Hospitality Business ME | 2015 June

ISSUE 36

JUNE 2015

HOW LONG CAN THE INDUSTRY MAINTAIN ITS CURRENT WATER USE?

CONTROLLING CRITTERS

ALL FISHED OUT?

A BRAND NEW DAY

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EDITOR’S LETTER

MANAGEMENT Dominic De Sousa Chairman Nadeem Hood Group CEO Georgina O’Hara Publishing Director Paul Godfrey Group Director of Editorial

Editor Dave Reeder dave.reeder@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9163

Deputy Editor Jonathan Castle jonathan.castle@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9167

ADVERTISING Business Development Director Elaine McCarrick elaine.mccarrick@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9112

DESIGN Head of Design Glenn Roxas Senior Graphic Designer Froilan Cosgafa IV Production Manager James Tharian Data Manager Rajeesh Melath

Printed by Printwell Printing Press

Only change is constant

W

hilst major airlines may be grabbing new headlines with their initiatives to make global travel all about pervasive connectivity, it is the hospitality sector that is really making a difference, gradually rolling out free WiFi and changinfg forever the relationships with customers.

Chris Silcock, SVP of Hilton Worldwide, is typical of the new attitudes in the industry. “Because of connectivity levels, because of the adoption of the smartphone, because of the data that is available and people’s willingness to share data, we right now have the opportunity to reimagine the hospitality experience, combining the physical and the digital.”

What does that mean in practice? On the prosaic level, it’s initiatives like Starwood’s keyless mobile entry to rooms; on a more deep-rooted level, it’s the way that Best Western is rethinking its brand image to develop lifestyle hotels for a young urban boutique market, realising that if they don’t then competitors will and will leave them high and dry and backward thinking.

Increasingly, legacy belongs in the past as

the hospitality experience is being disrupted by technology.

This began, of course, with the collapse of the traditional travel agent model and the ubiquitous shift to on-line travel companies, digital tools and services. Now hotels are being rethought and rewired, with no traditional model, service or experience safe from questioning and, if possible, being remodelled. From lobby design to check-in, room amenities and equipment, F&B and entertainment, customer interaction is being examined closely and differing mixes of digital and human interaction proposed. We may want personalised services, but we also value privacy - where will the lines be drawn?

And with both Amazon and Google preparing to enter the hotel search and booking arenas, the year ahead can only be more disruptive for the industry. Of course, many of these innovations will play out initially in the mature market of the USA, but savvy operators will want to be at least thinking about the regional opportunities, especially with the rise of social media in both English and Arabic.

The future is now.

Dave Reeder dave.reeder@cpimediagroup.com Head Office PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 (0) 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 (0) 4 447 2409

© Copyright 2015 CPI. All rights reserved. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST

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CONTENTS PESTS OR GUESTS? Keeping properties clear of unwanted animal life is not just a hygiene issue it’s a business one.

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MANAGEMENT 6 Issue driven The hospitality sector looks tremendously exciting and profitable for investor owners.

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A brand advantage

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The open market(ing)

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Which hotel brabd to choose for a new proprty?

Changes in on-line opportunities are rapidly changing roles

On moving What are the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff?

DESIGN 26 Keeping it simple The time when a bathroom was simply a functional space is long gone.

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Artistic influences Four Seasons’ new resort property on Jumeriah Beach.

TECHNOLOGY 36 Let’s meet again What are the key technology trends in the MICE market?

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40

2

Service to a standard Desert Islands Resort & Spa

by Anantara delivers marketleading connectivity to guests and staff alike.

In conference One of the largest and most complex wireless audio systems deployments in the region at the 5-star Sheraton Doha.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST

COVER CONCEPT Water use per hotel guest night differs across the globe, but countries with scarce water are not always more efficient in tourism water use. A country is water scarce if annual withdrawals are 20-40% of available resources. The UAE’s ground water is being pumped for irrigation at about 860b litres per year and is depleting at a rate of 0.5cm a year. The UAE relies on ground water reserves to provide over 50% of the country’s fresh water.

CONTENTS HYGIENE 44 Pests or guests?

26

The one thing nobody is keen to discuss in public...

50 Trends in textiles

The UAE Professional Housekeepers’ Association met at JA Ocean View.

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52 Hygiene 101

Every month, we’ll look at key issues surrounding hygiene.

54 Tread carefully

A clean and polished floor is a cornerstone of any hospitality operation.

THE PRO CHEF 58 Always more fish in the sea?

Fish is a staple of the finest menus, but...

50 58

very British affair 64 AHead Chef Ryan Waddell keeps it real at the Dubai outpost of London’s Reform. But what’s in his fridge?

in residence 66 Now Face to face with Chef Frédéric Vardon.

to launch a 70 How food truck business Tips and tricks for those thinking about the move to mobile.

to the party!

72 Chef An on-line marketplace for food lovers to hire a private chef.

psychological 74 The tricks of menus

Create better menus that drive revenue and build on some simple tricks to increase business.

corner 76 Recipe More recipes to inspire you in your own kitchens.

last word 80 The The first UFO Hotel in the US is no longer just a fantasy.

HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST

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“In terms of a branded hotel, the brand begins the moment a guest sets foot in the front door.”

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OWNERS VERSUS OPERATORS?

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MARKETING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

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THE PEOPLE BUSINESS

HOTEL MANAGEMENT

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HOTEL MANAGEMENT

T

he Ròya team has over 200 years combined regional and international hands-on hospitality experience and direct access to the industry’s leading consultants, providing total hospitality advisory, total management and development solutions, concept inspiration and the skills that every developer and owner requires to realise their vision.

For over a decade, Ròya has established a client list that includes some of the region’s leading private investors, governments and private and public sector organisations. During this time, it has also developed close working relationships with some of the world’s finest architects, engineers, contractors, international hotel operators and hospitality consultants to create some truly iconic properties.

Issue

driven

The hospitality sector looks tremendously exciting and profitable for investor owners but, warns Tony Allen, Design Development Director of leading hospitality consultancy Ròya, choosing the right model of operation is critical.

What would you say is the biggest issue facing the market at present.

Well, here in Dubai, one of the issues for hotel operators is that their business model is firmly built on the full service hotel, with extensive F&B provision which, historically, has been seen as a signficant part of revenue. Despite a desire from DTCM, some owners and the increasing demands of the regional market, they’re reluctant to to open a dry hotel. There’s a kind of resistance here in Dubai where market is open to full service operators - it would confuse people if a brand had a full service hotel and a dry hotel in the same city.

Well, it’s a different operational model than the one the large operators are used to in their major domestic markets, isn’t it? What are the other differences in models?

If we look at the US, which is the most developed market, we see a number of different operational models. Firstly, the owner/operator. Next we see the owner working with a major brand as the operator, with a standard management fee based on income and operational profits with probably an incentive fee for increased profilts becasue both parties clearly have an interest in increased profits, plus a percentage of revenue being applied to CapEx. Thirdly, we have the case which is still pretty rare in this part

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“I think we need an appetite for new operators and brands as the established ones are in need of some fresh competition. The stock is also quite unbalanced - for instance, I believe only New York has more Starwood brands than Dubai!”

of the world: the owner taking a franchise.

Our market is not that mature though clearly we’re seeing this model in retail or F&B. A clear thing about the franchise model is that it’s not normally upscale brands being involved and, for small hotels, there really isn’t a franchising business case.

Are brands not then interested in owners taking franchises here?

I think they are but there’s a general lack of experienced operating people in this space - that is, ones with experience in running franchised properties. It’s a good way for a brand to get market reach but it probably takes a more entrepreneurial market than we’ve been used to. Of course, we’ve seen large companies develop here from the local market - Jumeirah and Rotana are prime example - who are now mature enough to open globally. So the model is changing and, whilst they can compete against companies like Starwood or Hilton, it’s still a discussion about how much their local brand equity is currently worth outside the region, just as is the value of other local brands from other regions are in the UAE. Yes, of course that will change.

So who is holding back the market, owners or operators?

I think some owners lack a wide enough experience of the hospitality sector - it may not be their core business. Look, if I pay an international brand to put their name over the door and then pull in a white label company to operate it for me, it’s really the same model and me paying twice except that there may be lower fees and probably a ‘better deal’ from the white label company.

Fixed guarantees, debt servicing, budgets there are a number of negotiating points.

So owners are caught in some tough decisions?

Absolutely. Numbers versus location.

Quantity versus quality. Finding the right partner and location at the same time with a longterm deal. These are all serious issues and will get more important as the market matures. Remember, it’s still relatively young here.

Do you think owners are unsophisticated?

No, it’s not that. They certainly think that hospitality is a big profit area and many of the regional professional hotel investors are not emotionally driven. However,

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some may think more like this: “I have a great piece of land in Al Quoz, find me Four Seasons or Louis Vuitton!” So, yes, I do think that expectations have to be more aligned with market reality. Hospitality is an absorbing business and certainly some owners tend to be a little proprietorial and see the property as an extension of their social or business life. This is a serious industry sector and they should focus their level of involvement on the financials.

What is the main driver in the market?

A lot derives from the mega master-planned developments which help dictate overall stock levels. Where hotels will be built?

What will they be? What is the capacity?

I think we’ll see more incentives for the mid-range, the 3- and 4-star stock, as the market matures. The reality is, however, that land prices make it prohibitive for very low-cost properties. What I think we’ll now see coming on-line pretty quickly are developments around the new airport, together with wider consolidation and in-fill development.

What would you like to see in the regional market?

I think we need an appetite for new operators as the established ones are in need of a bit of a shake-up. The stock is also quite unbalanced - for instance, I believe only New York has more Starwood brands than Dubai!

This is why it’s important for owners to select locations and partners carefully. One other area not fully considered is the relationship between the GM and the owner, since he’s the local guy with local knowledge running a multi-million dirham business, rather than some remote executive back in corporate.

And the problems of dealing with owners?

They need to be flexible and they really need to understand how much happens between development and opening in terms of legal stuff. A property is a longterm commitment.

In many cases, owners can be too emotional: “I’m employing you so make the most of this asset!” or “I like Arabian food so I want that kind of restaurant in my property!” These relationships can be quite intimate, so it’s important to get it right. Sometimes we step in as the surrogate operator, although we always work for the owner but sometimes generic operator input is useful. One final area that some owners also struggle with is the issue of staff accommodation - do you build or rent?

HOTEL MANAGEMENT

A brand advantage When establishing hotel operations in a new market, an owner needs to weigh up the extent to which the choice of an internationallyrecognised brand is advantageous in opening up a particular market and adds to its chances of success. Mike Wakefield of Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants (DIFC) discusses some of the main issues.

V

isitors to the recent Arabian Travel Market will testify that brands remain tremendously important in the hospitality and leisure industry. The pride with which brands were represented and the considerable sums invested by hotel operating companies and owners in manning stands was evident. Equally, the steady stream of visitors wishing to engage staff in conversations about their brands demonstrated the continuing importance of them to potential investors.

The brand value proposition is an interesting and complex area and requires understanding of a number of matters including: • What constitutes a brand • Whether there is a market demand for another branded hotel • The right brand for the location and market

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• The challenges of choosing a branded hotel, with particular reference to the protection of intellectual property rights.

What is a brand?

Society is accustomed to being bombarded by advertisements for a plethora of branded products, which are designed to inform our shopping habits. At an elemental level, society’s identification of a brand often comes down to a word, or phrase, or colour associated with a certain product. This could lead one to conclude that branding is a simple issue.

With respect to the hospitality and leisure industry considered in this article, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In terms of a branded hotel, the brand begins the moment a guest sets foot in the front door, including the ambient

scents and atmosphere, continuing through every facet of the guest’s stay and ending with the final farewell after settlement of the bill.

This is why guests subscribe to hotel brand loyalty programmes and, given the choice, will stay in the same hotels or chains for business and leisure travel alike. Such loyalty programmes drive repeat business through hotel chains, delivering incremental benefit to owners and operators, making the choice of an internationally-branded hotel of critical importance to the business case and risk profile of a new development, especially in a new market.

