NEWS
SUPPLIERS
READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM
A “GOURMANDISE RAISONNÉE” WITH ART-CHITECTS OF TASTE FRÉDÉRIC BAU AND PIERRE HERMÉ Sweets are for pleasure, while savory is for nourishment. How do you convey that in your desserts? Frédéric Bau: What a lovely question! There is pleasure in eating both savory and sweet. But your question makes a lot of sense. Nowadays, we tend to overconsume. When a diner reaches the end of a dinner, they need to be presented with a dessert that not only complements the meal, it also takes wellbeing into consideration. That is why I suggest serving a “Gourmandise Raisonnée." Pierre Hermé: It is our role to offer clients the choice of ultra-rich pastries and a pastry that is reasonable. I agree with this phrase. Sweets need to imperatively provide pleasure.
What are your upcoming projects?
Valrhona invited two titans of the culinary scene, Pierre Hermé and Frédéric Bau, to a week of fine pastry, innovation and expertise in Dubai. When a technique is mastered, that’s when it becomes invisible. What are your thoughts on this? Frédéric Bau: This is an excellent question. I am fond of this saying, so thank you for bringing it up. I believe that a technique is the hidden part of an iceberg. It is what makes a dessert harmonious and elegant. Clients are not focused on the technique; they mainly care about taste and texture.
Pierre Hermé: I have plenty of projects in the pipeline. I am finalizing Saint Valentine’s 2023 and Christmas 2022. We also have several openings, including two tea places and a pastry shop in Qatar as well as branches in Paris, at Gare de Lyon and at La Gare du Pont de l’Alma. There is also something planned for KSA.In addition, I have 3 upcoming book releases. Frédéric Bau: I think there will probably be a sequel to “Reasoned Gourmandise.” It will have a more professional and artisanal outlook. I am also opening in a pottery studio in two months’ time to provide sustainable plates for star chefs in France valrhona.com
IN BRIEF The European Rice strengthens its presence in Dubai
In February 2022, the “European Rice” campaign was present in UAE for two major promotional events. On February 12, a press event took place in Dubai, which was dedicated to providing information about the promotion of rice in the UAE. Rice producers from the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Thessaloniki, Greece and distinguished chefs shared their passion for rice and prepared recipes. europeanrice.eu How Valrhona's La Consigne scheme is making a positive impact on the environment
Juliana Lepan, Valrhona’s international marketing director, highlighted the company’s environmentally friendly approach and its La Consigne program during Gulfood 2022, held in Dubai, UAE. La Consigne by Valrhona consists of delivering chocolate beans in 100 percent recyclable plastic containers that are made in Europe. These containers are then collected, washed and reused for the next deliveries. The aim behind the initial trial was to assess the concept’s logistical viability and ensure that customers are happy with receiving their goods in reusable containers. valrhona.com
Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
A TASTE OF MINUS EIGHTEEN WITH YASMINA RIZK, GM OF SWEET MANIA LLC she then launched in Dubai. We spoke to the general manager of Sweet Mania LLC, to hear more about her journey. What prompted you to open Minus Eighteen in Dubai?
An optician by profession, Yasmina Rizk pursued her passion for sweets by starting an ice-cream business, which 26
HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2022
The idea of opening Minus Eighteen came after several years of researching ice-cream brands in Dubai. We found that there was a need for a high-end artisanal ice-cream concept. As people are becoming health oriented, we took the decision to go ahead with the project and offer artisanal, fresh, vegan, keto and sugar-free ice cream.
Who are your most prominent clients in the hospitality sector and what are your top-selling flavors? Restaurants, caterers and hotels are our
key customers. We also cater to the end consumer through our e-commerce platform through Instagram, our website and food delivery aggregators, such as Deliveroo and Talabat. In addition to our 40 flavors of ice cream, we also sell frozen desserts. Our product range includes occidental and oriental frozen pastries, macaron filled with ice cream, ice-cream tarts, ice-cream jars and icecream chocolate bars. Our top-selling ice-cream flavors are ashta, jellab, meghli, rose loukoum, vanilla, chocolate, orange, strawberry, lemon and salted caramel.
What are your upcoming projects? We plan to open a flagship store to display our full line and allow our clients enjoy the best flavors of our frozen desserts. minuseighteen.com Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
