Mundidulce; sweets, biscuits and confectionery show, Multiproducto; a general food products show, Olivaria, a show of olive oil and vegetable oils, and Restaurama; an international eating out show. Alimentaria 2012 can become an ideal promotional venue for the participating companies. The show is expected to offer a wonderful platform which would enable companies to get the most out of their presence at the event, and also through activities which facilitate international business contacts. For the second consecutive year, Alimentaria 2012 will host Taste & Flavours, under whose umbrella, more than eighty virgin olive oils, Iberian pork products and a special selection of wines will be offered for tasting. This event will give the visitors the chance to savour some wonderful samples of Spanish and international cuisines. The Taste & Flavours will endeavour to present high quality offerings of these three sectors of gastronomy to national and international buyers, cooks and restaurateurs among others. At Alimentaria 2012, six future stars of the Spanish culinary world will come to Barcelona to compete for the Chef of the Year award. Restaurama will be the venue for the final, which will take place on 29th March. The panel of judges would be headed by the holder of the three Michelin stars, Martin Berasategui. For further information contact: E-mail: prensa@alimentaria.com Website: www.alimentaria.com

Oct-Nov ’11

EVENT

Ethnic Foods Europe—2012

The second edition of Ethnic Foods Europe 2012— Europe’s dedicated ethnic food and beverage suppliers’ exhibition is all set to clinch at Brussels, Belgium. The exhibition will swear in from 27-29 March 2012. The exhibition is scheduled to be held at Brussels Exhibition and Conference Centre. Ethnic Foods Europe is dedicated to all Ethnic Foods & Drinks like Oriental, Arabic, Indian, Turkish, Mexican, North African, Middle East, Afro Caribbean and all other World Food. Ethnic Foods Europe— is the European trade event and a dedicated market place for the Ethnic Retail and Foodservice industry bringing your business a wider choice of unique suppliers and inspiring new products from a worldwide market. Ethnic Foods Europe will attract visitors from 32 countries ranging from Germany to United Kingdom to Denmark, France, Spain and Russia to Denmark. The event will be a great business center for the authentic ethnic food and beverage products industry. With this ever increasing demand

exhibitors from all over the world are invited to present their assortment of food and beverage products in the Ethnic Foods Europe tradeshow. With the opportunity to exhibit their products under one roof, the fair will draw many national and international buyers and sellers who will be participating with the aim of expanding business.

The Focus Ethnic Food & Beverage Exhibition will stage Oriental, Arabic, Indian, Mexican, Turkish, North African, Middle-East, Afro-Caribbean and other global cuisines. The Ethnic Food show is dedicated to bring together the Ethnic Food Suppliers and Buyers Community all under one roof. It is clear that Ethnic Foods Europe 2012 is really going to be Europe’s biggest Trade Event on Ethnic Food where buyers and leading ethnic suppliers will meet to do better business. Ethnic Foods Europe delivers a lot of business benefits. Different business houses will have an opportunity to develop new market opportunities, have a close look at the conference programme, learn from business leaders

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

and identify the latest trends and enjoy a wide range of inspiring features. Visitors and delegates will hear, learn and see about new product developments, retail trade professionalism, trends and innovations with face-to-face meetings, networking and education.

Salient Features of the Show • International exhibition with more than 200 exhibiting companies • Trends and Innovations • EFE Master classes sponsored by professional trade publications • EFE Purchasers VIP Lounge • EFE Industry Dinner for exhibitors and their business relations (Tuesday evening 27th of March 2012) • Thousands of buyers from Retail and Food Service companies exclusiverly interested in Ethic • Food (Oriental, Arabic, Indian, Turkish, Mexican and many other World Food) The Ethnic Foods Europe has Special Zones for: • Asian Cuisines (Chinese, Oriental, Thai and Japanese)

Oct-Nov ’11

EVENT • Halal Cuisines (Middle Eastern, Turkish, North African) • Indian Cuisines • Sea Food Cooking Attractions of the show • Exhibition Area • Trade & networking event • EFE Industry Dinner for exhibitors and their clients on Tuesday 27th of March 2012 Why Exhibit on the show • Low risk and upward potential • Benefit (again) from this history of success • Existing general food fairs are not focused on Ethnic Food Categories and are too general • There are no other existing trade events located between the UK, Netherlands, France and Germany

How the 2011 Exhibitors Responded “This first edition has offered a promising platform for buyers and suppliers to stimulate the market of Asian foods to further explore the possibilities in this market.” - Heuschen&Schrouff OFT BV & Founding member “Best place to be if your business focuses or intend to focus on Ethnic Foods.” - Grace Foods Ltd & Founding member “Great sparkling show! The best exhibition ever. Very useful where exhibitors as well as visitors will find the right match! Good and effective business possibilities. We look forward to the next show.” - TokGmbh& Founding member “Ethnic Foods Europe offers great opportunities.” - Oriental Merchant (Europe) Ltd/ Kai Tak BV & Founding member “There is indeed a need for an Ethnic Food Exhibition in Europe.” - Ajinomoto Consumers Product “The fair is good and we got a good feedback as well.” - Dee Thai Perfect Foods Co. Ltd “Surely next year we will participate again.” - Ampol Food Processing Ltd “EFE has shown its usefulness as a specialised fair and has been experienced by exhibitors and visitors alike as a more relaxed environment to really talk business than most of the general fairs.” - Geeta’s Food Ltd

Success Behind the Business Here Exhibitor satisfaction is the best reason to participate. Previous years’ business had a productive outcome. Of which 76% of the exhibitors rated the quality of the visitors were very good. 88% indicate that they will exhibit (most probably) again. 89% votes were gathered for the right decision and positive feeling about their participation, which is considered to be (one of the highest levels of exhibitor satisfaction). Previous year thousands of buyers and specifiers from Retail and Food Service companies visited more than 200 Ethnic Food Suppliers. This show is a low risk and upward potential for the participants. There are no other existing trade events located between the UK, Netherlands, France and Germany. All the existing general food fairs are not focused on ethnic food categories and are too general. Ethnic Food is a fast growing segment for Retail and Food Service.

“Great quality show with high caliber visitors.” - Kingfisher Lager Beer “The Ethnic Foods Europe Exhibition exceeded my expectations, very good quality of enquiries already bringing in new business. Well done on organising such a unique show for our trade.” - Liroy BV

How the Visitors Responded Luc Willemssens - Chief Buyer at Hanos “So Ethnic Foods Europe is most definitely the place-to-be for anyone looking at this market.” Patrick Verhoeven - Category Manager Makro Cash & Carry Belgium “It’s a great opportunity for me and my colleagues; it’s wonderful that we have such a prime event here in Europe.” Sinechal - Category Manager Carrefour We are always looking for new products and new suppliers. We are striving for a dynamic range that matches the tastes of the customers. All types of ethnic foods are on the increase this year.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

EVENT

Fine Food India 2011 Opens its Door at Pragati Maidan Exhibition Complex Diversified Comunication is launching Fine Food India at Pragati Maidan Exhibition Complex in New Delhi, from 57 December, 2011. Fine Food India 2011 will encompass over 150 exhibitors from countries including France , Spain, USA, Australia, China, Russia, Malaysia, Thailand, Poland, Mexico, Pakistan, Iran, Chile, Italy, and of course India itself. The exhibition will showcase specialty and fine foods, gourmet foods, ingredients and spices, bakery and biscuits, confections and snacks, dairy, hospitality services, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Celebrated international and Indian brands will be featured by such companies as Food & Wines from Spain, SUSTA, Dilmah Teas, Tree of Life, and a host of other quality food & beverage companies. Fine Food India runs by the motto ‘Your Industry, Your Event’. The event is supported by influential Indian Associations such as Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), National

Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI), Agricultural & Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Hospitality Purchasing Managers Forum (HPMF), PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA). Visitors will experience the tastes of India and the world from leading chefs cooking in the Food Theatre, and sample India and the world’s finest wines in the Drinks Theatre. The 4 th Indian Sommelier Championship chaired by Mangadeep Singh, India’s first French certified Sommelier and a panel of expert judges will judge the finalists on their food and wine matching skills, basic wine handling skills, wine service prowess and wine tasting quotient. The Business Forum across the three days will feature an outstanding line-up of speakers and industry associations talking about the issues, trends and future of the food and beverage industry. The Business Forum is also FREE to attend.

Sitevinitech

itevi and Vinitech - France’s leading events for the vine-wine and fruit and vegetable sectors - have decided to enter into a partnership in order to stage tradeshows on international markets and boost the number of overseas visitors in attendance at both French events. So from 2012 onwards, professional trade shows for equipment, products and services for both sectors will be jointly held under the ‘Sitevinitech’ brand. Sitevinitech: an ambitious union A joint-venture company tasked with developing events at international level will be specially set up by Exposima and Congrès et Expositions de Bordeaux. These two tradeshows will drive growth in the international wine & fruit and vegetable sectors. Sitevinitech— will seek to pool resources and establish synergies between different types of expertise in order to maximise promotion at international level. The first shows under this new label will be held in 2012 in Mendoza in Argentina (31 May to 2 June), in Yantai in China (20 to 22 June) and then in 2013 in Santiago, Chile.

Sitevi Sitevi hosts more than 700 exhibitors and 45,000 visitors from nearly 50 different countries every other year (odd-numbered years) in Montpellier. The next show will be held from 29 November to 1 December 2011. Sitevi is organised by Exposima, a joint subsidiary owned by Comexposium and Axema, which represents French farm machinery manufacturers. Comexposium organises 136 trade shows and events both in France and abroad, such as SIAL in locations such as Canada, Brazil, China and Abu Dhabi and Djazagro in Algeria. Vinitech The international exhibition of equipment and services for the wines and spirits sector merged with Sifel - the international exhibition of technologies for the fruit and vegetable sector - in 2010. When it was last held, it featured 724 international exhibitors from around 20 different countries and was attended by 40,492 professionals (15% of whom were from abroad). Vinitech-Sifel will be held from 27 to 29 November 2012.

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E V E N T S’ C A L E N D E R Fine Food India 2011 5-7 December 2011 Hall 14, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.finefoodindiaexpo.com Sweet and SnackTec India 2011 6-8 December 2011 Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai www.koelnmesse-india.com TRAFS 2011 26-29 January 2012 (was postponed to these new dates) Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services Hall 103, Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center (BITEC) www.thailandhoreca.com Gulfood 2012 19-22 February 2012 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Dubai www.gulfood.com PIFBEX 2012 & Horeca 2012 Philippines 1-4 March 2012 Philippines International Convention Centre, Manila www.pifbex.com Europain & Intersuc 2012 3-7 March 2012 Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris www.europain.com Aahar 2012 12-16 March 2012 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi www.aaharinternationalfair.com Alimentaria 2012 26-29 March 2012 Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via Venue Barcelona, Spain www.alimentaria-bcn.com Ethnic Foods Europe 2012 27-29 March 2012 Brussels Exhibitions and Conference Centre, Brussels www.ethnicfoodseurope.com HOTELEX 2012 9-12 April 2012 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China www.hotelex.cn FHA 2012 17-20 April 2012 Singapore Expo, Singapore www.foodnhotelasia.com SIAL China 2012 9-11 May 2012 Shanghai New International Exhibition Center Shanghai, China www.sialchina.com

Oct-Nov ’11

NEWS SCAN

Barista Lavazza Unveils its Winter Carte du Jour With dipping temperatures, Barista Lavazza has come out with lipsmacking Italian new winter menus. The carte du jour features some of the best Italian coffee brews and short bites. Some of the most delightful eating range on offer are the Spicy creamy chicken, a mouth watering recipe with roasted chicken, onion, red capsicum julienne tossed in tangy, spicy, creamy and eggless mayonnaise served in ciabatta bread. Brews to delight are Café Tiramisu, Café Gianduja, Affogato Italiano and Café Amaretto. Café Tiramisu has the richness of tiramisu, topped with whipped cream. Café Gianduja, a rich blend of chocolate and coffee from Northern Italy is a hazelnut flavoured brew, Café Amaretto is laced with dark rum and Amaretto-based syrup; served with whipped cream and almond biscotti. Besides, there was Beetroot and Raisin Cake, which is a rich tea time vanilla cake baked with beetroot and raisins.

PepsiCo Eyeing the Health Food Sector PepsiCo is eyeing to enter the Indian health food segment in a big way. Its particular focus is to launch breakfast cereals, and to enlarge its market in India. After Quaker Oats, which has become the fast rolling breakfast cereal in the country, PepsiCo is entering in the same venture. PepsiCo’s Chairman and CEO, Indra K. Nooyi is looking towards generating $30 billion in revenues from ‘healthier’ products alone by 2020. Out of around Rs. 2,000 crore value Indian breakfast market, cereals like oats, muesli and cornflakes has Rs. 500 crore share. PepsiCo India’s Vice-President (Marketing-Quaker), Vani Gupta, added that Indians were now vouching for new health food options, especially in the cities. Quaker oats has a sizeable response in urban India. She also pointed out that US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has concluded that beta-glucan, a soluble fibre found in whole oats, lowers blood cholesterol level, thus help protecting heart.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Chicory Coalesces into Coffee to Combat Price Hike Chicory, a coffee substitute, is a new addition in the coffee brews to combat the price hike. The chicory, which is ten times cheaper than coffee, is added to retain pricesensitive customers. After, the cost of coffee powder had risen 30 percent this January, some of the high-flying coffee companies have increased their chicory contents to 40 percent from 30 percent. Chicory, the roasted and ground root of the plant, is more soluble in water than coffee thereby making a great substitute. A kilo of pure coffee powder gives 100 cups. A one-kilo blend with 45 percent chicory gives 200 cups. Even in the coffee centers of India—Tamil Nadu and Bangalore—chicory blend has been initiated at small and medium scale chains. Jyothi Chicory, India’s largest chicory manufacturer, works as a product supplier for most of the companies.

Oct-Nov ’11

Mother Dairy Launches Peach Jam Safal by Mother Dairy has introduced in new peach jam, which contains real peach pieces. To upkeep the health factor, the jam is made without adding artificial colour, flavour and preservatives. The product will be introduced at top 100 Safal outlets of Delhi and NCR, in the first phase. Peach jam will be available with a price tag of Rs 125 in a 480gm jar. The company already dishes out four jam variants — apple, mixed fruit, pineapple and orange marmalades. Business Head—Horticulture of Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt. Ltd., Pradipta Sahoo said, “This is the first Indian peach jam where no synthetic flavours have been added for preservation. The company went an edge forward to keep the freshness intact.”

ASCI and FSSAI to Set Guidelines for F&B Ads The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have joined hands to set a proposed guideline to regulate the advertising of food & beverages in India. The soon to be framed guidelines are under progress. FSSAI is working for draft guidelines and codes for the proper implementation of the same. The ASCI authorities said that advertisers will be told to alter or pull out their ads, if found to violate the code. Penalty will be charged if the advertisers do not consent to agree with the above terms and conditions. Besides, FSSAI has told advertisers to encourage ads of natural and high-quality nutritional food practices.

Soak at the New Zyng Lounge Bar Aditya Sarovar Premiere, Hyderabad, the upscale five-star business hotel, has opened doors to the new lounge bar named Zyng. The lounge bar will offer a splendid selection of premium spirits and wines with delectable finger foods, to bring a fresh new dimension to city’s life. The lounge is exclusively designed with an eye for the young and urban people. With aesthetic interiors, the place is contemporary and stylish and is all set to become one of Hyderabad’s desirable venues. The lounge bar also has a separate cigar lounge that is completely sealed up and has its own ventilation system without affecting the rest of the area with smoke. The lounge creates a relaxed, contemporary setting with dove grey walls and bold splashes of maroon and other vibrant colours. The light floored bar offers a sanctuary in the heart of the city, away from the hustle-bustle of the area. Zyng also offers customers a comprehensive and selected range of premium spirits to match the taste of discerning customers. Rajesh Ranjan, the Director of New Properties Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said, “We are confident that Zyng will establish itself as the ideal venue for customers in the neighbourhood to drop in for informal meetings and drinks. Our range of premium spirits & cocktails provide a point of interest for people to indulge in.”

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Oct-Nov ’11

H O T E L W A R E S

Creating Style Out of Steel ... for Hospitality

Manufacturers & IImporters Manufacturers mpor ters o off : Chaffing Dishes • Cutlery • Tableware • Holloware • Barware • Hotelware • Kitchentools

LOTUS HOTELWARES 19/250, Malviya Nagar, (Shivalik Road), New Delhi - 110017 Tel : 26682828, Fax : 46054914 Mob.: 9312238648, 9810071838 E-mail: lotushotelwares@gmail.com Factory : Kundli Industrial Area, Phase IV. Haryana

NEWS SCAN

Godrej Yummiez Dishes out Punjabi MPS Foods to Spice Up Chicken Tikka’ With New Range of Mixed Godrej Tyson has launched ‘Yummiez Punjabi Chicken Tikka’ under its fastest growing brand Masala Real Good Yummiez. The tasty succulent bite sized pieces of chicken with all the authentic seasoning, in a ready-to-cook format, brings the magic of traditional Punjabi Chicken Tikka to the homes of its consumers. Inspired by the growing popularity of ready-to-cook foods with Indian flavour, Real Good Yummiez, gives its consumers more reasons to celebrate. Priced at Rs 225 for 400g pack, Real Good Yummiez Punjabi Chicken Tikka will be available at all leading stores across the country from mid November onwards. The launching show was attended by the celebrity Chef, Vicky Ratnani. In his inimitable style, he demonstrated quick recipes using Real Good Yummiez Punjabi Chicken Tikka to stir up an impromptu party. The offerings included a delicious Penne Tikka Pomodoro, Tikka and Bell Pepper Skewer, and Chicken Tikka and Tropical Fruit Chaat. On the ocassion, Sushil Sawant, Associate Vice President – India Operations of Godrej Tyson Foods Ltd. said, “With the fast-paced lives today, people look forward to spending quality time together. Through the launch of Real Good Yummiez Punjabi Chicken Tikka, we aim to get people close to each other by making celebrations convenient with fun and excitement.”

