Hospitality News ME - August/September 2020 (Issue 129)

Issue 129 | Aug - Sep 2020

hospitalitynewsmag.com

SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY 30+ PIONEERS

P.46

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

F&B

MAYADA BADR

GUY HUTCHINSON

P.48

P.24

CEO OF THE KSA’S CULINARY ARTS AUTHORITY

PRESIDENT & CEO OF ROTANA ON WEATHERING THE STORM

MEET 8 INSPIRING

RESTAURATEURS P.40

WELLNESS TOURISM • SALUTING LEBANESE WINES • BAKING TRENDS

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EDITOR'S VIEW

Group editor Nouhad Dammous

Despite the current challenges this wonderful country faces, I remain positive

Managing director Joumana Dammous-Salamé Publication manager Randa Dammous-Pharaon Publication executive Rita Ghantous Graphic designers Elias Tufunkji Ibrahim Kastoun Features consultant Rana Freifer Sub-editor/writer Miriam Dunn Sales executives Michel Ajjoub, Maha Hasbani, Josette Hikri advertise@hospitalitynewsmag.com Subscription executives Houayda Haddad-Roumman Mirna Maroun subscribe@hospitalitynewsmag.com Circulation coordinator Rita Nohra-Kejijian News news@hospitalitynewsmag.com Published by Hospitality Services sarl Lebanon Borghol Building, Dekwaneh P.O.Box 90 155 Jdeidet el Metn 1202 2020 Tel: +961 1 480081 Fax: +961 1 482876 info@hospitalityservices.me www.hospitalitynewsmag.com All the information disclosed in the magazine was provided by the parties concerned by each publication and checked to the highest possible extent by the editors. However, the magazine cannot ensure accuracy at all times of all information published and therefore could in no case be held responsible should any information reveal to be false or insufficient.

We welcome views on any subject relevant to the hospitality industry, but request that letters be short and to the point. The editor reserves the right to select and edit letters.

Hospitality News ME is distributed to trade professionals in the catering and lodging industry in the Middle East.

Optimism In 2018, Lebanon and the United Kingdom inked their first bilateral agreement, valued at Stg 603 million, in order to deepen trade and investment links. This agreement allowed for new foundations to be put in place, forming the basis for progressive and stable economic growth.

After 12 months in Lebanon, the British Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling shared his thoughts in a contribution given to the Daily Star and published on September 19, as follows: “United Kingdom supports the government’s program as well as CEDRE: Economic reformation will be painful, but it is never optional; it is urgent.

Debt must be within the process of decreasing; books and orders must be extremely balanced; also, local and international confidence and trust should be revived. Only then, Lebanon can fulfill its enormous potentials. There are plenty of opportunities for more trade and investments and we have a new trade representative with UK. However, this won’t work out just because it’s our wish; various things should be change so economy will consequently, recover.

Furthermore, the effects of the Syrian crisis have been a theme to be taken into consideration. I have launched a UK funded community centers in Bekaa, the fishing port in Jiyyeh, a new apple factory in Jezzine, and listened to Syrian children in schools, and adults in communities. We will continue to support Lebanon and to look for new areas in which we can work together. Standing with both host communities and the refugees themselves.

As a matter of fact, I have lived in six countries outside the UK but the Lebanese are the most creative, entrepreneurial and agile. You look all around the compass, and have what you need for success. Times are tougher now, but education, languages technology, and openness to the world are the keys to the future.

Building a successful future is the ultimate aim that Lebanon and UK look up to. Although our economy, security, and service programs are in a continuous development, my team and I plan to spend more time around the country in the upcoming year whether in Nabatieh, Sidon, Tripoli, Baalbek, Zahle ,Byblos, the Chouf or elsewhere. Everywhere we go, we will see how the UK can invest today, for a better tomorrow.

Hence, despite the current challenges this wonderful country faces, I remain positive. I hope you can too.”

The hospitality industry thanks Chris Rampling for his optimistic views which, in current times, we all need now and in the future.

Nouhad Dammous Editor-in-Chief Docteur Honoris Causa

In this issue Aug - Sep 2020

EDITOR’S VIEW

Activating tourism in Lebanon: the power of S11

NEWS

03

08 10 18 21 22

Industry Hotels Food & Beverage Suppliers Chefs

12

Six Senses La Sagesse

26

Saudi Arabia

38

Wellness tourism

BUSINESS INTERVIEW

24

Guy Hutchinson, President and CEO of Rotana

MARKET UPDATE

26

Qatar turns a corner

TOURISM

28

Saudi Arabia: Vision 2030's role in tourism success

TECHNOLOGY Maintaining your reputation 30

EYE ON 32 Greece MANAGEMENT 34 A sneak peek at the MICE event planner's wishlist

FOOD & BEVERAGE

36 38 40

What’s on the menu: UAE dining trends On trend and online: The rise of delivery platforms 8 inspiring restaurateurs

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

44

How to stay well ahead in wellness

FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DAILY NEWS FROM AROUND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GO TO

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

@Hospitality_Mag

HospitalityNewsME

SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN 46 Industry pioneers 48 In the spotlight: Mayada Badr 62 Championing the dual-centric role for

working women

SOLUTIONS

64

HUMAN RESOURCES

65

Training in tough times

MANAGEMENT Cut costs, not profit

GREEN Planet versus profit 66

67

TECHNOLOGY No cash no problem

PRODUCT ZONE

62

Working women

88

Planet versus profit

BEVERAGE Lebanese wines: an ‘evergreen’ charm 68

FOOD

70

What’s hot on the spice scene

73

NEW PRODUCTS On the market

EQUIPMENT 74 Baking trends: all you knead to know CHOCOMANIA 77 Double delight

Coming issue Oct - Nov 2020

• Special report Investment update: hotels, restaurants. New hotel projects • Hotels Influencers: Hoteliers • F&B Home-dining: the new post-pandemic norm?

• Food Healthy free from…

• Beverage Nonalcoholic drink/Cold drinks/ Soft drinks • Equipment Heavy kitchen equipment

FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DAILY NEWS FROM AROUND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GO TO

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM 64

Spices

CLINTON GARCIA AND PIERRE ABI HAILA VALRHONA PARTNERS SINCE 2014 - BELIZE

INDULGE YOUR TASTE FOR

CULTURAL EXCHANGE

creation :

Bringing people together. Forging connections. 233 partner chefs and 153 employees have visited our cocoa producers since 2013.

Each one has come away with a new perspective on their profession and now work in a completely different way.

Together, good becomes better.

NEWS

INDUSTRY

HIGHLIGHTING THE FOODPRENEUR BEHIND BRANDPORTUNITY CONSULTING Armed with impressive credentials and F&B retail service experience spanning the Middle East and North Africa, Christian Salloum pursued a dream he had been nurturing since the age of 17, launching his own restaurant and catering consultancy.

BrandPortunity, like the name suggests, is a mixture of “brand” and “opportunity.” The company is a testament to Salloum’s creativity, success and positivity, mirroring the opportunities and solutions that he has shaped over the years and the brands that he has strengthened with his knowledge and determination. HN sat with the foodpreneur to learn more about BrandPortunity.

1. BrandPortunity is an innovative and intelligent restaurant and catering consultancy with a solution-driven mindset. What sets it apart?

BrandPortunity takes food and beverage brands to the next level by assisting them in creating opportunities, developing concepts and launching innovative initiatives that are ahead of the curve. This impacts positively on the top and bottom lines, improv brand equity and resale values. On brief, thanks to its solid expertise and unrivalled know-how BrandPortunity helps clients exceed market demands and improving their offerings by being on trend.

2. You have been a driving force behind successful casual dining concepts, retail bakeries, quick-service restaurants and boutique enterprises. What does your professional experience bring to the table?

I’ve been instrumental in ensuring the success of many restaurants and businesses across the Middle East. I played a pivitol role in the success of renowned French gastro-restaurants, La Croisette and Au Premier, at IHG group. When I joined Azadea Group, first in Kuwait then in the UAE, I played a critical role in expanding PAUL Bakeries across nine countries in the MENA region, scaling the brand to more than 70 bakery-restaurants and successfully establishing its catering division.

My extensive expertise and International trainings allowed me to strategically establish the food and beverage divisions for a boutique enterprise in the UAE, where I was able to grow its portfolio to three successful brands: JJ Chicken and two casual dining concepts including the high-end French patisserie and restaurant inspired by chocolate, Un Dimanche A Paris.

I believe I have a deep-rooted understanding of the entire industry; I am result oriented and always strive for growth as well as expansion.

3. What are your plans for the future?

The post-pandemic landscape is full of opportunities within the region, and as BrandPortunity’s business portfolio grows, the industry will witness a surge in investors and entrepreneurs eager to diversify their investments. The future landscape might currently be unknown, but with industry insights, knowledge and communication, BrandPortunity will guide businesses through these difficult times. This will lead to the dramatic growth of the entire food industry.

The food and beverage industry is resilient and forever evolving and adapting.

My team and I are set to launch various exciting new concepts throughout 2021. brandportunity.com

Read the full article on hospitalitynewsmag.com

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TRENDING ON

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM KSA to attract 5.8 million more visitors by 2024

The number of tourists visiting Saudi Arabia is expected to rise by 38 percent to 21.3 million by 2024, according to new research by Colliers International, commissioned by Arabian Travel Market (2020). Higher volumes will be driven by an increase in visitors from the GCC, keen to visit the Kingdom on short breaks, and business travelers extending work trips to explore the country’s rapidly developing tourism offerings or attend a sporting or cultural event. Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “As Saudi Arabia continues to reduce its reliance on oil, increasing tourism arrivals are becoming instrumental in the country’s economic diversification.”

Dubai’s health tourism sector set to welcome travelers

The Dubai Health Authority sees the reopening of airports, aggressive testing and sanitization, and resumption of elective surgeries and other healthcare services as clear indicators of Dubai’s readiness to restart health tourism in the emirate, according to participants at a webinar.

The webinar, attended by key stakeholders from the tourism and health sectors, and led by key speakers from the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), and private hospitals which are members of the DXH, further shed light on how the country is planning to make Dubai a destination of choice for health tourists amidst the current situation as well as the strategic measures implemented by the authorities to ensure patient safety upon health tourists’ arrival.

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla, CEO – Health Regulation Sector, Dubai Health Authority, said, “As we all know, the world is currently facing an unprecedented crisis – one that has managed to impact various industry verticals, including health tourism. However, the government’s commitment and effort to address the impact of the pandemic has put us on the path to recovery rather soon. In fact, the exemplary actions of the government has allowed the UAE to be ranked as one of the safest nations during the pandemic—number one in the Arab region and one of the world’s top ten in managing COVID-19.”

The Health Tourism Department has stepped up its efforts to support Dubai in its journey to become the most preferred global health tourism destination and a hub for top-accredited healthcare facilities. It plans to boost its efforts post COVID-19 focusing on preventive and alternative health practices, such as ayurveda, homeopathy and yoga. Statistics have shown that the UAE’s wellness and spa travel market caters well to both inbound and domestic travelers, which is about 15 per cent of the total tourism market.

For up-to-the-minute news on the stories that matter to you most, read it first on www.hospitalitynewsmag.com

IDEAS NEVER STOP You sometimes just need to be inspired by a new coffee experience

NESPRESSO MOMENTO DESIGNED FOR MEANINGFUL COFFEE EXPERIENCES C O N TA C T U S F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N

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NEWS

HOTELS

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HVS’ HALA MATAR CHOUFANY: ADAPTING TO CHANGE IS KEY many levels: - Cleanliness and hygiene are likely to top the list.

- Enforced and upholding promises made by the operators to ensure a safe stay.

- Booking flexibility and value for money.

- Cost of doing business is likely to increase significantly as a result of the safety and health issues. Deciding between closing or remaining open will be critical.

- Location remains important but overall confidence in the destination is more important.

Hala Matar Choufany

Amid the instability the hospitality industry has endured in recent months, and with more activities resuming in many countries as lockdown eases, hoteliers are under pressure to adapt to a new way of doing business to cope with imposed changes.

HN spoke with Hala Matar Choufany, president of HVS Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, to learn more about this new dynamism.

What change should hoteliers consider as their post COVID-19 norm?

Recent surveys and observations suggest that guests' confidence and expectations have drastically changed. Guests and travelers over the next 18 months, and possibly longer, will become more demanding and judgmental.

Hospitality guests across the board (travel, hotels, restaurants and other related experiences) will require reassurance at

While guest behavior will either be positively influenced by the availability of a vaccine or negatively impacted in the absence of such, operators should be willing to accept and deal with new realities: - The corporate segment will require time to recover and much less corporate demand will take place in the future.

- The MICE segment will require longer time to recover as well, since this segment will shrink, especially now that online and virtual meetings have become acceptable.

- Travelers are likely to have less disposable income in the next 24 months and as a result will become more price sensitive.

- A rise in all inclusive concepts is likely to take place.

- More leisure trips will be made; though experiential trips will become favored over traditional hotel stays.

IN BRIEF Sunset Hospitality Group opens first Azure Beach Resort in Beirut

Sunset Hospitality Group is further expanding its portfolio in the region, announcing the introduction of its first operational outlet in Beirut, Lebanon with Azure Beach Resort, set to open this month. This follows the group’s newest Black Tap branch opening in May at The Dubai Mall – the largest Black Tap venue in Dubai, UAE. Sunset Hospitality Group maintains a positive outlook for the coming months leading up to 2021. With over 20 projects in the pipeline, the group continues to pioneer new openings in the market with unique global dining concepts highlighted by exquisite hospitality.

Hyatt to debut in Cyprus with a property to open in Limassol in 2025

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Anolia Holdings Limited for the first Hyatt hotel on the island of Cyprus, Grand Hyatt Limassol. The 300-room luxury resort is expected to open in 2025.

Read the full article on hospitalitynewsmag.com

RADISSON EXPANDS IN OMAN WITH RADISSON HOTEL APARTMENTS MUSCAT GHALA HEIGHTS Radisson Hotel Group has signed Radisson Hotel Apartments Muscat Ghala Heights in Oman, bringing the group’s portfolio there to a total of eight hotels across five brands, namely: Radisson Collection; Radisson Blu; Park Inn by Radisson; and Radisson. Slated to open in Q4 2022, the property will have 280 serviced apartments, a lobby bar, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool and fitness facilities. In addition, the

property will house extensive conference facilities, aimed at business travelers.

Elie Younes, executive vice president and chief development officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: “The extended stay sector is increasingly becoming a mainstream business model rather than an alternative asset class. The Radisson Hotel Apartments Muscat Ghala Heights marks the arrival of the city’s second Radisson and will be our fifth hotel in Muscat.” radissonhotelgroup.com

HILTON TO INTRODUCE 50 NEW HOTELS TO KSA WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS Hilton plans to increase its portfolio in Saudi Arabia four-fold over the next five years by adding more than 50 hotels and 16,000 rooms. The multinational currently operates five of its pioneering brands in the Kingdom - Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn – and has

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

plans to debut the Canopy by Hilton brand and Embassy Suites by Hilton. Hilton signed nine new hotels in the Kingdom in 2019 and opened two new properties - DoubleTree by Hilton Makkah Jabal Omar and Hilton Garden Inn Al Jubail.

Carlos Khneisser, Hilton’s vice president, development Middle East and Africa, said:

“Saudi Arabia is an incredibly exciting and dynamic market. We are fully committed to supporting the Government’s approach to opening the country to tourism and its Vision 2030.” hilton.com

NEWS

HOTELS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

A SIXTH SENSE WITH A BLEU TOUCH Rana Nasr Dammous, design manager, BLEU Design Consultants in Lebanon, is not one to shy away from challenges.

Here, she explains that their new project is set to open in 2022.

Together with her talented partners Nathalie Frangi, Maria Aouad, and Mira Mukaddam - Rana is braving the current storms, while focusing on new projects. One of these is Six Senses La Sagesse, Grenada in the Caribbean, the latest by Range Developments, the company behind the celebrated Park Hyatt St Kitts and Cabrits Resort Kempinski Dominica.

1. What can you tell us about your latest project Six Senses La Sagesse?

Set in a Caribbean haven, Six Senses hotel's idyllic design with 100 guest rooms spread over 28 acres and an adjoining collection of six luxurious villas, allows visitors to reconnect with themselves and nature. It is designed in a fusional way with nature, the outdoor and interior spaces merging. As

guests wander off, they can enjoy crafting their own natural herbal remedies in a modern day version of an apothecary presented through an Alchemy Bar and Earth Lab. The hotel’s restaurants are faithful to both Six Senses and Grenada’s core values, adapted to each space’s characteristic. For example, the all-day dining experience is filled with communal tables whereas the sand bar is designed with the idea of keeping one's feet in the sand. In addition, a specialty high-end restaurant is tailored to guests seeking a fancier experience.

We have tried to weave Six Senses into the natural fabric of Grenada, treating it as part of the land and its nature rather than nature.

We were keen to avoid it being seen as an intruder. This is why we tackled the outdoor lighting very delicately. We used adaptive light controls to manage light timing, intensity- using the lowest intensity lighting possible for the task- and color. We lit only the object or area intended – kept lights close to the ground, directed and shielded to avoid light spill. Also, we used non-reflective,

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS STRENGTHENS REGIONAL HOTEL PORTFOLIO Wyndham Hotels & Resorts significantly expanded its international hotel footprint in 2019, ramping up its presence, in particular, across the Middle East and Africa.

Key openings included the launch of the Wyndham Garden in Muscat, while a second property – Ramada Encore by Wyndham Muscat Al Ghubra – is scheduled to open in March 2020. The international hotel and resort chain gave details of three new hotels in Dubai as part of the Deira Waterfront Development, which will also mark the launch of the Super 8 by Wyndham brand in the market. Dimitris Manikis, president and managing director, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) said: “We are incredibly proud of our

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strong growth across the region in 2019 and look forward to building on this momentum in 2020 and beyond.” wyndhamhotels.com

dark-colored surfaces. In addition, we used lights with reduced or filtered blue, violet and ultra-violet wavelengths.

2. Sustainability is an integral part of all your projects. Can you elaborate on that and how did you adapt your design to take account of COVID-19?

We tend to shy away from “green washing” and false “eco- friendly” branding. The "new normal" post COVID-19 centers on rethinking requirements and needs, from wholesome indoor environments, transitional and filtered entrances, to the need for green spaces, natural light, zero-maintenance buildings, touch-free interactions, and technology based sanitization, with enough distancing and friendly physical separations.

However, we need to make sure that the new normal is consistent and smooth enough to go unnoticed rather than seem over-designed. bleu.design.com Read the full article on hospitalitynewsmag.com

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP EXPANDS IN KSA AND WILL REDUCE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS Radisson Hotel Group has signed Radisson Riyadh Airport in KSA in partnership with Al Qussie International. Scheduled to open in Q4 2020, the property will comprise 471 keys and bring the group’s portfolio to over 45 hotels, resorts and serviced apartments in operation and under development.

The group is also launching a global rollout plan of plastic reduction, which includes introducing bulk amenity dispensers across all brands by the beginning of 2022 and replacing plastic straws and stirrers with ecofriendly alternatives in its hotels by 2021. radissonhotelgroup.com

NEWS

HOTELS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

OPENING SOON

NOW OPEN

KSA

KSA

IHG SIGNS TWO NEW HOTELS IN KINGDOM IHG has signed management agreements for two properties in KSA. Extending its reach in the Eastern Province, the group has inked a partnership deal with Salem Mohammed Al Qahtani for InterContinental Dammam. With the midscale segment in mind, it also signed an agreement for Holiday Inn Riyadh Al Malaz with Saleh Alsalamah and Partner Companies.

Opening 2024 ihg.com

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL TO LAUNCH JW MARRIOTT BRAND IN KSA Riyad REIT has signed a contract with Marriott International to operate its Burj Rafal Hotel in Riyadh. The hotel’s operations were expected to be handed over to Marriott in Q1 2020. Once renovated, the property, which forms part of a 64-story skyscraper, will be rebranded as a JW Marriott Hotel, marking the brand’s country debut. marriott.com

OMAN

UAE

ASCOTT CORNICHE AL KHOBAR Number of rooms: 172 the-ascott.com

UAE

AVANI IBN BATTUTA DUBAI Number of rooms: 360 avanihotels.com

RADISSON EXPANDS IN OMAN WITH RADISSON HOTEL APARTMENTS MUSCAT GHALA HEIGHTS The group has signed Radisson Hotel Apartments Muscat Ghala Heights in Oman.

The property, which includes 280 serviced apartments, will boost the group’s portfolio to eight hotels across five brands.

