Hotel & Catering News ME - January 2020

January 2020

All the latest from the Middle East hospitality industry

e h t g n i t a r b el e

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th f o n o i t i d e

Rethinking Food

P28 – ME by Meliá’s GM on hospitality’s newest take on contemporary culture

January 2020

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On the web Read the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com

08 News

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32 Chain of the month

January 2020 // Issue #019

Contents 36 Marketplace

42 Hotel review

Features 08 //

News Rational expands headquarters, Bidfood UAE signs agreement with Food Bank and more

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ADVERTORIAL Naif Alrajhi

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SUPPLIER WATCH NRTSC Fresh

20 //

COVER STORY Gulfood 2020

26 //

SUPPLIER WATCH GROHE

28 //

GM INTERVIEW ME by Meliรก

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January 2020 // Issue #019

Contents

On the web Read the latest news, features and much more on our website. www.hotelnewsme.com

Features

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32 //

CHAIN FOCUS Wyndham Hotels and Resorts

36 //

MARKETPLACE Tea

40 //

PRODUCTS

42 //

HOTEL REVIEW Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City

44 //

FURTHER AFIELD La Crème de La Cream

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MOVERS & SHAKERS Agriculture Box

50 //

NEW HOTEL Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina

52 //

WHAT’S COOKING? Chef Mathew Palombino

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REVIEW Armani/SPA

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ENHANCE

•NEW YORK SANPELLEGRINO.COM

MOMENTS

Tastefully Italian

Distributed by Bidfood UAE | T: 04 805 2000 | E: marketing.uae@bidfoodme.com | W: bidfoodme.com

January 2020

Editor's letter

A note from the editor

D i n a Maa t y

Director Rabih Najm Rabih@bncpublishing.net CEO Wissam Younane Wissam@bncpublishing.net Group Commercial Director

Samer Alloush samer@bncpublishing.net Editor

Dina Maaty dina@bncpublishing.net

t’s finally here – the much-anticipated, and very well in advancecelebrated 2020. It does have a ring to it, doesn’t it? But we’re super excited about this year for many more reasons than just that: the most important one of all? It means that it’s almost time for Expo 2020.

At this show of all shows, Emirati hospitality will be showcased, as will Dubai’s diverse and innovative food and beverage scene, much-loved local restaurants and talented up-and-comers.

The biggest players will be introduced to an international audience, while UAE-inspired cuisine and traditional dishes from the wider Arab world will be enjoyed in a food hall setting.

Furthermore, Expo 2020 has developed a Food Ethos, a set of values designed to push forward culinary ethics across the broader industry. The organising committee has predicted that about $550m worth of food and beverage is expected to be sold at World Expo 2020 Dubai. At peak times, up to 85,000 meals are forecast to be served per hour, with about five million meals needed to feed the Expo 2020 workforce alone during the six-month event.

When we look at hospitality, based

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on projections with respect to the Expo as well as tourism targets, the government has estimated future requirements at about 160,000 hotel rooms. A further 25,000 hotel/hotel apartment units are due to be delivered by 2020.

Rooms will be completed in time to welcome 20 million visitors annually by 2020, plus an additional five million visitors between October 2020 and April 2021, 70 per cent of which will come from outside the UAE. Looking at it from where we stand, Dubai isn’t just building for the Expo, the emirate continues to flourish in order to keep on with its very own astronomical growth – something we’re all used to by now. A legacy programme has thus been created which will ensure that approximately 80 per cent of the Expo’s buildings and structures will be incorporated into a new business zone called District 2020.

It just all sounds magnificent, doesn’t it? Whether you’re on the hospitality side, F&B, or both, 2020 sounds like it has so much to offer – so much that it’s almost barged its way in for most of us – we’ve been dreaming it for so long, so let’s make this year as fantastic as can be.

Regards, Dina

Contributors

Marouane Al Mandri Hiba Naz Mark Monzon Art Director Aaron Sutton Aaron@bncpublishing.net Photographer

Farook Al Saliq Marketing Executive

Vince Celestial Vince@bncpublishing.net

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January 2020

News

For all the latest News, Visit www.hotelnewsme.com Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute breaking news Read the latest edition on www.hotelnewsme.com

Largest IKEA store in Dubai now open in Jebel Ali

The largest IKEA store of Dubai and the third full-sized store in the UAE opened its doors for customers in Jebel Ali. Targeted at nearby communities such as Jebel Ali, Al Furjan, Dubai Marina and surrounding communities, IKEA is based in Al Futtaim’s newest Mall development, Festival Plaza, in the South of Dubai, which opened on the same day, the store is spread across 35,500 square meters including 8

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a 5,000 square meters training area for IKEA employees and is also home to the World’s Tallest IKEA Navigation Tower.

The store was opened in the presence of Omar Al Futtaim, Vice Chairman Al-Futtaim Jon Abrahamsson, CEO of Inter IKEA as well as Carl Morner, Deputy Head of Mission – Embassy of Sweden and selected VIP guests and customers who queued up to witness the opening and be among the first to enter the new store.

The complete home setup in the new store will provide customers with additional small space living solutions. One such home is set with smart home solutions to show customers how they can easily make the transition to smart living.

Throughout the main showroom, digital signage and projector solutions will provide customers with information about the range of products available as well as guide them

through the store and enhance their shopping experience. Approximately 16 home planning wall projectors are built across the store that will allow customers to be able to easily visualise products in their home.

The store will also feature a brand new Customer Planning Studio for customers with extensive kitchen and bathroom requirements making planning easier and improving the overall shopping experience. www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

News

Expansion

Rational expands group headquarters in Landsberg Rational held a ground-breaking ceremony for the further expansion of its third plant at the German group headquarters in Landsberg am Lech. A new distribution centre is set to expand its global logistics division and create additional office space.

Rational is a technology leader in thermal food preparation and now employs around

2,300 members of staff, over 1,300 of whom work in Germany. RATIONAL units are produced at two locations: Landsberg am Lech, the home of the SelfCookingCenter and all of the combi-steamers, and Wittenheim in France, where the VarioCookingCenter is developed and produced.

All products relating to the

combi-steamer – the product itself, along with accessories and cleaning agents – are to be dispatched from the new distribution centre to over 120 countries, serving specialist dealers all over the world and the company’s nine overseas warehouses. In addition, the building will house office space and meeting rooms.

Expo 2020

Expo 2020 announces local eateries set to serve food at the exhibition

A selection of UAE-based cafés, restaurants and food trucks will be showcased at Expo 2020 Dubai, offering millions of visitors the chance to taste varied cuisines from homegrown brands, while giving renowned local institutions the opportunity to make their mark on the international food scene.

With more than 200 nationalities calling the UAE home and almost 16 million visitors to Dubai in 2018 alone, it’s no

surprise that the local food scene reflects a vibrant melting pot of cultures. The UAE-based cafés, restaurants and food trucks chosen to share their dishes are no exception, spanning influences from Lebanon to India and the Philippines to Ireland.

Enjoying great popularity among Emiratis and expats, these small and medium-sized eateries, mostly homegrown and family-run, offer comfort and consistency and have been

selected for their quality and longevity in the UAE. Local favourites that will have outlets at The World’s Greatest Show include classic Dubai brands Arabian Tea House, Al Farwania, Seashell Cafeteria, Dampa Seafood Grill, Al Reef Bakery, Al Khabbaz and Firas Sweets. The six-month spectacle will also feature a variety of Al Samadi’s concepts, such as Hummus Spot, Rogue Coffee and Twisty Treats.

AWJ Investments to open five new restaurants in Saudi Arabia in 2020 Following the launch of three of its brands – Operation: Falafel, Catch 22 and Awani – in Riyadh and Operation: Falafel in Dammam and Dhahran, AWJ Investments is continuing its expansion into the Saudi market with five restaurants set to open in H1 of 2020.

Growing further, Catch22 will be the group’s first restaurant in Jeddah and is due to open in February 2020, followed by Operation: Falafel in early April and Awani later in 2020. Additionally, AWJ Investments will develop two more Operation: Falafel chain offerings at Ajdan Walk, Al Khobar and Alia Plaza, Riyadh in Q2 of 2020.

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January 2020

News

Sustainability

Bidfood UAE signs agreement with UAE Food Bank to tackle waste Bidfood UAE, part of JSE-listed Bidcorp a leading multi-channel foodservice provider of international F&B brands, today signed an official agreement with the UAE Food Bank as part of its food waste management project.

In keeping with efforts to tackle food waste and devise an integrated sustainability and

food management plan, Bidfood UAE signed an agreement with the UAE Food Bank locking its involvement in its mission of tackling food waste in the country.

The partnership marks a new milestone for the Bidfood UAE who, for the past year, has capitalized on the sustainability layer of the industry via

partnerships with plant-based suppliers, recycling initiatives, and sizeable investment in Research and Development.

The agreement entails an of-

Dining

Nation Towers welcomes three new dining venues

Nation Towers has welcomed three new dining venues to its current dining portfolio – Mado, Poke San and Blu Chocolate.

Poke San offers clean, wholesome food. Designed by Chef Shigeki’s from Tokyo, the Japanese-inspired fusion dishes are based on a build-your-ownmeal concept, with the option for dine-in or grab-and-go.

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Mado has more than 300 stores in Turkey and around the globe. The restaurant recreates long-time favourite Turkish delicacies, as well as hot and cold entrees such as the Cigar Borek and Kisir (Turkish tabbouleh), followed by mains featuring grills and more . Those with a sweet tooth can order the signature Mado ice cream,

cakes and traditional dessert such as kunafe and baklava.

Blu Chocolate offers artisan chocolates made from six carefully chosen types of beans. The process making is carefully supervised by the team of experienced chocolate-makers. The extensive product range includes classic and caramel flavours accompanied by enrobed and stuffed dates.

ficial partnership between Bidfood UAE and the UAE Food Bank, whereby the former will provide any and all surplus of food deemed suitable for consumption as per official health and safety standards. The UAE Food Bank will then collect the surplus of food and distribute to approved charities and organizations around the country.

Dubai hoteliers clean up popular desert camping spot Volunteers from IntercityHotel Dubai Jaddaf Waterfront cleared rubbish from a popular desert camping spot on the outskirts of Dubai during the weekend. Large garbage bags filled with a total of about 1.2 tonnes of litter were collected as the “hoteliers with passion” combed the desert in the Tawi Nazwa area for debris.

They were joined by volunteers from Emirates Offroaders and Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay in the desert cleanup drive. They picked up plastic packaging, empty water bottles, shards of glass, charcoal and other waste carelessly discarded by many of the hundreds of visitors to the desert camping spot.

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January 2020

Appointments

Hotels

Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace to be managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Emirates Palace Company (EPCO) has announced that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will take over the management of Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, from January 1, 2020.

“Since first opening its doors to guests, Emirates Palace has captured the essence of authentic Arabian hospitality and established itself as not only an exceptional hotel, but also as one

of Abu Dhabi’s most iconic visitor attractions. We’re delighted to enter this fresh chapter with Mandarin Oriental, whose operational expertise will further enhance the guest experience in line with our leadership’s example to continue striving for excellence and extending world-class hospitality to anyone visiting or living in the UAE,” says His Excellency Mohamed Al Junaibi,

chairman of EPCO, The award-winning iconic property, which opened in 2005, is one of the world’s most luxurious hotels and boasts 302 rooms and 92 suites, with over nine international restaurants.