Kolkata-based MPS Foods, is known for its organic herbs-enriched, non-GMO and antibiotic-free non-veg products has introduced a new range of mixed masala. The range offers tomato ketchup, mixed veg pickle and mixed fruit jam in new sachet packs. The Mixed Masala range includes chicken masala, meat masala, fish masala, sabji masala, and sachets of processed tomato ketchup, mixed vegetable pickle and mixed fruit jam. Mixed Masala variants are organic herbs-enriched and the packaging is done according to food safety norms. MPS develops the product by using group’s own orchards and use organic fertilisers. According to PN Manna, the Chairman of MPS Food Products, the company has put much effort to enhance its product portfolio with the Mixed Masala range. “Spices are crucial part of Indian cuisine and we have brought the Mixed Masala range to the table. With its superior taste, nutritional value, aroma and hygienic packaging, these natural herb-enriched spices are all set to delight gastronome and food aficionados across the region.”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

New Innovations from

REE NS F TRA

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Café Coffee Day Unveils Mysore Royal Café Coffee Day has unveiled Mysore Royal, a pure arabica coffee, which has been prepared with quality washed arabica coffee beans, with coffee baroness Sunalini Menon— the brain behind the exquisite creation. Sunalini is irrefutably credited for breaking boundaries in the coffee industry and radicalising the art of creating the perfect blends. Considering her knowledge and experience in coffee, one can say that her latest blend has been a labour of love. To experience the magic of Mysore Royal, CCD conducted a unique coffee cupping and food pairing session of this exquisite new blend with Sunalini. With her wisdom on coffee and interesting insights on the various nuances of coffee cupping, the session was nothing short of invigorating. Sunalini demonstrated five different brewing techniques of Mysore Royal – Indian Filter, French Press, Stove Top Espresso, Siphon, and Electric Drip Coffee Maker; each technique alters the taste of the coffee giving the taste buds a different treat. During the cupping session, Sunalini highlighted the different qualities of Mysore Royal educating the coffee enthusiasts present about its unique characteristics based on its appeal to ones senses - smell, taste, touch and sound.

New Bites and Brews at CCD Café Coffee Day—the largest café chain in India—has introduced eleven items on bites, brews and afters in Delhi and NCR region. By March 2012, these items will be on the cards in other metros. CCD has classified its card under three heads: small bites, big bites and sweet treats. Small bites will serve chilli cheese toast, cheesy veg croissant, hot and spicy veg and chicken puffs. Big eat category includes café 65, smoked chicken, tandoori panner filled sandwich. To savour on sweet indulgence, dessert shots like mango shot, Belgian chocolate shot and black forest cake are served in freshly packed cup.

CCD Plans to Open 900 Outlets in India by 2014 Café Coffee Day, part of Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Company (ABCTCL), has planned to add 900 more outlets across 330 towns in India by 2014. K.Ramakrishnan, the Marketing President, Cafe Coffee Day, said, “We are also looking at other cities and as well as metros also. We are present in 170 towns now, and in the next three years, we should be present in 500 towns, adding 900 new outlets.” Ramakrishnan also said, “The launch of lounge, the latest format, was in response to the customer demand.” CCD presently operates 20 lounges, which will go up to 100 in the next two years.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

Your Creativity, Our Passion. Figaro Olives

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Recipient of “Ambassador of the Italian food & drink 2005” award.

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Barbeque Nation to Open 400 GlaxoSmithKline Outlets Enters Breakfast Table The live grill restaurant chain, Barbeque Nation is about to introduce another 400 outlets in India, by 2014. The chain run by Sayaji Hotels has earmarked Rs. 100 crore for the expansion process. Barbeque Nation was first introduced in Mumbai in 2006 and is featured at 19 places across the nation. The chain has an innovative bimonthly theme festival which is considered to be its most innovative promotion strategy to attract the grill connoisseurs. The recently organised theme festival was Shahi Dastarkhwan, which was held in mid-October in Mumbai. Shahi Dastarkhwan offered Dum-ka-Murgh, Mahi Surkh Khorma, Dahi ke Sholey, Dhingri- Khaas while a special beverage menu named Gustaaki Maaf — mix of tequila, white rum, grape juice and masala buttermilk— was the highlight of this royal offering.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH) has announced its first appearance in the breakfast space by launching oats under its Horlicks brand. Initially, the Horlicks Oats has entered the South Indian market. The product is already on the shelves of different retail outlets in South India. After regional market test, the brand is going to establish its footfall across the country. The ready-to-cook oats has an estimated market of Rs 200 crore which is growing at the rate of 25 percent. GSK’s Marketing Head, Jayant Singh, shared, “Being a wellknown health brand for several decades, Horlicks wants to add extra nutrition among the consumers after PepsiCo’s Quaker, Kellogg’s, and Marico’s Saffola. He also said, “In this Rs. 200 crore market, the southern region has a 75 percent contribution.”

Hilton Mumbai International Airport has Flames Grills and Barbeque Flames Grills and Barbeque—a fine dining restaurant—has entered the portals of Hilton Mumbai International Airport. The restaurant will spice up a food connoisseur’s palate with live barbeque stations, besides showcasing meat and seafood. The menu will present both international and domestic cuisines. The chic restaurant is located near the poolside with striking colour scheme, décor and ambience.

Leonardo Olive Oil in a New Label Dalmia Continental’s Leonardo Olive Oil— olive oil in an edible segment— is going to power the market with new re- designed label and packaging. Its bottles and tins now carry labels that have been designed keeping in mind the different grades of olive oil and their uses in India. The new labels clearly spell out which grade to use for Indian cooking, which for salads, which for massage, and which for western cooking. The oil is available in three grades— Leonardo Olive Pomace Oil, Olive Oil (Pure) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Leonardo Olive Pomace Oil’s new label now carries a prominent image of a traditional Indian thali and clearly states ‘For Indian Cuisine and Frying’. “Our key message has always been to use the right grade of olive oil and use olive pomace oil in everyday Indian cooking,” said VN Dalmia, Chairman of Dalmia Continental. “This new label is an extension of our commitment to encourage the use of olive oil by building greater awareness amongst our customers about which grade to use,” he added.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

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Bihar to Have Three Food Parks

An Award for Régis Camus; a Recognition for Piper-Heidsieck

To curtail the wastage of fruits and vegetables and to promote the food processing industry, Bihar is going to set up three mega food parks. The State Government has approved the proposal. The food parks can also boost the employment opportunities in Bihar. The decision was presided by Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar at the special cabinet meeting on agriculture. According to Agriculture Production Commissioner A K Sinha, the food parks will be set up on a private-pubic partnership (PPP). After the decision deemed in, Sinha added, “State Government will bear a subsidy of 20 percent for the generation of basic infrastructure needed for the establishment of the mega food parks. Presently, about 40 percent of the fruits and vegetables go waste here. The prime focus is towards the farmer so that they get the right price for their agricultural products.

Piper-Heidsieck, the world-renowned crisp and radiant champagne, has added another feather in its crown with its illustrious winemaker Regis Camus being selected as a Sparkling Winemaker of the Year by International Wine Challenge (IWC) UK. The illustrious winemaker is known as The Man of Magic. He has been given the title of Sparkling Winemaker of the Year by the IWC UK for the sixth time in his career; for his master blending with Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck. Piper-Heidsieck extravaganza has transcended generations while upholding its reputation as a reference amongst classic champagnes. The Master Blender ensures perfect balance between aromas and flavours to recreate the Piper-Heidsieck style, led by a strong belief in the necessity to ensure consistency of quality. Régis Camus had first received this title in 2004, and followed the achievement in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 consecutively. He took the position of Head Winemaker in 2002, and since then has successfully raised the quality and consistency of the Piper-Heidsieck wines and maintained the Charles Heidsieck style. On winning the award, Régis Camus said, “Over and above mastering the technique, there is the loyalty to House style, intuition and a strong sense of dialogue. The most important is probably the desire to share one’s passion.”

The Launch of New Tea-based Soft Drink

Restaurants by ITC Shines at Miele Asia Awards

The first of its kind tea-based soft drink will be launched at the World Tea Science Congress, which is scheduled to be held from November 22-24 at Jorhat, Assam. The tea-based soft drink is developed by Tocklai Experimental Station in Assam. This soft drink will be promoted as a health drink, having six months of shelf life.

According to M Hazarika, the Director of the research station, “The non-carbonated soft drink will contain permissible flavours and is targeted towards the younger generation.”

Bukhara, Dum Pukht and Dakshin were the only Indian restaurants which were featured in a muchcoveted list of Asia’s Top 20 restaurants for 2011/ 2012. The list was revealed at a gala dinner, amidst Asia’s most celebrated Chefs and restaurateurs in Singapore, at the Miele Guide Awards ceremony, held on 2 November 2011. In addition, in the top five restaurants from individual countries, all the five restaurant brands were from ITC Hotels’ restaurants; Bukhara, Dum Pukht, Dakshin, West View, and On the Rocks. Three ITC Hotels’ restaurant brands; Bukhara, Dum Pukht and Dakshin, ensured that India made its presence felt on the coveted list, among top restaurants from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Korea and Singapore. While it is the third time for ITC’s Bukhara and the second time for Dum Pukht to be featured on the top twenty lists, this year another ITC Hotels’ restaurant; Dakshin, joined the ranks for the first time. The restaurants were shortlisted by a panel of 70 food critics and writers from 17 countries, followed by online voting by over 101000 votes by 21000 registered voters, from 98 countries, on the Miele website. This year 500 of Asia’s finest restaurants were nominated, of which 56 restaurants were from India, including; Wasabi, Thai Pavilion, Indigo, Zodiac Grill, China House, Orient Express, Diva, Golden Dragon, Set’z and Varq, among others.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

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Khandani Rajdhani to Have More Outlets

Bangs to Expand Across the Country

Khandani Rajdhani—the fine dining vegetarian thali restaurant chain—is all set for a nationwide expansion. After launching its outlet at the newly built Phoenix Mall in Pune, Mirah Hospitality and Food Solutions Pvt. Ltd. will see the sights of other cities also. Especially Southern India is the prime focus for the company. The cities which are going to witness the presence of Rajdhani includes Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Chennai and Coimbatore. At least six outlets have been planned for Mumbai and five for Bangalore. Aji Nair, Assistant Vice-president, F&B Division, Mirah Hospitality and Food Solutions Pvt. Ltd., informed that the plan was to set up around 65 outlets by the end of this year, but due to the location unavailability, the number of restaurants had to be restricted to 24. Three of them have already been launched. Nair also pointed out that the investment in a metro city would be around Rs. 1.2 crore and that in the other cities it would vary between Rs. 75-90 lakh each.

Bangs, India’s first domestic fried chicken quick service restaurant (QSR) brand, plans to launch about 50 outlets across India within the next one year. Out of these, the Chennai-based company envisages to launch 15 outlets across the states like Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. Overseas expansion, especially in the Gulf countries, will also be a major focus of the company. India’s first domestic fried chicken QSR brand came into existence in Chennai, in the year 2009. Bangs operates on a franchising model and currently has a strong presence in more than 10 states through 20 plus outlets. These outlets are a mix of three types of formats – restaurant, kiosk and express. Other than fried chicken, Bangs also offers a variety of fast food options including burgers, wraps and pasta, along with a large number of sidekicks, tempting desserts and drinks. The young 26-year-old Asvin Simon, the Director of Bangs, believes that “There is a lot of craze in India for international brands. I boldly accepted the challenge of stepping in the QSR industry to make the fast food lovers understand that an Indian brand like Bangs can also give customers the same quality and quantity of products with a better pricing option for their pockets.”

Starbucks Coffee and Tata group on a JV Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Company is all set to enter into a joint venture with Tata Group to set up coffee shops in India. Valued at 11billion USD, Starbucks is settling an exclusive equity joint venture with Tata Coffee, which would also be backed up by other bigger firms within the Tata Group. The country’s foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations allow Starbucks to hold up to 51 percent share. Starbucks’ Vice-president for emerging business, Arun Bharadwaj and the Tatas are looking into locations for the cafe parlours. Taj Sats, a flight catering service of IHCL, is assisting in designing the Starbucks’ food menu. With other international coffee chains, Starbucks has showed its interest in budding markets, including India, to foster growth. Starbucks has 17,000 outlets worldwide, with nearly 12,000 of them in North America.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

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Discover Authentic Mughlai Palates at Zaffarani Zaika Have a penchant for Mughlai palate? Then surely Zaffarani Zaika’s Mughlai food menu will lure your taste buds. The Mughlai restaurant is conceptualised as a fine dining restaurant at Chanakypuri’s (diplomats area of New Delhi) tranquil environment. Among the delectable dishes on offer, the most popular in starters are Zaffarani Murg Malai Kebab, Tandoori Lamb Chops, Paneer Roomani Pasanda and Subz Seekh Khas Kebab. The main course starts off with most sumptuous dishes like Dilli Ka Korma, Ghost Beli Ram, Dum Ke Khumb and Hyderbadi Gosht Biryani. At Zaffarani Zaika, Mughlai fare is not complete without the customary Zaffarani Phirnee and Badam Chennay ki Kheer. Non-vegetarians should not give a miss to Hyderbadi Gosht Biryani. Zaffarani Zaika’s delicacies are cooked in a healthy way with medium spices, without compromising on the richness of the Mughlai food. Here, the Chefs have given the kebabs a contemporary shape, which has

resemblance to fish fry. According to PK Taneja, the Director of the restaurant, “In most places the Mughlai cuisine is not being served in the way it should be; there is vast gap as restaurants in the city are offering only one or two Mughlai dishes. We feel this specific theme-based restaurant would cover that gap and would become a destination point for all foodies.” The interiors are embellished with a light blue and white theme with this being followed in the walls, furnishing, chandeliers and other artifacts too. The entire ambience gives the look and feel of a marvelous Mughal architecture merged with modern era’s requirements to suit the discerning clientele.

German Brewery Maker ROLEC Enters India ROLEC Prozess und Brautechnik GmbH has announced its arrival in India in partnership with Craft Beverages Pvt Ltd (CBPL). As part of the initiative, ROLEC is going to target greenfield brewery projects for industrial breweries as well as for the smaller microbreweries and restaurant breweries. It is a famous supplier of turnkey brewing systems for industrial scale breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, and it is focussing on the fast growing craft beer segment in India. ROLEC specialises in customised breweries with wide production flexibility and high efficiency. This allows the breweries to produce all kinds of special beers on highest product quality level while reducing the operational costs for electricity, steam, water and other raw materials. ROLEC provides turnkey brewing solutions in all formats. Most breweries in India have capacities of 100,000 to 150,000 hl (1 hl = 100 litre) which is a common size on the world-wide ROLEC reference list. Wolfgang Roth, the Founding Partner and Managing Director of ROLEC, said, “The Indian beer market is showing quick growth in all segments and brewery sizes. ROLEC is ready to keep pace with the changing requirements of this fast evolving market.” Ankur Jain, the Managing Director of CBPL, said, “ROLEC’s German engineering and technology have already made it one of the leading suppliers to the American craft brewing industry; one of the most dynamic and demanding in the world.”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

India's Biggest Annual Food & Hospitality Exhibition

HOSPITALITY INDIA Exhibition on Hotel & Restaurant

2 0 1 2

Organisers: India

Trade Promotion Organisation Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

Equipment and Supplies

FOOD INDIA Exhibition on Food, Processed Food & Beverages

SPECIAL EVENTS â&#x20AC;˘ Culinary Show â&#x20AC;˘ Seminars

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March 12 - 16, 2012 (Monday-Friday) Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

Timing : 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from 12th to 15th March, 2012 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 16th March, 2012. exclusively for Business Visitors 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. 16th March, 2012 for General Public

Co - Associate :

HOTREMAI

The Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers' Association of India 'HOTREMAI' is a leading association of equipment manufacturers, suppliers, service providers and consultants to the hotels, restaurants and food service industry. Established in 1982, 'HOTREMAI' is a non profit organisation. 'HOTREMAI' strives to safeguard the interests of its members in particular, and the industry in general, by taking up issues with the government bodies, hotels, restaurants and their associations. 'HOTREMAI' has been closely working with India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) to organise'AAHAR' annually since its inception. 'HOTREMAI' organises from time to time events & meets with the Heads of Departments from the Hospitality Industry for its members to introduce & promote their products and services. 'HOTREMAI' publishes a quarterly periodical called ' HOTREMAI REPORTS' for the information update for its members and the industry.

For Booking Stalls At AAHAR 2012 Contact : The Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers' Association of India

D-20, Local Shopping Complex, (Upper Ground Floor), New Rajender Nagar, New Delhi 110060. Phones : 011-28745698 Mobile : 99100-48121 Email ID : info@hotremai.org Website : www.hotremai.org

Be a proud member of 'HOTREMAI' and enjoy the benefits of being together ...

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NRA Offers E-learning Opportunities 365 Days a Year Popular education sessions and culinary demonstrations are now available online. (Chicago) Attendee registration for National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant, Hotel Motel Show (NRA Show) 2012 and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB) is now open. Attending the live show is always a unique experience. NRA Show 2012 will be held on 5-8 May, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event attracts 58,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues and other growth opportunities in the industry. NRA Show 2012 will be held on its new dates (5-8 May), at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event will be held on its new dates at the NRA Show (6-7 May). In case a person cannot attend the event, NRA Show offers insights, resources and best practices year round through its e-learning feature. Every year, the NRA Show delivers more than 100 expert led education sessions, panel discussions and culinary demonstrations. Multimedia presentations of select programming are now available online for industry professionals to access cutting-edge techniques and strategies, and put them to work for their business. National Restaurant Association members may register free of charge and receive a value added discounted rate of $55 when registering for IWSB at any time. E-learning Focus: These e-learning sessions and demonstrations highlight some of the most popular education sessions and culinary demonstrations, presented at NRA Show 2011. Audio presentations of other sessions can be purchased through the NRA. This year’s e-learning features culinary demonstrations from celebrated Chefs including Rick Bayless and Marcus Samuelsson, and sessions by industry experts like Nancy Kruse talking about menu trends and using profits to turn profits. The e-learning sessions also highlight how leading brands like Red Robin, Whole Foods and Buffalo Wild Wings are taking on marketing, local sourcing and workforce issues. In addition, viewers will learn about U.S. Small Business capital resources directly from the Small Business Administration, and how operators can get on board the mobile food movement with details on starting and sustaining a food truck. Jack Crawford, the President and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative, LLC (IOC) said, “We are excited to offer complimentary audio and video recordings of our most popular and timely NRA Show demonstrations and presentations year round through our e-learning feature.”

Second METRO Cash & Carry Unwrapped in Mumbai METRO Cash & Carry India, the global leader in self-service business-to-business wholesale, has opened its second wholesale distribution centre in the state, at Borivali, Mumbai. With an investment of approximately Rs. 120 crores, the Borivali wholesale centre will take METRO’s total investment in the state of Maharashtra to Rs. 240crores, thereby re-affirming its commitment to the state of Maharashtra. The Borivali wholesale centre will have selling space of over 50,000 sq. ft. offering a tailored assortment of over 10,000 articles (food and non-food). The centre is suitably located on the Western Express Highway, and will be opened from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm for the convenience of its business customers. METRO had recently opened its first Farmers’ ‘Collection Centre’ in Maharashtra, at Narayangaon. This centre will help farmers supply directly to METRO and get transparent prices for their produce, with the assurance of on-time payments made electronically. A key focus of METRO is to support local businesses. METRO works closely with suppliers, farmers and small and medium enterprises to source a very high percentage of products locally.