Opening Q4, 2022 radissonhotels.com

MERAAS PARTNERS WITH HILTON TO MANAGE THREE HOTELS AT AL SEEF Meraas has teamed up with Hilton to operate three hotels at Al Seef, located near the iconic Dubai Creek, under key Hilton brands. In line with the agreement, Hilton will operate: the Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Seef; Canopy

by Hilton Dubai Al Seef; and Al Seef Heritage Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection by Hilton. meraas.com

UAE

MILLENNIUM CENTRAL MAFRAQ Number of rooms: 242 millenniumhotels.com

FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DAILY NEWS FROM AROUND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GO TO HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM FIRST HOTEL INDIGO IN THE GCC DEBUTS IN DUBAI IHG has chosen Dubai as the location for its first Hotel Indigo, a boutique and lifestyle brand, in the Middle East. The regional flagship property will open its doors along the banks of the Dubai Creek, minutes away from Burj Khalifa.

Opening Summer 2020 ihg.com

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HospitalityNewsME HospitalityNewsME Hospitality_Mag HospitalityNewsME

RADISSON RED HOTEL DUBAI SILICON OASIS Number of rooms, suites and apartments: 171 radissonhotels.com

NEWS

HOTELS

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

IHG APPOINTS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR IHG has made Bastien Blanc its new managing director for KSA and Bahrain. In his role, Blanc will be tasked with driving both growth and performance for the chain in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Blanc previously led operations across IHG’s portfolio of hotels in the Middle East and Africa.

RITZ-CARLTON ABU DHABI, GRAND CANAL APPOINTS NEW GENERAL MANAGER Christian Hoehn has been appointed general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. Hoehn brings with him more than 23 years of experience in the industry, gained in key positions at leading luxury hotels, including general manager at the W Paris and director of operations at the Hilton Abu Dhabi.

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP NEW APPOINTMENTS Based in Dubai, Ramsay Rankoussi has been with the company for more than six years and now leads Radisson Hotel Group’s growth in Africa. Meanwhile, with the addition of Daniel Trappler as senior director, development for Sub-Sahara, the company is set to become increasingly relevant to owners. Trappler brings a unique set of skills to the investment community, as one of the few specialists in hotel transactions and capital markets, dedicated to Africa.

ALWADI HOTEL MGALLERY COLLECTION APPOINTS NEW GM Alwadi Hotel MGallery Collection, located in Msheireb Downtown Doha, appointed Hani Akkari as its general manager.

With a hotel career spanning Europe and the Middle East, Akkari comes to Alwadi Hotel with more than 15 years’ experience at some of the world’s most recognized luxury properties. Akkari started his career in 2007 gaining valuable experience, at Four Seasons Luxury Hotels and Resorts - followed by Hilton Arc De Triomphe – Paris, in a managerial role.

AJLAN BROS HOLDING BRINGS IN CHIEF HOSPITALITY OFFICER Ajlan Bros Holding have announced that Jad Shamseddin has joined the company as chief hospitality officer. Shamseddin brings 20 years of experience to his new position, 14 of which have been spent in leadership roles. He takes up his new post from Al Hokair Group, where he was the managing director for hotels division.

R HOTELS GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW CLUSTER GM R Hotels appointed Ravi Santiago as cluster general manager of Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Ajman, Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman, and Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche.

He brings in over 25 years of expertise spanning various industries with 15 years in the hospitality sector. Santiago has been with the R Hotels group since 2009. Previously, he was the group financial controller for the seven properties of R Hotels in the UAE.

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KEMPINSKI HOTELS APPOINTS NEW VP OPERATIONS, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA Wafik Youssef has been appointed vice president operations, Middle East & Africa, at Kempinski Hotels. A seasoned industry professional with 20 years’ experience acquired internationally, he previously held the post of regional director of operations, Middle East & Africa. Youssef has been with the luxury hotel group for a decade and takes over from predecessor Michael Sorgenfrey.

NEWS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

HN MEETS TALABAT’S CEO TOMASO RODRIGUEZ As the world is further leaning towards online food and grocery ordering, food delivery aggregators are increasingly investing in innovating in their platforms and services. HN spoke to Tomaso Rodriguez, CEO of Talabat, one of the largest online food ordering platforms in the Middle East, whose portfolio exceeds 4,000 restaurant partners, to highlight what’s going on in the industry and to learn more about their growth strategy.

How do you assess the growth of the delivery business in the region due to COVID-19?

Our focus during the pandemic has been to ensure that our team and the community stayed safe and healthy, as well as focusing on business continuity for Talabat as a company, for our riders and for our partners. There is a common misconception that food delivery boomed during lockdowns and curfews, and that Talabat exponentially benefitted from COVID-19. This simply wasn’t the case. While food delivery aggregators remained operational in some markets in the MENA, they took a hit. In other markets, where food delivery aggregators were unable to operate due to lockdowns, they took as much of a hit as other industries.We were fortunate that our sector was operational in most markets during the pandemic, but just

like most other sectors, orders decreased as there was an inherent change in consumer behavior, with our customers preferring home-cooked meals.

However, we can see orders picking up, as markets are opening up and people are settling into this ‘new normal’ and starting to get back to their office routines.

What are your biggest markets?

Talabat operates in eight markets throughout the MENA region, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan & Egypt. Our biggest markets are Kuwait, UAE, Egypt and Qatar. We definitely see Egypt as the market with the most potential.

Read the full article on hospitalitynewsmag.com

The one aspect that did exponentially grow was retail delivery, as consumers choose online shopping over store visits, either for their safety or by habit.

VENTURE GROUP MEA TO STRENGTHEN ITS PRESENCE IN THE KSA Saudi Al Diri’i Group has granted Lebanon-based Venture Group MEA the development and management rights of the iconic semi-island Belajio Jeddah.

Rabih Saba, managing partner of Venture Group MEA, said: “We will reconceptualize, re-design, build, lease and operate this Jeddah corniche landmark.

The entertainment hub will open mid2021 and will feature restaurants, cafes, kids’ playgrounds, family edutainment center, outdoor cinemas and lake-related entertainment.”

He stressed that the group was looking to bring both expertise and entertainment to the Saudi market in the sector, both in the immediate and longer term, saying: “Venture Group MEA will be

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developing a solid pipeline of projects across the Kingdom. Our presence will be established in that key market as a main company offering a broad plethora of consulting and executive services to projects.”

Marwan Ayoub, managing partner of

Venture Group MEA, agreed, adding: “This project will be a part of many more to come, since we established Venture KSA this year in order to expand our operations in Saudi Arabia.” venturemea.com

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

60 SECONDS WITH CHEF ALAN GEAAM, OF QASTI How many diners can you host?

The bistro is a small, but friendly place that can accomodate 30 guests.

How did you set about choosing the décor?

The look is inspired by my take on Lebanon: a place full of colors, light and sun. The murals are the work of the artist Linnéa Anderson, with the color blue a dominant feature.

Are you targeting a specific clientele?

Alan Geaam

What sets Qasti apart from your other restaurant?

Qasti is my story. It’s about me coming back to my roots and is loaded with my childhood memories. What makes it different from everything I've done in my other restaurant is that it is dedicated exclusively to Lebanese cuisine, without any French touches or influence.

With its focus on Lebanese specialties, Qasti, Alan Geaam’s new bistro, is already causing something of a stir in rue Saint Martin, Paris. HN caught up with the internationally acclaimed chef to find out more.

What are Qasti’s specialty dishes?

Qasti is brimming with different Lebanese dishes. You’ll find specialties like an assortment of mezzes, alongside a traditional sayadieh or vegetable shawarma.

„ I ONLY ACCEPT

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE !

My focus is on the guest. I do everything for that, and I expect maximum performance from my equipment. The MKN FlexiCombi won‘t let me down. Its performance inspires me every time anew. And so I inspire my guests.

MKN FlexiCombi Performance redefined.

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No - everyone is welcome here. The main idea behind Lebanese cuisine is that it can be enjoyed together and building on that, we’ve set out to create an atmosphere of happiness, full of shared experiences. If you already love Lebanese cuisine, we’d be delighted to show you how we’ve created it in our own way and let the familiar taste of our dishes take you on a nostalgic journey.

However, if you don't know much about the food, it will be our pleasure to help you discover new tastes and flavors.

Why do you think Lebanese cuisine continues to hold its own in the City of Lights?

I think it’s mostly because people are curious and enjoy discovering new things, including food. Even if they’re already familiar with the cuisine, they’re keen to try a new approach. qasti.fr

NEWS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

NEW OPENINGS EGYPT

UAE

BULLONA CAIRO

SUPER SNACK EL KBEER

KAHWET BEIRUT

Opened January 18, 2020 Owner TMG Head chef Cristian Lisci Covers 123 Average price/person USD 70 Typical dishes Mediterranean seafood Address Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza facebook.com/BullonaCairo

Opening Q4 2020 Owner Seven Management SAL & Food Quest Total investment USD 500,000/four outlets Head chef Mohammed Saleh Average price/person USD 10 Typical dishes Philly steak, burgers Address Four locations in UAE 7management.me

Opening Q4 2020 Owner Seven Management SAL & Food Quest Head chef Georges Khoury Average price/person USD 20 Typical dishes Fattoush, tabbouleh, moutabal, grilled meat, taouk and kebab Address Four locations in UAE 7management.me

UAE

KSA

SWISS BUTTER

TOKYO TOKYO CENTRAL

PATCHI

Opened March 3, 2020 Owner Edmond Massaad Corporate Chef Bernard Massaad Covers restaurant 98, bar 64 Average price/person USD 21 Typical dishes beef filet, chicken breast, salmon fillet, Swiss Butter sauce Address Novotel Hotel, Al Barsha, Dubai facebook.com/ButterSwiss

Opened December 2019 Owner Al Ghurair Properties Total Investment USD 300,000 Head Chef Marvin Average price/person USD 22 Typical dishes chicken teriyaki, beef sukiyaki, prawn tempura and Korean and Thai options Address Inside Ramada by Wyndham, Deira facebook.com/TokyoTokyoCentralOfiicial

Opened February 9, 2020 Owner Patchi Covers 80 Average price USD 18-22 Typical dishes cabosse, dark chocolate and caramel ice cream, hot chocolate Address The Zone, Al Takhassusi Street, Riyadh patchi.com

YOUR GO-TO SOURCE FOR THE LATEST NEWS, FORECASTS & INDUSTRY TRENDS 20

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

hospitalitynewsmag.com

SUPPLIERS

NEWS

CONNECTING FOR A MOOD CHANGE WITH GUY MARKARIAN It is no surprise that Guy Markarian, founder and managing director of MG Hotel Supplies has excelled in business, given that he descends from a family who made their mark in the stainless steel manufacturing industry from the 1950s onwards. HN sat with Markarian to discover more about the trailblazing initiatives he is implementing against a challenging backdrop.

1. You’ve reacted very quickly to COVID-19 by creating the #ConnectForAmoodChange initiative.

Can you tell us more about it?

After the government’s decision to close down hotels and restaurants due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were very keen on informing our hospitality sector customers that we are all in this together. I realized that morale was low and that chefs, business owners and bartenders, were feeling out of place, away from their businesses and clientele.

In an attempt to remedy the situation, we came up with the #ConnectForAmoodChange initiative, a series of Instagram live cooking sessions highlighting our friends in the field. On one hand, we thought it would boost their mood and on the other hand, it would offer their clients the chance to reconnect with them while learning something new.

Progressively, the live videos started

trending. One great thing about them was the interaction between the host and the viewers. The fact that they would ask questions, send jokes and chat with each other, created a joyful environment and successfully lifted everyone’s mood, which validated our initial hypothesis.

This prompted us to make further efforts in this direction. We started calling hospitality professionals, and asked them to pick the topics they would like to highlight or wish to be involved in, as long as they were hospitality-related. The impact was magical, and we could never have anticipated the fun-loaded result. Chefs turned into bartenders, winemakers became domain guides, and restaurant owners revealed their chef talents. Everyone enjoyed a role-play which was exciting, funny and broke the ice.

Guy Markarian

2. In collaboration with the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Lebanon, you’ve distributed hundreds of food boxes to support families during COVID-19. We would love to hear more about it...

us photos to post on our social networks.

Following our hosts’ example, followers started sending us photos of their own cooked dishes, cocktails, and even food deliveries. To encourage our followers to rival the masterpieces of professionals and send us more photos and videos, we decided to offer them a spot on our page, which is usually reserved for hospitality professionals. We decided to donate LBP10,000 every time a person tagged us in a picture of their cooked meal. Donations were used to finance AGBU boxes that include food items to feed families for a month. One hundred families benefited from this initiative. mghotelsupplies.com

After each Instagram live session, our hospitality professional hosts would send

Read the full article on hospitalitynewsmag.com

Our Instagram Live sessions featured: chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, winemakers, media personalities, photographers, interior architects, agritourism enthusiasts and celebrities, among others.

TOMADO’S 'LEGACY OF STEEL' GOES ONLINE

EMF LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE STORE EMF BOUTIK FROM THE UAE EMF Middle East and EMF Emirates launched their new online store for the UAE, EMF Boutik.

EMF, a family owned and operated company which started in 1976, is a leading supplier of chocolate and cocoa products, pastry & bakery ingredients, accessories and machinery across the Middle East and Gulf countries.

Maher Abou Khalil

Tomado, the renowned industrial kitchen specialist, is going online with the launching of its latest e-commerce website tomadostore.com With over 50 years’ experience in supplying the hospitality sector as well as supermarkets, bakeries and hospitals with industrial kitchen equipment, Tomado’s latest move aims to provide a smarter way to do business.

Maher Abou Khalil, Tomado’s managing director, is a believer in excellence through manufacturing and selling high-end international products. The company has built its “legacy of steel” through planning,

designing and implementing all aspects of its clients’ HORECA business, and now, it is heading towards becoming a point of reference for food service high-quality online shopping.

Tomadostore offers a wide selection of discounted cooking equipment for all types of foodservice. From ovens to refrigerators and more, the online store has everything a business needs to function efficiently and keep customers satisfied.

Tomadostore ensures fast shipping times, low prices and superior customer support. tomadostore.com

EMF Boutik is the new destination for sourced ingredients. Over 40 years of expertise have culminated in the launch of this interactive online store, specially designed to serve foodies, pastry enthusiasts, and home bakers.

It aims through this novel platform to deliver a variety of world-renowned brands, from its origin to your kitchen, while guaranteeing consistency, freshness and authenticity for all our products.

This portal will also enable chefs to share their creations and know-how, and will support and guide the home bakers step by step in their journey through the art of confectionery, pastry, and baking. emfboutik.com

AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

21

NEWS

CHEFS

MEET

SAMIA JAAD Following a gripping fourthseries finale and in a fantastic feat for the Kingdom, Samia Jaad fought off competition from 15 other culinary talents to clinch the coveted top spot on MBC’s popular show, becoming the first female Saudi contender to do so.

Still in celebratory mood, Jaad told HN how she coped with the pressure of cooking for the three judges and her plans to take Saudi cuisine to the world How would you describe the Top Chef experience?

My Top Chef journey was challenging and difficult, but also gave me an opportunity to learn and discover plenty of new things. It was definitely one of the most important learning experiences I’ve gone through. Taking part is a great way for any chef or talent from the region to gain international recognition since the program is a reference in the industry.

When did you first discover your love for cooking?

Cooking has long been a real passion of mine; I can remember experimenting in the kitchen as a girl aged just nine, although I only made the move into professional cooking two years ago. I decided to take around 15 short courses to improve my knowledge, which provided me with valuable experience.

I also worked on menus for restaurants and created special dishes for them.

My techniques were simple, yet still challenging to implement.

How did you deal with the pressure that Top Chef puts on participants?

I’m a great believer in focusing on myself and my own achievements, so I worked on identifying and utilizing my personal strengths, while also trying to improve my weaknesses. This approach proved to be invaluable on the show; it helped me to overcome the challenges I faced and put the competitive nature of the tasks to

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

one side, enabling me to focus on what I could perfect. That said, being away from my kids for a long time was very hard and definitely the most difficult aspect of the show to deal with.

What was the most useful advice that the judges gave you?

I’ll always remember Chef Bobby repeating: “Keep it simple and silly.”

I think these are excellent words of wisdom! Chef Maroun used to say: “There’s nothing impossible except what we make impossible.” The best advice I heard from Chef Mona was: “Be yourself and reflect your personality in your dish.”

What laugh-out-loud memory have you taken away from Top Chef?

Definitely the fifth episode, when I had to deal with animals. To be honest, I’m extremely afraid of animals and this was the first time I had to get close to them! I’ll never forget it!

What do you think your win means for other Saudi women?

I see my success as confirmation that Saudi women are capable of competing against the best, whatever field they’re in, and taking top spot on merit. This is one of the objectives of Vision 2030; to show that Saudi women can excel across the board.

What’s in the pipeline now you’ve taken the Top Chef Middle East 2020 title?

I’m keen to invest in the food industry and share Arabic cuisine’s tastes and flavors with the wider world. My plans include opening a restaurant that reflects my philosophy about food. I’d launch it in Saudi Arabia as a tribute to my country, but in the future, I’d love to also embark on a project abroad, either opening a branch or trying out a new concept in another location.

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BUSINESS

INTERVIEW

EXCLUSIVE

PUTTING SAFETY FIRST

Since opening its first hotel in 1993, the Rotana brand has gone from strength to strength, successfully building up a portfolio of more than 100 hotels in 27 cities. With the world now facing an unprecedented challenge, Guy Hutchinson, president and CEO of Rotana, talks to HN about the brand’s immediate priorities and longer-term vision

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

How important is a hotel chain’s legacy and brand equity in the current climate of the coronavirus?

with the Kingdom emerging as one of the company’s key source markets for business in 2019.

Over the past three decades, the global hospitality sector has weathered many storms. Socio-economic shifts have generated periods of instability, particularly in the Middle East, but they have also led to sustained and robust growth. During this period, Rotana has evolved into a leading hotel brand, expanding from a single property in Abu Dhabi in 1993 to a current portfolio of more than 100 hotels in 27 cities across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Turkey and Africa. Our growth story is one of success, but also determination and commitment during uncertainty and economic turbulence. In 2020, we face a new period of extreme uncertainty with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic impacting economies globally. There is no doubt that it poses considerable challenges for the hospitality sector. However, the industry has already taken proactive steps to halt the spread of the virus and Rotana was quick to implement a stringent health and safety policy, with strict practices and procedures in place designed to protect our guests, staff and partners at all times. These are unprecedented circumstances we are facing, but the safety and wellbeing of our guests is always our utmost priority and we are doing everything we can to protect them and our colleagues at this very difficult time.

I sincerely hope the whole world emerges from this safely and stronger than ever.

How does Rotana leverage its advantages as a homegrown name over international brands?

What can you tell us about Rotana's sustainable development strategy?

Pursuing our strategy to open a Rotana hotel in every major city across the region, we have developed a robust portfolio of properties under five distinct brands. This diversified product offering has enabled us to stay resilient when faced with challenging market conditions and to forge ahead with our growth journey. Controlled expansion is the cornerstone of our sustainable development strategy and we continue to strengthen our footprint in markets where we already operate and to explore opportunities in new destinations where we believe there is demand for our signature hospitality. Similarly, Rotana’s commercial endeavors in new and traditional source markets have been instrumental to achieving sustained growth. For instance, our continued efforts to promote Rotana hotels in Saudi Arabia has paid dividends,

When the doors to the first Rotana property opened nearly 30 years ago, the regional hospitality sector had until that point been dominated by international brands cementing their market presence. Despite this competitive landscape, Rotana steadily built up its indisputable presence by leveraging its biggest strength – its unique position as a homegrown hotel brand conversant with local market dynamics.

Building on our deep understanding of local

Our diversified product offering has enabled us to stay resilient when faced with challenging market conditions cultures and communities, and leveraging the international experience and expertise of our colleagues, we developed hotels that offered the genuine warmth of Arabian hospitality, coupled with exceptional levels of quality and comfort to deliver unique and memorable experiences to our guests. This unique blend remains the key ingredient driving our ongoing success.

Having established a presence in Morocco, what markets are you now eyeing?

Africa remains a focal point of Rotana’s expansion strategy, bolstered by our recent landmark signing of the management agreement to operate the iconic Palmeraie Rotana Resort in Morocco’s major economic center, Marrakech, as well as the opening of Johari Rotana in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Excited by the opportunities this fastgrowing continent presents, we have also signed management agreements for several hotels currently under development. In our home market, Saudi Arabia is fast emerging as a destination where every hotel brand wants to consolidate its presence. We have already established a strong portfolio with six hotels operating in several cities countrywide and in March, we took over the management of DAMAC Towers Arjaan by Rotana in Riyadh. Our upcoming properties will also address the supply gaps in key markets such as Medina and the Eastern Province.