It follows that the choice of an internationally-branded hotel, versus a nonbranded hotel, for a new market entrant is a critical decision for an owner. The choice of

HOTEL MANAGEMENT

“In addition to putting pressure on operators to be flexible on brand requirements, owners in certain markets may try to influence the brand operator’s procurement habits.”

Mike Wakefield, Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants (DIFC)

which of a number of internationally recognised brands can be key to success in any given market.

The business case The question of which branded hotel is optimal in a given market goes beyond brand recognition. It is reasonable to assert that the choice of brand is central to the owner’s business case and should form part of the overall project evaluation in terms of cost, risks and returns. To understand this point, it is important to understand the complex process an owner undergoes when embarking on a hotel development project.

In addition to the actual costs of land acquisition, licensing, construction, procurement and fit out of a hotel, an owner will consider various risk factors such as:

• Location • Size • Layout • Local risks such as adverse weather • Target market Typically, in calculating the net present value (NPV) of a hotel development project, the owner and advisers will ascribe a financial value to each of the above elements to arrive at the NPV over a specific project term.

In the current market, the initial term of the hotel management or franchise agreement is invariably never less than ten years, nor more than 50 years, irrespective of brand or star rating. As a rule of thumb, because the return on investment for a higher star property tends to be longer than that of a lower star offering, the

longer the term hotel management agreement, the higher the standard.

Finally, in tough economic times it has been demonstrated that branded hotels do better than non-branded hotels, which offers a further justification to an owner as to why he should invest extra capital bringing a branded product into a new market.

Choice of brand Due to the numerous options of hotel brands available in the market, an owner must assess carefully which is the right brand for its project and the type and star rating of the hotel within a brand’s portfolio as these impact directly an owner’s return on investment.

By way of example, it is unlikely to make commercial sense to develop a resort-style, full

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HOTEL MANAGEMENT

service, luxury hotel next to an airport, nor a mid-scale, limited service business-focused hotel next to a remote beach.

Additionally, it may not make commercial sense for an owner to invest in a hotel brand that has substantial market penetration already.

As many hotel brands have different products in their portfolio (for instance, IHG has InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites Hotels, Candlewood Suites Hotels, EVEN Hotels and HUALUXE Hotels, each of which services a separate market segment), it can enhance the overall brand offering to introduce another hotel in that portfolio into that market.

However, on the downside, there is the potential it can take business away from the existing hotels, especially where there is insufficient distinction between the offerings of each hotel.

Introducing a new brand to the market can increase competition and make commercial sense to an owner in given circumstances.

However, this is another factor which needs to be considered as part of the overall project proposal as it is one of the practical and commercial challenges to be evaluated as part of the decision-making process.

offering, owners run the risk of alienating guests, especially those enrolled in loyalty programmes.

The principal mechanism through which a brand owner and operator will preserve its brand integrity is through a Technical Services Agreement (TSA) and its published brand standards. Independently of the TSA fees and systems assessments covering all aspects of the design, construction, engineering fit out and operation of the hotel, through to the quality of bed linen and standard of television or audio system to be included in each room and brand, an operator will charge to manage/franchise a branded hotel under a Hotel Management Agreement (HMA) or franchise agreement (Franchise).

Furthermore, each HMA and Franchise will include termination rights for the operator if the owner fails to maintain the requisite brand standards throughout the term of the agreement. The rationale for this is that the owner chooses a specific brand because of the perceived incremental commercial benefit it gets from making this choice, so it stands to reason that a drop in standards would impact owner returns and affect negatively the market perception of a brand.

have strict internal processes in place for putting the business case forward. However, to the extent that such a derogation doesn’t have an overall negative brand impact, operators generally try to accommodate an owner’s wishes in this regard.

Challenges coming to market Examined above are certain challenges for an owner to consider and overcome before committing to bringing a specific brand to market. Without trying to create an exhaustive list, there are other major challenges for an owner to consider: • Preservation of brand integrity • Brand creep • Brand flexibility to accommodate specific owner requirements • Protection of brand intellectual property • Local and region-specific challenges

Brand creep This generally occurs where an owner over-specs a hotel so that it is impossible to distinguish between two brands in a portfolio. It is a problem in regions where hotel developments are driven not only by commercial issues but also reputational issues particular to an owner.

An operator will resist brand creep because it can dilute the overall brand offering and, also, because it has worked for years to distinguish the products within its portfolio so as to create an identity relative to each brand which appeals to a certain type of guest. Therefore, brand creep can affect the financial performance of the hotel.

Preservation of brand integrity It is clear from the discussion above that a brand and choice of one brand within a portfolio have a significant impact on an owner’s project development. Hotel chains pay particular attention to developing their brands and invest significant sums in this pursuit.

Taking the example of brand scent mentioned above, this choice results from months of work and comes at a significant cost. It is regarded as one essential element of establishing and maintaining brand integrity.

In an economic downturn, owners will try to squeeze hotel brand operators into allowing them to substitute cheaper options and operators will resist this vigorously given the importance placed on brand integrity. Without a familiar brand

Accommodation of specific owner requirements In addition to putting pressure on operators to be flexible on brand requirements, owners in certain markets may try to influence the brand operator’s procurement habits.

For instance, in certain jurisdictions it is necessary to appoint a commercial agent through which to get a principal’s product to market. If a prospective hotel owner is the commercial agent for, say, a brand of television, the owner is likely to put pressure on the operator to accept this brand instead of their allocated one.

Such a derogation from a brand standard is considered a matter of importance to the extent that most brand operators require senior management sign off to agree to this and will

Local and regional challenges Operating a branded hotel in certain regions poses practical and operational problems. A good example of this is the offering for sale of alcohol in Muslim countries, where such sale is permitted to non-Muslims.

The margins made on the sale of alcohol in hotels tend to be very good, so in general this is something an owner may wish to preserve.

However, increasingly, certainly in the Middle East, owners want to operate their hotels on an Islamic-compliant basis, so either don’t want revenue from the sale of alcohol to be comingled with revenues from the sale of rooms etc, or they simply don’t want alcohol to be sold in the hotel.

Taking the first scenario, some creative structures have been arrived at by making the operator solely responsible for alcohol sales in the hotel and off-setting this revenue against the operator’s entitlement to management fees. In the latter case, in recent years Islamic-compliant brands have evolved and continue to do so with varying degrees of success.

Although it is impossible to calculate exactly how much added benefit the choice of a branded hotel would bring to an owner looking to enter a new market, the success of ATM and continuing interest of owners to develop branded properties provides incontrovertible evidence of their importance and the challenges of delivering such branded products are insufficient to dissuade such developments.

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Protection of intellectual property Global brands and their systems usually are protected through registration of trademarks and patents under local and international intellectual property regulations and international conventions (eg Paris, Oslo and Berne). To the extent an owner is bringing a brand into a new market, it is vital for the brand operator to ensure all categories of trademark, patent, etc, are registered correctly. Failure to do so often leads to disputes and litigation, which can go on for a long time and cost both parties significant sums.

To protect their brand better, operators include in HMAs and Franchises stringent obligations on the owner/franchisee to be watchful of potential trademark and other intellectual property violations and, if necessary to take action in local courts to preserve these rights.

This underlines yet again the importance a brand owner and operator places on the brand itself.

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HOTEL MANAGEMENT

The open market(ing) Changes in on-line opportunities are rapidly changing the role of the hospitality marketing manager, with multiple new lines of communication to manage and exploit.

We invited a number of people active in the field to share their experiences.

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o discuss the evolving role of marketing in an on-line world, we invited the following people to a round table: Eleni Paraskevopoulou, Marketing & Comms Manager, Sofitel Dubai Downtown; Adele Cowgill, Head of Sales & Marketing, Dubai Golf; Simone Farah, Assistant Digital Marketing Manager, Jumeirah Group; and Anna Karziukova, Marketing Executive; Jumeirah Creekside Hotel.

The on-line marketplace changed forever the way the traveling public book plane tickets, train seats and hire cars. But to what extent has it impacted the way we book hotel rooms?

Certainly, it informs our choices. Multiple Web sites, travel forums and travel guides exist, content created by everyone from the most intelligent and perceptive travellers to mischievous miscreants, determined to use online exposure to extort undeserved recompense from a maligned institution.

Where does the reality lie, and how should a modern hotel industry treat the opportunity presented by the Web? Hospitality Business Middle East sought some current opinions.

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The obvious place to start is the rise of on-line and the impact this has had on your businesses over recent years. What is the importance of on-line and how does it compare with more traditional means of getting information out?

Simone Farah: Well as you may know, my experience of traditional methods is limited because I started in on-line commerce. So, the structure in Jumeirah, just to give you context, is that every property has its own individual marketing department or team and at Group level we have a digital team with overall responsibility for directing and co-ordinating those efforts. We support the marketing teams of the hotels from a digital perspective. The dangers, risks of on-line marketing? We need to be very careful that when it comes to your server, your provider, whoever you are dealing with – the market is basically stuffed with people and everybody wants to sell you their product, so you need to be really careful and know what you are buying. So when you come to one of those agencies you have to be very clear about what you want and very careful about what they deliver.

HOTEL MANAGEMENT

Eleni Paraskevopoulou Marketing & Comms Manager Sofitel Dubai Downtown

Adele Cowgill Head of Sales & Marketing Dubai Golf

“Everybody wants to sell you their product, so you need to be really careful and know what you are buying.”

Simone Farah

Eleni Paraskevopoulou: Those of us who are over the age of forty and groomed into more traditional ways of marketing have not necessarily received the appropriate background or have the appropriate knowledge to judge between Agency A that comes with a digital proposal versus Agency B. So how does the person who is not actually trained in digital marketing still make an effective and correct judgement? The danger is that those of us who are not ‘qualified’ in such a field are not able to say “Well guys, I don’t think what you are saying is quite realistic”.

I will agree that there are a lot of agencies out there who are trying to jump on the digital horse, but that has happened always, whenever a new trend comes along, people and agencies will jump on it to try to be ahead of the beat, to try to sell to companies and to hotels, but we must remember we are something different. To me, besides the fact that those of us who are very well trained in the traditional way of doing things, should become very knowledgeable about what is new, because it is not just about evaluating an agency, it is about going to them and being able to give them a specific brief so they can

Simone Farah Asst Digital Marketing Mgr Jumeirah Group

Anna Karziukova Marketing Executive Jumeirah Creekside Hotel

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“I think targeting is difficult, really difficult and especially in this region.”

Adele Cowgill

respond accordingly. Whether we like it or not, in ten years from now we are going to have a generation of clients whose entire experience will be over iPhones and iPads, not even laptops. Their entire experience is going to come from their devices.

Maybe by that stage we won’t even have hotels?

Paraskevopoulou: I am so passionate about this! I had my first experience of a 5-star hotel when I was 25 and I entered this industry for the first time. I love this industry, it is a people industry, we are people offering experiences to people and, especially in Dubai, you can see that it is predominant, because you have gorgeous properties all over Dubai. But it is the people that make the properties, not the other way.

Adele Cowgill: That’s really true, if you can achieve it. I think targeting is difficult, really difficult, and especially in this region, where we are flooded with so much information and almost all of it has no connection – we have a resident population that’s mostly transient so actually keeping up with it is really difficult, so targeting correctly is crucial. What happens too often is that people get lazy and take a print ad and resize it down for on-line without really thinking what the message should be or how useful it will be for the person it’s sent to. For a person buying the space that’s really difficult - you end up having to just throw messages out there hoping it will find the right people and that’s not helpful. Google can do it, Facebook can do it, they can help you find

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precisely the people you want to talk to, but some of the other channels…

Farah: That’s true, that’s why you need to capitalise on your CRM database and try to avoid using third parties. That’s what we’re doing because we have a huge database of people who have either stayed in our hotels or subscribed to our newsletter on-line and stated what are their interests and so on.

Paraskevopoulou: I’d like to ask you another question here. I think the question is actually how to grow that? How to extend your reach?

If you have say 1,000 clients, you don’t want to advertise always to those same 1,000 people, you need to add new names to your list.