Fresh & Honest Launches LB 4700 in India Fresh & Honest, India’s leading coffee vending and retailing company and part of Lavazza in India, has launched a brand new coffee machine – the Lavazza BLUE 4700 – for coffee connoisseurs. Priced at Rs 2,75,000/- + VAT; this semi-automatic machine comes with double group, dual espresso option, dual steamer for frothing milk. The machine has an automatic Cappuccinatore to dispense rich creamy froth right into the cup. Strengthening its position as the leader in the coffee market in India, professional Plug & Brew semiautomatic coffee machine is targeted at stand-alone cafés and restaurants that specialise in brewing that perfect cup of coffee for the coffee enthusiasts. The machine works with Lavazza Blue capsules and has programmable keys for multiple product selections with LED display, and it can produce upto 200 cups on an average day. The LB 4700 is compact and easy to use with all the technology and performance of a top-of-the-range coffee machine. The unique, patented Lavazza BLUE capsule, which extracts the coffee using a pre-infusion process, will give the espresso a more round, soft and creamy texture. K Sivakumar, the Chief Operating Officer of Fresh & Honest Café Ltd. Said, “Lavazza’s professional expertise with a sense of espresso excellence is nothing short of a perfect fit. Be it stand-alone cafés or restaurants, the LB 4700 is one of the finest fit to roll out the perfect espresso.”

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

REPORT

New Innovation Center to Strengthen Service Network By Swarnendu Biswas

n 13th October, the official opening of the Indian headquarter and the training and innovation center of Electrolux Professional at Gurgaon took place. It is the first of such training and innovation center of Electrolux Professional in India. Here it deserves a mention that Electrolux Professional is a leading global supplier of professional food service and laundry solutions for the catering and hospitality industry, with presence in 160 countries. Electrolux Professional which began its journey in India in 2008, has presence in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Gurgaon. From food preparation to food preservation, and from air care to fabric care, the impeccable and unmistakable quality of Electrolux is making its enduring presence felt in the hospitality and healthcare industry of India in a big way. Today, the range of equipment from Electrolux Professional are used in hotel brands like the Le Meridien and Westin, and hospital chains like Apollo among others.

The newly opened center is spread across 7000 sq.ft. and comprises live demo kitchens and laundry appliances, and wellequipped service rooms for technical training dedicated to dealers, key accounts, consultants and opinion leaders. Special guest for the occasion was the celebrity Chef Ajay Chopra. “Electrolux Professional has a strong structured direct presence in many fast growing emerging markets,” informed Alberto Zanata, the President of Electrolux Professional. On the opening of the Indian head office and the innovation center of Electrolux Professional at Gurgaon, he said, “We consider this a starting point since India is one of the markets where impressive growth performance is expected during the next five years.” He explained that “The opening of the new head office and innovation center at Gurgaon is an important move to pursue our potential growth through direct presence, by strengthening our distribution network and

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

supporting the end-users.” According to Marco Guerretti, the Regional Sales Director, Electrolux Professional, with the impressive potential growth of the hospitality sector in India, the demand for the products of Electrolux Professional in India is expected to experience a significant fillip in the near future. Besides high-end hotels, international and domestic quick service and fine dining restaurants, staff canteens, catering companies, hospitals and airports are also potential clients for the company’s institutional sales. However, to meet the demand of this growing Indian market, a more extensive distributor and servicing network is the need of the hour, which this training and innovation center would cater to. In fact, globally the strength of Electrolux Professional is not only its customised, hand-crafted range of hospitality products embodying stringent quality control and top-of-the-line quality, but also its impressive after sales service, and its

Oct-Nov ’11

REPORT

exhaustive repertoire of spare parts. “We can be viewed as a onestop supplier for a comprehensive range of kitchen and laundry solutions in the hospitality properties,” proffered Marco Pesco, the Country Manager – India, Electrolux Professional. This newly opened innovation and training centre is expected to facilitate to strengthen the impressive service network of Electrolux Professional in India. “At the Indian headquarter our target is to offer daily technical trainings to strengthen the service network. We will be offering unlimited trainings in our demo kitchens for client and end- users. But we will also make the equipment available for trials at customer site,” informed Pesco. He also told that Electrolux Professional was envisaging setting up and supporting a strong network of distributors and service partners, who in turn would be able to deliver the end-users high professional standards. According to Pesco, presently the products of Electrolux Professional accounts for 30 percent share of the elite segment of the hospitality industry in India. The growth in revenues in the Indian hospitality industry and consequently the rising demand for the products of Electrolux Professional in India’s luxury hospitality segment can find resonance in Pesco’s words. “Earlier, most of our potential clientele did not have the requisite cash flow to have our equipment, but over the last three years, the things have markedly changed for the better,” pointed out Pesco. “We want our refrigerators and dishwashers to enter the middle segment of the Indian hospitality market too, in the near future,” explained Guerretti. At present, the presence of the company in the middle segment of the Indian hospitality market can be at best described as negligible. Electrolux Professional is also in the process of developing new products in dishwashing and refrigeration with specifications and accessories tailored to the Indian market. A dedicated team is studying the applications of the local traditional Indian cuisine on the equipment (for example on ovens and bratt pans) and will cooperate with famous Indian Chefs and restaurants to develop specific concepts or meet particular requirements. However, the company doesn’t have a production facility in India, and is only engaged in marketing and after sales service of its products in the country. The short and succinct reason cited by Pesco is that “specific high-end technology components needed for our products are scarcely available in India.” But even without any immediate plan of developing a manufacturing facility for its products in the near future in India, Electrolux Professional is quite serious about investing in the country. The company has a norm of investing approximately three percent of its annual net sales on R&D, and for India it has envisaged at least three more ■ innovation centers in the near future.

Oct-Nov ’11

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

REPORT

‘Tea’m up for Cuppa at

Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge I

t might be a smart idea to sip and soak at the newly opened Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge, which is a new addition to the capital’s beverage bistro scenario. Whether you want to simply unwind or seek to have a one-on-one business meeting, the venue can provide with the ideal setting. After Mumbai, Delhi is the second city to have a Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge. It is possibly the first of its kind tea lounge in Delhi. After Vile Parle in Mumbai, it is Pitampura in Delhi, which is now witnessing the sleek tea lounge culture. The Wagh Bakri Tea Group has plans to open more such tea lounges in other parts of the country. This news may interest a nation that greets every morning with hot leisurely sips of a tea. The company has conceptualised and eventually manifested India’s deeply ingrained tea drinking culture into a lounge layout. The concept is about re-introducing tea as a trendy social beverage and to take it out to an urban contemporary space, out of home and road side tea stalls. The concept has high chances of succeeding as despite the rising emergence of coffee drinking habit in India, tea is perhaps still the best companion for socialising and networking in India. Now, for the happening young generation and also for the not so happening, not so young generation, all roads in the capital would lead towards Pitampura, where one can enjoy long and lingering adda sessions over warm cuppa. Now Delhi tea aficionados have a new address to sip a wide range of teas. The Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge, which is spread across 1200 sq. ft. brews a wide selection of 32 different types of Indian and international teas, including green tea, organic tea, and flavoured teas to name a few. Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge offers bountiful range of hand- picked aromatic teas from the hills of Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiris, and Sikkim. The Indian selections are complemented by the best of international teas from China, Sri Lanka and Kenya, which together envisages at giving an unmatchable high tea experience in a cheerful and plush ambience. The impressive range of teas is complemented by a

sumptuous range of snacks of the Indian and Iranian varieties. To focus on the health conscious urban populace and uphold the healthy drinking habits, Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge has a brew card suitable for every patron. Pudina chai, lemongrass tea, organic tea, green tea and Darjeeling tea are some of the exclusive selects that tops the list. Then there are ginger, cinnamon and apple teas, which are there to calm and cool your tensed senses. A rare variety of tea which adorns this tea lounge is Nilgiri Silver Tips tea, which infuses distinct pale liquor. This mellow tea is endowed with a sweet floral flavour, which I found simply intoxicating. The tea is spruced with health benefits through its high content of antioxidants. At the lounge, the tea connoisseurs can make a quick brew with their tea bag variants. These tea bags are double chambered and staple free to facilitate faster infusion. Wagh Bakri Tea Group is possibly the first ever company in India to introduce the same. These innovative tea bags are foil-sealed to retain freshness and flavour for a long time. To retain the exotic aroma of Darjeeling tea, they are exquisitely packed in wooden chestlets. Light orange leaf designs around the walls and a white serpentine designed false ceiling have contributed to the elegant décor of the place, characterised by plush interiors. Parag Desai, the Executive Director, Sales and Marketing of Wagh Bakri Tea Group said, “As tea is a healthy, fresh and a perfect companion and has been enjoyed by generations, tea lounge is an ideal place to unwind with like-minded people in a relaxed mood.” He further added, “Our main aim is to bring back the leisure concept of enjoying a cup of golden brew in an amicable ambience.” Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge is to be managed by the Delhibased hospitality services management company, named South Asian Hospitality Services Pvt. Ltd. The hospitality services management company is owned by Pravin Juneja. “We will ensure the efficient running of the Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge and make this venture a stupendous success. This tea lounge richly deserves it,” asserted Juneja. Here it deserves a mention that Wagh Bakri is the third largest packaged tea company in India, and the largest privately held tea company in the country. The brand is a market leader in the tea markets of Gujarat and Rajasthan, and also has major market share in Goa, MP and Maharashtra. With the introduction of this lounge, it is expected that Delhites will all ■ also get familiar with this brand than ever before.

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REPORT

Showcasing Art and Class in Glass

igh-end glassware is an essential feature of five-star and four-star hospitality properties. The quality of glassware used in a hospitality property is one of the many essentials that contribute towards its first impression among its guests, as quality glassware endows an element of classiness in both ambience and décor, and as well as in dining and serving. In this regard, the impeccable quality of glassware of Zwiesel Kristallglas deserves special mention in the context of Indian hospitality industry. The journey of Zwiesel Kristallglas began in 1872, in Zwiesel, a town in Germany nestled in the Bavarian forest. The town has been the centre of the Germany’s glassmaking industry since the 15th century. For over 130 years, Zwiesel Kristallglas has combined handmade perfection and state-of- the-art modern technology in glass production. The quality of Zwiesel Kristallglas glassware is today appreciated by over 3000 restaurants, bars and hotels throughout the globe. With top-class products and pioneering innovations, Zwiesel Kristallglas has continually met the high standards of professional users and private households in over 120 countries, across the world. In 1991, environmental and safety considerations propelled Zwiesel Kristallglas to be the first company to discontinue production with lead crystal. Zwiesel Kristallglas developed the internationally patented Tritan® technology to create a new high quality crystal glass without the use of lead oxide.

The Tritan® technology can be regarded as a landmark in the history of glass production. In 2002 the production of Tritan®crystal glass marked a qualitative quantum leap forward in the manufacturing of crystal glassware. Three years later, in 2005, based on the deep connection to the region, the company was renamed from Schott Zwiesel AG to Zwiesel Kristallglas AG. It is environmentally friendly and 100 percent lead and barium free. This special technology also makes glasses break and scratch-resistant, dishwasher-safe and brilliant even after years of use. With its three unique and established brands — Zwiesel 1872, Schott Zwiesel,

The Head Honcho Dr. Andreas Buske is the Director of the Board of Zwiesel Kristallglas AG. Having graduated from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, Dr. Buske completed his doctorate in Industrial Management and Controlling at the JustusLiebig-University of Giessen, in 1998. In 1999, he joined Schott Zwiesel AG as Commercial Director. Two years later, in May 2001, he was elevated to the position of Commercial Board Director. As Commercial Board Director of Zwiesel Kristallglas AG, Dr. Buske is responsible for human resources, marketing and sales, finance, IT, and procurement among others. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Dr. Buske also serves as a lecturer at the University of Regensburg, where he teaches strategic marketing and international management.

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and Jenaer Glas, Zwiesel Kristallglas covers the full spectrum of dining and living culture. These three brands transform bare necessities into rare amenities with their diverse portfolio of first-rate products. Zwiesel 1872 is the lifestyle brand that offers awe-inspiring, handmade crystal glass for gourmet and everyday uses. Schott Zwiesel is the worldwide market leader for crystal glass in the segment of international top-class restaurants and hotels. The internationally renowned brand, Jenaer Glas is the stylish epitome of heat-resistant glassware that moves seamlessly from kitchen to table. The Jenaer Glas brand brings refreshing elements of design and functionality to daily living. For 2011, the Jenaer Glas brand has expanded its product range with double-walled bowls and an insulated jar from GOURMET hot’n cool collection, and a modern jar and cup from the CONCEPT JUICE line. ‘Appreciation with ease’ is the credo of the GOURMET collection; it incorporates lifestyle trends in its innovative and functional products. Drinks, small delicacies, casseroles, tea specialties, chocolate creations and more get the perfect showcase in Jenaer Glas Gourmet products. The GOURMET hot’n cool series is about lightness. Double-walled bowls and jar have been added to complement the existing range. With its insulating feature, the bowls keep the hot food warm and the cold food fresh longer, while keeping the temperature of the outside wall normal so that they can be held with ease. The hot’n cool jar has a good grip as the double-walls prevent condensation. The CONCEPT JUICE collection has a new sleek 1 litre jar that can be paired with matching glass tumblers; made of heat-resistant borosilicate glass. Drinks aside, these multi-purpose tumblers are also hardy enough to prepare and serve small culinary delights; straight from the oven to the table. Here it deserves a mention that all products of CONCEPT JUICE collection are made of impeccable quality heat-resistant borosilicate glass, stainless steel and porcelain accessories. ■

Oct-Nov ’11

R E TA I L

F & B Retail Could Get a Fillip By Swarnendu Biswas

he Union Cabinet’s recent approval of 51 percent FDI (foreign direct investment) in multi-brand retail and 100 percent FDI in single brand retail does have great potential to influence the Indian food & beverage industry, both in the short and the long run. Earlier there was permission of only 51 percent foreign direct investment in the realm of single brand retail. As per the recent Cabinet decision, these retail chains can be opened only in cities or towns with population of 1 million or more, which entails that this retail revolution can be introduced in only 53 cities or towns of the country. However, the approval for 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail is tagged with some conditions. The minimum investment needed by the foreign investor for entering the retail sector has been pegged at $100 million, and 50 percent of the total FDI to be invested has to be invested for building back-end infrastructure, which includes cold chain facilities and warehousing. Also, it would be mandatory for the foreign retailers to procure 30 percent of their products from small scale enterprises. Moreover, fresh agricultural

produce, which includes fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains, pulses, fresh poultry, fishery and meat products, may be unbranded. However, as retail trade is a state subject, the clearance of the FDI will eventually have to come from the local authorities. With the stiff and unified opposition to this Union Government move in the political arena gathering momentum with each passing day, it seems that the foreign retailers ‘waiting in the wings’ would have to be content with investing on the above mentioned approved guidelines in only Congressruled states, and would not have their desired retail presence in more than 28 of those 53 cities. However, all said and done, the possible implementation of this decision can encourage foreign retail giants like Tesco, WalMart and Carrefour to enter the 450 billion USD worth Indian retail market. The decision was strongly criticised by the opposition but as expected, was welcomed by the corporate sector. “FDI in retail sector could lower costs and increase efficiency because of large scale economics. Supermarket chains will also lead to better safety and quality standards,”

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viewed Salil Bhandari, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There is no denying the fact that the entry of retail giants can ensure a better supply chain management which in turn can arrest the presently uncontrollable food inflation to some extent. According to the Credit Rating and Information Services of India Limited (Crisil), one of the leading research firms in the country, foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail does have the potential to ease the problem of high food inflation, which besides being a political challenge for the present government is a day-to-day challenge for the common person on the street and as well as the food & beverage industry at large. The containing of food inflation to some extent can indirectly fuel the restaurant business too. “The Indian consumers pay nearly 22.5 times the price paid to a farmer as compared to 1-1.5 times in developed markets where the penetration of organised retail is much higher,” Crisil had observed a year ago. It pointed out that the change in FDI policy could give an impetus to the flow of investments from organised retailers and logistics companies into establishing quality supply-chain infrastructure for fresh fruits and vegetables. We all know that the lack of adequate cold chain infrastructure and comprehensive warehousing facilities in India have been instrumental in huge wastage of farm produce every year, a challenge which these multinational retail giants can effectively address. It is alarming that around 40 percent of fruits and vegetables in India get wasted between farms to market, as a result of poor quality supply infrastructure, which in turn does positively influence food inflation. However, there is an argument that encouraging the entry of multinational retail chains may jeopardise the future of many pop and mom grocery stores and lead to large scale unemployment. This apprehension might prove to be true if those pop and mom stores do not shape up soon to challenge the rigours of

Oct-Nov ’11

R E TA I L competition, in terms of product range, pricing and as well as presentation. The employment in the unorganised sector of the F&B industry may be affected by the execution of this move, but at the same time employment in the organised sector of the F&B industry may get a fillip. Moreover, with 100 percent FDI in single brand retailing given the green signal by the Union Cabinet, many Indian single brand stocks may face the heat of competition from multinational supermarket chains. Many strategic tieups between Indian and foreign players in the field of multi-brand retailing can also be expected in the near future. Consumers are expected to benefit from the competition, as also the farmers, who are expected to get higher prices for their products. Many argue that this move may leave the farmers at the beck and call of the big retail chains, but common sense say that these professional organised players who can only thrive through distribution of quality products in the presence of intense competition, would

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offer better bargain to the farmers than the unscrupulous middlemen, who have a history of eagerness to short change both the farmers and the consumers. However, despite the arguments both in favour and against, succinctly we can say that this bold move, if gets translated into reality despite vested

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political interests, has the potential to reshape the structure and scope of food retailing in India, and give the agriculture and food processing sector a big boost. One can say this Cabinet decision can prove to be the transition of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food & beverage retailing to the post-modern age. â&#x2013;

COVER STORY

A Short Tale of

Cocktails and Mocktails Bartenders generally act as the public image of the bar that they work for. They not only contribute towards the atmosphere of the bar, but also reflect it through their style and panache. If you have seen the movie ‘Cocktail’ you would have realised that the bartenders have certain flair to entertain the guests. But that is not all that the bartenders should be adept at. They should have a predilection to innovate and experiment with drinks in order to come up with cocktails that will leave you tonguetied; not because they are laced with too much of alcohol but because they are able to satisfy your need for something new. Over the years, the Indian bartenders have also become more creative. The Indian bartenders have come up with Indianised cocktails which use not just coconut water and coconut cream but also Indian spices. Ashok Malkani finds that they are constantly trying to come up not only with new cocktails but also with nnovative mocktails.