The decision to award the new management contract was based on a highly competitive tender process, managed by third-party firm JLL.

Sustainability

Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights to cut down on plastic In keeping with Accor Group’s corporate social responsibility measures, Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights – Hotel Suites & Apartments has launched a brand-new eco-responsible project: ‘Our Oasis’.

The sustainability campaign was officially inaugurated by Dubai Sustainable Tourism, an initiative led by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Dubai Municipality represen-

tatives Amal Salem Albedwai, Head of Drinking Water Control Unit and Maythaa Abdulla AlHamidh, Food Health Inspection Officer, and Naseer Thodi, General Manager at the hotel.

The delegates were taken on a tour of the bottling plant at the hotel, where they were shown a detailed presentation of the idea behind the ‘Our Oasis’ project.

This was followed by a full demonstration of the new machines and bottling processes, where

the guests could examine the procedures as well as sampling the water.

With 1,015 keys, Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights is the largest Mercure property in the AccorHotels group’s global network. The project, which includes activities such as reducing water and energy usage, aims to replace more than 600,000 single-use plastic bottles with reusable ones by the end of 2020.

Marriott International to open a W Hotel in Cairo Marriott International, Inc. announced it has entered into an agreement with Landmark Sabbour to bring the W Brand’s bold design, signature Whatever/ Whenever service and innovative programming to Cairo, underscoring the growing demand for luxury in Egypt.

Expected to open in 2024, W Cairo will be situated in 1-Ninety – a 300,000 sqm mixeduse development in the emerging New Cairo district featuring retail space, commercial and residential components.

To be located just 25 kilometres from Cairo International Airport, the new hotel will add its own vibrant W experience to the ultra-modern urban landscape of New Cairo.

When W Cairo opens in 2024, the hotel will embody W Hotels’ work hard, play hard philosophy with a signature WET Deck (pool deck), AWAY Spa and FIT Fitness Centre alongside 350 rooms and suites. The hotel is also expected to offer multiple food and beverage venues, plenty of spaces to mix and mingle, plus meetings and events space which will include a 500-square-metre Great Room.

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January 2020

Appointments

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi appoints director of marketing The St. Regis Abu Dhabi has appointed Maria Tsiomou as the director of marketing.

Tsiomou overlooked the successful opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in the Kingdom of Jordan, The St. Regis Amman.

During her experience in the corporate office as the brand specialist for Sheraton, Wes-

tin and Special Select Brands in EAME, as well as being the brand manager of Luxury Collection Hotels and The St. Regis Hotels, she has rolled out the three new brand identities and formed an instrumental role in executing the global brand plans from global to regional and hotel level.

Fairmont Bab Al Bahr welcomes new director of marketing Mouna Ouni has been appointed as Fairmont Bab Al Bahr’s director of marketing. In her new capacity, according to the property, Ouni will be working closely with the hotel’s director of sales and marketing to ensure that Fairmont Bab Al Bahr maintains its competitive positioning in the industry through innovative

marketing campaigns and by introducing tactics to enhance media relationships.

Ouni will take charge of the luxury hotel’s PR and communications strategies, goals and budget in order to develop a media relations strategy, seeking high-level placements in print, broadcast and online media.

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah appoints executive chef Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah has appointed Chef Andrea Fioravanti as its new executive chef, overseeing the hotel’s expansive culinary offering.

With a career spanning more than two decades, Chef Fioravanti is an Italian national who has worked within luxury hotels and Michelin-star restaurants across the globe from the UK, Spain and Taiwan to Macau and the Middle East.

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Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah team, Chef Fioravanti was executive chef at a top luxury casino resort in Macau China overseeing a collection of award-winning restaurants.

New operatIons manager joins tryp by wynDham DubaI TRYP by Wyndham Dubai has announced the appointment of George Farouk as operations manager.

In his new role as operations manager, the property announced that Farouk will oversee operations across all departments throughout the hotel including its 650 rooms, three food and beverage outlets and NEST, one of the region’s

first full service co-working space within an international hotel brand.

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January 2020

Openings & Launches

Hilton announces the opening of three Meraas hotels at Al Seef in Dubai

Hilton announced the opening of three hotels at Al Seef in Dubai under three of its industry-leading brands. In partnership with Dubaibased holding company Meraas and under the terms of the agreement, Hilton will operate Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Seef, Canopy

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

Owned by Meraas, the three hotels, which originally opened in 2018, are located at Al Seef, the bustling waterfront destination by Meraas, along the shore of Dubai Creek, and are now open under these Hilton brands.

Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Seef offers thoroughly contemporary hotel spaces featuring modern artwork in the lobby and public areas, a restaurant featuring free hot breakfast and a bright aesthetic.

The 200-room Canopy by Hilton Dubai Al Seef is located in the heart of old Dubai and is home to a Mediterranean restaurant and rooftop bar. The property will undergo minor changes to its public space in Q1 2020 to create the brand’s signature Canopy Central lobby experience.

Representing the traditions of Dubai, Al Seef Heritage Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection by Hilton reflects traditional Arabian style, design and detailing with contemporary service and facilities, along the banks of the Dubai Creek. Al Seef Heritage Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection by Hilton will offer 190 guest rooms, with Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Seef hosting 150 rooms, while the Canopy by Hilton Dubai Al Seef will have 200 rooms.

From 20 to 2,000 meals a day.

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January 2020

Advertorial

Reaching New Heights Naif Alrajhi Investment’s expansion into the flourishing hospitality and F&B worlds of Saudi Arabia is making headlines. We interview Naif Saleh Alrajhi, chairman and chief executive officer, for insights into the company’s market presence Massive changes are underway in Saudi Arabia’s F&B scene, what – in particular – has motivated you to get involved at this moment in time within this market?

As a proactive response to the changes in Saudi Arabia’s growing food and beverage market, Naif Alrajhi Investment has doubled its investments in this sector through the addition of high-end restaurants to its existing casual dining portfolio. The objective is to vary the offerings from casual, to 5-star, to suit all tastes and segments.

What are the most unique aspects of the brands you’ve signed and what do you think they will bring to Saudi Arabia?

In Saudi Arabia, there’s constant demand for quality and unique restaurants. It’s not only about the food, but also the overall experience that the restaurants offer. To bring an exquisite dining experience, we’ve signed four highend concepts: Clap, the Japanese fine-dining restaurant, Iris Café, a lounge known for its distinctive vibes and ambiance, and a new joint project ‘Brute’ designed for meat connoisseurs which will be established by Zeev Godik, the founder of Argentinian steak restaurant Gaucho.

Moreover, we’ve signed a master franchise agreement for Jones the Grocer, the Australian specialty gourmet food retailer and award-winning café.

We’ve also established a hospitality management subsidiary company, Grey Fox, which will be in charge of managing and operating the company’s high-end F&B portfolio.

How do you see the future of F&B in Saudi Arabia and what are some of the developments you think we will see?

The food and beverage sector is an 16

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important and promising one in Saudi Arabia, given the fact that young people make up a significant portion of the total population. Studies have shown that spending on food and beverage averaged 18% of total household spending in Saudi Arabia and it’s expected to reach SAR 18.2 billion by 2020, with user penetration reaching 36% by 2024.

On the other hand, in the upcoming years, the quality of the food and beverage market will grow drastically for two reasons: local restaurants will develop further to provide their guests with the best service and, consequentially, international restaurants will fight their

way into this gigantic market in Saudi Arabia. This strong competition will drive both parties to thrive for better quality, service and more.

Where would you position Naif Alrajhi Investment in the F&B scene in the coming years?

Naif Alrajhi Investment and Grey Fox’s vision is to become the leading food and beverage companies in Saudi Arabia. The concepts we’re introducing to the market are a very solid start for Naif Alrajhi Investment to become one of the major players in this sector by offering holistic, high-end dining experiences. www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Advertorial

The concepts we’re introducing to the market are a very solid start for Naif Alrajhi Investment to become one of the major players in this sector by offering holistic, high-end dining experiences.

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January 2020

Supplier watch

Farm Fresh: NRTC With a journey that began in 1973, NRTC embarked on its mission to bring in the freshness of premium quality fruits and vegetables to the Dubai market

According to Mordor Intelligence, The UAE fruits and vegetables market was valued at USD 3,731.0 million in 2018, and it’s projected to reach USD 6,376.9 million, with a CAGR of 9.34% during the forecast period (2019-2024). The drivers identified in this market are favourable government policies, an increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables due to health consciousness, and a strong distribution and retail network.

Demand for fruits and vegetables in the UAE is projected to grow at a rapid rate in the coming years. This growth may increase disposable income and rapidly

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expand retail trade, all of which may, in turn, spur the growth of these products.

The growth within fruits and vegetables is likely to be driven by the introduction of new products (like multi-vitamin juice) and improvements in packaging, which gives rise to extended product life cycles.

NRTC Nassar Al Refaee Trading Company (NRTC) caters to the demands of the both local and international markets through the import and export of fresh fruits and vegetables in the Middle East, partnering with international producers.

NRTC Group is a holding group of companies operating in the Middle East.

Focusing on sustainable growth and growing steadily since 1973, the group has managed to turn a family business into an internationally recognised brand which now operates all over the UAE. The supplier imports more than 400 tonnes of fresh fruits and vegetables daily from Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Morocco and Jordan. The products are transported by land and sea to the Dubai Central Market.

In the case of certain kinds of produce with a short shelf life, products are

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January 2020

Supplier Watch

imported by air. The department has 11 chiller sites with a total of 35 cold storage rooms, where the products are repackaged for immediate distribution within the UAE. NRTC is among the top produce wholesalers in the UAE. With the support of exclusive trading partners across the world and an efficient supply chain, the company operates among various sectors such as HORECA, supermarkets, hypermarkets and corporates.

Pre-Cut Fruits and Vegetables With modern technologies and equipment in play, ranging from peelers and abrasives to slicing, dicing, and chopping mechanisms, in addition to comprehensive quality checks and 100% traceability, all products leaving the production facility of NRTC are guaranteed by their experts to be safe and delivered under the most hygienic conditions.

NRTC operations follow strict compliance rules set by International ISO 22000-2005 and HACCP principles.

NRTC Retail NRTC Retail, a subsidiary of NRTC

Did you know?

In the UAE, banana is the quickest growing fruit segment, with an expected CAGR of 28.6% during 2018-2024, and the market value is projected to reach USD 2803.6 million by 2024. This is also the biggest fruit type, which has increased from USD 111.8 million, in 2015, to USD 620.7 million, in 2018. Banana is followed by watermelons, in terms of growth rate, with a CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period, to reach USD 151.1 million by 2024. holdings, is dedicated to delivering fresh fruit and vegetables, partnering with chain of supermarkets, hypermarkets and specialty stores through which it delivers produce.

E-store To add convenience to daily grocery shopping, NRTC has ventured into the digital space, and launched their own E-store www.nrtcfresh.com. The company aims to revolutionise the traditional way of shopping and eliminate any concerns

that are associated with it. nrtcfresh.com More from NRTC Group NRTC Group currently develops smart and strategic residential assets. Investing in sustainable infrastructure, the company aims to offer a wide array of living experiences and currently has more than five projects in its portfolio. Its mission is to create value by investing in and managing properties, and seek new investment opportunities in the real estate sector.