People move around here a lot, so you have to stay in touch with them, but you also need to make contact with new people.

Farah: That’s very true, but my point is rather different. When you’re trying to grow a brand you have to expect that there is no control over the demographics or logistics of the region which this is different from Europe.

Paraskevopoulou: And digital-wise the region itself is on a learning curve...

Farah: Yes. It is growing exponentially and people are still learning. Compare this with the US or the UK which are very advanced regions in this respect, with many providers and very high competition, so yes, as you suggest, just blasting e-mails is one way to do it, but when you look at your KPIs, your click-

HOTEL MANAGEMENT

throughs, you have to expect that the numbers here will be lower.

whereas I actually feel safer when I hear a person say “Yes, your table is confirmed”.

Cowgill: Yes, but I think you have to accept that, with hotel rooms, people accept that you book them on-line. It’s widely accepted, that’s a given. But with golf specifically, the activity I’m involved in, to book a round on-line is less well ingrained in the mentality. And I think it’s the same with restaurants, in this region. In other regions, people are more likely to book a restaurant on-line, but I think here, there is still a resistance to doing it.

Do you find a difference with Jumeirah internationally?

Farah: Also on the hotel side, particularly the Arabic market. Here there is still a tremendous tendency for a visit, a telephone call and for market places like booking.com, expedia.com and so on which we actually regard as our competitors.

Hospitality is a business largely about people, so why would you go on-line, say, to book a restaurant?

Paraskevopoulou: I think that here we are still on a learning curve and also we have a huge population of expats so you will see how people respond, according to their backgrounds.

Other people might say “Why don’t they have a mobile version of restaurant reservations?”

Farah: Well, no, there should be no difference internationally because all of our sites are the same standard and our booking systems are the same everywhere so customers feel comfortable, but we do see some big differences between regions. Jumeirah Essex House – you remember that – was a huge success on-line and we see very good results on-line in the UK as well.

I wanted to talk a bit about market segmentation and how that affects your jobs.

You have very different segments, business travellers, families in holiday and so on.

How have these differences made your job more difficult?

Paraskevopoulou: Actually I think it has made our jobs easier! I think the first thing you do if you are a marketer is define your dominant key feature, so for example Sofitel Downtown Dubai we do host families, but you don’t see that it is a predominantly family hotel. It is in the heart of the business district of Downtown, so the first thing you do is

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HOTEL MANAGEMENT

“It used to be one way, we were pushing out information, but now it has evolved into two-way, a true conversation.”

Adele Cowgill

Our thanks to Atlantis The Palm for the use of the Andes Boardroom for the roundtable..

If you would like to join a future round table, please get in touch: hospitality@ cpimediagroup.com

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position the hotel, say you are predominantly corporate, you’re business, not that we would ever turn down family business! But you do have to be clear about what your position is and who you are for, both on-line and offline.

And now it’s even easier because you can test it, you can compare Web sites, test e-mails, check response rates, run Google ads and Facebook ads. The vague part actually is print.

The Web analytics will eventually tell you he sat down at 8.15, what he ordered for dinner, where he clicked on your web page first. For marketeers, digital gives a lot of comfort because it comes with results. We may not like those results. You sent an HTML and 500 people clicked it and 1,000 people have deleted it and three people have clicked on your Web site. Or maybe you have a fantastic result and everybody clicked on your Web site, but with print you don’t have that, you don’t know how many people saw your ad or stayed on your ad or read it and shared it.

So if we are looking at segmentation, who would be your target at the Creekside hotel?

Anna Karziukova: We are primarily a business destination, just five minutes from the airport and close by the Irish Village!

But we also welcome families and work with partner hotels like Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, free

Wild Wadi passes and things like that for the leisure market…

Following on from your point raises another interesting question – why should we believe anything we read on-line in terms of reviews? Why do marketing people turning increasingly turn to bloggers rather than traditional journalists?

Cowgill: There’s a trust factor I believe. From a blogger perspective, or something like a TripAdvisor review, we monitor them and send out results every week to our team.

It’s not that we are trusting them, but other people are trusting them and we need to know the feedback that we’re getting. Now, you can’t hide anywhere. There is information so readily available. I think people are much more likely to take a review on TripAdvisor literally, rather than say a review written in a magazine that might have an advertisement on the next page. People will look at a hotel, then look at TripAdvisor and the reviews play a major roles in their decision-making process. You have to be very careful. There are people out there who are very powerful.

It used to be one way, we were pushing out information, but now it has evolved into twoway, a true conversation. And the people you talk to can be very influential.

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HOTEL MANAGEMENT

On moving

Everyone knows the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff in the hospitaity sector. After all, the frenetic pace of Dubai’s leisure sector development places a particular strain on the staff recruitment and retention process. We talked to Otto Kurzendorfer, General Manager of the JA Ocean View Hotel, about his approach to the problem.

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HOTEL MANAGEMENT

Dubai has a huge and volatile hospitality sector and this presents particular problems both with recruitment and retention of staff. What is your view of the challenges faced?

Thank you for the opportunity. Let me start by clarifying the terms – you used the word volatile and I would rather call it transient, with the Dubai workforce being based in a somewhat transient city, with some of us able to stay here for our whole life, while others have their family and loved ones back home. We have to always keep it in mind that we are dealing with a transient workforce and, as such, I am pleased to say that in JA as a company at least we are dealing with a transient workforce that is becoming really a permanent workforce.

What do you mean by that?

We have people here who have been with us 15, 20 even 30 years. In my own case I worked with JA until 2005, then I went to China and now I have come back to work with JA again. As a company we have a lot of people who have done the same thing. I know that in the management team there are many people who have been there for ten years plus and that says a great deal about the company and stability of the team.

You started with the original JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort, but the group has grown substantially. How have you managed that growth?

Yes, that is fully correct. We were the first hospitality company in the UAE to start with developing resort hotels. We started with the Jebel Ali resort hotel building on the original golf course, then the Hatta Fort Hotel and now we are in the new, new Dubai and developing in the Downtown area and the new World Central. Funnily enough the original JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort was built where it is partly to support the new airport, only the new airport took thirty five years to arrive! Over the past ten years or so we have branched out a little further with the JA Oasis Beach Tower, the JA Ocean View Hotel that we are sitting in now and in the past two years we have also branched out into hotels that are not in the UAE with a resort in the Seychelles and in the past six months we reopened the Waldorf Astoria in Mauritius as the JA Manu Faru.

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HOTEL MANAGEMENT

“In the management team there are many people who have been there for ten years plus and that says a great deal about the company and stability of the team.”

Otto Kurzendorfer General Manager JA Ocean View Hotel

Our drive into the Indian Ocean market is now well established and at ATM just recently we announced the opening of our new resort in Sri Lanka, the JA Eclipse which will open in 2017. So JA is a steadily growing employer in Dubai, but also outside of Dubai.

So, you have a growing portfolio of good quality properties. How do you find the staff to match?

You know, there is an old saying ‘don’t hire for skills, hire for attitude’ and old sayings like this last because they are right. And the truth is that JA hotels succeed because of our staff, because they live our credo of ‘heartfelt hospitality’. It is the staff who make a hotel tick, the people inside who believe in what they do. If you read our TripAdvisor comments, nine out of ten of them mention our staff, because their attitude and commitment feeds directly into the guest experience. It is this guest experience that makes JA what it is.

As a group, how do you ensure this?

We can do this because, unlike the global operators, we are more of a niche product, we don’t have to worry about shareholder sentiment or quarterly results, we can take a more longterm view and our staff can take a longer term view with us. You only have to look within my department – the majority of my department heads have been here ten years plus within JA. Here in a two year old property that makes a huge difference to continuity and the guest experience.

Where do you find the people for this?

As I said, we look for people with attitude more than skills, because we can train skills but attitude comes from the heart. Look at my heads of housekeeping, of security, my executive chef – they’ve all been with us for ten years or more working their way up through the ranks. We do grow our team organically, so when you look at our heads of department, they reflect that through their teams. In fact, our turnover in some departments is in fact close to zero, which is truly remarkable in our industry.

How well does the recruitment industry serve you? How easy is it to get the people you need?

Dubai is in a very sweet spot as far as the transient labour force is concerned, it has all the people you could possibly need.

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People are attracted to come here for the opportunity, so there are no problems with recruitment, but the key is keeping those people in the longterm and that is the secret of JA’s success - our retention rate.

People come here from all over the world, from the Africas, from South America, from the Far East, from Russia, Europe, all over. Dubai is a key destination, on a par with New York, London, Singapore. Now Dubai, out of these four, is the easiest city to gain access to, so Dubai gives our people the entry card to that level of service. I don’t see recruitment as any problem at all.

No problem at all?

No. While some may find it more difficult to recruit middle to higher level management staff, within JA Group we develop and promote from within.

But how do you see the solution for a large new property, like the new resort on Jumeirah Beach?

That’s a global brand and they have the reach and skill base to pull in their own team from elsewhere in the world. JA is more local, more of a regional brand, so we don’t have the same resources, but what we do have is a very loyal workforce and it is good to be able to create opportunities and promote from within. We are growing, we are known and people believe we are an employer of choice. We have the applications we need based on that reputation. I was there recently for the Middle East Travel Awards and we picked up awards for two of our properties: JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort was honoured as the Middle East’s Leading Family Resort and the JA Oasis Beach Tower won Leading Serviced Apartments for 2015.

What do you see as the future for the industry in Dubai, post Expo 2020?

You know I was in Shanghai for Expo 2010? As a matter of fact, 2011 was pretty grim, but I don’t think Dubai will have the same problems.

Why? Because people travel through Dubai and go on to other destinations, so what I see happening is that they will stop over here for a few days, go and see the Expo and then continue their journey, which is good for us all. As long as people are travelling, we will be here to serve them.

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Our designs focus on the purity of form, as a tool to inform, entertain, and inspire. Our design ethos is to enrich human experience in a way that is pragmatic, yet fascinating. *The featured project “connexion | Light Years Away” was part of The 2015 INDEX Contemporary Majlis Design Competition.

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“The key to good design is to keep it simple. Good modern design is uncluttered and the really talented designers do not overcomplicate things.”

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WASHING AWAY THE GUEST’S TROUBLES

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AN ARTISTIC SENSIBILITY

HOTEL DESIGN

Keeping it simple

The time when a bathroom was simply a functional space is long gone. Guests today expect bathrooms to be as stylish, comfortable and indulgent as the room to which they are attached, and good hotel bathroom design has become an integral part of the entire guest experience. So what are the trends you need to know about?

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HOTEL DESIGN

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The key to good design is to keep it simple. Good modern design is uncluttered and the really talented designers do not over-complicate things. That said, the use of luxurious materials, multiple textures and clever lighting all have a role to play, whilst durable finishes and seamless layouts will make cleaning and presentation simpler and more efficient for housekeeping staff.

Modern hotel bathrooms tend be minimalist in appearance. This can be entirely pragmatic – simple rooms are easier to clean - but the clever use of minimalism also tends to make the room look ultra modern.

Guests want their rooms to appear clean, sleek and spacious so that they will enjoy spending time there.

Hotel owners and operators know that people on holiday prefer to have a shower rather than a bath. People want to be sunbathing or exploring the locality during their time away and they don’t want to waste too much of their precious free time.

Hotel bathrooms in new or refurbished properties are increasingly often based on the Scandinavian wet room. The space will be beautifully tiled and dominated by a powerful shower. It is perfect for getting the sand out of guests’ hair and preparing for an evening exploring all of the dining options your property has to offer.

If you take a good look around a hotel bathroom you will find that the main reason that it works is often due to the quality of the details.

Towel radiators ensure that towels are always warm and fresh, storage is cleverly integrated and surfaces remain uncluttered. Another clever strategy is the use of wire shelving that is simple and effective. It also looks clean and contemporary, and helps make the room look larger.

Ask someone to say what they remember most about their stay in a nice hotel and more often than not they will say, “fluffy towels.” People love the textiles that hotels provide.