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Oct-Nov ’11

COVER STORY

he festive season of Christmas is once again upon us. Though in abroad, Halloween and Thanksgiving are also observed during this period, in India we spread the good cheer in the name of Christmas and New Year only. This is the time when everyone is in a joyous spirit, and many among them believe in raising a toast to that joyous spirit with spirits. And though for many conservative alcohol drinkers, drowning their drinks with plain water or aerated water is the order of the day, for several adventurous others there are cocktails. And for those who are averse to alcohol, there is no dearth of mocktails around. The popularity of cocktails is only expected to grow in the times to come, both in India and abroad. According to Gary Regan, the cocktail soothsayer, the omnipresence of fancy drinks and consumer interest is encouraging bartenders towards further experimentation. According to Regan, “We will see more and more twists on the classics; bartenders will create their own bitters, tinctures and marigoldinfused sweet and dry vermouth or some such thing, and they will create drinks that we can’t even dream about making at home. They will push the envelope far, too far, and that is what I think has to happen next in order for us to find a level at which to operate.” Since centuries, people have been mixing drinks. However, the precursors of cocktail, which include the slings, fizzes, toddies and juleps, attained popularity not before the 17th and 18th centuries. The history is not clear about who invented cocktail, where it was invented, and what went into the creation of the original cocktail. However it seems that cocktail was regarded as a specific drink rather than a category of mixed drinks during that time. Farmer’s Cabinet had the first published reference to cocktail. That was in 1803. David Wondrich has attributed the first known cocktail recipe in print to Captain J.E. Alexander in 1831.

What is in a Name? There are as many interesting stories and anecdotes behind the origin of the name of cocktail. Some may be

Oct-Nov ’11

Orleans used to mix his Peychaud bitters into a stomach remedy, served in a coquetel. Not all of Peychaud’s customers could pronounce the word and it was translated into cocktail. However, the story has issue of conflicting dates, which tend to challenge its historicity. Some believe that the word cocktail may be derived from the name of the Aztec goddess, Xochitl. There was also a Mexican princess named Xochitl who served drinks to the American soldiers. One can also recount an interesting story of an American tavern keeper who

ridiculous and laughable, some may appear to be credible, and some may be true. It is for the readers to gauge and the researchers to judge. The British publication, Bartender, did publish an interesting story in 1936, of English sailors of decades before, who were being served mixed drinks in Mexico. The drinks were stirred with a Cola de Gallo (Cock’s tail) — a long root of similar shape to the rooster’s tail. Did the name cocktail sprout from that incident? No one knows for sure. Another cocktail story refers to the leftovers of a cask of ale, called cock tailings. In those days, the cock tailings from various spirits would be mixed together and sold as a lower priced mixed beverage of dubious value. The name cocktail may also have been derived from the French term for egg cup — coquetel. It is believed that one Antoine Amedie Peychaud of New

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used to store alcohol in a ceramic, rooster-shaped container. When his patrons wanted another round of the spirits, they headily tapped the ‘rooster’s tail.’ From that fabled rooster’s tail, probably the name cocktail emerged. However, even if we cannot fathom the mystery behind the name of cocktail, they would not become any less heady. The past of cocktails may be enigmatic, but they have a promising future. Recently, there has been greater emphasis on ingredient selections in the preparation of cocktails. Regional differences and trends are also being taken into account in the preparation of cocktails, more than ever before. During the last decade or so the cocktail drinkers have become more aware, and there is widespread appreciation for a well made cocktail. The bartenders are also becoming more

COVER STORY

educated about drink mixing in order to keep up with increased consumer awareness.

The Advent of Indian Cocktails Who ever said “Don’t mix your drinks” never knew about our desi twisters! Our innovative bartenders are busy adding fun and zing to drinks by giving them an Indian twist. Experimentation is the name of the game for the Indian bartenders today. Indigenous flavours are finding presence in Indian cocktails these days. A dash of cumin, a sliced green chilli, generous helpings of tamarind pulp are the ingredients which facilitate in the creation of a heady spicy cocktail. The traditional Bloody Mary has become Imli Mary or a Tadka Mary with rasam. The classic Caipiroska becomes a Ganne Ka Caipiroska and a Bellini is turned on its stem with the addition of paan liqueur. Ever since young adults in new-age India took to experimenting with their drinks, bartenders have been making a conscious effort to give customers something new. Sometimes an innovative cocktail is born out of curiosity and a desire to create something different. “The first alcoholic drink I created with an Indian flavour was by using fresh paan, paan liqueur, elaichi, supari and kesar. I just added vodka, ice and garnished it with kasri (sliced supari). People loved it!” informed the renowned bartender Shathbi Basu, the Founder of STIR Academy. According to Tim Etherington, the Brand Ambassador of leading alcoholic drinks company Diageo Reserve, known for brands like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, and Talisker, who was in India recently to judge an international

bartending competition named ‘Diageo Reserve World Class 2011’, “The current trend in bartending emphasises on the drinker and on giving him memorable experiences through theatrical table serves and cocktails that excites all the senses.” In today’s cocktail world, consumer holds the key or the cork to be precise. “The bar scene has grown so huge so quickly that there is no single trend influencing the world of spirits any more. One can now find a bar that specialises in almost every facet of drinks like beer, wine and classic cocktails,” he added.

The Taste of Mocktails But the bartenders’ imagination is not confined to experimenting with alcoholic drinks but also non-alcohlic mocktails. These are also called as virgin drinks. The word ‘mocktail’ is a derivative of two words — ‘mock’ meaning a copy or imitation of something and the word ‘cocktail’ meaning a mixed drink. A mocktail, or a virgin cocktail, is a beverage devoid of the intoxicating presence of alcohol. The recipes of mocktails can include any flavoured drink or other ingredients excluding alcohol. These drinks are wonderful options for those visitors to the bar or parties who don’t drink alcohol. These non-alcoholic drinks comprise of one or more kinds of beverages, which may include fruit juices or mixers. They are usually shaken or stirred before serving. Besides

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Recipes for Cocktails Piru Pyala Piru Pyala is a vodka-based cocktail. It is infused with guava juice in order to derive a fruity taste. To get a sweet and sour taste, a dash of lemon juice is added to the mix. The drink is then garnished with roasted cumin. Masala Martini One can say this is the favourite drink of Bond with a very Indian flavour. It is the always shaken but not stirred martini, which is mixed with masalas to spice up your very Indian senses! Buzz Masala The ethereal blend uses mango panna, amalgamated with white spirits, lemon juice and chaat masala. The drink is topped with lemonade and garnished with green chillies and lime wedges. The concoction is simply irresistible. their taste, the vibrant colours and exotic flavors of the mocktails make them popular in bars, parties, and even family get-togethers. Not only many ladies, but children too enjoy them. Smoothies are a type of mocktails, which are cold, thick, smooth drinks, usually consisting of fresh pureed fruit with ice cream or yoghurt or milkbased products, and often crushed ice. They are prepared in a blender. Shirley Temple is one of the classic mocktails, which is often served to children. Named after the renowned child actor, this mocktail comprises lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, and a dash of grenadine, with a maraschino cherry for garnish. The Roy Rogers is another of the traditional mocktails, which is named after a straight-laced singing cowboy. It is made with cola splashed with a bit of grenadine and is also garnished with a maraschino cherry. Any flavour of Diaquiri can be translated into a mocktail. For a raspberry non-alcoholic version, blend ice, raspberry puree and lime juice, then pour into a glass with sugar on the rim and garnish with fresh raspberries. To create a Seabreeze mocktail, mix cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and a little lime juice. Using a chilled highball glass, pour the

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COVER STORY

mixed juices over ice. There are many common and popular mocktail recipes, which can find their pride of place at any party. Some of them are coco colada, cardinal punch and planter’s punch.

Ingredients for Mocktail A comprehensive array of ingredients is used in the preparation of mocktails. Generally the main components of mocktails are fruit juices which not only endow these drinks with great taste but also with great health potential. Various types of berries,

peaches, melons, mangoes, and kiwi fruits constitute the popular ingredients in mocktails or virgin cocktails. It is not surprising that often mocktails are high in vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants. Lemon juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice also often do play important roles in the creation of mocktail. Usually, packaged juices are infused, but fresh fruits are also crushed in the drink to endow the mocktail with a refreshing taste and flavour. Along with juices, cold drinks can also be used to give fizz to the

Recipes for Mocktails Rafa’s Berry Smash Make tennis ace Rafael Nadal’s favourite drink at home. Ingredients: Six strawberries, four blueberries; four raspberries, 1 tsp of castor sugar, 50 ml pomegranate juice, 10 ml fresh lemon juice, 50 ml cranberry juice, ice cubes and crushed ice. Method: Slice the strawberries into four pieces each. Place all the fruits, sugar and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker glass. Now lightly mix the ingredients. Add cranberry and pomegranate juice with 6-8 ice cubes and shake well for 8-10 seconds. Add a bit of crushed ice to the mix. Put straws and sip leisurely to reach bliss. South Side Fun: Sharjah Shake Start your day with one of the most popular and energising mixes from Kerala. Ingredients: 500 ml frozen milk, half banana, 1 tsp of chocolate energy supplements like Horlicks or Bournvita, five cardamoms, crushed ice, and sugar to taste. Method: Put all the ingredients in a mixer. Mix well and serve it in a big glass. Coco Chill Cool a whole coconut overnight so that its water also gets chilled. Now what! Break it, add crushed mint to it and sip with a straw. Great things or tastes in life need not be too complex.

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drink. In few mocktail recipes, plain soda is also incorporated. Iced tea and ginger ale can also be used for making mocktails. Ice cream, coconut cream or milk and mashed banana are also viable options for the creation of mocktails, particularly if you want your mocktail to be rich and creamy one. For making a warm mocktail, chocolate syrup, milk and coffee can be the right choices. At the same time, these highly flexible ingredients may also be used to make chilled and frozen mocktails. The preparation of mocktail is not that challenging, but it requires quality blending skills. Selection of appropriate ingredients also plays a key role in the preparation of mocktails. Thereafter, the amalgamation of the right ingredients plays an important role in making any kind of mocktail recipe. The bartender must also know which juice should go well with which ingredient.

Presentation is the Key In the realm of mocktail, the presentation and serving also play important roles. Mocktail is ideally served before meals, though it can gel very well with the main course. Since these drinks doesn’t exercise the digestive system much, they can be taken more than once also during the meal. It is preferable to use vibrant colours and attractive glassware for the presentation of the drink. Slices of cut fruits could be creatively used to decorate the mocktail glasses. Colourful stirrers, attractive straws and designer spoons are also often used to enhance the visual appeal of the drink. We can say that both cocktails and mocktails have come of age, yes even in India. Nowadays, serving only single malts and liquor mixes to alcoholic drinkers and the tried-and-tested fruit juices to non-drinkers is nothing short of boring. Cocktail drinkers the mocktail drinkers in India have also become more conscious than ever before and they are interested to know what ingredients have specifically gone into their mocktails. It is no wonder then that cocktails and mocktails have induced the Indian bartenders to come up with concoctions that are mind boggling. ■

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BUSINESS

Nowadays, Indian restaurateurs are no longer content with a locally owned single outlet. They are keen to emerge not only as national players but also take the taste of India to overseas. And one way of achieving this ambition is through brand building, which has become their mantra. Jumbo King has built up a brand image of the local vada paav. Others like Moti Mahal, Mirch Masala, Vithal Kamats, Mainland China, Oh! Calcutta, etc. have spread their wings to make a mark for themselves all over the country. Several players have made inroads even in the US and other overseas countries to cater to the resident Indians and foreigners who are developing a taste for the Indian palate. Ashok Malkani takes a look at some of these restaurateurs and their progress, which would encourage more entrepreneurs to go into an expansion mode.

estaurateurs are now getting hungrier than their guests. Not really gastronomic-wise but revenue-wise. They are willing to put their money where their mouths and hearts are! Thus India is today witnessing unparalleled brand-building by an impressive number of restaurant owners who are breaking out of their local bastions and flanking out nationally across a range of very innovative formats. As a prospective restaurateur, you can also explore this success story. There are literally thousands and

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thousands of marketing tactics that you could employ to lift sales at your restaurant. However, great marketing is not only about blatant advertising in television. It includes solid operational execution, effective positioning and the cumulative results of marketing inside the four walls of your restaurant and in the immediate trading area.

A Jumbo Success Story One classic example of success in the restaurant business is that of Jumbo King. The Mumbai-Pune belt has a slew

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BUSINESS of restaurants vying with each other, be it fast food, carry away or fine dine. One snack that is immensely popular with the Mumbaikars is vada-paav, but one name that has not only popularised this poor man’s snack but also come up with several variations like Schezwan, Ragda, and for the health conscious, diet vadapaavs (baked) is the Jumbo King. Jumbo King began its journey to brand the vada-pav on 23rd August 2001. Inspired by western models and applying it to this very down-to-earth Indian food, Jumbo King, founded by the couple Dheeraj and Reeta Gupta, drafted a wonderful success story. The Mumbai-based firm began with the resolve to give respectability to street food. “We have automated our entire processes, ranging from steaming the potatoes to creating the patty, which results in uniformity and standardisation. And we have been able to achieve this only because we have volumes,” informed Dheeraj Gupta, the Managing Director of Jumbo King. Here it deserves a mention that Jumbo King serves 40,000 customers in a day across all its stores.

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Jumbo King has a team of people spanning the functional areas of operations, business development, franchisee relations and marketing. Operations looks into store running, logistics and training. The head office at

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Jumbo King is called the Support Centre and the operations team supports the franchisee network and their staff to run the store as per the guidelines laid down by the franchising system of Jumbo King.

BUSINESS The business development team looks at increasing the number of outlets by ensuring a new outlet to be opened as fast as possible, for which they do a strong survey and ensure that the outlet is in the best possible area. “Franchisee relations have to be maintained by solving their queries and lending a helping hand wherever possible,” explained Dheeraj Gupta. Presently, Jumbo King has 43 operational stores across India, which are mostly scattered across Mumbai and other towns of Maharashtra. It sells around 150,000 vada-pavs every day in Mumbai alone. Today, Jumbo King happens to be the largest seller of vadapavs in Mumbai, and the first company to launch a marketing campaign built around Mumbai’s most popular food item. However, there is challenge involved in extending the popularity of vada-pav beyond the state of Maharashtra. Probably to achieve a pan-Indian popularity, Jumbo King would have to reposition its product.

Spicy Growth What vada-pavs are to Jumbo King,

patties are to Mirch Masala. Rapid expansion and customer loyalty have been consistent with this chain, having presence in Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara and Kolkata. After successfully operating seven outlets of Mirch Masala, within and out of Gujarat, Ahura Restaurants (the organisation behind the brand) has decided to take the franchising route in 2010. In September 1992, Mirch Masala ushered in an innovative concept in restaurant business in Ahmedabad by opening the first ‘theme restaurant’ in Ahmedabad. A restaurant dedicated not only to excellence in food, but to setting standards in service and entertainment. The restaurant captured the imagination of the people and made it a landmark place in Ahmedabad and that set the ball rolling. Franchising with Mirch Masala is an attractive proposition due to its sumptuous cuisine coupled with unparalleled theme. The strength of the restaurant chain from is the back up of its team of experienced and successful professionals with many years in the restaurant business.

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Speciality and Others From Ahmedabad, let us traverse to Kolkatta. Take the case of Speciality Restaurants, which initiated the effort of providing consumers a five-star experience without becoming unaffordable to the middle class. Over the past 16 years, Speciality restaurants has been bringing its consumers irresistible tastes of Chinese, Bengali and Mughlai cuisines, and authentic flavours from the jungles of Ranthambore among others. Whether you want to enrich your senses with authentic Chinese cuisine from Mainland China or savour the best Bengal has to offer from Oh! Calcutta, Speciality Restaurants provides you with the right gastronomic address. The chain has several famous restaurant brands under its ambit, including Mainland China, Oh! Calcutta, Sigree, Haka, Machaan, and Sweet Bengal among others. It runs 62 food & beverage outlets across various important cities. Mainland China alone serves more than 2 lakh Chinese meals per month, which is a record of sorts in the country. Mainland China, and Oh!

Oct-Nov ’11

Calcutta have won major awards on various occasions for being India’s best restaurants in their respective categories. “We owe our success to a very high degree of professional management at every level, from quality to service and hygiene. The entire senior management consists of professionals with topnotch industry background,” affirmed Anjan Chatterjee, the Promoter of Speciality Restaurants Pvt Ltd. Another chain of restaurants that has created a name for itself in Kolkata is ABNM Restaurants, which has three outlets in the city and is entertaining proposals to set up restaurants in Houston, Dallas and Cincinnati. Also prepare yourself to not get amazed if you find a restaurant named Ballygunge Place in London, Paris or New York during a trip overseas some five years later. The Bengali restaurant 6 Ballygunge Place has managed to register a trademark of the posh south Kolkata address; the first time that it has been done in India. Following the registration, two outlets with the Ballygunge Place address have already seen the light of the day in Salt Lake, Kolkata and Bangalore. “Since we have the trademark, we will go for expansion. We would extend our footprints to at least two more locations in India and three overseas locations within 2012-end. Negotiations are on for renting properties in Mumbai and Delhi. We are also scouting for potential partners in the UK, France and the US,” elaborated S Ramani, Director (Marketing & Projects), 6 Ballygunge. There is also the Kolkata-based Bhojohori Manna, which has been successfully recreating the concept of erstwhile pice hotels of Bengal, and providing ‘ Bengali grandmom’s recipes’ at easy-onthe-pocket prices. The chain presently has eight outlets in Kolkata and one each in Mumbai, Bangalore and Siliguri. Their growth is amazing considering the journey of Bhojohori Manna began only in 2003.

Serving Hot to Millions In the north, notable players in the field of restaurant expansion include the Chandigarh-based Hot Millions restaurant chain. The first Hot Millions outlet, started in 1979, pioneered the concept of fast food in Chandigarh. It was followed by Hot Millions 2 — its 186-item menu and the then recently introduced video games proving to be a huge hit with an ever growing clientele. Then came the turn of the Hot Millions Salad Bar and Restaurant — an exclusive establishment offering an exhaustive range of Continental, Indian, Chinese, Italian and Mexican cuisine. The fourth restaurant, also serving fast food, was opened in the picturesque surroundings of Nirjhar Vatika; a beautiful Japanese garden carved out by the Panchkula administration. Now the restaurant at Vatika has been moved to SCO 303 at Sector 9, Panchkula. There is a bar & restaurant called Tavern in the lower ground and the family restaurant on the upper ground floor has garnered tremendous response. Then the chain came with Down Under, a pub and restaurant topped by a conference hall, teeming with state-of-the-art electronic gizmos. Since it opened its second restaurant there was no looking back for the restaurant chain. Today from a simple a menu comprising of kathis, burgers and patties and one restaurant in 1990, the Chandigarh-based restaurant chain has come a long way. Presently with a hugely impressive portfolio of nine quick service family restaurants, 10 full service restaurants & bars, and two

Oct-Nov ’11

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BUSINESS hotels, the restaurant chain is envisaging to have a pan-India presence. Inspired by the success of their brand, Hot Millions has taken to franchising their outlets to like-minded entrepreneurs. There are already four franchises in Mohali, in Punjab, Sector 35 in Chandigarh, and in Dharampur in Himachal Pradesh. The restaurants pf Hot Millions cater to all age groups and all tastes. What makes its food achieve enduring popularity and encourages the people to come back for more is the personal supervision in procuring, preparation and the service of food. Col. Singh, the Founder of the Hot Millions chain personally makes the food purchases, while his wife, Harinder Mohini, a talented Chef, still supervises the entire food production.