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January 2020

Cover Story

e h t g n i t a r b e l e C th f o n o i t i Ed 20

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January 2020

Cover Story

Gulfood 2020: Rethinking Food A taste of what's to come

C

elebrating its 25th edition, Gulfood is "rethinking food" for the next 25 years to come. The global food industry’s quintessential meeting point, the exhibition is a buzzing, jam-packed affair welcoming over 100,000 visitors from 200 countries every year.

From fascinating new flavours to industry-shifting innovations and multimillion dollar export deals, Gulfood is the place to experience all the key moments driving the F&B industry forward and see all the mega-trends come alive – like never before.

The event will celebrate its 25th edition in 2020 under the theme of ‘rethinking food’ giving visitors the opportunity to question, taste, talk and engage with all that’s breaking new ground in the evolving food industry.

The exhibition Having started as a dedicated showcase

for imported products at its debut outing in 1987, Gulfood has expanded into a global F&B industry power brand over the last decade.

While the primary finished foods event attracts over 5,000 exhibitors and over 90,000 visitors per year, a series of sector-specific spin-offs have seen the Gulfood brand expand significantly over the last decade with dedicated platforms for manufacturing, hospitality equipment, confectioneries, seafood and gourmet products bringing the world’s leading suppliers and buyers to Dubai, now a globally recognised re-export hub.

The show’s evolution during the last three decades has run in parallel with widespread transformation of the F&B industry. With robust participation from national trade entities, governmentbacked industry bodies and more than 120 country pavilions from six continents, Gulfood has also leveraged various

knowledge exchange platforms to cement its position at the forefront of constantly shifting industry trends.

Maintaining this momentum, the five-day Gulfood 2020 will highlight the latest innovations, disruptive trends and visionary products in eight primary show sectors: Beverages, Dairy, Fats & Oils, Health, Wellness & Free-from, Meat & Poultry, Power Brands, Pulses, Grains & Cereals and World Food.

Rethinking food Themed ‘Rethinking Food’, Gulfood 2020 will stare into the future of food and address what matters most: why do we need to rethink food? Featuring thought leaders, experts and industry professionals, the event will showcase hundreds of thousands of products and explore a range of topics built around five central pillars: Markets, Lifestyle, Government, Technology and Marketing.

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January 2020

Cover Story

Talking Points Rethinking Food: Markets • Reshaping the Middle East & the reemergence of core markets • The race for Africa • The fast pace of urbanisation: freshest, quickest serve, convenient and conscious supply • The giant neighbour: the Indian legacy in taste and trade Rethinking Food: Lifestyle • Understanding the future consumer: a generational shift • Where did my rice come from?

Supporting ethical production • Food for experience • Gotta eat to live, gotta live to eat: developments in health and wellness Rethinking Food: Government • Regulations alert – highlights from around the world • Feeding the world • Are F&B giants any closer to their 2025 sustainability goals?

• 10 years to go: impressive responses to UN’s SDGs to date and how to move forward Rethinking Food: Technology • The R&D dilemma: develop or acquire?

• The omnichannel paradigm: disrupting distribution and retail • Download now: leading consumer apps in F&B • Let’s be smart about it: how big data can help us rethink food Rethinking Food: Marketing • Digital spell-casters: food influencers • Big bright bold: packaging hacks to address consumer demand • A new Era of Business: customisation at a time of globalisation • Leveraging social media to communicate your vision 22

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January 2020

Cover Story

An Interview with...

Mark Napier Show director, Gulfood 2020 Can you please tell us more about this year’s Gulfood exhibition, especially as it’s an anniversary edition?

Gulfood 2020, perhaps more than any other edition in the show’s three-decade history, is being held at a time when the local, regional and global industry faces a tipping point; manufacturers and retailers realise they need to adopt a full-scale transformation to be successful.

In simple terms, to remain competitive, the industry needs to dramatically innovate to meet ever-changing and increasingly sophisticated consumer demand. This involves new flavour creation, improving shelf stability, demonstrating ethical production methods and ingredient provenance, and reducing production and distribution costs. On top of this, all sectors of the industry are becoming subjected to increased regulation, particularly from a labelling aspect.

People are now demanding healthier food choices and greater transparency in ingredient disclosure. The industry is also going to have to deal with huge consumer sentiment against food waste and a growing momentum for more eco-friendly packaging, including the mounting rejection of plastic use. These issues feature prominently in the worldwide public agenda, and companies that don’t heed the clamour for solutions should prepare for a consumer backlash. It’s time to re-think food.

Featuring thought leaders, experts and industry professionals, Gulfood 2020 will showcase hundreds of thousands of products and explore a range of topics built around five central pillars: Markets, Lifestyle, Government, Technology and Marketing.

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January 2020

Cover Story

When it comes to rethinking markets, we anticipate participants will focus on the reshaping of the Middle East’s food landscape and re-emergence of its core markets, the race for the African market, how the fast pace of urbanisation has increased demand for fresh, convenient and consciously supplied produce and, of course, the potential of our giant neighbour market – India.

When our exhibitors rethink food lifestyles, the focus will be on understanding future consumers and the issues resulting from a generational shift of buyers, ethical product, food experiences and developments in health and wellness.

Participants also need to rethink food from the prospect of increased governmental regulations, now a global trend, and how the industry must strive towards 2025 UN sustainability goals.

The advances of technology also demand a rethink of food production, presentation and distribution, so participants will explore the role of big data in addressing these issues, while marketeers must rethink their approach in the light of growing consumer demands, particularly on sourcing and ingredient transparency, healthy produce and packaging.

These are just some of the conversations that will be taking place in the halls, concourses and meeting rooms of Dubai World Trade Centre during our landmark 25th edition of Gulfood in 2020.

What are some key aspects of this year’s edition and what would you say are the focus areas being introduced?

Innovation will hallmark exhibitor promotions across the show’s product sectors of beverages, dairy, fats and oils, wellness and free-from, meat and poultry, power brands, pulses, grains and cereals, and world food, which will feature 120 national pavilions with niche and specialty products in 2020.

The Gulfood Innovation Summit is a must for sector players looking for insights on the industry’s future. The Summit will run under our ‘Rethinking Food’ theme and has attracted some of the industry’s 24

Hotel & Catering NEWS ME

most inspiring change-makers. By uniting influential chefs, food scientists, government officials and industry leaders at the forefront of innovation, Gulfood 2020 will be a true platform for thought leadership, an arena to discuss and shape the future of food and gastronomy.

As regional and global experts delve into topics as diverse as governments’ role in shaping the future of food, adapting to healthier, sustainable lifestyles, F&B marketing, tourism and retail, future food technologies and new halal markets, the Summit will also feature a country focus probing the evolving Saudi Arabian culinary scene.

You plan on revolutionising the industry through ‘Rethinking Food’ at Gulfood 2020; can you tell us more about that?

We anticipate the 25th edition of Gulfood being a hotbed of innovation, reflecting the trends within an industry where demographic shifts such as urbanisation, migration and the rise of

the middle class are reshaping consumer lifestyles and purchasing decisions.

Disruption is being felt across all eight of Gulfood’s product sectors and that’s why this silver anniversary edition of the show has been themed ‘Rethinking Food.’

All sector players must rethink their approach to an industry in which natural ingredients, sugar reduction and freefrom labels remain the F&B industry’s main priorities.

Why would you tell visitors from all over the world to come to Dubai and attend?

In all honesty, the global food industry is fully aware of the intrinsic business facilitation potential of Gulfood. The show is held in Dubai and the UAE, which remains an exceptional growth area, embracing and balancing higher rates of local production with strategic re-exporting. It’s a huge transition for a region which, for many years, was totally import reliant. www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Cover Story

manifests in more transparent labelling, an increased focus on health and wellbeing, ethical ingredient sourcing, and more environmentally friendly packaging.

There’s growing demand for fortified dairy and plant-based produce, alternative protein sources, clean convenience foods, more creative flavours, and organic and locally sourced food. The push-back against sugar and salt will increase, while the demand for free-from produce and e-retailing are due to gain ground. All of these regional and global opportunities will top the Gulfood 2020 agenda.

The scale of the region’s potential is evident in the latest Gulfood Global Industry Outlook, produced by our knowledge partner Euromonitor International, which forecasts the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will experience ‘above world average’ compound annual growth across most F&B categories through to 2023.

The report says that, although Asia Pacific will become the world’s biggest F&B consumer by 2030, MENA shows huge growth potential. That’s not news to us; we’re aware the MENA region is increasingly hallmarked by the greater distribution of wealth and rapidly developing infrastructure, an area where consumers have greater access to a wider range of foods and beverages.

The MENA region is forecast to outstrip the world average growth in seven of eight sectors researched. The biggest potential will come from poultry and seafood which will both grow annually by 5.2 per

cent. Beverages are forecast to record 3.6 per cent annual growth, dairy 2.9 per cent, pulses, grains and cereals by 3.8%, cooking ingredients by 3.2 per cent and confectionery and snacks by 3.3 per cent.

Only fats and oils failed to beat the world average, but even this sector is forecast to record regional annual growth of 3.4 per cent. For example, within the health and wellbeing packaged food sector, growth of 9.9 per cent is forecast until 2023 for the MENA region. These forecasts are partly driven by global trends, including expansion of the middle class who, with higher incomes, are likely to buy health and wellness products even if they are priced higher than conventional packaged food.

Despite the abundant opportunities, the MENA region is not exempt from prevailing global trends, many of which are driven by greater conscious consumerism. Consumers are prioritising their health and that of the planet. This

What will this year’s edition offer in anticipation of Expo 2020?

In some ways, Gulfood 2020 will be a curtain raiser to the culinary expectations of Expo 2020, a global innovation showcase that will encapsulate many of the next-generation solutions and products now impacting the industry.

With our award-winning in-house hospitality team due to manage country pavilions catering at Expo 2020, DWTC has built an indisputable reputation for delivering consistently quality food with international chefs working from a kitchen equipped to cater for up to 20,000 delegates a day, meetings for as few as 20, or hundreds of guests for a banquet.

Our chefs use the finest ingredients sourced from around the world to deliver impeccable taste and unrivalled quality.

What are some of the most important show experiences?

As always, we’re mounting a strong associated events programme with the Discover Zone spotlighting product releases in new categories, and the return of Halal World Food – a global trading platform which generates lucrative investment for businesses looking to capitalise on the burgeoning halal food sector.

Industry newbies will get a chance to prove their worth in the Gulfood Startup Programme, where entrepreneurs will demonstrate how their innovation is lighting the path to a smarter tomorrow, while the Gulfood Innovation Awards will celebrate and reward excellence across brands and products.

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January 2020

Supplier watch

A Good Fit: GROHE President of GROHE Middle East, Africa & East Mediterranean Renu Misra tells Hotel & Catering News Middle East all about the giant’s strategy behind offering premium bathroom and kitchen solutions

Briefly tell our readers about your company.

GROHE is a global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings.

In the last ten years alone, it has received over 300 design and innovation awards as well as several top rankings as one of “Germany’s most sustainable major brands”.

GROHE recently received the Red Dot: Brand of the Year award and was also featured in Fortune magazine’s ranking of Top 50 companies that are “Changing the World”. Numerous high-profile projects around the globe are fitted with GROHE products, testifying to architects’, designers’ and developers’ preference for the brand.

How long have your products been available in the UAE for and who are your main clients?