So if at the moment you can’t quite afford to re-design your bathrooms, it is a simple upgrade to get hold of top quality towels to give your bathrooms that five star feel.

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Best zen spread: Anantara Phuket Villas Phuket is one of Thailand’s busiest tourist towns, but you’d never notice while tucked away at Anantara Phuket Villas, situated on a blessedly secluded stretch of Mai Khao beach. Modeled after the traditional homes of southern Thailand, the oversize villas here are feng shui perfection, built with architectural principles that embrace outside light and air. The 83 pool villas have sleek marble bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling doors that open to gardens blooming with orchids, jasmine and bird of paradise plants.

Here you’ll find your outdoor rain shower (there’s another one inside), plus a mosaic-tile plunge pool and a sunken terrazzo tub that’s encircled with candles come nightfall.

Guests want their rooms to appear clean, sleek and spacious so that they will enjoy spending time there

Contemporary chic: The Armani Hotel, Dubai Occupying the first 40 floors of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, The Armani Hotel is a haven of cool and sophisticated design that celebrates its iconic location.

Thoroughly modern, minimalist and luxurious, the hotel reflects its location in curved walls, strong but muted colours and lofty design. Bathrooms are havens of indulgence, executed in a similar palette of chestnut and chrome, softened with luxurious materials and quiet luxury.

From five-star hotels to luxurious spas, sophisticated restaurants to look-twice guest bedrooms, laid-back resorts to compact offices, our boutique design agency creates bespoke interiors with a personal touch. Our team – who have two decades of local and international experience and are behind some of the Middle East’s most covetable interiors – will work with you on your project every step of the way, so you can rest assured that you’re going to be left with the precise interior you want, designed using look-twice furniture and stunning materials, on deadline and within budget.

We’ve already got the interior design you’ve always wanted. Let us show it to you. www.idoliseinteriors.com

HOTEL DESIGN

Artistic influences Four Seasons’ new resort property on Jumeriah Beach in Dubai celebrates its location in both the building’s Arabic-inspired architecture and in the artworks found throughout the property.

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HOTEL DESIGN

T

he work of world-renowned destination architects WATG, the Four Seasons Resort’s fresh, sophisticated style is a welcome addition to the Dubai shoreline. Low-rise rather than a tower, the property sits on a 14 acre plot with an extensive stretch of beach. Regional Vice President and General Manager Simon Casson says of the property “Our resort is an intimately scaled, luxurious enclave of comfort and style. Throughout, guests can expect highly personalized service that is consistent with Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world.”

The overall look and feel of the resort is

by San Francisco-based interior designers BAMO, while several of the hotel’s restaurants are the work of New Yorkbased Tihany Design. Throughout, Arabic accents, high ceilings, rounded arches and shaded colonnades highlight the SpanishNorth African architecture. Colours and textures are influenced by the seaside location and great care is given to ensuring shaded spaces and soft breezes cool guests’ movement around the property.

Inside, the 10-metre lobby is surmounted by an octagonal dome finished entirely with gold leaf, casting a warm glow on the space’s cream marble and enhancing the natural light from large windows that look across the gardens to the sea.

Attention to detail here is fastidious - even the handrails in the elevators are made of Murano glass.

The balconies off each of the 237 guest rooms and suites – some so large the balcony can accommodate both a daybed and a dining table – offer panoramic views of the Gulf, or the city’s glittering skyline, punctuated by the Burj Khalifa. Inside the rooms, extra-high three metre ceilings are accentuated by full height leather headboards to create an almost loft-like environment.

The bed itself is the new fully customisable Four Seasons bed being introduced worldwide, offering three levels of firmness, an assortment of pillows and multiple choices of covers. Luxurious details abound including marble flooring in the foyer, bathroom and dressing room, which includes a wood-panelled walk-in closet. Comfortable seating includes an L-shaped sofa plus a bench at the foot of the bed, and business travellers will appreciate the executive size desk.

The bathrooms include ceilings gilded with silver leaf to reflect the glow from the

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The resort is home to an extensive collection of artworks, including paintings, sculpture and mixed media works

Murano glass light, and a mosaic tile wall provides a dramatic backdrop for a freestanding tub.

Whilst the private spaces are sumptuous and relaxing, the public areas provide an entirely new level of inspiration and delight. The resort is home to an extensive collection of artworks, including paintings, sculpture and mixed media works, which provide elements of delight and moments of contemplation around every corner.

The collection includes works by artists resident and working in the region, and from those who have moved into a new cultural milieu to develop their medium and message.

The art collection for the Four Seasons Hotel and Resort Jumeirah Beach has been thoughtfully curated to showcase some of the many wonderful contemporary Arabic artists working in the region, alongside a selection of internationally celebrated artists. A distinct essence of Dubai’s cultural identity can be felt in this elegant and contemporary art collection – references to the city’s traditional and

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historical past are juxtaposed with gestures to its current glory and inspiring future.

There are several themes that can be found throughout the body of work, including the notion of Arabic line, written word and patterns; pearls and dhows with their illustrious past in Dubai’s earliest trade and bold sculptural works acknowledging the awesome growth and pervading opulence that characterise the city.

In line with the Four Seasons Hotel and Resort Jumeirah’s commitment and passion to provide guests with the most luxurious and memorable hotel experience, the art collection is designed to engage its viewers with moments that will evoke emotion, stimulate thought and allow for enriched conversation.

Works are found throughout the property, to provide moments of reflection, inspiration and delight, and the collection will be expanded and rotated as new works become available. There is always something fresh to see at the Four Seasons resort.

HOTEL DESIGN

Highlights Sir Wilfred Thesiger Thesiger’s images truly showcase the history of Dubai. Photographs of dhows, dunes, markets and men in traditional clothing are exhibited throughout the collection.

Sir Wilfred Thesiger was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the son of a diplomat, and studied history at the University of Oxford. From 1945 to 1949, he explored the southern regions of the Arabian peninsula and twice crossed the Empty Quarter. A prolific photographer, Thesiger took many photographs during his travels and donated his vast collection of 23,000 negatives to the archaeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford.

Tariq Dajani Dajani’s majestic and serene Arabian Horses. The pride and strength, character and expression of these animals shape their importance in Middle Eastern culture.

With devotion and absolute concentration, the photographer dedicates his eye to the animals’ conduct, characteristic gestures, and sensibility, engaging them in a respectful dialogue for these portraits.

Tariq Dajani is a Jordanian photographer, born in England in 1965, who spent his early years moving between the Middle East and Europe, gaining an understanding and an appreciation of different cultures and traditions.

The resort is home to an extensive collection of artworks, including paintings, sculpture and mixed media works

Sasan Naserina Focusing on the forms associated with modern typography, Nasernia has developed a style that emerged through his modification of letters at the intersection between graphic arts, calligraphy and painting. His works are predominantly largescale acrylic paintings in which he redesigns the shape and form of Arabic letters to create new visuals that communicate original content.

Sasan Nasernia was born in Tehran, and is an influential modern calligraphy painter.

He holds a BFA from Azad Art University in Tehran and has had numerous solo and group shows in Tehran and Dubai, where he currently lives and works. Nasernia was selected in 2013 as an artist for the DKNY Global Art project.

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STYLIS - REVOLUTIONIZING HOTEL FURNITURE

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OPENING ITS DOORS SOON THE SHOWROOM, DUBAI

“The extension of matchmaking programs into the business space will see easier and more focused meetings between attendees, though many of these will increasing be virtual.”

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POWERING THE MICE SECTOR

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ONLY CONNECT

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A SOUND SOLUTION

HOTEL TECHNOLOGY

Let’s meet again What are the key technology trends in the MICE market? As we see technology advancing at exponential rates, it is changing the face of the MICE industry in numerous ways. Are you prepared for the changes coming?

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HOTEL TECHNOLOGY

The meetings and events industry is based on a social, mobile and collaborative base.

It’s also one where, out of the normal office environment, hundreds of details need to be tracked and checked instantly, normally between people from different organisations.

Sound familiar? That’s just where the Web plays one of its strongest hands and the increasingly collaborative nature of Web 2.0 is changing the events industry in subtle but profound ways. People are using both Wikis and Google spreadsheets to track events and details across diverse planning teams. Cheap on-line marketing will increasingly target specific audiences, often through RSS feeds. Social media will give event content managers better feedback from attendees, thus ensuring better events in the future. In short, collaboration tools will dramatically raise levels of feedback and satisfaction.

And this will happen against the background of increasingy ubiquitous wireless broadband Internet access, whether that is being accessed via WiFi hotspots, mobile phone broadband, wireless networks and more. Because meeting planners, exhibitors and attendees are regular travellers, they will flock to these technologies ahead of the wider market. At the same time, meeting and travel applications will continue to be developed for mobile phones and other handheld devices, such as agendas, product directories, surveys, polling, announcements, travel information, check-in, hotel room access, local information, VoIP-based calls, telepresence and much more.

The extension of matchmaking programs into the business space will see easier and more focused meetings between attendees, though many of these will increasing be virtual.

All in all, the MICE world may never be the same again.

“Because meeting planners, exhibitors and attendees are regular travellers, they will flock to these technologies ahead of the wider market” HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MIDDLE EAST

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HOTEL TECHNOLOGY

Service to a standard Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara, a haven set on the island of Sir Bani Yas just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, is regarded as one of the most luxurious resorts in Abu Dhabi. It boasts luxury accommodation and therefore needs to deliver market-leading connectivity to guests and staff alike. The IT department turned to Aruba for Gigabit WiFi and high QoS delivery.

D

esert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara offers a range of activities that make for the perfect exotic vacation - nature, wildlife, a shoreline infinity-edge swimming pool, world class spa and both local and international cuisine.

Part of the Minor Hotel Group - a hotels and resorts operator that offers a blend of laid-back luxury, intuitive service and sense of discovery in its many MEA and Asian destinations - the Group’s six premier properties in the UAE combine hospitable culture, distinctive architecture and legendary landscapes.

“Although we had a legacy system in place to offer our guests WiFi connectivity with speeds of up to 2Mbps, we wanted to deliver a standardised quality of service across all our properties,” explains Harikumar Nair, the hotel’s Director of Information Technology.

“Besides catering to the high-speed connectivity demands of its guests, Desert Islands also needed a robust WiFi network that could support back-end systems and the bandwidth-hungry applications that were

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being used by the operations team to do their jobs more efficiently.”

The resort had already made strategic investments in its wired network infrastructure.

However, it was unable to achieve optimal performance across the end-to-end network because of the performance restrictions arising from the wireless portion. Desert Islands had also recently acquired greater bandwidth from its telecom provider and was eager to extend the benefits to its guests.

“As a premier location for events, particularly for the government and public sector clients, our hotel regularly hosts conferences where hundreds of attendees connect to the wireless network via iPads and smart devices at once. Combined with the huge volume of devices used by regular hotel guests as well as hotel staff, the total number of devices connecting at any one time can put an immense strain on the network. We needed an infrastructure that could handle the increasing volume and density of devices while delivering the consistent speed and performance that our customers and our staff

HOTEL TECHNOLOGY

Kit: 85 Aruba AP-103 Access Points 5 Aruba AP-225 Access Points 2 Aruba AP-275 Access Points Aruba 7210 Mobility Controller Benefits: * Mobility Controller enabled implementation of a tiered connectivity system and the monetisation of the Wi-Fi network * Eliminated need for physical management of Access Points across the sprawling property * Solution helped organisation achieve optimal utilization of high-speed backbone infrastructure

expect,” Nair adds.

Anantara Group’s IT department, owners and other key stakeholders, conducted a thorough analysis of solutions from a number of vendors. As an IT veteran, Nair was already aware of Aruba Networks and was particularly impressed by the coverage that Aruba’s 802.11ac solution could deliver across the hotel’s guest rooms and public areas. The decision makers were also well aware of Aruba Networks’ position as one of the leading providers of 802.11ac wireless technologies. He explains, “While we had a pressing need for a better wireless solution, we pride ourselves on providing the very best quality of products and services. We wanted to take our time to ensure that we selected both, the highest quality and most innovative 802.11ac solution available to meet our current requirements and provide a futureready infrastructure.”