Which brands are you looking to further expand this year?

When it becomes operational in April, DAMAC Towers Arjaan by Rotana in Riyadh will mark the debut of the Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana brand in Saudi Arabia. Offering a home-away-from-home experience with fully furnished and serviced hotel apartments and 24-hour room service, Arjaan properties provide elegant city living for long-stay residents and families. Our Centro brand, which is popular with the younger generation and business travelers, will launch in Jordan in the second quarter of 2020. Centro Mada, Amman will introduce a new affordable accommodation experience to the market, appealing to the budgetconscious.

What are your expectations for Expo 2020 and afterward, even if it got postponed till next year due to the global situation?

Despite being postponed to next year, Expo 2020 Dubai will provide an inspiring platform for innovation and cultural exchange, attracting visitors from all over the world and delivering significant economic benefits to the city and the nation. It will benefit the tourism and hospitality industries hugely and given the current circumstances impacting international travel, it is very important for us to remain positive and look forward to game-changing events such as this. I am confident that Expo 2020, along with other major business and cultural events and tourism and infrastructure developments across the Middle East – all part of the ambitious economic diversification efforts of regional economies - will play a major role in stimulating the sector’s expansion as we emerge from this time of uncertainty.

What do you expect Rotana's portfolio to look like in five years’ time?

We foresee a very exciting future for the company and the hospitality sector. As part of our long-term development strategy, we seek to further expand our presence in the UAE, wider region and beyond. Some 68 Rotana properties are currently under development across 27 cities in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkey.

Although we have come very far since 1993, when we debuted in Abu Dhabi, the scale of our ambition means we still have a long way to go and we are very much looking forward to the next stage of our exciting journey. rotana.com

AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

25

BUSINESS

MARKET UPDATE

QATAR TURNS A CORNER feet and record a surplus of 5.3 percent of GDP, according to the IMF.

After a challenging few years, the outlook finally appears to be brighter for this strategically significant peninsular Arab country. Nada Alameddine, partner at Hodema consulting services, fills in the blanks Qatar’s broader economic performance and, specifically, its housing market, which had been triggering deflation since September 2018, are likely to improve in the coming months, according to a recent report by credit insurer Euler Hermes. The currency peg (QR 3.64 to the dollar) should also hold and support price stability, thanks to the Central Bank’s foreign exchange reserves. GDP growth stood at 2.1 percent in 2018, having slipped in the intervening years since reaching 4.9 percent in 2014.

The year 2019 should show a slight improvement.

Low oil and gas prices hit the economy hard from 2014 onward, creating a deficit in the fiscal account until 2018. However, the situation improved when the price per barrel returned to USD 72, which enabled the country to get back on its

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

Oil prices have now bounced back to an average of USD 64, putting Qatar on course to clear a surplus as long as they remain stable.

However, not all indicators are flashing green; the public debt rose to reach 50 percent of GDP in 2019, up from 25 percent in 2014. The external debt also

Qatar’s economic situation improved when the price per barrel returned to USD 72, according to the IMF increased, hitting 60 percent, although repayments haven’t yet caused any problems. Indeed, the strong financial resources held by the Central Bank’s FX and the Qatar Investment Authority continue to represent more than 150 percent of GDP, according to Euler Hermes, indicating that an albeit fragile recovery is on the cards.

Betting big on tourism Good news comes in the form of the latest tourism figures. Qatar witnessed a boom in visitor numbers last year, according to the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), with arrivals reaching 2.1 million, up from 1.8 million in 2018. The

double-digit growth of 17 percent draws a line under a difficult 2017-2018, when visitor numbers fell by 19 percent due to the blockade implemented by some other GCC member states. A visa-free entry policy was implemented in August 2017, which allowed entry to citizens of 80 countries. As it gained momentum, Qatar’s profile was also raised on the international stage when it hosted the 2019 World Athletics Championship.

Admittedly, the event was criticized for poor attendance, but with attention now firmly focused on the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar looks set to remain in the spotlight.

In the nearer term, Shop Qatar 2020 is causing a buzz, with the QNTC having taken steps to attract plenty of visitors for the event. The initiative involves collaboration with the airport authorities, who will fast-track visa applications within 24 hours for anyone identifying Shop Qatar as the reason for their visit, according to the head of the QNTC Akbar al-Baker. However, a new threat, in the form of the coronavirus, could halt or delay his ambitious plans; the Grand Prix’s MotoGP race, planned for March 8, has already been canceled due to the growing risks associated with the condition.

Much like other GCC nations, the country

In collaboration with

has created a diversification plan for its oil-oriented economy, titled Qatar National Vision 2030. Implementation is now gaining pace and, since 2018 and the endorsement of Law no. 20 relating to tourism regulation and no. 21 on organizing business events, all eyes are firmly on tourism and the hospitality sector. The construction of hotels, restaurants, malls and entertainment venues is in full swing, with an increase in room supply, which was up by 4 percent in Q3 2019, year-on-year (y-o-y), according to the QNTC. With demand up by 21 percent, occupancy correspondingly rose by 8 percent in the first three quarters of 2019 to reach 63 percent, while revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose 3 percent at the end of Q3 2019. The average length of stay (ALOS) fell by 3 percent to 3.47 nights per trip in the hotel segment and 6.72 nights per trip in the furnished-serviced apartment segment, dragged down by a sharp decline of 45 percent in the latter.

In the final quarter of 2019, the total number of rooms available in Qatar stood at 26,778 across 128 properties, with many more currently under completion.

A busy year ahead Figures for the final months of 2019 are expected to show further progress, since hundreds of turnaround cruise passengers were scheduled to visit the

country, while various events, such as Hospitality Qatar, Cityscape and INDEX Qatar, attracted sizeable crowds. Other major happenings which took place at the end of the year included the ANOC World Beach Games, the GCC Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Overall, these and other initiatives produced a highly satisfying year-end for hotel operators; Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, W Doha and the

The industry is unsurprisingly proving to be a magnet for investors Ritz-Carlton Doha are among those who witnessed a surge in occupancy during the competitions. Screening set-ups and specific food and beverage menus were created for the events. The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019 ranked Qatar top in the Middle East and eighth globally in Business Environment. The focus is now shifting to the labor market, given that thousands of new jobs are set to become available in hospitality, retail, F&B and transportation. To help the industry achieve its goals, several training programs have been put in place, such as the tour guide program and the UNWTO/ IE University Online Tourism Academy.

Upcoming projects Against this backdrop, the industry is unsurprisingly proving to be a magnet for investors. One eagerly awaited project is the Qetaifan Island North, located off Lusail City. The complex will span approximately 1.3 million square meters, with 129,296 square meters dedicated to a waterpark featuring 21 rides. The park will feature the Icon Tower, with a 26-meter-tall rotating waterslide. The area includes waterfronts, seven beaches, luxurious hotels with a total of 1,616 hotel rooms, an 8,000 m2 traditional market, a school, luxurious private villas and apartments. An artificial salt canal linked to the sea will run through the Linear Park. Qetaifan Projects Company, a subsidiary of Katara Hospitality, is overseeing the development of the project. Some mixed-use and residential plots are already on sale, while the freehold law allows for non-Qataris to buy them. The government is betting big on the project, which is expected to become Qatar’s main leisure spot and provide accommodation for visitors within the fan villages during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Ten new development projects for roads and infrastructure are also planned for the coming months, with building companies and realtors expecting major gains this year. hodema.net AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

27

BUSINESS

TOURISM

SAUDI ARABIA VISION 2030'S ROLE IN TOURISM SUCCESS

taken, the Kingdom is still busy preparing for a new era as a highly attractive destination for global tourism.

KSA has moved to market itself as a global tourism destination with speed and ambition.

Philip Wooller, area director, Middle East & Africa at STR, and speaker at the recent Saudi Arabia Hospitality Investment Conference in Riyadh, tracks the Kingdom’s achievements to date and plans for the future in an operating climate now facing unprecedented challenges The world is currently dealing with the biggest challenge of our times and nowhere has this been felt more acutely than in travel and tourism. As we consider the current situation, however, it is also important to reflect on the significant changes that Saudi Arabia is implementing and remember that despite the drastic but necessary measures

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

The KSA, the region’s largest outbound tourism market, has sharpened its focus on further developing the country’s tourism offerings of late. The recent boom in its tourism sector comes as a result of Saudi Vision 2030, a strategic masterplan encompassing a wide range of social and economic reforms across a multitude of sectors, aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on oil and diversifying into more sustainable sources. A number of ambitious megaprojects have taken shape since that launch, led by NEOM, the USD 500 billion megacity of the future, the Red Sea Project on the Western Coast, the entertainment megaproject to be rolled out in Riyadh named Qiddiya and a new cultural tourism destination called The Diriyah Gate.

To support its drive, in 2019, the Kingdom relaxed its entry visa rules, enabling citizens from 49 countries to apply for a visa on arrival or make an online e-visa application.

Since 2016, when Vision 2030 was first announced, the Kingdom’s hotel industry

has witnessed renewed interest, with a number of international and regional brands taking steps to expand their operations. Looking ahead to 2025, AM:PM, STR’s digital hotel supply and pipeline monitoring tool, expects 79,864 rooms to be added across the country to the existing inventory. The majority (34,270) will be located in the Holy City of Makkah, which attracts millions of pilgrims every year, primarily for Hajj and Umrah.

Riyadh and Jeddah look set to increase volumes by 11,632 and 14,525 respectively over the same five-year period. The three brands with the highest number of rooms in the pipeline are Voco (4,881), Hilton Garden Inn (3,988) and Millennium (3,906).

Hotel performance has fluctuated in Saudi Arabia, with hoteliers doing their best to navigate changing market conditions, regional instability, shifts in oil prices, differing levels of government spending and new visa regulations. Hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) for the country dropped 10 percent in both 2016 and 2017, after declines in oil prices prompted a widespread fiscal shock to the

In collaboration with

oil-dependent GCC member states. The rate of decline in RevPAR has since slowed considerably to -5.1 in 2018 and -2.5 in 2019, primarily because of decreases in average daily rates (ADRs), with occupancy rebounding 5.4 percent in 2019. Riyadh hotels enjoyed a bumper year in 2019, with RevPAR growth of 5.2 percent due to a 9.2 percent increase in occupancy and 3.6 percent decline in ADR year-on-year.

On top of the steady flow of business travelers visiting the country’s capital city and primary business hub last year, demand was further boosted by a number of high-profile events. These included the Future Investment Initiative in October, the Formula E Grand Prix in November and the boxing rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz in December. Other successful events running in parallel as part of the Riyadh Season Festival, which opened in October, brought additional benefits. Fourth-quarter RevPAR in Riyadh reached 529.33 SAR (USD 141.15), the highest since 2014. With more events in 2020, such as the Rally Dakar, held in January, and the G20 summit scheduled for November, Riyadh is expected to continue its successful run.

Meanwhile, all eyes are peeled on the progress of recent reforms, and anticipation is high for the completion of the first phases of the mega projects that are underway—all deemed essential for Saudi Arabia to fulfil its great potential and huge promise to its citizens and the rest of the world.

Saudi Arabia Top 10 Brands Pipeline - Jan 2020

Since Vision 2030 was first announced, the hotel industry has witnessed renewed interest, with a number of brands taking steps to expand their operations

Hotel demand flourishing in KSA 2019

Supply %

Demand %

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 Riyadh

Al Khobar

Doha

Makkah

Muscat

Manama

Jeddah

Abu Dhabi

Dubai

Amman

Medina

Beirut

© 2020 STR. ALL Rights Reserved.

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29

BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY

MAINTAINING YOUR REPUTATION

How you’re perceived is everything in the world of business. The digital era has made managing an organization’s reputation an even greater challenge, from the speed at which it needs to respond to comments to the sheer volume of feedback received. Serge Chamelian, managing partner of h-hotelier, looks at how best to address this modern phenomenon

How you’re perceived is everything in the world of business. The digital era has made managing an organization’s reputation an even greater challenge, from the speed at which it needs to respond to comments to the sheer volume of feedback received.

Most importantly, reputations, online or offline, can be cultivated, and paying attention to creating a ‘good’ reputation may help your organization to weather difficult times.

Over half of today’s travelers will not complete their booking until they have first consulted user reviews, with the majority reading between six and 12 before forming their opinion of a property. A recent Harvard Business Review study demonstrates that a difference of just one ‘star’ in the average rating leads to a difference of between 5 and 9 percent in revenues.

Pages featuring user reviews tend to be ranked highly in search engine results and have better prominence amongst customers searching for a solution to their travel needs.

Booking.com has now become the dominant player in the hospitality review space, hosting 39 percent of all reviews worldwide. Indeed, because

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

of consolidation in the online travel agencies (OTAs) space, the Priceline Group, which owns Booking.com, Agoda and OpenTable, now hosts 43 percent of all online hospitality reviews, while Expedia Inc., with Expedia.com, Hotels. com, Orbitz, Travelocity and Wotif, only controls about 10 percent. TripAdvisor. com remains highly influential, with 600 million unique visitors per month searching for hotel, travel and leisure solutions. Google grew its review volume as the world’s third-largest purveyor of hotel reviews.

In fact, there is a high correlation between listings with large quantities of review data and the travel page’s subsequent positioning on search engine result pages. This is particularly true in Local Search (where results are shown on maps), which is becoming a critical part of search engine marketing, since more customers prefer to use their mobile devices as their primary way of searching for information.

Online review management Online reviews have evolved into a make or break issue for hotels. How you are represented on major review sites casts a strong reflection on how you operate your business. While this cannot be controlled, it can be managed. A well-

In collaboration with curated page, with timely, thoughtful and well-crafted management responses to reviews, helps reassure potential customers that you care. However, as hard as you try, it is impossible to keep everyone happy all of the time.

Unfortunately, social media has become the go-to destination for disgruntled customers. Whether it is a disgruntled guest, a former employee or an anonymous troll, a hostile person can today broadcast negative content to large volumes of people with just a few clicks. Everyone is a critic, and in this online show-and-tell world, everyone can communicate their opinion, no matter how misguided, with a high degree of credibility, to an incredibly broad audience. In the past, we used to say that a satisfied guest tells a single person, while a dissatisfied one tells 10. Now, thanks to the power of social media, both of these figures can quickly grow from small numbers into hundreds or thousands – sometimes even

A good reputation can enhance the competitiveness of a hotel, which needs to manage its reputation and shapes how it is viewed in the international arena entire online communities – in a heartbeat.

Thus, reputation is not static and organizations’ reputations can change, depending on their behavior and responses. This is happening faster than ever in the digital age, due to increased access to information and the speed with which people can now respond. Just as your internal reputation with employees will affect how you are perceived by the media and your customers, your online reputation directly affects how people view your organization overall. There is no separation between offline reputation and online reputation.

The organization’s reputation and customers’ expectations need to be managed, especially when operational issues are highlighted in reviews. Hence, they need to be investigated rapidly, with: • Solutions implemented to prevent the same problem from subsequently reoccurring

Global review distribution The vast majority of reviews currently available online are on online travel agent websites.

Booking.com

29.5%

Google

19.9%

TripAdvisor

16.5%

Facebook

8.3% Top 4=74% of review volume

Hotels.com

4.8%

Ctrip

4.0%

IHG Expedia Agoda

3.4% 2.7% 1.3%

Other

9.7%

Source: Revinate Global Hotel Reputation Benchmark Report 2018

Reputation management process Sales & Marketing Material, Website Social Media

Claim Your Space Online Review Sites OTAs, Social Media

Drive Reviews To promote freshness and volume

Monitor Ratings & Reviews

• A good management response promptly composed and posted to reassure anyone reading the review in question that they will not face a similar issue.

• Afterwards, the problem itself needs to be actually addressed, whether by changing processes or making investments, so as to ensure that the same problem does not occur again. h-hotelier.com

Respond Promptly & Professionally

Gather Intelligence Internal & Comparative Insights

AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

EYE ON

GREECE

A LESSON IN MASTERING TOURISM With its beautiful beaches, historical architecture, fresh seafood and awesome nightlife, none of us should be surprised to hear that Greece has been voted Travel Insider’s number one travel destination for 2020. However, behind the scenes and the people who work hard to sustain tourism growth is a solid backbone of support which continues to play a key part in Greece’s enduring tourism success.

Today, Greece is moving away from the

Recognized as one of the sun-sea-and-sand model and, instead, promoting itself as an all-year-round world’s leaders in tourism, touristic destination by applying a digital Greece certainly isn’t resting transformation. In 2020, through a on its laurels and continues to partnership with the UNWTO, Greece is raise the bar higher still for its aiming to improve its tourism sector by competitors. Ralph Nader, CEO making sustainable tourism growth its priority. of Amber Consulting, breaks down this impressive market Untapped potential Concentrated in five: Greece’s arrivals, overnight stays and tourism revenue were distributed largely across five of the country’s regions. The South Aegean Region, which includes popular destinations such as Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes; Crete; Central Macedonia; Attica; and the Ionian Islands welcomed 77 percent of Greece’s arrivals, accounted for 84 percent of the country’s overnight stays and brought in 88 percent of tourism revenue (travel receipts). In light of these figures, the government is looking to focus

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on developing the country’s lesser-known destinations.

Seasonality spikes: data shows that overnight stays in Greece from June to September 2019 accounted for 71 percent of the entire year’s total. In another sign of the challenges stemming from seasonality that the tourism industry faces, the average hotel occupancy for May over the last two years stood at around 58 percent, while in August, it rose to 86 percent.

A 10-year, seven-pillar plan: armed with a strong strategic tourism plan, the Greek authority is committed to creating: “A sustainable development, diversification of the tourism product, season expansion, the emergence of new destinations, the enhancement of the value added product, which will lead to salary raises for the sector’s workforce; and strengthening the country’s image in international markets.”

Greece’s strategic tourism plan for the 10year period from 2021 to 2030 is based on seven pillars: • Adequate access to attract more tourism flows in the coming years • Evaluating and improving private infrastructure and its sustainable management and development • Evaluating and managing the guest experience and improving public infrastructure

In collaboration with

• The improvement of tourism education and training • Product development and promotion • Launching collaborations with tourism stakeholders • Dealing with gaps in tourism legislation Quantitative goals: Greece is targeting double-digit tourism revenue growth of 10 percent this year, along with 5 percent increase in arrivals, a 5 percent rise in overnight stays, a 4.5 percent increase in the average spending of each tourist and a 3 percent increase in beds in 4 and 5-star hotels.

Higher profile: shoring up the plan, Greece’s euro 8 million tourism campaign for 2020 was launched in January by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO). Much of the campaign (70 percent) will be focused on using social media and digital tools, largely targeting Europe, the US and Canada.

Titled ‘Greece – Always in Season’, the campaign dovetails with the national strategy to attract tourists to the country all year round and promote its identity and competitive advantages. The goals of the GNTO will also include creating a network of Greek tourism ambassadors, in collaboration with tour operators, who will highlight both the region’s local features and help revamp Greece’s image at international tourism exhibitions.

In addition, the country is set to be given a greater media profile, with plans for it to be featured in Euronews, BBC, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.

Advertising will also be done via Google, Tripadvisor and Twitter, with Greece to be promoted through Mastercard in a bid to attract higher-profile visitors.

Addressing the challenges Like its neighbors, Greece faces two main challenges when looking to boost tourism: the refugee crisis and the coronavirus

Today, Greece is moving away from the sun-sea-and-sand model and, instead, promoting itself as an allyear-round touristic destination by applying a digital transformation (Covid 19), according to a report released by Alpha Bank. However, luckily, its strong brand name and the seasonal tourist flows are likely to maintain the sector in 2020. Moreover, since 85 percent of tourist arrivals visiting Greece are recorded in the May-to-October period, analysts expect this seasonal pattern, as well as the strengthening of the US dollar against the euro to, mitigate the effects of both the virus and the refugee flows. On another positive note,

Greece’s high summer temperatures are expected to put a brake on the further spread of the coronavirus.

Invest and innovate Hotel renovation: Greek hotels have invested heavily in renovating their properties. Between 2017 and 2019, they channeled almost 3 billion euros into renovations alone, recording annual investments of around 1 billion euros in the sector .

New airport: construction work has started to develop the new Kasteli airport on Crete, which will replace the island’s main airport in Heraklion.