GROHE has been in the UAE since the late 1960s and our products cater to architects, interior designers and end consumers searching for unrivalled, Madein-Germany water enjoyment.

What would you say is your most popular product and why?

GROHE is shaping the future of water, in terms of design and innovation, through giving our customers the building blocks they need to harness the power and the beauty of this resource – as a tailored experience wherever they enjoy it.

All our products are always based on our four brand values which are quality, technology, design and sustainability.

Our unique products include the GROHE SmartControl technology, which allows for 26

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a sustainable water experience, combining intuitive handling with precise control.

Today’s trend is towards a multiple shower experience.

SmartControl enables users to control up to three showers at the touch of a button. A water volume, temperature and spray type of head or hand shower can be selected using an easy-to-understand push and turn control unit. This “Push and Turn” operation has also found its way into the kitchen with the new SmartControl kitchen faucets.

What are some of the most important projects you’re working on?

We consider social responsibility to be an important element of our sustainability

strategy, one of GROHE’s main brand values. Therefore, we’re currently maintaining an open and constructive dialogue with the public concerned, and promoting activities which contribute to environmental protection and water resource conservation.

For example, as part of our WaterCare campaign, GROHE has launched ‘Turn Water into Food’ in the MENA region in 2012. Through this project, we focus on sustainability and community development by providing mixers and faucets with the highest quality to schools and mosques. The amount of money saved for every 10 litres of water conserved will be converted into food packages and distributed to underprivileged families. www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Supplier Watch

Top new products For the bathroom GROHE’s Sensia Arena is a shower toilet. Options for extensive personalisation include water pressure, position of shower arm, preferred temperature, spray pattern and cleansing cycle.

In addition, GROHE’s 3D metal-printed faucets are setting new standards for premium manufacturers in the sanitary sector. The company is now offering GROHE Atrio Icon 3D and GROHE Allure Brilliant Icon 3D, two faucets created using 3D metal-printing.

The new GROHE Plus Faucet allows for precise control and versatile use thanks to its D-shape which fits to both round and square bathroom products: it’s also need-oriented with a pull-out or swivel spout.

For the bathroom, GROHE presents its new ceramic and bathtub line, GROHE Essence. The bathtubs, washbasins, vessel basins as well as toilets and bidets feature natural, delicate lines, aligning with GROHE’s PerfectMatch philosophy.

For the kitchen GROHE offers individual system solutions around the kitchen sink.

GROHE’s range of kitchen sinks now includes Composite Sinks in Granite Black and Granite Gray. Offering a heat resistant surface and scratch-resistant finish, the modern-looking Composite Sinks caters to kitchen professionals.

GROHE’s SmartControl technology now finds its way into the kitchen. The innovative SmartControl Kitchen allows for precise control through an intuitive push and turn button for highest accuracy, straightforward convenience, and flexibility. Featuring three minimalist faucet designs and eleven colours, the GROHE faucet allows for greater personal choice.

The GROHE Red hot water system provides water heated to 100 degrees Celsius for instant hot beverages, soups, and other foods, speeding up meal preparation.

GROHE one of Germany’s top three most sustainable big companies

At the German Sustainability Award ceremony in Düsseldorf, GROHE secured a spot among the top three companies in the category "Germany's Most Sustainable Big Companies 2020” for its 360-degree sustainability approach and, above all, its progress in saving resources.

“We’re proud that our holistic sustainability approach, which we integrate into all of GROHE's areas of activity, has enabled us to achieve a top ranking at the German Sustainability Award,” says Thomas Fuhr, CEO of Grohe AG. “Our daily experience shows that economic success and sustainable business practice don’t

have to be mutually exclusive.

This award confirms our consistent pursuit of our sustainability goals and at the same time motivates us to further increase our commitment.”

The jury particularly praised GROHE's commitment to saving resources. A successful example is the recycling rate of above 96 percent. Moreover, GROHE is also the first sanitary brand to offer the possibility of manufacturing materialsaving fittings with the aid of innovative solutions, such as the manufacture of products with a 3D metal printer, which allows for weight savings of up to 55 percent.

GROHE’s Production Plants to become CO2-Neutral Worldwide by 2020 GROHE has set itself the goal of achieving CO2-neutral production at all production sites worldwide as part of the "GROHE goes ZERO" project. In July, all five global production sites and the logistics centres in Ger-

many were therefore converted to green electricity. With the start of the new fiscal year in April 2020, the sanitary manufacturer will offset unavoidable CO2 emissions by means of two compensation projects.

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January 2020

GM Interview

The time has never been more right to launch a hotel like this here.

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www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

GM Interview

An Epicentre of Contemporary Culture ME Dubai, the new flagship property of Spanish hotel brand ME by Meliรก, is set to open early 2020 with veteran luxury hotelier Stefan Viard at the helm Viard has assumed a significant role in leading this personality-led lifestyle destination from its earliest stages of construction, and is now guiding his team to the official opening. Located in The Opus, the newest development by The Omniyat Group is the first hotel to be designed in its entirety by legendary late architect Zaha Hadid.

Viard joined ME Dubai in 2017, having launched luxury lifestyle hotels in the Middle East including Vida Downtown and Manzil Downtown for Emaar, and Al Qasr in Madinat Jumeirah Resort for Jumeirah Group.

Please tell us a bit more about your career journey, and how working with luxury hotel groups has shaped your opinion on how ME Dubai should be?

My career was shaped by working in top international hospitality groups on a number of continents around the world, starting 17 years ago in Europe with the Hyatt hotel group when I worked across various divisions and cities. As I progressed into senior management, I took on roles in the Middle East and Asia, working for premium hotel groups which included the Jumeirah Group, The Andaman and Emaar Hospitality Group.

The experience I gained in managing various divisions and leading teams from preopening to full operation in five star properties in different markets has given me both insight and ability to lead the launch of the first ME

by Meliรก property in the Middle East.

This is an exceptional brand with a truly Hotel & Catering NEWS ME

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January 2020

GM Interview

distinctive positioning that sets it apart from anything else in this region – it’s a personality-led hospitality brand which understands contemporary luxury in today’s world. ME Dubai will not only create the social epicentre of Dubai’s dynamic cultural scene, it will also bring to life the vision of its legendary designer and architect, the late Zaha Hadid, who was involved in every element of the hotel’s design.

The time has never been more right to launch a hotel like this here.

You joined the hotel in 2017; can you please tell us how you’ve maintained your vision for the hotel, and how you’ve painted a picture for the team on the ground in the build-up to the 2020 opening?

I’m privileged to have been on board from the beginning, enabling me to oversee all aspects of the design and development of the hotel property, including décor, F&B strategy and concepts, spa and gym concepts, recruitment, and setup of front and back-of-house processes.

We’re working closely with all parties involved to bring the vision of ME Dubai to life, from the real estate developers Omniyat who commissioned the spectacular The Opus building we’re located in, to the Zaha Hadid architectural practice and, of course, Meliá Hotels International.

Our core management team is now in place, and we have an active recruitment drive starting this month to build our operational team across all departments.

Given that we’re a personality-led brand, we’re really focused on a talent-spotting drive, looking for exceptional people with personality, ambition, talent and a determination to deliver the best possible customer experience for our guests.

Being part of ME Dubai will be one of the most exciting career opportunities in the region.

ME Dubai is the first hotel to be designed in its entirety by the late Zaha Hadid; tell us more about what this represents in terms of aesthetics and the concept behind the property.

ME Dubai holds a unique place in 30

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the world, as the only hotel globally to have been fully designed – inside and out – by Zaha Hadid, and this explains why architecture and design are at the heart of the hotel. Her ground-breaking architecture and interiors showcase ME’s desire to challenge perceptions and reward curiosity with sensory fulfilment through art and design.

The look and feel is contemporary and futuristic, so expect to see fluid lines

and curves, unexpected blends of colour and tone, smart design solutions, subtle lighting, bespoke furniture and more.

We’re proud to be bringing her legacy to life at ME Dubai.

How would you like for guests to view the hotel and which category would be the best fit for it?

The definition of luxury today is very different to what it was 30 years ago, www.hotelnewsme.com

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GM Interview

We want our guests to feel at home at ME Dubai, to be comfortable in knowing this is a hotel that understands them, with a team that anticipates their every need and is confident about delivering the best possible experience wherever they are – from the front desk, to their suite, from the gym to the nightclub, and from the lobby to any one of the 15 restaurants we’ll have. ME Dubai is about delivering cool and stylish elements at every turn.

How are you planning on developing the F&B offerings?

ME by Meliá’s F&B outlets bring world renowned gastronomy to their guests wherever they are, and that most certainly includes ME Dubai. We create social hotspots that bring together guests and residents alike.

Mingling expert mixologists, the most cutting edge sounds and a mixture of local and international movers and shakers with a regularly changing programme of famous and up-and-coming DJs and exciting events, ME Dubai will offer the perfect mix.

We will open four F&B outlets owned and managed by ME Dubai, an all-daydining concept Central, the pool bar, R&R Bar and The Opus Studio, while The Opus as a whole will offer 15 F&B venues offering an eclectic mix of trendy and exceptional gastronomies, including the first ROKA restaurant outside London and the third Maine brand in Dubai, The MAINE Land Brasserie.

and ME Dubai perfectly articulates that. Luxury today is first and foremost about service, but most particularly, personalised service. Secondly, it’s about experiences – unforgettable, memorymaking experiences that surprise, delight and are only accessible to those who are in the know.

Finally, today’s luxury is about design, aesthetics, and culture. ME Dubai understands this, and as a five-

star contemporary luxury hotel our personalised approach, unforgettable experiences, unparalleled gastronomy and exceptional service in a design-led environment will know no equal.

Our AURA team, with its collective finger on the social and cultural pulse of Dubai – and the secret sauce for ME by Meliá hotels around the world, is exclusively dedicated to anticipating and delivering personalised services to our guests.

What would you like to tell your future hotel staff ahead of the 2020 opening?

Bring your personality and determination in order to be exceptional.

What are key factors we can expect from the property that will set it apart from others?

Spaces within the hotel will provide a platform for the culture and happenings of Dubai throughout the year, and through our team, our guests will gain privileged access to the local scene, as well as discover the undiscovered in the city.

We’re about luxury today – design-driven, personal, stylish and interesting.

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January 2020

chain of the month

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest hotel franchising company, with over 9,200 hotels across more than 80 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 822,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveller, Wyndham commands a presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry.

Wyndham’s global portfolio includes 20 hotel brands including: Ramada by Wyndham, TRYP by Wyndham, Days Inn by Wyndham, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, Ramada Encore by Wyndham, Wyndham Garden, Wyndham and Wyndham Grand, among others.