Working directly with Aruba Networks, Desert Islands’ IT team conducted a Proof of Concept (PoC). The IT team used the PoC for a live conference with over 500 attendees

successfully. While the initial time frame set for the project was two months, in order to meet the expected surge in occupancy during the 2014 Eid break, the entire deployment was completed in approximately half the time.

In all, Anantara used a mix of Aruba Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) to cover the guest rooms and 802.11ac indoor and outdoor APs to cover the extensive public areas. To manage all of the APs across the immense property, Anantara’s IT team decided to utilise Aruba’s 7210 Mobility Controller, which is optimized for 802.11ac. The Aruba solution allowed Desert Islands to support the highest device densities and maximise WiFi coverage while providing wired-like connectivity.

Aruba’s patented ClientMatch technology in the Mobility Controller eliminates sticky clients by continuously gathering session performance metrics from mobile devices and using this information to intelligently steer each one to the closest AP and best radio on the WLAN. Providing faster network connections for individual clients translates to better overall wireless performance.

The flexibility and high degree of control offered by the Aruba Mobility Controller have helped Desert Islands monetise its WiFi network. “As WiFi is now viewed as a basic amenity, we now offer all guests a free basic connection equivalent to the maximum bandwidth of our old network,” Nair explains. “The controller has allowed us to implement and easily manage a tiered system providing the option for a ‘premium’ service to our guests at greater speeds for a charge. Also, the controller’s ability to centrally management all of the APs has drastically cut down the time and effort required for administration.”

Perhaps the most important benefit of the new Aruba network has been its ability to help the IT team realise the full potential of network investments. “We are very happy with the new network’s performance. Aruba offers plenty of opportunities to grow this solution with the evolving needs of our guests and staff in order to ensure that we continue to deliver the excellent quality of service that our brand is renowned for,” Nair concluded.

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HOTEL TECHNOLOGY

In conference

In what has been one of the largest and most complex wireless audio systems deployments in the region, the 5-star Sheraton Doha has successfully leveraged Sennheiser’s solutions to roll out a state-of-the-art wireless conference and translation system across its entire meeting and conferencing facilities.

I

n what has been one of the largest and most complex wireless audio system deployments in the Middle East, the Sheraton Doha has successfully leveraged Sennheiser solutions to roll out a state-of-the-art wireless conference and translation system across its entire meeting and conferencing facilities. The landmark project was handled by the Doummar Group.

“The Sheraton Doha spared no expense and every system that has been utilised is absolutely first class,” said Esber Nasrallah, operations manager for Q2 Advanced Technology Contracting, a member of the Doummar Group, which handled the entire AV portion of the hotel’s renovation. “It was decided to use wireless systems in order to deliver maximum flexibility in terms of mobility, portability and scale.”

Key to the project’s success was the hotel’s desire to be able to add or remove microphones and receivers effortlessly across the twelve expansive conference rooms as per guests’ requirements. Besides the challenge of accommodating over 200 channels into the UHF spectrum while avoiding intermodulation and interference, the team had to convince the regulatory authority in Qatar that it would not operate in certain frequency bands. The meticulous planning required to accomplish these tasks was aided by a specialised software called Sennheiser Intermodulation Frequency Management (SIFM) which allowed the team to input the frequency ranges and

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receive a detailed frequency distribution plan for the building. As there is no frequency overlapping of channels, Sheraton Doha can move transmitters about for portability without concerns of intermodulation and interference. The stringent wireless security requirements were overcome by a combination of Sennheiser‘s proprietary signal encoding and industry-standard 128-bit AES encryption.

The project saw the deployment of 120 Sennheiser 3000/5000 Series microphones with Neumann KK-105 capsules – a combination used by many of the world’s most famous music artists. Also utilised were 400 ADN-W wireless delegate units for the portable conferencing systems, as well as 4000 Sennheiser HDE-2020 receivers and 21 SR 2020 transmitters for the translations systems – representing the largest and second largest global deployments for the Sennheiser conference and translation systems respectively.

Q2 Advanced Technology Contracting and Sennheiser Middle East managed to plan, supply, commission and test all these systems in a short five-month timeframe. “We flew in experts from our headquarters in Germany and scaled our production to meet the project demands. Even with the extremely tight deadlines, we did not compromise on quality and attention to detail. We have received no negative feedback on the installation and no calls to assist or remedy any defect in the installation,” concluded Ryan Burr, Technical Sales Manager for Sennheiser Middle East.

“Every month, we’ll look at some of the key issues surrounding hygiene in hotels, with outlines of problems and practical steps for solutions.”

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DON’T BUG ME!

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ON THE FLOOR

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Pests or guests?

It’s the one part of hotel management that nobody is keen to discuss in public - an infestation of some kind of pest, whether bed bugs or rats, that impacts the hotel’s guests and damages its reputation. That’s why the only visible sign of pest control in the region’s hospitality sector is the use of falconers to keep birds away from Jumeirah Beach Hotel, as that at least can be presented as a touch of local cultural interest. We take a look at some of the more common and troublesome pests that you need to ensure are not disturbing guests.

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Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are not necessarily a sign of bad hygiene management - they have become so widespread in recent years that any guest might import them into your hotel without even knowing. It’s then your job to deal with them rapidly and effectively. They can be detected by the sight of live insects, faecal pellets, skin casts or small blood spots on sheets. There is also a characteristics sweet/ sickly smell from an infestation. They move quickly and any infestation can quickly become an epidemic if not treated, which should be done by professionals.

rATs

AnTs

Although not commonly dangerous, the fact that they forage widely may mean that unhealthy items are being tracked through your hotel. The most common variety - the Garden ant - is atttracted to sweet foods whilst the larger Pharaoh ant prefers decomposing food and is more likely to spread harmful germs. Best prevention is to ensure that there are no easily available food sources and to insist that all food is covered.

Spills of food or liquid should be cleared instantly and food debris not allowed to accumulate under appliances in the kitchen.

Around the property, ensure all bins have tightly fitting covers and also keep compost covered. Any large infestations should be treated professionally.

A rat infestation is a serious problem that must be tackled immediately, especially if they are present in public areas used by small children. Overall, they pose a large health risk with salmonella, Weil’s disease, E.coli and tuberculosis quite common, as well as the additional risk from fleas, mites and ticks. Like cockroaches, rats are nocturnal and so will most likely be detected by noise, droppings or the ammonia-like smell they leave behind. They can squeeze through the smallest spaces and, because their teeth grow constantly, they will chew through most things including electric cabling. Standard food storage and kitchen cleanliness is important to discourage them and maintenance should do a regular check of all piping as this is a common method of ingress from the sewage area.

CoCkroAChes

TermiTes

The pest that can potentially cause the greatest structural damage to properties as well as wooden furniture, termites need to be dealth with by professionals.

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Cockroaches can carry a wide range of serious illnesses such as salmonella, dysentery, gastroenteritis and typhoid, whilst their droppings can cause asthma and eczema. They breed rapidly and so any infestation needs dealing with quickly and seriously. They will most commonly found in kitchens or food storage areas, coming out at night. If not seen, they can be detected by skin casts, egg cases, droppings or by their musty smell. First line of defence is keeping them out of the property by sealing gaps where they can hide, blocking holes around piping and to deny access to food or water by rigid food storage procedures - such as clearing waste and spills at once and not leaving dirty tableware or cutlery around.

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Mosquitoes

A major initative by Dubai Municipality using fish to eat mosquito larvae that breed in irrigation basins and pools has certainly reduced the number, but mosquito bites will ruin anyone’s holiday, although in bad cases they can transmit West Nile Virus, dengue or malaria. Prevention begins with a pest management professional conducting a thorough property inspection and identifying the kind of mosquitoes causing problems. Next, actual or potential mosquito development sites will be identified - normally natural or man-made sites that will collect water - as well as vegetation management, before the use of insecticides.

Mice

Mice can cause damage to walls, wiring and furniture, plus their very rapid breeding cycles means that populations can grow very quicky. Mice are unclean and, in particular, their droppings have been cited as bringing on children’s asthma attcks. They spread food poisoning by spreading bacteria. Again nocturnal, they can be identified as present by small dark droppings and by dirty streaks along walls - they run beside them as their eyesight is poor. As with rats, there will be a noticeable smell of ammonia.

Flies Pigeons

Although the UAE is well-known as a leading spot for bird watching and many people enjoy the sound of birds when relaxing at a hotel, pigeons do not belong. Their droppings deface roofs and public spaces, whilst the uric acid in the droppings can damage the finish on buildings.

They also contain fungi and bacteria, as well as diseases.

First line of defence should be anti-roosting spike strips or using sticky chemicals that make it very uncomfortable for birds to perch. One imaginative solution is to use predator birds to frighten off the pigeons - certainly in line with cultural practices in the region although it has been also used in London inside the cavernous Paddington Station concourse.

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We’re so used to the presence of flies that we tend to take them for granted, but they can be a problem especially if they are present in number. Some species spread diseases such as salmonella, dysentery, tuberculosis, cholera and parasitic worms. Chief lines of defense are to remove food sources and reduce potential breeding grounds. Windows in kitchen and waste areas should be fitted with fly screens. Drains should be kept running, standing water eliminated and any ornamental ponds in the hotel’s grounds filled with goldfish to eat the fly larvae.

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Trends in textiles

The latest in the regular series of events for industry professionals took place in the JA Ocean View hotel, where the UAE Professional Housekeepers Group gathered for a presentation by Trident Textiles of India

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he evening was opened by Tatjana Ahmed, founder and current Chairperson of the UAE Professional Housekeepers Group who welcomed all of the attending members and introduced the evening’s guest speaker, Sharma Ashwani, Chairman of 21, a Trident Group company, who travelled to Dubai especially for the evening. Trident Group is a leading Indian conglomerate active in textiles, yarns, paper, chemicals and energy and one of the largest and most progressive producers of textiles for the hospitality industry, serving many of Dubai’s most prestigious properties. The Group has a global footprint, employs more than 12,000 people and annual revenues of over $1b. It is represented by Sameer Miglani, who graciously brought along a number of surprises for the assembled guests.

Ashwani spoke about the progress, current capability of Trident Group, and expansion

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plans for the future, plans that will make the company the largest manufacturer of terry towelling in the world, amongst many other notable milestones. A passionate speaker, he spoke movingly about the company, its social programmes for housing, education, employee welfare and environmental initiatives, including the fact that Trident operates its own power generating plant to ensure reliability and consistency of supply, which translates directly into consistency of product and secure production. This ensures better quality for customers, and safeguards employment for their substantial workforce.

In fact, so important is this initiative that the Group plans to double its generating capacity in the near future.

Following his illuminating and informative speech, the audience formed into teams for a session of competitive towel design. Teams

HYgIENE & HOUSEkEEPINg

Housekeepers were then invited to visit and inspect a room in the JA Ocean View hotel, an opportunity many of the assembled audience were keen to take advantage of.

were given a set of instruction to create an animal and present that model for judging.

Following a considerable amount of debate and hilarity, the winning teams were each awarded a prestigious prize from the Trident Textiles collection.

Housekeepers were then invited to visit and inspect a room in the JA Ocean View hotel, an opportunity many of the assembled audience were keen to take advantage of, and the evening concluded with a social gathering in the recently opened TriBeCa restaurant, a highly appreciated venue amongst the guests. Thanks are due to Trident Group, the JA Ocean View hotel, the UAE Professional Housekeepers Group and CLME for a thoroughly successful evening.

The next event will take place after Ramadan, in September at a venue to be confirmed nearer the date.

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Hygiene 101 Every month, we’ll look at some of the key issues surrounding hygiene in hotels, with outlines of problems and practical steps for solutions. This month, we look at cleaning foot spas, cleaning and maintaining plants and the importance of caring for carpets in spas.

1

Keep your feet clean!

It is highly recommended that salons using whirlpool pedicure foot spas follow strict disinfection procedures to ensure proper cleaning and maintenance of the equipment and to prevent the spread of bacterial or parasitic disease Between each customer: • Wash the surfaces and sides of the footspa with detergent, rinse with clear water and hand dry.