Cruise tourism: MSC Cruises will launch a new East Mediterranean route in May 2021, with Piraeus serving as the home port. The move paves the way for a 15 percent increase in Greek cruise tourism and makes the cruise offering one of the industry’s fastest-growing segments. In line with these plans, the Piraeus Port Authority has awarded a euro 136 million contract to Greek construction company TEKAL to expand the cruise terminal facilities at the port.

Santorini, Go Green: the ministry has launched a new campaign named ‘Plasticfree Santorini’ which encourages the entire country to reduce the use of plastic. amber-consulting.com AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

MANAGEMENT

A SNEAK PEEK AT THE MICE EVENT PLANNER’S WISHLIST

With competition heating up amongst venue providers in the MICE segment, providers are having to become more creative and accommodating than ever before. Chirine Salha, looks at what’s on the ever-growing ‘must-have’ list of today’s planners

Hotels are among the most popular choices when it comes to choosing a venue for a meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibition (MICE) event. However, with competition fierce and a wide range of other options available, providers need to be going the extra mile to secure business.

Think industrial lofts, farms, museums, open wilderness and more.

To make your hotel more attractive to planners, it’s imperative to understand that hotels need to position themselves as active partners rather than passive hosts.

Venue selection and facilities checklist For planners, the venue decision is the first hurdle that must be crossed in ensuring success for the overall performance of the event. Selecting the appropriate destination is no easy task and involves many considerations, including:

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• Dedicated conference space and break out sessions’ rooms • Ease of hotel/destination accessibility by air and land • Choice of restaurants and catering • Variety of cultural sites and nightlife nearby • Number of guest rooms and accommodation within the same room category • Availability of parking • Transportation from and to satellite venues • Hotel brand name and destination image • Reputation for hosting successful events • Safety and security, as well as privacy • Increased need for cyber-security, especially since the introduction of GDPR • Technical support services and IT • Hotel policies, such as booking and cancellations, receiving goods and

vendors’ access • Staff involvement and ownership

Flexible spaces Rather than a boring ballroom or a stuffy meeting room, planners want adaptive spaces, which are more of a blank canvas that they can mold into an ‘experiential environment’, allowing them to wow attendees. For hotels, this means flexibility from staff in playing along with planners and transforming existing rooms into their visualized, creative-themed environment.

To stand out from the competition, hotels will also benefit from offering outdoor spaces, hence providing planners and delegates with a welcome change of scenery, involving daylight and an al fresco experience.

Informative website An event planner’s search may well begin with the hotel’s website. Creating a unique landing page dedicated to conferences and events will allow the hotel to prominently

Make sure staff have the expertise and willingness to create longlasting connections with planners, remembering that MICE represents regular and repeat business

that the MICE segment represents regular and repeat business. Establishing trust and rapport between your hotel stuff and event planners is crucial, given that many are increasingly moving toward planning events virtually and remotely, cutting down on inperson site visits. In fact, with the technology now becoming readily available, virtual collaboration with hotel staff and vendors is allowing for the bulk of event preparation to be undertaken in this way.

Invest in appropriate technology services To appeal to younger, tech-savvy planners, hotels need to invest in up-to-date technologies. The right technology is also needed to facilitate smooth running of events such as: • Multiple charging stations for devices • Attendee e-mail kiosks – a center for visitors to access their e-mail • Attendee messaging center • Flexible in-room entertainment options • Office and press room communications center • Cutting edge audio-visuals, such as touchscreen, live video streaming services • Virtual reality for a more immersive feel to events • Chatbots with hotel staff

Out-of-the-box catering options Hotels also need to supply event delegates

with appetizing, accommodating food and beverage options. Working luncheons, varying from grab-and go options to farmto-table menus and hometown authentic dishes, are playing a major role in the event experience. Creative and flexible culinary options are becoming major selling points for hotels, especially given the growing focus on allergy considerations and dietary requests from attendees for gluten-free, organic, vegetarian and vegan choices, for example. Despite all the planning, there will inevitably be unplanned, last-minute requests or unforeseen situations from time to time.

Having hotel staff that are able to remain calm, proactively attending to the requests to hand, and with the flexibility to offer alternative solutions, will contribute to the confidence the planner has in your venue.

MICE industry trends, such as the rise of social media and online reviews, tailormade unique experiences, a shift toward virtual and augmented elements, and demand for out-of-the-box event spaces, are making the job of the modern MICE planner increasingly complex. Planners face a number of challenges, while attendees are expecting a more meaningful experience.

By understanding and adapting to these new dynamics, your hotel stands a better chance of capturing more business from this lucrative segment of the market.

feature all the essential details that any planner will be looking for, including: detailed floors plans and dimensions; quality photos of event spaces - empty and set up; capacity; various set-up styles; catering options; technology-related information; and selfguided virtual tours.

A hotel should also be using its website and social media channels to showcase glowing testimonials from past attendees which will add credibility and evidence, helping to instill confidence in the venue.

Customer relationship management Another aspect of hotel selection is the ability and willingness of the hotel staff to work with planners in accommodating their creative ideas. The chemistry and perceptions that planners have of their interaction with hotel staff during the planning period is important in building long-term relationships.

Make sure your staff have the expertise and willingness to create long-lasting connections with planners, remembering AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

In collaboration with

WHAT’S ON THE MENU: UAE DINING TRENDS phenomenon of showcasing our meals an everyday norm, while chefs need to be more diligent than ever before in exploring new untapped markets and cuisines to increase their repertoires. Additionally, we are now dealing with a new demographic of consumers that are far more aware and informed than previous generations; customers who want to know where their food comes from, how healthy it is and its impact on the environment.

From the vegan craze to world-food influences, the factors impacting international menu trends are both wideranging and numerous. Natalya Latypova Director of Projects of Glee Hospitality Solutions, reviews and assesses what’s hot in the UAE and what’s on the way out

The UAE has worked hard to strengthen its position on the global F&B scene and is determined to remain a driving force in international cuisine. With one of the largest expat demographics in the world and international celebrity chefs routinely setting up shop there, consumers are presented with some of the most diverse menu offerings around. But how have those menus changed over the years and which trends are having the biggest influence on the choice of offerings found in this important regional market today?

In terms of global reach, the world is a far smaller place then it was 10 or 20 years ago.

Consumers are now exposed to hundreds of cuisine concepts, prepared in fresh and innovate ways. Instagram has made the

Healthy and sustainable One of the primary, overriding menu trends for 2020 is undoubtedly the increased implementation of healthy and sustainable factors, such as farm-to-table concepts, fair trade and use of sustainable packaging (no single-use plastic, for example). Running alongside them is the huge increase in vegan offerings on the back of rising demand, which ties in with the healthier-lifestyle movement. The number of vegan concepts launched has sky-rocketed in recent months, while traditional, non-vegan outlets are now diversifying their menus to cater to customers looking for these options.

Fine-dining and/or glamorous restaurants have always had a place in the UAE, with several world-renowned names putting down roots in the country, including Nobu, Zuma and Namos, to name just a few.

However, the current focus has shifted more toward high-quality, nutritious food at an affordable price.

Alternative innovative dining settings, such as supper clubs, pop-ups and thematic dinners (zero-waste dinners, for example), are also growing in popularity. In essence, people are becoming more focused on high-quality, nutritious food at an affordable price, rather than simply opting for top-of-the-range restaurants.

Must-have menu items When it comes to trending menu options, key items have become increasingly prevalent amongst several restaurant

concepts. Beverages such as coffee based mocktails, adaptogen coffee and Nitro coffee have gradually taken their place as staples in successful coffee shops and cafés, satisfying an increased curiosity amongst customers who are keen to familiarize themselves with new international trends.

Bowls have also become a highly popular medium for preparing and presenting food, including customizable poke, acai, chia and burrito bowls to name just a few. The fact that bowls provide diners with a wholesome and nutritious meal without the need for sides makes them especially popular with customers seeking a ‘complete’ lunch solution during a busy schedule or even as a convenient, fuss-free dinner option.

Compact and easy to carry, they are also ideal to take away.

Another noticeable trend is the increased drive amongst restaurants to make everything in house, from freshly baked bread, jams and spreads to pasta. Creating dishes from scratch not only helps businesses to factor in costs, but also adds significant value to the brand and the restaurant’s menu. The trend has even extended to fast-casual outlets, where homegrown fried chicken is being served, for example.

Cuisines inevitably go through a lifecycle of introduction, inception and increased popularity depending on the region and population demographics. In the US, for example, we saw a huge craze for sushi in the 1980s, whereas Korean food didn’t begin to enter the mainstream industry until the early 2000s. Mexican food, however, has long been a popular staple in the US market, much like Indian cuisine is an established favorite in the UK and the GCC region. When it comes to the UAE, the popularity of Latin food, such as Mexican and Peruvian cuisine, has waned a little, overtaken by Greek food.

Greek restaurants, led by Opa and Mythos, alongside others, are enjoying success in the market, while new concepts like Nostos, Ammos and Taverna have opened their doors to largely positive reviews.

While there will always be a place for tradition and traditional dining/cuisine in the UAE, the country is now greatly connected to the rest of the world and benefits from the mutual sharing of culture and food.

Domestic trends are increasingly reflecting those witnessed around the world, which today are dominated by consumers seeking healthier, authentic, cost-effective and delicious cuisine options. gleehospitality.com AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

ON TREND AND ONLINE: THE RISE OF DELIVERY PLATFORMS

The rise of digital technologies is taking the food delivery business to a new level, drastically disrupting traditional dining habits. Nagi Morkos, managing partner at Hodema consulting services, discusses a trend that’s definitely here to stay Mobile and web-based platforms, ondemand apps enable customers to order online and spare themselves the hassle of either going out or spending time on the phone with the restaurant or call center; and it goes without saying that we don’t need to have the exact change anymore. A time and effort-saving move that allows us to order from a wide array of restaurants with a single tap on our computers or mobile phones.

Moreover, many studies show that we tend to spend up to 20 percent more when ordering online than over the phone.

A match-making made in food heaven This trend dates back to 1994, when Pizza Hut launched the first-ever online ordering system.

American pizza giants such as Domino’s and Papa John’s followed in its footsteps by investing heavily in similar software. Over the years, they’ve diversified the concept by connecting smartwatches, cars and gaming consoles to their websites. In 2016, Domino’s even introduced its ‘Zero Click Ordering’ phone app, enabling customers to place their orders without any taps or swipes. These companies’ efforts have largely paid off, with more than half of their sales today going through online ordering and delivery worldwide.

More generally, all restaurants offering online ordering and delivery services have seen their revenues increase.

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While the trend took some time to take off, it has now become a billion-dollar industry, featuring dozens of players. At first the restaurants that could afford it, did set up their own online delivery platforms. But fast forward to today and it’s a different ballgame, with the competition heating up in the race to capture new markets across the globe.

With the boom of online purchases, driven by giants such as Amazon and Ali Baba, people have gotten accustomed to ordering with maximum convenience and minimum human interaction. Observers agree, too, that the ever-increasing internet penetration and smartphone-dependence will only strengthen this behavior. There’s no doubt that social media plays an important role in galvanizing the trend, with a growing number of customers ordering their meals through Instagram. Consumers in China are the prime users of these delivery platforms, accounting

access a variety of menus through a single smartphone app or website. However, the delivery process remains in the hands of the restaurant’s own courier. Aggregators also offer ratings and reviews of venues, and free marketing for them. To cover their costs, they collect a fixed fee for each order placed, which, most of the time, is paid by the restaurants. This business option requires minimal investment and maintenance costs. The most famous aggregators are FoodPanda, Delivery Hero, Just Eat and GrubHub (formerly known as Eat24).

With the boom of online purchases, people have gotten accustomed to ordering with maximum The ‘new’ delivery convenience and minimum However, today, the industry goes further human interaction than that. The new formula is platform-tofor more than USD 45,000 million of revenue expected in 2020, according to Statista’s Global Consumer Survey on Online Food Delivery, published in October 2019, The US comes second with USD 24,000 million. Estimates suggest that the total global market is in the region of nearly USD 123,000 million. The survey also shows that young adults aged from 25 to 34 are the main users of these apps and websites, accounting for more than 36 percent of the total. Looking ahead, the food delivery market could be worth some USD 365 billion by 2030, according to Forbes.

The aggregators These figures are enough to make the head spin, but what are we really looking at when we pare everything down? In essence, online delivery actually encompasses several various business concepts. Built on top of the traditional delivery system, order-focused services – also known as aggregators – act as mediators between customers and local restaurants, enabling clients to

customer (or logistics-focused) companies, such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats, which provide delivery logistics of their own. By doing so, they open up the delivery world to higher-end venues which don’t have delivery services of their own because they didn’t dovetail with their traditional clientele. This combination has the potential to become a beneficial partnership for restaurants that don’t want the hassle of dealing with vehicle insurance or driver tracking issues. To make money, these new delivery players charge both the restaurant and the customer a fixed fee for each order. Because of their high marginal costs (couriers and vehicles, for example) they need to attract a high number of restaurants to make a living. These ondemand services have therefore increased the options for customers and eased the logistical burden on restaurants.

The cloud kitchens And there’s more: recently, another concept has sprung up and is now in full bloom.

Full-service, on-demand delivery, or cloud kitchens, are now battling for their share

In collaboration with

of the market. Rather than working with third parties, they have their own chefs who prepare everything in-house, but solely for delivery purposes. They also take care of the delivery themselves. Overseeing the entire process enables the company to have absolute control over it, from the quality of the ingredients to delivery deadlines, avoiding some of the challenges that restaurants face, such as struggling to keep their dishes warm and offer the same quality as dine-in meals.

Many set-ups have already partnered with famous restaurants and chains, and are thus able to provide a better customer experience than aggregators. But this full-stack business model also has its limits; the starting capital required is high, the HR and logistical loads are heavy and key insurance cover is mandatory. However, unlike the previous models, the market growth potential here is enormous, with full-service, on-demand delivery creating a new offer from scratch, even when the number of restaurants remains roughly the same.

Fresh food, fresh ideas Some startups have come up with alternative offers to spice up the market, including delivering fresh ingredients for home-cooking. Brands of these socalled recipe boxes or meal kits include Gousto and Cook Angels, alongside others. The concept is proving to be a particular hit with consumers who are keen to eat healthy, but don’t have time for grocery shopping. The idea of connecting restaurants with businesses in their areas which want to use a kitchen is also taking off. 2ndKitchen, for example, allows restaurants to make money from their kitchens during downtime, although these initiatives

remain confidential for the time being.

There’s no doubt that the battle lines are being drawn up between in-house and third-party delivery solutions. With the industry continuing to be a magnet for investors, the business looks poised for exponential growth in the coming years, although observers question whether the market could find itself at saturation point.

To stay afloat, platform operators will need to remain ahead of the trend by constantly adapting their digital strategies. Many have already set up reward and saving programs on their apps to retain customers.

The most common form of delivery remains the ‘classic’ one, when the customer places their order directly with the local restaurant A growing trend If the market has already matured in most Western countries, what projects look likely to maintain interest in the Middle East? The most common form of delivery remains the ‘classic’ one, when the customer places their order directly with the local restaurant – mostly by phone – and has it delivered to their door. But companies are starting to create niches for themselves. The industry’s regulars, such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo, having benefited from significant investment from Amazon recently, are well established in the Gulf and Lebanon, since their launch in Dubai in 2015. But local businesses are also fighting for their place in the sun. Talabat, meaning ‘Orders’ in Arabic, is the largest platform in the region. Having launched first in the UAE, it now operates in Bahrain,

Kuwait, KSA, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Jordan. On top of delivering meals, Talabat also offers a grocery-shopping delivery service and uses in-house drivers as well as third parties. Talabat has opened its own cloud kitchen to shorten delivery times and is able to provide the supply chain for multiple brands using the franchise model.

Bought by the German e-commerce giant Rocket Internet in 2015, Talabat pairs customers with more than 4,000 restaurants across the region. Zomato is another name to watch. Launched in New Delhi in 2008, the aggregator is now available in 24 countries, including the UAE, Qatar, Lebanon and Turkey. EatEasy is another option, displaying more than 1,500 Emirati restaurants, as well as BilBayt, which focuses on catering for groups and gatherings in Kuwait, KSA and UAE. The Dubai-based Eat Clean Me sets itself apart by putting the emphasis on healthy eating options, with tailored meals on a more modest scale, and delivers across the Emirates. Foodon Click, meanwhile, makes its name by being free of charge. Kuwaitbased Carriage is another alternative, while Zyda, based in Kuwait and Egypt, provides an online portal to companies, charging a subscription fee instead of the usual commission per order, and partnering with various local delivery firms.

Although a significant number of companies are already operating in the regional market, the industry still has plenty of growth potential, with the millennial generation and, over time, their children, in particular, keenly aware of the lifestyle choices available to them, including dining options, via their smartphones. hodema.net AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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8 BUSINESS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

INSPIRING RESTAURATEURS In the face of unprecedented challenges, these industry professionals have demonstrated how adaptability is key to navigating change. Meet HN’s eight high-impact restaurateurs.

Chawki Edmond Barakat Managing director Barakat Foods Company

Brands: Mais Alghanim Restaurant; Mais Alghanim To Go; Mais Catering; and Shawarma Matic.

Total number of branches and their locations: 12, all of which are in Kuwait.

How do you plan to adapt to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and what do you expect to be the ‘new normal’ in its aftermath?

We plan to implement several measures.

Firstly, all staff will be checked with a thermometer prior to entering the premises.

The dining area will be reconfigured to adhere to social distancing guidelines and there will be notices giving guidelines on

Jean Claude Ghosn CEO GHIA Holding

Motto for life: Perseverance and consistency are the basics of a good restaurant.

Brands: Abd el Wahab; DUO; Ahwak;

Highlight of the year: GHIA Holding

Fabrk; El Dinyeh Heik.

Total number of branches and their locations: 10 in Lebanon and 13 abroad (Dubai, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UK).

How do you plan to adapt to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and what do you expect to be the ‘new normal’ in its aftermath?

The ‘new norm’ will bring a variety of changes, including limited seating capacity for indoor restaurants. Online food delivery will increase and demand for cooked/grilled food, rather than raw/ green dishes, will rise, alongside home catering. Other anticipated trends are digital menus and a further increase in open kitchens, which are more reassuring for consumers.

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successfully innovated its back-of-house system processes in 2019, enabling it to reduce its costs and maintain profit margins, despite the economic downturn.

In what way is your restaurant going green?

Slowly and surely, we are increasingly moving toward more recycled items, LED lighting, paperless admin processes and waste management of raw material.

What trends do you forecast?

Innovative delivery and more friendly menus are the main F&B trends for 2020.

Upcoming projects: developing more branches of Ahwak and Abd el Wahab outside Lebanon, especially in KSA and Egypt.

LinkedIn: jean-claude-ghosn-33823048

handwashing and sanitizers at reception.

Staff will wear masks and gloves when serving customers, while cutlery will be prepacked in clear plastic packaging. We also plan to develop an auto-immune menu to help combat viruses.

Motto for life: Live blissfully.

How is your restaurant going green?

We’re currently working with local suppliers to convert all our packing to environmentally friendly biodegradable options for our Mais Alghanim To Go and Shawarma Matic brands.

Upcoming projects: We’re currently looking into franchising our Mais Alghanim To Go enter the GCC, in addition to growing our B2B business locally.

LinkedIn: chawki-barakat-4291486

Mireille Hayek

probably more shifts to minimize contact.

Owner and CEO SGR- Societe de Gestion de Restaurants

Motto for life: It’s not called being picky it’s called not compromising your standards, through perseverance, leadership and attention to details.

Brands: Em Sherif Restaurant; Em Sherif Café; Em Sherif Sea Café; and Parrilla.

Total number of branches and their locations: four in Lebanon, nine internationally (Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UK and Saudi Arabia).

How do you plan to adapt to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and what do you expect to be the ‘new normal’ in its aftermath?

We believe that from all the sectors, the F&B industry has suffered the most damage from the current situation. Our clientele will be increasingly cautious, probably share less and practice social distancing, which might increase catering services and deliveries or takeaways. When it comes to staff, we’ve always implemented strict hygiene measures and will now also introduce social distancing in the kitchen, with fewer employees and

Aline Avak Kamakian

Faqra.

Brands: Mayrig and Batchig.

It has always been no-waste, recycling friendly and green, through the plates, the dishes, the material used and printed on, mostly everything is recyclable, and the remnants of food is either taken by the food bank or taken for composting depending on the state of the dish.