Current hotels in the region COUNTRY

TOWN

Dubai

UAE

Abu Dhabi

Ajman

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KEYS Wyndham Dubai Marina

486

Ramada Dubai, Al Barsha

299

Ramada Downtown Dubai

181

Howard Johnson Bur Dubai

123

Ramada Jumeira Hotel

252

Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Dubai, JBR

188

Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Dubai Deira

250

TRYP by Wyndham Dubai

650

Ramada by Wyndham Dubai Deira

173

Howard Johnson Abu Dhabi Downtown

120

Ramada Abu Dhabi Cornish

235

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Abu Dhabi City Centre

160

TRYP by Wyndham Abu Dubai City Center

146

Ramada Abu Dhabi Downtown

111

Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman

384

Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche

179

Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman

107

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January 2020

chain of the month

Current hotels in the region (Continued) COUNTRY

QATAR

BAHRAIN

OMAN

TOWN

Doha

Manama

111

Wyndham Doha West Bay

516

Wyndham Grand Regency Doha

246

Ramada Bahrain

123

Wyndham Garden Manama

441

Ramada City Center Manama

140

Ramada Hotel & Suites Amwaj Islands Manama

160

Wyndham Grand Manama

263

Muscat

Ramada Qurum Beach Muscat

89

Jeddah

Ramada Continental Jeddah

228

Days Inn Olaya Street

56

Super 8 Riyadh

48

Ramada Riyadh

92

Riyadh

KSA

KEYS Ramada Encore Doha

Al Taif

Ramada Hotel & Suites Al Hada

183

Al Qassim

Ramada Hotel & Suites Al Qassim

69

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Al Khobar, Cornish Street

38

Ramada Encore Al Khobar Olaya

64

Al Khobar

Dammam

Madinah

Mekkah

Ramada by Wyndham Al Khobar King Abdullah Street

136

Wyndham Garden Dammam Al Sheraa Mall

210

Ramada by Wyndham Dammam Khaleej Road

138

Howard Johnson Dammam, Cornish Street

50

Ramada Madinah Al Qibla

140

Ramada Madinah Al Hambra

249

Ramada Dar Al Fayzeen Makkah

646

Ramada Encore Kuwait Downtown

91

KUWAIT

Kuwait City Amman

Days Hotel & Suites Amman

184

JORDAN

Aqaba

Days Inn Aqaba

110

Dead Sea LEBANON IRAQ MOROCCO

Beirut

Ramada Resort Dead Sea

161

Ramada Downtown Beirut

99

Ramada Plaza Raouche Beirut

144

Sulaymaniyah

Ramada Salim Street Sulaymaniyah

71

Fes

Ramada Fes

133

Tangier

Ramada Encore Tangier

195

TUNISIA

Gammarth

Ramada Plaza Tunis

309

NIGERIA

Abuja

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Abuja

117

TANZANIA

Dar Es Salam

Ramada Resort Dar Es Salam

139

ETHIOPIA

Addis Ababa

Ramada Addis, Addis Ababa

136

54 hotels

10,369 keys

TOTALS

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chain of the month

Panos Loupasis VP Development, Middle East & Africa at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts What are the main challenges you face in hotel management and operations?

The MENA region is transforming and so are the preferences and profiles of guests. If you look at travel patterns today, the growth of a global middle class, with more disposable income than previous generations, has given rise to a new demographic of traveller. Add to this the impact of technology, which has dramatically changed the way we sell to and service our customers.

Today’s traveller expects a personalised and streamlined experience across every device they use. Naturally, the primary focus of our business for the future is how we can integrate digital technologies to enhance our guest experience covering every touchpoint.

Taking all of this into consideration, earlier this year at the Wyndham global conference, we unveiled several initiatives designed to elevate our brands, deliver incremental resources to our owners, grow our presence and meet the needs of today’s travellers, with a focus on enhancing returns for our nearly 6,000 franchisees.

These initiatives include leveraging new technology to expand our digital efforts to drive brand recognition and contribution, and enhance guest experience across our portfolio: prioritising new construction and design with the launch of both new and refreshed prototypes designed to lower development costs and capture greater efficiencies, and driving global growth to capitalise on the rising

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demand for all travellers, in particular the growing global middle class.

Through this commitment to innovation in quality and design, operational efficiency, strategic growth and guest experience, our focus will continue to remain on driving innovation every step of the way, so that our guests and owners get the greatest possible value and experiences.

What do you think are the most important criteria for a smooth flow of F&B operations?

While exceptional service is the golden rule in hospitality, guest experience is what makes people come back and creates loyalty. At Wyndham Hotel & Resorts, we believe that for a hotel to make a difference and a hospitality brand to build true loyalty, we must take service to the next level and exceed the expectations of our guests.

Despite being the largest hotel franchising company in the world, our commitment to personal relationships and providing that personal touch for our customers is what sets Wyndham apart. In doing so, we create lasting memories for our guests and long-term value for our hotel owners.

How do you see the future of the chain?

We’re proud to have a diverse portfolio of brands and our vision is to make hotel travel possible for all.

From economy to upper upscale, and through the rapid expansion of our footprint, our goal is to ensure that whenever and wherever guests want to travel, there’s a Wyndham hotel to suit their needs.

2019 has been an important year for us and we’ve seen tremendous growth in the Middle East & Africa region. Over the past year, we’ve reached significant milestones, delivering strong growth in key destinations, through an increased portfolio of managed hotels and strengthening our franchise business. 2020 is shaping up to be another momentous year.

We want to be the region’s leading player in the mid-market hotel segment, and with the enormous opportunities that this region offers and a strong, growing and diverse portfolio, we see substantial opportunities to further expand our reach – particularly within the midmarket sector.

Central to our vision is continuing to establish long-term partnerships with owners in the region, which will enable us to grow this portfolio of brands even further, cement our position as the region’s leading player in the mid-market hotel segment and allow owners to take advantage of the global strength of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

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January 2020

Chain of the month

Upcoming Properties in the MENA region • Wyndham Hotels & Resorts recently announced its expansion in Oman with the opening of two new hotels in Muscat (Ramada Encore by Wyndham Muscat Al Ghubra and the Wyndham Garden Muscat Al Khuwair). These two openings will mark the introduction of the Wyndham Garden and Ramada Encore by Wyndham brands to Oman.

• Wyndham Hotels & Resorts recently announced three new hotels in Dubai as part of the Deira Waterfront Development by Ithra Dubai, which will also see the introduction of two new hotel brands to the UAE market – Super 8 by Wyndham and Days Inn by Wyndham. In addition, Ramada Plaza Jumeirah Village Circle is also set to open in Dubai in 2020.

• Last year, the company also signed an agreement to open its first Wyndham Garden in Dubai signalling excellent growth for one of its most popular brands in the city which will also be its second one in the UAE. • Wyndham will also be adding four new hotels in Saudi Arabia in 2020 (Ramada Riyadh King Fahd Road, Ramada Encore Al Khobar King Salman Road, Ramada by Wyndham Mekkah Al Rawda and Ramada by Wyndham Mekkah Al Tayseer), further reinforcing its commitment to expand its offering in the Kingdom in what the company sees as a key strategic market in the region.

• This will bring Wyndham’s portfolio to 19 operational hotels and over 3,000 rooms in Saudi Arabia next year. The openings follow the introduction by Wyndham of two more of its iconic brands into the Kingdom for the first time in December 2018 – Wyndham Garden Damam and Howard Johnson Dammam Cornish Street.

• 2020 will also see Wyndham introduce two additional hotels in Iraq – Ramada Hotel & Suites Najaf and Ramada by Wyndham Erbil Gulan Street.

• Within the wider MEA region, Africa is steadily developing into one of the world’s great regions for travel, and Wyndham is strengthening its presence in this market too. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has a robust pipeline in place which includes a number of further openings and market entries in Ethiopia, Benin and Senegal over the next three years.

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January 2020

Marketplace

Marketplace Tea

For all the latest News, Visit www.hotelnewsme.com Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute breaking news Read the latest edition on www.hotelnewsme.com

Take a Sip

Richard Smyth, managing director at Dubai Tea Trade Centre DMCC’s Tea Trading International, knows a thing or two about a good brew. Here, we learn all about the art of crafting the cup – from leaf to table

Tell us a bit more about your offering.

We are a specialised tea company based in Jebel Ali. Our whole focus is on providing outstanding teas for the HORECA sector.

The key difference between us and our competitors is that we buy all teas directly from the plantations, then bring them to Dubai where we develop our own recipes specific to the local market, local water and International travellers. They’re blended and packed here, so are as fresh as can be.

To achieve this, we have developed two brands: Vertea and The Leaf.

Vertea, Teas of the World, is a range of 36

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premium teas sourced from selected gardens in the best tea-producing areas of the world. The blends and flavours are specifically created for the tastes and preferences of the region.

The premium hotel range is packed in individual bags, staple-free in envelopes for freshness and hygiene. It’s a quality premium product for the 5- and 4-star hotel category. Then, there’s also a catering range which includes Yellow, Red and Green label, and it’ suitable for canteens and offices: these blends are robust, full-bodied blends from Kenya and Assam for strength,

ideal with or without milk.

The Leaf is a super premium range of outstanding teas, carefully selected from around the world. Ideal for the discerning exceptional experience 5-star hotel tea lounges, these teas create exceptional quality flavours and characters: it’s a range of teas covering the very best of black, green and herbal.

We even included a stronger Irish Breakfast with three grams as we realised that customers who prefer a strong tea with milk were not happy with an English breakfast, which in this region can be conwww.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Marketplace

sumed with or without milk.

Designed for the tea connoisseur, but accessible to everyone, the whole leaf tea is packed into bio-degradable pyramid bags, sealed for freshness in envelopes. The loose tea is also available, but in pouches.

We also develop teas and flavours for individuals and co-pack for larger organisations.

How do you ensure your practices are always sustainable?

We pride ourselves in knowing the full supply chain sources of all of our teas and packaging. We’re signatories to the Ethical Tea Sourcing Partnership, which focusses not only on the tea, but on the overall welfare of the people right through the journey: from bush to cup.

As our teas are blended and packed here in Dubai, and our packaging is sourced locally in the UAE, this makes our carbon footprint one of the lowest – considerably lower than that of imported brands. The tea bags are compostable, and all our tea bag tissue is completely plastic-free.

What makes a good cup of tea?

This starts with selecting the right teas. We at Tea Trading International DMCC are a locally based specialist tea company and do all our own selecting, blending and packing here in Dubai. Consequently, the teas are considerably fresher as they arrive direct from the producing countries. We then only blend and pack as needed.

As masters of tea, we would suggest our whole Leaf Tea, either loose or in pyramid bags (this is the same loose tea, but just in a more convenient format). Then, it really is as your grandmother taught you: freshly drawn water (or bottled), freshly boiled, kettle to the warmed pot and allowed to brew for four or five minutes for black tea.

For green tea, the optimum temperature is at 85 to 90 degrees Celsius.

For a restaurant or hotel, the most important point is training and consistency.

Customers expect staff to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the selection, preparation and often benefit from some guidance: this then needs to be consistent across the team. Recognising this, we at TTI provide a full training programme for staff.

Having said all of that, tea is one of those

beverages that everyone has their own way of brewing, and as far as they’re concerned that’s the perfect way to do it. If they’re happy with it, then so am I. What are your thoughts on the fluoride content controversy when it comes to tea production?

Fluoride is a mineral which has beneficial effects for our teeth and bones. With regards to teeth, the most common benefit is the prevention of dental caries as confirmed by the European Food Safety Authority. In small to moderate doses, fluoride may help strengthen bones.

Tea is a source of fluoride. Two to three servings of tea a day contribute to fluoride

intake, but levels don’t exceed European safety limits and aren’t even high enough to reach recommended levels. Higher tea consumption of four to five cups daily would be better for our dental health.

Consuming up to five cups daily meets the recommended levels of fluoride and is still below recommended limits.