• Add 1/4 teaspoon or 2ml of standard bleach before refilling the spa to provide a one part per million (ppm) chlorine residual – DO NOT overfill with bleach.

• Test for the proper chlorine residual with chlorine test strips for spas.

At the end of each day: • Remove the filter screen and clean all debris trapped behind the screen for each spa.

• Wash the screen and inlet with a chlorine solution (15ml bleach in 15 litres of water would yield a ten ppm solution).

• Circulate the ten ppm solution through the spa system for five minutes, then let it sit overnight.

• Drain, rinse and refill the foot spa with clear water the following morning.

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2

How often do you need to clean your plants?

That really depends on how much dust is in the air. Atmospheric conditions in the Middle East mean we generally need to clean plants more often. The best way to tell if a plant needs cleaning is to rub your fingers on the leaves. If you can feel or see more dust than you can blow off the leaves, it is time to clean.

The easiest method for cleaning plants is to move them to a sink or shower and hose them off. The spray should be lukewarm. Both hot and cold water can injure the plant’s leaves.

If your plants are really grimy, you can spray them with a dilute soapy water mixture, then wipe them clean with a soft, absorbent cloth. Use about 1/4 tsp dish soap per litre of water.

Small plants that can’t handle the force of a spray can be cleaned by holding the base of the plant at soil level, inverting it into a bucket of water and swishing the leaves about. Watering the soil beforehand will help prevent the soil from falling out when the pot is inverted. You could also wrap plastic

3

Atmospheric conditions in the Middle East mean we generally need to clean plants more often.

wrap around the base of the plant, to contain the soil while cleaning. Again, be sure to use lukewarm water.

Let the plants drip dry before moving them back into display position.

For plants that are too large to move, you can simply wipe the leaves off with a damp cloth. After the initial cleaning, you can help keep dust from building up on the leaves by using a soft duster on them whenever you dust the area.

carpet care in tHe spa

Melted candle wax on carpets or fabric can be a big mess. To remove it, places a thin, wet cloth on top of the stain. Set an iron to low heat and iron over the cloth. The wax will slowly melt and be absorbed into the cloth.

You can give carpets a fresh scent without the use of artificial sprays or chemicals by placing a cotton ball with

clove oil in the blower compartment of the vacuum. Any essential oil will work just as well and leave a subtle, pleasant fragrance in the room.

Before putting chemicals on fabric or upholstery stains, use cold water and blot with a clean, white terry cloth. Remember, when removing carpet spots to avoid leaving pile marks by cleaning in four directions.

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Hygiene & Housekeeping

Tread carefully – the art of floor care A clean and polished floor is a cornerstone of any hospitality operation, welcoming guests to your property and delivering easy care. But you need to use the correct materials and procedures, the right equipment and a proper regime to keep that shine pristine or that carpet clean. What are the challenges to be faced and how can they be overcome?

The key to maintaining a hardwood floor is keeping it clean.

The better care you give it, the longer a hardwood floor will maintain its original beauty.

STone floorS Sand, grit, and dust can damage natural stone surfaces, especially marble, because they are abrasive. Use a standard vacuum to keep a floor free of dust and grit, particularly if it’s textured. An old-fashioned dust mop works well, as does a broom. Wet mop only when needed. Mats or rugs on either side of entrances from the outside will collect dirt before it reaches your floor. Choose a rug or mat with a non-slip surface.

Damp mopping a natural stone floor will help keep it looking beautiful, but regular use of cleaners designed specifically for stone floors is essential. Wipe up spills immediately.

Use soap, not detergent, for mopping - Liquid Ivory or a castile soap product work well. Too much cleaner or soap can leave a film and cause streaks, so rinse well. Change your rinse water frequently.

Do not use products that contain lemon juice, vinegar or other acids on marble, limestone or travertine. Avoid abrasive cleaners or any ammonia-based cleaners.

These sorts of products will dull a floor’s lustre. Retail grout cleaners, scouring powders or bathroom tub and tile cleaners can mar the finish on stone.

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Hygiene & Housekeeping

Carpets and rugs Dust, food and other everyday grime is going to make its way into your precious pile.

Frequent vacuuming sucks up the dust and loose dirt, refreshing rugs and extending the life of rugs and carpets. If you use a vacuum that uses bags, make sure you change the bag frequently to allow maximum cleaning efficiency and prevent dust from blowing back out onto your carpets. Newer bagless models may save time and make the effort even easier, but you must still regularly empty the dust chamber.

Large windows invite sunlight in, casting a beautiful glow across a room. But in the same

Wood The key to maintaining a hardwood floor is keeping it clean. The better care you give it, the longer a hardwood floor will maintain its original beauty.

Step one is to sweep your floor regularly to clear dirt, dust and other particles. Step two is to use a vacuum cleaner to get in between the boards and into other hard to reach areas.

Deeper cleaning techniques vary depending on the installation and finish of your hardwood floor. For “Finish in Place” hardwood floors, use a terrycloth mop with a rotating head for cleaning corners, under cabinets and along base boards. Professional cleaning products recommended by your flooring contractor can be used to remove tough stains and spills without dulling the finish of a wood floor.

Prefinished wood floors have specific recommended cleaning products for

maintaining the finish. Always use the recommended cleaning products and follow the instructions.

If and when your hardwood floors begin to look tired and dull, it is time for screening and re-coating. Screening is the process used to abrade or grind down your floor’s polyurethane finish. Next, fresh coats of urethane are applied. The result is a rejuvenated floor that looks as good as the day it was installed. If the damage to a hardwood floor is severe, it may require sanding and refinishing. This process involves sanding the floor down to the bare wood and refinishing it.

All hardwood floors fade or change shade over time. Window treatments or reflective films are essential in this region to shade your floors from the sun’s harsh UV rays. You should also consider rotating area rugs and furniture regularly, allowing hardwood floors to age evenly from UV exposure.

way that the sun damages your skin, its ultraviolet rays can also damage the colour of your carpet over time. To avoid the sun lightening to your carpets, shut the curtain or blinds when the sun is most intense or use UV glass or film in your windows.

Like a fine piece of clothing, carpet is a textile, and it has specific maintenance requirements. Different fibres, styles and finishes require specific care.

Time and traffic take their toll. Carpet manufacturers have very specific instructions on the type of professional cleaning necessary to keep your floors in top condition.

Wood floor dos and don’ts Don’t use a wax on a wood floor with a urethane finish.

Do use cleaners that won’t leave a film or residue.

Don’t use ammonia cleaners or oil soaps on a wood floor - these will dull the finish and affect your ability to recoat later.

Do use a hardwood floor cleaner to remove occasional scuffs and heel marks.

Don’t wet mop or use excessive water to clean your floor - wood naturally expands when wet and can cause your floor to crack or splinter.

Do clean sticky spots with a damp towel or sponge.

Do minimise water exposure and clean spills immediately.

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LAST FISH SWIMMING?

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PRO CHEF

Always more fish in the sea?

Fish is a staple of the finest menus, but the simple fact is that overfishing, poor management and changing climate are all having an impact on the fish we can buy and serve. In many ways, the situation is harder to deal with in this region, given the deep cultural ties to fishing and history of seafood as a cooking staple. We take a look at the current situation and catch up with some of the key players in the industry.

S

o serious had the problem become that in 2010 the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) jointly launched the Choose Wisely campaign, aimed at informing consumers to help them make better choices, and arming chefs with the information and confidence to steer clear of endangered species and include more abundant fish in their menus.

EWS is a UAE-wide environmental nongovernmental organisation established under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western region and Chairman of Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD).

It works in association with the WWF, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with more than five million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries.

EWS-WWF has been active in the UAE since 2001 and has initiated and implemented several conservation and education projects

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in the region. The mission of EWS-WWF is to conserve the natural heritage of the UAE and to promote sustainable lifestyles.

Overfishing is the practice of catching more fish than the oceans can sustain, depleting the number of fish of a particular species to a point below which stocks can recover and maintain a stable and mature breeding population. Many factors affect fish population numbers - temperature, salinity, algal blooms, storm activity, erosion, pollution - but each species has a natural level that their environment can sustain.

Overfishing reduces that number and may also make any remaining population more vulnerable still to predation or competition.

It is a delicate balance.

The problem is global. Worldwide, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, too many fish are being taken out too soon, leaving many species little opportunity to reproduce to ensure that they remain for future generations. Unless a more cautious

PRO CHEF

Scientific assessments show that eight of our most valuable commercial fish are being overexploited. This list includes iconic and hugely popular species.

Fish NOT under pressure locally: • Orange-spotted trevally/jesh um al hala • Two-bar sea bream/faskar • Black-streaked monocle bream/ebzimi • Yellow bar angelfish/anfooz • Pink ear emperor/shaari eshkeli • Sordid sweetlips/yanam • Ehrenberg’s snapper/naiser • Yellow fin sea bream/shaam • Black spotted rubberlip/hilali • Giant sea catfish/khan • Yellow tail scad/urduman

approach to fisheries management is adopted, studies predict a collapse of all species fished out for food by 2048.

In the UAE, 60% of the total catch is made up of species that are fished beyond sustainable levels. With the increase in the UAE’s population, the demand for fish has never been as high as it is now. Scientific assessments show that eight of our most valuable commercial fish are being overexploited. This list includes iconic and hugely popular species such as hammour, shaari, farsh, kanaad and others.

Whilst the names may be unfamiliar, many of these fish offer fine eating and abundant availability at pleasingly competitive prices. Jacky and Mark Allan and their team at Wet Fish Trading are deeply committed to sustainability, and have produced their own calendar of what fish are available when in order to ensure continuity of supply. Wet Fish works exclusively with suppliers

who source fish using sustainable and responsible methods. The company has long-established relationships of over ten years with the majority of its suppliers with some links as long as twenty. Those suppliers share a common belief in providing fish that will ensure catches will continue for the future and that stocks are maintainable.

Wet Fish underlines that commitment to sustainability by undertaking not to sell certain products under any circumstances: • Blue fin tuna • Atlantic halibut (wild caught) • Shark of any type • Chilean aea bass All of the above are in the most danger from persistent over-fishing. Wet Fish buys instead farmed fish with the highest welfare and environmental standards.

They take this a stage further by helping

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PRO CHEF

Be careful - limited stocks:

Avoid immediately:

• Longtail silver biddy • Small tooth emperor • Black spot snapper • King soldier bream • Blue spot mullet

Worldwide, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, too many fish are being taken out too soon, leaving many species little opportunity to reproduce to ensure that they remain for future generations.

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Orange-spotted grouper/hammour

Golden trevally/zuraidi

Spangled emperor/shaari

Snub nose emperor/yemah

Painted sweetlips/fersh

White-spotted spinefoot/safi Arabi

Kingfish

Goldlined sea bream/qabit

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It is the supplier’s task to be the advisor on what’s good and economically priced and what a client may comfortably put on a menu where supply is guaranteed.

chefs to use only seafood that is in season and resist exploiting species that are spawning so that the breeding cycles are allowed to run and fish may flourish.

Here in the UAE the implementation of the new federal law regarding catch sizes of fish, particularly hammour, has been written into statute, and the company undertakes not to supply baby hammour as a consequence.

Even the Wet Fish supply boxes are made from recyclable materials.

It is the dream of any self-respecting chef to offer his diners a menu based on seasonal ingredients. Dubai’s serendipitous position at the centre of the world allows it take advantage of produce from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, but sometimes it may be guilty of ‘stretching’ a product outside that particular species’ seasonal range. It is the supplier’s task to be the advisor on what’s good and economically priced and what a client may comfortably put on a menu where supply is guaranteed.

What of the future?

Oliver Kerr, Sustainability Officer of the EWS-WWF in the UAE says the Choose

Wisely campaign is on hold at the moment pending a review but will be relaunched in the autumn with a new focus depending on the results. Certainly, it has had some impact amongst consumers and there are now chefs and properties advertising the fact that any fish on their menu is sustainably sourced.

