Industry

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH “THE CHEF WHISPERER” FLAVEL MONTEIRO

Award-winning author and publisher Flavel Monteiro, explains how he is leaving his mark on the industry with his new book releases.

If you were to introduce yourself, what would you say?

Panna Munyal, lifestyle editor of The National, referred to me as “the chef whisperer,” while Mark Samson, director of content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants & Bars, said I'm “the loudest international champion of the Dubai restaurant scene – giving us a true taste of the restaurants as they are today.” I entered the hospitality and F&B scene in 1991 and shifted to publishing in the late 90s, when I purchased a franchise to publish the Millionaire Magazine in Scandinavia, later publishing a Filipino magazine. It was in 2014 when I launched WG Magazine, which was designed to promote the top culinary experiences around the world. Later, in 2018, I partnered with the Michelinstarred chef Alfredo Russo from Turin to launch EX.IT—Extraordinary Italian. From early 2000, I worked with several of the finest chefs in the world at events and created WG Magazine in 2015; it was all about defining dining opportunities and culinary experiences with chefs from around the world. Besides teaming up with some of the best chefs around the globe, I collaborated and partnered on several extraordinary events. At Expo 2020 Dubai, I curated the dining experience at Jubilee with 69 of the world’s finest Michelin-starred, 50 Best and the best of Dubai chefs, in addition a private Cartier cocktail and canapé event with a Michelinstarred chef for 700 guests. Ultimately, bringing chefs together is what I do best. Have you published any books recently?

On January 25, 2022, I released “Back to our Roots: Recipes from the Holistic Kitchen” with Vikas Khanna at the Indian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. I then released “Rising Flavours: a Real Taste of Arabia” for Expo 2020 Dubai and “The Best of Dubai: Gastronomy” in February 2022. What are you currently working on?

I’m working on a Japanese Korean and Filipino inspired street food concept, and I have four books in the pipeline. The first which is almost ready and will be released on World Food Day on 16 October 2022 is “The Great Indian Khichdi” the humble one-pot-dish; it’s the ultimate celebration of foods in India, India’s comfort food and the oldest vegetarian meal. It will feature 49+ finest Indian chefs from North America to Australia. The other projects is an NFT book, a Goan cookbook and a Mangalorean cookbook with a friend. wgmagazines.com

USD 63M NOBU COMPLEX COMING TO SAUDI ARABIA

Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has signed a financing agreement with Rimal AlKhobar Real Estate Company Ltd., coowned by Retal Urban Development Co. and Assayel Arabia, to develop the first Nobu complex in the Eastern Province. The USD 63.5 million project will feature a five-star hotel with over 100 rooms and suites, 62 residential units, a luxury Nobu restaurant, pools, a health center, gym and meeting and event venues. Wahdan Al Kadi, chief business officer of TDF, said: “The Saudi tourism sector is undergoing a major development drive and we are committed to enabling private sector investors’ participation and providing them with the necessary support to develop quality tourism projects across HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

TRSDC sets standard for responsible tourism with major study findings The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind The Red Sea Project and AMAALA, has released the findings of one of the world’s largest environmental surveys of wildlife ecosystems carried out in the Red Sea area.

The study was released at the UN World Ocean Conference in Lisbon (June 27 – July 1), where the world’s leading scientists and governmental organizations are meeting to mobilize for global ocean action. The 11-month-long study along the Saudi Arabian coast revealed a rich diversity of habitats, flora and fauna. These include a number of endangered and critically endangered species such as the halavi guitarfish, hawksbill sea turtle and sooty falcon, as well as an eight-meter-high single coral colony estimated to be around 600 years old. The survey conducted by TRSDC is by far the largest effort ever undertaken by a private development company to understand and assess a natural ecosystem ahead of and during development, being more comparable to initiatives undertaken by government agencies on a national scale. It serves a crucial purpose in creating a baseline understanding of the state of the local environment through analysis of the populations, behaviors and habitats of the wildlife over 200 kilometers of the Red Sea coastline.

TRSDC plans to undertake regular surveys of similar size and scale to establish trends and analyze impact over time, as part of a long-running commitment to its ambitious regenerative goals. This will allow the organization to track key environmental promises and progress in the enhancement of key habitats crucial to biodiversity across the destination. theredsea.sa

the country. The project’s ideal location and unique offerings ensure that it meets the evolving needs of the Saudi market. The Nobu project reflects investors’ confidence in the Kingdom and signals strong support for tourism development projects. Agreements like this are testament to the crucial role that TDF plays in advancing the Kingdom’s economic diversification.” tdf.gov.sa

LUMINESCENZA

ON HOTEL KITCHEN DESIGN

Even minor errors in kitchen design can adversely affect overall functionality and result in higher costs for hotels. We discover how to avoid the pitfalls with Georges Haddad, owner of Luminescenza.

When designing the layout of a commercial kitchen, certain variables, including flexibility, employee mobility, health and safety regulations, equipment location, ergonomics and energy efficiency, must be taken into account. Indeed, a cutting-edge kitchen can be only be realized after the spectrum of operations have been understood.

Flexibility and space efficiency are extremely important. The kitchen should be as versatile as the restaurant’s menu dictates. A modular kitchen allows for better usage of space, including any mobile or multipurpose workstations, as well as other pieces of equipment. Even though equipment for a hotel’s main kitchen often comes as standard, circulation and kitchen access have to be carefully checked, especially the goods receiving that must be linked to the loading dock, and room service that must be directly linked to the corridors and service lifts. Wash stations One of the biggest mistakes in kitchen design is not having enough wash stations. One must consider the amount of cutlery, dishes, glasses and trays that will accumulate on the restaurant’s busiest day, as well as the capacity of dishwashers, when calculating the size of drain boards, racks and landing tables. Health and safety Restaurant health and safety should be prioritized in every part of the kitchen. The cooking and prep spaces may be the most fun aspect of kitchen design, but cleaning stations are equally significant. It is crucial to have a dedicated area for dirty dishes, and clean dishes need to be conveniently located for easy plating. Refrigerators The smooth operation of a commercial kitchen can be impacted by inadequate refrigerator space. If you have too much storage, you'll either have refrigerators that are half full, costing you more to run, or you'll have extra refrigerators that are worthless and take up space. Ventilation When designing a kitchen, it's necessary to take the air ventilation system into account. Inadequate ventilation can reduce the quality of the air indoors, resulting in bad odors and insufficient airflow. Furthermore, poor ventilation can put workers at risk.

Waste disposal An insufficient area for trash and recycling placed far from the cooking and serving stations can prove to be a major design flaw. Garbage disposal stations must be within close proximity to cooking areas. Effective garbage disposal helps to maintain hygiene eliminate foul odor. Furthermore, the sorting of garbage can lead to greater efficiency and reduced costs.