So, in summary, four to five cups a day are actually good for dental health. Additionally, the flavonoid polyphenols and antioxidants in tea give positive benefits by reducing plaque formation and having anti-bacterial effects. Green tea is a natural breath freshener!

Do you think tea tasting should be more popular in the region?

Absolutely. There’s a lack of awareness generally as to the interesting story that tea has to tell. We organise tea tasting and training for our customers at hotels and the two major airlines here in the UAE. Being based in the DMCC Tea Centre, we have excellent facilities to show the full process from the individual tea selection, to the construction of a blend, then the physical packing.

If organisations would like to have private tasting demonstrations with the opportunity to create their own blends, we would be happy to.

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January 2020

Marketplace

Newby Teas

Available in most luxury hotels in the Middle East

Packing process Newby Teas are packed at the Newby preservation, storage, blending and packing facility in Kolkata. Packages are shipped directly to the facility for preservation, blending and sealing. The facility is located in the middle of all the tea growing regions, thus reducing transit time.

Quality Using just the leaves of a single estate means standards can vary from year to year. That’s why only leaves from a variety of tea gardens, picked at their most tender, are selected.

Expert tasters in India sample thousands of harvests, with their recommendations sent to the founder and tea specialist. Only after he has personally tasted and approved each tea will it be ready to bear the Newby name.

Quality control Newby’s factory in Kolkata, India consistently achieves an ‘A’ rating for food safety 38

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from BRC Global Standards, a leading quality certification programme used in more than 120 countries.

Flavour Multi-functional protection keeps light, heat, moisture and odours at bay, all of which can adversely affect teas transported in less considered conditions.

Member of the Ethical Tea Partnership Newby is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, a global organisation committed to improving the lives and environment of tea workers throughout the world. The company shares ETP’s aims of making tea production better, fairer and more environmentally sustainable.

Newby Teas Launches Collaboration with Matthew Williamson In the first collaboration of its kind, renowned British designer Matthew Wil-

liamson has partnered with Newby Teas to produce a limited-edition collection of teas in intricately designed tea caddies.

The collaboration is the latest venture for Matthew Williamson, who has enjoyed great success in fashion, interior design and homewares since his debut at London Fashion Week in 1997. The collection features three tea blends created in partnership with Matthew Williamson. These bespoke, looseleaf blends are presented in packaging designed by Matthew Williamson.

Williamson was personally involved in the project, directing and curating the designs to his own specifications, and tasting a variety of tea blends in consideration for the collection. Known for his bold prints and use of vivid colour, Williamson has taken inspiration from the Rajasthan region of India to produce evocative prints based on original water colours, each one reflecting a facet of the chosen tea and its heritage. newbyteas.ae www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Marketplace

AVANTCHA

Marina Rabei, Co-Founder and Managing Partner customers keep coming back for this premium quality grade.

Please tell us more about some exciting new developments for your company.

AVANTCHA online teashop launched worldwide delivery and AVANTCHA Tea Bar in Al Manzil hotel, the first step towards enhancing and elevating the tea quality and tea service in hotels.

We’re is the official tea partner for the newest Waldorf Astoria DIFC. Working together with the talented F&B team, we crafted a bespoke tea blend, Bronx Afternoon Excite, featuring juniper, vermouth and bitter orange, inspired by the world famous cocktail Bronx, developed in Waldorf Astoria NYC during the prohibition period.

AVANTCHA is the official tea partner of Abu Dhabi EDITION hotel, where we crafted the bespoke tea blend, Organic Bedouin Caravan, featuring Lapsang, Keemun teas and Sicilian bergamot. Our bi-monthly educational tea events are shaping a new face of a tea lovers’ community.

AVANTCHA is a boutique, specialty tea concept, established in Dubai in 2014 by Markus Zbinden and Marina Rabei. With a portfolio of over 100 fine teas and tisanes, the company sources from all over the world single estate teas and evocative blends.

The teas are from organic certified tea gardens and/or pesticide-free, with each batch lab-tested. Teabags are packed with whole leaf teas in biodegradable material.

They also produce minimalistic teaware, designed in-house.

What’s your best-selling product and what makes it unique?

We have a few tea blends and fruity infusions that were exceeding our sales expectations in 2019: The Rush Hour Berry

is a mouth-watering blend of flavourful garden and forest berries. The initial hit is sweet, with strawberry and blueberry dominating. The aftertaste lingers with cranberry and hibiscus tartness. The blend is a winner because it uses natural flavouring and whole berries pieces, with a seductive deep pink colour.

Oriental Moments is an intensely fragrant melange of Pu Erh and Black teas, cinnamon, sandalwood and vanilla – the ultimate digestive blend with strong Arabic notes. Organic Japanese Gyokuro is the most precious and noble of Japanese teas.

It’s shade-grown, rich and full-bodied, with a savoury finish on the palate, a true tea connoisseurs’ choice.

Organic Matcha Ceremonial Grade is rich, umami, creamy and savoury: our

What are some of the biggest upcoming trends?

We’re seeing rapid, increasing demand for low and no-alcohol beverages. With the new tax introduced on sugary drinks, we see a great opportunity to consumers turning to tea-based beverages. We’ve been working with numerous B2B customers to design new beverage menus that incorporate our fine teas.

Tea and food pairing is becoming increasingly popular; we’re launching tea and cheese pairings in January. Moreover, sustainably sourced teas and tisanes, and eco-friendly packaging, are growing trends, with more and more hotels seeking organic teas packed in biodegradable packaging.

Consumers now demand transparency about how and where products are sourced, a proof of claimed certifications and a great company culture. avantcha.com Hotel & Catering NEWS ME

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January 2020

Products

Products of the Month Nutricook by Nutribullet

iKitchen

The system solution by RATIONAL combines SelfCookingCenterÂŽ, VarioCookingCenterÂŽ, and ConnectedCooking to streamline processes and save space, money, energy and raw materials while making work in the kitchen easier. rational-online.com

This stainless-steel countertop appliance fries food without oil. The Nutricook Air Fryer Oven is an air fryer, convection oven, rotisserie oven and dehydrator. Nutricook, which stands for Nutritious Cooking, is the new brand by the team behind the universally loved Nutribullet. The Nutricook range is set to revolutionise cooking with a series of innovative appliances. nutribullet.com

Dyson Airblade 9kJ

The Dyson Airblade 9kJ has been developed to be the fastest, most energy-efficient HEPAfiltered hand dryer. The new product enables people to dry their hands quickly and hygienically in 10 seconds, while using less energy and offering an alternative to single-use paper towels.

The new hand dryer boasts a Curved Blade design, touch-free operation, hygienic HEPA filtration, acoustic engineering and more, costs AED 5,399, and is designed to suit any commercial or public washroom, from offices, shopping malls and restaurants, to public spaces, amusement parks, schools, hospitals and hotels. dyson.ae

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www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Opinion

Sustainability. Revisited.

A monthly column by Martin Kubler, CEO, chief cook and bottle washer of sps:affinity – Strategic Partnership Solutions Sustainability has all been all the rage for a while and not a conference or event has gone by without the topic being discussed.

The industry, I feel, has made great progress over the past year to become more sustainable with local produce far more visible on menus, a greater awareness of food waste, and more and more restaurants ditching plastic items in favour of more sustainable alternatives.

What prompted me to look at the topic again? None of the above points, but rather continuous encounters with what I could call “back-office sustainability gaps” in our industry. Let me explain…

A little while ago, a fairly large company in our industry sent me a press release proudly announcing that they would go completely “plastic-free” over the next few months. So far, so good. The same company, however, insists on the following every time you want them to pay you, as a supplier: Signed and stamped agreement (two hard-copies), a pro-forma invoice (signed and stamped, one hard copy, prior to every invoice), an invoice (yes, signed and stamped, one hard copy), a statement of accounts (signed and stamped, of course, prior to every invoice being paid), and finally a payment receipt (most certainly signed and stamped). That’s a minimum of four pieces of paper, not counting the initial agreement. Possibly more, if your invoices have many items/positions listed.

Let’s say, I invoice them monthly – that’s a minimum of four pieces per month or 48 pieces of paper per year.

Let’s assume that this company has 100 suppliers that invoice them monthly (in reality it has far more): that’s 4,800 sheets of paper. According to conservatree.org it, one tree makes approximately 16.67 reams of copy paper or 8,333.3 sheets.

That’s half a tree wasted just on useless

hard copies of documents that, in 2020, could easily be replaced by online versions (digitally signed and stamped) – by just one company.

This company isn’t the only one working with this system – many others still do, too, and it doesn’t stop there.

The same company (and many, many others) still pay by cheque. Cheques need to be picked up by someone (plus, they’re made from paper, too), which, in the case of this particular company is on the outskirts of the city – so that’s 100 suppliers (minimum) that send someone in a car to pick up a cheque out there in the dusty sticks every month, drive it back, then drive it to the bank. Yes, I get bank charges for transferring money online, while paying by cheque does not

attract extra charges, but no one ever said sustainable business operations come cheap. They can, of course, if you do it right and if we, as an industry, make our voices heard, but by large, doing business in a sustainable and responsible manner tends to attract extra charges.

It’s often cheaper to buy rainforestfarmed beef than responsibly reared beef, for example, and yet, more and more hotels and restaurants are switching to (often) locally produced and more sustainable alternatives.

I think it’s time, now that we seem to have the “front-facing” areas under control, to take a look at our back-office operations. They’re less glamourous and PR-worthy, but they deserve some sustainability-love, too.

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January 2020

Review

Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City

The first idea that came to mind as we made a sharp turn onto the area where Dubai’s Innovation Hub would be was: How did we not know about this hotel?

Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City is a massive one, the only 5-star in the neighbourhood. It stands alone in its spot, but is surrounded by Media City’s bustling-yet-serene vibes.

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Offering guests 235 spacious rooms and suites, the hotel’s are among the cleanest – if not the cleanest – you’ll find in the UAE. It’s impossible for any property to meet our standards, but the room is literally spotless, and boasts a very wide view of Internet City, Media City, Burj Al Arab and even a portion of the magnificent Palm crescent.

There are five dining venues at the hotel, namely TWENTY THREE Rooftop Bar, which steals the show as Media City’s new hotspot. The Grand Lounge serves up creatively crafted delicacies, perfect for an afternoon high tea. A ‘neighbourhood deli’ feel is to be enjoyed at Slice, through its relaxed ambience, with a touch of panache. The hotel is also home to www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Review

modern European escape Verve Bar & Brasserie, under the guidance of multi award-winning chefs Nick and Scott.

Bytes is a relaxed local eatery, spanning indoor and outdoor spaces, in addition to a swimming pool. It’s also where we have our Friday Alpine brunch. Featuring a sharing menu with dishes served to the table, the feast also comprises several traditional dishes from Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria showcased buffet-style.

We indulge for hours in the delights of appetising alpine salads, cold cuts, and traditional flavours including sausages, comforting mains and desserts. There’s also the chic touch with fresh oysters, seafood and a sushi station – it is Dubai after all. For those seeking an authentic

taste of Europe, there’s also the live carving section serving roast beef and lamb leg, along with freshly baked pizza.

More food choices include a cheese station, serving traditional Alps charcuterie and raclette, in addition to a truffle and parmesan station with fresh pasta finished in the wheel. Plus, the finest, alpine-inspired beverages are on offer, too. The whole experience is just mesmerising, with the DJ’s selection of Christmas songs setting the mood as we devour everything from schnitzel, crispyskinned seabass and ridiculously fresh sashimi, to truffle seashell pasta and baby potatoes drowning in melted cheese.