Chain Reaction of Success South Asian Hospitality Service Pvt. Ltd., which started in 2002, currently owns and operates 10 Subway outlets in Delhi/NCR and 25 Moti Mahal Delux Tandoori Trail Restaurants pan-India, eight Nirula’s restaurants in Delhi/NCR, Rajasthan, and MP, and one multi cuisine Food Park with seven cuisines at CBD Shahdara. It also has six Rajdhani restaurants in North India under its ambit. It is in the process of launching several more Subway, Moti Mahal Delux Tandoori Trail, Nirula’s, Rajdhani and Food Park outlets in near future. The group’s first restaurant opened in DT Mall, Gurgaon, in December 2003. Presently, SAHSPL is the India’s largest franchise of Moti-Mahal Deluxe Tandoori Trail restaurant chain. Its first Subway restaurant opened in 2002 and at present SAHSPL is one of the largest Subway franchise restaurant company in India. The company is also the master franchisee of Nirula’s and Rajdhani, besides operating its own food courts under the brand of Food Park. At present company has 47 operational restaurants and a food court in panIndia, serving more than 8500 customers every day. “We have always developed our menu with vegetarian and nonvegetarian selections to suit Indian tastes and preferences. South Asian Hospitality Services Pvt. Ltd. does not offer any beef or pork items in India. Only the freshest chicken, fish and

vegetable products find their way into our restaurants,” informed Pradeep Sehgal, CEO of SAHSPL. The success of many such restaurant chains across pan-India is an indication of pluralisation of tastes of India. Their stupendous success manifests that there is a growing streak of adventure among Indian restaurant going public to try different tastes and flavours, which are dissimilar to the tastes of his own state or region. Take the case of Vithal Kamat’s family restaurants, which though focussing on South Indian food, is not confined to south India. The group has spread its wings across the length and breadth of the country and abroad. Vithal Kamats - The Original Family Restaurant, has spread across multiple states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Orissa, and has expansion plans pan-India through franchise route. From a modest beginning with a small time restaurant in Mumbai to over 500 restaurants all across the world, it has been a wonderful odyssey of entrepreneurship.

Global Sights Besides the pluralisation of tastes and the growing element of adventure among restaurant going public in India, the increased disposable incomes among a select but sizeable section of the Indian population is also fuelling the ambition of Indian restaurant chains to harbour pan-India vision. And now with the Indian tastes making global presence, it is only a matter of time when many enterprising restaurateurs would crowd

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the gastronomic landscape of Europe, the US and the Down Under with their sumptuous and timeless offerings. Already such a process has begun in full swing. Moti Mahal, Bikanerwala, Bukhara and Sagar Ratna are only some of the overseas successes of Indian restaurant business. Through various business routes ranging from joint ventures to franchisees, Indian food chains are finding their presence in Singapore, West Asia, the US, Canada and the UK, all regions with sizeable Indian populations. “There’s a huge opportunity waiting to be explored there,” averred Sameer Kukreja, President, National Restaurant Association of India. While Chinese food has long attained international acceptance, the rich and varied legacy of Indian cuisines, till recently, were often classified as nothing more than ‘oily curries’ and ‘tandoori chicken.’ Thankfully, that is not the global trend anymore. “There is life beyond tandoori chicken and biryani in Indian food today. Now people travel far more, and are familiar with our cuisine,” Hemant Oberoi, the Group Executive Chef at the Taj Group of Hotels, and the first Indian Chef to be nominated to the World Gourmet Club. But while the success of Indian restaurants in India will depend on the quality of food and service offered, the success for Indian food chains going overseas will lie in tweaking their offerings to western and oriental requirements – not only in terms of the foreign taste, but also in their ability to adhere to foreign regulations and standards. ■

Oct-Nov ’11

DAIRY

Whipping up the

Cream W

hipped cream is used as an integral ingredient in a number of bakery items. Its main function is to whip up the products and endow them with an enticing look. Whipped cream fabricates and stabilises the cake to frost and acts as an accompaniment for icing. Being the most expeditiously perishable constituent among dairy products, whipped cream instantly calls for refrigeration, even if used as a frosting on a cake. Hence, no matter how it is used, one needs to unfailingly make sure that it does not stay out of the fridge for too long. Light, fluffy, and flavourful, whipped

cream is natural and it is often whipped to different stages with a stand or electric hand-held mixer or whisk. It is also often used as stabiliser in flavoured and sweetened forms in numerous dessert and salad recipes. To be more general, whipped cream is foam of milk fat created by beating fresh cream by a mixer, whisk, fork, or whip until it gets light and fluffy.

Fizz it up Basically milk cream contains butterfat, which is whisked to form whipped cream. Texture and consistency of whipped cream varies according to the percentage of butterfat in cream, i.e., the higher the

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percent, the better the cream will whip and become more billow. Majority of users prefer to use cream with a fat content of 30 to 40 percent that works best for building stout texture, found in ‘whipping cream’ or ‘heavy cream.’ Although calorie conscious segment of the population often opts for lighter version of whipped cream, containing merely 20 percent of butterfat in cream, the texture of such cream cannot trap as much air or hold it very well, making it a substandard choice. However, one can select the cream, which is not ultrapasteurised. That makes for rich and fluffy whipped cream which holds its shape for longer period of time.

Oct-Nov ’11

DAIRY Shaping Up In fact, the structure of whipped cream is very similar to the fat and air structure that exists in ice-creams. When dairy cream, which is an emulsion with a fat content of 35 to 40 percent, is whipped in a bowl, it forms whipped cream. During the process, agitation and air bubbles are added causing the fat globules to begin to partially coalesce in chains and clusters, which absorb and spread around the air bubbles. As the fat partially coalesces, it causes one fat-stabilised air bubble to be

linked to the next and builds a chain. The whipped cream soon starts to become stiff and dry in appearance and takes on a smooth texture. A fluff ensues from the formation of this partially coalesced fat structure, stabilising the air bubbles. This byproduct traps water, lactose and proteins in the spaces around the fatstabilised air bubbles. The entire process requires appropriate temperature as well as attention of the Chef to get the correct texture. Overly whipped cream can form butter particles, and thus ruining the required texture. This is an indication that the process has gone wrong.

Bounty of Flavours A fluffy whipped cream is often used as topping or dressing in desserts. Therefore it requires to be sweetened during the beating process. A normal castor sugar or table sugar is used for sweetening whipped cream, since it dissolves faster and eliminate the problem of gritty whipped cream. The range of sweetened whipped creams shows off delightful white blossom to a multitude of flavours and

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

hues. Its whiter look is usually subdued by bounty of seasoning agents, ranging from fruit extracts, chocolate, coffee, liqueurs, orange or lemon zest to spices. For instance, adding few drops of vanilla extract or a teaspoon of rum, brandy, red wine or liqueur in a cup of cream makes an irresistible dressing in any recipe, geared to pamper the palate with a distinct flavour. Another form of whipped cream is a non-dairy stuff made from tropical oils,

DAIRY sugar and stabilisers. So it follows its own set of rules. It can be substituted for an equal amount of whipped cream. Imported ready-made whipped creams are generally frothier and richer than the normal dairy creams. Available in multiple flavours like chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, butterscotch, black or blue berry, etc., they can be readily used in various recipes. Although they are not dairy products, they can also be used as ideal whipped creams.

Stabilised Cream Many a time a stabilised whipped cream is used when one seeks to achieve a firm or mousse like texture in his/her preparations. This version is created by blending gelatin in cream. This is done because gelatin stabilises the whipped cream. Also, the addition of gelatin gives stable foam to low-fat stabilised whipped cream. Stabilised whipped cream is piped to create a border on a cake or to prevent the whipped cream from deflating, when folding in heavy and juicy items like berries or salads.

Forming stabilised whipped cream requires soaked, unflavoured or plain gelatin in water. Use one teaspoon of gelatin absorbed in little water for one

Different Stages During the back and forth movements of whisking and whipping, the cream whip to different stages and it calls for beating until soft and stiff peaks are formed. These soft peaks and stiff peaks are required for different uses, depending on the recipe. Soft Peaks Umpteen mouth-watering desserts are folded into whipped cream base, and such recipes usually have a need for soft whipped cream. Here for such cases the cream is whipped in such a way that makes very soft peaks. It is also known as crème Chantilly. This is important, because if the cream is whipped too stiffly, it will be extremely difficult to fold it into the other mixture. For getting soft peaks in whipped cream, it is necessary to examine the mixture invariably while beating the cream. It should leave light traces on the surface while beating. After the beating is done, stop the mixer and lift the beaters straight up. It should have one whipped cream peak that droops slightly from the end of the beater or whisk. If it doesn’t occur, continue beating until it shows peaks. Stiff Peaks When whipped cream is used as a garnish or piped decoration or decorative work, a stiff peak is preferred, so that the whipped cream holds its shape better. However, even stiff peak of whipped cream is soft and delicate and won’t be as stiff as butter-cream. It is obtained after the beater leave ridges on the surface of the cream while beating. The next step is to stop the mixer and lift the beaters straight up. But one needs to ensure that it has one whipped cream peak that holds its shape and clings tightly to the end of the beater or whisk. If it doesn’t form a single stiff peak, continue beating until it does. Normally, for piping or decorating, stabilised whipped cream is recommended.

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cup of cream and leave it to soften. Then, stir the gelatin over low heat, until completely dissolved and let it be cool, but not get cold. After that, add cooled gelatin all at once to cream during whipping. Whip it until it forms soft peaks. When the mixture is deflating on standing, simply beat it again until it resembles stiff whipped cream.

Storing Whipped Cream Normally, whipped cream won’t stay whipped for long, and it is better to prepare it immediately before using. But in case you are working ahead, you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Before serving the refrigerated whipped cream or pre-packed product, it is necessary to re-whisk the cream briefly to thicken it up. However, at times it does not appear as billowy as on the first day, but it is fine to use. On the contrary, imported whipped cream products do not require rewhisking, but they need to be stored at below minus 20°C. Moreover, tetra packed whipped creams can be stored for longer duration, generally up to one year in deep freezer. The imported ready-made whipped creams are gaining their popularity in institutional sector, due to their readyto-use factor. These products are available in frozen forms; in special tetra packs. ■

Oct-Nov ’11

FOCUS

Savouring the Flavours of Bengal By Swarnendu Biswas

uring 11-20th November, Hyatt Regency Delhi hosted a Bengali food promotion at its Café, as a part of the lunch and dinner buffet, where sumptuous Bengali delicacies prepared by the renowned Kolkata-based restaurant chain Bhojohori Manna gave the guests a rich, varied and comprehensive taste and feel of the ethereal flavours of the entire undivided Bengal of pre-independence era. According to Siddhartha Bose, one of the founding members of Bhojohori Manna, “We present the comprehensive and richly varied tastes and flavours of the entire erstwhile undivided Bengal on our platter, and to say that the ambit of our gastronomic repertoire is limited only to Kolkata is nothing short of untruth.” Speaking on the ten-day-long Bengali feast, Kumar Shobhan, Director, Food and Beverage, Hyatt Regency Delhi commented, “This ten day partnership between Hyatt Regency Delhi and Bhojohori Manna is a part of our regional cuisine specialties promotion at the Café.” The menu at the food festival included a host of authentic Bengali preparations which the Delhiites savoured. “In the past, Café has introduced Maharashtrian, Argentine and Thai cuisines to promote regional cooking in the city,” added Shobhan. The non-vegetarian selection at the Bengali food festival included dishes like the Bhetki Rongpuri Fry, which is crumb fried bhetki fish in a typical Bengali marinade, Ilish Barishali; Bengal’s favouite fish hilsa cooked in rich mustard and coconut gravy, Chitol Muitha; flat fish scoops shaped into cakes, steamed and cooked in a light gravy, Chicken Dakbangla (to me it appeared as an amalgamation of chicken and egg curry, where thick rich gravy and local spices played their roles to

accentuate the taste of the dish), kosha mangso (a typical and delicious meat preparation of Bengal), etc. I must also mention the Chingri Malai Curry and Daab Chingri—the two timeless and delectable prawn preparations of Bengali cuisine involving coconut—which made my taste buds go ecstatic. For the vegetarians also the platter was nothing short of impressive. Particular reference must be made of Potoler Dolmar Korma; pointed gourd with a tasty filling of coconut & mustard, the delicious Aloo Posto, and Sukto (a wonderful preparation of vegetable curry, which is a very predominant feature of Bengali cuisine, ideally to be had at the beginning of the meal). Popular sweets from Bengal were also on offer, which included Khejur Amsotto Chutney, Notun Gurer Roshogolla, Langcha¸ Mishti Doi and much more. Bhojohori Manna was started in Kolkata in 2003, by five

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Oct-Nov ’11

FOCUS

eminent professionals from diverse background. Their common unifying factor was their love for food as well as people. One of the founding members is the celebrated and award winning filmmaker Gautam Ghosh. The company which runs the chain is named as Bhojohori Manna Restaurants India Pvt. Ltd. Over the years, the chain has grown phenomenally, and today there are eight Bhojohori Manna outlets in Kolkata and one each in Mumbai, Bangalore and Siliguri. Bhojohori Manna, which is named after an immensely popular Bengali song rendered by inimitable Manna Dey in the 70s, specialises in providing authentic Bengali cuisine that simulate the tastes and aroma of home-cooked Bengali food. Yes, I do have to concede that many of the complex marvels, involving great culinary dexterity and painstaking

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labour, which were presented by Bhojohori Manna in the recently held Bengali food festival at Hyatt Regency, and also are being presented at its restaurants spread across Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Siliguri on a day-today-basis, no longer find their aromatic resonance in the busy households of Kolkata and even rural Bengal in today’s times, very often. But they do reflect the culinary heritage that was nurtured at Bengali homes of yesteryears, which like all good old things are facing threats of erosion because of the onslaughts of so called modernity in our lives and lifestyles. In that sense, a trip to the Bengali food festival at Hyatt Regency could perhaps have endowed a true die-hard lover of Bengali cuisine with a nostalgic feel. It would not be an over statement to say that Bhojohori Manna has taken up the cudgels to safeguard the original flavours of Bengali cuisine and prevent it from fading into realms of distant memories only. “Bhojohori Manna is branded, marketed and promoted on the lines of erstwhile pice hotels of Bengal,” informed Bose. The pice hotels of yesteryears, which were integral part of the culinary culture of Bengal, were known for their value for money delicious offerings. They reflected the flavours, tastes and aromas of home-cooked food of Bengal. The meal at Bhojohori Manna also gives you the same feeling, amidst aesthetic ambience and décor reflecting various facets of composite and pluralistic Bengali culture, without taxing your pocket too much. Its affordable pricing also perhaps has contributed to its popularity in the extremely price-sensitive market of Kolkata. ■

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

M E AT

By Swarnendu Biswas

hey say diamonds are ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; best friends, but I would say kebab can be a great friend of both a man and a woman, irrespective of whether he or she is lonely or with friends, irrespective of whether it is a night of party or an evening of introspection, and irrespective of whether there is a glass of whisky or beer accompanying the treat. If you are a meat lover, a plateful of well prepared kebabs do have the potential to take you to a different world; a world where only aroma and taste reigns and the worries melt in the warmth of the mouthâ&#x20AC;Ś Yes like the glitter of diamonds, the taste and aroma of kebabs too can delight many generations. They are for all seasons, and

their gastronomic appeal does have the potential to perennially flow across ages. Any connoisseur of Mughlai food must have savoured the succulent kebabs, which come in wide varieties, shapes and tastes. But in general, all kebabs are simply sumptuous. Though the word kebab may be of Persian in origin, but its taste has influenced the lovers of good food the world over. However, kebabs are not only an integral part of the Mughlai dishes from India and Pakistan. They have their presence in Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Central Asian, and even African cuisines. Even people in many European countries enjoy this wonderful meat dish, whose taste has withstood the test of time. Kebabs in general constitute

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grilled or broiled meats of goat, chicken, lamb, and bovine creatures, etc. In the Muslim and Jewish world, the intake of pork is prohibited by religion, but pork kebabs are not that uncommon in Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece and the United Kingdom. Even in Goa, pork kebabs are being enjoyed.

Misty History The history of kebab, like many other world class delicacies, is wrapped in the foils of mystery. According to the Arabic tradition, kebab is believed to be invented in medieval Iran, where soldiers used to grill meat on their swords, by holding them over field-fires. However, this claim is disputed by many who state that kebab was originated in

Oct-Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11

M E AT the East Mediterranean region, during the ancient times, a region which includes the modern nation states of Greece, Lebanon, Syria, Jordon, Cyprus, Israel, the territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In fact, the chronicles of Ibn Battuta, the famous globe trotter of the medieval age, has revealed that kebabs were partaken in the royal houses of India at least as far back as the Sultanate period, and was also enjoyed by the commoners during that period, who had it with naan for their breakfast. Thus we can say that kebab has a long history, which is supplemented by its tasty future. Though kebabs’ history is disputable, their taste is not. India may have had its association with kebabs during the Sultanate period too, but its full-fledged love affair with kebabs took shape during the Mughal era. In India, shami kebab, sheekh kebab, kakori kebab, kalmi kebab and galouti kebab have played crucial roles in shaping the taste buds of generations of connoisseurs of Mughlai food. They are ideally served with roomali rotis, a thin bread of the shape of a handkerchief, onion salad, and mint or

Oct-Nov ’11

coriander chutney. Of course, without any accompaniments also these kebabs don’t taste that bad.