Mayrig: 2 in Lebanon, 1 in Saudi Arabia, 1 in Armenia, 1 in Maldives.

Batchig: 2 in Lebanon, 1 in Saudi Arabia.

How do you plan to adapt to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and what do you expect to be the ‘new normal’ in its aftermath?

The new normal means fewer clients who want to eat out. Creating eat-at-home experience with the same food, frozen and delivered. Creating better delivery strategies and creating more outdoor locations. Also, adapting combo-like dishes. Increasing our catering service is also a big leap that we need to do.

Sherif Restaurant and Em Sherif Café outlets in the GCC countries

How is your restaurant going green?

We’ve started to reduce our plastic consumption with cardboard straws and takeaway packaging. We’re currently recycling shortenings and cardboard, and working on recycling organic waste.

What trends do you forecast?

Clean food, high quality and value for money.

Our clients are increasingly looking for a culinary experience rather than a simple meal.

Upcoming projects: expanding Em Sherif Restaurant in Europe and opening Em Sherif Sea Café in KSA and Abu Dhabi soon.

Highlight of the year: Opening Mayrig in

Owner & CEO Fig Holding SAL

Total number of branches and their locations:

Highlight of the year: opening more Em

How is your restaurant going green?

What trends do you forecast? A change of behavior for people, more online trends instead of go-out experience, more need to cook at home. Digital menus will be on the rise as well.

Upcoming projects: Working on more franchises in GCC and Europe, spreading the Armenian culinary heritage.

LinkedIn: alinekamakian

Motto for life: Never give up chasing your dreams, no matter how hard it is, it will get better.

AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Ziad Kamel

percent delivery-only businesses.

CEO and founder Cloud Restaurants

Motto for life: Stay active. Be kind. Eat well.

Brands: Go! Greek, Go! Healthy, Go! Pasta, Go! Chinese, Go! Noodle, Go! Risotto & Pasta

Total number of branches and their location: 14, all of which are in the UAE. How do you plan to adapt to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and what do you expect to be the ‘new normal’ in its aftermath?

The ‘new normal’ for the restaurant industry after Covid-19 will be a mix of old and new strategies. Old strategies will include maintaining liquidity, managing cashflow and having a healthy operating cash buffer of at least six months, lowering fixed overheads and shifting investments to low capital expenditure opportunities. New strategies, meanwhile, will encompass innovating offerings online, shifting the sales mix from dine-in to pick-up and delivery, adding revenue streams, like cook-it-yourselfhome-kits and catering, and developing 100

Karim N. Khalife CEO Raya Restaurants

Brands: Ovio; The Lebanese Bakery; Jones the Grocer; Lorenzo Pizzeria; Liquid; Little Ovio; and Espresso Bar Number of branches and their locations: 11 outlets and four under construction, in Cairo, Egypt.

How do you plan to adapt to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and what do you expect to be the ‘new normal’ in its aftermath?

The new norm after Covid-19 is still very vague; everyone has different assumptions.

Resilience will be key. We have to endure this - we have no choice - by minimizing damages and managing our cash and expenses. At the same time, we have to be more present in terms of marketing, engaging with our customers and reaching them through various channels, while maintaining our seasonal activities. We have to keep reminding customers of the affection they have for each place and its products. A comeback plan for post Covid-19 is essential, with maximum effort being channeled into reinforcing the brand equity and trust.

we’ve undergone a continuous expansion in Egypt, strengthening our position in the local market. In addition, we’ve increased our brand portfolio by introducing new franchise concepts to the market, while also recently obtaining our HACCP certification.

How is your restaurant going green?

We’re taking this aspect very seriously. While there’s still some way to go, we’ve taken key steps by changing all our straws and bags to paper varieties. These issues will remain a major focus going forward; however the supplies available in the market are still very limited.

What trends do you forecast?

We are accelerating our move into the digital world, which represents a new phase for us, having launched our Ovio application, with online ordering and payment. We’ve also increased our visibility on various online platforms.

you stronger.

Upcoming projects: we’re preparing to expand the new franchises signed. Projects in the pipeline include: the imminent (postCovid 19) opening of our first branch of The Lebanese Bakery in Maadi – Cairo; the opening of two new Jones the Grocer outlets in 2020 in Galleria40 Sheikh Zayed and O1 Mall in New Cairo; and the opening of a new Lebanese restaurant franchise in Galleria40 Sheikh Zayed, to be announced soon.

Highlight of the year: Over the past year,

LinkedIn: karim-khalife-20a14511

Motto for life: What doesn’t kill you makes

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Highlight of the year: growing our Cloud Restaurant business from one brand to six and increasing orders from 1,000 per month to 12,000, all while remaining profitable.

How is your restaurant going green?

I believe sustainability must represent a core value for every business and for every household. Cloud Restaurants is going green by using only the most sustainable food delivery packaging across all our facilities.

What trends do you forecast?

The year 2020 will witness the rise of the food delivery business globally, with growth and innovation in cloud restaurants, cloud kitchens, technology and logistics.

Upcoming projects: we’re developing and launching our Cloud Restaurant brands in my home country - the UAE - and internationally.

LinkedIn: ziad-kamel

Gino Khoueiri

Highlight of the year: creating success

CEO Disruptive Entertainment Group

stories of concepts in Beirut, despite the economic situation, and growing networks outside Lebanon.

Brands: Merou Seafood; Mothershucker; Kharouf Beirut; Taco De Madre; Vin sur 20 Wine Bar; and Disruptive F&B Consultancy

Total number of branches and their location: Seven located in Lebanon and one in Kuwait

Motto for life motto: Always learn from your failures in order to reach your goal. Keep going after it, otherwise you’ll never get there. We are entrepreneurs.

We are optimists. We see every turn in the road as an opportunity. We do not believe in setbacks, instead we see them as a chance to do something better or different, taking us in a creative direction that we may have not seen before.

Evgeny Kuzin Co-founder and chairman Bulldozer Group

Brands: BASE; GAIA; Shanghai Me; Scalini; Cipriani; Socialista; NYX; 1 OAK Dubai; Seven Sisters; and Antika Bar. Total number of branches and their location: 12, in Lebanon and Kuwait.

How do you plan to adapt to and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and what do you expect to be the ‘new normal’ in its aftermath?

We will begin to see the impact and our ‘new normal’ in the coming weeks and months, as venues start to re-open with precautionary safety measures, capacity restrictions and masks. There has been incredible growth in the delivery space around the world, and this is something we are excited to explore. We are now more focused than ever on maintaining our premium dining and entertaining concepts. In the long run, I believe that people will return to normal and that restaurants will be as busy as they were before. I am incredibly grateful to the UAE for

How is your restaurant going green?

By minimizing plastic bags and cancelling them in some concepts, using paper straws and dealing with companies that recycle different items, such as plastic and glass bottles.

What trends do you forecast?

High turnover concepts with high quality products and low prices targeting the mass population.

Upcoming projects: franchising all concepts in the GCC and new ventures in Armenia and the Far East.

LinkedIn: gino-khoueiri-16569049

all of the measures and strategies they have put in place to ensure our safety, and that of our families and businesses. This country has given us a unique platform to grow, expand and showcase our skills.

Motto for life: Believe in yourself and love what you do.

Highlight of the year: in the past 12 months, we have solidified our plans for international expansion, with the opening of GAIA in Monaco and Scalini Riyadh, the first of many restaurants planned for the Kingdom.

How is your restaurant going green?

We do our best to ensure we’re reducing waste where possible by streamlining our kitchen operations and sourcing sustainable products.

What trends do you forecast?

I think the Dubai F&B industry will continue to mature. We’ve seen a rise in the popularity of premium casual dining venues that provide guests with excellent cuisine, a relaxed atmosphere and affordable prices.

Upcoming projects: internationally, we’re working on the launch of GAIA London and our large-scale expansion into Saudi Arabia.

We are also planning to open a beach club and Cipriani Dolci in Dubai over the next 12 months.

LinkedIn: evgeny-kuzin-83846016b

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BUSINESS

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

HOW TO STAY WELL AHEAD IN WELLNESS

Joe Tabet Managing Director JT+Partners

Francesca Vittori Director experiential spaces

According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism is projected to reach almost USD 1 trillion by 2022.

The exponential growth of this industry is driving hospitality establishments around the globe to increase their budgets and sharpen their focus on their spa facilities, with a view to making them a key attraction in their properties. Design will play a major role in taking these important facilities to the next level. HN donned a bathrobe to find out more…

In-demand features According to Joe Tabet, managing director of JT+Partners - an innovative brand in architecture, master-planning and integrated design practices - spas, fitness and wellness facilities have become increasingly popular with leisure and business travelers alike.

Clients expect their themes, design and layouts to be expansive, relaxing, and calming. Also, given rising global awareness about environmental and social sustainability, preferred materials are likely to be local, organic and low-maintenance. Other aspects of design proving popular are the color green, natural, dim and concealed lighting, simplicity and ‘back to nature’ themes. Tabet explained that there are several factors influencing the spa, fitness and wellness industry, from the new generation of

10 SPA DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2020

Daria Svirid Experiential spaces designer Design Group

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1. Back to basics, such as nature, rituals and local traditions 2. Smart connectivity, with the help of devices for wellness intelligence 3. Unusual experiences, with the idea of sharing on social media 4. Hyper-personalization and tailored treatments and experiences 5. Innovation in products and experiences 6. Wellness architecture, with a healthier living environment 7. Healthier indoor retreats 8. Omni-channel wellness experience: digital, behavioral and physical services working together for a unique experience 9. Rise of wellness collection spaces 10. Rise of urban wellness retreat spaces

AN EXPERT’S TIP

Soraya Jouzy, beauty and wellness expert behind Pearl Tree, a company that specializes in beauty, wellness and lifestyle within the Middle East and British Indian Ocean, gives HN an insight into spa designs from a more practical perspective “On a global scale, wellness and health are extremely trendy concepts. The GCC wants to position itself as a wellness hub in the region, therefore it is developing grandiose spas. Owners are realizing spas’ business value and are allocating bigger spaces to these facilities compared

travelers and state-of-the-art technology to awareness about health and well-being, and heightened sensitivity to sustainability, environmental and social issues. “Each hotel brand’s spa has its own unique selling point and theme,” he said. “However, the hotel’s location, demographic trends and respect for local culture, tradition and beliefs will also influence the design, specifications and features of the spa.”

Revenue generators Tabet added that given the growing market share that wellness is attracting, it’s no surprise that spa, fitness and wellness facilities rank among the top highlights of hotels and resorts’ operations. “The increased growth in leisure and wellness tourism will direct hotel brands to include ongoing investments in spa, fitness and wellness facilities in the business model for their hotel and resort developments,” he said. One of the targets of the booming global hotel industry, Tabet noted, was to attract the new demographic groups of international travelers, (namely Generation Y and Generation Z), who are very much into health awareness and well-being.

Personalized wellness According to Francesca Vittori, director of experiential spaces at at Design Group Italia, a design firm with offices in Italy, the USA, and Iceland, hotels around the world are striving to offer their guests a seamless and

multi-sensorial experience throughout their entire stay, so that the hotel itself becomes an experience and not just a sleepover.

Design Group Italia is behind the experience of the Blue Lagoon, Iceland, whose spa, The Retreat, won Condé Nast Traveler 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, alongside many other accolades, as one of the top resorts in Europe. “They (hotels) become hybrid spaces with multifunctional services including accommodation, entertainment, restaurants – and, of course, the spa,” she explained. Spas are now perceived as healing

Hotels become hybrid spaces with multifunctional services including accommodation, entertainment, restaurants and, of course, the spa retreats for stressed-out urban communities.

Leading hotels are also adding healthenhancing elements to their new or existing structures, such as when the hotel-room design becomes more bathroom-centered.

Sometimes it is as an extension of the spa experience, while, on other occasions it becomes an in-room spa experience of sorts - a substitution, if there is no spa at the premises. Vittori explained that personalized wellness is also on the rise, which, for spas, means striving to offer each customer the

to those in Europe, for example. To sum it up, spas are emerging in the region, but are moving from being an amenity to a true revenue-generating asset. When it comes to trends, we will be seeing more standalone spas within hotels, but operating independently, in addition to membership clubs. We will also see new F&B experiences within spas. For instance, the bar-like offering, such as the one at the W Dubai The Palm, where makeup, nails and masking can be done whilst clients enjoy a beverage in a social and fun atmosphere. On another level, we will see regional Islamic influence continue in the design, technology sensors and lighting, as well as holistic approaches impacting the design of treatment rooms.”

most suitable form of wellness, such as a fitness kit in the hotel room instead of gym for shy or busy guests. She cautioned that hyper-personalization is a trend that businesses can’t afford to ignore, especially in the health and beauty sectors. “In hospitality, we see more and more tailored health services, like personal wellness concierges, for example, so that the complete set of services can be offered during the stay, from specific spa treatments and nutrition to pillow menu, depending on your sleeping profile.”

A segmented market Daria Svirid, experiential spaces designer at Design Group Italia said that since the hospitality market is segmented, a variety of methods are being created, aimed at providing it with an overarching complete experience for various demographics and lifestyles. “Lately, we’ve seen openings of spas for kids and their mothers, for example, and luxury stay-over offers for wealthy off-track nomads, as well as a huge variety of lifestyle resorts of all kinds,” she said, adding: “Spas also cater to our growing need to amuse ourselves – and to enter into a deeper connection with the customer on any level. For businesses, they can also be a scalable option; a complete facility is not necessarily needed – sometimes a single, but unique therapy can be enough to go viral.”

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SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

INDUSTRY Women are shaking up hospitality like never before, bringing talent, ideas and a can-do attitude to the sector in unprecedented times. Here, 30 professionals who are today disrupting the industry across the region in a big way, share their success stories and offer words of wisdom to those just starting out.

Mayada Badr

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Tatyana Atanasova

Katrin Herz

Hala C. Massaad

Sabine Renner

Chirine Salha

Dagmar Symes

Nada Aad

Fatma Al-Otaibi

Christine Assouad

Liza Asseily

Amal Chahine

Zeina el Eid

Suzan Hallal

Aline Kamakian

Rima Karam

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

PI NEERS Maya Bekhazi Noun

Tiffany Pilard

Hilda Hanna Issa Al Masrieh Douha Abdullah Al Otaishan

Yasmina Hayek

Dina Abboud

Cynthia Bitar Nazira Bitar

Youmna Al Ashkar Chedid

Joanna Kassem

Rouba Khalil

Nada Alameddine

Hala Matar Choufany

Candice D’Cruz

Fay Economides

Bibi Hayat

Liz Stevenson

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SPECIAL REPORT

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WOMEN

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: MAYADA BADR, CEO OF KSA’S CULINARY ARTS AUTHORITY Last February, the Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan appointed Mayada Badr as the CEO of the newly formed Culinary Arts Authority. HN caught up with her to learn more about its groundbreaking work codifying Saudi ingredients and techniques.

Recognized as the ‘Queen of Macarons’, this talented and passionate Saudi chef who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and trained under a number of renowned international chefs, seized the opportunity to highlight Saudi gastronomy and the Kingdom's culinary excellence.

HN spoke with her to discover more about the love she has for cooking, her experience in the F&B world, and to highlight her new vision and strategy for elevating the culinary aspect of Saudi Arabia’s cuisine.

Chef Mayada’s culinary journey has undoubtedly been an exciting one. After receiving her BBA in Design management at Parsons School of Design and working in the media world, she realized that her true passion was for the kitchen and its arts. “It all started with a macaron at the leading macaron pastry shop in Paris (Laduree)” she told HN. She continued: “I went to France to study design management and fine arts, and I fell in love with the food in Paris and with all the restaurants. Then I moved back to Dubai, and I worked as a media buyer and planner for Starcom Mediavest Publicis, but it was at this moment when you realize that even though you are doing well in your job and that you are being promoted, it wasn’t the place you wanted to be at.” During her lunch breaks she used to go to her house and cook. “I wanted to open a restaurant, and I

decided that if I am going to do so, I want to know everything about it.”

With a Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Chef Badr decided to go back to the Kingdom to found Pink Camel, a high-end French patisserie in Jeddah, bestknown for its unique fusions of macaron flavors. She also founded a food consulting company and opened the Black Cardamom, a restaurant in Jeddah. She also opened a restaurant in Lebanon, Blanca, with her friend Omar Ajam and his wife. In 2018, Chef Mayada was chosen by the prestigious Parisian caterers, Potel et Chabot, to design the dessert menu, which reflected a Saudi flavor experience for the Al-Ula Gala in the Louvre, Paris.

We need to codify and document all of our recipes to build our culinary heritage “I love learning and everyone must discover their passion, so they love what they're doing every day," she added. This love and passion were her main drivers. She was committed to sharing a genuine, high end cooking experience in her country.

During our conversation, Badr stressed the importance of understanding local ingredients and the beauty and exclusivity

they bring to the cuisine. “My favorite product is sesame and its diverse spin-offs. I also love cardamom,” she said. This led to her revealing one of her objectives as a leader of the Saudi Culinary Arts Authority, which is innovating to codify Saudi ingredients and techniques."Saudis have always been used to transmitting recipes orally. We need to codify and document all of our recipes to build our culinary heritage which is very rich.” She added: “It is amazing to be a part of this cultural awakening in Saudi Arabia.

We have already identified the structure of the culinary landscape in the KSA. We will be working on promoting and preserving this heritage, while supporting the youth with education and career building platforms. We will also help restaurants innovate and export their concepts as well as innovate with biproducts from one ingredient.”

Even though she lives for the moment, her new life motto is "Enjoy simple pleasures that could be so rewarding, as simple as enjoying a meal with a piece of bread."

The lockdown phase did not stop Badr from giving back to the Saudi culinary scene, when she kicked off the ‘Irth Matbakhna’ initiative: Participants uploaded old Saudi family recipes and then a selection was chosen to be added in a book that will pay tribute to the Saudi culinary heritage. The book will be ready by the end of 2020.

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SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

HOTELIERS

Tatyana Atanasova General manager Movenpick Resort & Residences Aqaba, Jordan

Years in the role 9 Greatest professional achievement to date Breaking the record in the history of Jordanian hospitality for highest average monthly occupancy (94 percent) in April 2019. Other achievements include being listed among the 25 most inspirational women in hospitality in the Middle East for 2019.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development I’ve increased the share of women employed at the hotel by 5 percent on an annual basis. I also focus on empowering female employees wearing a hijab to have the confidence to pursue career development in their chosen field.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

The cultural and religious patterns of the region make it difficult for women. However, the number successfully stepping up to a higher level is growing year by year and that is leading to a sensible change in mindset and greater acceptance.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Never give up, even when you feel like you’re facing an impossible situation. I believe that we either win or learn - we just need to adapt and master the lessons.

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Katrin Herz General manager Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Years in the role 5 Greatest professional achievement to date Becoming the first female general manager for The Ritz-Carlton in the Middle East and winning the ME Hotelier Middle East Award for GM of the Year in 2019. The Hotelier Middle East Awards win was especially satisfying because it was part of a triple success for the hotel.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development One of the initiatives that has had the greatest impact was the Voyage Programme, Marriott International’s Leadership Development Programme, which we developed on property. At least half of the participants have been women and we have found some amazing female Omani talents through the program.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

The hospitality industry rewards talent and will support young women in the industry.

If you’re passionate about the hospitality industry and the opportunities it can offer, my advice is to go for it.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

The eight fellow female Ritz-Carlton general managers around the world are prime examples to follow and have shown what can be achieved with determination and by being able to adapt to changes in the industry.

Hala C. Massaad General manager Raouche Arjaan by Rotana

Years in the role 11 Greatest professional achievement to date The first promoted woman to become a general manager in Rotana Hotels.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development Encouragement of equal opportunities in the recruitment of new talents, especially married women with a family. Empowerment of women’s initiatives and celebrating important milestones through internal communication and engagement.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Have a balanced life and take care of yourself, your health, your lifestyle and your personal well-being. Delegate at work and at home to be able to survive and focus on the most important things. Be efficient and always have full focus on what you are doing and planning. If you see any breach of equal opportunities, be bold and raise it with those concerned to ensure it is addressed.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Anja Luthje, group director of rooms and quality at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, currently based in San Francisco.

She traveled the world, followed her career path, got married, is raising a child and is still maintaining her pace and enjoying all-round success. She is a high-quality, detail-oriented woman, a people’s person and a bold leader.