After taking some well-earned selfies by the pool, and having a chat with the super friendly, pleasant servers, it’s time

to head back to the room, and with so many channels on offer, laying on the ever-comfortable bed – with customised pillows – we’re the most relaxed we’ll ever be. In a few hours, it was time for dinner the elegant Verve Bar & Brasserie.

Had we been teleported to DIFC? Because we sure can’t think of that many Media City venues which evoke that much fine dining grandeur. The team at Verve ensures that we get a taste of all the top dishes, including the Dibba Bay oysters accompanied by three different sauces, paprika smoked salmon, cucumber and mint yoghurt, beef carpaccio with parmesan, pine nut and rocket, and the 24-hour braised lamb shoulder, barbecued leeks and mint pesto. Oh, and the best shrimps we’ve ever had, too, the lemon and garlic butter-grilled Omani shrimps are the highlight of the menu for us. If you’re at Verve, make sure you don’t miss the incredible beverage menu – they can make it all just for you and add a few funky touches just for fun.

Next morning, we try the breakfast at Bytes – and it’s as different from the brunch as we were expecting it to be. Many hotels try to make breakfast into something it’s not, but this one has all the basics – yogurt, cheese, muesli – and then some more. They’ll make you pan-scratched eggs from a menu that’s dedicated to just that rather than the otherwise rushed station version, and you’ll find some exotic picks such as idly, the light, airy Indian rice cake.

It’s just what you need to start the morning off the right way.

The Spa by Sensasia is the perfect fit for the hotel, and it carries the same positive vibes as the property. Our therapist gives us a French Shea butter Balinese massage with medium-strong pressure, and tailors it according to our preferences.

We read the full menu of treatments at the cosy relaxation room – there really is something for everyone in there.

Bidding farewell to Grand Plaza was one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to do. From the welcoming, courteous front office staff, to the amazing variety of quality food and stellar room, we just feel like coming back over and over again would be the only right thing to do.

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January 2020

Further afield

La Crème de la ‘Cream’

Mille-feuille, Mont Blanc, Madeleines, Opera…these are just some of the delicious cakes and pastries you can enjoy in Paris, but did you know the importance of dairy cream in the creation of these treats?

Read on as Mark Monzon (@markmyworldblog) unravels all the secrets to what goes on behind the scenes in the making of these sweet delicacies

Cream is essentially milk’s fat, and it’s extracted through the skimming process, which separates the milk from the cream.

An excellent flavour carrier for all mixtures, cream is capable of bringing out flavour because it captures both fat and water-soluble flavours.

The culinary success attributed to cream is 44

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due to the multiple roles it plays in improving taste, texture, binding and even presentation.

Its silky, smooth and shiny texture is why the term "creamy" is so widely used by connoisseurs to describe the smooth, rich consistency of any given product.

However, not all creams are created equal: to further emphasise this, The French Dairy

Board hosted a media trip in November with the objective of highlighting the importance of cream in traditional French patisseries.

The culinary tour was a long one, with six days of exploring and learning all the processes, connecting with the chefs behind each and every masterpiece, and meeting the masterminds behind the manufacturing of www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Further Afield

these products.

Most importantly, it was about learning how the cream of Europe is incorporated into each and every single one of these works of outstanding artistry.

A gourmet city renowned for its delicious recipes, Paris has some of the most exquisite mouth-watering treats. Chouquettes, eclairs and macarons make up a delectable landscape just waiting to be explored. To truly savour your stay, one needs to let go and let themselves be tempted by these irresistible cakes and pastries.

Coco, Opéra Garnier First up on the list was a dinner at this new hotspot, which pays homage to the historic opera house; desserts created by famous French pastry chef Kevin Lacote were the highlight of the night. Mangue fraiche, tarte tatin aux pommes and sablé soufflé were just

some of his creations, and to say that they were heavenly would be an understatement.

Laiterie La Chapelle Next up was a visit to an artisanal cheese production shop in the heart of Paris which sells fresh dairy products including cheese, yogurt and deli every day, and their manufacturing workshop is fully visible from the street. Staff collect milk daily, directly from a nearby dairy producer, process it and refine the cheeses on-site in order to only sell what they produce.

Paul, creator and cheese expert, showed us how to make cream and integrate it to make delectable desserts. For example, the addition of cream to fresh fruits makes for a healthy snack: it’s so simple yet zesty.

Printemps du Goût To try the creations of renowned chef

Christophe Michalak, we headed to Printemps du Goût. A vast selection of desserts welcomed us including the famous Mont Blanc and orange cheesecake.

Bo & Mie A neighbourhood bakery where locals queue in every morning was our next stop; they offer only 100% homemade products with quality ingredients in a modern, pleasant setting. It can be considered an upscale bakery with bread and high-end pastries available, sold at affordable prices.

Bergerie Nationale Arguably the most interesting part of the trip was a visit to the grassland. The Bergerie Nationale farm, located in the outskirts of Rambouillet, is the real deal, where the public can discover agricultural life with its specificities, challenges and values.

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January 2020

Further Afield

There was a lot of to see and learn at this farm and MOF Ludovic Bisot showed us everything we needed to gain an understanding of. We learned the process of milking the cows, and how milk is transported from the farm, to the shops, and then the table – and the importance of creating a conducive environment for our beloved animal friends.

Pastry workshop with Philippe Conticini One of the most humbling experiences of this trip was attending the workshop led by Chef Conticini, which took place in a space specifically designed for sharing, alongside the laboratories in which the chef’s creations are made.

For two and a half hours, you could share a moment of real closeness with the chef, who personally directs all workshops. We tasted the creations, and Chef Conticini was generous enough to share all his secrets to crafting these masterpieces including, of course, how and when to use cream to achieve the pastry’s perfect texture.

Afternoon tea at The Ritz hotel Created by no less than the best pastry chef in the world, François Perret, the desserts at The Ritz Paris were nothing 46

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short of amazing. It seemed as though every single one of the pieces was meticulously handcrafted. The legend explained to us how he used the cream of Europe to design and shape these confections.

Elle & Vire La Maison de la Crème Our last day was spent at a demonstration by Chef Nicolas Boussin, the best craftsman of France. To further understand the versatility of cream, he explained to us the essentials, its characteristics and properties, and how to properly use it for baking and pastry-making.

There was a lot to be learned, including the different ways to thicken a sauce using cream.

Did you know that cream is a slow thickener that, when heated, has coating properties due to the gradual evaporation of its water content, concentrating its fat content? Now we know…

Pastry Tour Rounding off the trip to Paris was a guided tour of the dessert district, where we got the chance to visit the most popular shops including Pierre Herme, Des Gateaux Du Pain and Mori Yoshida to name a few. They each have their own signature creations and we were just so lucky to have been able to try all of them. www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

Further Afield

Some of the other shops such as Paul, Ladurée and Angelina are already available in Dubai and definitely offer a taste of Paris – if you don’t get a chance to go to France.

To summarise, cream enhances aromas and reveals flavours without dominating. It reduces bitterness and acidity, and tempers the pungency of certain fruits and astringency of others. It also improves the fondant used in pastries and, most importantly, results in a fluffy cloud when whipped.

With all of this information on hand, we now have a better understanding of how cream’s culinary and gastronomic qualities have made it an indispensable go-to ingredient for French pastry chefs. All of this comes together to make it an essential ingredient and a crucial part of any wellcrafted pastry.

And so, as the Middle East continues to import cream from Europe in growing quantities, it’s very important to be mindful of the history, process, people and hard work that go into the making of the product. This trip has definitely opened our eyes to the excellence of French cream and its versatility in pastry, and how its representative of cultural heritage, in addition to being a high-quality product sourced from European agriculture.

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January 2020

Movers & Shakers

Farm to Hotel

Agriculture Box Founder Arnaud Fabre tells Hotel & Catering News Middle East all about how organic urban farming systems will revolutionise the way we grow In a world where farm-to-table has become a catchphrase, hotels around the world are joining the movement with their own produce-rich gardens and farms.

Chefs and F&B outlets are looking to find new ways to grow nutrient-rich, high-yield organic food, and this is what Agriculture Box offers with the latest urban farming growing technologies.

It's not just happening at hotels located near leafy pastures and fertile fields. Urban properties by the biggest chains are getting into the act with gardens augmenting their kitchens' shopping lists.

With new methods to promote organic farming, the business offers user-friendly, ergonomic and transportable solutions.

Agriculture Box’s exclusive urban farming systems are made with premium materials such as European timber and dried Spruce wood from sustainable sources, certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

Using long-lasting materials, the offering is durable against the strong sun and humidity encountered during the summer months in arid environments.

Agriculture Box’s systems are both waterproof and UV proof, and their soil and compost are carefully selected.

The company also provides its proprietary organic micro-algae fertiliser to support plant health, with most of their seeds coming from France. Their composting system, specifically designed for outside use, compliments products to allow for self-sufficiency.

Agriculture Box’s outdoor, food-graded, fiberglass anaerobic fermentation and aerobic decomposition system facilitates the production of rich compost in four weeks using a double system: controlled 48

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January 2020

Movers & Shakers

anaerobic fermentation with Effective Micro-Organism (EM) and a traditional decomposition.

What do you think of the Dubai market and why have you decided to venture into it?

The fact that 90% of the food we consume is imported and the relative lack of organic matter in the native soil creates an opportunity for turn-key integrated organic urban vegetable gardens.

Who are your main clients and why?

We started with schools. They use our systems not only for educational purposes, but also for the creation of their home-grown school organic markets.

Then, we began working with hotels. The advantages are tripled: a quick return on investment and the creation of gourmet home-grown menus. The urban farm is also a great marketing tool for the hotels to promote their green initiatives.

We also work with individuals, and now villa contractors.

What challenges have you faced so far and how have you found solutions?

The main challenges organic growers are facing here are the lack of organic matter and beneficial biology in soil.

Our offer includes a compost system that will create this organic matter and inoculate beneficial biology.

Also, our systems thanks to their aeration and soil temperature reduction, promote that fragile biology.

What changes do you think the Expo 2020 will bring about in the market?

I think Expo 2020 will raise awareness on truly sustainable farming practices, focusing on organic matter and carbon-based waste recycling to produce compost.

Then, it all becomes self-sustainable and we can grow the best chemical-free food money can buy in terms of nutrient content and taste.

A great local fresh food offer will enhance the tourism industry.

What’s in the pipeline for your company?

More hotels, schools and urban farming for villa compounds.

Robert Musaazi

Tell us more about your role in promoting sustainability.

Our role is basically to make people understand that you don't grow plants...you grow soil, which in turn will grow plants. By soil, we mean those beneficial microorganisms that can be inoculated through composting.

Let's work with nature, not against it, and we will then access incredible yield and nutrient content across the board.

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January 2020

New Hotel

Crowning the Marina Due to open this year, Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina offers a more social take on traditional business hotels

The upscale new property comprises 273 rooms and suites, in addition to a variety of food and beverage options including its signature Thai restaurant Charm Thai and five other dining concepts. Located on the Marina Waterfront, Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina sits in close proximity to JLT, Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Investment Parks and Jebel Ali. We interview the new hotel’s General Manager Georges Farhat for a sneak preview of what’s to come:

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You started your career working at a family-run restaurant; how did you develop your skills further to get to where you are today?