Some Popular Kebabs of India Among the various popular kebabs in India, shami kebab is my favourite. Nicely prepared shami kebabs can give you a blissful sensation, and can serve as perfect accompaniments to a glass of

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vodka or whisky. It constitutes of a small patty of minced mutton or beef, along with ground chickpeas and spices. The delicacy is very much popular in India and Pakistan. You can enhance the taste of shami kebabs, or for that matter any kebab which is popular in India, by garnishing it with lemon juice and/or sliced raw onions. Many food historians believe that

M E AT shami kebabs were introduced to India during the Mughal era, by the Muslim emigrants from the Middle-East. However, the opinions are divided over its origin. Some believe this delicacy originated in Syria, while some other groups of food historians believe that it is of Persian origin. But who cares about the origin as long as it tastes great, which it does! The seekh kebab is also a very much popular dish in India. They are made of cubes of lamb, goat or chicken meat, or even beef, which are complemented by a variety of spices. The meat cubes are traditionally broiled or roasted in a tandoor oven. The cubes of meat are threaded on a skewer, and then roasted. The radiant heat from the tandoor slowly grills or roasts the meat and due to the lack of direct heat from the fire, the juices of the meat do not escape, thereby adding flavour and keeping the meat’s moisture intact. Garnish and accompaniments in seekh kebab are not much different from the of shami kebab. If you happen to visit Lucknow, you shouldn’t miss the taste of kakori kebab, for doing so can be a gastronomic crime of sorts for every non-vegetarian person. It is believed that this type of kebab preparation originated in the

A Turkish Delight

oner kebab is a Turkish preparation made of lamb, chicken or beef. It is also nowadays consumed by guests in many high profile parties in India. Doner kebab means rotating kebab, and it has its origin in the nineteenth century Turkey. It is so named because the preparation involves slowly roasting a huge slice of lamb, beef or chicken on a vertical rotating spit. That huge slab of meat can be partaken by a number of persons. From that huge roasted slab of meat, the guests can get their requirements of meat sliced off in a dish. Shawarma of the Middle-East and gyros of Greek are derived from the Turkish doner kebab. The wonderful taste of doner kebab can be even better enjoyed with pita bread, salad and French fries. Doner kebab is a popular street food in Turkey. In Turkey, the meat used for döner kebab is generally lamb meat, but, doner kebabs of chicken meat are also not uncommon in the Turkish streets. It has also attracted popularity in various nations, which have sizeable Turkish population. It is popular in Germany, Poland, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However, in all these countries, the doner kebabs are slightly different in flavouring and taste than they are in Turkey, as here they often experience a synthesis of native and Turkish culinary styles in their preparations. Kakori town of Uttar Pradesh, which gives its name. This kebab is made of the paste of finely grind minced goat meat, along with the support of many wonderful spices. The meat is grilled on a skewer over burning charcoal. With accompaniments of roomali roti, onion and mint or coriander chutney, a plate of kakori kebab can take you very near to a state of hedonistic bliss. Besides Lucknow, in some nooks and corners of Old Delhi also you can find eating joints which can prepare this delicacy with the right subtlety and precision. For kakori kebab, the meat has not only to be delicately minced and spiced, and grind to a paste, it must also be kept moist for long enough to get that special culinary sensation; a sensation which simply melts in your mouth. It is a job which involves great finesse, and is not the cup of tea for an average cook or Chef. No wonder, many stories abound around the preparation of kakori kebab. Then there is kalmi kebab and galouti kebab, without which traditional Indian Mughlai cuisine is incomplete. For preparing kalmi kebab, marinate the chicken drumsticks with yoghurt or curd, add some freshly grind spices, and then place the drumsticks on a tandoor. Ideal

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garnishing for these chicken drumsticks can be mint leaves, and ideal accompaniments can be onion and roomali roti. The dish, which originated in Iran, attained popularity in India during the Moghal era. There was a Nawab of Lucknow, who was a connoisseur of good kebabs, but due to his sensitive teeth, he couldn’t savour those. So for him, his expert cooks made a special kebab, which was soft enough for him to chew. In fact, this kebab doesn’t need to be chewed; it is always willing to melt in your mouth. Thus galouti kebab was born. Since then, this succulent treat, made generally of minced goat meat or beef, has made a niche for itself in the kebab world of India. Galouti kebab is Awadhi cuisine at its best, and can rub shoulders with kakori kebab and the famous biryani of Lucknow. Though you can get galouti kebab in many five-star hotel chains across India, but the best place to try this delicacy in its most authentic flavour and taste is in the streets of Lucknow. Though all of these kebabs may not be born in India, they refuse to leave India. They now have a special niche in India’s rich and varied culinary culture, which is traditional and cosmopolitan ■ at the same time.

Oct-Nov ’11

BEVERAGE

Wafting Trends of Café Coffee Culture By Tapapriya Lahiri

n 2009, the coffee production in India accounted for 4.5 percent of the total global coffee production, and although 80 percent of India’s coffee production is being exported, but still there is no denying the fact that over the years, the coffee production and consumption has steadily increased in India. According to Indian Coffee Board, the coffee production in India during 2009-10 was at 2.90 lakh tonnes (post monsoon estimation). According to the same source, the estimated domestic consumption of coffee in India, in 1995, was 50000 MT, which enhanced to 94,400 MT in 2008. In India, coffee is primarily produced in the three southern states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with Karnataka leading the way by accounting for nearly 70 percent of the country’s coffee production, followed by Kerala with 22 percent, and Tamil Nadu with 7 percent of the total country’s coffee production. However, the popularity of coffee in India is now no longer limited to its southern strongholds. Before a decade-and-a-half-ago, coffee drinking was a habit among people of some select areas of south India, but it was not a pan-Indian phenomenon. Now from metros to the small cities and towns of India, and from south to north, and east to west, the country is getting more and more attracted to the wafting aroma of coffee beans. Today, people in north, east and west India are now pepping up their conversations with coffee in increasing numbers. Many tea drinkers are also making a smooth transition into being coffee drinkers. Neither does the fame of coffee among the Indian coffee connoisseurs limited to the historically famed Indian filter coffee or for that matter, the espresso coffee. Though Indian filter coffee, which is a sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted coffee beans and chicory, in the ratio of approximately 80:20 respectively, has been a commercial success since the 1940s and is still very much popular in the southern states of India, the country’s taste for coffee has become more cosmopolitan and varied, and has grown much beyond the appreciation of this vintage version of the brew.

A Lifestyle Drink In today’s India, not only the upwardly mobile crowd in the metros, but also the aspiring middle class in tier-I and tier-II cities are also increasingly perceiving a visit to coffee cafés as meeting and lifestyle option. This trend can be attributed to increasing disposable incomes and increasing spread of globalisation. These retail coffee café outlets are not only gaining popularity among corporates and family crowd but also among students.

Students are nowadays seen moving out of their traditional college hubs like the canteens and Irani cafés and into the swanky coffee shops. With Barista, Cafe Coffee Day and Costa Coffee wooing customers with wi-fi access, sandwiches and books, coffee shops have become the favourite hang-out spots for Gen X. From social networking to corporate dealings to romantic rendezvous, the wafting aroma of coffee is acting as a binding force. Ceramic and plastic cups brimming with flavoured coffees and crushed ice have became mediators for new and old relationships. Slowly coffee is also emerging as the lifestyle drink of the Indian metros.

Coffee Means Business It is no wonder that under the present scenario, the coffee chains market in India has witnessed a robust growth so far, and is expected to grow rapidly during 2010-16. With the Indian middle class consumer now ready to spend more and be a part of global lifestyle and culture than ever before, coffee parlours in the country are on an expansion spree. Leading coffee retailers such as Cafe Coffee Day, Barista Lavazza, and Costa Coffee are all pitching in to attract India’s growing middle class. The booming business of coffee in the country is inducing various national and international coffee retailers to establish their footprints in India. Two retail café chains are spearheading the coffee café culture in India. They are Café Coffee Day and Barista Lavazza. Barista Coffee Company Limited, which was established in 2000 in India, was brought over by Lavazza; Italy’s number one coffee brand, in 2007. Here it deserves a mention that Barista Coffee Company is envisaging to increase the number of its outlets to 300 from the existing 225, by 2012. However, these two above mentioned corporate giants, which have lion’s share in the organised retail coffee café chains, but accounts for less than one third of the total domestic retail coffee market, are now facing competition from British coffee chain Costa Coffee, which is emerging as one of the important players in the organised coffee business in India that values not less than Rs.1000 crore. And now, Starbucks Coffee Company, the world’s largest retail coffee chain, will enter this growing retail coffee market in India, in alliance with Tata Coffee Limited. However, nowadays sleek retail coffee café chains are not only about serving assorted varieties of fragrant coffees in hot and cold options. They are also introducing several innovative concoctions where varied coffee beans with varied desserts are playing new music on the taste buds of a new generation of Indians. All these concoctions are supplemented with filling snacks, which can cater to breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Many of the retail coffee

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Oct-Nov ’11

BEVERAGE cafes mushrooming across urban India are also serving as breakfast, lunch and dinner outlets, without losing their primary focus of being retail coffee outlets. According to Ramachander Raman, the Head of Food and Beverages at Café Coffee Day, “Besides the spreading of café culture, we want to broaden the horizon of our food menus. From the survey response, we have come to know that people are also fond of sandwiches, croissants and desserts as companions for good coffees. This is an emerging trend amongst young and middle aged Indians.” Also, Barista Lavazza is ready to broaden its appeal through spreading the idea of liqueur coffee; by serving coffee with alcohol in more outlets. At present, Barista Lavazza outlet at Khan Market in New Delhi is offering the same. The company at present serves four hot and four cold liqueur coffees, besides two beers and liqueur desserts.

Future Trends As still an average Indian consumer consumes only 66 gms of coffee per year, which is negligible as compared to the average coffee consumption in the developed markets, the market for retail coffee chains in India hardly seem to be saturated. Thus there is enough market space for more players. According to Ramakrishnan K, the President, Marketing of Café Coffee Day, “Coffee chains market in India will experience unparalleled growth in the near future. The outlook for the coffee cafe outlets in India seems to be very promising as the overall

Oct-Nov ’11

consumer spending is increasing in the country.” However, there is no scope for big retail coffee chains to rest on their laurels. “To sustain in the industry we need to be more innovative in order to gain a bigger share of the ever growing coffee consumption market in India,” added Ramakrishnan. However, it is no wonder that the entry and the consequent growth of the foreign players in the Indian retail coffee market would heat up the business of coffee cafés, by intensifying the flavour of competition. This may lead to the unorganised players in the retail coffee market feel the heat as they do not have the money power and marketing savvy to compete with the huge national level and multinational players. Going by the market scenario, it seems that the survival and growth of the small stand-alone coffee shops or restaurants would become increasingly difficult with each passing day, especially if they are located in the upscale locality of the Indian metros, unless they manage to do something crazy and innovative, employ method in madness, and intelligently play on their strengths in order to counter the sustained competition of the big players. For example, experimenting with their coffees and bakery items, or tailoring their brew offerings according to the weather outside can help them survive the competition from overseas and also within the country. On the other hand, the possibility of intense competition among organised retail coffee chain outlets is expected to eventually lead to great value additions in the leading café chains, thereby giving the consumers more value for money. ■

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

PUB

By Swarnendu Biswas

he restaurant and pub-cum-microbrewery reflected a singular appeal, with its intentionally created deceptively simple and rugged unfinished look, a look that was cleverly interspersed with its understated leathered sleekness. I soon realised that Hops n Grains, the first and till now the only microbrewery in the entire tri-cities of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, is much more than this statistics. According to Amritanshu Agrawal, the MD of Peitho Foods Pvt. Ltd., the company which owns and runs Hops n Grains, though microbrewery is a new concept of India it has great business potential in Indian cities as the drinking habits, especially the beer drinking habits, are spreading across the urban Indian society at a rapid pace. In fact, the huge business potential of microbrewery and the passionate urge to provide people with high quality indigenously produced, freshly brewed gourmet beers along with great food, in a cosy, fun-filled and uplifting ambience were what prompted him and his spouse Dr. Priyanka Gupta

to start this venture. Amritanshu informed that the investment for the venture was to the tune of Rs.3-4 crore. A medical doctor by training, Priyanka is deeply involved in the creative aspects of the restaurant and pub-cummicrobrewery, which include décor, planning of events and brand positioning, whereas her husband, an MBA, happens to be primarily involved in the financial aspects of the operations. Her creative vision is reflected in the ambience of the place, which according to her helps to create a feel good atmosphere among guests of all ages. “It is place where both father and the son can love to be in and appreciate it in their own ways,” she affirmed.

The Style of Rugged Sleekness Opened in December 2010, this hardly one-year-old restaurant and pub-cum-microbrewery in Panchkula has the distinction of becoming only the fifth microbrewery in India. Hops n Grains can impress you not only with its freshly brewed indigenously produced delicious beers teeming with

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Oct-Nov ’11

PUB nutrients, which are of course adequately complemented by an impressive collection of other heady spirits, and a delectable selection of a wide array of platters, appetisers and main course dishes of both Indian and Continental varieties. The uniqueness of its décor and ambience is also likely to stay on your memories for years to come. For example, the contrast of superfinished black lacquered glass, the classy wood furniture and leathered walls with seemingly rough and unfinished concrete surfaces has great potential to impress the guests. At a first glance the place looks like a warehouse in the process of being converted into a sleek bar and microbrewery. As if the place is in a continued state of renovation, a state which perhaps reflects the essential philosophy of life. Of course, this unfinished look is created on purpose, and that lends the property with a unique visual appeal. The element of unpredictability also extends to something as mundane as washrooms, which have gelled so well with the

Oct-Nov ’11

Dr. Priyanka Gupta & Amritanshu Agrawal

design of the wall that it is difficult to discern them unless told beforehand. The entire property is spread across 11,000 sq. ft. and has a seating capacity of 200 persons at a time. The pub which also doubles up as a classy restaurant, is spread across three floors —the basement, ground floor and first floor —while the bar is present in the ground and the first floors and the brewery is spread across the ground floor and the basement. For hosting of large

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

parties of say 50-60 people the basement is being used. The floor slab has been cut to creatively integrate all these three floors, which enables distinct partying crowds to have a look and feel of the happenings in different floors, and the music to freely flow across all the three floors, thereby facilitating in unifying the partying spirit and the energy of exuberance exuded by the atmosphere. The place has an in-house DJ seven days a week, and Sunday to Thursday are reserved for rock music. Friday belts out retro, and on Saturdays one can enjoy the music of modern pop sensations of the likes of Lady Gaga and Madonna, etc. Besides, local bands too perform at the pub, to the delight of the guests.

Refreshing Brews However, there is no doubt that despite the other features, the microbrewery happens to be the centre of attraction of the place. The beers flow directly from the brewery to the bar through insulated pipes, and the beer lines run

PUB directly from the tanks to the taps to give you the freshest beer possible at the optimum temperature. The beers not only taste authentic their preparation looks authentic too. The huge stainless steel tanks washed in blue light in the backdrop lends an aura of authenticity to the preparation of the beers. “From production to serving stage, our beers are kept at zero degrees centigrade, which is the ideal temperature to keep beer in the best shape,” informed Amritanshu. The beers produced at the microbrewery comprise of high quality ingredients, which include Australian barley, German hops and yeast from France. Generally, the Australian barleys has much bigger size of grain than Indian barleys, which help the beer to be endowed with more carbohydrates, more nutrients and less skin. “A good barley base does endow our beers with the right proteins and carbohydrates, thereby making them not only refreshing and tasty but also healthy,” explained Priyanka. Hops give the colour, taste and aroma to the beer, and like yeast from France, German hops are considered to be the best in the beer business. There are four varieties of beer on offer at the pub which are Dark Beer, Premium Lager Beer, Wheat Beer and German Bock Beer. Besides these, Green Apple Beer and Black Currant Beer are also being served on some important occasions. Here it deserves a mention that besides the beers produced at its microbrewery, Hops n Grains do not sell any other beer to its customers. “Our beers are freshly consumed; they are produced and served within a week,” asserted Amritanshu. Here it

deserves a mention that unlike whiskies and wines, which mature over time, the quality of beers deteriorates over time. Thus freshly produced beer is always better to have than stored beer of months old. As we were discussing those nuances of beer, the beautiful aftertaste of the Wheat Beer kept lingering in my mouth. That enhanced the taste of the beer-battered prawns.

Reach Sumptuous Headiness The comprehensive bar and food menu adequately complements the property’s impressive taste and range of beers. The bar menu, spruced with interesting historical references and anecdotes about beer, has an impressive collection of blended Scotch (the likes of JW Black Label, JW Red Label, Chivas 18, Teacher 50, Black Dog 12 years, and 100 Pipers were seen present in the bar), single malts (Glenfiddich 15, Glenfiddich 12 and Laphroaig are some of the premium single malts which adorned the bar), vodka, gin, cognacs, rum and shooters among other spirits. The bar at Hops n Grains also has absinthe, in the form of Absinthe Black, Absinthe Green and Absinthe Red, which is famous for its extremely high degree of alcohol content. The best tasting absinthe has 45-68 percent alcohol by volume, which of course, only seasoned drinkers can handle. However, here it deserves a mention that a very high alcohol content doesn’t make absinthe necessarily dangerous because absinthe is traditionally diluted with

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

water before its intake, and it is meant to be sipped slowly over minutes or say an hour, in order to prevent the dizzying effects of alcohol to overwhelm the pleasant and subtle influences of the herbs. The food is equally impressive at Hops n Grains, where you can get a range of sumptuous range of platters, appetisers and main course dishes of Indian and Continental varieties. From Chicken Biryani and Butter Chicken to Karahi Paneer and Dal Makhni, and from Spaghetti Bolognaise and Chicken Lasagne to Penne Al Funghi and Paprika Chicken, the gastronomic range on offer at Hops n Grains is wide, awesome, and varied. For the lovers of Continental cuisine, the Italian creations from Chef Rahul are a must try. The risottos and pastas hit the spot. For those with a taste for sea food, the Pan Seared Cambodian Basa and Grilled Prawns are the dishes of choice. Surely the food at this restaurant and pub-cum-microbrewery whets your appetite and keeps you coming back for more Whether you want to unwind after a busy day with Roberto Cavali or Absolut 100 along with a Chicken Tikka Platter or Murgh Tandoori or Special Non-Veg Platter or all of them for that matter, or prefer to have a ‘girls night out’ with Beefeater or Bombay Sapphire along with fish fingers, Drums of Heaven and Tandoori Prawns for company, Hops n Grains can be the desired destination for you. Succinctly, whether you want to have a blast or to explore yourself when at Panchkula you can safely visit Hops n Grains. No wonder, the place attracts 150-200 guests per day on an average weekday and on weekends this number climbs in the range of 300-400. The ongoing brisk business has perhaps induced the wife-husband team to dream really big. “We are open to the ideas of expansion, and we do nurture the ambition of extending the brand of Hops n Grains not only within India, but also overseas,” asserted Priyanka. As I saw the sparkle of brilliance in her eyes, and sense the quiet steely determination behind the pleasant and carefree demeanour of Amritanshu, I became confident of their ability to translate their dreams into welcome realities. ■

Oct-Nov ’11

B A R T E N D E R W ATC H

Striving to Deliver the Best, Always By Sharmila Chand I always have had a high regard for bartenders. I was induced to think of making my career in this exciting profession when I saw the renowned Hollywood actor Tom Cruise starrer ‘Cocktail.’ The way he learnt how to make cocktails was just so interesting, which further gave a fillip to my interest in the profession. Also the kind of name, fame and glamour added to the profession acted as a bonus. How did you go about getting your first bartending gig? Was it tough to land your first one?

Known for delivering innovative cocktails, Chandan Kumar Singh, the Bar Supervisor at Jolly Rogers — The Club Lounge Bar, has mastered his mixology skills at TGI Fridays. Chandan’s mantra is to offer a personal commitment to quality, value and creativity. Excerpts of an interview with this innovative and interesting bartender follow:

Well I got this opportunity to explore my bartending skills as well as to learn more and more about bartending when I worked with TGI Fridays. Yes, indeed it was tough, although learning and the fun part more than compensated for the toughness, and so it would not be wrong to say that I had in fact, enjoyed that journey. What are your strengths as a bartender?

I strive to deliver best services the very first time, on time, and every time. I believe in high quality standards and defect free product.