Dagmar Symes Former general manager Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort

Sabine Renner Hotel manager Park Hyatt Dubai

Years in the role recent appointment – previously director of sales and marketing

Greatest professional achievement to date My career has taken me to seven different countries, so I consider every step an achievement, given the fact that each move allowed me to adapt to a new environment, a new culture and a new language. All of these tools have led to me delivering successful results.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development I believe in empowering people in general and it should not be any different when it comes to women. I believe in gender equality and that both men and women are equally capable of great ideas and delivering results if they focus their mind on the goal.

When I see women with great potential, I encourage them to support each other and from my end, I make sure that I contribute to their progress and help bring out the best in them.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

No, I think that in hospitality, just as in many other industries, women still have to fight harder than men to achieve success.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

My previous general manager, back when I was in California. She was a strong, positive woman and truly empowered her team.

Years in the role one year, six months

Chirine Salha Hospitality professional and consultant Board Member of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Night Clubs and Pastries in Lebanon Shareholder at Societe des Grands Hotels du Liban, owning company of Phoenicia Beirut

Years in the role Over 20 within the luxury city hotels and luxury resorts segment

Greatest professional achievement to date Cushioning the impact of a crisis by managing it effectively, from the business drop post 9/11 to the latest October 2019 events. Highlights include being part of the pre-opening team of Mazagan in Morocco.

Greatest professional achievement to date Being appointed the first female general manager of both Phoenicia and Le Vendome InterContinental Hotels in Beirut in December 2016. In line with my primary mission to reconfirm and position both properties as refined Grand and Boutique Hotels within the luxury segment, I lifted Phoenicia from being an established traditional Lebanese property to that of a vibrant and dynamic entity.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Enforcing best practices that are nondiscriminating to women, from recruiting and hiring to fair pay and retaining.

Instead of solely resorting to policies and procedures, through my guest speaker and panelist activities across the country, I highlight the importance of female engagement within the workforce and try to inspire our young talents to follow the path for female leadership and female empowerment.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both gender?

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

Where we are failing is to progress women to the highest ranks. Organizations may well have the best intentions when recruiting female talent, but they fall short when women quit because they cannot combine family and career.

The hospitality industry continues to favor a male-dominated workforce still, today. In theory, the same opportunities are offered to both sexes, yet the reality speaks a different language.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

My sister Tamara Salha is my role model.

I admire her passion for hospitality, her entrepreneurial approach and her penchant for hard work.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Believe in yourself. Women in the hospitality workforce tend to use different methods to their male colleagues to achieve their targets, which represents a different business approach to their male counterparts, but a focal one, including a ‘can-do’ attitude.

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SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

RESTAURATEURS

Nada Aad Founder and managing partner MMAM HOLDING

Years in the role 9 Greatest professional achievement to date Making our 2010 dream in Byblos a reality with a team of seven through hard work, commitment and dedication.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development We are proud to have implemented a range of initiatives, including: a quota making 50 percent of our workforce women; flexible schedules for mothers; empowering female employees; investing in training and workshops; and encouraging further education.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

The hospitality industry focuses on recruiting diligent individuals who have a great attitude and a customer centric mindset with a sprinkle of love and kindness. Woman score high in these characteristics. I would go further by saying woman can excel and edge men, given their unique touch and sensitivity.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry Educate yourself as much as possible and never stop learning; aim for higher degrees.

Believe in yourself and don’t be scared to stand out. Travel as much as you can, since it provides you with a different perspective on life. Be passionate about what you do, get it done and always lead from the front.

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Fatma Al-Otaibi General manager SHABABIK International Trading

Years in the role 10 Greatest professional achievement to date I successfully launched a start-up company in the hospitality industry which not only employees over 180 members of staff, but is also an ideal fit within the Saudi environment.

I’ve also managed to combine multiple sectors under the umbrella of one wellstructured company.

Christine Assouad CEO Dunkin Lebanon and Semsom

Years in the role 24

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

I’ve focused heavily on appointing women to various positions, while ensuring they receive comprehensive training and guidance throughout their career paths.

It depends on their personality, on their passion for food and for serving others. We hire the personality and we teach the skills, so, if they’re passionate, they will thrive in our company. I also mentor many young passionate entrepreneurs and I absolutely love it!

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Set your goals. Be original - don’t try to copy anyone else’s concept. Be passionate about what you’re doing. Don’t give up when you hit an obstacle; there will be many along the road - just learn to be patient. And finally, don’t be intimidated by gender roles – these are fast becoming a thing of the past.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Every woman in Saudi Arabia and beyond that has worked hard to achieve her goals and made a worthwhile contribution inspires me; I’ve learned something from all of them and continue to do so.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

This industry is a life choice, you need to fall in love with it - the food, the people, servicing guests, growing your team and spreading happiness! Don’t let anyone prevent you from achieving your dreams you can do anything, you can be anyone if you really want to!

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Anyone passionate about their work and turning their jobs into a mission.

Zeina el Eid Chair, Board of Directors and CEO URBAN EAT SAL

Years in the role 9

Liza Asseily Owner Liza Paris, Liza Beirut

Amal Chahine Founder and managing partner OVO Restaurant

Years in the role 15

Years in the role 4

Greatest professional achievement to date

Greatest professional achievement to date

Opening one of the most beautiful restaurants in the world (Condenast Traveller) and one of the best (50 Best Discovery): Liza Beirut. Also, the collaborations that we do, such as design, food and music.

OVO successfully becoming a trademark and working on plans to expand out of Kuwait in the near future.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development There’s no policy - we recruit people on their skills, never on gender, religion or skin color.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

I think it’s easier today than it was yesterday.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Don’t think that you are less talented than a man and use all your skills to go as far as you can. We mothers are good listeners and sensitive which can be a huge advantage in today’s world.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development Hosting events focused on the empowerment of women. OVO was the platform for an exhibition of art by female artists. The restaurant was launched on Mother’s Day, in celebration of womanhood, and has maintained the tradition of celebrating both yearly.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both gender?

Yes; women have proven that they are able to deal with the industry’s challenges.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Follow your passion, work with dedication, do your research thoroughly, opt for concept exclusivity and create your own story.

Greatest professional achievement to date Urbanista and You.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development Helping women to further their career development mainly by focusing on career progression, promoting based on merit and equal pay. We foster a supportive working environment by implementing policies that facilitate life, such as prioritizing parental leave and being lenient on working from home.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Stay true to yourself, don’t be intimidated by the challenges. We are naturally gifted at multi-tasking and should consider being a woman in this man-dominated world as leverage. We have immense potential and power. Finally, don’t take yourself too seriously, just enjoy the journey!

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

I greatly admire Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo: her work ethic and approach to problem-solving, her work-life balance and especially her transparency about her mishaps and downfalls.

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SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

RESTAURATEURS

Rima Karam Co-founder and marketing director BlackSpoon

Years in the role 3 Greatest professional achievement to date

Aline Kamakian Owner and CEO Fig Holding

Suzan Hallal Founder SUZ’ sarl

Years in the role 8 Greatest professional achievement to date Leading a great team and being able to expand on the specialty coffee by establishing a new roastery. I am very proud of what we have achieved these past years.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development No particular policy, but the company promotes equal opportunities for everyone.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

Personally, and in my position, I never felt that my gender was a barrier to me advancing with my plans and projects.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

To have a thirst for knowledge and stay focused on your vision.

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Years in the role 17 Greatest professional achievement to date Raising the profile of Armenian culinary heritage.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development We started by employing mothers to cook in the kitchen, empowering them to be the caretakers back home, then we evolved into bigger concepts which gave female restaurateurs and ambitious young women the opportunity to join the team and grow.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Believe in your dream, make it happen and be passionate.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Asmahan El Zein. She’s not directly based in the industry, but she has been my muse, my inspiration and my confidante throughout my career.

The continuous success of Masti is my greatest achievement, with the help of an amazing PR team, the best staff and my team at BlackSpoon.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

There are some companies in the industry that genuinely do and others that overlook the balance. I’ve noticed that fewer women in this region work in the industry compared to others, but there are many factors at play here.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Work hard, never give up, don’t allow anyone to intimidate you, trust your gut and be loyal to those who have helped you on your journey.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

There are several women in this industry (and others) that I look up to. I admire women who have the strength and willpower to do what they set out to do, in a professional and elegant way. What I love most is that they support other women and that, to me, is the epitome of grace.

Tiffany Pilard General manager Rüya

Years in the role One year and a half Greatest professional achievement to date Being a multitasking working mum and wife can be challenging. I am very proud of my team, especially all the support and hard work they’ve given me and what we’ve achieved throughout the years.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

Maya Bekhazi Noun Co-founder/managing partner The Food Studio

Years in the role 18 Greatest professional achievement to date Developing more than 30 concepts to date, Curli-Q being one of the latest.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development I’ve worked with women across all aspects of business, from being in the kitchen to sales.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

Yes, it does.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

I’ve been inspired by Julia Child (US cooking teacher, author, TV personality), especially her passion for food and how she transmitted this to the public

Yes; I’ve never been refused an opportunity because I’m a woman. I believe that with the right attitude, you can make the most of the opportunities available. We are all different and unique.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Follow your dreams, believe in yourself and be prepared to work for it. This industry is intense, but also rewarding. Sometimes it takes a lot, such as working on weekends and long hours.

However, I’m a firm believer that hard work and passion lead to a bright future. Don’t move if you’re not sure about the company or leadership; sometimes it’s better to be patient, learn and then seize the right opportunity.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Nicole Ebner, currently director of food and beverage at Mandarin Oriental London. She used to be my manager in Bar Boulud, which was my first appointment abroad. I explained my career plan and agreed to let her be really tough with me during my time there. She gave me the energy to fight, grow and teach others.

Yasmina Hayek Executive chef Sociéte de Gestion de Restaurants (Em Sherif Restaurant, Em Sherif Sea Café, Em Sherif Café, Parrilla)

Years in the role 2 Greatest professional achievement to date The revamp from scratch of our new Parrilla restaurant in Beirut.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development Our company is run by women, which I believe has had a big impact on the behavior of our staff. We’ve created a culture and imposed values that reflect who we are and how we think: generosity, transparency, respect and honesty. A woman at work, especially when a business owner, relays the same image as a mother at home.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both gender?

Even though most of the people in this industry are men, we’re seeing increasingly more women leaders. I think it’s a matter of personality and professional behavior rather than which sex they are.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

My Mother. By taking her cooking to a professional level, she was actually able to upscale Lebanese cuisine and export it throughout the world.

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SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

CATERERS

Dina Abboud Operations and sales director Cat & Mouth

Years in the role 30 Greatest professional achievement to date In reality, it comes down to a combination or an accumulation of successes and learning curves, including: the ability to build a team that sets the benchmark for exceptionally high-standard catering in the region; maintaining repeat clients; year-on-year growth; and continuous innovation.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

Every industry comes with its own unique set of rewards, benefits and challenges. The hospitality industry is very rewarding, but only when it is allocated the proper resources: time; commitment; money; people; and hard work.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

There is no magic formula to success, it simply boils down to differentiating yourself from the crowd. Never stop learning, innovating, growing, respecting and creating.

Be the king of what you do in a humble and dedicated manner. Embrace change, understand market directions and never forget that your client dictates and sets the parameters to your success.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

In life we meet lots of people that impact and shape our careers. For me, it’s: the university advisor who realized that I liked the hospitality sector; the people that I initially worked for and helped me excel; and the partners I still work with. Also, never forget the people that love you unconditionally throughout your life - family and friends.

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Hilda Hanna Issa Al Masrieh

Douha Abdullah Al Otaishan

Executive pastry chef and owner Chez Hilda Patisserie

Executive chef Douha Restaurant

Years in the role 40

Years in the role three professionally, 25 as

Greatest professional achievement to date:

a hobby

2017 Member of Academie Nationale De Cuisine France

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development: Providing culinary and management training.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

To explore world cuisine and develop additional culinary skills

Can you name one or more women in the industry that have been a role model or mentor to you?

Martha Stewart as she is a very successful businesswoman.

Greatest professional achievement to date Becoming the first female executive chef in Saudi Arabia.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development No specific policies, but I’m thrilled when I hear that more women have been encouraged and inspired to take up roles as chefs after seeing my work.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both gender?

Men and women are awarded equal pay if they’re in the same role, but it’s also up to management to then play their part.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Regionally, the Lebanese celebrity chef Leyla Fathalla, best known for her workshops on the cooking channel Fatafeat TV, has been a source of inspiration, while on the international scene, I’d say the US lifestyle guru Martha Stewart.

Cynthia Bitar

Nazira Bitar

CEO and executive chef Nazira Catering

Founder Nazira Catering

Number of years in the role 23

Years in the role 40

Greatest professional achievement to date

Greatest professional achievement to date

Promoting Lebanese gastronomy in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Marseilles.

Introducing and revolutionizing sugar as an art in Lebanon and the MENA region.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Teaching and training women to very high standards in sugar work and kitchen tasks in general.

Dedicating at least one of our kitchen’s departments to a team of women.

Greatest professional achievement to date

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

I get great satisfaction from having established and maintained a successful business for 15 years, but I feel an even greater sense of achievement from having played a role in the development of numerous members of the team.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

I believe that women in general have to prove themselves more than men in many fields.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

My mom Nazira and every grandmother who shares her love and passion through her cooking.

To persevere, to prove yourself like everybody else and show that there’s no difference between men and women.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

La Mère Brazier, the Mother of French cooking.

Youmna Al Ashkar Chedid General manager Fulcrum s.a.l.

Rafic Hariri International Airport, Beirut Lebanon

Years in the role 16

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development We have no polices specifically geared toward women, but when we promote or recruit, women and men are given the same opportunity and, of course, the same pay.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Be passionate about your job, be willing to take risks and don’t be afraid of new opportunities; you might have to take many turns to get where you want and this will require you to take chances, but it’s at these moments that you’ll learn the most.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

All women working in the industry are an inspiration to others, but I especially admire those who can inspire the next generation of leaders and encourage and support others to achieve their dreams.

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SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

CONSULTANTS

Nada Alameddine Rouba Khalil Chef and owner RKK SAL

Years in the role 5 Greatest professional achievement to date Opening my retail store in Beirut.

Joanna Kassem Owner Joanna’s Table Too sal

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Years in the role 7

We implement policies that benefit both women and men; we believe in equal opportunities.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

Supporting them by focusing on developing their organization skills.

I believe the industry does offer the same opportunities for both sexes as they are both welcome. I haven’t personally encountered any barriers as a woman. I do believe, however, that if a woman chooses to have a family and children it will become very challenging to maintain a career in hospitality down the road, and that may be why we see fewer women at the top.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

No, unfortunately not.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

To follow their instincts and not be afraid to take risks.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Lina Lteif (La Mie Dorée) because she has been so successful in the food and catering business.

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Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

I can only think of the late Gina DePalma, the acclaimed pastry chef, cookbook author, cancer warrior, pioneer and innovator, who was my mentor when I was working as a pastry cook at Babbo in New York City. She taught me how to make olive oil cake and olive oil ice cream. Today, at the shop we sell an olive oil ice cream sandwich in a rosemary polenta cookie as a homage to Gina.

Partner Hodema Consulting Services

Years in the role 10 Greatest professional achievement to date Each year, the Marriott Awards of Excellence recognizes the ‘Best of the Best’ at Marriott International, honoring the company’s finest associates who represent the characteristics of the award: achievement, character, dedication, effort and perseverance. I received the President Award for 2004 for being among the best sales and marketing leaders at Marriott International.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development As a board member at Hodema Consulting Services, I’m constantly striving to implement corporate governance, empowering women and working to achieve gender equality within my company.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

To find a balance between their personal life and their career and to be willing to go where the opportunities are. Success also requires flexibility.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

We have indeed a number of inspiring women in the hospitality industry. However, I can’t name a specific woman to be my mentor - each one’s journey had an impact on my career path.

Hala Matar Choufany President HVS Middle East, Africa and South Asia

Years in the role 3

Fay Economides

Greatest professional achievement to date

Executive managing director M Management Company

Inspiring women as a thought leader and credible advisor to strategic clients, while being mum to three children.

Years in the role 5

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development

Co-creating two recognized, successful, award-winning brands, Nola Eatery and Social House, and Mythos Kouzina and Grill.

The brands became ‘disruptors’ in the UAE in 2016 by being pioneers in the licensed premium casual segment and put Greek cuisine on the map in Dubai.

Since the inception of HVS in 1980, women associates and partners have been encouraged to rise and lead teams. My appointment as a president for the region, having joined the firm as a junior consultant in 2005, is testament to this culture. Our corporate culture is built around providing a flexible working environment and demonstrating commitment toward worklife balance.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

The hospitality industry is succeeding in attracting and retaining women, and there is a shift in employer and employees’ culture toward the role of women. My advice for employers and companies is to further develop their training and work culture to ensure that men and women are able to achieve their full potential.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Be assertive, grow your confidence and refrain from comparing yourself to men.

Work in and for companies that have a strong and fair culture, and that will allow you to find the right balance between personal life and work.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

The women that have impressed me are those that demonstrate confidence and a willingness to support other women. I was brought up by a working mum which I believe contributed largely to the choices I’ve made in life. My mum has been a great inspiration.

Greatest professional achievement to date

Candice D’Cruz Vice President Luxury Brand Marketing & Management, Europe, Middle East & Africa

Years in the role Two and a half (seven with the company)

Greatest professional achievement to date Since my remit was extended recently, with our continent now focusing on Europe, Middle East and Africa, I believe my best is yet to come.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development I am a core member of the Female Leadership Initiative, launched in 2019.

Women comprise 50 percent of the company’s executive leadership team and are very much at the heart of the company.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both gender?

I think the disparity of women in leadership roles in the industry is due to the needs of the family versus the 24-hour, non-stop nature of hospitality. However, Marriott International is ahead of the curve. A current focus area for us is female general managers of properties, which has vastly improved.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Don’t be afraid to fail. Being brave, taking risks and putting your hand up for a project, even if it is not your strength, is something we all need to do, without fear of failure.

Do you believe that the hospitality industry offers the same opportunities to professionals of both genders?

I think the industry in this region offers the same opportunities; however, there are larger ‘life’ issues, namely how to balance professional and home roles. Our company is supportive in finding solutions for women who aspire to progress their careers with us while raising a family.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Don’t be afraid to communicate your ideas and your thoughts, to ask questions, to contribute and speak up. Women have their own perspectives and when their voice is heard, the result is balance, innovation, positive growth and a wider, more in-tune vision for companies. As a woman, you are an important part of the dynamic of growth, innovation, change and improvement. Have a good support system in place and request what you need to make things work, both in your professional environment and at home.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Harumi Mikuni, who launched Tsurutokame, a women-only run restaurant in Japan. She did this because, in her view, the patriarchy was so culturally embedded in Japan that only in an all-female kitchen could a female head chef have the authority required to effectively lead the team.

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SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

Liz Stevenson Chief foodie The Tasting Class

Years in the role less than one Greatest professional achievement to date:

Bibi Hayat Creative director and founder Bibi Hayat Events and Design, November and Co. Bakery and Blooms

Years in the role 14 Greatest professional achievement to date To be considered an expert in the field and invited to represent myself, my company and, most importantly, my country internationally.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Despite the hard work and long hours, if you have a passion for the industry stick with it!

Also, it’s not a race. Don’t compare yourself to others. Focus within and shine on!

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

There are so many women making a huge impact in the events and design industry.

I admire so many, including these women: Ghada Blanco; Hiba Al Bikree; Zainab Al Salih; Sarah Al Dabbagh; Nada Debs; Liza Asseily; Maria Ousseimi; Kit Kemp; and many more. Each woman represents her brand and identity in her own unique way, with individuality and strength.

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Setting up my own creative food consultancy, Lady Battenberg from 2014 to 2018, in D3. I worked on some incredible projects across the GCC and learned (the hard way) the fundamentals of running my own business.

Policies that you have implemented within the company benefiting women’s career development Unrelated to The Tasting Class, but together with three colleagues, I’ve set up a platform for women in hospitality and F&B called Her Table. The platform aims to unite women in food and give them a voice.

What advice would you give to young women in the industry?

Find positive role models or a mentor.

Surround yourself with supportive people.

Have realistic and achievable goals and most importantly self-belief - you will get to where you want to go.

Can you name one or more women in the industry that has been a role model or mentor to you?

Angela Hartnett (an English chef and protégée of Gordon Ramsay) has always been that role model for me. She demonstrated that it was possible to be hugely successful as a female chef at a time when the industry was extremely maledominated.