I began my career in the hospitality industry in 1989, at the age of only 20 where I worked in a family-run restaurant.

This experience was very humbling for me and has shown me how important it is to treat each guest personally.

My career path then took me to Dubai, where I began working as a management trainee to a GM within the IHG Group.

This swift succession has shown me the hard work and talent that goes into creating a successful hotel from every level from waiter and concierge, through to general manager. Every day, my role continues to encourage me to develop amazing talents who one day would grow to become the hospitality leaders of tomorrow.

When did you get your first opportunity to be a GM? I was first appointed as the GM of Crowne www.hotelnewsme.com

January 2020

New Hotel

Plaza Dubai in 2014, a role for which I was named GM of the Year in 2015 by a wellknown hospitality magazines. This was an eye-opening experience and has taught me many interesting things, which I apply in my current role.

How will you be drawing from experience when it comes to running the new hotel’s F&B outlets?

F&B has always been of interest to me.

As a result, I’ve designed, developed and launched many well-known restaurants in Dubai which have become popular fixtures on the dynamic Dubai F&B market.

The F&B outlets in Crowne Plaza are quite unique concepts, which I’ve been involved with at almost every stage of development. The competition in Dubai Marina among F&B outlets is very strong, but I’m confident that my experience and that of the wider Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina team, combined with our collective market knowledge, will guide these restaurants to success.

At Crowne Plaza, we genuinely understand the modern traveller. We know that for them, while productivity is important, so are experiences that restore and inspire. As guest-obsessed people, we act upon it and do F&B on our guests’ terms.

lot to both types of guests: for business travellers, being connected to many important business hubs including JLT, Internet City, Media City and Jebel Ali. For leisure travellers, being close to many important tourist attractions such as JBR beach and the many restaurants.

Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina, with its value-for-money proposition and standard of service, offers a lot for these guests as they seek a beautiful hotel to explore the city from.

What do you find inspiring about working in hospitality and being a general manager?

Working in the hospitality industry gives me huge job satisfaction and, every day, I’m motivated to do my job to the best of my abilities. I’m inspired and motivated by our staff ’s hard work at all levels. Having worked as a management trainee, I have

huge respect for what they do and how they can contribute to a hotel’s success.

As a GM, I’m empowered to give them the same opportunities I was given at the start of my career and one of my goals here is to help them develop their careers.

What will this new property bring to the market?

My goal for the Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina is to establish an upscale businessclass hotel, delivering distinctive stay and meeting experiences to our guests.

Together with the rest of the team, my vision is to strengthen the Crowne Plaza brand further and develop a foothold in the competitive marketplace, which I believe will be made possible by the team’s determination and passion. We believe we’ll eventually become the mostloved business class hotel brand in the region and globally.

How did your role differ in each destination? Have you had to adjust to different cultures?

Each role carries with it a unique set of challenges, but also opportunities. Aside from my time in Canada, my experience has all been in Dubai. Within Dubai, the location of both the Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina and Crowne Plaza Dubai has created two similar, but slightly varied, roles.

Tell us about Dubai as a destination.

What do you think it offers to your guests?

Traditionally, Dubai was seen as a destination of choice for those seeking luxury and glamour, but the emirate is now showing it can also offer great value to business and leisure tourists alike.

Within Dubai, the Marina area offers a

Georges Farhat

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January 2020

What's cooking?

The Best Pizza in New York Motorino’s Neapolitan pies hail from Brooklyn. Founder and Chef Mathieu Palombino has announced the culinary collaboration with JA Resorts & Hotels as his first foray into the Middle East

His pizzas were deemed “the best of a new generation of pizzas” by The New York Times, and Motorino NY continues to accrue accolades to this day, featured in The Bib Gourmand Michelin Guide and as a Chefs Feed winner of “One of the Best Things to Eat in NYC”.

Tell us a little about your career as a chef.

I started cooking school and my kitchen apprenticeship at the age of 15 in Belgium.

I entered a big kitchen brigade at the very bottom and worked up to chef de partie.

This was a fundamental time and an invaluable asset to my career; I learned the old-school way from the old-timers: the basics, from butchery to pastry, catering and high-end service in a disciplined, uncompromising kitchen.

After my apprenticeship, I moved to Brussels where I worked in what was, at the time, the hottest restaurant in town. I was exposed to a lot of different people in the kitchen, and it planted the seed in my head to move to New York.

The next year – I was in another world. I was very young, but since I could hold my own in a kitchen, it was easy to find work. I moved from place to place to learn the trade from some of the very best chefs in the city.

The kitchens of high-end French restaurants such as Bouley and Cello felt like home to me, but I also trailed in steakhouses and Italian restaurants, and I ran kitchens in busy downtown brasseries.

When I was chef de cuisine of BLT Fish, the restaurant earned three stars in The NY Times and a Michelin star in its first year.

Though I was having a blast, my main focus 52

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was to learn enough to do it on my own.

In 2008, I took a 180-degree turn from anything I’d done before and opened something that would have a chance to work in tough times, a Neapolitan pizzeria.

I worked the pizza dough to be the best in town, I sold it at a good price, and we ran a professional, but comfortable and casual restaurant. Motorino was a success right out of the box. I opened the second location a year later, and now there are 14 worldwide.

Who or what inspired you to become a chef?

My dad and I used to love watching Joel Robuchon on Sunday as he demonstrated a

recipe with a young chef on TV. I watched this show religiously. This is where I started to think that this could be a thing for me, and my parents supported my goal. A chef is a difficult, but respectable job in Europe; it’s a good career path.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a chef?

Nothing challenges me in the kitchen – I know it like the back of my hand. The kitchen keeps no secrets from me. Being a business owner, however, is a different story…

You have successful restaurants in New York, why expand into Dubai?

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January 2020

What's cooking?

I love travelling. It’s a pleasure to be opening pizzerias in cities that are growing and expanding. Meeting new people, putting a restaurant together with them, adapting to a new culture/market – it’s a great endeavour.

Mathieu Palombino

Last month, you opened the doors to Motorino at JA Ocean View Hotel, how did your partnership with JA Resorts and Hotels come about?

The CEO of JA Resorts & Hotels was based in Hong Kong a few years ago and happened to live near our Motorino outpost there. He was a frequent visitor – he got hooked on the pizza. Being familiar with the quality and consistency of Motorino, he trusted our brand when it came time to put a pizzeria in his hotel in Dubai.

What can guests expect from the menu at Motorino?

They can expect to find the same great list of antipasti and pies we serve in New York City – Neapolitan classics such as the Margherita or Straciatella, and Motorino signatures such as the Colatura di Alici.

In Dubai, we’ve added a fresh pasta section to the menu, which focuses on southern Italian pasta dishes. We have amazing seafood coming in from Italy; the Linguine alle Vongole and Spaghetti al Frutti di Mare shouldn’t be missed.

It’s no secret that Motorino is considered to have the best pizza in NYC, what makes the pizza at Motorino so mouth-watering?

First, there’s our pizza dough, which we’re incredibly proud of. Motorino pizza has a highly fermented, long-process dough. The crust has an excellent light, airy, structure that many Neapolitan pizzas don’t achieve.

You know how pizza gets soggy in the centre; the dough won’t hold? Our crust doesn’t have that problem. We don’t work pizza dough the way pizzerias usually do; we approach dough production as a bakery would.

We have a precise schedule and a crew of people who are solely dedicated to making the dough. It’s a very different job from the pizzaiolo in front of the oven.

Being able to separate the production from

the preparation is what has allowed us to maintain the quality of this dough for so long.

Then, there’s the second phase of pizza, the garnish. Motorino’s are on the lighter side, not overloaded with ingredients. We achieve big, full flavours with classical ingredient pairings, such as anchovies, capers, and olives on our Del Popolo pizza, or simply fior di latte, tomato, basil, and excellent pecorino on our Margherita.

food industry; in your opinion, what F&B trends can we expect in the coming year?

I see chef-owned restaurants thriving in times ahead – restaurants with a human behind them, rather than a concept dreamed up by an investment firm, with a team of consultants and interchangeable chefs. I also like to see that restaurant menus are getting healthier. Though it’s a trend that started fifty years ago, it keeps developing as we learn more about health and nutrition.

How do you plan on achieving similar acclaim here in Dubai?

I’ve created comprehensive systems for JA Resorts & Hotels – and all our licensees, ensuring that the Motorino pizza you have in Dubai will be exactly the same as the one you get in New York. Everyone uses the same ingredients, recipes, techniques and always the Neapolitan oven.

What advice would you share with upcoming talent starting out in the F&B industry?

Every day before your 30th birthday, learn the trade by going to work for the people you admire. Work hard – really hard - and build yourself into a true professional. Be tasteful, don’t get confused by sensation. Give people what they want, and enjoy yourself while doing it. Remember that the ultimate goal in this profession is to please your guests.

Every year brings on new trends in the

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January 2020

Review

Review

Armani/SPA It wasn’t my first time at Armani Spa, and neither will it be my last – I’m positive.

There’s something about this world of eternal, modern luxury that keeps drawing you back in, and you have no choice but to oblige, since you’ll seldom find such an experience.

As you enter, you’ll notice there’s no reception, just a sleek hallway with staff dressed in all-white uniforms sashaying up and down the shiny floors. An oasis of peace and tranquillity in the heart of a bustling city, the 12,000-square foot Armani/SPA reflects the Armani lifestyle and design philosophy.

I fill in the jargon-free consultation form; at this spa, there are no 500-treatments menus, just simple techniques, lotions and concoctions that work.

Armani’s therapies were designed to fulfil different goals. MU quenches a desire for relaxation and stillness, Libertà encourages

freedom of movement and the release of physical pain, and Fluidità enhances vitality, restoring internal balance. The therapeutic treatments are enhanced with custom-made, naturally fragranced Bois, Jasmine and Jade oils by Armani.

I go for the facial – and if you ever head to this luxurious haven, forget about inyour-face aromatherapy massages or cheesy techniques – you won’t smell much, but you’ll feel like what you’ve just had done

was totally worth it.

My favourite part? Aside from the sauna and steam rooms, and the ever-serene relaxation room, there’s the magnificent swimming pool which you’ll have access to upon visiting the spa. Lay down as the Burj literally towers over you, and take a dip as you enjoy 360-degree views of Downtown Dubai in all of its glory.

I wouldn’t be wrong if I said it was a once-in-lifetime spa journey.

BIN EID EXECUTIVE SEARCH (Specialised in 5* Hotel Sector) Since 1995

Celebrating 23 years in Executive Search (Hotels & other Hospitality segment) We thank our Clients, Candidates, well-wishers who directly and indirectly helped us in our wonderful & blissful journey.

We also thank the Almighty, Bin Eid team members, ex-employees, associates and numerous unseen souls who supported us to navigate in our 23 years of spectacular journey. Thank you for the trust and confidence placed on us.

Our Services: • Salary & Compensation Survey • Pre-opening recruitment from 20 countries • Executive Search & Head Hunting

Currently Hiring: • General Manager • Director of Sales & Marketing • Sales Manager / Executive • Director of Engineering • Front Office Manager

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HR & Training Manager Hotel Manager Director Finance Executive Chef F&B Director

PO Box 5455 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Email: mdwarrier@bineid.com Tel: +971 6 5686144 Website: www.bineid.com

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