Which kinds of guests you prefer to serve?

I like garrulous guests, as I am a chatterbox too. What is your pet peeve as a bartender?

When people ask ice cubes to add on to the red wine, I can’t help getting peeved. Who would you want to have a drink with and why?

Tom Cruise. It is because his movie ‘Cocktail’ inspired me to take this profession. Tell us one thing about tending bar that people might not know

Difference between LIIT & Tennessee Tea is challenging to discern. It is because the recipe is the same, however LIIT has gin and Tennesse Tea has Jack Daniels in it. So many bars are opening every day, but according to you how is the business of bars going these days?

I believe a healthy competition is always good for retainership.

And what are your weaknesses?

What is your dream that you are passionate to fulfill?

Well, I can’t help getting older with every day.

I want to have my own bar by the name Chandy. That is my nickname.

How do you define yourself as a bartender’?

What is the main professional challenge a bartender has to face?

Have a Jolly Good Time!

I am a performer; I perform every time I am at work. I m quite passionate about my profession and it gives me immense satisfaction whenever I make a drink. My personality is very well reflected in the drinks, which I prepare. I am jovial like a mocktail and naughty like a cocktail…

Recollection of regular guests and their preferred drinks and at the same time anticipating for the new ones is quite a challenge indeed.

What is your work philosophy as a bartender?

My work philosophy rests on efficiency, conception and creativity in my work, and in striving to deliver the best, first time and every time to the consumers. Why did you decide to get into bartending?

What are the qualities a good bartender must have?

A bartender should be endowed with superior mixology skills, and he should be fast and creative in his work. What is your favourite cocktail to create?

If it is cocktail, ‘James Bond Martini’ happens to be my favourite. It is because it contains both sweet & dry vermouth, and the taste is simply impeccable.

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Whether for its thirst quenching tropical drinks, mouth-watering dining pleasures or for its chilled out ambience, Jolly Rogers — The Club Lounge Bar is nothing but a cool and happening destination. Done up in a fusion of Polynesian and contemporary theme with exotic tribal masks, it takes you on a stroll through the tropics. You can enjoy the heady drinks and impressive décor while soaking in the panoramic view of Gurgaon skyline from the 10th floor Club Lounge. A meal for two costs approximately Rs.3000 here. The place is located at Time Tower, opposite to the Gurgaon Central Mall.

Oct-Nov ’11

T HH EEMMEE CCUUI ISSI NI NE E

Hot, Spicy and Delightful By Sharmila Chand

t was a delectable dal dosa at the newly opened Zambar restaurant at Vasant Kunj which directed my thoughts towards the wide variety of Andhra cuisines. Known as Pesarattu, this moong dal dosa according to Chef Arun of Zambar, is the signature dish of Andhra Pradesh. I found it a nice deviation from the regular dosas, besides the fact that it is more healthy than most of your conventional dosas. The reason why I am so fond of Andhra food is because of its fiery flavours. While the curries are hot and spicy, there are also many assorted chutneys and pickles to further accentuate the taste. The chutneys from Andhra Pradesh are made of almost every vegetable, including tomatoes and brinjals.

The State of the Taste The cuisines of Andhra Pradesh can be classified on the basis of its regions. The purview of the wide variety of Andhra cuisines includes Telangana, Rayalaseema, Kosta (Coastal) Andhra and Hyderabadi

cuisines among others. “Andhra cuisines are probably the spiciest and hottest of all the Indian cuisines. This region uses chillies and lots of hot spices; the usage of tamarind is very common in most of Andhra dishes,” proffered Chef Rakesh Anand, Chef De Cuisine, Kangan, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace. In Andhra cuisines green vegetables are cooked with various spices, which endow a variety of flavours to the dish. One of the highlights of Andhra cuisines is an aromatic green chutney named gongoora. The mango pickle called avakkaya is also very popular in the state. According to Master Chef Velumurugan P. of Dakshin, a South Indian restaurant which is located at WelcomHotel Sheraton New Delhi, “Sustained by agriculture, the Andhra people enjoy a rich variety of food. A highly evolved process and method of cooking, serving and preserving of food makes the people of Andhra connoisseurs of food.” He added, “The Andhra people

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give an added punch to their cooking by the generous use of red and green chillies. Pickles and ghee are unfailing accompaniments in an Andhra meal. No traditional Telugu can imagine a meal without his pickle. “ The main food of Andhra Pradesh is pulihara, or tamarind rice served with green chillies. Besides these, Andhra pappu, poppadams, pesarattu, pulusu, gutti vankaya kura or seasoned eggplant are some of the other specialties of Andhra cuisines. Of course, the regular south Indian flavours are also reflected in the Andhra cuisines through sambar, rasam, curds, and payasam, etc. Podis are also important features of Andhra cuisines. “For a Telugu, podis, which are mixture of various ingredients which are dried or broiled and powdered, are as important as pickles. These home made podis are sprinkled over rice, and a dollop of pure ghee is also mixed with the rice, which makes the offering more delicious, “elaborated Velumurugan. Commonly available snacks in Andhra

Oct-Nov ’11

T H E M E CUISINE cuisines are the chekkalu, mirapakya bajji, kaarapoosa, guggillu, bondaalu, boondi and many more. Onion pakodas, vadas, murku (roundels of rice flour that are deep fried), and appadams are some of the other famous snacks germane to the state. Some of the non-vegetarian delicacies of the state with a rich culinary heritage are kodi iguru or your chicken fry, kodi pulusu or chicken gravy, and gongura mutton, etc. Sea foods play their role in Andhra cuisines, and fish and prawns comprise the major sea foods of the state. They are mainly savoured with curry in sesame and coconut oils along with grounded pepper, and are had with rice. The popular sweet tastes of the state are manifested through putharekulu, bandhar ladoo, kakinada kaja, putharekulu, bobbatlu, and booralu among others. Ghee plays an important role in the preparation of all these wonderful sweets. However, without a special focus on the cuisines from Telangana and Rayalaseema region, no write-up on Andhra cuisines can have a holistic flavour.

The Flavours of Telangana and Rayalaseema The western region of Andhra Pradesh is known as Telengana. It has been lately attracting political headlines, but the region is also famous for its tastes and flavours. The cuisine of the Telangana region has influences of Persian and Afghan cuisines. This is because Telangana region has a history of being under the rule of Muslim kings. Jonna rotte (sorghum), sajja rotte (penisetum), and uppudi pindi (broken rice) are some of the distinctive dishes of the Telangana region. Ulli akku kura or spring onion curry, kakaraya pulusu or a gravy made of

bittergourd, rasam, karapu annam or chilli rice, etc. are some of the well known vegetarian dishes of the region, while chapala pulusu or fish gravy, guddu pulusu or egg pulusu, are some of the popular nonvegetarian items from the region. When you visit the Telangana region don’t miss out on its sumptuous snacks like billavakka and sakinalu. The former is a deep fried snack prepared with rice flour, while the later is a traditional snack made of rice flour and seasame seeds, which is generally prepared during the Sankranti festival. The authentic tastes and aroma of the Rayalaseema region is manifested through alsandala vada, ulavacharu, peetala kura, brain fry, liver fry and prawn iguru, which can be combined with sajja or jonna rotte and raagi sankati to get authentic feel of Rayalaseema cuisine. Some of the popular sweets of Rayalaseema region are pala kova, rava laddu, jilebi and pakam undalu; a mixture of steam rice flour, ground nuts and jaggery. Borugu undalu; made with corn of jowar and jaggery, is another of the popular sweet tastes of the region.

The Art of Presentation Traditionally, food in Andhra Pradesh is eaten on a banana leaf, in a floor seated arrangement. Before the meal begins, a little water is sprinkled around the banana leaf, signaling that the food can now be served. A little ghee is served with the rice. Usually the rice in traditional Andhra cuisines is accompanied with a dry curry. A formal, elaborate and typical Andhra meal comprises of nearly five types of dishes, which are interspersed with hot pickles, chutneys, powders, etc. Curd is served as a cooling element which can somewhat compensate for the hot spices.

Serving a Slice of Andhra Pradesh At Dakshin, Andhra cuisines play a pivotal role. “At Dakshin, our menu offers an extensive array of signature dishes, which include an impressive variety of Andhra delicacies,” asserted Velumurugan. At Dakshin, the lovers of Andhra specialties can choose from a range of sumptuous dishes such as gongura mamsam (mutton simmered in creamy sorrel leaf puree with chilies), royyala vepudu (prawns tossed with brown onions, tomato, ginger, garlic and ground spices), chapala pulusu (cubes of seer fish simmered in a combination of tomatoes and tamarind gravy), kodi koora

Oct-Nov ’11

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Chef Velumurugan Special Gongura Mamsam (2 portions) Ingredients Mutton curry Mutton stock Gongura leaves paste Ginger garlic paste Garam masala powder Green chillies Coriander powder Jeera powder Chopped onion Salt Water

- 500 gm - 100 ml - 20 gm - 20 gm - 15 gm - 06 Nos. - 15 gm - 10 gm - 100 gm - To taste - Sufficient

Method Heat the oil. Add onions and saute till the golden hue is reached. Add ginger garlic paste and gongura leaves, garam masala, green chillies, and jeera powder. Add the mutton with 3 cups of water. Bring to boil and cook in high flame till the mutton is cooked and the water is evaporated. Add the rest of ingredients, and saute till the raw flavour of the masala disappears. Garnish with coriander leaves. (succulent pieces of chicken cooked in a spicy gravy), tomato pappu (lentils cooked with tomatoes, onions and green chillies; tempered with mustard and garlic), perugu pulusu (churned yoghurt tempered with chillies, mustard, onions and tomatoes), putta kokula masala (button mushrooms tossed in garlic, chillies and tomato masala), bendakai pulusu (okra simmered in a spicy and tangy gravy made of tomatoes, tamarind and chillies) and amraoti kodi biryani (spicy Andhra style chicken biryani served with pickle and patchadi). “In my cooking, each ingredient is very carefully selected and the dishes are cooked using traditional recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation,” informed Velumurugan. At The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, we offer a huge selection of Andhra dishes to our guests, and each dish is carefully prepared to achieve the right balance of the spices, without deviating from the authenticity of the dish. However, we are quite flexible towards our guests’ needs and our endeavor is always to offer the best to our guests,” explained Rakesh Anand. ■

RESTAURANT

Composite Southern Flavours at

Zambar By Sharmila Chand

t last, fine dining restaurants focussed on South Indian cuisines! Somehow we have been used to enjoying our dosas in very basic eateries unless they are located within the five-star luxurious premises as in the case of Dakshin at WelcomHotel Sheraton New Delhi. So Zambar is a welcome change and truly a delightful place for savouring the sumptuous South Indian delicacies. Here it deserves a mention that the outlets of Zambar are located at the third floor of the Ambience Mall, at Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, and also at the third floor of the Ambience Mall at NH8, DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon. The outlets are opened from 12 pm to 11.30 pm. I went to the Vasant Kunj outlet of Zambar. My table was in the Houseboat setting by the window, affording me a wonderful view.

“Derived from the word sambar, Zambar is the first of its kind of endeavour by Lite Bite Foods to present to you more than just the idlis and the dosas from the south of India,” informed Arun, the Head Chef for Zambar. Zambar strives to present varied southern flavours by bringing together the finest cuisines from the four southern coastal states of India. The cuisines from Karnataka, which is known for its use of mild spices and prevalence of curd, to Kerala’s diverse mixture of Malabar and Syrian cuisines with a pinch of coconut and loads of seafood, from the indispensable six flavours of an authentic Chettinad cuisine in Tamil Nadu — namely, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent— to the spicy tastes of Andhra Pradesh; manifested by the extensive use of chilli, oil and tamarind in its cuisine and highlighted by

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Hyderabadi Biryani, all find their distinguished place at Zambar. At Zambar, the deviation from the usual is not only visible in the food but also in the decor. The ambience is a soothing mix of traditional and contemporary style of south Indian dining, with a houseboat setting, water bodies, lighting, and prop elements well in place. Arun Kumar TR, the Head Chef of Zambar, came across as a passionate culinary artist who specialises in coastal south Indian food. Here it is worth noting that Arun comes from filmmaking background. It was just the love for good South Indian food that prompted him to study and research it well. He went on an educative culinary discovery and gathered the minute details of how the South Indian food is traditionally cooked at home. Then he decided to offer home cooked style food in the restaurant. At Zambar, every single dish is made in traditional home style and care is taken to source the ingredients from the region the dish comes from. For example, the fresh catch comes straight from Cochin which are not kept in deep freeze. Their freshness is maintained by keeping them in ice. Arun has dedicated himself to spread the popularity of the traditional,

Signature Dishes Sambar Black Pepper Crab Chepala Pulusu (Fish in a tangy gravy) Malvani Prawns Moplah Biryani

Oct-Nov ’11

R E S TA U R A N T

The Thali Menu on Offer: Vegetarian Thali (Rs. 450 plus applicable taxes & service charges)

Non-Vegetarian Thali Coastal Thali (Rs. 525 plus applicable (Rs. 625 plus applicable taxes & service charges) taxes & service charges)

Rasam

Sambar

Pappu Tomato (Typical Andhra dal)

Pappu Tomato

Carrot Beans Vepudu Carrot Beans Vepudu (Stir fried carrots and beans) Arun Kumar TR

delicious home cuisine of the southern region, so rarely found in restaurants or hotels. By only using the best, locally grown seasonal produce and keeping the cooking process fresh and simple, the ingredients clearly speak for themselves. Arun’s mission is to bring the finest dishes from the southern India; characterised by their lightness and multi-dimensional flavours, to the discerning palates.

The Andhra Delicacies at Zambar At Zambar, I got to enjoy some wonderful tastes from the state of Andhra Pradesh. The Chef has tried to give a holistic flavour to the Andhra cuisine, by incorporating its four essential pillars: Vepudus, Pulusus, Kurras, and Igurus. “Vepudus is a cooking term that comes from the word ‘Vepu,’ which means fry; Pulusus refers to anything acidic/tangy which in this case is the influence of tamarind, Kurras literally means ‘to dry’, and in cooking in Andhra style it refers to the thick, dry-coating gravy, and Igurus is a more regional term from where the word curry is derived from,” explained Chef Arun. “These are the elements which set Andhra food apart from the rest in the southern region, to the patrons

Mukkala Pulusu (Mixed vegetables in a pungent-tangy curry)

Kodi Kurra Royalla Iguru (A very popular coastal (Prawns in a thick sauce) chicken curry that goes best with Medhu Vadas)

Panasa Puttu Pulla Aava (Stir-fried jackfruit preparation)

Mamsam Pulusu (Mutton in a pungent-tangy curry)

Chepala Pulusu (Fresh cat fish in a pungent-tangy curry)

Telengana Aloo (Pungent, spicy potatoes)

Kodi Vepudu (Andhra Chicken Fry)

Chepala Vepudu (Andhra Fish Fry)

Aaratipoo Kura (Banana flower curry)

Koddiguddu Pulusu Kurra Pethala Iguru (Crab) (Andhra egg curry)

They are Served With: • Pesarattu (moong dal dosa— the Signature dish of Andhra Pradesh) • Medhu Vada • Nimmakaya Pulihora (Andhra Lemon Rice) • Pickles/Podis/Chutneys • Pappads Desserts: • Tiyya Pongali (Sweet Rice) • Semiya Payasam

of fine South Indian cuisine,” he added. The Andhra delicacies at Zambar concentrate on the traditional Andhra cuisine along with an array of chutneys and pickles. The menu is vast yet simple, and is served in three options of thalis, with a combination of some fabulous side dishes and options for authentic Andhra desserts. Apart from this there will be a daily ‘Blackboard’ Special menu, which will depend on ‘fresh’ ingredients available for the day and will be priced at par with the ala carte menu.

Chef’s Special Mukkala Pulusu (Tangy vegetable curry from Andhra Pradesh) 500 gm mixed vegetables (yellow

Oct-Nov ’11

Carrot Beans Vepudu

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

pumpkin, bottlegourd, sweet potato) 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 3/4 tbsp red chilli powder (adjust) Large lemon sized tamarind, extract pulp Make a coarse paste with: 3 Medium sized onions 3 Green chillis 10-12 Garlic flakes 1 ½”Ginger piece. Now sautee the paste, add cubed vegetables, and also add turmeric powder and chilli powder. Mix well. Add water and salt and cook till the vegetables are three-fourth cooked. Add the extracted tamarind pulp, along with water, and combine well. Let the vegetable pieces simmer in the tamarind base till they are cooked. ■

CHEF VOICE

Spreading a

Heavenly Taste By Sharmila Chand

The folks at Shirdi consider him as a ‘home-grown hero’, but Santosh Jori, the Executive Chef, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park, sees himself as a blessed child of Sri Sai Baba. “As a child I saw my father cooking and managing Bhojnalya in the Sai Baba Mandir at Shirdi for 5000 people every day. I grew up with the excitement of feeding so many people,” asserted Santosh, a native of Shirdi and now staying in Pune. However, his inspiration in cooking is his mother. “My mother is my inspiration in cooking. Even now she can handle any number of guests and can take

away all the trophies when it comes to real, traditional Maharashtrian food.” But the only trophy she seeks is to see her son winning his guests’ smiles. Indeed, the son is getting his due in terms of accolades and reverence, and is poised to get a lot more in this direction. He is not only an artistic Chef but also an inspired leader. Despite having a treasure-trove of gastronomic knowledge he is a very down to earth individual. Santosh oversees the food production within the hotel while ensuring the highest possible quality standards. Chef Santosh’s responsibilities extend to engineering the menu and maximising the food revenue whilst controlling costs and other overheads. In addition, he also participates enthusiastically in corporate initiatives and external culinary events, as well as assists in the marketing of the food and beverage outlets of the property. Chef Santosh has completed the Craftsmanship Course in Food Production & Patisserie from IHM Mumbai and a Certificate Course in Hotel & Catering Management from IHM Mumbai. Earlier in his career, he has worked as the Executive Chef at Le Meriden Mumbai, as Executive Sous Chef at The Leela Kempinski Mumbai, and Renaissance Mumbai Convention Center Hotel, as Chef De Partie at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, and as the Demi Chef De Partie for Burj Al Arab, Dubai. The excerpts of the interview follow:

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

CHEF VOICE How do you define yourself?

A spiritually inclined person who believes in doing hard work with hundred percent commitment. What is your philosophy of life?

My philosophy rests on having hundred percent commitment, supported by creativity and passion. I also believe in being a good leader in order motivate my team well. What are your strengths?

I think my strength is my ability to spread positive vibes around which keeps the team motivated, and also in finding positive ways of doing it. What do you enjoy the most about cooking for your guests?

I love to cook sea food because they are very delicate things to cook. Their preparation requires technical details. Slow cooking is what I like. What are your other passions besides cooking?

Oct-Nov ’11

Other than cooking, I like to go on long drives. What is your favourite dish to serve? And what is your favourite cuisine?