SPECIAL REPORT

WOMEN

In collaboration with

CHAMPIONING THE DUAL-CENTRIC ROLE FOR WORKING WOMEN

It’s a fact that both men and women will be required to make personal sacrifices if they are to succeed in the industry

Whether at the Global Women’s Forum Dubai or the Women in Construction Summit, women across all industries are moving center stage and creating their own platforms to educate and share their experiences in their respective fields. Simone Remba, Consultant at Thomas Klein International, tells us about the challenges women working in hospitality still face and the steps being taken to address them 62

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | AUG-SEP 2020

When women-only polls and surveys undertaken to recognize and reward high-achieving female professionals in their industry publish their results, they invariably spark a huge wave of celebrations and congratulations, perhaps in part to compensate for the years during which the contribution of these key team members was often overlooked.

Although commendable and welldeserved, we are perhaps entitled to play devil’s advocate and ask whether these successful professional women want to be praised in their field in a female-only group or would rather be judged against the total working collective, solely on their merit. After all, shouldn’t the goal be to establish a workspace of equality, where talent, charisma and skill are rewarded regardless of gender?

The usual talk It’s noticeable that some of the praise given when highlighting the achievements of career-oriented women, such as ‘managing work and family’ and ‘balancing family life’, is rarely a focus when accolades are awarded to men.

This negative disparity will continue as long as it is perceived that work-life and home-life exist separately for men yet are interwoven for women. In reality, the working woman of 2020 has a dualcentric role just like her male counterpart.

Both components - career and family should hold the same weight, transitioning away from an ‘either/or’ scenario.

When it comes to hospitality, it is no secret that this ‘demanding’ industry requires a strong work ethic, having never been defined by the limitations of the traditional 9-to-5 working day, since the

wheels are always turning. Hospitality translates into long hours, 24/7 availability and, regrettably, a diminished social life.

The logistics predictably make it not especially family-friendly.

It’s a fact that both men and women will be required to make personal sacrifices if they are to succeed in the industry.

However, historically, men have been more willing or able to make such sacrifices. Stereotypically speaking, it is more acceptable for the man to spend less time at home with his family due to work commitments than it is for the woman. Such a scenario indicates that career decisions for women still come down to the dilemma of fitting work around life versus fitting life around work.

Overcoming stereotypes These stereotypes used to play a major part in the notion of gender roles by showing how men and women were perceived to operate in a boardroom and business environment. Men were perceived to do business without remorse, aiming to win at boardroom politics and negotiating without mercy.

In contrast, it was widely believed that women excelled in soft skills, such as empathy, willingness to collaborate and

listening; all essential attributes when running a unified business. Nowadays, new gender roles are being formed in the working environment, with women showing themselves to be even more cut-throat than men in their business dealings and men influenced by whether or not they like the person with whom they’re negotiating.

The question of what level of inclusivity can be created in current working environments is a difficult one to answer, given current HR policies in the region. If the systems in place do not offer flexibility, such as maternity leave aligned with the global standard, the challenges for women considering going into business or entrepreneurship are significant. This reality, coupled with the strenuous working environment, inevitably propels the average woman working in hospitality to question whether she “can really have it all”.

When government steps in Nevertheless, there is hope on the horizon. The PwC Middle East Women in Work Index, which surveyed a variety of women in the region, reported that 60 percent of UAE respondents felt very positive about the government’s support

for women through their careers, citing key initiatives and a high awareness factor (PwC Middle East, 2019).

The government has been vocal in its efforts to strengthen the level of support for women in the workforce, with initiatives including the implementation of three months’ paid maternity leave for public sector employees (up from 45 days), although this has yet to be replicated in the private sector. In the spirit of pushing for equal opportunities, campaigners are likely to call for the policy for paternity leave to also be revised, thereby eliminating any gender distinction.

All in all, the issue of gender roles in business and women receiving the praise they deserve in their field of work continues to be a highly topical one.

There is optimism among some that progress is on the horizon. Hopefully, moving forward, the future will include power lists that honor both men and women for excelling in their respective industries; after all, on paper, skill and experience are not gender-related. thomaskleingroup.com

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SOLUTIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES

In collaboration with

TRAINING IN TOUGH TIMES While there may be a temptation to halt training in a difficult operating climate when budgets are limited, it is in precisely these uncertain conditions that employees with excellent skills can help to pull a business through. Mark Dickinson, of DONE! Hospitality Training Solutions tells us more

for all levels of the business, this will signal to employees that this is a good place to work.

Constant and never-ending growth is what drives motivation; pushing people out of their comfort zone is where dynamic movement takes place and that is the incubator of growth, which leads to excellence.

The market is down, business is challenging and yet some restaurants remain packed, while a number of hotels still have good occupancy and strong daily rates.

Why? Because they were prepared. You see, a lot of folks view training as a luxury that can only be afforded in affluent times. This is a misnomer. Training is for everyone, all the time. Training is the core of learning and it is through learning that teams can deliver high standards. It is essential to understand that the greatest restaurants and hotels in the world are dedicated to investing in training, knowing that through a constant and consistent approach to developing standards and the skills of their teams, they will, over time, attain greatness.

When training should start Here’s the deal: every business costs an absolute fortune to build. Even the physical infrastructure of a small cafe is significant.

Once the investment is made and the business is ready to open, then the business needs employees to run it. This is when training should begin. At the outset of a business, the ownership team is typically close to their operation and frequently personally guide and shepherd the startup phase. Adding their own touch to the business and making it amazing, they do a lot of personal training, both direct and indirect, and their presence ensures a higher level of performance. When training is established as a fundamental pillar of an organization, and learning and development is created

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When tough times come, those who are well prepared will not only weather the storm, they will thrive. Not establishing learning, growth and training programs is ignorance.

It is somewhat like operating a dangerous machine without having insurance in place and then crying about the costs when someone gets injured. That would be absurd.

When training typically starts In our experience, there are several triggers for launching training in an organization. A company reaching maturity tends to be better able to afford learning and development (L&D) professionals, and often does this as a consequence of its growth. Other key influencing factors are the acknowledgement of future growth, a franchise being created or the opening of a new branch or property of an existing business, inspiring the recognition of training as a vital requirement; or, as a brand develops, a desire to shift its image upwards, at which point the need for training becomes more apparent.

No matter what stage of the lifecycle a business is in, it will always acknowledge its employees as one of the key capitals of the company. Paying lip service to human capital and embracing it are two vastly different concepts. Those who embrace their human capital will constantly invest in the development of their team members and inspire a culture of learning and growth within their organizations.

Training in tough times It’s not the time to neglect or suspend training when things are tough and budgets are limited; on the contrary, this is when

competition is going to be fiercest and when every customer experience counts. Creating positive and powerful customer experiences demands outstanding employees with excellent skills, heightening the importance of further training. The most important training topics in tough times are: • How to serve every customer perfectly, every time • How to sell more of your product

5 NO COST/LOW COST Solutions 1. Get the best of the senior management team to personally conduct monthly training activities with frontline team members. There is no additional cost to the organization and there are many powerful returns on invested time for the seniors; they are perceived to be closer to the team, they are demonstrating their commitment to the employees and they are passing on their valuable knowledge.

NO EXTRA COST 2. Get team members who have length of service engaged in training through initiatives such as buddy systems. Have L&D create sessions that can be easily implemented by these team members. Train them to train and use their talents.

NO EXTRA COST 3. Barter training with product. Find highquality trainers and offer them a deal to come in and train your people and compensate them with services.

LOW EXTRA COST 4. Use online training systems to deliver knowledge to team members.

LOW EXTRA COST 5. Give training yourself. You know your business better than anyone else does, so why wait? Get on with it, roll up your sleeves and provide outstanding, high-quality training to your team.

NO EXTRA COST done.fyi

MANAGEMENT

SOLUTIONS

CUT COSTS, NOT PROFIT The unstable economic situation in the region means that many restaurants will face a monumental challenge to survive in the foreseeable future. Manal Syriani shares four keys to survival in turbulent times

Given the difficult economic climate, business owners are turning to cost reduction in order to maintain breakeven and sustain minimum profit margins. Such practices, however, risk generating damage to the concept and can easily translate into poor customer service if not managed wisely. Surviving smartly is what’s needed.

best combination of multitasking that is most efficient to the specific restaurant operation.

Manage fixed costs Management should also explore the possibility of rescheduling payments for fixed financial obligations, so as to maintain positive cashflow. Such tasks

4 ways to survive Manage labor costs Trimming back office staff alone will put pressure on service teams to complete reports and support tasks, which might affect the quality of the moments of truth with clients. Subsequently reducing front-line staff will certainly affect the quality of service. Therefore, any reduction in staff should be accompanied by a redesign of the internal processes in order to meet the

Surviving smartly will require opening up to new target clientele and a new generation could be accomplished by trading services where possible or consolidating certain contracts to selected suppliers/ providers.

Manage menu engineering Understanding your menu performance, consumers’ demands and your sales margins will give you an insight into how to maximize your profitability.

Re-engineering recipes to use lowercost products without compromising on quality will play an important role in increasing your bottom line. On another note, menu choices could be reduced to capture the core of your concept.

Dare to diversify While the economic downturn will likely lead to shrinking our client base, it is a fact that dining out remains a leisure activity enjoyed by many. Opening up to a new target clientele and a new generation will make a crucial difference to your bottom line.

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SOLUTIONS

GREEN

In collaboration with

PLANET VERSUS PROFIT ways to manage your footprint, starting with your power usage, for example; remember that the size of your gas and electricity bills is directly related to the size of your carbon footprint.

Most business leaders have bought in to the idea of becoming more environmentally friendly, but for some, the reality of implementing a sustainability plan is extremely daunting, leaving them unsure where to start. Antoine Kaldany, owner of Yelloblue solar energy company, gets to grips with going green Here are 10 steps your business can take to become more sustainable: Manage your carbon footprint Your carbon footprint is whatever your business does that increases the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. There are many

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No to food waste Throwing food away is both costly and harmful to the environmental. Instead of ordering too much, make an estimated expected headcount and go from there.

As Geraldine Gilbert, principal strategist of Forum for the Future says: “It is better to run out than order too much.”

Portioning Cutting portions or giving guests the option of smaller servings is a great way to reduce waste. It keeps the guests happy and could potentially cut plate waste by 67 percent.

‘Meating’ expectations Less meat, more vegetables. According to research carried out by Columbia University, livestock is responsible for 14.5 percent of manmade greenhouse gas.

The right catch Buying fish that aren’t on the endangered species list and avoiding those that are, no matter how much of a delicacy they might be, is vital. If consumers only eat the fish that’s under threat, there will be none left.

Staff in the know A successful business is one where

everyone operates as a team. Staff play a vital role and should be encouraged to support changes to the menu and engage with them. Involving them will have many positive outcomes, including less staff turnover.

Say it loud Don’t be afraid to talk about food waste with your customers. Be upfront, letting them know that you care about quality, but are mindful of the environmental impact of food waste.

Supplier-savvy Make sure you know where your suppliers are procuring their goods from and more importantly, how. If you can visit the suppliers to see how they work, we recommend taking that action.

R really is for recycle Don’t just try to recycle everything you buy - make sure that what you’re buying is actually recyclable. If it’s excessive food that you’re left with, try reaching out to a local foodbank to help.

Keep it local Avoid adding on miles to your importing journey. The shorter the journey for your supplies from their origin, the better. When it comes to your food, it’s a win-win, since you’ll have a better idea where it’s coming from and it’s bound to be fresher. yelloblue.com

TECHNOLOGY

SOLUTIONS

NO CASH NO PROBLEM!

to capture and retain customers, fight fraud, accelerate transaction times and boost sales, while also capitalize on an innovative marketing tool.

How it works

Take note - the next customers dining out at your establishment might be cashless ones. There’s no need to panic though – we don’t mean they won’t be able to pay, rather that they’ve signed up for the nextgeneration method of payment.

Tony Toutounji tells us more The cashless method is a dematerialized payment structure which can be made available via a wristwatch, a magnetic card or a mobile phone. An allocated amount of money can be loaded onto the card or, alternatively, it can be linked to a bank account. Usually, there is a ceiling on a cashless transaction (Stg 30 in the UK, for example) to avoid fraudulent activity.

For many businesses within the food and beverage industries, going cashless could signal a welcome opportunity

A near field communication (NFC) processor is required for transactions being made via cashless payment systems to take place. This allows the client’s device and the NFC-enabled point of sale to communicate, which they do by way of a specific radio frequency, passing encrypted information back and forth to process the payment.

For many businesses within the food and beverage industries, going cashless could signal a welcome opportunity to capture and retain customers, fight fraud, accelerate transaction times and boost sales, while also capitalize on an innovative marketing tool.

This technology’s extreme efficiency makes it a smart method of payment (MoP) choice for large functions and venues, such as festivals, networking events, leisure centers, sports stadiums and tourist spots. Events such as Coachella and Tomorrowland in the US, for example, have made the shift to cashless technology, and according to gettoken.com, “Research has shown that attendees at cashless events buy more,

with up to 20 percent increased spend at food and goods vendors throughout the event. This is most likely due to the ease of making purchases and the better overall customer experience, as well as the psychological impact of not having to hand over cash or swipe a credit card.”

Implementation in the Middle East The region is catching on to the growing popularity and convenience of cashless payments, with the service becoming increasingly available at more points of sale (POS). According to US-based consulting firm TechSci Research, the mobile wallet market in the UAE is predicted to hit USD 2.3 billion by 2022.

Cashless payments are being made available in the emirates through mobile operator Etisalat, the Emirates NBD bank with NBD Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Kuwait, meanwhile, has made mobile pay available through key companies, including ‘One Pay’ and ‘Quickpay’, enabling customers to pay for their bills from a mobile app and through smart watches using a payment service called ‘NBK Tap & Pay’.

Lebanon provides ‘Tap2Pay’ through Banque Audi, while Saudi Arabia has teamed up with Visa to make NFC available. According to NFCW.com, 94 percent of Saudi POS devices support the technology, suggesting cashless is here to stay.

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PRODUCT ZONE

BEVERAGE

LEBANESE WINES: AN ‘EVERGREEN’ CHARM In an industry that marries heritage and nostalgia to trends, dynamism and modern techniques, there’s no doubt that winemaking in Lebanon continues to inspire both intrepid wine connoisseurs and avid tasters. With a thirst for knowledge, HN spoke to the renowned international Master of Wine Christy Canterbury to obtain her thoughts on Lebanese wines and market insights grapes allow Lebanese producers to make truly unique wines. In general, local wines are packed with concentrated fruit and character, coupled with an earthy savoriness, she said, adding: “They have an intensity that charismatically reflects their Mediterranean sunshine and rugged terroir.

This intensity also reflects the pride of those making Lebanese wines.”

A rising trend About flavor and uniqueness According to Christy Canterbury, the best Lebanese wines compete for quality with the world’s best. “There is a very good command of classic, international varieties, but I am particularly excited to continue to watch the development of the local white varieties, namely Obeidy/Obaideh and Merwah,” the wine master said. “I think these are very exciting!”

Canterbury believes that these original

About Christy Canterbury A journalist, speaker and critic, Christy Canterbury was the seventh woman in the US to earn the Master of Wine title. Her articles have been published in Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, and TimAtkin.com. Her appearances include ProWein, VinExpo, and the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair. Canterbury was the National Wine Director for Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group and the Corporate Beverage Director for Culinary Concepts by JeanGeorges Vongerichten, where she opened and managed restaurants’ beverage components from Istanbul and Doha to Vancouver.

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On a global scale, Canterbury believes this could be the golden era of boutique wines, describing these as “hip” everywhere, just as small, local producers and farmers operating in segments such as meat and poultry are enjoying their moment in the food industry.

“Everyone wants to know where their food and beverage products come from and who makes them,” she observed.

Canterbury noted that these more ‘intimate wines’ have a unique caché. “The more personal a winery’s ‘story’, the more people tend to connect with its wines,” she explained. “However, there is no question that larger wineries tend to be able to produce on a more favorable price scale, which makes them more accessible for most people’s budgets.”

Market penetration Trying to position Lebanese wines on the global map, however, requires a more ‘financial approach’, according to Canterbury. She acknowledged that the predominance of international varieties means that Lebanon has to compete strongly on price. “This is one reason that I think that the indigenous white grapes are a godsend for Lebanese wines,” she said. “There’s a lot of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay in the world as it is!” When it comes to the clientele, Canterbury believes these wines appeal to open-minded, adventurous wine drinkers, who often fall into the younger demographic group, and

those that are from or have traveled to Lebanon.

However, she added that there is still much room for growth and a lot of markets to conquer. Canterbury also pointed out that despite spending

Use creative packaging, or least unique, modern labels, and back label descriptions. I think that showing a distinctive, Lebanese style is important in attracting new drinkers time in cosmopolitan cities such as New York and having access to wines from just about everywhere, she’d noticed that outside of Lebanese restaurants, not much was available in the way of Lebanese wine, although, the price element was still an advantage. “Some wine stores, such as Astor Wines, have a reasonable selection, both under USD 20 and more expensive, older wines,” she said. “Generally, when I see Lebanese wines in a store, they are under USD 20. That’s helpful, as it gives curious imbibers the chance to try the wines without too big a price tag. As long as the supply is available, more markets will bring more global recognition.”

ON THE MARKET

SAINT MIKHAEL 2019 Expressive white dry wine made with indigenous Lebanese grapes, first cultivated centuries ago by monks. Expressive nose, with a pale and brilliant gold color. Fresh, crunchy and round. The finish is invigorating, combining fine chalky astringency with bitterness and 12.5% alc./vol.

ADYAR ORGANIC WINES adyar.org.lb

EXPRESSION MONASTIQUE 2014 This 2014 ‘new vintage‘ has an intense color, while the nose of red fruit notes is beautifully expressive. Round and nicely balanced with 13.9% alc./vol.

Grape Variety: 30% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah, 20% Cabernet-Sauvignon Well paired with meat.

ADYAR ORGANIC WINES adyar.org.lb

CARIGNAN A luscious and full-flavored wine, Château Ksara’s Old Vine Carignan celebrates the winery’s Jesuit founders and the creation of the modern Lebanese wine industry.

CHATEAU KSARA chateauksara.com

VIN DU MARJE RED 2016 KORAÏ WHITE

CHATEAU 2017 37.5CL Made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, and aged in French oak, Château Ksara’s historic, award-winning Château red is now available in half bottles.

CHATEAU KSARA chateauksara.com

Zesty and fresh, this full-bodied wine, made from Viognier and Vermentino, has a big texture and a sensation of oiliness, slightly oaked with a touch of pear and peach.. Toasted bread and a hint of green apple, citrus and white prunes, linger.

CHATEAU MUSAR chateaumusar.com

LE ROUGE DU MARJE RED 2013 Also from Les Vignes du Marje, which is located in Marjeyoun and was launched in December 2018.

A distinguished wine featuring an attractive mix of Syrah - aged in oak barrels for 12 months Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that relays the richness of the southern soil.

LES VIGNES DU MARJE SARL lesvignesdumarje.com

KORAÏ ROSE Red fruits, cranberry and passion fruit, with a touch of herbal essence and the deep fragrance of jasmine and oregano. Full, with crispy acidity and the clear presence of citrus, alongside plenty of depth in taste, it reveals a lengthy aftertaste of peaches.

CHATEAU MUSAR chateaumusar.com

Deep, classy and rooted, from the new brand Les Vignes Du Marje. Created from a delicate mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes. An exciting first-generation wine offering a different taste and concept that evokes its roots in Lebanon’s deep southern lands.

LES VIGNES DU MARJE SARL lesvignesdumarje.com

COUVENT DE M Grand and Premier Cru - the winner of the Coup de Coeur award from Patrice Frank. A distinguished wine, which is another offering from Les Vignes du Marje. Relays the sumptuousness of the Marjeyoun vineyard. Combines Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged in oak for 12 months. Offers an appealing round texture and elegance.

LES VIGNES DU MARJE SARL lesvignesdumarje.com

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PRODUCT ZONE

FOOD

WHAT’S HOT ON THE SPICE SCENE When it comes to recreating an authentic dish or giving a traditional recipe an added kick, spices are the essential tools of the trade. HN asked three industry leaders for their take on what they expect to see livening up our food, going forward

Europe is currently witnessing a return to authentic, natural flavors, such as hibiscus flowers, juniper berries and pure orange extract. Which flavors are trending in the Middle East today?

Traditional and authentic flavors remain popular in the Middle East, such as tahina, sumac, harissa, Aleppo pepper, parsley and dates.

Which continental or exotic spices do you think are gaining a foothold on the Middle East’s culinary landscape?