Traiteur at the Park Hyatt Dubai makes clear on its menu which fish are seasonal, local and sustainable and take-out chain Sumo Sushi and Bento is similarly committed to only using fish that are on the green list. Yael Mejia at Baker & Spice is also strongly committed to serving only local and sustainable fish across all her outlets.

By working with suppliers, informing consumers and supporting sustainability initiatives, the hospitality industry in the UAE has a pivotal role to play in safeguarding our oceans.

Who is better placed to introduce diners to the delights of a fish they may not have encountered before, and winning a new fan to the cause. That way, we can help to ensure there will always be plenty more fish in the sea in the future.

PRO CHEF

A very British affair

Head Chef Ryan Waddell keeps it real at the Dubai outpost of London’s Reform. Son of a Borders farmer, Ryan Waddell has come a long way from his Scottish roots, but still likes to prepare a classic British spread for the ever-growing throng of customers at the popular Reform in The Lakes Club. But what’s in his fridge at home?

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PRO CHEF

What’s in my fridge...

Chef Ryan Waddell’s ascent through the ranks to head up the brigade in The Hoxton Hotel, included running his own gastropub outside Oxford and earlier years spent in Scotland, including a stint at Glasgow’s stellar One Devonshire Gardens.

“A lot of what we serve here at the Reform is popular and very familiar to our customers, so we want to do it well, and we want to do it right” he says.

It is a philosophy that has seen the Reform growing from strength to strength and there’s more to come. “Last year we started the cinema nights and they were a bit slow to take off, but now they’re rammed. This year we opened the Orchard and it’s not full – yet – but I fully expect it to be.”

Waddell runs a well-organised team in the kitchen.

“It’s about attitude. We’ve got a really strong team here, we work hard, but everyone enjoys it and we have fun. That’s important. We work hard to keep things seasonal as well, and work really closely with local suppliers like Wet Fish to get the best produce. And though our menu is British, we try to source as much of our supplies as we can locally. When I started that was really difficult, but it is noticeably changing for the better. Suppliers are getting to be more proactive, bringing in things for us to try, new produce we can incorporate into our menu.”

And what’s in his fridge at home?

Ryan chuckles. “You think I have time to go home?” he says. “There’s not really much in it at the moment. Milk, oranges, apples, bananas, beer, chilli, garlic, onions, there’s a bit of chicken in there. And the remains of last night’s takeaway, of course!”

Ryan may be in charge of the Reform, but it seems some habits never change.

“You think I have time to go home! There’s really not much in it at the moment...”

Chilli

Milk

Garlic

Apples

Onions

Oranges

Chicken

Bananas

Left-over takeaway

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PRO CHEF

Now in residence

From his humble beginnings in Normandy, to a string of award-winning restaurants, Frédéric Vardon still harks back to the simple, high quality products of his youth, having much in common with Alain Ducasse with whom he trained. His belief is that “we should honour what the earth offers and respect those who farm, who sow and harvest because the best quality products are the results of a perfect harmony between Nature and Man”.

C

hef Vardon was born to a charcutiercaterer father in Normandy and grew up with his farmer grand-parents. From his family, he inherited a taste for good, healthy and typical food, plus a passion for genuine tastes of high quality products and respect for the work of farmers.

After an apprenticeship at the Jean Ferrandi school, he gained experience with some of the great names of the French cuisine, such as Alain Dutournier, Alain Chapel and Alain Ducasse, the latter of whom he worked with for 14 years.

In 2008 he opened the first ZINC in Gennevilliers. Others followed: Le ZINC DES NEIGES in Courchevel 1850, ZINC Opéra in Paris and the Golf Club by ZINC at the heart of the renowned golf club PIGC in Baillet-en-France. He also launched Le 39V Restaurant on avenue George V in Paris - it gained a Michelin star in under two years. In each of his restaurants, his cuisine is subject to the same demands and guided by one simple belief: make something that is already beautiful taste good.

Now he has opened La Residence at Raffles Dubai where we caught up with him.

What style are you proposing here in the new restaurant?

Simple not complicated. Personally, I must understand what I’m eating. In the kitchen the hardest thing is to be simple - it’s too easy to hide behind spices.

Your favourite cuisines?

I love Japanese food for its simplicity and the focus on quality. Their fishermen, for example, are so knowledgeable. In terms of French chefs following that path, I think Thierry Marx is extraordinary although his work is not really my style. People would also suggest Pierre Gagnaire but really his work is based on the French classics.

start and I went down and said I was leaving in a month. I loved my family but I wanted to learn. And my first lesson was that cooking is existence, it is about other people. All my chef mentors taught me something but it was Alain Chapel who really made me understand that this was my trade, my life.

How long were you with Alain Chapel, well known as one of the key originators of nouvelle cuisine?

Six years from the age of 21. If he were still alive, I think I would still be working for him.

I was inspired by the mix of the most avant garde ideas and tradition. For example, the combination of pigeon and langoustine - I mean, nobody had seen this before.

How did you develop your taste?

I grew up on a small farm in Normandy - my grandparents were farmers - so I was used to tasting food at its freshest and best. I believe you must connect with your produce before you cook it. My childhood was all about the country. My parents and grandparents everyone cooked and in a way I had a very privileged childhood with everything fresh and nothing frozen. We ate simply but well.

Even today, if you give me ham salad then I’m content, give me an egg and I’m content.

So you grew up wanting to be a chef?

I’m not sure about that. I could have stayed in Normandy, worked on the farm and had a life like my family but I also wanted to see more.

Anyway, I contacted Alain Chapel in Paris and went to talk to him - my first time on a TGV! The result was that he gave me a date to

You then worked with Alain Ducasse…

Again it was a continuation of the learning process and I think what I learned from him was produce knowledge. But he taught me other things, he gave me spirit and the realisation that I couldn’t work for other types of chefs than these.

With these inspirations, how did you start your own restaurants?

Life is about opportunities and meetings. I simply met a couple of people - it starts like that. By that time I had become Ducasse’s corporate chef and had overseen many openings.

Why Dubai?

It’s become the place to be, a point in the world and a centre of business and travel. I wanted to transmit a style and to improve French cuisine here, mixing it with other cultures. Back home, France is facing economic difficulties and problems. France is very conservative compared to the multi-culturism you see here.

Everything here works. Let’s see what develops but I have other projects in mind.

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‘Marengo’ corn-fed chicken, crayfish, white mushroom veloute IngredIents • 2 chickens (from M Tauzin) • garlic, thyme, butter • 2kg crawfish • 1 celery • 1 carrot • 1 shallot • garlic, thyme, peppercorns • chicken stock • 1kg crawfish shells • 1/2 fennel • 1 shallot • 4 tomatoes • 1 soup spoon tomato paste • garlic, thyme, peppercorns • 25g butter • 3cl chicken stock • 2l white stock • 1kg poultry carcase • 250g medium size Paris mushrooms • 8 rosevalt potatoes • 1 romaine lettuce • 10g butter • garlic and thyme • 15cl white stock Method Crown the chicken, truss, set aside.

Bone the thighs, pound with meat powder, roll,

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tie. Vacuum-packed with a garlic head, thyme and butter.

Remove the heads of the crawfish and reserve for the sauce. Break and then remove the small legs under the body, then dip them in a mixture of water and ascorbic acid.

Chop celery, carrots and shallots.

In a casserole dish sweat the aromatic garnish for two minutes, add the crawfish, deglaze with chicken stock, add 10cl white stock then cook covered for two minutes, then peel while hot.

Crush the crawfish shells.

Mince fennel and shallots, cube the tomatoes.

In a casserole dish, sauté shells in 4cl oil, add the butter, caramelise the juices, add the fennel, shallots, garlic, thyme and pepper and sweat for three minutes, add the tomatoes and the tomato paste, cook for four minutes, deglaze with chicken stock, flambé and cover with white stock. Simmer for 30 minutes then pass through a fine chinois.

In a casserole dish, roast the poultry carcase in 4cl oil, skim the fat, cook the shallots with a crushed clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme and peppercorns. Add the trimmings, moisten with 40cl of chicken stock and cook for 45 minutes, put through a fine chinois, reduce.

Cut the mushrooms stems off (if necessary) and wash with warm water. In a sauté pan, melt a knob of butter, add the mushrooms and sweat

lightly with a drop of lemon juice, add 4cl broth, cook covered, cool with the blast chiller Cut the rosevalt potatoes in slices of 1cm thick and discs with a round cookie-cutter.

In a sauté pan, melt the butter with the garlic and thyme, add the slices of potatoes, and season.

Pour the white stock, cover and bake for 12 minutes at 180C. Remove from oven, remove the aluminum foil and put back on the baking tray, let the potatoes stick to the tray then take them out of the cooking range, put the aluminum foil for 20min and then remove them one by one, set aside.

Cut the root end of the romaine lettuce, peel the leaves, use a cookie-cutter, then cut in two, keep fresh in water and ascorbic acid.

Reheat the potatoes in the oven at 180C for five minutes.

Reheat mushrooms and crawfish in a sauté pan with a sauce pochon and white stock.

Butter-stew romaine feathers in a skillet.

Roast the chicken in a casserole dish with oil, add a clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme and 30g butter, baste, and bake 12 minutes at 180C. Fillet and give a beautiful teardrop shape to the breasts of the chicken then cut in half.

In a soup plate, place all the elements of the garnish into the bottom and the two pieces of chicken astride.

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PRO CHEF

How to launch T a food truck business In partnership with Imago Growth Accelerator and Aseel F&B, The Bureau Dubai, a co-working space that provides support for local startups and small businesses to start, manage and grow their business recently hosted a unique workshop on how to a launch food truck business in Dubai.

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he workshop welcomed Tahir Shah of Moti Roti to give an insight into his journey when launching his Pakistani street food truck with a healthy twist.

We have seen many pop-up events, markets and fairs in Dubai over the past few years. Add to this a flourishing outdoor scene with many renovations on Jumeirah beach and other parks around town it has provided an excellent landscape for food trucks to become a trendy venture for the F&B sector.

Disha Pagarani of Aseel F&B added: “Since food trucks are a newer addition to the culinary scene of Dubai, there is a good amount of room for newer concepts to prosper with different cuisines and food types. We strongly believe that with food trucks in Dubai, the trick is in getting the groundwork right. For instance, a lot of aspiring food entrepreneurs that we have worked with, had no idea on how to get the right kind of government approvals for health and safety standards and to set a secure legal framework for their trucks.

The other issues they had was in sourcing the right locations to house their trucks. So the true strategy is in laying the foundations right and planning diligently, as you would with any other business.�

The workshop was part of a new initiative

PRO CHEF

4 Key Stakeholders

Approvals are required from all four stakeholders to legally start your food truck

The Process

supported by The Bureau Dubai and Aseel F&B called Imago which is the Middle East’s first F&B accelerator programme dedicated to growth stage food and beverage companies.

It will be the first in a series of workshops aimed at attracting the local industry and the right candidates for their programme starting later this year.

“We strongly believe that with food trucks in Dubai, the trick is in getting the groundwork right.”

Submit a Business Plan to Dubai Economic Department and Dubai Municipality. Only once the plan is approved can you move to the next stages.

Majority of the food trucks in Dubai need to be backed by a central kitchen where you can pre-prepare some of your offerings. In this stage you need to submit a HCCAP certified kitchen layout for Government approval

Your food truck is now ready to launch!

Once you get relevant approvals you can start sourcing and fitting out your food truck, either locally or internationally.

The design and fitout of your truck is very crucial. In this step, you will create a HCCAP certified blueprint of your truck and seek government approvals on the blueprint

The next stage will involve sourcing the right location for your food truck.

Currently these locations are limited and a majority of them are owned by individual landlords.

Infographic conceptualised by:

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Chef to the party!

ChefXChange is an on-line marketplace for food lovers to search, discover and book a private chef all around the world – now launched in Dubai. On-line or from a mobile phone, it connects chefs to people looking for an exclusive culinary experience, in the city of their choice, at any price point and in the comfort of their homes or desired venues. We went for the experience.