Tandoor smoked salmon with crispy garlic and chilli dust. If you ask my favourite cuisine, the answer is home cooked food. How do you unwind?

Driving with sun roof of the car open and listening to music are my ways of relieving stress. According to you what is the position of Chefs in India today?

I would say that these days a Chef is extremely crucial for the success of a hotel as F&B is perhaps the most important department in the hotel business today. They also have undergone an image makeover. Chefs are no longer the silent cooks of the kitchen; they are now seen as the ambassadors of their restaurants who need to meet the guests and interact

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

with them at personal levels. What is the future of Chefs in India?

The future of Chefs in India is very bright. Eating habits keep on changing hence there is no scope of stagnation in their careers. The Chefs should be very experimental and innovative not just to satisfy the changing tastes, but also to keep the excitement of creativity alive in them. Any message you would like to give to the youngsters aspiring to be Chefs, especially from small towns?

Dream big, don’t think only metro guys can make it in the realm of food & beverage. Have a hands-on approach; don’t shirk away from doing any task that is required for your job. Remember, you can break all barriers by your outstanding results. Your future plans?

I endeavour to keep the good work going and achieve higher position, with greater role and responsibilities.

EQUIPMENT

Fostering Rational Hospitality T

he Germany-based Rational group, which is a global market and technology leader in the field of hot food preparation for professional kitchens, has recently introduced the new SelfCooking Center® whitefficiency® in the Indian market. The new-age equipment, which has the potential to revolutionise cooking in Indian hotels and restaurants, is endowed with new features, which are the patented HiDensityControl and Efficient LevelControl. HiDensityControl can foster a quantum leap forward in terms of cooking output and quality. HiDensityControl ensures that heat and humidity are introduced – precisely metered – exactly where they are needed, according to how well cooked the product is. This maximises the application spectrum and is the basis for 30 percent larger load sizes, 30 percent time saving in production and 20 percent of reduced power consumption compared to the existing combisteamers. Yes, with HiDensityControl, you can load 30 percent more in your given sized cooking cabinet compared to conventional combisteamers. The consumption of resources also gets reduced by 20 percent, as compared to conventional combi-steamers. The range of applications has also been greatly extended with HiDensityControl. A new feature in HiDensityControl is the patented dynamic air mixing. The fan impeller speeds are precisely regulated, intelligently modulating the air speed in the cooking cabinet. HiDensityControl is supported by the new, highly effective dehumidification and powerful steam control, which ensures maximum steam saturation. This extends the range of applications to include fresh pasta and bakery products, in particular. It incorporates the whole bandwidth of important functions needed to bake professionally, specifically five air speeds, three moisturing and five proving levels, steam baking and supplementary professional baking workflows. Another new feature of the new SelfCooking Center® whitefficiency® is Efficient LevelControl. The new Efficient LevelControl facilitates to make food production and service considerably more efficient. It is the ideal tool for cleverly mixed loads. Efficient LevelControl indicates to the user which different products can be cooked at the same time and makes appropriate suggestions. The necessary food components are all displayed in the selection window and are simply placed on the relevant rack. Furthermore, with this feature every rack can be individually regulated, and the food can be loaded on a rolling basis as required. All these do manage to speed up food production by up to 30 percent. Efficient LevelControl also intelligently corrects the cooking

time according to the amount of food, and how often and for how long the door is opened, thereby helping to ensure that everything is cooked to perfection. This facility ensures that the cooking is not impaired despite constant opening and closing of the door. Furthermore, Efficient LevelControl can increase unit utilisation despite shorter production times and facilitates to ensure consistently high food quality, even during rush hour. Another singular feature named SelfCooking Control has been invented especially for the SelfCooking Center® whitefficiency®. SelfCooking Control makes it easy for the user to prepare both large and small quantities, with no supervision or checking. SelfCooking Control looks after the cooking process sensitively and on an individual basis. The many new cooking options allow the workflow to be modified flexibly to suit the requirements of the user. And the user always knows what has just happened as she/he is kept continually informed about the cooking workflow. SelfCooking Control really pays for itself in this respect as it automatically searches for and starts up the optimum cooking sequence. So SelfCooking Control helps to ensure that nothing is overcooked or dries out, which means that the use of raw materials eventually reduces by up to 20 percent through the application of this feature. The equipment is also endowed with the new CareControl feature, which brings a further considerable growth in efficiency. Particular attention was also paid to cost-effectiveness during the development of the new generation CareControl system. CareControl detects how hard the SelfCooking Center has been used and suggests the optimum cleaning level. The feature enables detection of the level of soiling and care status and always suggests the right cleaning level. This can save up to 40 percent in terms of energy, water and chemicals. To top it all, the operation of the new SelfCooking Center® whitefficiency® has been made brilliantly simple. It can constantly learn and automatically adjust itself to the habits of the individual user. Settings that have to be changed several times are then displayed by default. Images, accessories or notes can be assigned to the cooking workflows via a user library. MyDisplay function allows the user interface to be tailored exactly to suit the requirements of the user. Any function that is not needed is simply removed from the display. This makes the SelfCooking Center® whitefficiency® safe and reliable to operate even for the temporary kitchen staff of the hospitality property, with very little training required, as the risk of incorrect operator input is also almost being eliminated in this equipment.

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Oct-Nov Oct-Nov ’11 ’11

PRODUCT PREVIEW

Cookie Drop Machines

Custom Built Exhaust Hoods

Goodlife technologies cookie drp machine is a fully computerized machine for the automatic forming and dosing on trays of soft, dense and hard dough. The computer can store different programmes which make products change over and recall simple and quick. The presorted design facilities even a new person to run the machine. The machine is built to suit the rough and tough conditions and can perform 24x7, 365 days continuously without air conditioning. The machine is entirely constructed in stainless steel and top class electrical particular attention has been given to disassembly of the parts in contact with dough, in order to effect a thorough cleaning of all parts. Goodlife technologies Pvt.Ltd, an ISO 9001: 2008 certifoed company specilaises in fully computerized heavy duty stainless steel cokkie drop machine. The company has aha expertise of over ten years in manufacturing and twenty years in running an automatic bakery. Goodlife Technologies Pvt.Ltd. goodlifetech@yahoo.co.in

Custom built exhaust hoods or canopies made od stainless steel 304 grade 18/20 swg. They are of two types: one foe removing grease and smoke and one foe steam and vapour. The filtration system used in hoods differentiates the two designs. Hoods and canopies are manufactured to any size or shape and custom built to accommodate columns, beams, angled walls. The hoods can be used as • wall mounted hoods • single island (Box hood) • double Island • Back shelf Air flow engineers incorporated in 1991has been in the forefront of providing kitchen ventilation systems to the catering industry for the past twenty years. Air flow has been committed to the cause to provide custom made solutions for large institutional kitchens, hotels, restaurants and food courts. Air Flow Engineers info@airflowengineers.com

Tandoor Par Excellence The one thing that has stood the test of time and survived the worst downturns is the food business. Eating out might received a knock but it never touched heavy lows in the worst of times. Efficient and progressive food outlets have relied on best equipments to tide over this crisis and never compromised on quality. Tandoors are one of the most important equipment in a kitchen, specially serving Indian cuisine which is an integral part of all hotels, restaurants or a Catering business. A new range of Copper / Brass tandoor that debuts the scene with high quality performance. The business is not new to Avinder & Fakirchand two brothers who are manufacturing tandoors under the name of their company – ‘Kanhaiyalal Tandoors Pvt. Ltd.’. The two have put their more than 30 years of expertise in manufacturing and marketing tandoors to good use and are selling tandoors of different sizes and shapes. Made with strict adherence to high quality and precision, the tandoors are available in Stainless Steel, MS body apart from simple Clay tandoor. Kanhaiyalal Tandoors Pvt. Ltd. sales@kanhaiyalaltandoor.com

Liora Kitchen Roll Liora Kitchen Roll adds vitality to the life and simplifies it with a range of tissues that are of day-to-day use. Processed at India’s biggest conversion unit, from fully automated machines, with latest technology, Liora tissues are very hygienic. Made from virgin pulp and softwood pulp tissue, Liora tissues are super soft and super absorbent. Liora Kitchen rolls help keep your food hygienic and fresh all day. It retains the freshness, warmth, and softness of your food intact for long hygienically. Liora kitchen rolls are super soft and super absorbent, with no lint. The tissue has a ‘special cellulose bonding’ which helps to not stick to the food and absorbs the “extra” oil. Scraft Products Pvt.Ltd. shivani@aegle.co.in

Shallow Pot With Sandwich Bottom Induction Applicable Samarth cookware is an independent company who manufactures and distributes a wide range of stainless steel pots and pans of which shallow pot with sandwich bottom induction is one of them. The main advantages of the stainless steel pots and pans are— it’s a health and hygiene stainless steel with corrosion resistant. Samarth cookware manufactures their product with Krome16+. Krome16+ is a stainless steel in coil form conforming to AISI 430 grade. It is a ferritic solution offering many advantages in the manufacture of Cookware and Utensils. Chromium (not Nickel, as is sometimes imagined) is the key ingredient for the Corrosion Resistance of Stainless Steels. Krome 16+ contains minimum 16% Chromium for high corrosion resistance. Samarth Cookware samarthcookware@gmail.com

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

Oct-Nov ’11

PRODUCT PREVIEW

Tilting Braising Pans Bangalore based MM Equipments use the finest material in the whole manufacturing process procured from the reliable vendor. With the help of these frying pans tilting one can cook or fry vegetarian or non vegetarian food as per the need of the client. tilting frying pan is the unique combination of rugged durability and quality. The floor of the pan is designed in such a way that it distributes heat uniformly across the entire surface, eliminating hot or cold areas found in other braising pans. In this the controls are centrally located and at an angle that ensures easy viewing and access. Apart from that the precision thermostat regulates temperature for accurate cooking and on the other hand it has a dependable electronic ignition. The stainless steel interior with glossy finishes enable the client to clean-up easy and fast, even after cooking sticky foods. The client can avail these braising pans at market leading prices. MM Equipments is one of the renowned companies engaged in offering wide range of products for the clients which includes Steam driven vessels for bulk cooking, tilting braising pans, hot plates for dosa and chapatti cooking, stem driven idli steamer and tray clearance trolley. The company renders the world class commercial kitchen equipment manufacturing since many decades and able to achieve towering success. We cater the kitchen equipments for various hospitality industries, industrial canteens, software companies, clubs, Resorts, hospitals, educational institutions and hostels. M. M. Equipments mmequipments_bgl@yahoo.co.in

Real Thai Real Thai, Thaitan Foods International Co.,Ltd. initially intended to introduce and provide the global consumers with Thai food, which is well prepared using varieties of healthy spices and ingredients. With the aim of becoming a leader in food manufacturing and exporting business, the company strategically began marketing and producing ready to serve Thai products. Their sauce range offers black bean wok sauce, lemongrass wok sauce, black pepper wok sauce. These are some of the finest sauces this company produces. Rama Vision Limited is the authorized importer of the real-thai products in India. Rama Vision Limited sales@ramavisionltd.com

Oct-Nov ’11

A New Dimension in Ultra- size Shade Experience Loom Crafts, the manufacturers of the world’s largest range of all weather outdoor furniture and the pioneer of introducing revolutionary concept of complete outdoor living solutions now launched yet another landmark in the world of outdoor shade systems – THE JUMBO UMBRELLA CAFÉ-RESTAURANT. This unique concept was showcased live for the first time ever in India at ACETECH 2011, Mumbai where a complete CaféRestaurant was set-up under the Jumbo Umbrellas complimented by all weather outdoor wicker furniture to create an ideal lounge-seating area for the visitors. Taking into consideration the diverse weather conditions in India along with the scarcity of commercial space available, Loom Crafts has innovated the commercial umbrella to ensure maximum space utility with the world’s easiest opening and closing system that enables easy operation, diversity of usage with option of accessories like side glass wind breakers and LED lighting as well as maximum shade owing to its unique modular design. Inspired by the simple idea of bigger the better, Jumbo Umbrellas have been manufactured with heavy-duty aluminum mast, reinforced superior grade components and technologically advanced telescopic centre column with tamper-proof safety locks to ensure its big size, bigger durability and biggest shade coverage. So, whether it’s a Office Complex, Restaurant, Café or Shopping Mall Jumbo Umbrella Café-Restaurant is the ideal option to create an outdoor eating joint, leisure zone or even a roof top office cafeteria to maximize the utility of your outdoors while adding a new dose of freshness and beauty to the exteriors. Loom Crafts Furniture (India) Pvt. Ltd. E-mail: info@loomcrafts.com

Spice Blends/Rubs Protein, Veggies, Compound Butters, Topical Applications are the range of spice blends. MiDAS offers a very wide range of seasoning blends and spice rubs for a myriad of applications in flavors that span Buffalo Bleu Cheese and Bajastyle to Salty Poblano Crust. MiDAS Foods International develops and manufactures the gold standard in functional dry mix systems for a wide range of industry segments. For the past 3 decades, our chefs and food technologists have worked with some of the largest food companies in the world, creating an incredibly wide variety of foods specific to their requirements for quality, taste, and function. Midas Foods (India) Pvt.Ltd. info@midasfoods.in

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNIT Y

Oct-Nov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

A D V E R T I S E R ’ S COMPANY

PAGE NO.

I N D E X

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

ADAMI WILMAR LTD.

MUNNILAL TANDOORS PVT. LTD.

AKASA

M+V MARKETING & SALES PVT. LTD.

AKSAI

NEENA ENTERPRISES

ALPHASTACKCHAIRS PVT. LTD.

OCEAN GLASSWARE

ANI GLASS CORPORATION

PARSHADI LAL & SONS PVT. LTD.

ARCTIC SALES INDIA

PIFBEX 2012

DABON INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD.

RAMA VISION LTD.

ELLE & VIRE

RANS TECHNOCRATS (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

ETHINIC FOOD EUROPE 2012

RATIONAL INDIA

FCML PROJECTS

REMINGTON STEEL ARTS

FHA 2012

RIC HOSPITALITY EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD.

FINE FOOD INDIA 2011

RITE EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD.

FREIXENET

RODAA JI COMPANY

GENNEXT LOGISTICS PVT. LTD.

SHAMSONS FOODS

HOTREMAI

SIAL CHINA 2012

HUGHSON NUTS

SIEMENS

IFB INDUSTRIES LTD.

STACKWELL

KAMANI OIL INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD.

STEC STAINLESS STEEL PVT. LTD.

KANHAIYALAL TANDOOR PVT. LTD.

SUD DE FRANCE

KING METAL WORKS

S V CORPORATION

THE NEW INDIA ELECTRIC & TRADING CO.

LOOM CRAFTS FURNITURE (INDIA) PVT. LTD.

36, 37

48-52

LOTUS HOTELWARES

TRAFS 2011

MAKREY EXPORTS

UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS

MANISHA INTERNATIONAL

BIC

UNITAS FOODS PVT. LTD.

METAL AVENUES

VANYA INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENTS

MITORA MACHINEX

VENUS INDUSTRIES

MOD MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

PRODUCT PREVIEW

MRS. BECTOR’S FOOD SPECIALITIES LTD.

FIC

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

* BC - BACK COVER

* FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER

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* BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

Oct-Nov ’11

BUSINESS OPPORTUNIT Y

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Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

INTERVIEW

Excelling Beyond Excellence By Sharmila Chand

Kumar Shobhan, Director, Food & Beverage at Hyatt Regency Delhi is a hotel management graduate from IHM Goa. He started his career with Hyatt Regency Delhi in 2000 and served there for three years before joining The Grand, which was followed by a stint at The Imperial; both these properties being in New Delhi. Shobhan began his second innings at Hyatt Regency Delhi as a Conference & Banqueting Manager, in 2006. He was promoted to the position of Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, in 2008. After a short tenure with Park Hyatt Dubai as the Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, he rejoined Hyatt Regency Delhi as the Director of Food & Beverage. The excerpts of the interview follow: What is your work philosophy?

My basic work philosophy is very simple. That is take care of your team and they will take care of the guests. Learn to respect your team members’ feelings and desires, make them responsible and facilitate them to excel. What are your strengths?

It is my conviction. I don’t accept anything which I feel is not right. I fight for it, but I don’t succumb. My second strong point is my approach towards detailing. I like to be very particular about every detail in my area of operations. What are the crucial challenges in your field?

I think there is one basic challenge and that is the paucity of skilled manpower. We don’t have trained personnel hence sometimes it gets difficult to fill in the gaps. From your experience can you give some tips to build a strong team?

First of all, have a well planned structured process for the selection of the team members. Analyse the particulars at the initial stages of the interview rounds and be sure of whom you are selecting. Besides imparting of regular training is a must. Communication is very essential. Maintain a communication link between your team members and your associates and food partners, which could be suppliers, etc. Also keep your team motivated, and facilitate them to shine through. And do not forget to maintain discipline yourself so that you become a role model for your team.

What are the current trends in the Indian F&B industry?

leader is only as good as his team.’

Today, the guest is very, very knowledgeable about food quality, its presentation and ingredients. You cannot make a sweet talk and fool her. Secondly, the demand is for specialised cuisines. It is not just about something broadbased as Italian or Chinese cuisines but about catering to the tastes of specific regions such as Sicilian cuisine. There is also the trend of forging partnerships with international restaurant brands. Also, there is a trend towards appropriate wine and food pairings. Recently, there has been lot of interest amongst diners to have a fine dining experience with a good selection of spirits, wine or champagne.

What do you enjoy the most about being a Food & Beverage Director?

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

The kind of global exposure and the personal and professional growth that I have got while working with Hyatt Regency Delhi is simply unforgettable. The challenges of working here are the same as that of perhaps any of the metro city hotels; the better part is that the systematic processes that are established with this hospitality chain greatly facilitate us in resolving those challenges with much more ease. The professionalism, the brand standards and the quality controls make Hyatt Regency Delhi different from other places. The excitement factor here is the feeling of authentic hospitality, and my team. I have a very strong team and as the saying goes, ‘The

Hammer Food & Beverage Business Review

For me, every day is a new day with some new learning experience, and when a new chapter unfolds, it brings excitement. I am very passionate about doing some thing new each day. My role as the Director of Food & Beverage gives me this opportunity to learn and improve. According to you what are the key factors which lead to success of F&B outlets in a hotel?

In my opinion, the basic key factors that lead to the success of F& B outlets in a hotel are customer focus and continual adherence to quality, ability to manage change, an action-oriented approach, adaptability, ability to take the right decisions, and strategic orientation. The most important factor of them is of course the talent of managing business with people. How do you unwind?

At office, it is those 15 minutes of leisure time over a cup of coffee with my colleagues, which help me to unwind, and at home, it is my two-year-old son who helps me to relieve my stress. My son keeps me busy with his activities. Playing and being with him gives me immense pleasure. What is your passion in life?

I always like to challenge myself and my capabilities; this further helps me in enhancing my skills. I like setting new goals each time and achieving them within stipulated time periods.

Oct-Nov ’11