Definitely sumac; while not new, it’s extremely trendy right now.

With chefs today exploring spice fusion, which blends are trending in the Middle East?

Hratch Maroutian Executive chairman of the Board Sevan AB

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Seven spices, ras al hanout, shawarma and za’atar are all popular.

How are suppliers adapting to

consumers’ evolving tastes?

Demand for new blends and spices is mostly distributor and consumer driven. Marketing and influencers have a significant impact on what’s being requested and suppliers seem able to adapt fairly quickly.

What factors should be considered when buying spices?

From our side, we’re looking for suppliers that can offer safe and certified products and production. It’s also important that packaging reflects the latest innovations, meaning it should be climate smart and in keeping with the latest trends.

Which varieties are the ones to watch?

Sumac, Aleppo pepper and harissa.

Which pre-mixed spices are proving popular?

Seven spices, ras al hanout, shawarma and za’atar.

Europe is currently witnessing a return to authentic, natural flavors, such as hibiscus flowers, juniper berries and pure orange extract.

Which flavors are trending in the Middle East today?

Several flavors currently trending in the Middle East fall into the authentic and natural category. Cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, coriander, mahleb and nutmeg are among those that spring to mind.

Which continental or exotic spices do you think are gaining a foothold on the Middle East’s culinary landscape?

Nicolas Abou Fayssal CEO Gardenia Companies

Popular European and world spice mixes, such as fajita and Philadelphia spices, and crispy and escalope mixes, have now become an established part of Middle Eastern cuisine.

With chefs today exploring spice fusion, which blends are trending in the Middle East?

The region’s favorite spice combinations, including shawarma, shish tawoook, kebbe, remain as popular as ever, with many now also being incorporated into European cuisines.

How are suppliers adapting to consumers’ evolving taste?

Along with our usual supplies, we also produce spice mixes by special request at our factory for several international clients and restaurants.

What factors should be considered when buying spices?

When buying raw materials to make our blends, we would be looking to ensure they’re completely free of moisture and toxins such as aflatoxin and bacteria like E. coli.

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PRODUCT ZONE

FOOD Europe is currently witnessing a return to authentic, natural flavors, such as hibiscus flowers, juniper berries and pure orange extract. Which flavors are trending in the Middle East today?

We’ve noticed that cardamom, nutmeg and bay leaves are generating newfound interest.

Which continental or exotic spices do you think are gaining a foothold on the Middle East’s culinary landscape?

Blends of ground spices from the Indian subcontinent, such as garam masala and curry, together with chili, are among those finding their way into dishes on mainstream menus.

With chefs today exploring spice fusion, which blends are trending in the Middle East?

Wissam Jammoul CEO Rafic Marrouche Restaurants Company

Chefs have begun reinventing traditional local dishes by infusing them with until-now unfamiliar spices and ingredients. Examples of these include: kunafa with coconut, za’atar-spiced meatballs; and za’atar egg salad.

Which varieties are the ones to watch?

We expect to see an increase in use of turmeric, cinnamon and Greek fennel.

What factors should be considered when buying spices?

The flavor they will bring to a dish is the most important consideration.

Which pre-mixed spices are proving popular?

Favorites from our 25 varieties of pre-mixed spices, which are all halal-certified and include, are: 1. Foul Mix 2. Falafel Mix 3. Shawarma Mix (Meat) 4. Shawarma Mix (Chicken) 5. Chicken Tawook Mix 6. Chicken Tawook Mix (Spicy) 7. Fish Mix 8. Whole Chicken Mix 9. Hamburger Mix 10. Kabseh Chicken Mix 11. Mloukhiye Mix 12. Potato Mix

ON THE MARKET

DUKKAH A delicious mixture of 10 spices, sesame seeds and nuts. Use it as a dip with bread and olive oil or as a seasoning in or on your favorite dishes. A simple sprinkle will be sufficient to enhance the flavor of your food.

JIGSAW kaaju.co

CHICKEN STOCK POWDER

ARGENTINE SPICE MIXTURE

An appetizing blend of spices with a special Umami and chicken flavor, ideal for use in both Eastern and Western cuisine.

DIRANI GROUP dirani-group.com

This tasty combination of spices will add plenty of flavor and color to grilled and barbecued meat dishes.

DIRANI GROUP dirani-group.com

FUNKY OUMA AFRICAN RUB

FUNKY OUMA SEAFOOD SPICE

Made with natural ingredients, this flavorful all-rounder rub can be applied to all types of meat before cooking.

FUNKY OUMA funky-ouma.co.za

Enhance the delicate taste of fish or seafood with this appetizing spice combination, before, during or after cooking. Simply follow your senses!

FUNKY OUMA funky-ouma.co.za

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MARINADE SPICE A mildly spicy marinade that will give both red and white meat a gentle but unmistakable kick.

DIRANI GROUP dirani-group.com

CHILI SEA SALT

SPICY MORNING MAGIC FOR BREAKFAST LOVERS

Say goodbye to plain salt and hello to your new seasoning favorite! Spicy is given an unexpected twist with delicious Zaatar and specially seasoned coarse salt. Enhance any dish with just a drizzle .

THE GOOD THYMES thegoodthymes.com

In this box you'll find everything you need for a spicy start to the day, from sweet cocoa kiss, scrambled egg spice and avocado topping with a kick to the perfect ingredient for livening up oatmeal.

JUST SPICES justspices.de

NEW PRODUCTS

ON THE MARKET

ANIMO’S OPTIBEAN 4 TOUCH A new model for the successful OptiBean series which differs from its predecessor by having an additional instant canister, allowing for even more recipe combinations.

ANIMO B.V. animo.nl

MKN SPACECOMBI Professional and compact, with all the features required to meet the rising demands of new markets and customers in significantly less space.

MKN MASCHINENFABRIK KURT NEUBAUER GMBH & CO. KG mkn.com

PRODUCT ZONE

Invest in the right products and equipment to make cooking easier.

Here’s a good place to start

NAPA WINE DISPENSER

QUINOA QUINOA

The new generation of wine dispensers. Patented, Clean-Pour Dispensing Head technology ensures a non-leaking pouring process, allowing establishments to minimize waste.

VRESSO vresso.com

The kudos for this ingredient – superfood, super-crop and complete protein – just keep on coming; no wonder AAD Food are delighted to welcome quinoa, available in red, white and black, to its family.

AAD FOOD SARL aadfood.com

APPIA LIFE ALLURE BRILLIANT ICON 3D A collection created using 3D metal-printing in corrosionresistant steel. Saves water by reducing the shape of the faucets to just the essential elements.

GROHE grohe-middleeast.com

OASIS BOXED WATER The GCC’s first drinking water product in Tetra Pak packaging (330ml). Boasts the lowest environmental impact of all packaging formats, alongside recyclable and biodegradable properties.

OASIS, NATIONAL FOOD PRODUCTS COMPANY (NFPC) nfpcgroup.com

Innovative, simple to use and cost-effective, Appia Life is the ideal coffee system for large companies, coffee chains and other venues requiring the preparation of great coffee in large volumes. nuovasimonelli.it/appialife/

FS GOODS ORGANIC VEGETABLE AND CHICKEN BROTHS Handmade broth, simmered for 12 hours, allowing the full flavor of vegetables and herbs to emerge. As for the Chicken Broths, it is Ideal as the base for an appetizing, tasty soup.

FS GOODS fsgoods.eu

MEC 3 FLAVOURS Over 100 natural gelato flavors, including real fruit options and more.

VRESSO vresso.com

MACPHIE PLANTBASED CHEESE AND WHITE SAUCES Ideal for dishes such as cauliflower cheese and mac ‘n’ cheese or as a topping for nachos and fries.

MACPHIE LTD macphie.com

ISPIRAZIONE ITALIANA New from Nespresso, this collection of seven blends is inspired by the culture and coffee traditions of Italy’s cities: Rome, Florence, Palermo, Naples, Genoa and Venice.

NESTLÉ NESPRESSO SA buynespresso.com

HUNTER’S GOURMET - GOLD EDITION - HAND COOKED POTATO CHIPS PESTO PARMESAN Thick, crunchy golden potato chips in Italy’s longtime favorite Pesto Parmesan flavor, handcooked with care.

HUNTER FOODS HunterFoods.com

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PRODUCT ZONE

EQUIPMENT

Chef Roland Eitzinger Head Academics Richemont Masterbaker Centre

BAKING TRENDS: ALL YOU KNEAD TO KNOW Whether it’s down to bakers staying ahead of the curve by reinventing their products for today’s clientele or because even the most healthconscious consumers want to indulge every now and then, bakery products continue to hold their own in today’s marketplace.

Chef Christiane Trilck Head of Faculty Richemont Masterbaker Centre

In a report published last year, the market research company Technavio said it expected the global bakery market to expand by USD 97.85 billion between 2018 and 2022 at a CAGR of close to 4 percent. Several factors look set to drive the industry’s expansion, ranging from rapid growth in the organic, vegan and healthier-alternatives segments to the rising popularity of good quality, fresh bakes and visually eye-catching options.

Success for sourdough

Rodi Rizk R&D manager Prunelle SAL

Francois Pozzoli Master baker Maison Pozzoli

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A staple on the shopping list of the health conscious, fermented foods, which provide ‘good’ bacteria that can contribute to a healthy digestive system, have found their way into the bakery market in the form of sourdough breads.

“This bread is made through a fermentation process that boosts its digestibility, improves the availability of certain nutrients, and lowers its blood-sugar effects,” he explained.

Great grains make gains The interest in sourdough bread forms part of a broader rising demand for artisan products which, while still niche, are increasing their market share as consumers give more thought to their health. Indemand varieties range from whole-wheat bread, which is rich in fiber, to flax bread, made primarily from wholegrain flours and highly nutritious flax seeds, brimming with plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.

Chef Roland Eitzinger - head of academics and Chef Christiane Trilck - head of faculty, Richemont Masterbaker Center for Excellence in Baking & Pastry, have both noticed the trend, describing sourdough breads as “definitely a big hit.”

Alternative grains and blends of grains associated with health benefits, such as buckwheat, spelt, rye and quinoa, continue to strengthen their foothold in the market.

Producers are also finding creative ways to incorporate beneficial and sought-after ingredients, including superfoods and plantbased proteins, into their recipes.

Sourdough bread differs from other varieties in that it relies on wild yeast and ‘good’ lactic acid bacteria already found in flour to facilitate the leavening process.

The end result is bread which is easier to digest, nutritious and overall, better for our health, as Rodi Rizk, R&D manager, Prunelle SAL noted.

With its focus on core simple ingredients, artisan bread has a natural audience in the ever-growing vegan segment, alongside non-vegans who are looking for ‘free-from’ and organic options. “We are fortunate to work with a timeless product that is both modern and steeped in heritage, providing a key source of vegetable protein, so the vegan

We couldn’t be without… trend has not affected us,” said Francois Pozzoli, master baker at the French artisan, family-run bakery, Maison Pozzoli.

In search of the facts Rizk, meanwhile, believes the trend for artisan products is also linked to rising demand among today’s consumers to know where their food comes from and what’s in it, saying: “Artisan bread continues to grow in popularity as consumers shift their food spending toward authentic, clean label products.”

A growing number of customers are seeking full traceability of their purchases and clear, fact-based product information, from manufacturing to delivery, in their quest to gain reassurance on issues such as whether local ingredients are used and the impact of end-to-end production on the broader environment.

“Consumers are focusing on ethical and authentic choices, in terms of the range of products and services, looking at whether they’re local and organic, the carbon footprint and social responsibility,” Pozzoli said.

Time to indulge While healthy options are drawing the crowds, most of us are still prepared to indulge ourselves from time to time with a baked treat, especially if it’s top quality

and freshly baked. Hybrid products are among the innovations causing a buzz, such as brookies (brownies and cookies) and croissant-donuts, alongside everyday items given a creative twist. “Artisan breakfast pastries and colorful croissants are definitely a big hit,” said Chefs Eitzinger and Trilck.

The addition of color and eye-catching decorations have taken on added importance in the Instagram era - think rainbow cookies and glittery cupcakes.

Bakers are also keenly aware of the part that social media can play when it comes to gathering information on what their clients are looking for, according to Rizk. “Social media is a fantastic place to learn from our customers and tailor their requests into a product, since we know that 84 percent of people make purchases after reading about a product, and 89 percent of people use Instagram and other platforms to get some recipes,” he said.

Tools and technique While baking has been around for centuries and its experts continue to draw on traditional methods in their craft, innovation and modern technology undoubtedly have a part to play in meeting the requirements of the 21st

• “A strong mixer and a good oven along with a selection of basic kitchen utensils.”

Chef Roland Eitzinger and Chef Christiane Trilck, Richemont Masterbaker Centre • “The kneader and the division line.”

Francois Pozzoli, Maison Pozzoli • “A wooden-top preparation table, while crafting artisan products.”

Rodi Rizk, Prunelle SAL

century’s marketplace, as Rizk explained.

“Spiral-style mixers enable bakers to make larger batches of bread, with less oxidation of the dough from overmixing. Modern ovens use rotating racks, probes and microprocessor controls to provide even baking and precise control of both temperature and humidity levels while products are baking. This gives bakers unprecedented control over crust, browning and texture,” he said.

Chefs Eitzinger and Trilck added that refrigeration and cooling equipment has become increasingly important, adding that for croissants and laminated doughs, a dough sheeter is a big advantage.

“For us, innovation lies more in the process than in the equipment, Pozzoli noted. “The tool is in the service of the art rather than the other way round.”

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PRODUCT ZONE

EQUIPMENT

ON THE MARKET

STAR – BAKERY LINE Newly introduced special bakery line of multi-purpose combi ovens, featuring two standout elements of technological innovation: a touch screen display for saving recipes; and a time-saving automatic washing system.

FRESCA LTD frescalb.com

CEFLA- BAKERY DISPLAY SHELF A shelf that doubles up as a useful accessory, enabling busy professionals to design their bakery area setup with an ingenious display solution. Consists of a base shelf that includes wooden boxes and four rows with a Plexiglas bread box.

FRESCA LTD frescalb.com

HENGEL

SICO BREAD KNIFE SICO's clients are the center of attention and the firm's main challenge is fully satisfying clients, offering them the highest level of quality and streamlining their needs. This 20cm bread knife from a producer that has more than 50 years of experience in manufacturing professional cutlery makes a welcome addition to any kitchen. Created from Profilon and steel-reinforced ceramic for added durability, it is non-adherent and stain resistant.

TOMADO S.A.R.L Tomado.net Sico.pt

Deep-freezing, blast chilling, fast cooling, negative and positive storage freezer and refrigerator from this highly regarded manufacturer of equipment for the bakery, pastry and catering components of the foodprocessing industry.

VRESSO vresso.com

HAMBURGER BREAD LINE AND SANDWICH BREAD LINE Has the capacity to: serve six pieces of dough with an equal mass; slice dough ranging between 40 and 140 grams in weight; and slice and roll approximately 11,000 pieces of dough for bread rolls p/hour (10,000 pieces of dough for hamburger rolls p/hour and 8,000 pieces of dough for sandwiches p/hour).

Settings carried out through PLC-controlled touch screen. The program can be reinstalled from a safe distance if required, while working parts and belts can be easily removed and inserted.

ATS PROFESSIONAL BAKERY EQUIPMENT atsbakeryequipment.com

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CAFÉ COOKING EQUIPMENT DOUGH SHEETER MACHINE Suitable for cooking pizza, varieties of pitta and similar products. A rolling pin interval adjustment system enables users to easily obtain the desired dough thickness and diameter. Easy-to-use application enables dough to be rolled out in three-to-five seconds. Available in two models: SM – 30 and SM – 40. Fully stainless steel body.

ATS PROFESSIONAL BAKERY EQUIPMENT atsbakeryequipment.com

Hatco has teamed up with Suntec to create the Snack System, designed to expand menus and sales in snack bars and cafés. A single or dual electric baker enables users to easily switch the replaceable plates on the system to serve breakfast, lunch and snacks in between. Features include adjustable time and temperature controls, compact design and one-touch release with latch opener for easy plate replacement. Comes with standard round Belgian waffle plates and an additional set of your choice.

HATCO CORP hatcocorp.com

CHOCOMANIA

PRODUCT ZONE

DOUBLE DELIGHT The experts at Callebaut have been twice as nice this issue and shared two deliciously indulgent recipes from their exclusive collection

AUTUMN CAKE CREATED BY RYAN STEVENSON 1. PUMPKIN AND MANGO CRÉMEUX Ingredients • 68g sugar • 6g stabilizer • 18g NH pectin • 73g milk • 540g pumpkin purée • 225g mango puree Cap’fruit • 101g egg yolks • 158g butter 82% fat Preparation Mix together the sugar, stabilizer, pectin and milk. Add the mix to the purées then add the egg yolks.

Heat to 85°C. Cool to 40°C. 2. POWER 80 BISCUIT Ingredients • 353g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Dark Chocolate Power 80 • 139g butter • 254g egg yolks • 154g sugar • 299g egg whites • 154g sugar Preparation Melt together the chocolate

and butter. Whip the egg yolks with the sugar, then add to the ganache mixture. Whip the egg whites with the sugar to create a meringue. Combine.

Weigh 1300g shape into a 40 cm x 60cm tray. Bake at 170°C for 12 min.

3. GOLD MOUSSE Ingredients • 128g milk • 128g cream 35.2% EVEN • 27g vanilla Authentic Products.

• 55g egg yolks • 25g sugar • 365g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Gold Chocolate Gold • 183g Callebaut - Power Milk Chocolate - Power 41 Preparation Bring the milk, cream, and vanilla to the boil. Make a crème anglaise with the egg yolks and sugar.

Pour both chocolates over the crème anglaise. Emulsify. Heat to 40°C. Mix in whipped cream.

Allow to cool.

4.GOLD GLAZE Ingredients • 142g water • 172g sugar • 172g isomalt • 115g cream 35.2% EVEN • 138g dried glucose 40DE • 77g Callebaut - Cocoa Powder - Cocoa powder • 1g Mona Lisa® Creative Gold Metallic Powder

• 107g gelatine mass • 123g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Gold Chocolate - Gold • 153g glaze Preparation Boil water, sugar and isomalt to 106°C Boil the cream and dried glucose in a separate container. Combine with the gelatin, chocolate and glaze and use at 40°C.

BREAKING WALL-NUTS CREATED BY PHILIPPE VANCAYSEELE 1. CHOCOLATE-NUT FILLING Ingredients • 230g Callebaut - Crispearls Crispearls Dark • 150g Callebaut - Biscuit Crunch - Pailleté Feuilletine • 90g Callebaut - Caramelized Broken Nuts - Hazelnut Bresilienne • 40g Callebaut - Cocoa Nibs Nibs • 50g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Dark Chocolate - Recipe N° 811 • 50g Callebaut - Power Milk Chocolate - Power 41 • 100g Callebaut - Pralines Almond praline • 100g Callebaut - Giandujas Pale gianduja Preparation Mix together the crispearls, feuilletine, caramelized hazelnuts and nibs. Pour a 2.5mm thick layer of crystallized white chocolate Callebaut® Finest Belgian Chocolate Recipe n° W2 into an 8mm thick frame and leave to set

outside of the refrigerator until dry to the touch.

Melt and mix together. Add to the previous mixture and pour it into a frame prepared in advance. Place a plastic sheet on top and roll out until filling has the same thickness as the frame. Leave to set outside of the refrigerator.

2. SPICY COOKIE DOUGH Ingredients • 180g softened butter • 160g brown sugar • 100g sugar • 50g whole egg(s) • 360g pastry flour • 5g salt • 4g baking powder • 4g spice mix Preparation Mix the butter with both sugars.

Whisk in 50g whole eggs progressively.

Sieve together the dry powders and add them to the previous mixture.

Leave to harden in the refrigerator.

Roll out 3mm thick layer and cut into the desired shape. Bake at 160°C for 10-15 minutes and leave to cool.

Spray with black coloring.

FINISHING AND PRESENTATION Ingredients Q.S Callebaut - Finest Belgian White Chocolate - Recipe N° W2 Preparation Prepare another slab of white chocolate Callebaut® Finest Belgian Chocolate Recipe n° W2. When half-set, place framed filling on top and roll over it with a rolling pin to make the chocolate and the filling stick together. Leave to crystallize and remove the plastic from both sides. Decorate the slab with colorful ‘graffiti’, wait until it has set and then smash the slab to pieces. Stick the irregular pieces of chocolate on top of the spicy cookies. info@emf-me.com www.emf-me.com

AUG-SEP 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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