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As number two in a continuing series watching how well known food bloggers interact with chefs through ChefXChange, this month saw food writer and wine expert Sarah Walton celebrate a birthday meal built around her selection of wines.

Ausralian Walton has managed restaurants, been a sommelier, a waiter, a bottle shop attendant, written a very small wine magazine, been a wine sales rep, trained and tasted wine with the inexperienced and experienced and had her own wine Web site with cellar management and on-line sales. She travels frequently, but always with food in mind.

An ideal challenge for a chef!

Unfortunately she couldn’t co-ordinate a suitable timing with her first choice of chef but was very happy with Chef Pascal Parizel who, with more than 30 years of culinary experience and holder of the coveted distinction of having been awarded Meilleur Ouvrier de France.

He was “perfect”, says Walton and there were no problems developing the menu although “the first suggestion of dessert wasn’t to my taste, but Pascal came up with an excellent replacement very quickly. The food was definitely restaurant quality!”

Any problems? “No, except we lost power to the hob about halfway through the cooking.

Disaster! Pascal was still in control, but disappointed he hadn’t brought a backup hot plate - like it’s something he usually carries around! In the end, the BBQ and the compound

security guard came to the rescue and we still ate a lovely three-course meal.”

On offer that evening was Scallops rotis on lees compoté and herbs with sour cream, Leg of lamb slow cooked with a compote of vegetables and creamy polenta plus Paris-Brest. The dessert was not as originally agreed but, as Chef Parizel explains, “It’s not easy to bake pastry on the BBQ!” How easy had they both found ChefXChange to use to communicate with each other. Walton found it easy to use but would have liked to see “the ability to exchange numbers or e-mails they are currently censored - so you must keep your discussion to the platform”. From the other side, Chef Parizel finds “the platform on its own is very simple to manage and really user friendly.

And I have to say that the ChefXChange team take into consideration our comments to make the evolution of the platform as quickly as they can. The on-line communication between myself and Sarah was very clear and smooth, like any mailing system or platform.”

Would Walton consider using the service again? And, if so, for what kind of occasion?

“Definitely. But probably not for a small dinner, but for a cocktail party, or dinner for more than ten. The kind of event that would put quite a bit of pressure on me in the kitchen and take me away from my hosting duties. And definitely the kind of event that would require quite a bit of prep or cleanup - not my favorite task! In fact my kitchen after Chef Pascal left was probably cleaner than when he started, to be honest!”

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The psychological tricks of menus

An experienced chef or restaurant manager knows that a menu is more than just a random list of dishes. Increasingly, it will have been extensively worked on by a menu consultant. The result? It will be on-brand, easy to read and profitable. Here are some ways menus influence diners.

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PRO CHEF

M

enu writers at the top of their game know all about the paradox of choice - in other words, the more options we’re given then the more anxious we feel. In menu terms, the magic number is seven in each food category - starters, mains, etc. Add more and confusion sets in which, in many cases, leaves the diner falling back on the familiar rather than choosing some dish which is newer and, hopefully, more expensive.

Take the example of McDonald’s to heart, although you’d think that such a marketing giant would know better. From a start with just a few menu items, it now offers more than 140. A coincidence that its revenue fell by over 10% in Q1 of this year? Menu anxiety is compounded by a feeling that maybe you made the wrong choice and so dissatisfaction with the meal. The inevitable result of that is less likelihood of returning.

As repeat customers make up the bulk of most restaurants’ business, that is not a good business model.

Instead, cut back and add good images - this can increase sales by 30% because the diner is responding to the image in the same way they would a plate of food. In fact, adding animation or movement via digital signage is even more powerful simply because it makes the image more realistic.

However, you need to keep it stylish - too much photography and you’ll end up looking like a low-end fast food joint.

Next, cut out price tags because they remind people they’re spending money so, instead of Dhs 200, try just 200. A study from Cornell University also found that writing out prices (“two hundred dirhams”) also encourages people to spend more. It’s important too to break up the column of prices as diners will often scroll down and buy on price not food - instead, include the price in the dish description.

There’s more. Put a very expensive dish near the start of the menu and - suddenly!

- everything else looks reasonable. If most dishes are a quarter of the price of the big ticket item, diners won’t kick up about the pricing. Developing from this, a number of slightly more expensive items makes the menu look better quality and diners more convinced that the dishes are higher quality.

Layout is key too. The upper right quarter is the hot spot - the place where most people’s eyes go to first on a sheet of paper - so put the items delivering most profit here, especially if

“Layout is key too. The upper right quarter is the hot spot - the place where most people’s eyes go to first on a sheet of paper - so put the items delivering most profit here, especially if you can box them or put white space around them. So-called negative space draws the brain’s attention. ”

you can box them or put white space around them. So-called negative space draws the brain’s attention. Colour also has an impact red stimulates the appetite and yellow gets our attention so many menus combine the two.

And despite the curret trend from chefs to deliver bare bones item descriptions, the reality is that longer and more detaild descriptions actually sell more food - up to 50% more according to one study. The theory seems to be that the more words on the menu, the more that the diner thinks that they’re getting for their money and the more tasty they believe the food to be. And let’s not even begin on the whole ‘line-caught’, ‘farm fresh’ verbiage.

In fact, people are easily fooled. One famous study showed what happened when two groups of people were both given the same cheap wine but from two different bottles: one labelled California, the other North Dakota. Not surprisingly, the Californian group not only believed their wine was better but also ate 10% more of their meal.

Finally, you can play on people’s nostalgia.

Most of us have dishes in mind that take us back to our childhood and the appeal to the traditional can make many of us order Grandmother’s Minestrone!

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Tuna tartar IngredIents • 65g yellow fin tuna • 2g chives • 15g balsamic shallots • 15g topinambur • 10g yellow bell pepper puree • 10g red bell pepper puree • 5g beluga caviar • 2g anchovies • 2g capers • lemon • 15ml extra virgin olive oil • 1g salt • 1g black pepper • 3g micro greens • 3 popcorn shoots Method Blend anchovies, capers, lemon, salt, black pepper and olive oil in a food processor to make the dressing.

Cut the tuna into small cubes then marinate them with the dressing.

TRE by Roberto Rella TRE by Roberto Rella represents his third foray in the region and in his own words is ‘the culmination of his career to date’. Positioned over three floors - restaurant, bar and lounge areas - design is a major aspect with each floor telling its own story with spectacular views, sophisticated, chic interiors featuring designer furniture throughout.

Primarily offering traditional Italian cuisine with Mediterranean influences, the restaurant will showcase seasonal produce, executed with a progressive and innovative touch.

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Thinly slice the topinambur and dress them with salt and olive oil.

Arrange the tuna on a plate, place the topinambur in the middle and top with caviar.

Place three slices of balsamic shallots, garnish the plate with micro greens, popcorn shoots and bell pepper puree.

PRO CHEF

Tender filetto IngredIents • 180g black angus tenderloin • 40g potato, mashed • 3ml artichoke ash oil • 10g baby carrot • 10g baby broccoli • 10g white asparagus • 10g green asparagus • 10g baby potato • 5g beetroot • 20g foie gras • 30ml cream • 5g rosemary • 5g thyme • 1g salt • 1g black pepper • 10ml olive oil • 1g salt flakes Method Marinate the tenderloin with salt, pepper, ash oil, rosemary and thyme.

Pan sear the foie gras and cook in the oven then blend with warm cream and season with salt and pepper.

Fondente IngredIents • 116g butter • 170g bittersweet chocolate • 3 eggs • 65g sugar • vanilla essence • 2 cream of tartar • 30g sugar Method Melt butter and chocolate together.

Whip yolks with 65g of sugar and vanilla essence until pale and fluffy.

Whip the egg white with cream of tartar and 30g of sugar until a smoth meringue is obtained.

Mix melted chocolate and whipped yolks, fold in egg whites and pour into four moulds.

Bake at 180C for seven to ten minutes.

Garnish with sour cream and sour cherries.

Grill the tenderloin on top of a charcoal grill and finish in the oven.

Place hot mashed potato on the plate and arrange sautéed vegetable on the mash.

Place the tenderloin on the vegetables, Drizzle the plate with ash oil and sprinkle crystal salt on the tenderloin.

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Fish shawarma IngredIents • 300g fresh hammour • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tbsp orange juice • 1 tbsp pineapple juice • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced • ½ tsp cinnamon powder • ½ tsp sweet pepper • pinch of white pepper • 2g fresh dill, chopped • 10g pine nuts, fried

Method Cut the fresh hammour into slices and then keep it in the chiller for some time.

Prepare the marinating procedure. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl then add the fish for the marination. Allow flavour to blend for about an hour or so - it will be more flavourful the following day.

Flooka Chef Ibrahim Osseiran is a Lebanese food connoisseur and the Executive Chef at Flooka Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

He learned his trade by attending KAFAAT catering school in Beirut under the expert training of one of Lebanon’s premier chefs, Chef Ramzi. After several years of working in some of Beirut’s best restaurants including Alhan, a seafood restaurant where he learned the art of seafood, he brought his expertise to Flooka Dubai and Abu Dhabi. He speaks fluent Arabic, English and French, is technologically savvy and enjoys reading, swimming and playing basketball.

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Sautée the shawarma on a low fire for seven to ten minutes maximum, then add the fried pine nuts and the fresh chopped dill.

PRO CHEF

Kraydes Provencal

Kibbet samak maklieh

IngredIents • 10 white shrimp size 20/30 • 10g butter • 1 tsp lemon juice • dash of soya sauce • 1 garlic clove, chopped • 3g fresh coriander, chopped • pinch of chili powder • pinch of white pepper • pinch of salt

IngredIents • 500g fresh king fish • 100g white cracked wheat • 100g brown cracked wheat • 1 tsp sweet pepper • 1 tsp kibbet spices • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp coriander pepper • 1 tsp orange zest • 1 tbsp corn oil • 1 red onion

Method Sautée the shrimp with the butter and garlic then add the lemon juice, soya sauce and the spices.

stuffIng • 5 red onions, chopped • 20g fresh parsley, chopped • 15g pine nuts, fried • 150ml corn oil

Keep on a low heat for five to seven minutes.

At the end add the fresh coriander and serve.

Method Mix all the ingredients very well for kibbet and mash together. Keep it for two hours inside the chiller.

Prepare the stuffing by sautéeing the onion with corn oil for ten minutes. Then at the end add the fresh parsley and mix.

Take an egg sized amount of shell mixture and form into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, making a space for the filling. Add filling and pinch the top to seal the ball.

Deep fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges.

29-31 ANUAR.indd 30

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The hotel has landed

The first UFO Hotel in the US is no longer just a fantasy.

The $30m project in California will feature 31 rooms on two floors designed within a full-scale alien spacecraft where guests can spend nights in alien-themed rooms and dine in an alien-themed restaurant.

“We are tremendously excited about developing the first authentic UFO Hotel in the world, not just in America,” developer Luis Ramallo says. “There are tens of millions of Sci-Fi and UFO fans in the world who have been dreaming of a venue just like this.

They will finally have it.”

The UFO Hotel, which is in preconstruction development, will have an alien-themed lobby, spa, nightclub and other attractions, such as Sci-Fi fanatics and guests getting married in alien costumes on their favorite planet. Having already invested major funding into the project, Ramallo is seeking additional fundraising through investors and Kickstarter. He believes science fiction fanatics globally will each kick in contributions to help fund what will be one the world’s most unique hotels and may rank

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among the biggest Kickstarter campaigns in history. The crowdfunding campaign provides backers with a wide choice of UFO Hotel exclusive contribution rewards from $1 to $10,000.

Room rates at the UFO Hotel will be competitively priced, beginning at around $300 a night. Alien-uniformed employees will use modern touch-screen technology to check guests in. Monitors will show scenes of activity from all around the spaceship. As guests walk to their rooms, they will be able to twist various dials and hatch handles. If they turn the wrong one, a warning light and siren will flash, just like on an actual spaceship. There will also be unique photo-ops throughout the spacecraft with alien crew members recharging themselves in pods.

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